ICS April 2011 : Page 6

Editorial Comment By Jeffrey ® Stouffer Group Publisher ] Phil Johnson, Publisher ] Evan Kessler Western Regional Manager ] Jim Roy Editor ] Jeffrey Stouffer Sr. Art Director ] Rick Arvidson Art Director ] Manda Chan Production Manager ] Amy Levin CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Jeff Bishop, John Braun, Dave DeBlander, Aaron Groseclose, Gordon Hanks, Stanley Quentin Hulin, Howard Partridge, Steve Toburen, Ruth Travis The Profiler I n any service profession there is a danger of projecting your personal ideas, thoughts and preferences onto your clients. It’s a perfectly natural thing to do, and in most cases it does little to no harm, but in a time when everyone’s looking for even the slightest edge to get ahead, it’s worth stepping back and taking a look at what assumptions you might be making before, during and after a job. For example, when you arrive at your client’s home, what do you see? Is the lawn and landscaping well maintained, or are things a bit shaggy? The former may in-dicate a mindset of keeping things up on a regular, “set it and forget it” schedule, while the latter could suggest a “do it when I get around to it” mentality. Either way, it’s something to keep in mind when setting the stage for future cleanings. Is the carpet worn but well-maintained, or just-off-the-show-floor new? In the first instance, you may have a value-conscious (and these days, who isn’t?) customer looking foremost for clean and healthy flooring, whereas the second may put a pre-mium on appearance. Consider what they believe is the primary reason you’re there, and ask your questions accordingly. Notice your client relating to their smartphone less like a piece of tech and more like a third arm? Is there less paper, mail, Post-Its, etc. on tables, desks and refrigera-tors? When you’re wrapping the job up, if you don’t do it already, ask if they’d pre-fer digital follow-ups and reminders instead of postcards and other physical “snail mail.” It may appeal to their tech-savvy aesthetic, they may be environmentally conscious, but in any case it gives you an emotional connection with your client and they willingly give you their e-mail address. Keep in mind that there are no absolutes, and that every client and situation is unique. And no one likes somebody who they think is looking a bit too closely at their furnishings and décor. That said, a little extra attention to your surroundings may just provide you with that elusive edge that puts you ahead of the pack. BNP Media Company, II, L.L.C. Publishing and Sales Office: 22801 Ventura Blvd., Suite 115 Woodland Hills, CA 91364 Phone: (818) 224-8035, Fax: (818) 224-8042 E-mail: ICS@bnpmedia.com Publisher ] Evan Kessler (303) 255-1263 Western Regional Manager ] Jim Roy (818) 224-8035, ext. 2215 Classified Sales Manager ] Sharon Ward (847) 405-4017 CORPORATE OFFICE: 2401 West Big Beaver Road, Suite 700 Troy, MI 48084 www.bnpmedia.com CORPORATE DIRECTORS Publishing ] Timothy A. Fausch Publishing ] John R. Schrei Corporate Strategy ] Rita M. Foumia Marketing ] Ariane Claire Production ] Vincent M. Miconi Finance ] Lisa L. Paulus Creative ] Michael T. Powell Directories ] Nikki Smith Human Resources ] Marlene J. Witthoft Conferences & Events ] Emily Patten Clear Seas Director ] Beth A. Surowiec Marketing Contact/Manager ] Rick Arvidson AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Audience Development Coordinator ] Christina Gietzen Multimedia Specialist ] Alison Illes Audience Audit Coordinator ] Carolyn M. Alexander Connect with ICS, wherever you are! Now it's easier than ever to stay connected to the BEST source of the latest news and information. Find us on Twitter and Facebook. Follow ICS on Twitter > BNP Media Helps People Succeed in Business with Superior Information Single Copy Sales Ann Kalb Tel. (248) 244-6499 E-mail: kalba@bnpmedia.com For subscription information or service, please contact Customer Service at: Tel. (847) 763-9534 or Fax (847) 763-9538 or e-mail ICS@halldata.com Web: www.icsmag.com List Rental Postal contact: www.twitter.com/ICSMag Find us on Twitter @ICSMag. Get great article headlines, communicate with our staff and share your opinion with us. Become a Fan of ICS on Facebook > www.facebook.com/ICSCleaningSpecialist Connect, share and interact with other individuals in your industry. We’ll share the latest information and events going on around you. 6 Cleaning Specialist | April 2011 Rob Liska at 800-223-2194 x726 Robert.Liska@eraepd.com Email contact: Shawn Kingston at 800-409-4443-828 Shawn.Kingston@eraepd.com

Editorial Comment

Jeffrey Stouffer

The Profiler In any service profession there is a danger of projecting your personal ideas, thoughts and preferences onto your clients. It's a perfectly natural thing to do, and in most cases it does little to no harm, but in a time when everyone's looking for even the slightest edge to get ahead, it's worth stepping back and taking a look at what assumptions you might be making before, during and after a job. For example, when you arrive at your client's home, what do you see? Is the lawn and landscaping well maintained, or are things a bit shaggy? The former may indicate a mindset of keeping things up on a regular, "set it and forget it" schedule, while the latter could suggest a "do it when I get around to it" mentality. Either way, it's something to keep in mind when setting the stage for future cleanings. Is the carpet worn but well-maintained, or just-off-the-show-floor new? In the first instance, you may have a value-conscious (and these days, who isn't?) Customer looking foremost for clean and healthy flooring, whereas the second may put a premium on appearance. Consider what they believe is the primary reason you're there, and ask your questions accordingly. Notice your client relating to their smartphone less like a piece of tech and more like a third arm? Is there less paper, mail, Post-Its, etc. on tables, desks and refrigerators? When you're wrapping the job up, if you don't do it already, ask if they'd prefer digital follow-ups and reminders instead of postcards and other physical "snail mail." It may appeal to their tech-savvy aesthetic, they may be environmentally conscious, but in any case it gives you an emotional connection with your client and they willingly give you their e-mail address. Keep in mind that there are no absolutes, and that every client and situation is unique. And no one likes somebody who they think is looking a bit too closely at their furnishings and décor. That said, a little extra attention to your surroundings may just provide you with that elusive edge that puts you ahead of the pack.

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