Many of us have been trained to use systems. We use them to be more efficient and productive. The idea that a system was developed for any reason other then a better result would be insane, right? There is one system that runs through all areas of our lives. There is no hiding from it. By default we have been taught this system to establish and maintain “order”. This system contains very important ingredients; control, dependence, distrust and scarcity. All around us we find this system at work. Take a look at advertising, government, politics, your place of employment and yes, your home.

This system is called FEAR. Yes, fear! Inside of this unconscious system we have made choices that make us who we are. Where we work, who we married, what religion we choose, what our political influence is etc. In this system we strive to be liked and will do anything to gain the admiration of as many people we can. Let’s face it this system is about not having enough and never being able to get it. This is a system of survival. Without even being aware decisions are made in every interaction to ensure survival. The samples below are true stories:

An account manager that depends on a hand full of customers has just received a call from his largest customer that they are going to be getting other bids this year. Without asking any qualifying questions the account manager goes into a panic and begins dialing the phone to find out why this is happening. The technicians on the site are interrogated, the manager of the project berated and the customer left behind. Finding that everything is OK with the service delivery the account manager figures that the customer must be bidding because they are lowering costs. He goes to work on the new proposal and he is going to cut costs no matter what. Remember at this point the customer still has not been called to ask them why are they going out for bids. Why? He is afraid to find out why? Fast forward to the delivery of the new contract with a 25% reduction in costs. The customer takes one look at it and says “If you could have done it for this why were you charging me so much for the past 8 years?” Little does the account manager know but the other (3) bids came in 35% higher then the original price. Oh, and the customer went with the company that listened to them and asked them questions.

A franchise owner has a couple of accounts and is pleased with the take home money. He has purchased a new truck and is proud of what his hard work has produced. He starts his night at about 5:30pm and often runs into his first customer as he begins his cleaning route. This customer is a very busy and demanding person; a stereotypical hard driving manager. The franchise owner is quickly learning that this customer has “high expectations”. It starts pretty harmlessly, a simple request to clean the refrigerator out because there was a spill. A week goes by and the manager confronts the franchise owner about the cleaning of the refrigerator. The franchise owner insists that he cleaned the refrigerator but the manager persists that it wasn’t done. Franchise owner does it. Now it is every week and a pattern has started. Next thing are the floors getting scrubbed, the carpets cleaned and the windows done. Fast forward 6 months and the franchise owner is spending (2) hours in a facility that should take 30 minutes. Why? FEAR is hard at work. The manager knows how to use it and can find the players (victims).

What are your “True Stories”? In my next blog I will introduce the alternative to this devastating, unconscious system. Growth begins with awareness and by sharing your stories.

C. diff is a spore-forming organism that causes infections and outbreaks. Normally found in health care facilities, there are indications it is now being contracted in other settings as well, according to Medical News Today.

For instance, some of the latest figures indicate:
The number of infections in U.S. hospitals doubled from 2001 to 2005.

Deaths involving C. diff in England and Wales rose 28 percent between 2006 and 2007.

In 2005, 301,200 cases of C. diff/C. diff-associated disease were recorded in U.S. hospitals, resulting in approximately 28,600 deaths.

The number of C. diff cases in nursing and other care centers may be close to 500,000 annually.

Once relatively safe

C. diff is not new and, historically, treatable. It is transmitted through the bacteria in feces, which can survive for months on all types of surfaces-ranging from railings and counters to faucets and sanitary napkin disposal units-a common area.

People become infected when they touch these surfaces and ingest the bacteria by touching their mouths or eating contaminated food.

And now, C. diff is gradually becoming resistant to certain antibiotics-requiring a variety of powerful antibiotics to eradicate the organism.

Cleaning and touching

Health care experts say there is no question that more effective cleaning can help stop the spread of C. diff. Bleach and mechanical cleaning action, such as high-flow fluid extraction or no-touch cleaning systems, are typically required to eliminate it.

Further, reducing the number of things “touched” in a restroom setting can help as well. For instance, sanitary napkin disposal units should be replaced with foot-operated or sensor-controlled systems. Lids open and close automatically without touching.

According to Dr. Alfonso Torress-Cook, an Orange County, CA, epidemiologist, who has helped the Tustin Rehabilitation Hospital, Tustin, CA, reduce its C. diff cases by nearly 90 percent, the solution is simple. “We cut C. diff infections dramatically by just cleaning more thoroughly,” asserts Dr. Torress-Cook.

Certain hospitals in the UK are using steam cleaning machines to combat the unique bug. C-diff when cleaned with conventional tools and disinfectants can still leave the spores that are the cause of the spread. Proper cleaning tools and implementation of training will reduce the impact of C-diff in your facility. OctoClean with the use of Kaivac equipment (kaivac.com) has been able to provide a high level of cleaning for healthcare facilities in the Inland Empire area.

I teach science once a week at All Saints’ Carden Academy, Riverside. This month we are focusing on the Earth in honor of Earth Day on the 22nd of April.  One of the first graders brought me a SunChips bag that stated by Earth day 2010  all their chip bags will be the totally compostable !  You can visit their website (www.sunchips.com).  The site has a time lapse video and other information on their effects to preserving our earth.  Kudos to Sun Chips!

But fluffiness comes at a price: millions of trees harvested in North America and in Latin American countries. Although toilet tissue can be made at similar cost from recycled material, it is the fiber taken from standing trees that help give it that plush feel, and most large manufacturers rely on them.

Customers “demand soft and comfortable,” said James Malone, a spokesman for Georgia-Pacific, the maker of Quilted Northern. “Recycled fiber cannot do it.”

In the United States, which is the largest market worldwide for toilet paper, tissue from 100 percent recycled fibers makes up less than 2 percent of sales for at-home use among conventional and premium brands.

Now, I have used recycled toilet paper–it not that bad.  And it is not recycled recycled toilet paper.

Toilet tissue made from recycled paper is made from both colored and white stock, with staples and pins removed. The paper goes into a huge vat called a pulper that combines it with hot water and detergents to turn it into a liquid slurry. The recycled pulp then goes through a series of screens and rinses to remove paper coatings and inks. The pulp is whitened somewhat and sanitized with oxygen-based products like peroxide. It then goes through steps 7 through 10 like virgin paper products, producing a cheaper, less-white paper.

Consider saving the forests of the world for future generations and give the up the 3 seconds of comfort fluffy gives us.

When Service Pros chose to become OctoClean and offer franchises to the public it became my life’s work to ensure we did not become like the “others”. There is truth in the comments being made in this post but it is also true that employee run companies especially small family owned ones give away the farm while promising the world. As I posted on the bulletin board there is a formula for success. It does not matter if you are a franchise or an employee driven company, if you fail it is because you have forgotten a piece of the formula.

Franchise vs. Employees

Employees working in a facility are only as good as the training, support and philosophy driving them. The same is true of franchise owners. The difference is to truly create consistency in cleaning systems you need consistent staffing. Employees come and go and often it is GO! When you find a great employee you cannot pay them what they deserve so they leave. In most companies the culture then becomes hire low and cap low. That equals inconsistent staffing. Franchise Owners on the other hand are well trained, well paid, committed business owners.   We are partners with successful, like minded business owners. I think it is a no brainer. For those people that have heard this “pitch” before from another franchise company consider that marketing is their core competence not cleaning.

All BSC’s need to take inventory of themselves and not place judgements. Personally I look at The Big 3 as an opportunity to transform the janitorial industry one “true” franchise owner at a time.

None were more inspirational than what Charles had to say - “Follow your dreams!”

He may not be with us on earth but hear his words and follow your dreams whatever they may be.  Our thought are with his family and friends.  It is our wish his business continues to thrive in his absence.