Diamond Author
If you run a mobile cleaning service or any business for that matter which uses cleaning chemicals, then you'll need to have Material Safety and Data Sheets on each and every product used in your operations, whether cleaning in-house or for customers. MSDS is the acronym for Material Safety and Data Sheet. As the President and CEO of a franchising firm of cleaning companies, often new upstart chemical cleaning supply companies will contact me for wholesale purchases of their products.
Just the other day this occurred in fact, and so I ask the salesman about his products; What is the premise by which this product works - the science behind it, I mean? Do you have an MSDS to look at? Indeed, I got back the most curious answer when he stated; "I do not have an MSDS yet. We evaluate products by extensive field testing. The formulas are developed by reading, extensive research, logical thinking, extensive field testing. I have a knack for formulation."
Well, that's wonderful an all; I mean yippie skippy and all that, however, the reason I ask is because we do business with fairly serious customers in several highly regulated industries; Dairy, Petroleum, Aviation, Marine, and well, it's an issue you understand. You see, for the automotive side of the business, it's less important, and what's more important there is of course; Price, and Performance. Do you have some samples of the product which would work with automotive paint?
Still, I felt bad for the little startup company and sent him a digital template format for an MSDS. And told him; "Indeed, I am quite certain that your customers will demand this, as it is the law. And our employees have "the right to know" laws that we must comply with you know. The "cradle to grave rules" depending on the chemicals used are also at issue."
Also, as the CEO of the company; well, it's important for me to know, to explain how it works "exactly" and to have the "required" MSDS on every unit that operates. Our internal policy is to even have them when the containers are very small, like the ones you show in the pictures on your website. I once had a Fixed Car Wash franchisee get an OSHA fine for a "liquid paper" container that was over the maximum bottle size number of ounces, thus, triggering the MSDS rule. Now, we don't risk it anymore.
Apparently, the salesman didn't get it, and emailed back; "I apologize. I don't mean to be difficult and overly secretive in my approach. I have reason to be cautious. But we are serious about doing business. In addition, most of our products are bio based and eco friendly. This would also be a benefit. Further, our products are non-flammable."
That's just wonderful, but any real company needs the proof and the MSDS, not to mention the fact that it is required by law. So, I had to let him know point blank; "Listen - I cannot and will not buy chemical cleaning products from you or anyone else without MSDSs - period!" You see, I've been in this industry 33-years, we follow the rules. We are not going to by-pass those rules. Further, for the gentleman to claim he is serious about doing business is nonsense.
He's not serious about doing business in this industry if you don't even have an MSDS for your products, in fact, you are flying under the radar and avoiding the rules and regulations, perhaps by trying to sell your products in smaller containers. I actually got upset that he would continually avoid and evade my questions, insult my intelligence, and conjure up more excuses.
Let this be a lesson to all cleaning companies in the USA when faced with chemical salespeople, because as it stands with this salesman's tactics, well, the trust factor there is now far too far to cross, so, I hope he has a nice life. Please consider all this.
About this Author
Lance Winslow is the Founder of the Online Think Tank, a diverse group of achievers, experts, innovators, entrepreneurs, thinkers, futurists, academics, dreamers, leaders, and general all around brilliant minds. Lance Winslow hopes you've enjoyed today's discussion and topic. http://www.WorldThinkTank.net - Have an important subject to discuss, contact Lance Winslow.
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