There are two basic types of people in the business world — those who prefer to focus, laser-like, on one single task that they do expertly, and those who need a bit more variety in their day.

I fit firmly into the latter category. My workplace tends to be full of distractions, even chaotic at times, and I need to be able to switch gears with little notice. Through the course of a week, I might find myself guiding a confused reader through the CleanLink search engine, researching nosocomial infections, touring a chemical factory or interviewing a CEO.

I really can’t work any other way — in most cases, giving my undivided attention to a single chore just seems counterproductive. My error rate seems to go down when I can switch tasks from hour to hour, as well.

On the other hand, a friend of mine falls squarely into the one-job-only group. She used to work in a real-estate firm, transcribing dictation tapes. Her workspace was quiet and distraction-free. Since she was able to concentrate on one specialized task, she became quite good at her job. The pride and satisfaction she got from excelling at her specialty ensured she didn’t grow bored. Hers was a job I could neither enjoy nor excel at, but she’d similarly go crazy in my hectic world.

This makes me wonder if the same can be said of cleaning companies — do they have working “personalities,” like my friend and me? It seems that they might. Some stand out by diversifying into other facility services, while others excel through becoming the best in their market at one specific task.

This month, we offer something for readers in either category. For those seeking to diversify, assistant editor Dan Weltin explores contractors who branch out into maintenance in his cover story, “Expanding Your Arsenal”.

On the other hand, for those preferring to specialize (or for those in-between types, looking to branch out modestly), we present a contribution from Jess Madden, president of the National Air Duct Cleaners Association. In “Numerous Benefits Blow Through Clean HVAC Systems”, Madden offers tips and questions for contractors considering a duct- or HVAC- cleaning specialty.

Research diversification or specialization strategies carefully. We’ve all had jobs that were completely inappropriate for our personalities, and we don’t want to make the same mistakes with our firms. It’s a big industry, and there’s room for full-service BSCs, niche providers and everyone in between.




POSTED ON: 10/1/2003