Introducing new Corporate Member, Factotum.
"In an industry where consumers have easy access to lists of online or offline competitor adverts, it has never been more important to answer the phone punctually and professionally.
Calls going to voicemail, diverted to mobile or answered unprofessionally are simply not good business practice as the impulse attitude is to not leave a message and or to call the next service provider…. and another opportunity is missed!
Factotum provides personalised telephone answering services that work in partnership with your business, effectively fulfilling the role of a virtual employee, but without the costs and implications of employing staff.
From sole traders to NHS Trusts, Factotum has been providing service to businesses for 15+ years, including a number of NCCA members who see Factotum an essential factor within their business success. It is that experience together with NCCA’s quality control and market research activities that has resulted in the NCCA selecting Factotum to provide an exclusive telephone answering service for members.
When handing over your business calls to someone else you need to be confident they are 100% professional, capable of using their own initiative, and know how to use good old fashioned common sense! Factotum prides itself on being part of your business, managing your calls with the care and attention to detail you would expect from a member of your team.
From the outset, Factotum spends time getting to know and understand you, your business and customers before creating call handling protocols to meet your specific needs. The result being that every call is answered promptly and professionally and managed in line with your instructions leaving you free to focus on working without interruptions, yet confident that this element of your business is in safe and professional hands.
Depending on members requirements and budget, members can now access a choice of 2 services, NCCA Virtual and NCCA Virtual Plus.
NCCA Virtual provides call management to include up to 6 information field such as who, where, why and contact details with calls either transferred or the information forwarded by email or SMS. The cost is £29.95 per month including the 1st 20 calls with additional calls charged at 98p.
NCCA Virtual Plus collects additional information as required and or an online diary for £34.95 and includes the 1st 20 calls with additional calls charged at £1.67 to reflect longer duration calls."
For further details see Factotum Ltd.
“What is it about this industry? It was 1988 and all I wanted was some beer money…
I finished 6th form and whilst waiting for my results I asked my Dad, who had just started a part-time carpet cleaning business with Chem-Dry, if he would teach me to how to clean carpets. I said I could clean them when he was busy in his day job and couldn’t fit people in, and I could earn some beer money. The rest is history. I LOVED the work and the reactions of clients when I showed them the clean furnishings. Within 3 months I'd decided that not only did I love the work but I realised that I could make more money and build a business cleaning upholstery with my Dad than continuing education.With my limited savings and a business plan in hand, I managed to get a bank new start business loan, which is a funny story that I’ll share over a beer with you someday. I bought the upholstery cleaning franchise for Chem-Dry. We ran them as two businesses for about 12 months then the accountant said “You're mad, make it one business and a 50/50 partnership.” and here we are today. We now run a five-van operation with five technicians and one full-time office manager. These days we’re very much hands off and the carpet cleaning business pretty much runs itself with a great team looking after it.
Me and my Dad now pursue other interests but are still involved in the carpet cleaning industry. I still do all the marketing for the business and that is my passion. I always knew that delighted clients was just one small part of the business. I’d read a book called “Word of Mouth Marketing” and that taught me how to ask for referrals and testimonials and how to ask for other work, i.e. offer our other services. Again, the rest is history and with hundreds of books, courses and loads of practical experience under my belt I still belong to many Marketing Groups, both inside and outside the industry. I love applying the ideas I find to our carpet cleaning business and sharing those ideas with others too. For me, it’s always about working smarter, not harder, and ethically maximising what you already have.
What is it about this industry? I love it!”
The Association has had 4 new Corporate Members join us across April & May.
CVM Group – Vehicle & Finance Solutions
BeSure Broking Services – Insurance
Cleanspec Cumbria Ltd – Supplier
Solution Cornwall Ltd – Manufacturer & Supplier
CVM Group
Complete Vehicle Management have been working with a variety of trades over our 22 year history, supplying vans to drainage, plumbing, electrical, engineering and window cleaning franchises.
We already supply to some of the biggest and best-known franchises, providing vehicles, vehicle signage, wrapping, equipment and finance, meaning we can offer best value packages to fit individual requirements. We are experts at meeting the requirements of some of the UK’s best known brands.
We are able to provide vehicles to you and your business ready for work straight away, all thanks to our team with over 20 years’ experience and our simple, cost-effective, monthly payment that covers the vehicle and equipment package. Our bundled finance and equipment packages can also include sign writing and vehicle wrapping.
Besure Broking Services are a specialist insurance broker focussed on the SME marketplace.
“The cleaning industry has always been one of our core focusses and alongside insurers we have created a scheme to provide customers with bespoke protection, above that of a standard liability policy and centred around our customers’ needs.
As a brokerage we are dedicated to enhancing our clients knowledge base regarding awareness of risks, negating claims and solutions that encourage best practise when it comes to risk aversion.
No two risks are the same and it is often our depth of knowledge that aids us offer the right protection products to suit the business itself as well as individual business owner/s needs.”
Cleanspec Cumbria Ltd is a family run business located in Penrith, Cumbria. We have 30 years’ experience in the cleaning Industry. We stock cleaning and janitorial supplies for all businesses: from paper products to professional cleaning solutions. We have our own range of cleaning solutions which have been tried and tested by ourselves and COSSH data sheets are available upon request. We also have a trade counter, where you can come to get advice or to look around our products. We are always happy to help and talk through your requirements.
Our friendly knowledgeable team are dedicated to providing first class solutions to all of your carpet cleaning needs. A product line developed with the professional in mind we offer you a cost effective, proven range to deal with any situation you come across. Added to this our range of first class equipment, purpose built training facilities and ongoing technical support making us the No 1 Solution for all serious cleaning professionals.
Located in the Southwest of England just 15 minutes from Newquay Airport and working closely with our logistics partners offering next day delivery to Mainland UK and delivering of our equipment and products to all corners of the world.
All new Corporate Members can be found on the Corporate Members directory page >>