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We as marketers, as well as our fellow salespeople, tend to lose sight of what we are really in business for. It may to develop really cool products and assume that the world is going to have an absolute need for our widgets. Or it may be our objective to sell anything possible, even if it is out of...
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I recently learned that an acquaintance of mine works as a facility manager in a smaller company where he oversees and manages the cleanliness of the building. There is no in-house cleaner on hand so he outsources the custodial services. But I learned that he doesn’t actually outsource the service...
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Over the last year, the number of Michigan-based in-house janitors to receive their walking papers has drastically increased. The reason is a growing trend towards outsourcing of jan/san departments within public schools. In light of deep budget cuts, school board members are tasked with making the difficult...
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Anyone can steer the ship in calm waters. But what sets today’s business owners apart are the ones who can maneuver the ship through the roughest of seas. In these times of economic despair, business owners are watching their profit margins slowly deteriorate. With customers cutting back on spending...
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Everyone from athletes, celebrities and businesspeople are twittering. The “next big thing” in the social networking craze allows users to send or “tweet” messages to others who receive the information on their cell phones or in an e-mail. While some might find the tweets irksome...
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In today’s recessionary environment, nothing can destroy a distributor’s business quicker than insufficient cash flow. And with financing harder to come by, it’s vital that jan/san distributors maintain enough liquidity to weather these difficult times. This requires distributors to...
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When the economy was strong, it was comfortable and popular for companies to initiate a green movement. Whether it was buying green products or initiating recycling programs, it made sense for companies to enforce a green movement internally. With the economy struggling, companies are looking to cut...
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During a family get-together over the holidays, a relative told me how the company he worked for was scaling back their janitorial and maintenance services. I replied that once the building occupants start getting sick on a more frequent basis due to the lack of cleaning, the owners might regret their...
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The economic struggles of the country have affected all aspects of a company’s operation. To save money, a company will look under every nook and cranny, including examining the costs associated with cleaning their facility. The cost-cutting leaves no operation sacred and building service contractors...
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In the cleaning industry there are four groups: manufacturers, distributors, building service contractors and in-house cleaners. Each group has different objectives and varying needs, forcing educational sessions and seminars to be general. As I sit through many of these events for the industry, I have...
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Everyone is talking about how the economic downturn is the worse it has been since the Great Depression. Republicans and democrats are still arguing over whether or not to pass the bailout bill. Talk about depressing, but through this economic downturn, many are asking how it will affect them. Well,...
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Hiring a sales staff on a commission-only basis may sound like an up-front cost-saver for most jan/san distributors, but experts say investing in a sales staff pays dividends down the road. All distributors want a good salesperson that can communicate to prospects what separates their individual business...
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My husband and I were in the market for a new roof on our house. To make sure we get the most bang for our buck, we called multiple contractors for estimates. Some of those contractors came recommended to us, while others were contacted simply for competitive reference. We attempted to play them off...
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Over the last year, our facility has been under construction for major renovation. During that time, hard floors have changed to carpeting, restroom fixtures have been updated to touch-free and space has been optimized to include additional cubicles and work stations. The renovations got us talking about...
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Building service contractors have to deal with internal turnover on a consistent basis and the task of filling the vacated position. The departure of an upper-level employee can leave the hiring manager at a loss. And some managers will bring in a person from outside the company who shares a similar...