[Art]

You can join the NCCA if you pass the appropriate IICRC courses.

Does this work the other way around?

If not, then why shouldn't it work both ways?

Arthur

[Ken Wainwright]

Art

You are correct in that you can pass the carpet and the upholstery exams for IICRC giving you qualifications acceptable to the NCCA.

IICRC is not a trade association, it is a body that sets standards and trains technicians to those standards. You cannot join IICRC. But you can be a certified technician as having passed their exams, or become a Registrant as a company. Given this scenario, outside qualifications are not appropriate to them.

Safe and happy cleaning
Ken

[Art]

Hi Ken,

 Thanks for the reply. Still can't see why NCCA members can't join as affiliate members or something similar.

Arthur

[Glynn]

In my 28 year opinion, neither are worth belonging to.

[CARPET KNIGHTS]

why not?

[Derek]

Glynn

We have been down this particular road so many times now...

It again it is your choice whether you belong to a Trade organisation or not...that's as it should be.

Personally I have belonged to the NCCA for many years as a member and until recently a Director...as a member it has worked well for me as I do use my membership of the NCCA when talking to prospective clients.

Its like the chemicals we use....we make them work for us just letting a chemical sit in its bottle in the van isn't going to get it to clean a carpet...you have to in the very first instance... open the bottle.

[ollie]

glynn , i have made a lot of money that i otherwise wouldnt have by being a member of the NCCA, if you were a member you would realise how many potential clients see it as important even if you dont.
regards
ollie

[Neil Grainger]

Sorry Ollie but thats not true as regards clients. I would say not even 5% of all CC customers no who the NCCA are, and thats the problem.

They need to be seen by the Customers more and I dont think they are. Most dont even no who they are.

What I find amazing is that someone can never have cleaned a carpet go on the course and pass the exam and then become a member. Then they can sell themselves to the customers as being NCCA trained and have pretend to have the experience that should go with the qualification. 

By not being a member I use the fact that it is so easy to join as no experience is nesccesary so no life skills as a carpet cleaner are needed. Testamonails from happy customers work a lot better than membership at the moment in my sales pitch.

What I think the NCCA should do is make all people wishing to join register their intent and then after a year of cleaning then take the exam and become a full member. Would add a lot more creditbility to the qualification in my eyes.

[AquaMagic]

Neil, you are correct a lot of customers dont know who the NCCA are, guess whose job it is to educate the public? and explain what benefits the CUSTOMER receives becuase their CC is a Member such as the fact you need to pass a training course and be fully insured covering both Public Liability & treatments risk, peice of mind.  How many non NCCA members have the additionial treatments risk cover? in fact i bet there are a few that dont have insurance at all.  How many CC can offer someone to whom they are accountable should things go wrong?, instead of being fobbed off and ignored should a CC cause a problem the customer can call the NCCA instead to register a compaint, more peace of mind.  I personally have the badge on all my literature, all my uniform and i mention my membership on all surveys that i do, not only does this without a shadow of a doubt help my booking percentages but this also educates the customer to whom the NCCA are which can only benefit all CC's including non members by bringing the NCCA to the public eye we can only benefit.

Dene

[Neil Grainger]

Dene

But my point about not having any experience is so important. Pass the exam and you are a NCCA member. Until the NCCA address this fact and any Tom Dick or Harry who has a good memory and can get through an exam can become a member and use all that goes with it, it's not all its cracked up to be. No real standard for joining.

To a customer this would mean that they are experienced which is misleading to all customers. Do you think a new CC who is a member will tell the customer that I took the exam last month and passed but have only been cleaning carpets for a month, I think not.

Like any business you have good and bad, I have all the insurance needed including treatment risk. I use this as part of the portfolio that I show customers.

I do see the need for a Trade association that we all have to be members but untill this is addressed it just not worth the certificate. To easy to join. If the NCCA are serious about having qualified members they should make it a pre req that all members should have passed the IICRC course before they can join. That would also set the standard for all carpets cleaners.

[AquaMagic]

Neil i agree with regards the ease of obtaining membership, but i would still argue thats is better to have new cc's going on a two day course and having to prove insurance than the alternative which some bloke buying a rug doctor second hand and being let loose on a carpet.  In thoose two days i learnt a lot more than i had in the previous few months reading on theese forums.

regards

Dene

[Adam Young]

Hi Neil,

I like to think that I am intelligent and after working for a corporation for some 23 years, all over the world (Scientific research, not carpets!)  I decided to start up on my own and offer a service to my customers that I can do well, and enjoy at the same time. I could have went out and bought a puzzi, brassed my way in to folks homes wet their carpets and walked off with £23 quid.....for how long?

I had cleaned my own carpets using a hire machine several times and was pretty happy with the results, so my brain told me that if that's what a DIY machine can do?  What can a PRO do with the available equipment? Loads more and loads better.

I would not have let myself loose even on my mothers carpet without first knowing what I was doing! The NCCA course showed me the ropes, how to do things correctly and above all when to walk away. Personally the price of the  course was S***e pence for the knowledge that I gained and also as a % of my business investment. Both the teachers on my course are stored in my phone under C and U legends as well as a few delegates that impressed me with their experience/knowledge. I have not had to phone them yet but I am sure I will have to sometime, and that's great peace of mind for me, as what is known on this forum a Neewbie or  (Numpty) ..................dont think so.

Where I am in the Scottish borders the NCCA is virtually unknown, but it will be as I educate my clients and show them what a proffesional can do . All thanks to the NCCA. I only have been doing this since September, I have no problem telling my clients that I have only been doing this for a few months, but have been trained by pro's and I am a pro! What are you?

TECHNICLEAN NCCA MEMBER 1630.

P.S if you  need your carpet or suite cleaned properly, phone an expert, there are several I would recommend in your region. Thanls to the NCCA

[Adam Young]

Dene,

you could have saved me a lot of typing

Straight to the point!

Cheers,

Adam.

[Neil Grainger]

Hi Adam

So are you telling me that if you are not a member then you are not worthy of being a carpet cleaner. Their are lots of top carpet cleaners with as much Knowledge who have not joined for reasons that they feel they dont need to.

Why is it assumed that if your are not a member then you are not Proffessional, I know I am and I do as good a job as any member does. My repeats and referals tell me that. You are not Proffesional just because you belong to an association. I did the course when i first started and have built a good business in the last 2 1/2 years. Paul Pearce was great and helped me with some great advice.

I bet a lot of cleaners dont follow all the guide lines set down by the NCCA and just want the name because it gives them that little bit extra in the Sales pitch.

I have never said that they are not a good organisation but its just that they have no Profile in the Public eye and it is to easy to Join. Good for Carpet Cleaners to talk and pass idea's on but I want a NCCA that the Public know they should look too to get Carpets cleaned. 

I will join once the rule changes go through about compaines being able to say they are NCCA certified when only the Owner passed the exam and never cleaned in his life, then get untrained Techy's to clean while saying that they are NCCA certified. Ken said that this is changing next Year. It's just little things like that that need sorting out.

Not against the NCCA  and love the idea of a Trade Association I just feel they need to be more Professional in dealing with membership and there image in the public eye.

Cheers

Neil

[Robert Watson]

The fact that someone makes the effort to travel, often long distances, at considerable expense, speaks volumes and tells me they are serious about their chosen profession.

Ok, so clients may not know of the NCCA, but the fact that you belong to an official trade body impresses the type of customers I want to attract.

When it`s explained to them, they are impressed and you will secure a good price for your work.  (I make no apologies for that)

I cant understand why anyone would not want to join. The more of us that join the stronger it becomes. I think the rest is obvious.

Regards
Rab

[Neil Grainger]

Rab

I do understand what you are saying but am building a proffesional business whilst not being a member. Is this wrong and am I not a proffessional just because i did not take up the membership.

I still get training now and will always do so, as knowledge is power.

Cheers

Neil

[AquaMagic]

I agree Neil that the new One to One training rule should be implemented, maybee the NCCA should have different levels becuase if the test was too hard it would scare newbie off but if the NCCA had a Bronze, Silver, Gold & PLatinum members each level representing the ammount of training the member had completed this would help show the different levels of expertise? just a thought.  One other point, how many adverts have you seen on TV heard or heard on the radio about Using Corgi Registered plumbers however the public seem to know about Corgi, im willing to bet its becuase of the Plumber educating the public, which is what we also need to do. And Neil you are correct just becuase you arent an NCCA member it doesnt mean you cannot do a good job but the training you recieve and the ongoing training events, newsletter etc can only help.

regards

Dene

[Neil Grainger]

Dene

That's a great idea, would join if they did that.

Cheers

Neil

[Art]

Well i wish i'd never started this thread, as it was in no way meant to end up as a slagging match of the NCCA.
The point of it was that the NCCA  were every bit as good as the IICRC.

Someone mentioned having IICRC trainning as a pre req for NCCA membership.

When i went on a 2 day IICRC C/C course if i'd sat the exam and passed i would have been able to call myself a IICRC technician, but to join the NCCA via the IICRC route i would have  to pass a further upholstery course, so this to me says the NCCA are abit more selective.

Again i'm not slagging off the IICRC either, i'm just stating the facts.

[Robert Watson]

Neil.
Tenner says your more professional than me.
What I`m saying is, the more people that join, the stronger it will become.
They can only promote the organization with the cash they have, just like us.
We`re only talking about 6 quid a week.
So the more that join, the better for all.
Regards
Raberto.