Proudly pinned

[PrimaDonna]

Isn't he cute with his new Master Cleaner pin!????

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Congratulations are surely due.

The classes you need to take to make Master Cleaning Technician status aren't always easy to find, and its a fairly broad study field.

My very deep differences with the IICRC aside, completing those programs says a lot about his knowledge base, and his willingness to learn more.

John's commitment to excellence in everything he does is one of the reasons why your company is where it is at Meg. I always appreciate the fact that he is never looking for the easy answer when we talk about a cleaning challenge; instead he wants what is best for your customer.

That attitude is, frankly, the most important thing to make someone a "Master Cleaner" in my book.

 

[hogjowl]

He also runs a Cleanco

 

[Bob Pruitt]

Was the pre- vac step the one that put John over the top to Master Cleaner? Seriously though... Congratulations!

 

[hogjowl]

Was the pre- vac step the one that put John over the top to Master Cleaner? Seriously though... Congratulations!

BAHAHAHA!

 

[PrimaDonna]

He's actually had Master Cleaner status since the beginning....as soon as he was able to get it with all his certs and he had to journeyman under a mentor cleaning company at the time. This is the first time IICRC sent a separate card, certificate and pin for the Master Cleaner designation Usually we just get the card and cert that lists all the certifications he has.

Looks like they are finally getting their act together!

@Jim Pemberton, you are right tho...It's not easy to find all those classes now. Our tech wants to attain Master Cleaner status, but we are having trouble finding all the classes. Some are only once or twice a year and across the country!

 

[hogjowl]

Knock yourself out.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

@Jim Pemberton, you are right tho...It's not easy to find all those classes now. Our tech wants to attain Master Cleaner status, but we are having trouble finding all the classes. Some are only once or twice a year and across the country!

Warning: Rant to follow. If you would like to congratulate John for the praise he richly deserves, skip the rest of this:

The two difficult to find classes are: RRT/BRT (Carpet repair/installation) and CRT (Color repair)

I have a problem with those being needed to be a "Master Cleaning Technician", as carpet repair (first of all) is a skill unassociated with cleaning.

If its that important, shouldn't cleaners also have to take an upholstery repair course? But I can accept this one as being something that might be beneficial and can be learned by most anyone. If for no other reason than any time a cleaner can spend with Barry Costa (one of the best guys the IICRC has out there) in learning this skill, they will not only learn a lot, but be enriched human beings just by being associated with him.

The one I have MORE of a problem with is CRT (Color repair/"spot dyeing"). Since a significant percentage (though not a majority of course) of cleaners have some degree of color blindness, they will not be able to perform this service. Spare me the "its great information that makes you a better spotter and cleaner" excuse: If you need more information to be a better spotter and cleaner, then put that information in the carpet cleaning class and take out some of the information that isn't likely to be of practical benefit.

I will repeat what I have said many times previously: The majority of IICRC instructors give value far in excess of what they are paid, and the industry is a better place because of their work, and the work of the people who came before them. I hire a few of them myself to offer these classes to our customers, and appreciate how hard they work, especially under the constraints and controls put upon them by the IICRC.

Its my hope that the IICRC will grow, and find ways to better serve the registrants.

 

[Zee]

That just show all that you need to know about this industry....

What a joke.


Not personally attacking the Burdicks here with this! But the fact that someone running as a big time master experienced great super duper cleaner without properly vacuuming before cleaning until recently.... can tell how much you really need to change this industry around, for our customers to see and know the difference between who really is a good one to hire.


I know this will not sit well with people but really it's not about the Burdicks but the industry as a whole. And of course the self-important IICRC...

 

[PrimaDonna]

No offense taken, Zee.

John got is status back in the day when certification was "new". I can say if he were just getting in to the industry today, we likely wouldn't pursue Master Cleaner status. But, he was lucky enough to attain it when it was easier and since he keeps up with his CEUs, he get's to keep it.

I agree with Jim that those two classes don't have anything to do with being a cleaner....but maybe that is why having them provides the designation of being Master. It shows you have more education than just cleaning. I don't know who or why they came up with the requirements for the MC designation.

can tell how much you really need to change this industry around, for our customers to see and know the difference between who really is a good one to hire.

They don't hire us because of our certifications (very few do), they hire us for our reputation. Regardless if we pre-vac or not, our clients love us and tell others about us. That is how they tell who is a really good one and who to hire! I know fabulous cleaners that don't have certification. I know horrible ones that do. So I see you're point in that.

We maintain the certs because we have them and do on going training so it's easy for us to get our CEUs. And because we partner with carpet retailers. If we want to be referred by them, then they want to know the client won't come back on them for referring a company that didn't uphold their warranty. Every once in a while we get a call from someone not referred by a retailer, but they have an issue and along the line were told they have to have the carpet cleaned by a certified firm/technician before the manufacture will send out a rep. The find us on the IICRC site. Those one or two jobs we get this way pay for our renewals each year and then some. And we have "converted" those clients and have done other work for them above and beyond the reason they sought us out as being IICRC. But we never would have had them as a client unless we had the certification.

I know there are issues and many people see it as a farce. But we will maintain our certifications for the relationships we have with carpet retailers. If you don't work closely with retailers and have them as a referral source, I can understand why you don't see the value in being certified. For us that "value" was $28,595 in carpet retailer referrals last year. Well worth it to keep our certs up.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

I don't know who or why they came up with the requirements for the MC designation.

"It is better not to know how laws or sausages are made"

Believe me, you don't want to know Meg....

 

[EDS]

someone running as a big time master experienced great super duper cleaner without properly vacuuming before cleaning until recently

That was me. Big deal. Many CC in my area don't pre-vacuum. The customer gets what they pay for.

can tell how much you really need to change this industry around, for our customers to see and know the difference between who really is a good one to hire.

That has been my point for some time now. Came to that realization here. Changed my website and practices but am actually proud of the work I do. I was ignorant before.

And of course the self-important IICRC

Good marketing tool. One more thing to make ourselves distinguishable... Master cleaner does have a nice ring to it...

 

[Cleanworks]

Better to be a master cleaner than a masterbat, oh never mind.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Congrats John! That's a great accomplishment!

 

[Cleanworks]

I gave up on my iicrc certs. I have all my courses including repair and color but there is no recognition in Canada. No carpet retailer knows who the iicrc is and most don't know the cri either. The education is great but the certification is worthless. Congrats John, seems like it means something down there.

 

[steve_64]

I thought this was about some wrestling moves and John won.

 

[A15]

That just show all that you need to know about this industry....

What a joke.


Not personally attacking the Burdicks here with this! But the fact that someone running as a big time master experienced great super duper cleaner without properly vacuuming before cleaning until recently.... can tell how much you really need to change this industry around, for our customers to see and know the difference between who really is a good one to hire.


I know this will not sit well with people but really it's not about the Burdicks but the industry as a whole. And of course the self-important IICRC...

First congrats,not so much for the title,but educating yourself. Now Im going to play devil's advocate for this post and others.

Have you gone back twice weekly to vacuum the homes you cleaned?
Are all your clients paraplegic?
Im gonna go with nada on both those.Dry soil removal is a necessary part of of the pie, thats not the issue.The issue is, who is qualified to remove it? If I had a chimp(a real one) I know for a fact he could be taught to vacuum the crap out of any rug.I will assume most of your clients are at least a tad above that, but, like the chimp, needs your imput on how frequent and maybe some technique(not rocket science).Otherwise you are just enabling them and that is really not in there best interest.I would keep a vacuum on board for the needed situations but lets educate people so you dont have to go back twice weekly, which in all reality you should be doing if you are vacuuming for them.

 

[Zee]

First congrats,not so much for the title,but educating yourself. Now Im going to play devil's advocate for this post and others.

Have you gone back twice weekly to vacuum the homes you cleaned?
Are all your clients paraplegic?
Im gonna go with nada on both those.Dry soil removal is a necessary part of of the pie, thats not the issue.The issue is, who is qualified to remove it? If I had a chimp(a real one) I know for a fact he could be taught to vacuum the crap out of any rug.I will assume most of your clients are at least a tad above that, but, like the chimp, needs your imput on how frequent and maybe some technique(not rocket science).Otherwise you are just enabling them and that is really not in there best interest.I would keep a vacuum on board for the needed situations but lets educate people so you dont have to go back twice weekly, which in all reality you should be doing if you are vacuuming for them.

OK...thank you for sharing (rolling eyes at your dap)


BTW why are you congratulating me?

Oh and it would be "their" interest not "there".

 

[ruff]

Congratulations. Now that he got his shark and semi Guru status.

As a free community service: http://mikeysboard.com/threads/should-i-renew-my-iicrc-master-certification.280428/

 

[Mikey P]

What's a bigger scandal, that the Hick's six year old brat became a Master Cleaner or a dude that didn't pre vacuum up to three weeks ago got the pin?





Jim is correct, there is tremendous dedication involved in achieving the status but for christ sakes, I talked to a Master recently who thought his hole glide was making his wand hard to push so he ordered a slot to reduce the effort...

 

[Mikey P]

First congrats,not so much for the title,but educating yourself. Now Im going to play devil's advocate for this post and others.

Have you gone back twice weekly to vacuum the homes you cleaned?
Are all your clients paraplegic?
Im gonna go with nada on both those.Dry soil removal is a necessary part of of the pie, thats not the issue.The issue is, who is qualified to remove it? If I had a chimp(a real one) I know for a fact he could be taught to vacuum the crap out of any rug.I will assume most of your clients are at least a tad above that, but, like the chimp, needs your imput on how frequent and maybe some technique(not rocket science).Otherwise you are just enabling them and that is really not in there best interest.I would keep a vacuum on board for the needed situations but lets educate people so you dont have to go back twice weekly, which in all reality you should be doing if you are vacuuming for them.

Welcome back Fiddy!

 

[EDS]

or a dude that didn't pre vacuum up to three weeks ago got the pin?

(long exhale) thought that they were talking about me. Just a strange coincidence that WE BOTH started pre vacuuming a week ago ...I know I know...the world does not revolve around me (just in my head)...

I talked to a Master recently who thought his hole glide was making his wand hard to push so he ordered a slot to reduce the effort...

Probably in person right? For sure not someone actively engaged on this board. Although it is somewhat disturbing...but then again I'm the guy that could not put a 2' flash cuff on my 2' wand..

 

[John Olson]

Congrats John! Ignore the hacks. Jealously is such a huge part of these guys lives they have to tear everyone down to make themselves feel better.
I will agree and disagree with Jim Pemberton though. I agree the CRT shouldn't be a requirement for master status but I disagree on the RRT. The RRT teaches more then just h0w to fix a seams it teaches construction and identification and skill which if you're a master of anything you should have that knowledge. The same argument is used for the CRT but so few ever have a need for using those skills where 80-9o% of homes have some issue that needs to be fixed where bad seams, knee kicked in carpet or tack strip used in door ways.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

John Olson" data-source="post: 4497351" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">

Congrats John! Ignore the hacks. Jealously is such a huge part of these guys lives they have to tear everyone down to make themselves feel better.
I will agree and disagree with Jim Pemberton though. I agree the CRT shouldn't be a requirement for master status but I disagree on the RRT. The RRT teaches more then just h0w to fix a seams it teaches construction and identification and skill which if you're a master of anything you should have that knowledge. The same argument is used for the CRT but so few ever have a need for using those skills where 80-9o% of homes have some issue that needs to be fixed where bad seams, knee kicked in carpet or tack strip used in door ways.

Good points John

 

[Zee]

John Olson" data-source="post: 4497351" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">

Congrats John! Ignore the hacks. Jealously is such a huge part of these guys lives they have to tear everyone down to make themselves feel better..

....


Nevermind.... I was going write this whole thing about irony... but it is ok.

 

[Bob Pruitt]

I'm actually kind of proud of John Burdick and Meg for what they have accomplished.
Maybe the best thread since I have found this board was giving them a hard time about pre-vacuuming. That thread just went on and on and that is where I really came to respect Meg on taking it and not losing her cool ever. Smart, tough and it is very impressive what they have accomplished with a small operation. $$$
http://mikeysboard.com/threads/its-been-a-while.284413/#comments
So I gave them a little bit of a hard time about the pre-vacuuming making John a Master Cleaner... was having fun with them.

 

[EDS]

It is an achievement he wanted. So why do we care? If you want something and work towards it everyone else can go pound sound. I have a degree (hard to believe with my spelling eh?) hanging in my bathroom in case I run out of toilet paper.

What is worth? Nothing. But for me, the onlyone in my family to ever attend post secondary education, it was important. John's achievement means nothing to some of us but for him it does. I get that. Have a goal and working towards it and achieve it. Rinse and repeat...

 

[Cleanworks]

You sometimes have to separate the accomplishments from your personal feelings about the organization. To reach master cleaner status, you have to take many courses and although there are people who do it just for the badge, I believe John does it to improve his skills not only as a carpet cleaner but also as a business owner. As for pre vacuuming, it's always a good idea but many carpet cleaners have been told for years that with a truck mount, it's not really necessary. I have been recently been paying more attention to vacuuming. I did a job this morning where the customer proudly told me that she vacuumed last night. I took one looked at the oLd shaggy golden retriever and asked if she'd mind if I ran my shark over the carpets anyway. In 2 bedrooms and a hall I filled the dirt cup with dog hair. We are learning all the time. You can teach an old dog new tricks.

 

[dealtimeman]

I respect any and all kinds of empowering and growth of knowledge though many different paths for growth and the striving for embetterment in ones career.
While I don't like the iicrc, this is not about them, this is about a guy striving through years of training and study both earning and keeping his "level" of understanding at the highest plane available to him, and for this he must be commended and congratulated.

If by what else or other means, must a measure be taken?

Congrats John keep it up!

this janitor, I, might strive to be a master cleaner as well one day.

 

[SamIam]

Congratz