A reader writes: “I have a salesman who says he will give me free wall mounted dispensers if I buy his cleaning chemicals. Is this a good deal or a scam?”

I do not believe that it is a scam but you do need to conduct an ROI (return on investment) analysis to determine if this is a good (or the best) deal for you in your current situation. Based on our discussion you primarily have smaller accounts that do not have janitorial closets which means that the wall mounted units may not benefit you other than having them at your office/shop and at a few larger accounts. Since close to 80% of your sites cannot handle a wall mounted unit you need to ask the vendor if he has a portable system available that will allow you to snap onto a hose or water outlet and use a dispenser that allows you flexibility on the run. This type system would allow you to refill buckets and spray bottles on site. It may require that you retrofit some nozzles with a quick snap type connector so that time is not lost screwing on and off a traditional connection.

Remember that the price of chemical is just one of the components to your operating costs. Although there are some instances when RTU (Ready to Use) may be necessary, you are actually purchasing mainly high grade water mixed with a little concentrated chemical. This exception may apply to specified disinfectants that can be degraded by tap water and its related contaminants. You need to consult with your vendor about how vulnerable such products are to light, heat, time, and water source.

Finally, it is always best to use the same product line mix with standardized color coding and numbering system in place with few exceptions. Check with your vendor to verify that the same chemicals can be used regardless of packaging and source.

We will look at other systems in future articles.

Your comments and questions are important. I hope to hear from you soon. Until then, keep it clean...

Mickey Crowe has been involved in the industry for over 35 years. He is a trainer, speaker and consultant. You can reach Mickey at 678-314-2171 or CTCG50@comcast.net


posted on 10/25/2016