SERVS 1603 MarApr 2016 V2

FEARon the Night Shift
PROTECTING VULNERABLE
FEMALE EMPLOYEES
Identify floor care soils
THE FLOOR EDITION
Servicon
...and learn how to combat
CHANGE BLINDNESS
The Strategy of
BUILDING AN EMPIRE

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4 March/April 2016 || SERVICES
MARKETING MATTERS
5 About this Publication
SERVICES Floor Care Edition is your indispensable commercial cleaning
business guide. Do you have an idea for an upcoming feature story? If so,
email services@mecgnv.com
TREND SETTERS
6 Dust Mites, Allergens and Your Company’s Value Proposition
Offering big solutions to destroy these little monsters.
By Shannon J. Winslow Claunch
UPCLOSE
8 Change Blindness and Floors
Simple tricks of the trade you can start using today.
By Matt Morrison
STANDARDS
10 Fear on the Night Shift
Uncovering an employer’s responsibility to protect vulnerable female
workers.
By Rich Jones and Shannon J. Winslow-Claunch
16 SERVICON: The Strategy of Building an Empire
Leadership, Planning, People, and Growth are the four pillars of successful
strategy that we examined in this feature story. We are edifying an industry
leader so you can use their ideas in your own business model.
By Shannon J. Winslow-Claunch
DIVERSIFICATION
12 Analyzing Carpet Soils
Because debris types are diverse, knowing the cause points to the solution.
By Robert Kravitz
INDUSTRY NEWS
14 Bringing you timely industry events, educational resources, and news
that matters.
FACE OF THE INDUSTRY
26 Shifting Paradigms: Cedar Rapids School’s Cleaning Culture
Supervisors share how necessary budget cuts forced a changed in floor care
procedure, and why the change positively affected organizational culture.
By Mark Schanou
31 Index to Advertisers
Your Business Plan
with Jennifer Siorek
Spring has sprung here at SERVICES Magazine as we prepare our Green Cleaning Edition for May. This important message goes out to any company that is
marketing products and services to our core audience, Commercial Cleaning Companies. In my experience helping companies to grow over the years, I can
tell you that investing in a targeted and consistent advertising campaign can make all the difference in building a strong sales funnel. SERVICES is distributed
to over twelve-thousand commercial cleaning companies and those who read the publication are looking for products and services like yours! Here’s your call to
action: invest in the advertising medium that your target market appreciates. For the past 35 years, that has been SERVICES.
And, unlike other magazines, SERVICES is really focused on your results. Our goal for 2016 is to edify those commercial cleaning companies who are leaders in the
industry, and to give practical tips to improve their business. This marketing mix provides commercial cleaning owners a variety of reasons to see each page of our
publication, AND see your advertising again and again. Make sure that your company has earned top of mind awareness by aligning your business strategy with ours.
And, if your organization has made a commitment to green cleaning, there is no better time for you to launch your SERVICES campaign than in our next edition.
Contact me today at 352.313.6708 or jennifer@mecgnv.com.
Published six times per year by:
publisher
Michael Brown
editor
Shannon J. Winslow-Claunch
senior account executives
Walt Daniels and Jennifer Siorek
creative director
Tim Sost
president
Kevin Brown
for advertising opportunities:
advertise@servicesmag.org
352.313.6705
contentsMarch/April 2016
Copyright 2016. No part of this issue may be
reproduced by any mechanical, photographic
or electronic process without written
permission of the publisher. Title reg. U.S.
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Cover photo courtesy ImageActive
26
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8
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12

marketing matters
web exclusive
contributors
ProTeam GoFree
Flex Pro®
The GoFree Flex Pro® battery-powered backpack vacuum from ProTeam®
weighs only nine-teen pounds and provides approximately one hour
of comfortable cordless cleaning. Four Level® Filtration captures many
allergens and asthma triggers for improved indoor air quality. The GoFree
Flex Pro does not lose suction power as the battery reaches the end of its
charge and the FlexFit® articulating harness increases range of motion.
The GoFree Flex Pro includes a two-year warranty on the motor, battery
and charger, three-year warranty on parts and labor, limited lifetime on
molded body parts.
Tacony
Tacony’s commercial floor care line is a leading manufacturer
of floor care equipment, parts, accessories and supplies. Our
Powr-Flite, Tornado and CFR products include burnishers, floor machines,
carpet extractors, dryers, vacuums, automatic scrubbers, and more. We
have over ten-thousand parts and accessories. You won’t find a better
selection anywhere.
Kärcher
Daytime cleaning has been redesigned by the
Kärcher’s ECO! T11 Bp Liner CartVac. The rugged
construction and twelve inch wheels simplify maneuvering and handling
while easy grip handles, easy to use control panel, and discreet power cord
storage increase productivity. Removal of the trash bin is a smooth, one
touch procedure giving complete access to the homebased supply pouch.
This all in one unit’s vacuum is quiet enough to use in office environ-
ments, because special insulation blocks distracting noise while residual
sound is funneled into a lower noise chamber. The ECO! T11 Bp Liner
CartVac has easy to access mop and broom clips and a twenty foot flex
hose with telescoping wand to increase range of motion, giving the user
access to hard to reach areas.
TrungVoisaprofessional
freelancephotographerfrom
Missouri.Heispassionateabout
capturingauthenticmomentsfor
portraitandweddingphotography.
Inthisedition,Vo’simagesstarting
onpagetwenty-sixtellastory
aboutorganizationalculture
evolvingthroughbudgetcutsata
highschoolinCedarRapids,Iowa.
Contact,trunglive@gmail.com
MattMorrisonisCommunications
ManagerforKaivacwherehe
creates,implementsandoversees
communicationsprogramsthat
effectivelydescribeandpromote
thebrand.Hisarticlewhichbegins
onpageeightinthiseditiongives
BSCssomeeasytricksofthetrade
atpreventingchangeblindnessin
tileflooring.
Contact,www.kaivac.com.
RobertKravitzisaformerbuilding
servicecontractorandnowa
frequentwriterfortheprofessional
cleaningindustry.HisSERVICES
FloorCareexclusive,Analyzing
CarpetSoils,whichbeginsonpage
twelveofferscommercialcleaners
adviceabouthowtoidentifyand
combatcarpetsoilsofvarying
types.
robert@alturasolutions.com
RichardJonesisaphotographer
andfreelancewriterspecializingin
workplacetopics.Hecollaborated
withoureditorthismonthto
bringattentiontothedangers
facingfemaleemployeesonthe
nightshiftfoundonpageten.This
importantpiecealsosummarizes
theresponsibilitiesownershavein
protectingtheiremployees.Email
himatrwjones_aic@hotmail.com
MarkSchanou is the Buildings
and Grounds Supervisor at Cedar
Rapids Iowa School District.
Schanou is a self-proclaimed fan
of the concepts of organizational
culture. He wrote, Shifting
Paradigms which begins on page
twenty-six.
Contact, MSchanou@cr.k12.ia.us
Please go to servicesmag.org to learn more.
I am a big believer in giving credit when
credit is due. In the case of Servicon I
discovered—through their expertly crafted
press releases which periodically land in
my editor’s in-box—a reason to applaud
their efforts. Servicon makes a point of
recognizing their new hires and those
executives whom they promote. They find
the value of honoring their professionals by
disseminating that information to their peers and competitors. As a student
of marketing practices and how they relate to the human condition, they
got my attention. You can probably see the value that comes from staying
connected to your own business community. I liked that and frankly, I wish
I heard more about companies with the right stuff.
Upon investigating further, let’s just say I found several more aspects of the
Servicon story that I could relate to and appreciate. To sum it up, I noticed
pretty quickly in doing my research that they have become experts in capi-
talizing on opportunity. Founder, Richard Mahdesian noticed an unfulfilled
niche and established a firm business model in 1973 when he opened his
own cleaning company after retiring from the US Air Force.
And I, always a champion for my fellow-airman, was honored to tell his
story and that of the manifestation of his dream…by design. Just like my
own start in life, Mahdesian joined the Air Force and called California his
first duty station. From there, he bloomed where he was planted, growing
an empire that would become today’s preeminent facility provider for the
aeronautic sector in The Golden State and beyond. I’m confident you will
enjoy their story, broken down in a way you can use. Their four pillars of
strategy are demonstrably Leadership, Planning, People, and Growth. Learn
how these separate facets have culminated in-sync over the last forty-three
years and translated into profitability and a highly regarded reputation
amongst military leaders and in the communities they serve.
Shannon J. Winslow-Claunch
Editor, SERVICES Magazine
editor@servicesmag.org
www.servicesmag.org

trend setters
by Shannon J. Winslow-Claunch
D
ust mites are the invisible culprits keeping
millions sick and from coming to work. The American
Academy of Asthma and Immunology estimates that up
to thirty percent of people in the US suffer from allergic
rhinitis, and that allergies are one of the top three reasons people
miss work. This can have a significant effect on a company’s
productivity. Most mistakenly think they have an allergy to dust,
but what they are actually allergic to the dust mite’s excrement.
Dust mites thrive in any textile materials such as drapes, pillows,
and carpeting and their by-products are so small that it ends up
being part of the air in office spaces, which is one major cause of
many typical dust allergy symptoms.
Dust mites cannot be avoided completely, but with proper
cleaning techniques their effects can be minimized. Commercial
janitorial service providers are the on front lines of main-
taining healthy workplaces through cleanliness. As part of your
company’s value proposition in maintaining the health of an
organization, consider these facts from the Asthma and Allergy
Foundation of America.
• Dust mites are primitive creatures with no developed respira-
tory system and no eyes. They are too small to be seen with
the naked eye, measuring only about one quarter to one third
of a millimeter. Under the microscope, they can be seen as
whitish, eight-legged bugs.
• Although small, dust mites produce up to three hundred times their
weight in bodily waste, living up to fifteen weeks.
• Dust mites feed primarily on the tiny flakes of human skin that people
normally shed each day. An average adult person may shed up to one
and a half grams of skin each day, an amount that can feed one million
dust mites. These flakes of skin work their way deep into the inner
layers of furniture and carpets; places where mites thrive and cause
dust allergy symptoms..
• A dust mite’s life cycle consists of several stages, from egg to adult.
Depending on the species, it takes anywhere from two to five weeks
for an adult mite to develop from an egg. Adults may live for two to
four months. A female mite lays as many as one hundred eggs in her
lifetime.
• Dust mites thrive in temperatures of 68-77°F and relative humidity
levels of seventy to eighty percent. There are at least thirteen species
of dust mites, and all are well adapted to the environment inside the
average office facility.
Fighting dust mites
Knowing is half the battle, so education regarding dust mites and
working hard to control their effects is vital. Commercial janitorial service
providers should take steps to minimize the effect of dust mites can play
a part in securing, and for that matter, keeping or losing a contract. Follow
Dust Mites, Allergens, and
Your Company’s Value Proposition
Offering big solutions to destroy these little monsters

www.servicesmag.org
7
STEAMKILLS
dust mites DEAD
Call today and speak with a
commercial cleaning specialist
800.997.6584
advap.com/com_introduction/
• With no toxic or chemicals.
• Ideal for schools, hospitals and
sustainable company use.
• Disinfect hard to reach areas.
• Works on all types of surfaces.
• Eliminate the expense of
cleaning compounds.
• Equipment financing available.
• Your investment in TANCS technology
pays for itself.
A D VA N C E D
T E C H N O L O G I E S , L L C
these best commercial janitorial service practices to reduce dust
allergy from dust mites in the work place.
• Use a damp cloth for dusting.
• Convert to vacuum cleaners with microfiltration bags
• Wash rugs in hot water whenever possible. Cold water leaves
up to ten percent of mites behind. Dry cleaning kills all mites
and is also good for removing dust from fabrics.
• Shampoo carpeted areas often
• Vacuum and dust frequently
• Shampoo upholstered furniture
• Consider a non-residual insecticide or steam cleaners
Formula efficacy for treating areas with infestations is largely
based on the differentiation of chemical versus more natural
alternatives. Mark House, a product specialist for Sterifab, insec-
ticide, a broad based formula proven to kill dust mites, and many
other insects says that when choosing an product— especially
for soft surfaces that come in contact with people—look for a
non-residual formula, so after the product dries the surface is
safe for human contact. Dust mites thrive in furniture, draperies,
pillows, and carpeting so after vacuuming soft surfaces, using
an insecticide like Sterifab prevents future infestations. Look
for a formula that both kills insects and also disinfects, with
one application. House says building service contractors report
success in using Sterifab to clean carpet in office spaces and
storage with infestations in just one easy step.
For a non-chemical approach, consider a vapor steam system
like those offered by Advance Vapor Technologies. The scientif-
ically-proven vapor steam TANCS® technology kills dust mites
and quickly disinfects all surfaces. The benefits of vapor steam
technology include nontoxicity and serious savings. With a
system that works without the need of chemical compounds,
the inventory management cycle and necessity of purchasing
multiple solutions comes to and end. Rick Hoverson, President
of Advanced Vapor says, that “Once the vapor steam equipment
is paid off, no other investment is needed…so very quickly, the
purchase pays for itself and profit is realized.”
According to a recent study conducted by The Carpet and
Rug Institute and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development, vapor steam system with TANCS® technology
was found to generate high-temperature, very low-moisture
steam vapor. This technology changes ordinary tap water into
super-heated steam vapor, forming nano-crystals. The study
found that when this energized water and crystals are applied
to surfaces, the moist heat disables coagulate cell proteins
and gets into microscopic pores where dust mites live, ridding
all surfaces of filth, dust mites, mold and germs. Hoverson
sums it up by saying, “Vapor steam is a chemical-free, cost-ef-
fective and non-consumptive technology that is easy to use
and that works effectively.”

G
oing back a good one hundred years, early
filmmakers had a lot of trouble controlling lighting, largely
because the movies were shot outside, so there would be
times in the day, such as around noon, when it would be
very bright outside. But then by three or four in the afternoon the
sun would go down affecting the lighting of the film. While the film-
makers were aware of this problem and were concerned it would
impact the quality of the film, they were actually quite surprised
when those watching the film reported they did not notice any
changes. This is an example of what we call today, change blindness.
Things change, but sometimes, just like the film lighting, the change
is so gradual people are not even aware the change.
For commercial janitorial service providers who are in charge
of maintaining the appearance, cleanliness, and safety of their
customers’ floors, change blindness as it applies to floors can be a
real problem. Time and sunlight can erode the finish and appear-
ance of a commercial flooring, but the transition is so gradual that
it may go unnoticed. Add to the equation, the processes of soiling,
mopping, scrubbing, and recoating the floor on a regular basis and
we begin playing with fire when it comes to change blindness.
All of these factors can gradually and negatively impact how
the commercial flooring looks. The problem arises when all of a
sudden, like they just woke up, the office manager takes a good
hard look at the floor and sees it does not look as clean and shiny
as it did six months or a year ago. Worse, sometimes this manager
is shaken awake by one of your competitors who, upon seeing
the floor for the first time, can tell it is not up to par. Then change
blindness can even cost you the account.
by Matt Morrison
up close
Change Blindness and Floors
Simple tricks of the trade you can start using today

www.servicesmag.org
9
Putting some light on change
There are some steps—we’ll call them little tricks of the trade—that
can help commercial janitorial service contractors stay on top of
the appearance of their customers’ floors cleaning and mainte-
nance. Here’s a very simple tip regarding maintaining a traditional
vinyl tile floor: set aside two or three extra tiles of the floor, or very
similar tiles, and keep them in the floor care supply closet.
Now, when it comes time to strip and refinish the floor, strip, and
refinish your samples using the same cleaner and finish. If you
apply four coats of finish to the floor, apply four coats of finish
to the sample tiles. These sample tiles have now become your
benchmark. They show exactly how the floor looked right after
it was refinished. Store the tiles safely in the janitorial closet and
bring them out every few months. Place them on the tile floor
and compare the appearance and the shine. What you will see
with time, even with the best care, is that the tile floor will begin
to darken, yellow, and streak in different ways and show wear
and tear when compared to the samples. This may take a couple
of months or up to a year or more. The change will come, and as
it does, your change blindness—at least as it applies to floors—will
be eliminated. The condition of the floor should be very clear.
Checking the gloss without
a gloss meter
A handy little tool all commercial janitorial service contractors
should have is called a gloss meter. In the simplest of terms, a
gloss meter works by shining a known amount of light at an
angle onto the floor. Light is then reflected, and the reflection is
measured. Using a gloss meter is about the most scientific way
to measure the shine on a floor, however, it can get a little tricky.
The type of commercial flooring, the amount of light naturally
shining on the floor, or artificial lighting can all impact how accu-
rately the floor’s shine is measured.
While contractors should have a gloss meter handy as part of their
floor care arsenal, many do not. So one way to check a floor for
cleanliness and gloss is to simply look at it within a two-foot range
and then again at a ten-foot range. At two-feet the look of the floor
should be clear enough to count how many overhead light bulbs
or light fixtures you can see in the finish. If the reflection is virtu-
ally like a mirror, then the floor is clean and quite shiny. *
Now look at the floor about ten feet ahead of you. You likely will
not be able to see the clarity of the individual tiles but instead
a wet look. The wetter the floor looks at ten-feet out, the higher
the level of cleanliness and shine on the floor. While this is not a
scientific method of measuring gloss, it can give you a fairly good
idea of how well the floor is holding up. It will also help to take
our benchmark samples out of the closet. Place one sample in
the two-foot range and the other—or more if you have them—in
the ten-foot range. If the floor has lost its luster, yellowed, or
darkened, it should become quite obvious when compared to
the benchmark samples.
The burnish trick
As long as a high-speed floor finish has been applied a
floor burnisher can be used to bring back the wet-look of a
finished floor. However, we can also use the pads on the floor
burnisher to help determine the soiling level of the floor. We
know pads are different colors which indicate their different
uses. Typically, a lighter colored pad is for polishing and
buffing whereas a darker colored pad is for scrubbing and
stripping. Well, the color of the burnisher’s pad after it has
been used to polish the floor can tell us quite a bit about the
cleanliness of the floor.
The color of debris on the floor burnisher pad will range
from white to light gray, to dark gray. If there is dark gray
buildup on the pad, essentially soil is now being burnished
into the floor. This will give it a yellow appearance that
will get worse over time. As soon as the pad passes the
light gray stage, contractors should increase interim floor
care cleaning methods. One of the most effective and
least costly ways to do this is using what are referred to as
auto-vac cleaning systems. Used similarly to a traditional
automatic scrubber application, these systems apply a
cleaning solution to floors and loosen soils which are then
vacuumed up in the cleaning process. After auto-vacing,
apply a thin coat of finish to the floor. This will help delay
the soiling and the need to strip and refinish the floor.
Eliminating change blindness
with dots
Finally, there is a very old but very effective way of deter-
mining how many coats of finish still remain on commer-
cial flooring. After applying two coats of finish, which is
considered the minimum number of coats necessary to
protect the floor, mark a small dot on the floor using a
magic marker or similar device. Do this in a traffic lane.
Then after three coats, mark another dot in another area
and finally, mark a dot after four coats.
As the dots begin to disappear, it indicates a coat of finish
has been walked off the floor. It is best not to wait until the
first dot—the one over two coats of finish— is the last one
standing. Consider interim steps, as discussed earlier, or a
complete strip and refinish of the floor long before that first
dot has disappeared.
*Note: While many of these tricks will work on a variety of
floors, because of variables such as the type of floor, the
type of floor finish applied, the cleanliness of the floor,
amount of lighting, and the type of lighting, how effective
these methods are can vary.

standards
by Rich Jones and Shannon J. Winslow-Claunch
N
o one should have to worry about their
personal safety while at work. The standards for a safe
work environment for commercial cleaning crews
differs greatly depending on worksite and the scope
of the job, and includes a plethora of Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA) standards that employers must
follow to protect their employees. Hazard prevention on topics
such as noise control, safe lifting procedures, avoiding exposure
to toxic substances, and avoiding personal fall hazards are all
standard precautions, but for vulnerable female janitors who
work the night shift, a heightened level of protection is required.
Ensuring females are protected from intruders, given access to
another employee on the same floor, providing adequate lighting
of the work area, catering to individual health needs and safety
concerns, and just keeping the lines of communication open
with a trusted supervisor are just a few of accommodations
commercial cleaning companies make for their employees.
Fear on the Night Shift
Uncovering an employer’s responsibility to
protect vulnerable female workers

www.servicesmag.org
11
But what happens when the chain of command breaks down
and a trusted supervisor takes advantage of a vulnerable
female employee? Last summer’s PBS Frontline special, “Rape
On The Night Shift” uncovered the sexual abuse of women,
employed as janitors at night. The episode profiled victims, their
assailants—who were most often their direct supervisors—and
subsequently what happened when local authorities and the
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) tried to
prosecute the accused assailant and their employer. This is note-
worthy to all commercial cleaning enterprises because, according
to the EEOC, “An employer is subject to vicarious liability for
unlawful harassment if the harassment was committed by a
supervisor with immediate—or successively higher—authority
over the employee.”
This human resource management problem is being combated by
law officials, OSHA, and through sensitivity training offered by the
Service Employees International Union (SEIU), but cases of sexual
harassment and abuse are still ubiquitous. And despite education
in the workplace, new laws brought about by case precedence,
and even sensationalized made for TV specials, sexual harass-
ment charges and EEOC cases are still filed by employees every
year. According to a joint report from the EEOC and the Fair
Employment Practices Commission (FEP) released last year, there
were just under sixteen-thousand reports of sexual harassment
in 1997. Almost twenty years later in 2015, over eleven thousand
cases were reported. That’s a drop in EEOC cases reported by
almost thirty-percent, but the fines charged to the employers
who allow this activity to prevail in their companies has actually
increased from forty-nine-million in 1997 to fifty-two million
dollars in 2015. Decreased EEOC cases of reports accompanying
an increase in fines demonstrates the government’s intensified
commitment to punishing employers who allow, ignore—or
through apathy—support a sexually charged workplace. And the
bottom line is, despite protective agencies best efforts, sexual
harassment and assaults still occur throughout the US.
Human resource management must be aware of the culture in
the workplace. Whether you agree or disagree, the court sees
sexual harassment no differently than any other workplace
hazard, and if employers allow the hazard to go uncorrected,
they will be held accountable. So what is the best defense against
harassment claims? A good offense. That means, employers
must be aware of issues and take steps to prevent a sexually
charged environment from occurring in the first place.
Some suggestions to prevent EEOC case from being filed
include not permitting two employees to work alone and
conducting a background check on all employees, especially
those in supervisory roles who have authority over others. The
SEIU is preparing appropriate sensitivity training material to
ensure employees, owners, and supervisors are aware and know
how to handle sexual harassment if it occurs. Using the SEIU
guidelines, all commercial cleaning contractors should have their
own in-house sensitivity training program. This is no different
from any safety training program and just as easily implemented.
It can be a quick half-day seminar reinforced with regular work-
place meetings thereafter. Make sure all employees have a direct
line to report any abuse. Larger companies have gone so far as to
install 800 hotlines. Smaller companies can have the same affect
with complaint boxes outside the human resources office, or
posting methods to inform management of any problems.
If you should be so unfortunate to have a sexual harassment
complaint, here are the SEIU recommends you take the
following actions.
1. Investigate immediately. Conduct a thorough, professional
investigation into the allegation. This will have one of the
following outcomes:
a. The allegation is baseless.
b. The allegation cannot be proved or disproved, but you will
still have the documentation for future reference.
c. The allegation is true and appropriate action can be taken.
2. Write a thorough after-action report documenting the
complaint, the interviews taken, the facts as ascertained, and
any allegation that could not be proved.
3. Follow this with appropriate action at the worksite. This
might be separating the parties involved, or more if required.
4. Counsel both parties as to how to avoid the problem in the
future. One party may consider his or her actions as innocent
and not abusive. Another may be over sensitive and consider
any unwanted attention as harassment. In the minds of each,
this perception is real whether it actually is or not.
And finally, there is the possibility of an employee trying to game
the system with a malicious complaint. The claims could be
made in order to prevent any future disciplinary action, or for
monetary gain, but if a commercial cleaning employer suspects
this is occurring, an employer’s responsibilities to report and act
upon allegations do not change, nor does their responsibility to
make immediate changes in providing a safe and non-hostile
work environment.
Decreased cases of reports
accompanying an increase
in fines demonstrates the
government’s intensified
commitment to punishing
employers who allow, ignore—
or through apathy—support a
sexually charged workplace.

diversification
A
s more and more contract cleaners begin
offering their clients commercial carpet cleaning
services, a potentially lucrative add-on service, it
is imperative that they have a good overall under-
standing of just what makes a carpet look dirty. In other words,
they must have an understanding as to the sources and
categories of types of soil that may develop on carpet. This
understanding is key because, without this knowledge, it can
be difficult to clean carpets effectively and can potentially even
cause damage to the carpets in the cleaning process.
While most of the items we will discuss pertain to all types of
carpet in most settings, we are focusing primarily commercial
carpet cleaning locations such as an office building or school. The
reason for this is that a residence may have different types of soil
buildup—or more frequent soil buildup of a certain type—than
those found in an office. For instance, it will likely be rare that an
office building will want its carpets cleaned due to pet accidents
on the carpet. On the other hand, in the residential carpet cleaning
industry, addressing this cleaning challenge is invariably one of
the most frequent reasons technicians are called in.
In addition to pet-related stains, a residential carpet may be
more frequently soiled due to sand, grass, leaves, plant fibers,
and similar soils making their way onto the carpet. In commer-
cial carpet cleaning, however, soiling is more likely to come
from food, coffee, and cola spills, or toner and copy machine
particulates becoming embedded in carpet fibers, as well as
airborne pollutants—especially if the commercial facility is near a
major roadway—tar and grease can be a concern as it is tracked in
from the nearby parking lot.
No matter what the soiling, how it got there, or where it came from,
the following are three categories of soils that contractors should
know and recommended carpet care for each type of soiling.
Water-soluble soils
Approximately twelve percent of the soiling on carpet falls under
this category. These soils typically refer to substances that can be
removed relatively easily from carpet because they dissolve in
water. Water-soluble soils include sugar, starches, many types of
beverages, and salts. For the most part, this is the easiest type of
soil to remove from carpet.
Solvent-soluble soils
Representing about ten-percent of the carpet soiling that
commercial janitorial service providers will encounter, this
can be a much more difficult type of soil to remove from
carpet fibers. Solvent-soluble soils include tar, grease, and
oil, and these substances have a tendency to build up near
the entrances of buildings. One of the most effective carpet
cleaning solutions is to prevent entry way soiling from occur-
ring in the first place with matting. If an effective matting
by Robert Kravitz
Analyzing Carpet Soils
Because debris types are diverse, knowing the cause
points to the solution

www.servicesmag.org
13
system is not in place and these soils are on foot bottoms,
the first floor carpet or floor area will receive the bulk of
these soils–which can then collect on shoe bottoms and be
tracked throughout a facility. Along with being more difficult,
but certainly not impossible to remove, the longer the oily
substance is allowed to remain on the carpet, the more prob-
lems it can produce. Some types of carpet fibers will harden or
discolor over time due to this type of soiling.
Insoluble soils
This is the major factor as far as being the most common type
of soil on commercial carpets. About fifty percent of all carpet
soiling can be classified as insoluble. This includes dry partic-
ulates such as sand, clay, paper, hair, and clothing. This type of
soil is referred to as insoluble because it does not dissolve with
chemicals. These soils have to be removed from the carpet either
with a commercial vacuum or by carpet extraction.
Soil walks in, some stays, and
the rest walks out
About eighty percent of the soiling in carpet is essentially walked
in on shoe bottoms. As referenced earlier, one of the best ways
to prevent this is to have an effective matting system in place.
Usually this involves installing about fifteen feet of matting at
key building entries or even longer if the facility is located in an
area that has, for instance, nearby parking lots that, with high
heat, cause tar and oil to soften, allowing it to transfer from the
walking surface to shoe bottoms.
The other twenty percent of carpet soiling is from airborne
pollutants. Sometimes we notice this type of soiling when an
HVAC vent is located near carpet. Directly surrounding the
vent, the carpet may take on a darker look. This is caused by
airborne pollutants being blown on the carpet on a frequent
basis. With either type of soiling, once the soiling is on the
carpet, two things happen. Some of it stays, getting embedded
deeper and deeper into carpet fibers with foot traffic. However,
and especially if the buildup in the carpet fibers reaches a
saturation point, some of the soils are transferred onto shoe
bottoms, where they are walked out and transported onto
other surfaces in the facility. In one test, new pieces of clean
carpet were installed next to older soiled carpet. In a matter of
days, the new clean carpet darkened due to soil buildup and
the original older soiled carpet lightened. Essentially, the soil
was transferred from the old carpet to the new carpet.
Finally, and this is critical, now that you are aware of the
different types and categories of soils that may accumulate in
carpet, it is very important to use the proper carpet cleaning
solutions designed to remove those soils. Be aware when
choosing carpet cleaning solutions that some solutions used to
remove particular types of soiling may need more dwell time
to work effectively. However, with the right cleaning solutions
and the right machine, most soiled carpets can be restored to
their like-new appearance after cleaning.
Invest in the Right Tools
The good news is that all the types and categories of soil
discussed here typically can be removed from carpet and
removed very effectively. But we must reemphasize; the best
way to keep carpets clean is to prevent soil buildup in the
first place. Along with having an effective matting in place,
frequent use of a commercial vacuum with a high performance
commercial vacuum cleaner is critical. As stated earlier, fifty
percent of the soiling in carpet is dry particulates. A vacuum
cleaner is designed to remove this type of soiling.
While some commercial vacuums can prove to be cumber-
some—and in day-cleaning scenarios—too noisy, there are
innovations available that work better in an expansive
commercial setting. Do your research and find the right tool
for the job that will be effective at removing tough, ground
in particulates at the entryway and throughout the building.
Robert Emmel, VP of Sales for IPC Eagle, the makers of the
SmartVac 464 says the technology developed by his company
has the potential to revolutionize the way commercial cleaning
companies care for carpets. Because the SmartVac 464 has a
twenty-four-inch extra wide cleaning path, is battery operated,
and can adjust to any floor surface, it is the ideal commercial
vacuum for commercial janitorial service providers who are
responsible for cleaning a variety of flooring types. It is hearty
enough to pick up large debris, much quieter, and up to ten
times faster than traditional upright vacuums and four times
faster than back packs, allowing crews to cut hours off their
cleaning schedule. Emmel reports, “Jobs that took hours now
take minutes, increasing productivity, labor savings and fast
ROI, which all lead to greater profitability for commercial jani-
torial service providers.”
As to an even deeper commercial carpet cleaning modality,
interim cleaning methods such as encapsulation or bonnet
cleaning can help, especially if dealing with insoluble soil.
Contract cleaners are advised to select portable carpet
extractors, such as those made by Nilfisk, because they are
far less expensive than truck mounts and they are so versa-
tile. Imagine trying to clean carpets on the twentieth floor of
a building with a truck mount. It’s not possible, so a portable
extractor is the only viable option.
As to choosing a portable, one of the considerations often
overlooked is the wand. Some wands have advanced laminar
airflow technology. Essentially this means that airflow through
the wand is smoother and more even, improving its effective-
ness. As to the extractor, some units are designed to heat the
cleaning solution to 212 °F. When dealing with some types of
soiling, a heated machine will improve the effectiveness of the
cleaning solution, helping to remove deeply embedded soils. In
other cases, using just cold water should prove effective.

industry news
Events
What: The Cleaning Management
Institute®Train the Trainer. This program
provides all the tools and skills that a
commercial cleaning contractor or facility
manager needs to implement or enhance a
custodial training program. The course is a hands-on, interactive
workshop that provides leadership, technical, and building service
operation skills. Registration includes materials, expert instruction, and
certification testing that meets the training requirements of ISSA’s
Cleaning Industry Management Standard
When: March 15–17, 2016
Where: Knoxville, Tennessee
CMI is offering Train the Trainer three more times in 2016: August 9–11 in
Albany, New York, September 27–29 in Denver, Colorado, November 15–17
in Atlanta, Georgia
Contact: www.cminstitute.net/events
What: 21st Congress of the World
Federation of Building Service
Contractors. Weaving a Culture.
Services to create rich life. The life and
culture industry is an industry serving the needs of the general public
which arise out of factors consciously associated with living and culture,
such as safety, security, comfort, cleanliness, tidiness, convenience, and
pleasure. Many of the clients of building services themselves have users
and consumers, and this life and culture consciousness lies at the
foundation of those consumers’ needs. The building service industry can
support their clients’ businesses by tapping into this consumer
consciousness, thereby creating value for their own industry. The
building service industry therefore represents a significant presence
within the life and culture industry.
When: April 4-7, 2016
Where: Tokyo International Forum
Contact: www.wfbsc.org
What: Cleaning Industry Research Institute
(CIRI) International Spring 2016 Science and
Research Symposium; Cleaning Science,
Health, Environment, and the Clean
Standard: Field Testing, New Research, Innovative Methods, Findings,
and Challenges.
Who: The Cleaning Industry Research Institute (CIRI) International,
in conjunction with IICRC and The Journal of Cleaning, Restoration &
Inspection
When: April 10 and 11, 2016
Where: Science and technology symposium at the Georgia Institute of
Technology Hotel and Global Conference Center in Atlanta, Georgia
Contact: CIRI at (888) 285-2474, (518) 690-0479 or visit www.ciriscience.org.
What: The Cleaning Management Institute® Business Growth Strategies.
This all-new seminar is exclusively for commercial cleaning professional,
including business owners, executives, managers, and supervisors.
Featuring industry expert Sharon Cowan, CBSE, this two-day session will
focus on the difficult challenges that contract cleaning companies face in
this ever-changing industry and will provide constructive, immediately
applicable solutions. Topics will include marketing, sales, bidding, and
quality assurance.
When: April 20–21, 2016
Where: Northbrook, Illinois
Contact: www.cminstitute.net/events
What: This one of a kind BSCAI educational event
provides success-driven education ranging from
creating balance in the workplace to industry-expert
insight into more profitable sales, improvements in
forecasting and increasing profitability.
When: May 19-21, 2016
Where: Sandpearl Resort Clearwater Beach, Florida
Contact: bscai.org for more information.
What: Supply Line 2016 is the largest
exhibition on the East Coast for the cleaning
supply industry. Supply Line 2016 invites
distributors, facility service managers, hospital,
school and institutional maintenance
managers and cleaning contractors to meet
direct suppliers of the latest and most
innovative jan-san products available today.
When: May 4-5, 2016
Where: Harrah’s Waterfront Conference Center, Atlantic City, New Jersey
Contact: njssa.net
Employee Training
Blood Borne Certification (BPC) Blood Borne
Pathogens Certification OSHA I And OSHA II
Approved. Are you at risk of exposure? Stay
OSHA compliant. As someone who may come in contact with blood, you
are required by OSHA to be trained in blood borne pathogens. OSHA fines
for non-compliance can be as high as $70,000. Avoid fines and stay
compliant with effective employee training that will help keep you safe and
up to date. Average test certification time is one hour. Average course study
time two hours. Contact www.ijcsa.org/register.
Chemical Hazards Certification (CHC) Improve your understanding of
the underlying health and environmental impacts of chemical hazards by
reviewing the toxic effects of materials and the basic mechanism of MSDS.
Average test certification time is two hours. Average course study time is
three hours. All employee training course materials available online. Contact
www.ijcsa.org/register.
Customer Service Certification (CSC) A company’s reputation is only
as good as the customer service it provides. Please a customer, and your
client base will swell with relatives and neighbors who catch wind of your
top-notch service. But upset one, and brace yourself for disaster. Average
test certification time is one hour. Average course study time is one hour. All
employee training course materials available online.
Contact www.ijcsa.org/register.

www.servicesmag.org
15
Green Cleaning Company Certification (GCC) Residential and commer-
cial cleanining consumers are no longer satisfied with services saying
they are green companies. In some commercial cleaning situations
a certification is required for you to clean their building, so they stay
current with their own certification process. Green cleaning products
are now the most popular choice for service providers based on health
and environmental reasons. Average test certification time is two hours.
Average course study time is five to six hours. All employee training
course materials available online. Contact www.ijcsa.org/register.
IJCSA Master Certification (IMC) The most
comprehensive in depth online cleaning
and janitorial certification program available
today. Two-hundred-fifty questions with one-hundred-ten written essay
questions. Verbal oral exam. Average test certification time is four hours.
Average course study time is twenty hours. All employee training course
materials available online. Contact www.ijcsa.org/register.
ISSA Green Cleaning University (GCU) is the
gathering place for individuals interested in
developing their knowledge of the issues, skills,
and techniques involved in creating and maintaining healthy, high-per-
formance facilities. GCU also offers an industry title that recognizes sales
and training professionals for their green expertise: ISSA Green Cleaning
Professional. Contact www.issa.com.
Mold Inspection and Remediation Services (MIRS) Provides members
the ability to identify and correct potential mold infestation in a residen-
tial home or commercial building. This IJCSA course will provide you
with a fundamental knowledge about fungi and the potential health
risks of toxic mold. Eighty hours as required by law. All employee training
course materials available online. Contact www.ijcsa.org/register.
Professional Certificate of Innovative Distribution Program,
Department of Industrial Technology, Purdue University, West Lafayette,
Indiana. The Professional Certificate of Innovative Distribution can be
earned through Purdue University upon the completion of ninety hours
of instruction that meets our requirement of nine Continuing Education
Units [CEUs] or CEU equivalents. Contact www.issa.com
YES Professional Development Program. The ISSA Young Executive
Society Professional Development Program provides an environment to
build valuable leadership skills and industry relationships for those indi-
viduals poised to be tomorrow’s commercial cleaning industry owners
and managers. www.issa.com
News
Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission Issues Preventing
Discrimination is Good Business Fact Sheet
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has published
a new simplified, one-page fact sheet designed to commercial cleaning
business managers understand their responsibilities under the federal
employment anti-discrimination laws. The “Preventing Discrimination
is Good Business” fact sheet gives a shortened, user-friendly overview of
the legal obligations of small businesses under anti-discrimination laws
and EEOC resources available for small business owners. The docu-
ment is available in thirty languages to respond to the large number of
small businesses across the country started by immigrants whose first
language was not English. It will be posted on EEOC’s public website at
www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/publications/ and also distributed by the fifty-three
EEOC offices nationwide as part of the agency’s continuing outreach
efforts to small businesses across the United States.
Keith Williams Award
Recipients Needed
The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning,
and Restoration Certification (IICRC)
is accepting nominations for its Keith Williams Award. IICRC’s annual
award, named after long-time institute contributor Keith Williams, honors
commercial cleaning professionals who have made noteworthy technical
contributions to the inspection, cleaning, and restoration service industry.
The winning nominee will be presented with a plaque during IICRC’s
annual fall meeting. All nominations are due April 1. Contact Jennifer
Petersen Mulberry Marketing Communications 312-664-1532
jpetersen@mulberrymc.com.
OSHA Seeking Input for Determining
Potential Health Hazards of Chemicals
in the Workplace
As part of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s efforts to
protect workers from the hazards of chemicals, the agency plans to issue
new guidance on how to apply the Weight of Evidence approach when
dealing with complex scientific studies. On February 16, OSHA began
accepting comments on its Guidance on Data Evaluation for Weight of
Evidence Determination*, which is intended to help employers consider
all available information when classifying hazardous chemicals. For more
information and to review the draft guidelines and provide comment,
visit OSHA’s Guidance on Data Evaluation for Weight of Evidence
Determination webpage. Comments will be accepted until March 31,
2016 and may also be posted directly to www.osha.gov/law-regs.html.
Top Commercial Cleaning Franchises Announced by Franchise
Business Review
Franchise Review compiled its annual list of the top two-hundred US
franchise brands. They surveyed more than 28,000 franchise owners
representing 339 brands nationwide. The top commercial cleaning
and maintenance franchises were Office Pride, Aire-Master of America,
Jan-Pro, Buildingstars, Anago Cleaning Systems, and Image One. To read
more, go to www.franchisebusinessreview.com.
US Labor Department Recovers $1.8M for
Employees and Job Applicants at G&K Services
The U.S. Department of Labor has reached a settlement
with nine facilities of G&K Services, Inc., a Minnetonka,
Minnesota based uniforms and facility products and
services provider, to remedy what they termed, “systemic hiring and
pay discrimination violations identified in compliance evaluations.” The
settlement was made for claims made between 2011 and 2015. A compli-
ance review by the department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance
Programs found that G&K discriminated against 444 female employees
in laborer positions by disproportionately assigning them to lower paying
job duties while filling the higher paying job duties predominantly with
men, even though female employees were qualified for and able to
perform the higher paying jobs. To read more go to www.dol.gov.

SERVICON: The Strategy of
Building an Empire
Leadership, Planning, People, and Growth
by Shannon J. Winslow Claunch

www.servicesmag.org
17
standards
S
ervicon was founded by Richard Mahdesian, a
USAF personnel officer who moonlighted for his squadron’s
cleaning company while he was off duty. During his military
career, Mahdesian learned the ins and outs of the cleaning
industry and what made specific contractors successful on Air Force
bases. He watched and listened to industry trends and realized an
opportunity to start his own commercial cleaning business upon retire-
ment in 1973. That model of listening and rising to meet the expecta-
tions of his customers has been repeated again and again over the past
forty-three years. Mahdesian’s formula has been capitalized on to grow
Servicon Systems as an undisputed leader in the commercial cleaning
industry. Through strategic leadership, careful planning, personnel
management and judicious growth, Servicon now employees over
twelve-hundred, and cleans more than one-hundred-million square feet
of facilities with a ninety-eight percent retention rate.
Leadership
Because Mahdesian had established relationships, a secu-
rity clearance and most of all because he was accustomed to
military structure and protocol, Servicon quickly earned a solid
reputation for quality commercial cleaning service. He started
Servicon in California and the company grew where his clients’
requests for service in other states took them. The history and
success of the Servicon business model can best be summed
up by Mahdesian’s ability to recognize and capitalize on niches
within the aeronautic sector. But, over and above military
contracts, now Servicon specializes in laboratory settings, clean
rooms and refineries. And because Servicon fully embraced
detail oriented process and the safety culture of the military, the
company has flourished in the commercial, industrial, pharma-
ceutical, biotech, and healthcare industries as well.
“We are a service based provider, so we are only as good as the customer
experience we are able to provide— through our people—and our ability to
deliver on our promise, consistently.” ~ laurie sewell, ceo
Servicon’s leadership team:
Back left to right; Clyde Tate, Enio Martinez, Rick Tate, Lady Stynnett, Itzel
Molina, Johnna Harrison, Julio Portillo, Neil Bernstein, Stacey Wong, Michael
Mahdesian, and front row, left to right; Nereyda Garbay, Susan Matt, Laurie
Sewell, and Stephanie Trujillo.

standards
organization in 2013 when the Los Angeles Business Journal named
Servicon one of the “Best Places to Work.”
Servicon stands committed to green cleaning practices and that
commitment is one reason they are a stand out in the industry. But,
when it came time to convince her crews that the new, green cleaning
products worked as well as traditional chemicals getting that message
across was not always easy. Sewell says, “It was tough converting the
floor guys to a sustainable brand of floor stripper. The guys would
say, the stripper can’t work because it’s not strong enough to knock
me out.” Training for green cleaning—and why and how it works—was
a shift in beliefs, like breaking the mindset involving chemicals that
color and scent don’t necessarily translate into cleaning efficacy.
Cultural changes regarding sustainable standards have gotten easier
over the years as more and more of their clients have also adopted
these standards and have come to expect green cleaning practices.
Neil Bernstein, Director of Strategic Accounts keeps a pulse on market
trends in regards to the demand of sustainable offerings. He says that
all of Servicon’s customers are involved with sustainable practices—to
some degree—whether they recycle or are LEED platinum certified
or somewhere in-between. Bernstein says, that in today’s market, it is
expected that commercial cleaning companies embrace green inno-
vations. Last year, Servicon transitioned one million pounds of virgin
paper products to products that meet Green Seal & EPA standards for
recycled content, and reduced the use of more than thirty-thousand
pounds of cloth rags by replacing them with cleaner and healthier
micro-fiber cleaning products. In 2015 alone, Servicon’s sustainable
practices replaced more than ten-thousand pounds of potentially
hazardous cleaning chemicals with greener alternatives.
In1985,Serviconfoundedtheirownsupplydistributiondivision,
ServiconSupplies,andamajorturningpointwasrealized.Throughthis
strategicplanningandgrowth,Serviconbecamemorefinanciallycompet-
itivebecausetheycouldbuydirectlyfrommanufacturesandhavemore
controloverthecleaningproductstheircrewsusedinthefield.Then
in1986,Richard’sson,MichaelMahdesianfoundedPacificaConsulting
Services,whichbecameServicon’sSupplyandEquipmentDivision.The
Mahdesiansoptedtogogreenin2004—earlierthanmostcompanies—
andconvertedtheirentireproductinventorytogreencleaningproducts.
Byputtingsustainableproceduresinplace,theystandardizedtrainingand
capitalizedonamarketabletrend,earlierthanmostoftheircompetitors.
Laurie Sewell was hired as a college intern to work the supply division
at Servicon and rose through the ranks of payroll, supplies, inventory
control and distribution. Sewell recognized the savings made possible
by starting the supply division and listened to the overwhelmingly
positive reaction customers had to the unique green cleaning products
that were being used at their facilities. She saw an opportunity in the
supply division and began urging the Mahdesians to sell those products
to other commercial janitorial service providers. The management team
listened, and they began marketing to other companies, creating new
streams of revenue. That type of innovative collaboration has defined
Sewell’s career at Servicon and led to her being appointed as president
of Servicon in 2008, and then CEO in 2015. Michael Mahdesian became
Chairman, taking over his father’s role, and Sewell has earned the reputa-
tion of a proven industry leader amongst her peers, largely by champi-
oning sustainable practices. She headed the committee that authored
the GS-42 Green Seal’s Environmental Standard for Cleaning Services, and
the ISSA group that wrote the Cleaning Industry Management Standard.
Sewell is proud of her contributions to Servicon’s success and the
accomplishments of the Servicon team. She isn’t afraid to tell others
about her company and she jokes that when she talks about Servicon
to friends outside of work, her friends say, ‘It sounds like you work at
‘Disneyland.’ While Servicon’s corporate culture has been heralded as
exemplary, the company is by no means a theme park. Earning and
customizing contracts for their discerning clientele requires a highly
trained workforce and a highly effective flow of communication
where people always come first.
As a marketing and psychology major from The Phillips Graduate
Institute, Sewell says she uses her master’s degree in organizational
behavior every minute, of every day. “Ninety percent of business is
communication and interaction and it makes business go. That’s why
I am such a fanatic about people.” Sewell’s master’s thesis was written
at the base of the Santa Monica Mountains in the shadow of the
Hollywood sign and so she chose to illustrate of her own career and
how Servicon’s employees could find satisfaction in the commercial
janitorial service industry. The contrast between actors and janitors;
one of the most unglamorous service professions was too apparent
for her not to embrace. In her theses study, Sewell says, “I found that
longevity and loyalty to a company like ours happens because people
are recognized as individuals, and leaders take notice of their needs.
And while this isn’t the sexiest or coolest industry, it is fun, and it is
cool what we do.” Her thesis was substantiated, at least at her own
“That input allowed us to
immediately raise the bar and
standardize how we deal with our
clients, companywide”
~ itzel molina, training specialist
Servicon Founder and Chairman Emeritus Richard Mahdesian,
1956, Captain, USAF, Edwards Air Force Base, California.
Courtesy Servicon Archives

www.servicesmag.org
19
Planning
A workforce of highly trained and engaged employees is
Servicon’s most valuable asset. With a focus on employee
training and advancement, Servicon has earned a reputation for
collaborative learning and innovation. The Servicon Academy is
a comprehensive set of employee training programs all designed
to improve the performance of their workforce, and in turn
maximize their return on investment for clients. The employee
training environment varies from live classroom courses to
online videos or webinars with an emphasis placed on collabo-
ration and discussion. The company’s professional certification
program, is designed to raise the bar for the custodial industry.
The Mahdesian Learning Center and Client Innovation Hub is
housed in the company’s Platinum LEED certified laboratory for
field-testing new practices. The employee training facility provides
Servicon with a sterile, modern backdrop by which to optimize busi-
ness strategy and bring ideas to fruition. The complex is also home
to the Servicon Academy and Servicon’s proprietary Certification
Programs. On the topic of training, Sewell expounds, “We are a
service based provider, so we are only as good as the customer
experience we are able to provide— through our people—and our
ability to deliver on our promise, consistently.” To that end, one of
the top priorities of Servicon’s training staff is developing manage-
ment communication and leadership skills. Sewell understands that
education is the most important investment Servicon can make.
The erection of this high tech, modern facility has created an unex-
pected secondary benefit too. “Whenever our staff enters the training
hub, they have a sense of pride that their company built a really cool
building and that concrete commitment to personnel development
goes a long way in loyalty and creating a positive culture,” says Sewell.
It is more than cool. In fact, Servicon’s Mahdesian Learning Center
and Client Innovation Hub was awarded Culver City’s first ever LEED
certified platinum project status, and has a smaller carbon footprint
than that of a Toyota Prius.
Ultimately, the learning academy is a way to grow their diverse
workforce with a specific strategic plan. By design, Servicon super-
visory training is taken in twelve modules that lays the foundation
for building a successful and professional company. Team collabora-
tion defines the Servicon business model and through targeted and
tracked employee training they are finding new ways to deliver value
to their clients. All workers in the field have input. “We are breaking
down silos and creating fundamental change by capitalizing on all the
innovative ideas from shared departments,” says Sewell. In this highly
engaged atmosphere, Sewell says ideas spring up from unlikely places.
Supervisor training is at the core of maintaining a healthy organi-
zational culture, and sometimes meeting that goal means trainers
are nimble enough to recognize issues in the field and then quickly
incorporate those lessons into the curriculum. Itzel Molina Training
and Development, explains, “Stacy Wong, our VP of Sales, recently had
a specific interaction with a client and identified a need to develop
Itzel Molina, Training and Development Specialist and Servicon discusses a
lesson with employees from all departments attending Servicon value training.
Courtesy ImageActive

standards
better communication. That input allowed us to immediately raise
the bar and standardize how we deal with our clients, company-
wide.” Molina says that this type of company responsiveness is the
differentiator that enhances the Servicon client experience and
differentiates them from the competition.
Sewell’s commitment to providing exemplary service through
employee training and support has also led to the development
of the company’s quality assurance program, and their sustain-
able cleaning and green cleaning policies. According to Sewell,
the four optimizing strategies that the Servicon culture is built
upon are “attract, develop, and engage employees, do good work,
keep good work and, if all goes well, have financial stability.”
Sewell believes that the Servicon brand rises to the top because
managers are trained to listen to individual client concerns and
measure Servicon’s effect on their clients’ bottom line as it relates
to cleanliness and health. Sewell says, “This disciplined approach
is our priority, and we continue to improve by focusing on what
our clients truly value through innovation, collaboration, and the
development of our employees.”
People
One key strategy in retaining a solid organizational culture
that enables growth has been by hiring only those who fit the
Servicon mold. Sewell says that when you join the team at
Servicon, there is a harsh ninety day culture fit where personality
traits and compatibility are measured. Molina goes onto explain
what the cultural looks like at Servicon. “This strong foundation
of values means employees are loyal, and can thrive when given
clear goals and accountability.” Molina says most supervisors
come from within the organization but that the company also
recognizes the importance of recruiting new talent from outside
the organization to bring a new perspective. Stacey Wong, Vice
President of Sales says she looks for candidates who ask as many
questions as she does in the interview process. Wong says, the
search for a fit should be a two way street, and that she always
looks for confidence and mental clearness in her new hires. “I
really want to find out how that person can uniquely help with
meeting our specific needs,” says Wong. Sewell says that corpo-
rate engagement is the primary lever for any worker.
Front entrance of the award-winning Mahdesian Learning Center and Client
Innovation Hub at headquarters in Culver City, California.

www.servicesmag.org
21
How an employee sees their contributions fit and make a differ-
ence in the overall mission is the most relevant determining
factor of an employee’s attitude and productivity level. So, in
communicating that to the employee, the direct line of supervi-
sory interaction makes all the difference. To that end, ongoing
management training is a required part of being a supervisor at
Servicon. “Serious issues can arise in morale when a manager
who wants to do the right thing doesn’t have the skills to
communicate this message to employees” Sewell points out. She
expounds that being a good leader is not just about expecting
employees to do what they should do, because you are the boss.
Good supervisors go back to their staff to get continual feedback
and talk to their employees about what works. They elicit their
opinion and provide positive feedback, caring about individuals’
contributions and providing a good work-life-balance. Sewell
says the work-life-family balance, is paramount to their founder.
“I have heard Richard say many times to those workaholics in
our midst, ‘You need to take time off with your family.’” And she
goes onto say, “If you ask Richard what he is proud of, he most
often says that it’s his employees who have worked hard over the
years and bought homes and sent their kids to college.”
By committing to employee training and employee development,
Servicon has defined a consistently high customer service expe-
rience and earned a reputation as a commercial janitorial service
company that supports their employees. Sebastian Ridley-Thomas
of the California State Assembly District Five was recently quoted
regarding his knowledge of the Servicon business model. “I’m
heartened by the Mahdesian family and the people that are the
fabric of this organization and the relationships that they main-
tain with clients, because some businesses don’t appreciate their
employees, or try to cut corners and not provide quality services,
but in Servicon Systems, you see quality.”
Supporting employees comes in many forms at Servicon.
Managers hand out on the spot recognition gift cards for things
done right, like safety or teamwork. When Richard Mahdesian’s
wife passed away several years ago, Servicon’s corporate staff set
up a scholarship fund that is annually matched by employees and
awarded to a deserving student in the Servicon family. An annual
values award program is rolling out later this year to honor six
of Servicon’s commercial janitorial service employees who best
exemplify their strong corporate values. Sewell goes onto explain
that Servicon is also known as an organization that gives back to
their local community and there are noticeable links between being
a good citizen and being profitable in business. Employees living
in the local communities they serve form the basis of Servicon’s
success. So giving back is important.
“I really want to find out how that
person can uniquely help with
meeting our specific needs”
~ stacey wong, vp of sales
Maritza Aguilar, Chief Financial Officer and Stacey Wong, Vice President of
Sales discuss training curriculum.
A Servicon employee wipes down a conference room using green
cleaning products.
Chris McKee, Director of Client Experiences, Francisco Mancia, Director of
Operations, Commercial Division discuss procedure with an employee.

standards
www.ungerglobal.com
Learn more by visiting
UngerGlobal.com or asking
your distributor about Unger.
WATERFED
POLE SYSTEM
ReachHeights UpTo 55’
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Growth
Bernstein has long known about Servicon as a leader in the
commercial janitorial service industry. As a longtime colleague of
Sewell’s, when the opportunity to join her team was presented to
him, he jumped at the chance. Bernstein became the new Director
of Strategic Accounts last October and says that his background
in the sales, manufacturing and food services sectors gives him a
keen understanding of market strategic planning. In finding new
business, in 2016 and beyond, Bernstein’s goal is to penetrate
deeper into the aerospace industry while also keeping his eye on
emerging opportunity targets. So far, he has made some headway
to increase Servicon’s breadth in the aerospace sector, securing
three contracts totaling over two million dollars. Bernstein says,
“The ideal Servicon client is not a specific industry type, but instead
a company type that really values the Servicon business model.”
Bernstein goes onto say, “There are two types of customers; the
ones who care and the ones who don’t. Those who care, want their
facilities clean and people healthy…and that’s our type of client.”
In Bernstein’s eyes, providing superior commercial janitorial
service means listening to the clients’ needs and oftentimes
understanding budgetary constraints and becoming an extra
set of eyes and ears to help clients come up with cost saving
solutions to their problems. Servicon’s value is really defined
in cleaning for health, preventing absenteeism, and increasing
productivity. Bernstein takes that responsibility seriously
and says, “At the end of the day, commercial janitorial service
providers keep all the people who enter the facility from getting
sick. Remember when you were young and Mom said, ‘if you
can’t see it, it won’t hurt you?’” “But,” he says, “Today we know
better, and the germs we are exposed to are more potent than
ever before, like the Zika virus. Our crews are on the front lines of
fighting serious health concerns.”
Bernstein’s recipe to success as the director of strategic accounts
includes industry research and networking. Comparing his job to
a multi-level Star Trek version of chess, Bernstein says that every
client has different needs and cleaning situations—and those
needs evolve—so his job is to come up with a plan through collab-
oration that meets their budgetary limitations and keeps them
happy. In staying connected, he says, “I really do read SERVICES
magazine—from cover to cover—as well as any other trade maga-
zines I can get my hands on. I’ve been a member of BSCAI, ISSA
and BOMA, and attended trade shows and association events.
And you can’t discredit the value of happy hour to just get out and
meet people in the industry.” He goes onto say that the best strate-
gists are hungry to learn about other commercial janitorial service
companies to find out about their experiences, more about their
accounts, get inside information, and to talk shop while social-
izing and making bonds in the same, or supporting industries.
The focus is always on finding the right client, and then deliv-
ering the best experience. To that end, Servicon utilizes job
tracking software designed to be more client-centric. In this way,

www.servicesmag.org
23
Servicon managers can take a consultative approach with each
of their clients. Instead of mandating the client use a specific
platform, they look for ways to adapt to and merge with the
systems already in use. They can then gather the information
that is important to clients, instead of instituting procedures that
the clients must adapt.
One of Bernstein’s primary roles as director of strategy is finding
new products that allow cleaning crews to be more efficient.
Servicon’s strategic planning has allowed them to rise to the top,
consistently assuming a leadership role in changing the face of the
commercial janitorial service industry. Bernstein says, “Servicon
has always been one of the first adapters to new product and
performance oriented innovations. I say this with a great deal of
confidence, because when I was in sales for the top innovators in
technology, Servicon was always the first to buy them.”
Products like backpack vacuums, engineered water, and robotic
cleaning equipment have all proved to be a good fit for Servicon’s
customers, when the efficiency metrics make sense for individual
accounts. One recent addition to Servicon’s equipment arsenal
was the Unger window cleaning carbon water fed extendible
poles. Bernstein says his crews have remarked about the poles
being so light weight and easy to use to clean exterior windows.
“The clients get better service, our crews are safe and we are able
to offer this service instead of them bringing in another vendor,”
he says. Servicon offers exterior window services when this
equipment—which extends up to two stories—can be used to
create a profitable return. Bernstein says, “It goes back to the client
relationship. Being able to present something to the client and
show them the most advanced ways to get the job done. This is
purchasing 101. We all want options.” The Unger window cleaning
water fed poles and HydroPower are just two examples of how
Servicon’s investment in strategy and planning set them apart.
The growth that can happen by mastering strategic planning
and fulfilling a unique need for clients has been epitomized by
Servicon’s Epoxy Flooring Division. Back in 1995, the compa-
ny’s unique platform of servicing cleaning contracts on Air
Force bases led to this new opportunity. Rick Harrington, VP of
Servicon Floor Coatings since 2001 explains; “Servicon had the
facility contract with McDonell Douglas and Raytheon in 1993
at Huntington Beach. The cleaning crews were doing low tech
scrubbing and mopping on the hangar floors and the manager at
“I really do read SERVICES
magazine—from cover to cover…
and you can’t discredit the value
of happy hour, to just get out and
meet people in the industry”
~ director of strategic accounts
A Servicon field employee uses a ProTeam Backpack Vacuum Cleaner
to clean a stairwell

McDonnell Douglas asked Servicon if they could resurface their
cement floors with polyurethane.” Servicon rose to the challenge
and came up with the best solution for their clients. This unique
niche was discovered early on, which enabled Servicon to raise
expectations for their clients and entrench themselves as the
preferred provider for the aeronautical industry because of this
diversification.
Through opening the epoxy flooring division, Richard Mahdesian
defined his company as that full service Air Force facility service
provider. Servicon recruited the best experts, made investments in
equipment and grew their epoxy flooring department from scratch.
Now, the Servicon’s epoxy flooring specialists are the preferred
provider for Air Force bases in California, Nevada and Oregon.
While glazed and shiny floors may seem only aesthetically
different, for most clients who opt for this upgrade, Harrington
says that epoxy flooring is all around a better surface for aircraft
maintainers and warehouse personnel. Based on the work that
is done and the scope of aircraft maintenance, polyurethane
just makes sense. Reflective light increases by four hundred
percent with epoxy flooring and makes workers more efficient.
The hangar floors become easier to clean and safer for those who
work there because they can see slip and fall hazards. The epoxy
coating also serves as corrosion control so that harsh chemicals
don’t leach into the concrete. Harrington also points out that in
the aviation industry, foreign object damage is a real concern for
safety. But, he says, epoxy flooring allows mechanics to see rivets
or screws on the floor, before they pick them up their boot tread
and track potential hazards onto the tarmac where it can get
stuck in an engine and ruin equipment. Another huge benefit;
due to the increased visibility, maintainers working in these
improved environment hangars notice hydraulic leaks from the
aircraft in the hangar before they can become catastrophic issues
in the air.
Harrington goes onto say that the aesthetic difference between
an untreated floor and an epoxy treated floor makes a difference
in the moral of an organization although they really might not be
able to discern why the space is so much better to work in every
day. And he says, ultimately, epoxy flooring creates tremendous
opportunity for Servicon, who has essentially monopolized
epoxy flooring applications across the South Western US. He
explains, “When high ranking officials visit the hangars that have
been treated by Servicon, they may not know all the details of
the more ambiguous aspects of the cleaning contract, but when
they walk into thirty-thousand square feet of flooring and that
thing looks like a million bucks, they ask, ‘who did that’?” Through
high visibility dignitary visits, epoxy flooring upgrades oftentimes
became the catalyst for Servicon to gain referrals for other facility
management contracts. “Our reputation is very good,” he says.
Harrington says most of their new business leads came from
seeing the work his team has done at other bases. “Differentiating
into epoxy flooring so long ago was a smart and strategic move.
That decision has set Servicon up as a higher level provider and
we are known for our hangar floors,” Harrington says. The reason
he has stayed in the epoxy flooring industry for so long is due
in part to the short, three-day epoxy application process that
transforms the facility. “We walk into places that are very dark,
dingy and dirty— like a cave—and then in three days’ time, we turn
them into a showpiece. I get a lot of positive feedback from our
customers and that is very satisfying to hear.”
The people centric business model at Servicon is one of their
defining principles and has not changed since Servicon was
founded. Despite the company’s steady strategic growth over the
years, Sewell says the way people are treated —the core spirit of
the company—has not changed since the 70’s. “The Mahdesians
have incredible integrity in the way they treat the client and the
workforce. Although it has not been articulated recently, it hasn’t
changed with putting people first.”
Through making smart and strategic changes in regards to leader-
ship, plans, people and growth, Servicon has created a new sort of
business model that exemplifies customer service. Customer, Steve
Pavlovski, Senior Property Manager at Howard Hughes Center says,
“To date, our interaction with Servicon’s area manager and staff has
been refreshingly different. They understand not only the bigger
picture of our business objectives, but also the importance of the
detailed work that moves the dial on tenant satisfaction.”
In an effort to fully shift expectations, Sewell gives the following
example about customer service, “Think about when you’re at
home as a consumer and logging onto FedEx or Amazon and
working on their highly responsive platform, with the expecta-
tion of fast and efficient service. It is how business just gets done.
Then you go to work, in the business to business world and those
expectations are completely different…and disappointing. I ask,
why can’t we get that same level of service in our business life?
There is a definite disconnect in standards and expectations. We
can do better.” This is the paradigm shift that Servicon continually
strives to deliver in their high performing business model that
elates the customer. A recent comment from Mark Ridley-Thomas
who is on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors sums up
the high caliber Servicon value system. He says, the values shown
by Servicon, “are reflected in their good work, and made known
through the County of Los Angeles. They understand fair jobs,
they understand fair wages, and they understand what it means to
keep our hospitals and facilities clean.”
standards
“…when they [high ranking officials]
walk into thirty-thousand square feet
of flooring and that thing looks like a
million bucks, they ask, ‘who did that’?”
~ rick harrington, vp,
servicon floor coatings

www.servicesmag.org
25
Servicon’s propriety epoxy flooring process increases light, visibility and safety
in an aeronautic setting. Servicon recognized early on that adding epoxy floor
application to their service offerings would set them apart from other facility
management companies, and this service has secured them as the preferred
provider for Air Force bases throughout the South Western US.
Courtesy Servicon
Courtesy ImageActiveRickHarrington,VP,
ServiconFloorCoatings

Shifting Paradigms:
Cedar Rapids Schools’
Cleaning
Culture
By Mark Schanou

www.servicesmag.org
27
face of the industry
W
hat began as a part-time custodial job
while attending college, has matured into a
lifelong vocation for Matthew Dunbar, Manager
of Custodial and Grounds for the Cedar Rapids
Community School District, (CRCSD). In this role, Dunbar directs
custodian janitor operations for the second largest school district
in Iowa; overseeing one hundred-fifteen building engineers
and custodians spread out amongst thirty-three facilities. As
a member of his team, I too have witnessed how our cleaning
crews’ effectiveness plays a significant role in shaping the overall
organizational culture in our school district. So, while you may
not clean for a school district, these principles are universally
applicable because a company’s culture creates a vibe, sets the
standard and defines the quality of work that is done.
What is organizational culture?
A cleaning culture is the shared mind-set, practices, myths,
rituals and values that exist amongst a group. These attributes
form a collective belief system that creates an atmosphere of
outward behaviors. Because these behaviors are measurable
by work output, performance, and perceived morale, managers
can evaluate their organization’s culture once they learn which
factors are most important to them. Dunbar says, “I have spent
over forty years with the district, so when it comes to identi-
fying, understanding and working with custodial organizational
culture, you could literally say that I have seen it all.” Culture
shapes the purpose of custodial work, how time is spent and
the reasons why work decisions are made. Culture can be
summed up with the phrase, ‘That’s just the way we do things
around here.’ “But, here in Cedar Rapids school district,” says
Dunbar, “the way things are done by the custodial department
directly impacts the health and safety of those who enter the
halls every day and impacts the education of students, so
maintaining a consistently positive organizational culture is
important.”
How are cultures created?
Cultures are formed through the interaction between custodian
janitors working over a period of time and achieving actual or
perceived success on the job. The tasks, challenges, and prob-
lems custodians encounter, and then appear to solve become
patterns of behavior. Eventually these patterns develop into a
culture—a way of doing things—and form standard processes
for solving problems that custodians use to reduce stress and
eliminate uncertainty.
Supervisors share how floor
care procedures changed
how they do business
“I soon realized the effect
organizational culture had, even
in my own professional realm”
~ mark schanou
Cedar Rapids School District’s Manager Matthew Dunbar and Supervisor, Mark
Schanou used a change in floor care procedure to make necessary budget cuts
and ultimately change their organization’s culture for the better.
Courtesy Trung Vo Photography

Why is organizational custodial
culture so important?
Overlooking, or under-estimating the power that culture
holds over a group will thwart even the best manager’s
strategies and efforts. Dunbar puts it this way. “What I’ve
observed over time, is a direct correlation between the
strength of a cleaning culture and the effect it has on the
school community. The stronger the culture, the bigger
the impact on a school.” This truth was epitomized last
year when custodial management tried to shift a paradigm
regarding floor care that’s been a big part of our culture for
the last fifty-five years.
The Cedar Rapids Community School District has been
applying finish to terrazzo flooring since 1959. As a
common floor care process for terrazzo, annual scrubbing
and recoating has worked for half a decade. However, faced
with budget cuts, Dunbar had to examine expensive and
time consuming processes to save money. That led him to
reconsider the endless cost cycle of refinishing the terrazzo
flooring, in search for more cost effective solutions. That’s
when Dunbar started to explore the possibilities of polishing
instead of refinishing terrazzo flooring. All the research
showed polishing to be a more financially sound option for
the future of district floor care, but he remained hesitant
about changing this longstanding process, because he was
worried about getting employee buy-in.
Sure, the process would be different, and personnel would
have to learn new techniques, but the district stood to save
in excess of $112,000 over the next four years by polishing
in-house, and that simply could not be ignored. I will tell
you more about the terrazzo floor situation and how that
change in procedure played into a serious improvement in
custodial organizational culture, but for now, let me tell you
why custodial culture is such a big deal for me, personally.
While earning my Business Administration degree at the
University of Nebraska, I got hooked on the concepts of
organizational behavior and subsequently, I have become a
proponent of the concepts and on their practical application.
I soon realized the effect organizational culture had, even
in my own professional realm. Especially with the terrazzo
floor example, I observed how appropriately accounting for
employee pushback—because it was culturally necessary—
could enable change to happen more smoothly.
Early on in my career, I watched other managers fail who
discounted the influence of culture. We learned by trial and
error about the negative results of arbitrarily mandating
process changes from on high. So, Dunbar and I had serious
conversations about the sub-cultures at each of our schools,
and about what we could do to make the organizational
culture better. After taking an honest look at each one, we
admitted there was room for improvement.
Then, after we faced the issue, we had to determine exactly
what type of culture we had in place. Once we had established
a baseline, we could make changes that could be measured.
Culture identification is key for management. Taking culture into
account in the early stages of a plan can help leaders predict and
account for frustrations, and prevent and all-out coup. Dunbar
and I ultimately determined that most custodial organiza-
tional cultures can be loosely classified into Four Basic Types of
Custodial Culture.
1. Coercive culture: A coercive culture uses threats, both
perceived and real, as a way to motivate subordinates. In
this regard, principals, managers, and supervisors are seen
as enforcers of the law because of their constant need for
compliance. In addition, custodians believe these bullies live
to punish them for infractions such as slacking-off, texting,
or taking long breaks and lunches. In this type of culture,
the custodian’s fear of being caught and punished can be so
overwhelming that their performance suffers. As a result,
employees will typically leave the department in search of
employment elsewhere.
2. Controlling culture: A controlling organizational culture
can be identified by its extraordinary number of seemingly
arbitrary rules to follow. These regulations are manage-
ment’s efforts to control and avoid outcomes. For instance,
if an employee violates one of the rules, management’s first
response would tend to be the creation of yet another policy
to ensure the infraction doesn’t happen again. The flow of
information and policies are typically reactionary. Eventually,
there can be so many rules that custodians’ work processes
become too confusing. What to clean, when…how to clean it,
which products to use, and a litany of other stifling proce-
dures becomes too much for most employees and they quit,
in search of a less stressful and controlling job.
“People act as if they are
being rewarded or punished.
For this, to them, rightly, is
the true expression of the
values of the institution and
of its true, as against its
professed, purpose and role.”
~ peter f. drucker

www.servicesmag.org
29
3. Competent culture: A competent organizational
culture provides adequate information to new
employees regarding the department’s policies,
cleaning methods, and equipment, effectively
answering the what question. And though morale
is higher here than that of coercive and controlling
culture types—based on the simple fact supervisors
tend not be control freaks—competent culture still
fails to hit the mark. Good enough usually trans-
lates into managers not investing the time to give
customer service coaching, or making customer
service a part of the cultural norm. When the
customer connection is left out, custodians feel
less accountability and connectivity to their job
and how their own quality of work affects the
school’s end customers; the staff and students. The
teaching of what good customer service looks like,
smells like, and feels like is the missing compo-
nent. In essence, the organization fails to answer
the who or why questions for the employee. As
a result, custodians generally clean well techni-
cally, but are unable to differentiate the order of
importance among tasks and fail to prioritize cleaning
responsibilities. Competent cultures are identified by
custodians who are frustrated, because, although they do
a decent job completing their duties assigned to them,
the customer is not happy. Staff, administration, parents
and students might complain about their personal inter-
action, or a custodian’s apparent lack of hospitality.
4. Connected culture: A connected organizational culture also
provides loads of training, but custodians and engineers also
feel personally responsible for areas that don’t get cleaned or
might get missed due to short-handedness or uncommuni-
cated expectations. Cross-accountability is present. The entire
crew goes above and beyond to communicate the values of
the team. They take pride in their work and their school’s
cleanliness image with customers. Principals, teachers,
parents, and the community are proud of their school’s
appearance and everyone is content and connected. As a
result of developing a connected culture, districts can expect
higher custodial job satisfaction because staff becomes
accountable for the work they perform. They become valued
members of the community, there are fewer customer
complaints, and the schools are consistently cleaner facilities.

The big shift
Transforming your department’s custodial organizational culture
is not mission impossible. Consultants differ on how management
should change an organization’s culture, but several experts agree
that reform requires leaders to first transform themselves. As a
manager you must become what you would like to see in your
custodians, so subordinates can learn by example. Are your beliefs
and values about school cleanliness consistently visible and audible
in your day to day discussions, decisions, and employee discipline?
One of my favorite quotes regarding company culture is from Peter F.
Drucker, of the The Daily Drucker. He professes, “People act as if they
are being rewarded or punished. For this, to them, rightly, is the true
expression of the values of the institution and of its true, as against
its professed, purpose and role.”
Revisit your organization’s policies and procedures. Do they
reinforce the elements and values of a connected or controlling
organizational culture? Take a look at your custodial performance
review criteria. What employee contributions and attributes are not
listed…and what others should be included?
Hire for culture
The single best strategy to change culture in your school is through
your custodial recruiting efforts. “I can train people on our district’s
cleaning standards and processes,” says Dunbar, “but what I can’t do, is
train culture.” Do candidates truly need prior custodial experience? Or
should you consider those who have a service background? Having
a firm grasp on the type of organizational culture that you are striving
for in your school should make it easy to outline a set of character traits
to look for in potential candidates. So, seek out those individuals when
you have the opportunity, and let those go who no longer fit the mold.
And don’t forget to meet with your human resources department
about your new found cultural awareness. HR needs to know you’re
no longer simply hiring custodians, but know you are developing your
department’s ideal culture. HR can also help you avoid prejudicial
wording in your interview questions so potential employees won’t
perceive your questions as bias or prejudicial.
Embrace the crisis
Case study after case study on organizations that have had
success in transforming culture, did so through a need…or
perceived need for change; a budget cut for instance. It seems
that the necessity for change makes employees more likely to
jump on board with the idea.
Back to my terrazzo flooring example. Last year CRCSD’s catalyst
for change of culture came in the form of another two-mil-
lion-dollar reduction in state funding. Rather than stressing out,
Dunbar and I capitalized on the opportunity to transform the
way custodians maintain terrazzo flooring. In the midst of having
to cut custodial positions, Dunbar simply had to change proce-
dure to save money. Priorities suddenly changed and employees
who might have balked at new procedures before, were suddenly
just thankful to have a job. They were happy to learn a new way
of doing business, despite a disruption to the norm.
The entire staff had to learn a new way to clean terrazzo flooring but
we ended up saving tax payers over three-hundred-seventy dollars
each year. Through investing the time and energy to develop new
skills, staff members had to work together in new ways and felt the
pride of learning new skills. The culture became more connected
and the over-all culture of all district custodians improved. Crises
have a way of forcing the re-examination of myths, rituals, and past
practices of the group, and in this case, the challenge of learning
how to polish terrazzo flooring was overcame and subsequently
learning and working together created a better culture.
Mark Schanou is the Custodial Supervisor for The Cedar Rapids
Community School District (CRCSD) in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. With
a Master’s Degree from TEDS, and more than twenty years of
organizational and management experience, Schanou supervises
the custodial department for the second largest school district
in the state of Iowa. Contact: www.bngonline.info or email
MSchanou@cr.k12.ia.us
“I can train people on
our district’s cleaning
standards and processes,
but what I can’t do is
train culture.”
~ matthew dunbar
Lee Guerrero, custodian and Supervisor, Mark Schanou discuss floor care
processes at Thomas Jefferson High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The
polisher nicknamed, Big Bertha was re-engineered by a machinist to be
used for terrazzo tile floor polishing.

www.servicesmag.org
31
index to advertisers
ASSOCIATIONS
New Jersey Sanitary Supply Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Back Cover
CRM SOFTWARE
ExpressTime Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
HARD SURFACE FLOOR CARE
Spartan Chemical Company, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Outside Back Cover
INSPECTION SOFTWARE
JANITORIAL SUPPLIES/DISTRIBUTORS
Unger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
MACHINES AND ACCESSORIES
IPC Eagle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
MOPS, BROOMS AND ACCESSORIES
Direct Mop Sales, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Inside Front Cover
STEAM VAPOR SYSTEMS
Advanced Vapor Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
TIME & ATTENDANCE
May
3-5
2016
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
There’s Something NEW in store for you at
Supply Line is the region’s largest trade event for distributors, cleaning professionals,
facilities directors, school maintenance managers and building cleaning contractors
NEW Location—Enjoy luxury at a great price at Harrah’s on the waterfront
NEW Floor Plan—Find leading suppliers of cleaning products and services under one roof
NEW Sessions and Features—We’re celebrating 20 years of giving you a competitive edge
• CIT and CIMS Training for
Distributors and Cleaning
Professionals
• Earn valuable CECs for School
and Maintenance Personnel
• See the latest cleaning products
in action!
• Prizes and products galore!
Tuesday, May 3, 2016: Golf Outing, Seminars, and President’s Reception
Wednesday, May 4, 2016: Seminars and Exhibits Open
Thursday, May 5, 2016: Seminars and Exhibits Open
Call to reserve your $99 WaterfrontTower room rate:
Group code: H05SL6 (All callers will be asked for this code)
Group name: NJSSA–Supply Line 2016
Reservations: 888-516-2215 (8am–2am EST seven days a week)
njssa.net

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