Develop a Stone Floor Care Program for Your Cleaning Business

Office buildings have many types of flooring and growing in popularity are stone floors. Stone floors give buildings a classic and upscale image. Popular choices in flooring these days are natural surfaces including marble, slate, granite, and terrazzo. Learning the tricks of stone floor care can lead to extra income and profit for your cleaning company.

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stone floor care program, cleaning business

Article Body:

Copyright 2006 The Janitorial Store

Office buildings have many types of flooring and growing in popularity are stone floors. Stone floors give buildings a classic and upscale image. Popular choices in flooring these days are natural surfaces including marble, slate, granite, and terrazzo. As more and more buildings are installing stone floors there is a growing need for cleaning contractors who have the experience and knowledge to take care of these valued surfaces properly. Learning the tricks of stone floor care can lead to extra income and profit for your cleaning company.

Before expanding into the area of stone floor care make sure that you understand the differences in the types of flooring and how to design a maintenance program to keep stone floors looking their best. It helps to develop a relationship with a distributor that has quality products and can help you with technical support.

The first step in any floor maintenance program is finding out what type of stone you're dealing with. Stone floors are broken down into one of two categories: stone that contains calcium and those that do not contain calcium. It is important to note that acids will attack and etch stone that contains calcium.

If the floor is not coated on the surface, a simple test can determine what type of stone you are dealing with. Place a drop of hydrochloric acid in an inconspicuous area and watch the reaction. If the acid fizzes the stone contains calcium. If there is no reaction, the stone is most likely granite, slate, sandstone or some type of ceramic that has been designed to look like natural stone.

Your second step is to decide what type of results you want with your floor program. Do you want a polished surface, a slip resistant floor or a floor program that is easy to manage? Any stone floor program should also take into account the type of surface - polished, honed or textured. Also, remember that stone is a product of nature and should be admired for its inconsistencies. The imperfections of stone create random patterns, which is what makes natural stone so desirable.

When looking at how you should maintain stone floors, both calcium containing and non-calcium containing stone floors should be maintained in identical ways except when it comes to re-polishing. A marble floor develops wear patterns faster as marble is a softer stone. You can polish marble, limestone and terrazzo effectively with superfine abrasives you mix with potassium oxalate or oxalic acid. These are typical compounds available in various ready to use formulas.

Granite floors, on the other hand, are acid resistant requiring granite to be polished mechanically using superfine abrasives. The re-polishing of granite is a slow process as compared to re-polishing a marble floor.

At times the floor will have been so neglected it may need restoration. A properly restored stone floor will have no lippage (where one edge of a stone is higher than adjacent edges, giving the stone a ragged appearance), will look better and be easier to clean. The restoration process is best handled by professionals. Improved technology has made the restoration process faster and with a restored floor maintenance costs will go down while the overall appearance of the floor will go up.

Stone itself has a porosity factor (materials can pass through it) and some stones absorb stains faster than other types of stone. A high quality impregnator can help prevent stains from passing through and being absorbed into the stone. Impregnators can be water resistant, or water, grease and oil resistant. The specific impregnator to use will depend on your specific situation.

The most important part of your stone floor care program will be the use of a quality stone soap. A high quality soap will clean and enrich the stone, which will make it more soil and stain resistant. This is not an area to be cutting costs!

Quarterly cleaning is recommended for commercial stone floors. This will not only remove any built in soil, but will also remove stone soap build-up. This is an important step as most stone soaps are non-rinse. Because of this dirt can build up in the grout lines, even when you are following a floor maintenance program. An intensive cleaning should also be used if you have an extremely dirty floor.

Other stone surfaces that may need extra care are countertops, vanities and vertical surfaces, such as pillars. A good relationship with a distributor of quality products will help you in deciding which chemicals you'll need to use to clean these surfaces.

If you have buildings with stone floors, your first step is to develop a quality stone floor care program. Spending a little time and effort before beginning your stone floor program will save you headaches and keep the floor looking its best. Your customer will be happy and your bank account will grow!

Develop Loyal Customers for a Lifetime - part 1 (1 - 10)

In today's competitive world of business it is more important than ever to aim for more interaction with existing customers. This article part one of two and shows the first 10 steps that will help you turn your existing customers into walking billboards for your business and help keep them as customers for a lifetime.

Keywords:

business, marketing, customer service, marketing, strategies, philosophy, follow-up, accessibility

Article Body:

Traditional marketing strategies encourage business owners to continually grow their businesses by adding new customers. In today's competitive world of business, it is more important than ever to aim for more transactions with existing customers by using the power of customer follow-up and attention to good service.

These first ten tips will help you in turning your existing customers into walking billboards for your business and loyal customers for a lifetime. While we aren't advocating that you do all of them, choosing your favorite five and making sure they become a part of your marketing efforts will pay off handsomely.

1. Call your clients every Monday morning just to say “Good Morning,” and to check in on how things are going. This extra ounce of attention will keep you forefront in the minds of your clients, and they will greatly appreciate your extended care and concern.

2. Keep a list of birthdays, special days of celebration, and upcoming special events in the life of your clients and their families. On these special days, send a card or small gift to let your clients know you are thinking of them. On the same note, keep a detailed list of hobbies, interests, favorite foods, preferred music, and the like. As you travel or are out and about, and you see a small token which you know your client would appreciate, buy the item, and ship it with a note that says "I thought of you when I saw this! Enjoy!" One of the most desirable "client perks" is tickets to a favorite sporting event or concert. Many companies purchase packages of sporting event tickets strictly for the purpose of entertaining champion clients and for building a long lasting relationship with the individual.

3. Be "Newsy" and a Trend Setter. One of the best ways to develop loyal clients is to become a trendsetter, continue your own education and training, and to become a forward thinker. By attending training events and reading cutting edge magazines such as Dwell, Futurist Magazine, FAST Company, Gourmet, Architectural Digest, and even Cosmopolitan Magazine, you will be able to follow trends which are current, allowing your clients to receive the newest and best information available on a variety of topics from business to fashion to design to travel to new foods on the market.

4. Attend conferences for your clients. For clients who are too busy to attend a conference, you can offer to attend a conference in their place. The best approach is to choose a conference that will benefit both you and your clients, and you pick up the tab (you will be able to deduct your cost as a business expense, so keep records and receipts for all expenses). While attending the event, collect a "goody bag" for each of your clients, that will include samples from the conference exhibit and any written materials, which you feel may be of benefit to your clients. When you return from the event, host a one-hour conference call or teleclass to update your clients on the latest/greatest in their industry.

5. Feature your clients or referral partners on your website or in your newsletter as your honored man or woman of the month/week. Contact your clients or people you often refer others to one month prior to publication, and invite them to be interviewed as your "guest expert" for the month/week. Record the interview, transcribe the interview, and post the recorded interview and transcription, along the client's photograph, biography, and contact information on your website or in your newsletter. The enhanced visibility will speak volumes to your clients about your support for their lives, and will show others that you are committed to the personal and professional improvement of others.

6. Invite your clients for a “sneak peek” to test a new product, service, or teleclass before the general public is invited to participate. Make this "sneak peek” unforgettable. If you are offering the preview in a live setting, provide wonderful food and drink. If this is an online event, teleclass, or virtual offering, make the sneak preview say "WOW" with fabulous graphics, distinct digital audios or videos, a dynamic power point presentation, and a copy of a 15-20 page document which will add value to the life of your clients.

7. One day each week, send your clients a special quote or a brief story of inspiration. A wonderful online free resource for quotes and stories of inspiration can be obtained through the www.cybernation.com . Cyber Nation is one of the largest online quote libraries celebrating the famous words of men and women from history, both past and present.

8. Adopt the philosophy of Fed-Ex. Do you know what Fed Ex says? "When it's a matter of hours, it's a matter for FedEx. We can pick up and deliver door-to-door 24/7/365 including weekends and holidays and give you immediate confirmation. Just pick a service and pick up the phone." Quick service, 24/7/365 is the number one reason that the majority of consumers in the United States choose Fed Ex over other parcel delivery companies. As a coach, you will develop loyal customers by being highly responsive and by delivering answers with lightning speed. When your customers expect a response, they usually expect it within 24 hours, so give them what they want, and you will develop a long list of "raving fans."

9. Be highly accessible. Provide your clients with multiple ways to contact you, including e-mail, fax, mobile phone, business phone, and home phone. If you travel, contact your clients in advance to let them know you will be away from the office for a few days and let them know how they can reach you in the event of an emergency. Simply letting your clients know that you are always available is very reassuring and will send the client the message that you care enough to be there for them at any time.

10. Open a private page on your website "For Clients Only." This special page on your website will be a private area which will include valuable resources not made available to the public at large. This page may include a free e-book, free audio course, free articles authored by you, or a growing list of resources you make available at no charge to those men and women who do business with you. The key to a successful private resource page is to continually update the page, adding new resources that are fresh and "cutting edge."

© Copyright 2004 by Alicia Smith

Permission to reproduce granted if all attribution & contact information is included.

Helping To Develop Student Leaders

There's good news for students who want to unlock their potential and pursue their dream of becoming a leader in the business world.

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Helping To Develop Student Leaders

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There's good news for students who want to unlock their potential and pursue their dream of becoming a leader in the business world.

An organization committed to bringing business and education together is offering a series of workshops and events designed to serve the needs of middle level, high school and college students.

Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda (FBLA-PBL) is a nonprofit education association with a membership of a quarter million students preparing for careers in business and business-related fields. It is the largest business career student organization in the country and is well regarded for its innovative leadership and career development programs.

FBLA-PBL offers a number of workshops and tests designed to assist students who want to sharpen their skills and get certified in different competencies. For example:

• Workshop topics include business, career development, communications, finance, leadership, IT and other areas that are designed to meet the standards of the National Business Education Association (NBEA).

• Certification as a Certified Internet Webmaster (CIW) is offered through a series of three exams. The cost is $25 per exam.

• College credits in the areas of accounting and information systems and computer applications are available through College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests. Each exam is $55.

FBLA-PBL also holds national conferences for members that promote leadership development. The 2006 conference is being held this summer in Nashville, Tennessee.

This year's keynote speaker at the conference is Coach Ken Carter, coach of the Richmond High School Basketball team and the inspiration for the movie "Coach Carter."

The conference also offers an Institute For Leaders (IFL) where members and advisers can learn, explore and practice leadership skills.

Develop and Maintain Positive Relationships Immediately Using Only Four Ingredients

I often heard in counseling situations that "He says he loves me, but he never shows it." What this person was actually saying was that she heard it in words but was not convinced by his actions (usually a lack of action). Remember the old adage: "Action speaks louder than words."? It could not be truer here.

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relationship, mutual respect, support, communication, helping, love,

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People who live next door to each other seldom take the time to get to know each other. Or worst yet, co-workers go into the same building daily, and may even ride the same elevator, without even saying a word to each other. And this story goes on daily all across the land - different locations, same scenario! How much more rewarding life would be if people would only take a moment to greet each other and start to develop positive relationships!

It is my belief that we are, at times, our own worst enemy. Despite our kind and helpful intentions, we tend to shoot ourselves in the foot when it comes to developing and maintaining positive relationships.

There tends to be problems among people whenever they ignore each other or demonstrate a lack of respect. I drew this conclusion after studying this counterproductive behavior while in college and again while in the US Air Force. Consequently, I venture to say that ninety to ninety-five percent of the cases I counseled stemmed from lack of mutual respect and/or communication.

"Developing a relationship takes time, but applying the ingredients begins immediately."

The way we learned to develop and maintain our relationships with others usually started in our homes when we were young. If our parents showed love and respect for each other, we tended to do the same for our family members. Having had positive interactions there, we took it to school and eventually to the work place. However, if we never witnessed or learned mutual respect at home, we developed an indifference for our fellow-human being. It is no wonder that we never knew how to show it.

Mutual Respect Goes a Long Way

Respect, whenever demanded, always results in "defiant compliance" (doing it because we have to, usually under pressure, not because we want to for the pure pleasure) that may lead to counterproductive behaviors. When respect is earned, on the other hand, positive things begin to happen on both sides of the fence. The only effective way to earn respect is to give it away. Then, not only will it return, but it will do so a hundredfold. The good thing about developing positive relationships is that it is never too late to do so, despite how blight the situation might seem.

Hint: To create an atmosphere of mutual respect, start by demonstrating in your words and actions respect for others, starting with your spouse and children. A good way to begin is to minimize the negative talk, in yourself and in others. Speak when the atmosphere is friendly. Your family member will be more apt to listen and respond in a friendly manner. Take what you have learned to the workplace and spread respect in similar manner there.

Putting a Little Fun into Your Life

Because we are so busy with the demands of work, home, community events, and church activities, it becomes easy to overlook an all-important aspect for building positive relationships. The good news is that it does not take as much time as we might think. The benefits come in the quality, not the quantity, of time we spend with the other person.

Hint: Spend time on a regular basis, once a week, or two or three times a week, with the other person doing something that you both enjoy. Avoid getting into the routine of making it a forced activity or schedule.

Encouragement Creates Cooperation.

If we expect others to respond to our wishes and requests, we must first believe in ourselves and in the other person as capable and productive persons. This belief, when expressed in positive and supportive words and actions, sends a strong message of encouragement. The other person quickly picks up and responds positively and cooperatively.

Hint: Minimize your mentioning of the mistakes (except in hazardous or other dangerous situations) or the weaknesses of others. Instead, recognize and acknowledge their assets and strengths. Turn their lemons into lemonade.

Show a Little Love in All You Do and Say

I often heard in counseling situations that "He says he loves me, but he never shows it." What this person was actually saying was that she heard it in words but was not convinced by his actions (usually it a lack of action). Remember the old adage: "Action speaks louder than words"? It could not be truer here. Love is both an emotion and an action. Saying it alone is not enough. Neither is showing it by itself. For the other person to feel secure in the relationship, regardless of the level of intimacy, they need to know, see, feel, and perceive that they are on the receiving end, that the other person truly cares for them.

Hint: Expressing our love, care, and concern for the other person is both a feeling and an action that needs to be expressed in words and action. Often such expressions are most powerful whenever they are expressed at a time or occasion when the other person is least anticipating such comments and actions.

Avoid praising; it may seem artificial. Instead give encouragement; it comes across more genuine and caring.

Although mutual respect, love, and funtimes together are all important ingredients in creating positive relationships, it is the encouragement ingredient that is the most important of all. For it is through encouragement that we focus on the strengths and assets of the others. Consequently, it is this encouragement that helps them to believe in themselves and their abilities, that helps them to accept and learn from their mistakes, and that helps them to develop the courage to be themselves, imperfections and all. (This just might be the first step they needed in helping them learn how to maximize their potential.)

There you have it: The four ingredients in developing and maintaining positive relationships, mutual respect, love, having fun together, and encouragement. Now put this recipe into practice with your employees, your customers, your colleagues, and others, and watch the positive results of your behavioral investments grow beyond all leaps and bounds.

Give Your Home Business 6 Months To Develop

I have seen it all too often.

Online Job seekers sign up for an Business opportunity and a Month or two Later they quit.

I have seen some quit the same Day!

You need to give your Home Business time to develop.

I say this for several reasons.

It might take a little time for you to decide what you want to do to make money on the internet. Why? Because most marketers who are new bounce from one business opportunity to the next until they find that "Goose who l...

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work from home,home jobs,home business,virtual jobs,jobs,self-employment,telecommuting,

Article Body:

I have seen it all too often.

Online Job seekers sign up for an Business opportunity and a Month or two Later they quit.

I have seen some quit the same Day!

You need to give your Home Business time to develop.

I say this for several reasons.

It might take a little time for you to decide what you want to do to make money on the internet. Why? Because most marketers who are new bounce from one business opportunity to the next until they find that "Goose who lays the golden egg". But did you know you can save a lot of time by researching the business you are interested in and then putting your plan into action on how you are going to make it work

First of all the if you have set up some type of advertising, Sometimes it takes a little time for prospects to start seeing your ads. Most Marketer send out a few ads and expect instant signups. It's not going to happen.

It takes a lot of work if you are placing free ads. But it will work if You are placing 5-10 ads a day everyday for 3-6 Months.

You will see faster results if you use paid advertising like pay-per-click or some type of autoresponder service with good, quality leads.

Another mistake I have seen people make by quitting too soon is that they had a "Heavy Hitter" under them in their downline and did not even know it.

They quit too soon before they could reap the benefits of a "Free Check" every Month.

If you signup up for a work at home opportunity, give it 6 months to developed. If you have really tried your very best and still have not seen the results you expected, then quit.

Most likely after 6 months though if you have worked your business, you will be in profit and on your way to a lifetime of residual Income.

Develop Loyal Customers for a Lifetime - part 2 (11 - 20)

In today's competitive world of business it is more important than ever to aim for more interaction with existing customers. This article part two of two and shows steps 11-20 that will help you turn your existing customers into walking billboards for your business and help keep them as customers for a lifetime.

Keywords:

business, marketing, customer service, marketing, strategies, philosophy, follow-up, accessibility

Article Body:

Traditional marketing strategies encourage business owners to continually grow their businesses by adding new customers. In today's competitive world of business, it is more important than ever to aim for more transactions with existing customers by using the power of customer follow-up and attention to good service.

These second ten tips will help you in turning your existing customers into walking billboards for your business and loyal customers for a lifetime. While we aren't advocating that you do all ten, choosing your favorite five and making sure they become a part of your marketing efforts will pay off handsomely.


1. Conduct surveys one time per month in order to find out what your clients want and need. Your ability to deliver solutions to current problems will position you as a coach who is solution oriented and who is willing to be flexible to deliver what it is that the client most wants and needs. An online survey tool such as www.zoomerang.com is a fantastic tool for providing online surveys to your current customers and clients.

2. Support your clients by attending their events and by sending them referrals. Are your clients leading a workshop or a teleclass? Are they holding a special "grand opening" or announcing a new product or service? Will your client be playing the piano for a special event or helping with a charity auction? Find out what special events are in the future for your client and attend those events with enthusiasm. This one perk will let your clients know that you are committed to them through and through. In addition, become a walking billboard for your clients, telling others about their products or services, and send them referrals on a regular basis. The building of a strong relationship and strategic alliance begins with you, so let your support be known by "showing up" and "talking your client up to others." If you cannot attend the event, contact the client on the day of their big event, wishing them well and letting them know how much you wish you could attend.

3. Set aside a 3 hour block of time each week strictly for the purpose of being "on call" for your clients. During this 3-hour block of time, you will be providing "spot coaching" for clients who want to call in for questions, a quick dose of motivation, or to get support in the area of problem solving. Limit each call to 15 minutes so that everyone who wants to talk with you will have a chance to do so.

4. Host a "Client Only" Call one time per month. As you begin to coach more and more of your ideal clients, you will begin to notice "common problems" shared by your clients. Watch closely for these common problems, and use your knowledge to build a "Client Only" call one time per month. The Client Only call will provide your clients with information and value around a particular topic which is on their minds such as how to increase profits, how to get more customers, or how to deal with negative thought patterns which block success. The Client Only Call will also support your clients in extending his or her network, which is a wonderful value add.

5. Answer each and every question asked by your clients with a positive and helpful attitude. Quite often as a coach, you will find that your clients want one thing...your help! Each time a client sends you a question by e-mail or calls you by phone to ask a question, respond with compassion and with the A to Z details which will provide the support they are seeking. Studies show that approximately 68% of all people will choose to continue doing business with you based on your attitude, so treat your clients as if you are honored to answer their questions, and as always, answer their questions as quickly as possible (within 24 hours is recommended.)

6. Update your website every day, adding new content, a new quote of the day, a new article, or a cutting edge resource. Your customers will want to know that you are savvy enough to stay ahead, updating your website frequently and that you are alive and well and devoted to details. If you have a website which is outdated and "stale," your clients will move on to a coach who is both present and future focused. On the same note, if your website will be down for repair or down for a facelift, notify your clients in advance that your website will be down and keep them updated on the status of your site.

7. Develop a collaborative partnership with your clients, and team with them one time each year on a joint venture. Clients of today want a partnership that is collaborative in nature, and they want to feel that you are a part of their "team." Invite your clients to join you in hosting a fundraising event, to co-lead a workshop or teleclass, or to co-author an article or an e-course. The relationship with your client will shift during this process, and you will develop a bond that is strong and long lasting.

8. Add new products, services, and features to your coaching business every month. In order to keep clients coming back again and again, it will be important for you to continue adding interesting features to your business. Write a new e-course, offer a new assessment, post a new audio, list a new teleclass series, add a 1-800 number to your business, or do something fun like adding a kids page to your website. Each time you add a new feature, your clients' interest will be sparked, and they will feel a surge of enthusiasm around their decision to continue working with you as their coach.

9. Provide Instant Message Coaching two nights per week. By using AOL or MSN Instant Messaging services, you can provide an amazing amount of value for folks who work during the day. Set aside two hours two nights per week to provide IM coaching for individuals or for a group. This can be a great time to communicate with your clients through the power of the written word.

10. At the end of each month, send a card to each client thanking him or her for being your client. Make this note special to each person, and let them know how much you value the relationship and how much you enjoy working with them. Remember...your clients make your coaching business possible, so thank them graciously and often!

© Copyright 2004 by Alicia Smith

Permission to reproduce granted if all attribution & contact information is included.

Career Change - Develop The Mental Strength To Bring the Change

Advising others to change career sounds very simple and a workable proposition. When it comes to us, it becomes one of the toughest decisions to implement.

Keywords:

career,

Article Body:

Advising others to change career sounds very simple and a workable proposition. When it comes to us, it becomes one of the toughest decisions to implement. A career change needs lot of mental preparation. If you have a family, that may get disrupted by your career change. The income may stop for some time. The decision itself may turn out to be a wrong one. It needs mental strength to change career. Let us see what it requires.


A change of career shifts us from a comfort zone to a zone full of discomfort in the beginning. For a full time production engineer, a change to a career as human resources consultant may need a total about turn, back to school and learning new skills for the new job. Some people change careers so totally that it looks incredible. Let us talk about changes that can be done more smoothly. I am talking about learning about a new career along with the old one and then shifting to the new career slowly. This process also requires mental strength, because it needs lot of extra work.

The first barrier that one encounters while thinking of career change is- how did I get into a wrong career? What if my new decision also turns out to be wrong? What if I continue with my present career? Why should I change my career? Some of these questions need head to answer and some questions are for the heart such as asking why did I chose the wrong career to begin with, may involve damage to self esteem, and acceptance of failure.

Before thinking of changing career, one needs to do analysis of life goals, and deciding about how the present career does not satisfy those goals. Only after deciding that something drastic needs to be done can one think about changing career. One has to develop mental and emotional strength to undergo these changes and emerge a winner again.