I have a shortcut home from work that I keep secret from others. It was discovered after many trials and errors. However, I want to keep it to myself since it helps me avoid most of the rush hour traffic. Contrary to public opinion, Bridgepoint Systems does not hide shortcuts from its customers. If you look at the amount of space we have on the label and in the catalog to explain products, you will understand that we cannot always explain why the instructions tell you to do this or that. I have written many labels and love the phone calls where the customer says that the label does not provide the direction. I can politely clarify that I wrote the label, and it does give that direction in the second bullet point. The main point of this article is that we write directions for a reason, and they need to be read and followed. Please call us if you want to use the product in a different way.
One situation occurred recently when a cleaner suggested that we need to put a warning on Dye Loc not to mix it with other chemicals. Nowhere on the label, in the catalog, and in our formula sections does it mention mixing Dye Loc with any other chemical. The cleaner now knows not to mix a prespray with Dye Loc. Dye Loc is cationic, and whenever it is mixed with any anionic solution, reverse saponification happens quickly and aggressively. In fact, it is used in the lab to quickly identify whether a solution is anionic or nonionic/cationic.
Another cleaner uses Fab Set as his rinse when cleaning tile & grout. This is not misguided unless he tries to apply a sealer not compatible with acids on the grout. The instructions clearly state not to apply the sealer over grout in an acid state. Some areas were more acidic than others. This resulted in the sealer bonding in some areas and not in others. Understanding the directions would have made this cleaner’s life a lot easier.
I received a call from a cleaner complimenting us on Zone Perfect. He believed it was the best prespray he had used when bonneting carpet. I am glad he called me soon after he started using the product. It was designed to be extracted and not for bonnet cleaning. The strength of Zone Perfect lies in soil removal, but it leaves re-soiling residue in the carpet without extraction. I wonder how many other pre-sprays not designed for bonneting have been used over time. Nowhere on the label does it say to be used as a bonnet cleaner.
Hopefully, these stories underscore the main point of the article. We write directions for a reason, and they need to be read and followed. In our product design, we always aim to keep it simple. We know that our customer’s time is money. The appropriate shortcuts would have been built into the system from the beginning if possible.
-Tom Forsythe