IICRC Renewal

[Dan Lloyd]

Well, it's time for my IICRC renewal. I'm looking at that invoice wondering what benefit I get from it. I get absolutely no referrals. Not in our rural area. The education from the class is good, but I can get that without the yearly fee.

What do you guys see as the benefit to you or your company for being certified or a certified firm? Do you actually get referrals from them?

I'm thinking I could blow that money on something else, like a meal that would make me fatter!!

Thanks,

Dan

 

[Burtz]

you get to wear a green patch and support the tom hill retirement fund

 

[rhyde]

No value tossed my renewal in the garbage

 

[Dan Lloyd]

I don't even like those green patches!! Wrong color scheme!!

 

[TimP]

As I posted a few months ago when this topic came up. I let it all go, expired last October also.

I see no benefit from it. I had it for 4 years, so I gave it a chance.


The classes will get you started and headed in the right direction. But membership is worthless to me.

 

[J Scott W]

I found that marketing IICRC certification held by my employees and myself worked very well. None of the competition in our area was IICRC certified. I made a big deal of the certification.

It is what you make of it. For me, it was worth $35 per tech. Now that I no longer own a cleaning company, my IICRC certs have been allowed to expire.

 

[Ron Werner]

I let mine go too. I can still say I'm a Master Textile Cleaner, just leave out the word "certified".
I'm a BBB member ONLY because people know what the BBB is and they see it something of value. Other than that, I've gotten more "benefits" from being a Chamber member.
If you have to "explain" the IICRC, does it really make a diff to the client? In order to explain it they are already either on my website or I am talking to them because they've called me and are interested.
BIGGEST factor I've found in whether or not I'm hired is price and perceived value (ie what separates my $250 job from the $99 jobs)

 

[dgargan]

Dan I let mine go this year also. I was also a certified firm and will let that go as well. Until they make some big changes I don't see the benefit. The testing is a joke. If a tech passes with a 75% he doesn't know which 25% he screwed up on so he's out in the field rolling the dice waiting to screw up. What a joke.
Not one job ever came our way and there are several companies here using the IICRC logo that are not certified and the ones that are don't know the first thing about how to run a cc company. It's almost like I would look better not being put in that category.
There are several instructors that I have a lot of respect for and they teach some great classes but it's the higher up I have a problem with.
They never stood up for any of us with the CRI fiasco.

 

[-JB-]

$60 really?

Gonna break the bank on way or another?

 

[Burtz]

tons and tons of money being made not where you think but just in management fees

just because it's a non profit does not mean some one is not making a life time killing

problem is management is very top heavy in this so called non profit

 

[Askal]

I passed on the certified firm this year due to a perceived lack of benefits. But we do keep the certs current due to WDR.
Al

 

[Luis Gomez]

I keep mine up to date because of program work.
Luis

 

[Jamesh921]

I can't understand half the things that guy says.
shiteatinggrin

 

[Desk Jockey]

We renewed them again this year, although every year I question the value of it.

At least I know I'm doing my fair share in contributing to Tom's retirement fund.

It's not easy to retire from a million dollar job unless they give you several million over 7-years as a going away gift. :shock:

 

[Dan Lloyd]

I wonder if anyone on this board has gotten a referral from IICRC?? Does anyone regularly get referrals from them?

 

[Chris A]

We get 4-5 of the mill warranty jobs per year, and they are profitable if you milk them for every last allowable cent, so it's still valuable for us (for now).

 

[Desk Jockey]

We don't but then we don't pay the extra extortion money to get more zip codes either. Like the baggage court commercial, how much does it cost to enter another zip code? :shock:

 

[sweendogg]

Chavez,, tell ya what! Lets run as co presidents... :mrgreen: Heck we'll even take a 10% pay cut!

 

[Jimbo]

I'm on the lifetime forever free plan!

 

[Desk Jockey]

Hell Sweeney I'd do for free if they just promise to ditch some of their money making scams.

They build something that just grew so big and makes so much money That they don't know what else to do with it but try to figure out ways to get some of it into their pockets. Sad, very sad!

 

[J Scott W]

I wonder if anyone on this board has gotten a referral from IICRC?? Does anyone regularly get referrals from them?

When I was cleaning carpet in Tennessee, I got anywhere from 1 to as many as 5 referrals per year that turned into jobs. Most years were 1 or 2. I thought that was good for a very small rural market area.

I am not sure exactly how the system worked, but I think being certified as a master cleaner and a carpet inspector put me higher in the rankings than someone with simply a certified firm.

 

[Desk Jockey]

That must be it, "I'm simply a certified firm", and we never get anything from them but a BILL.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

I believe Scott, but historically it has been industry insiders who have claimed to get lots of referrals.

Most of them don't clean any more.

 

[sweendogg]

Hell Sweeney I'd do for free if they just promise to ditch some of their money making scams.

They build something that just grew so big and makes so much money That they don't know what else to do with it but try to figure out ways to get some of it into their pockets. Sad, very sad!

Ohhh be very careful what you wish for. The board has eyes!

though I do agree with you,

 

[Vinnie]

Gave mine up 25 years ago. Never got a ref. Even then they had there little cookie pie club.

 

[Ron Werner]

I just remembered, I have received referrals from the IICRC.
I think some were for smoke damage or water damage, both of which I don't do. The other "quirk" about it, I live on an island in Canada. The US mainland is about 15 miles away across the water. That's where the referrals were for. Not like I can jump on the ferry and do work across the border.

 

[randy]

The biggest rip off in the industry, take that cash and head to OUTBACK or RED Lobster, it will DO AS MUCH FOR YOUR BUSINESS AS THE CERTIFICATION WILL.


By the way if you took the certification through a Bridge point class they give you a Bridge point certificate of CERTIFICATION, thus even if you allow your IICRC credentials to expire you are still certified. No manufacturer can legally require IICRC certification for warranty purposes, some of the warranties actually read certified by the IICRC or other body of certification.

 

[Brian R]

The benefit is this...pure and simple.

You can show an official looking sign to your customers that sez yer "certified" and they go "oh, they must be ok then"

I'm going to post this on my website

Yes it's the Chicken Fuckers Association

 

[Ron Werner]

That sign would accomplish just as much considering how much a custy would look at it.
We can make up an official MB emblem to put on trucks, other than the vac tat

 

[harryhides]

As many of you that know me and have read my comments over the years, I understand all of these comments above.

I am now on the Board of the iicrc and you would be as surprised as I was to find that many on the Board agree with many of the above concerns. At least half of the Board has serious concerns about the CRI's Seal of Approval program - this story is far from settled.

The most common concerns are -

The 75% pass rate - this one is being debated and may change.

The matter of not knowing what questions you failed on - this one will change once on-line testing and immediate results are put in place.

There are many on the Board that are aware of the lack of benefits from being "Certified" although as some here have said it is not the purpose of the iicrc to do your marketing for you.


What I would be interested in hearing from you is -
What kind of pass rate would you like to see ?
What kind of benefits would you like to see ?
Would you be willing to pay for much more advanced and expensive Courses if they were offered ?

Some benefit ideas that have been raised are -

Exclusive Articles - Scientific and Technical information just for Certified Techs ?
A small scientific lab where you could send samples of your mystery carpet or fabric disasters could be sent for testing ?
Some more and advanced Courses either theory, hands-on or both - for a fee ?
Any other ideas ...... lets here them.

I'm all ears.