Advice for Pressure Washing Companies Cleaning Marina Docks. Organization Tips - How to Set Up Your Database.
So you are in the pressure washer business and you want to clean the local docks at the Marina. Good plan, let us give you a little advice on this. First you have to sell the account. Explain to the marina manager or the dock master or municipal purchasing agent that their clientele and/or citizens will be very impressed to see that this normally much neglected area of the marina and/or pier is being taken care of and cleaned. It's going to make it much more presentable. The clientele will be happier, therefore will be more likely to keep their moorage in storage there and be happy-paying customers for long into the future. Explain to the dock master or marina manager also that it can be a safety issue. The cleaner and less slippery their docks are the better and safer it's going to be for their clientele. This is also a good selling point. This is an easier sell to government agencies since everyone wants to stay away from lawsuits.
When doing areas that are consistently shaded, or in dark recessed areas, make sure that you remove the excess water to avoid the growth of algae. If you are doing anything inside a building that's over water or anything similar to this, make sure that you remove as much water as possible. You may also want to, in certain situations where their docks warrant it, use a staining product to re-stain the docks to keep them up since a lot of them get weathered and they are consistently exposed to sunlight and harsh salt air and water. For the best products on wood we recommend Lifeguard Water Proofing Products which are guaranteed for five to seven years depending on which grade you buy. You can purchase them at Eagle Hardware, in Canada at Depots.
Other products we recommend are Behr Products, which are the second best and can be found at Home Depots around the country. If they ask you for a wet look go buy a product called Sikkens and this is also available at Home Depot.
If you do any re-staining on decking, be extremely careful not to let the stain material drop into the water as it can sometimes drift and attach itself onto the gel coat of other boats right at their water line. Although it can create some work for you, there will be some unhappy boaters and they will know directly who to go to if you do not work carefully. So, just be cautious, since most stains are lighter than water and they float until they wash up against something, such as a boat hull.
Wood Discoloration Factors and Procedures for Dock Cleaning
There are many types of stains, which can get on a dock at the Marina, if you do not have a pressure washer or steam cleaner and you need to clean these stains you may wish to know how to clean them without expensive equipment. If you have the proper equipment but a stubborn stain, you might want to use these procedures to increase your success.
Algae: Use a diluted bleach* solution (4:1). Saturate algae growth and allow to sit five to ten minutes. Scrub and rinse well.
Extractive/Tannin Bleed: Use a four to five percent solution of oxalic acid. Allow solution to remain on spot until the darkness disappears, then rinse well with water.
Grease: Use a strong household detergent in warm water and agitate with a brush. Automotive degreaser has also shown to be effective when used according to directions.
Mildew: Use a diluted bleach* solution and scrub.
Mill Stamps: There are no solvents available to remove these stamps. Sanding is the most effective means. They will also fade with time.
Leaf Stains: Use a diluted bleach* solution and scrub.
Pitch/Rosin: Scrape the excess material from wood using a putty knife or steel wool and clean the area with hot, soapy water. Turpentine is effective in removing pitch, which is still sappy.
Rosin from surrounding trees: Wipe area with a wet cloth with turpentine.
*Sometimes when cleaning wood with a stain, especially with bleach, the natural color of the wood may disappear. Check with your distributor/supplier for products than can be used to ensure uniformity and restore the wood to its natural color.
Wolmans, Behr, Sikkens, Lifeguard and others have company websites with all this type of information and more. You would be wise to understand these procedures to insure a perfect job. Do it right, do it efficient. Think about it.
"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
What's in a Name?
Everything.
What do you do with all the contacts you make in your organisation? Do you:
Collect business cards and throw them in the bottom of your desk drawer hoping one day one of these people will ring and do business with you? Have any system for keeping information on your clients and prospects? Do you enter all their details into your database so that you can communicate with them in the future?
Do you enter all your clients into the database with information about what they've bought from you and conversations you've had with them? I'm astounded that so many business people keep no comprehensive records of their clients, general contacts and prospects.
Your database is a goldmine. It is the most important item in your business.
A great system will be able to do the following:
Generate a letter, fax or email directly from the program to the contact.
Record all contact details and any communication you have had with that person including phone conversations, meetings, emails, promotional information, and sales made.
Be able to select any particular group of people, ie. everyone in a specific area, all your "A" clients, prospects, strategic alliances. A reminder system for follow-ups.
Which Database Is Right For You?
Well, that depends on your organisation. Now there are various databases, eg Microsoft's Access and Lotus' Approach. However specific contact management software can offer far more features, including a "hotlist" to remind you when to follow up. These applications include:
ACT
Goldmine
Maximizer
I personally know very successful businesses that use ACT and Maximizer. At The Office Organiser we use Maximizer which we find very good.
Speak with successful people in your field and ask them what they use.
You may find that there are specific databases that have been designed
for your industry.
The key when choosing one of these systems is to have a look at their functions and get someone who knows all about the software to set it up and train you in its use.
You could
also delegate/outsource the task of the initial keying in of data to another team member in your organisation or even a secretarial service or temp.A special note for Salespeople
If you are an employee and your organisation has no database, I suggest you invest in one. It will be the wisest business investment you can make.
Most salespeople promise everything and unfortunately do not deliver. They rush from one appointment to another and forget to follow through on their promises.
If they had some way of keeping in touch with clients and prospects via using their database as an effective marketing and follow up tool, they would increase their sales dramatically.
About The Author
Lorraine Pirihi is Australia's Personal Productivity Specialist and Leading Life Coach. Her business The Office Organiser specialises in showing small business owners and managers, how to get organised at work so they can have a life! Lorraine is also a dynamic speaker and has produced many products including "How to Survive and Thrive at Work!"
To subscribe to her free ezine visit www.office-organiser.com.au
This article may be reproduced providing it is published in it's entirety, including the author's bio and all links. For further information please contact Lorraine Pirihi; lorraine@office-organiser.com.au
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
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