[colin thomas]

my paper has an 'ask aggie' page for household queries/problems and todays was how to get a good carpet cleaner, 'aggie' recommended an ncca member or chem-dry, how do they do it!!

[Derek]

Dead easy...I  deal with their researcher on behalf of the NCCA.... just one of the things that get done behind the scenes... you don't know the half

[Shaun_Ashmore]

We've heard all of this before Derek keeps us on our toes though waiting for things to happen.................just one day, just one day!

Shaun

PS if I remember I'll try and post some links of simular postings from 2001,2002,2003,2004,2005,2006.

[*paul_moss]

Shaun you do that and I will go and track the stuff from
1995,96,97,98,99 

[Buster Ingram]

Would this be the Free Mason's your both on about. Or the NCCA (national camping and caravan club)

[Terry_Burrows]

I was with Kim and aggie in florida last year making a TV commercial they were nice ladys

[Len Gribble]

Derek

Have a word with UKTV (not so) Bright ideas

All-rounder Steve Toms flits about everywhere and advocated in a hire shop diy carpet-cleaning machine, got the hump due to the fact they are renovating homes in my borough.

Shaun/Paul

Think you both need one of these





Would love a clear one but then every thing would be crystal clear  


Len

[Derek]

Shaun

I was not making a flippant comment I was telling the truth...I have undertaken two radio programmes together with this researcher and I regularly get asked for technical information from her for the Kim and Aggie magazine...NCCA members have received many referrals as a result of these articles

So what do you contribute to the industry?

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I knew I'd take a beating for the above post but every year we get the same speech about the 'behind the scenes' movement of the NCCA, it's like an annual AGM report to its share holders , makes you wonder why there are considerably more carpet cleaners NOT in the NCCA as in it!?!

Shaun

[Ian Gourlay]

Derek and Ken,

A few months back I did ask what happened at AGM and was told that members should be informed first.

As it appears Derek has stepped down which to me is a shame, I think it would be good to publish a report on what happened at AGM for non members to read.

Ie New Directors

Major changes happening this year etc.

If you do not want to publish it on here provide a link to where it could be found.

I think by openly communicating with non members you would grow your membership.

regards

Ian

[carpetguy]

In my past lives...............I have been in several associations,ie ;

Professional Golfers Association
British Golf Greenkeepers Association
Royal Horticultural Society
Glasgow University Business School

All of these had different grades of membership............but only full members had voting rights, etc

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I can't see the point of different memberships you are either full qualified to join or not, you can't be half trained and expect to show the NCCA logo.

Shaun

[*paul_moss]

Shaun
You only have to do a 2 day course with NCCA and pass a easy test to become a member.
Then your free to do what ever with NCCA behind you
No experience necessary
Thats why I went down the BICS route because at least you need to have more trainning in  the relevent disciplines to get the membership and the BICSCs after you name .
Not that im knocking NCCA far from it the guys who run it are very very good, I just dont agree with their way of being a member.,its far too easy.

[steve k]

There is actually an even easier route in...
I did a 2 day IICRC carpet maintenance technician course...ALL theory!!
At the end of the 2nd day, I sat a multiple choice exam which was ludicrously simple.
At no point did I see a carpet cleaning machine or turn one on!!

I was told that now I had passed the IICRC course, all I had to do was ask the NCCA for a written NCCA exam to be mailed to me, fill it in and send back to NCCA with my joining fee and insurance details...then I would be a fully paid up member without ever having seen or operated a machine of any description.

That was a few years ago now but according to the website, it is still an available route in.

I`m sure the NCCA are a good organisation and I know there are good people running the show but I would think there would be a bit more stringent rules regarding qualification for joining.

[Derek]

Ian

With respect I don't think you get the point...the Association AGM is for its members and not for the benefit of non members

Paul...I happen to agree with you it is too easy to get into the NCCA and more to the point stay in...
I did put forward a comprehensive plan to deal with this and perhaps one day it will happen.... I cannot expand on this further as I am still bound by the NCCA confidentiality agreement that all Directors sign up to
  
Its interesting to read the various comments from non members that appear on the forums from time to time...so contradictory it makes me smile...no offense meant by that remark...but...

Only last week someone suggested that we have free membership to all and now its too easy ....

If you want change then join the Association and apply to join the Board of Directors and make those changes happen.
Believe it or not the only reason the Directors stay for years is that no one else wants to give anything back to the industry ... hence my comment to Shaun

Its so very easy to knock the NCCA and any other body for that matter but I would respect those people who criticise far more if they were prepared to do something about it.....

Even though I am no longer an NCCA Board member I still write in excess of 1500 words of PR material every month, this is in addition to dealing with technical enquiries from members, the public and other interested parties.

I participated at the NCCA's recent Hands-on day at Bromsgrove plus spent a day on the NCCA stand at the NEC Cleaning Show as a volunteer...I am not the exception all the Directors put in a great deal of their own time....you could do likewise if you so wished

[Shaun_Ashmore]

It's funny how probably 90-95% of carpet cleaners DON'T join the NCCA, we have an online community willing to help and you'll not be surprised when I say that most carpet cleaners are so friendly that they will pass work on or labour or machinery for free.

Knowledge and experience is also in abundance if you contact the right people who are NOT members, joining the NCCA at 'considerable initial cost' and on going costs is not for all of us and 'selling' the thought of the behind the scenes 'sketch' seems a bit like a broken record when you look at the history of what has been done is the last 12 months. Technical Road Shows although well presented are still at a cost (appreciated that someone has to pick up the bill) and are still done by many chemical manufacturers so are nothing new.

Shaun

[*paul_moss]

Derek
Your points are very valid and true.

I for one am not critisising as I dont have the right too as I am not a member.

I only make my own personal view regarding why I took the BISCS route instead of NCCA.

If the NCCA was a lot harder to get membership of ,ie harder exam,therory and practical tests,along with the relevent experience and staged membership, then I would join as I would be in a organisation of like minded profesionals.

I also  know how hard yourself,Ken and the other Directors work also in this industry.
But to share Shauns thoughts,the organisation is a bit old hat and needs to leap forward ino the 21st century
NCCA reminds me a bit of the old CO-OP.

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys

Shaun raises the topic of the online community and I would like to take this discussion a step further by raising the question of web sites.

There are quite a lot of us with web sites now communicating directly with the public and thereby influencing what is out in the general marketplace.

Whereas leaflets and YP would communicate to a small local audience with a very limited message, I could write an article on say, 'the benefits of hot water in the cleaning process', place this on my CC websites and over 1500 people a month may become aware of this and maybe 100 will actually read part of it

The rate of growth of Internet enquiries is increasing and we as an industry have an opportunity to spread our message. This could be co-ordinated by the NCCA , but there is a problem, many of us are not members and the arcane membership rules which preclude experienced CC's joining unless they complete a begginers CC course, which is often passed by people who have never cleaned a carpet.

Several members of this board have multiple web sites with very good rankings, together we can be stronger but for the NCCA to be the unifying body it needs to look forward and use the talents of the people working in the industry.

Shoot me down in flames if you like but the rise of the internet is inexorable.

Cheers

Doug