Training, Certification & Standards

By William R. Griffin

April 27, 2012

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There are three strong key words to success and profit in business. They are training, certification and standards.

At first glance, training, certification and standards don''t mean much; it''s only when one explores what these words can do that you begin to appreciate their true value.

Here''s why training, certification and standards should be on your mind and the tip of your tongue every day.

Training

The reality is that it''s just about all you have when it comes to getting employees, supervisors and managers to understand what you want done, how you want it done and why they should do it.

Even customers need training so they will understand what you can and can''t do to their surfaces and furnishings during the cleaning and/or restoration process.

Training and education are truly the foundation of a smooth running, profitable and successful business.

Certification

When shopping, customers look to differentiate one business from another. Advertising alone won''t do it, as everyone promotes themselves in glowing terms — whether it''s true or not.

But not everyone is willing to go to the expense and effort of getting training, following standard practices or maintaining independent third-party certification.

Training and certification in the eyes of the customer means that you have gone the extra mile and their chances of having a positive experience when doing business with you is much greater.

Beyond that, certification means something to those doing the work. Like the business, certification means that the individual has gone beyond just doing the work; they have taken training and passed a test and now have more than a basic understanding of the technical aspects of the work they do.

In an employee''s eyes, this makes them special and it raises their expectation for themselves.

Standards

Industry standards are how we do things. A group of industry professionals has come together to write, review and establish what they see as best practices — the minimum acceptable standard for certain tasks and operations.

Those following the standards have a much better chance that the desired results will be achieved when doing the work. Today, third party groups such as the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), ASTM International and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) act as independent reviewers of the industry standards process to assure that policies are followed when establishing credible standards.

In today''s competitive market, a business owner needs to do everything possible to set his business apart from and ahead of the competition. Training, certification and standards are three ways that identify a business and its technicians as special in the eyes of existing and potential customers.

Get your money''s worth

Talk it up. Training, certification and standards should be seen as special in your organization, industry and marketplace.

Promoting why your company and staff are different from the competition has to permeate your operation first and needs to be visible in everything you do. This indoctrination starts with the interview process for new employees, and continues in how you promote and pay workers.

These same threads should be displayed prominently in your marketing to existing and new customers, and should be clearly seen in the way you do the work and operate your business.

Take advantage of what you have accomplished. Inform customers verbally and in writing and show them in performance that both your company and your people are a notch above the competition.

Display certification logos on vans, in ads and on business cards for all to see. Train workers to explain to customers what training, certification and standards mean to them, your business and your industry.

The big picture

The cleaning and restoration industries are evolving from seat-of-the-pants to science. What we do, and why we do it, is changing on a daily basis.

As these changes continue to take place, the need for training, certification and standards becomes even more important to workers, supervisors, business owners and customers.

Due to the liability and risks involved when cleaning and restoration work is done improperly in commercial and residential properties, building managers and owners are writing requirements for training and certification in to contract language and specifications.

Manufacturers and insurance companies are now making similar demands; it wouldn''t surprise me that within a year or two, you won''t be able to bid on a restoration or cleaning job unless you are certified by an independent third party organization.

Beyond certification, we are beginning to see a demand and requirement for the validation of successful completion of cleaning and restoration processes using scientific quantitative measuring devices such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP) meters, gloss meters, tribometers, moisture meters and other quality assurance testing equipment.

Training becomes critical

Some companies do a good job of training their employees regarding cleaning, supervision and management related subjects. A few do a great job.

Unfortunately, these companies are the exception and not the rule.

An industry-wide lack of emphasis on training, employee development and upward mobility is a major obstacle when it comes to changing the image of our industry to one of unlimited opportunity versus a dead end job with no future.

The ugly truth

If someone wants to earn an advanced academic degree in cleaning and/or restoration, there is nowhere to go. You can''t sign up at your local community college for an Associate of Arts degree (AA) in cleaning, and you certainly can''t get a Bachelor, Masters or a Ph.D. in cleaning or restoration from any university that I know of.

Some colleges and universities are starting to offer cleaning and restoration classes that can be applied to other degree programs.

The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) and several industry trade associations offer training and certification programs in a variety of subjects, and these are important steps in the right direction.

However, if you look at what we recognize as professions (doctors, lawyers, accountants), you will see in place an upward mobility ladder that establishes, recognizes and rewards those who earn an advanced academic degree.

The failure to establish upward mobility in the cleaning and restoration industry is killing our future. The question becomes one of attracting young talent and retaining skilled workers and management staff. We can''t do it, because we have little or nothing to offer, when compared to other industries.

All too often, workers come to the cleaning and restoration industry, not because they want to, but because they have to. And it''s generally because they don''t have the education to get what would be called a "good job with a future."

I know that at first glance this sound offensive, but think about it for a minute. Can you name one person you know who is in high school or college whose goal when they graduate is to come to work in the cleaning or restoration industry? This is what needs to change.

To survive as an industry we need to attract the next generation with opportunities for personal growth and financial reward.

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Bill Griffin is an industry consultant and trainer, and the owner of Cleaning Consultant Services Inc. He is also president of ICAN, a non-profit association comprised of industry professionals providing free consultation services through Cleaning Management Institute (CMI). Comments and questions about bidding and estimating are encouraged: (206) 849-0179; WGriffin@CleaningConsultants.com.