• As of January 1, 2018 The brand new logo that was created and released in 2017 will be the only official logo in affect and allowed to be used on any electronic media however, any such media like truck wraps, stationary, and postcards will be grandfathered in. Contributing Members will be allowed to use the UAMCC logo in any advertising. Permission to use the logo otherwise must be in writing. Logos used in electronic formats (ie: Websites, forums, etc.) must be linked back to the member’s profile in the UAMCC directory. Contributing Members are members that are paid and current with their dues. Please contact info@uamcc.org with any questions.

A Heart To Heart With Industry

Ken Fenner

Active member
Hello everyone. Just wanted to take a minute to center ourselves and clear the air on what's been a topic of debate for days.. redirecting links and on a bigger scale, the UAMCC agenda. I hope I can keep your attention for a few minutes.

Its worth a moment of reflection to understand that this organization is not Jeff, or Ken, or Carlos or Ron or any single contractor or TT member. The UAMCC is a nationwide network of contractors that is way bigger than any one group or person. Who leads it, who legitimately profits from it by being a future member, and a set of rules on a BBS are not concerns at the present time.

The transition team is responsible for getting this infrastructure solid and the org launched. That is what the team has spent a year working on. You may not like or disagree with a current policy. That's okay. Join the organization when it opens and rally to change that. Once the doors are open, the bylaws will govern the basic direction. The members and their leadership will make the decisions on day-today stuff.


Dividing the Industry: Lines In The Sand


There are some dividing lines being drawn. I am perplexed as to why that is other than accepting that many are skeptical because of old disputes and former attempts at industry unification. I've been around a couple of minutes, I understand your doubts.

This BBS has been up for approximately a year. One of the very first threads started asked what the mobile cleaning contractor industry wanted to see in an organization. That thread is still open. Volunteers were requested that wished to participate. Many whom today seem intent on prejudging the organization before it even opens its doors had nothing to add at the beginning stages of this endeavor.

We took every suggestion made directly to team wide discussion. Everything the transition team does, every decision we make is based upon one question.. Will it benefit the contractors and the industry? This transparency has gotten the UAMCC to where it is today. That credo will make the UAMCC successful for the long term.


What Is With This Redirect Rule, Anyway??

“I mean, what is the big deal about redirecting?”, you may ask. Let me explain why this rule was established. For the first half of the life of this board we had no guidelines whatsoever. The rules that came with Vbulletin governing profanity, spam and whatnot were fine. Many early members of the BBS really liked the relaxed paced and business focused discussions. We received many private messages of encouragement. Many of those messages were especially appreciative of the fact that the board was free from spamming, drama and constant redirecting.


Why rock the boat at that stage? Everything was on course. The board's membership was growing and everyone was conducting themselves as a professional.


Well.. Unfortunately things went a little sideways. Things became a little murky. That was to be expected as membership grew. There is always going to be those that believe they are above a society and feel the need to push envelopes. That trait is in many business owners. if we played well with society, we would be employees, not owners. That still doesn't mean certain rules governing conduct do not apply.


"So WHAT IS THE RULE for linking?"
"I just don't get why you guys are making a big deal about this"

If there is a discussion going on and you add a link to support that discussion, awesome. Good writing dictates that you back up your statements with facts or supporting evidence. No BBS is going to suppress placing links done in that fashion.


EVERYTHING else goes in the “Industry Promotion” forum. That does not mean one has carte blanch to spam the board. One post per event or topic. It comes down to forum ettiquette. I think any forum owner, if they take a second to think about it, would agree that Ken Fenner going to a forum and putting links all over the place for his companies would not only be disruptive, it would be disrespectful. I've never done that. I could have. There are industry forums that allow it in certain sections. I choose not to because I have more to contribute than hapless self promotion.


But Other Boards Do This, or Allow That!
The Most Important Message In This Thread

You are right. Just like every person reading this thread has a different business model that works for them, the UAMCC has a business model by which it is governed. The UAMCC is a nationwide, non-profit organization that will have hundreds of thousands of professionals visiting the website every year. The organization is going to be judged on the content of what is visible on this forum and the website.

Every time we get into the heat of emotion and go into back and forth strife nitpicking over personalities, that is logged for prosperity and it is logged forever.

Along comes XYZ corporation or management company and they hit this forum. Instead of seeing competent professionals discussing business, they get to read grown men and women arguing back and forth and pick up the vibe that this is not a viable organization. Any chance Ken, Carlos, Russ, Ron, Terry, or Joe Contractor had as an opportunity of procuring that contract is out the window. We appear as buffoons.The same goes for redirecting. Instead of following a natural path of contacting the UAMCC to discuss an RFP, they are directed to a thread showing pictures of guys in a club or to a thread where a contractor is venting frustration over something in the industry. Is that the big picture the industry wants to parlay? Is that what you as a contractor want the public to perceive of your industry?

The Big Picture

The big picture is what the UAMCC will stay focused upon. That agenda is advancing the pressure washing industry and helping its members grow through networking, selling, marketing and sound business practice.

It does not matter if you are commercial or residential driven. This is another dividing line I see being drawn. If you have a grasp on business, you realize that the product or service you sell is irrelevant. Other than ego massaging, it serves no positive purpose to put yourself into a category? The UAMCC promotes the industry as a whole. The individual discipline of washing your company practices, how long you have been in business, and how much money you make is a sideline that doesn't play into that big picture. You'll have an opportunity to pick your leaders at a later date when those things may factor into a decision. That still does not change the basic premise and direction of the organization.

A wounded ego over someone being reminded of the forum guidelines for disruption is a mosquito bite in this big picture. If you as a contractor make a decision as to the viability of an entire organization based upon an action so inconsequential, there is nothing I or anyone can say to you. You may not be ready to accept something outside yourself.

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to get this off my chest. 2009 is going to be a banner year for this industry. Let us all try to see how the UAMCC works out. Just like in business, you never know the forecast of success unless you try something and stay committed to it. We vow to stay committed to this endeavor for you. None of the transition team wants recognition, praise or adulation. When this phase of building the infrastructure is done being built, we plan to quietly fade to the other side of the fence and join you as fellow members.
 
I wish something more profound could be added here, but I don't think so.

Ken you've really encapsulated the "Big Picture" in fairly short order.

You and I don't always see eye to eye, nor should we. With growth and change comes varying views, and the associated tough questions and tough answers.

Just know above all else that you do have my respect, and I for one, am extremely excited and looking forward to the direction we're headed as an industry.

Kudos to you and Carlos, and the entire transition team!
 
Great post Ken.

Unfortunately there will always be those whom think they are the industry or it should revolve around them.I hope one day there can be peace among the different factions.

Maybe we can get former president Jimmy Carter to negotiate the treaty.
 
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