Why are all the Coopers I know nimrods? (I'm just asking... is it genetic?)
Here's the timeline for you... 20/20 event - refusal to post
IICRC, so another site was created, first EVER review based platform in our industry developed, had that "WARNING!" red line that all of you got riled up about.
That warning tag was up for all of THREE months, over 10 years ago.
It was actually the conversation about all of that which led to my talking more with Joe (we were working on some CFI projects together, he was helping me out when I was the SD director volunteer.
Joe never listens to critics. He has that great ability to just shut out people who will never be his clients out. But I made some suggestions to change the wording, just as a peer, and it was changed.
He did not do it because of some of you here... he did it because I explained why it would be more helpful to consumers to adjust it.
Shortly after that, and a few more projects, he hired me as a consultant... and more than a decade later I'm running the cleaning/restoration division and buyers group, and working on high-profile marketing consulting projects - Make-A-Wish is our next big one.
So... I suppose in some weird way, I probably owe some thanks to some of you for the career I've had with him. Because it was one area we discussed in depth, and found alignment in the goals we had, and saw we had some different ideas on how to get there. Shortly after that my brother Bryan died - and Joe literally saved me during that entire time, which I won't bore you with here.
Yet - for a decade now, that first 3 month period has been the foundation for the complaints even today. Which though is tiring at times...ultimately always drives "lurker" traffic to the site and generates more subscriptions. Always. You guys have literally, unintentionally, made that project one that has NEVER needed a single ad or promotional campaign. In the beginning that was great, because all the profits were donated, so it generated donor dollars - but for years it's been structured at break-even, so it's just a growing structure connecting cleaners and consumers, that does what it's meant to do, create good cleaning experiences. I have not handled a complaint for years. Just the ones here.
And if THIS gets to be the one thing hung over MY head a decade after the fact, it's not only silly, but also hypocritical.
You are telling me that NONE of you have ever had a business project that sounded like a GREAT idea, that you discovered needed to be adjusted?
You've never broke a lamp in a house, or ruined a rug? Or told a client "no problem, I know what to do" when you had no friggin' clue and prayed the whole time?
I had a restoration company who subcontracts to me run over a client's dog. How long does that take to live down?
You've never gotten emotionally unwrapped and said something you shouldn't have, or did something worse like read your child's diary, or hacked into your EX's email account, or done anything you look back on like get into a horrible relationship, and say "what the hell was I thinking? I was nuts?"
I have a whole list of things I've done that I've learned from. Mistakes, bad calls, misinterpretations, and just plain bad judgment - especially when emotions are concerned. They cloud your thinking. I just put a post up today that crossed the line on the CRI blog that I decided with a clearer head I needed to pull... which I did.
Heck, when I found out right out of college that my fiance was sleeping with his lab partner in med school, after nine years in that relationship, where I helped him not only write his Ph.D. dissertation, but also wrote his essay to get him into Dartmouth... when I found out, I was livid. He was very private, and I blasted an email to every single student in his medical school graduating class exposing all the dirty details. He was mortified. She transferred.
I was young... I was upset... I got more than even... but in hindsight, it was a stupid emotional response of a child, and not a grown woman. And I eventually went and apologized to both.
The goal of Ethical Services has ALWAYS been put service-minded cleaners with quality-seeking consumers, period. Joe's marketing style back then was much more brash, and he was attacked much more relentlessly back then on everything from his ponytail to his spelling... I remember Mac Clark telling me when I was CFI convention chair that if Joe was anywhere on the program, or in the trade show, he would not speak.
I found out later that was simply jealousy, but that was how controversial he was at the time. And... that was how he built his company as large as he did so quickly. Some jump in and take the hits anyway... while most stay safely on the sidelines. Whats the saying? Pioneers have arrows in their backs...
The site still provides value - a lot of it - for cleaners and consumers. And it was a brilliant idea he jumped on because he was talented enough to get himself on 20/20. Don't know if you know this, but that ain't easy...
So... I will continue to remind you of how long ago we are talking about the "warning" wording.
This is like going to a family reunion and having your stepmom remind everyone of how you did something embarrassing when you were 9, and you have to go over the same damn thing over and over even when you are 39.
Cooper - nice to know that you are truly infallible and never change anything in your business ever - you bat 1,000%. The other Cooper thinks the same way... so maybe you two are in fact related. Or at the very least would make a nice couple.
And Jim, thank you for sharing the ES referral story. That was awhile ago, and you'll notice that even though we clashed on this exact topic for years... I did not run here and post a word when you asked me for the referral from ES, and did not post the testimonials from the client either. I never expected you to ever share that here. With that project all I ever care about it whether the client is happy, and the cleaner. I could care less what anyone else thinks on it, especially now... there is so much other work to be doing.
Okay then... to all of YOU here... if YOU were to design your own referral program, ala SOA (at least the "idea" of it...) or ala Ethical Services, what would YOU make the requirements be?
Seriously.
IICRC certified? Bonded? Certain equipment? Fair wages? Guarantees?
Pretend CRI comes to YOU with their tail between their legs... what is YOUR solution?
Eventually they are going to have to ask... so we might as well begin crafting what that would look like. Why not do it here on MB. Since you think all the other systems stink... what would you do instead?
Lisa
