Keep it Clean Episode 098 Training Fails скачать в хорошем качестве

Keep it Clean Episode 098 Training Fails

Where Did the Floor Go? A Costly Lesson in Training and Ego Episode 98 I’ve spent more than four decades in this industry, training teams across the U.S. as a master trainer with ISSA, and I still learn something new almost every day. In my opinion the mindset of staying teachable is no longer optional. It’s essential to health and success. Let me tell you why. Not long ago, a facilities team at a hospital called me in utter panic: “We need your help. We had a gorgeous floor in our emergency department—and now it’s gone.” Not damaged. Gone. As in, “Where did the floor go?” A Broken Attitude before a Broken Floor A new luxury vinyl tile (LVT) floor had been installed. For those familiar with this material, it can be beautiful, durable, and well suited to high traffic areas. This material is also absolutely UNLIKE the flooring materials it replaced. The old resilient floors many of us grew up maintaining are a completely different surface. Because the installer knew this, care instructions were left with the customer. The installer even highlighted what not to do and asked the facility team to read them. That paperwork was tossed on a desk. The mindset: “All floors are the same. We’ve been stripping and waxing for years. You don’t need to tell me how to do my job.” That’s the Way We’ve Always Done It So, the team did what they’d always done. They brought out a heavy-duty stripper, went to work, and… the LVT disintegrated. The surface turned into a cottage cheese-like mess and peeled right down to the subfloor. And instead of stopping at the first sign of disaster, they doubled down and kept going. By the time I arrived, there was nothing to save. No miracle product. No repair technique. The floor was, quite literally, gone. This wasn’t just a technical failure—it was a training failure. It was an leadership and ego failure. It was the belief that experience alone can outrun change. Flooring technology has evolved dramatically in the last 15–20 years. New products require different chemicals, different equipment, and different procedures. If you can’t identify what you’re working on and you don’t read the manufacturer’s guidance, you’re playing roulette with someone else’s asset. The consequences here were massive. A functioning emergency department had to shut down sections to replace flooring. Furniture and equipment had to be moved. Labor costs skyrocketed. The replacement wasn’t covered because the damage was due to improper maintenance. All of it preventable. Here’s what I want every cleaning business owner, facility manager, and floor tech to take away: • Identify before you act. If you’re not sure what the floor is, stop. Verify the material. LVT is not VCT. Stone is not terrazzo. Assumptions are expensive. • Treat manufacturer instructions as law. Those care sheets are not suggestions. Follow them. • Update your playbook. “What we did 20 years ago” is not a strategy. Build procedures around current materials and chemistry. • Train relentlessly. New floors, new finishes, new tools—your team needs up-to-date, practical training. Refresher courses aren’t a luxury; they’re risk management. • Empower people to stop the job. If something looks wrong, they should have the authority to pause and ask. I’ve heard “You can’t teach me anything! I’ve been doing this 30 years!” more times than I can count. My answer is always the same: I’ve been at it longer, and I’m still learning. The moment we stop learning is the moment we put our clients, our teams, and our reputations at risk. Don’t let “We’ve always done it this way” be the most expensive sentence in your operation. When you’re ready to train your team and make a real difference in your cleaning practices and business, contact me. The things we share together will pay your more than you can imagine. https://docsfs.com/contact/