Industry Advancements

Another Cleanfax Benchmarking Survey is in the books. Our surveys, carpet cleaning in the fall and restoration in the summer, are my favorite time of year for the magazine. It’s my chance to get a detailed look at our readers — your businesses, woes, and joys.

Thank you to all of you hard-working industry pros who took time out of your busy schedules to participate, and a special thank you to our wonderful survey sponsor, Legend Brands, who helped spread the word and make this the most participated in survey in recent years!

You’ll find a detailed, by-the-numbers look at the industry on HERE. But my favorite part of our surveys are the open-ended questions, which can’t fit in these pages. I love these questions because they give me a chance to hear, in your own voice, what really matters.

When taking the survey, you might have figured we wouldn’t bother reading typed-in questions. Perhaps that explains two of my favorite responses to the question “What technologies and/or industry advancements have been the most helpful to your business in the past few years?”

One respondent answered, “my wife,” and another said, “snack sticks.” But even these less serious responses have their merit. We understand how important it can be to a business’ success to have the right people in place, especially a partner — spouse or otherwise. You need someone you can count on. We also understand that your work can be hectic, especially if you’re the leader and working on the truck. So, yes, even having the right snack around to keep you going on a busy day can be make or break.

Many of you praised the industry advancements in cleaning equipment, methods, and chemicals. Some spoke generally, while others added specificity — naming counter rotating brushes, encapsulation, truckmount improvements, better deodorizers, and more as the biggest helps to their work. There was also a lot of praise for the internet and the advancements it has brought, from forums and online groups for sharing industry knowledge, to social media marketing, to online payments and appointment scheduling, to various kinds of online training.

A couple of industry pros themselves even received shoutouts for playing a significant role in improving respondents’ work: Jim Pemberton of Pemberton’s Interlink Supply and Robert Allen of Truck Mount Forums.

Another respondent pointed to Cleanfax articles, as well, and we are glad to have made an impact on your work. Beyond providing you with data for informed business decisions, these surveys also help us decide what articles to create for you. So, I thank you again if you participated in this year’s survey, and if you didn’t, I personally invite you to take part next year.

I really love hearing from every one of you. And I wish you all the best of luck in the coming year.

Email comments to Cleanfax Managing Editor Amanda Hosey at [email protected].