Connections

[Bob Foster]

you could be really helping some brockedick out, if you open his eyes to the possibilities of a board like this.
I just met some guys at CCCS CAD and they never even heard of these message boards! They couldn't believe how much I was telling them I learn from a place like this.

Tell them it only costs 15 bucks a month for an annual membership of if they want to come for just a one month visit it will cost them $25 so they can hang out with us and buy stuff...

 

[The Great Oz]

I'm not sure the Connections board takes complaints about the program seriously enough to stop management from packing the program with marketeers. a large turnout in MB gear might show the Connections Board that they can't dismiss "those chat board complainers" as a tiny fringe group not worth listening to.

By the way, they're doing some things right. The seminars held in the tradeshow area last year were deemed worth the price of admission.

 

[John Watson]

By the way, they're doing some things right. The seminars held in the tradeshow area last year were deemed worth the price of admission.

Sure, First year I don't go and look what they did to me!!!!

Still trying to get Helen to say I can go this year, Patches is raring to go, We already agreed to watch our 10 month old Grandson Quinten full time that week while Mom,Dad and older Sis go to the East coast for a wedding as Brides maid and best man. Quinten is to much for Lil ol Helen to handle by herself (Seems to control me pretty damn easy) I am busy atalking to my other daughter , 18 yr old granddaughter, son and daughter in lay(Opps sorry that was before she cut im off and they gots married.) Law, if they could fill in for me so me and Patches can re-make one of the greatest rides as ffar as scenery and the country as I have ever made in my 45 plus years of
crus-in on 2 or 3 wheels. Plus The Short One is gonna be there!!!!!!
And he always brings more than a flippen barbi!!!!

 

[LisaWagnerCRS]

anyone notice the trade show isn't free anymore it's 15.00 early reg and 25.00 late

you gotta pay to have people sell you chit!

Fookem don't go!

That's because for years Connections has been contracted to pay Cooper $15 a head for all convention attendees because of something about "hard costs" of having cleaners walk through an event. Yet when I had a booth in Florida and got the attendee list - there were people on there who attended the PRIOR Vegas event and not Florida... so I think sometimes, of course accidentally, the list gets padded. :shock:

If they removed the management company from the equation, and let the presidents of the associations coordinate the program and show, put on REAL education and training, and stop making the show so friggin' large that attendees walk really, really, really fast to see everything - then they could make that event profitable for everyone involved.... including those who attend.

There used to be solid content. For years now it's pretty much all promotional presentations - which is okay, but they should make that part free then.

After Piranha did the hands-on restoration symposium in Nashville, and sold it out in 4 weeks, Connections finally got it in their head to add some actual DEMONSTRATION training in their program (duh!)... and they did those sectors on cleaning in the show last September. We flooded a restaurant at our annual event - mainly because I like to see actual cleaning and flood work happening, and most instructors today wouldn't honestly know what to DO with a wand... yet they are supposedly teaching the craft.

So - on that end, that's a plus for Connections to add that... so I was happy. :mrgreen:

I was on the Connections board the first 3 years - tried to bring in a management team who would actually be more affordable and accountable - but the politics in this industry is about as bad as DC - and the results equally about as bad. I've offered to help over the years with suggestions (we've sold out the Piranha Conference at over $1,000 a head for going on 16 years), I might actually know something. You think?

Even though I am not a fan of how Cooper runs business, whether its Connections or IICRC, Piranha continues to support the show because I know how damn hard the volunteers on the associations (SOME of them) work, and how underappreciated their contributions to the industry are. We ALWAYS wait to see when their dates are so that we can be either 2 weeks prior or post, because we do not want to take attendees away from them (and we would). Joe Polish was on the CFI board for a few years before he escaped ... I was on CFI's board for 11 years - and honestly, really valued my experience there. And I always support the associations, not so much their "entitlement" management.

But Connections needs a makeover. Badly. It's expensive for the vendors in relation to the return they get from the show.

If they went to self-management, they could save $100K+ just right there in expenses.

I go there to support the associations, and to see some old friends, but not because I expect to learn anything. How many times can we see the same presentations over and over again? Like I posted on the Cleanfax board... "IICRC - New Horizons" or Jeff Bishop on new ways to kiss the CRI's butt (or Ruth doing the same about WoolSafe).

You have the same old people who have been out of cleaning FOREVER creating a program for cleaners, who they think anything is okay because they ain't that smart to see it's not worth the money. If they had a quality program, they'd put a guarantee on it - put their money where their mouth is... but you have to know you are giving a great program to back it up like that.

I don't mind paying $15 for the show... but I'm curious what the exhibitors feel about that, since they are the ones bankrolling this event. Florida has been very light these last few years - and the same faces. Vegas still gets good traffic - just wonder if it's traffic that is BUYING anything.

Dri-Eaz had some GREAT symposiums... I'd like to see another one of those. Much more than paying for Connections - but very much worth every dollar. Maybe Connections should move to every other year instead of twice a year. It takes a lot of work to put on a show... even the bad ones.

Lisa

 

[Mikey P]

Well Lisa,


Now you can sit with me at the Dunce table during the ICS awards dinner.

 

[joeynbgky]

Lisa I think we should have a mikeyfest twice a year. what ya think? And put connections out of business

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Great post Lisa! This is certainly a case of the tail wagging the dog. Mikeyfest and Summerfest prove that regular carpet cleaners don't need million dollar management to pull off an enjoyable and memorable event.

 

[Bob Foster]

I'm under the impression that Cooper recently had his management contract extended for Connections. Does anyone know when its up?

 

[The Great Oz]

Well Bob, funny you should mention it. The contract was supposed to have run out years ago, but the President signed an extension without Board approval. Now that a request for proposal (RFP) was supposed to be tendered for running Connections, the talk is that there isn't time to get proposals so the contract will have to be extended again.

The biggest problem is that the Connections Board doesn't understand that the President is supposed to WORK FOR THE BOARD not the other way round. Also, they don't seem to know that the Executive Committee can make decisions between Board meetings, but those decision have to be validated by the Board (the EC is also supposed to work FOR the Board). The Board has always allowed the EC to make decisions for them and if the Board as a whole won't remove the EC members responsible, nothing changes.

 

[floorguy]

UHHH SO EXCUSE MY iggnorance on this.....
but what else does this connections board do???

just 2 shows a year or what??


sounds like a bunch of BS money hungry SOB to me

who do these guys rep??

where do they come from??

someone break it all down if you could

 

[Ken Snow]

Doug I believe that is the $100,000 (pun intended) question that has never been answered by anyone and if I am not mistaken even refused to be answered. I just don;t care enough to pursue and have never paid for attendance myself.

 

[John Olson]

Anyone and i mean ANYONE that has the CASH and the TIME and the CONNECTIONS can put on any event that want. You want to put an event in in vegas just pony up the cash and rent a convention hall,get vendors to buy booths, advertise teh hell oout of it and PRAY someone (lots of someones) will pony up the cash to come.

If you don't want to do that then F"in shut up. sheesh.. :mrgreen:

 

[J Scott W]

UHHH SO EXCUSE MY iggnorance on this.....
but what else does this connections board do???

just 2 shows a year or what??


sounds like a bunch of BS money hungry SOB to me

who do these guys rep??

where do they come from??

someone break it all down if you could

I beleive Bryan is refering to the IICRC board. MOst (or maybe all) of the trade associations that have joined together to put on the Connections events ar shareholders in IICRC. So the IICRC board has considerable influence in the direction of Connections events.

Bryan, please, correct this if my understanding is wrong.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Wasn't the intent of Connections for the profits to benefit the associations?

Why do they not cry foul when it seems they are the ones getting the short end of the deal???

 

[J Scott W]

Wasn't the intent of Connections for the profits to benefit the associations?

Why do they not cry foul when it seems they are the ones getting the short end of the deal???

Most of the associations make some good money while requiring almost no work from their volunteer members. They divide the money according to how many members frome ach association attend. You will see the associatiosn reminding you to put their association name on your registration. (This also gets you a $100 discount.)

 

[CraigT]

wow connections not free anymore? what is this world coming too.

 

[Bob Foster]

I heard Marty's going to be there...

 

[LisaWagnerCRS]

Wasn't the intent of Connections for the profits to benefit the associations?

Why do they not cry foul when it seems they are the ones getting the short end of the deal???

Most of the associations make some good money while requiring almost no work from their volunteer members. They divide the money according to how many members frome ach association attend. You will see the associatiosn reminding you to put their association name on your registration. (This also gets you a $100 discount.)

Okay - to clear up a few points here, since I can speak from "some" knowledge here, as a producer of educational shows, as a past treasurer for several years on the Connections board, and as a past president of a regional association (that by the way was making more money net on shows than has been made collectively - but we did it because it was BETTER for the industry to have ONE show a year instead of 12 regional ones, and was better for the exhibitors... then Ruth and Jeff and Cooper decided they needed TWO almost right away, which was one of the dumbest business moves ever BUT created another event to manage... and another paying contract.)

Events are a HUGE expense to put on, and to fill up. Piranha spends over $100K each year to promote, fill, and fulfill our evet - and we know what we are doing as marketers. Most volunteers, and the paid management do not understand direct response marketing - so they tend to spend a lot on glossy 4-color advertising that is not trackable. they think, you see it 12 times then you will buy. So they spend a lot on marketing.

The purpose of the event it to provide education to mostly association members (most of the attendees come from those core lists to the PROGRAM) and to draw people into to trade show so that tickets and booths can be sold and hoepfully there is a net profit to split among the Connection members (the associations). All by the way are not-for-profit entities.

Scott, volunteers DO in fact spend time helping Connections. They work their butts off ALL YEAR LONG to keep members engaged, and to get them to the show. And to encourage the vendors to come, because cleaners who belong to associations - who pay to associate regionally with other professionals and who pay for education - are better potential customers to meet with in a venue like this versus the tire-kickers. The bigger issue here is not that the Connections crowd does not know how to create a valuable program... the bigger problem is that association memberships have been on the decline for a long time - if they worked to get more members locally, they would create more attendance at the national event.

An event that nets $100K or whatever, when divided up between 12 groups is not a lot. So this is not some big moneymaker. When you have the average plated meal at $40++ a head (plus tax plus hotel fee), plus exhibitor space fees, and all of the labor-union related restrictions and fees - it is expensive.

I think the energy has not been put into the events because the ones coordinating it have been distracted creating "new" events for personal financial gain in the Carribbean and other exotic areas. Which is a cool idea - but takes the leverage and vendor relationships created THROUGH the Connections channels, and does something that creates no benefit to the trade associations who created the platform they built leverage through to work deals outside of that group.

That lack of focus to do really killer events is really the source of the decline - there has been other money distractions from the ones who have been paid to not be distracted.

Going to trade show only, saving the cost of the presentation rooms, the gala dinner, the A/V and speaker fees - that would immediately bring profit to the bottom line, and also be a lot less work. Then more could be done on the exhibiting side to make it more profitable for the vendors. And it would be fun for the cleaners also.

That is my opinion... for what it's worth.

Lisa

 

[Lee Stockwell]

It's worth a lot Lisa.

 

[The Great Oz]

Connections Scott, although there is some crossover. You might be shocked to find out how small a percentage of gross is returned to the partner associations.

The association reps that are on the Connections Board are mostly good guys (including several ladies) that mean well. Do nice people have a tendency to shy away from confrontation? That's likely most of the problem. There are some perks to being a Connections rep, but there's no money in it.

There is some serious work done to present something as big as Connections and employees deserve to be paid for their time. It seems that costs are too high in comparison to shrinking profits though, and annual high-dollar mistakes erode profits that could be used to improve the event. Using professionally accredited event managers with the ability to run a tighter ship should be a priority.

 

[Bob Foster]

Thanks for your perspective Lisa. I have long been critical of the current management of Connections. I am hoping that recent changes in the leadership of the IICRC and regionals will excise the problem people.

The event is out of date and way below the standard of many other industries. Contracting it to a third party can be done for less, with more accountability that there appears to be used now and much more interesting and valuable to people.

A first class event (rather than our 1990's style third class event we are being presented with now) will encourage membership in the regionals as much or more as locally recruiting new members to the regional in hopes they might attend a national event.

While were at it someone needs to do a make over of the IICRC but I believe that is well underway.


Independently produced events such as Pembertons, Winterfest, MikeFest are successful because there is more concern about delivering something valuable to cleaners than they are about making money on the event itself.

For those that say why don't you go put one on. We do.

 

[John Olson]

And you have done a tremendous and thankless job Bob so I am saying THANK YOU now

Now stop bitching about connections either go or don't go. If you go then you are saying your happy with it if you don't your saying your not. The people who have a financial stake in it will change it when the money dries up. No need to bitch about it. It would be funny to hold a "fall" Mikeyfest in Vegas at the same time at a different hotel and see what happens... Should only cost 40-50k for a decent event. I imagine with as much time as you spend on the board you must have a pretty big bank account or you would be out working so you can cover the start up cost :mrgreen:


P.S. Just yanking your chain Bob...

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Don't tempt us John.

 

[joe harper]

"Speaking of yAnKinG...someones CHain....." :shock:

it is BEST done among FrEinDs.....

 

[Bob Foster]

John just because I go to Connections doesn't mean I don't have a right to gripe about it. I will continue to bitch as long as there are things that should be changed. Its our feedback that will help get things changed to make it the event is should be.

There are reasons I go to Connections otherwise I wouldn't be going. Where else can you see a circus act like Crazy George. But frankly and without exaggeration about 80% of the reason I go is to hang out with my friends. It sure the hell isn't to go see the same old boring itinerary and presentations year after year. Absolutely no imagination goes into this event other than figuring out ways to scam more money out of us. And the shame of that is the money doesn't end up where it was intended to go, to the regionals.

The problem with Connections is deep seated politics that are not acting in the participants, exhibitors or regionals best interests. How the hell did Cooper's contract get renewed?

 

[Desk Jockey]

Maybe this is the year to go but don't go. :?:

Go to Vegas for the socializing and the trade show but don't register for Connections.

Or do you have to register in able to have the opportunity to pay to go to the trade show?

Wasn't it just a couple of years ago when you actually got cheaper rooms if you were NOT a part of Connections. Too man scams....Gezzz! :roll:

 

[John Olson]

Ok Harper that was just WRONG. LOL


Bob your gonna blow a gasket.The people who pay full fair for connections do so knowing full well what they are getting. I have lots of customers that go and pay full fair and guess what...they ENJOY IT. Another thing they are way to busy making money to spend time in the girls locker room bitching and moaning. Connections is a buisness entity and if you don't like it don't support it.

Your comment about trying to "scam" more money I take great offense to. While I don't agree with everyone I do believe in capitalisim and the right of EVERYONE to make as much money as humanly possible. When you say SCAM it means what they are doing is illegal and nothing anyone is doing is illegal just because you don't think any should make any money except who you support doesn't make you right.

Now stop worrying about what other folks are doing and go hit the streets and drum up some buisness for your buisness

 

[Bob Foster]

As far as MF goes, the possibilities of up-scaling our fest exist and are discussed. The challenge is that it exponentially increases the effort and overhead of the board to scale it up.

But at a smaller numbers scale, show me another event that you didn't have to lay lots of money out for that's more appreciated and more successful from a participants perspective than any of the MikeFests.

We are working on making it better but not necessarily bigger. MikeFest is run by a half a dozen MB volunteers and, in the case of the last two MFests, considerable time, expense and use of employees of the two respective host manufacturers Mytee and Legends. I bet if Mike totaled up all his expenses and costs of this board and MFest combined he wouldn't have made 15 grand for the year. He could make that much extra every month for 1/3 the time he has invested. Me I'm here just feel important. !gotcha!

We got lots of ideas, and the ideas are not geared to make anyone on MB's side money, they're geared so that the rug suckers get a lot from the event. The exhibitors should have and do have every opportunity to put their best foot forward so they can realize value from participating in a MFest and the board. The best way that mutually satisfied both registrants and exhibitors at a MFest is with hands-on play time and real information and education sessions and not infomercials.

 

[John Olson]

Maybe this is the year to go but don't go. :?:

Go to Vegas for the socializing and the trade show but don't register for Connections.

Or do you have to register in able to have the opportunity to pay to go to the trade show?

Wasn't it just a couple of years ago when you actually got cheaper rooms if you were NOT a part of Connections. Too man scams....Gezzz! :roll:

Richard if you want a pass to the trade show your supplier can hook you up. I am sure he can get Dri-Eaz or Prochem to get you a pass. If they can't you need to change suppliers and I know just who can hook you up :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[John Olson]

As far as MF goes, the possibilities of up-scaling our fest exist and are discussed. The challenge is that it exponentially increases the effort and overhead of the board to scale it up.

But at a smaller numbers scale, show me another event that you didn't have to lay lots of money out for that's more appreciated and more successful from a participants perspective than any of the MikeFests.

We are working on making it better but not necessarily bigger. MikeFest is run by a half a dozen MB volunteers and, in the case of the last two MFests, considerable time, expense and use of employees of the two respective host manufacturers Mytee and Legends. I bet if Mike totaled up all his expenses and costs of this board and MFest combined he wouldn't have made 15 grand for the year. He could make that much extra every month for 1/3 the time he has invested. Me I'm here just feel important. !gotcha!

We got lots of ideas, and the ideas are not geared to make anyone on MB's side money, they're geared so that the rug suckers get a lot from the event. The exhibitors should have and do have every opportunity to put their best foot forward so they can realize value from participating in a MFest and the board. The best way that mutually satisfied both registrants and exhibitors at a MFest is with hands-on play time and real information and education sessions and not infomercials.

Bob just in case you didn't know I haven't missed one except the very first one he called winterfest. I even have the Tat where's yours?