Jim Pemberton
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- Joined
- Oct 7, 2006
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- Name
- Jim Pemberton
Open Doors of Opportunity With One Spotting Skill!
by Jim Pemberton - Fabric Pro Specialist
When you want to build your business through
referral and centers of influence, the one
thing you must always be thinking is:
"What's in it for THEM to refer me?"
Few people refer your business out of a spirit of generosity. Most will do it for a very simple reason:
"They want to make a problem go away”.
Furniture stores are a great source of referral business for fine fabricare upholstery cleaning services. However, its unlikely that they will take your information and daily share it with their prospects. Simply put, upholstery cleaning is not even on their radar on a daily basis.
A big problem that they do have is “delivery damage”.
Even the most careful delivery personnel can rub the furniture against the doorway of their truck or the home, and when that happens, soiling will be present, much like you'll see in this picture:
"This is a common problem that furniture retailers and movers experience"
This may look like a simple spot to remove, but unlike carpet, removing spots from upholstery can be very challenging, even risky!
What problems could a cleaner face when asked to remove this spot?
1. Texture change:
Removing a spot from furniture that has experienced a few years of usage may not be a problem, but brand new furniture is supposed to look that way, and any change in the appearance of the fabric, such as a change in texture, will be noticed right away.
2. Color loss:
Over time, the color in upholstered fabrics fade a bit, so if there is a minor color change while spotting, its not easily noticed. Not so on new furniture. This equally a problem on "off white" fabrics that can easily become "whiter" as a result of spotters being applied.
3. Rings:
Sometimes called "water marks" or "water stains", the use of dry cleaning solvent can also result in marks or rings left on the fabric.
Five Simple Steps to Remove “Moving Damage”
1. Test:
Natural fiber fabrics are more likely to experience texture change, color loss, and rings than synthetic fiber fabrics. You must know what you are working on.
2. Identify the Spot:
Is it oily or water based? The two most common delivery spots are grease (which needs solvent spotters) and water marks from drips (which needs distilled water or tannin spotters)
3. Qualify:
Its not your fault the furniture was soiled during delivery. Make sure any risks are assumed by the furniture store or moving company.
4. Apply Products with Care:
Whatever spotting agent you need, don't just apply it to the spot. To reduce the risks of rings, color loss, or texture changes, apply the spotter over the entire cushion, skirt, or panel. Then work on the spot and apply any needed additional spotting agent with care.
5. Be Thorough:
If this is a claim for a new item, perfection will be expected. Apply, blot, rinse, and dry until the spot has disappeared.
"This is how your work should look when you are done"
Practice this type of spotting on fabric samples that can be picked up at your local upholsterer, who should also be another source of referral business for you. Learning to remove spots from new fabric and not leave a trace of your work is a skill worth learning, and it will build your reputation as the fine fabric care expert in your market place.
Special Suggestion From Jim Pemberton:
There is no tool or cleaning product that can take the place of a well trained technician! Be sure to attend our next Fabric Pro “Hands-On Upholstery Cleaning Workshop”. Even if you've taken a class just a few years ago, much has changed, and for the better.
If you'll combine the right tools, the right cleaning agents, and the right techniques, you will improve your cleaning results and greatly lessen the risks of upholstery damage claims.
by Jim Pemberton - Fabric Pro Specialist
When you want to build your business through
referral and centers of influence, the one
thing you must always be thinking is:
"What's in it for THEM to refer me?"
Few people refer your business out of a spirit of generosity. Most will do it for a very simple reason:
"They want to make a problem go away”.
Furniture stores are a great source of referral business for fine fabricare upholstery cleaning services. However, its unlikely that they will take your information and daily share it with their prospects. Simply put, upholstery cleaning is not even on their radar on a daily basis.
A big problem that they do have is “delivery damage”.
Even the most careful delivery personnel can rub the furniture against the doorway of their truck or the home, and when that happens, soiling will be present, much like you'll see in this picture:
"This is a common problem that furniture retailers and movers experience"
This may look like a simple spot to remove, but unlike carpet, removing spots from upholstery can be very challenging, even risky!
What problems could a cleaner face when asked to remove this spot?
1. Texture change:
Removing a spot from furniture that has experienced a few years of usage may not be a problem, but brand new furniture is supposed to look that way, and any change in the appearance of the fabric, such as a change in texture, will be noticed right away.
2. Color loss:
Over time, the color in upholstered fabrics fade a bit, so if there is a minor color change while spotting, its not easily noticed. Not so on new furniture. This equally a problem on "off white" fabrics that can easily become "whiter" as a result of spotters being applied.
3. Rings:
Sometimes called "water marks" or "water stains", the use of dry cleaning solvent can also result in marks or rings left on the fabric.
Five Simple Steps to Remove “Moving Damage”
1. Test:
Natural fiber fabrics are more likely to experience texture change, color loss, and rings than synthetic fiber fabrics. You must know what you are working on.
2. Identify the Spot:
Is it oily or water based? The two most common delivery spots are grease (which needs solvent spotters) and water marks from drips (which needs distilled water or tannin spotters)
3. Qualify:
Its not your fault the furniture was soiled during delivery. Make sure any risks are assumed by the furniture store or moving company.
4. Apply Products with Care:
Whatever spotting agent you need, don't just apply it to the spot. To reduce the risks of rings, color loss, or texture changes, apply the spotter over the entire cushion, skirt, or panel. Then work on the spot and apply any needed additional spotting agent with care.
5. Be Thorough:
If this is a claim for a new item, perfection will be expected. Apply, blot, rinse, and dry until the spot has disappeared.
"This is how your work should look when you are done"
Practice this type of spotting on fabric samples that can be picked up at your local upholsterer, who should also be another source of referral business for you. Learning to remove spots from new fabric and not leave a trace of your work is a skill worth learning, and it will build your reputation as the fine fabric care expert in your market place.
Special Suggestion From Jim Pemberton:
There is no tool or cleaning product that can take the place of a well trained technician! Be sure to attend our next Fabric Pro “Hands-On Upholstery Cleaning Workshop”. Even if you've taken a class just a few years ago, much has changed, and for the better.
If you'll combine the right tools, the right cleaning agents, and the right techniques, you will improve your cleaning results and greatly lessen the risks of upholstery damage claims.
