The IICRC, as an organization, seeks to be the leading independent, non-profit, certification and international standard-setting body in the cleaning, inspection, and restoration industry – setting and promoting high ethical standards, and advancing communication, collaboration and technical proficiency.

In today’s troubled economy, many companies are struggling to survive. Those that are surviving or, in some cases, thriving, are using diversification as a tool for growth.

I know we’ve touched on this topic before, but I wanted to revisit the importance of not only being an IICRC Certified Technician, but also making sure your company is an IICRC Certified Firm.

One of the questions I hear most often by cleaning and restoration professionals is “Why is certification important?”

As an instructor, I get to meet a lot of interesting people. Everyone has a story to tell and, if it is related to our business, I find I absorb the information even more.

The carpet industry is coming together to develop a standard for the installation of residential and commercial carpet.

As has been widely reported, the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification welcomed its first full-time, paid president on Aug. 1, when Patrick Winters officially joined our organization.

I recently inspected a couple of carpet-cleaning jobs carried out by two different cleaning companies. One job was through the manufacturer, the other contracted by the homeowner.

The belief is that small businesses suffer more in economic slowdowns; apparently, a lot of it is to do with complacency. In the good times, we are so busy we may forget the basics that keep the telephones ringing. So keep the essentials in mind.

I have been in the carpet-cleaning business for more than 35 years and I am still learning. While I don’t necessarily clean carpets these days (unless a really persistent client demands it) I still keep up to date with what’s hot and what’s not.