a certification; all they care about is price and maybe some experience. But, I do believe the certification would be good for you, just not for what you think. In case anyone is interested in CIMS cer-tification, here are their fees and costs: www.issa.com/data/File/CIMS/Fee%20Payment%20 Policy%203%2011%2009.pdf . Applicants for certification under the ISSA Cleaning Industry Management Standard are required to pay the following fees: Application fee: $500 Certification fee: $995 for members; $1,695 for non-members Assessor daily fee: $1,500 Assessor expenses: Reasonable. The length of an assessment depends on the size of the organization and the scope of the geographical region where cleaning services are offered. In general, most organizations can expect to undergo a three-day assessment, including two days onsite and one day ded-icated to preparation and follow-up work. Reasonable assessor expenses may include airfare or other travel, lodging and meals. So, the total cost of certification if you’re an ISSA member could run around $7,200; the non-member price would be about $7,900. I, on the other hand, ensure clients and potential clients are aware of the certifica-tion; it has made a difference in getting some jobs. And, not unlike other professional certifi-cations, clients are not necessarily aware of the IICRC. But, at least understand that, in pursuing the IICRC certifications, I’ve gone beyond that of some carpet cleaners with whom they may have dealt in the past. I think it is a similar situation with CIMS, GS-42, etc. Becoming certified simply to have a cer-tification is not very practical. One should pursue certification to better one’s business, which should result in a better service offering for clients/potential clients. Again, this is akin to the Baldrige Award where undertaking the assessment process is the real benefit and making the cut at a certain award level is just that much better. With regard to the cost of pursuing CIMS certification, that was the impetus for my original post in this thread. member of many medical associations, but I have never performed a brain surgery in my life. You will be the first.” The other says, “I do not have any certifi-cations, but I have been performing brain surgery most of my life and have performed thousands of them successfully each time.” Which doctor will you choose? Lynn Krafft 1/18/2011 My company is not CIMS-certified, even though I am a CIMS ISSA Certification Expert (ICE) and intend to keep that desig-nation. Knowing and applying the principles of CIMS is of great value to you and your company. Unless you are in the market in such a situation that you are seeking State Farm-sized accounts, you most likely will not see a request that you be CIMS-certified before submitting a proposal for services. In my market, Podunk Savings Bank has never heard of CIMS and, if they do, will probably will think it’s a video game. Years ago, I worked as a sub for one of the largest CIMS-certified companies in the country. They couldn’t manage to deliver the cor-rect size toilet tissue roll even when notified of the specifics. They wasted money on needless delivery charges to bring in supplies we could have dropped off for free. They never did a written inspection as they said they would at the outset. Obviously, any guarantee that CIMS cer-tification will bring automatic assurance of excellence is unfounded. Any certification program is as good as its participants wish it to be. Get the knowledge of CIMS and apply the guidelines. Get certified if you can afford it and your market suggests a value. Do not get certified to make the business easier or contracts more readily obtained, as that probably will not happen. CM Robert Jess 1/13/2011 Some professionals will knock the IICRC and say it is irrelevant. I can understand their reasons; a lot of them have been in the business for many years and learned from the university of hard knocks. I also learned from the same university, and although I am not IICRC-certified, I do not see it as irrelevant — nor do I see the others as irrelevant. I think those getting into the business who are limited in experience should definitely take advantage of any type of education or certification that will get them up to date and help make them more experienced. It is kind of like the saying about the per-son going for brain surgery where there are two doctors from which to choose. One says, “I have many years of educa-tion, a wall full of certifications and am a David Moynihan 1/12/2011 While I do believe professional certifications are important, my intent was simply to point out that a certification, CIMS in this instance, can be an important differentiator even before a business has an opportunity to sell its services. You mentioned above the IICRC and how a certification from that organization is important for a business providing carpet cleaning services. I agree and am an IICRC-certified Master Textile Cleaner. However, there are many in the carpet cleaning industry who believe the IICRC is irrelevant. www.cmmonline.com 7
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