Positive Customer Experiences Can Trump Price Tags

Cheaper isn's always better. According to this Clean Link article, when customers look back on their experience with a distributor or product, they rarely put price at the top of their list. Instead they focus on how the sales rep was able to help boost the bottom line and provide a positive service. "At the end of the day, that's what distributors should strive for."

Christopher Sessums, Flickr.com

Even when customers present cost comparisons for comparable products, it’s best for distributors to stay firm on price, says Charles Moody, president of Solutex in Sterling, Va.

He says he has steered away from providing steep discounts to customers by proving that competitors don’t always come out on top when comparing apples-to-apples.

For example, Moody points to “nominal gauging” (an indication of varying product weight) and “cheater sheets” of toilet tissue and paper towels, as examples of how competitors mislead customers with lower prices. Moody also shines a light on longer delivery cycles, shipping costs and chemical concentration to help customers see the differences. Then he reiterates his value.

“A lot of times what appears to be less in price is not the case,” says Moody. “I never want them to buy from me because I am the cheapest guy. We want a little bit of the decision to be based upon how well we do our job and service. A lot of distributors sell lower out of fear.”

To read the full article, click here.

Minnesota Bans Anti-Bacterial Chemical from Soaps

While this headline might appear shocking, Minnesota Gov Mark Dayton and others believe this chemical doesn't provide any greater benefits than traditional hand washing with soap and water. According to this Pharmaceutical Processing article, Minnesota is the first of the 50 states to sign this practice into law, but many pharmaceutical companies are trying to slowly phase this chemical out of production as well. 

Peter Taylor, Flickr.com

It's widely used nationwide as a germ-killing ingredient in soaps, deodorants and even toothpaste, but it's being banned in Minnesota.

Gov. Mark Dayton on Friday signed a bill to make Minnesota the first state to prohibit the use of triclosan in most retail consumer hygiene products. The Minnesota House and Senate passed it earlier last week because of health and environmental concerns about the chemical. The ban isn't due to take effect until Jan. 1, 2017, but one of its lead sponsors, state Sen. John Marty, predicted Monday that the odds are good that most manufacturers will phase out triclosan by then anyway.

"While this is an effort to ban triclosan from one of the 50 states, I think it will have a greater impact than that," Marty said.

The Roseville Democrat said other states and the federal government are likely to act, too. And he said come companies are already catching on that there's no marketing advantage to keeping triclosan in its products. He noted that Procter & Gamble's Crest toothpaste is now marketing itself as triclosan-free.

Click here to read the full article.

Automatic Window Cleaning Systems Save Time and Money

This CleanLink article articulates one of the main concerns regarding manual high-rise window cleaning - as the building height grows, so does the risk to human safety. SkyPro's products deliver this safety and security that many companies desire. To learn more about SkyPro's capabilities, visit their website. 

Jeffery Zeldman, Flickr.com

For high-rise structures, safety becomes an even greater concern, which is why some companies are turning to automated window cleaning equipment. These machines are suitable for curtain wall glass and “climb” up and down the surface of the building via remote control, eliminating the need to suspend a worker from a chair or lift.

According to Jon Arreguin, owner and operations manager of C-THRU Window Cleaning LLC in Saint Paul, Minn., there are two types of automated equipment: heavier units (200 to 300 pounds) that require a hoist motor attached to the machine and lightweight units (under 150 pounds) that have a hoist motor located on the roof.

“Because a hoist motor is attached to the first type of unit, you have to comply with the regulations of the support system,” Arreguin says. “If the hoist motor has a working load limit of 1,000 pounds, for example, that could add up to 2,000 pounds of counter weight that you need to carry to the roof.”

To read more on this article, click here. 

LEED-certified Buildings Reach Three Billion Square Feet

According to this CleanLink article, LEED buildings are on the rise and will be an industry worth around $248 billion in 2016. These high-rise buildings are projected to not only help minimize adverse effects of construction, but maximize sustainability and health-related features as well.

istock.com 

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced today that 3 billion square feet of green construction space has earned LEED certification around the globe.

“This milestone is the result of leaders across our industry making the business and environmental case for healthy, sustainable buildings,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. “More than 4.3 million people live and work in LEED buildings. As our numbers continue to gain momentum, the impact is significant — jobs are created, revenue is generated and well-being is prioritized — proving every day that LEED works.”

Green construction has grown massively over a short period of time: McGraw-Hill estimates that it will comprise half of U.S. construction and be worth up to $248 billion by 2016. LEED is the most widely recognized and used green building program across the globe, with more than 1.7 million square feet of commercial building space LEED certifying each day in more than 140 countries and territories.

In the U.S. alone, buildings account for 41 percent of energy use, 73 percent of electricity consumption and 38 percent of all CO2 emissions. Globally, buildings use 40 percent of raw materials, or 3 billion tons annually.

To read more on LEED building, click here.