Ego vs. Giving Back

[C&S Property Services 24]

I was lucky enough years back, and helped clean the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. I picture was taken by a vendor who was the manufacturer of the surface cleaner I was using. That picture landed me a cover shot on Cleaner Times. And the manufacturer even used the same picture for several advertisements. I never felt the need to have my name on the picture. I had the feeling of both being honored enough and lucky enough that a picture was taken while I was giving something back. And yet lucky enough to get my picture on a cover of an industry magazine.

Do we as contractors have no dignity to give back to both our customers and clients? Do we not have a need or feel a need to give back? And if and when you do is it necessary for you to get recognition?

[John T 744]

You know Rob these things cross my mind continuously. I could post or talk for hours on giving back because you can never put a price on that because its priceless. Look at the thousands of jobs you did in your years powerwashing and which ones stick out. I bet the ones are when you did something special for someone somewhere.

In this case you gave back to this Country. Today or at least the other day the Lincoln Memorial was closed to the veterans who put there lives on the line for this country only to be told they can't view the Lincoln Memorial because of the Gov't shutdown.

At least you as a Powerwasher gave back here in yrs past and thats not forgotten. Heck right next to my desk I keep what I consider Important Cleaner Times Magazine cover stories that were impacting to me and yours is right here--- Being a Veteran myself(Navy) and one who loves his Country and history, what you guys did that day I wish I could have been there.

Edited October 9, 2013 by John T

[Douglas Hicks 128]

I have done work at a reduced rate for the Salvation Army, a women's shelter, and a Food Bank.  Neither group cares who you are or what you do.  Their only concern is if you need help. But if I am told that I  owe a freebie, if they tell me I can take a tax deduction, if they pull the guilt trip, we are done.  The other thing, is I do not help for free advertising or other b/s.  I help because I like the org or their goals. 

[John T 744]

Here's that picture I left out of my post above

Edited October 10, 2013 by John T

[allisonhester 30]

Ideally, people will just give back out of the goodness of their hearts. And if the press picks it up, all the better. But, I guess even if you're only doing the good thing for the free publicity, at least something good is being done for someone else -- which is better than nothing being done at all.

[John T 744]

Ideally, people will just give back out of the goodness of their hearts. And if the press picks it up, all the better. But, I guess even if you're only doing the good thing for the free publicity, at least something good is being done for someone else -- which is better than nothing being done at all.

That's exactly how I look at it. The ones who should benefit no matter what people's intentions are(as longs as it's not criminal in nature) should be the ones who are getting the free cleanings even if it's giving back to this Country, your church or whatever establishment,individuals or whomever you choose to give back to.

[allisonhester 30]

However, it's also important to realize that just because you're doing something for the publicity does not mean you're going to get the publicity. Smart business owners and association representatives make friends with their local or industry media rather than enemies.

Edited October 10, 2013 by allisonhester

[cleanhoods 43]

6 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

² “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ³ But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

 Hope this helps.

Marko

[Douglas Hicks 128]

However, it's also important to realize that just because you're doing something for the publicity does not mean you're going to get the publicity. Smart business owners and association representatives make friends with their local or industry media rather than enemies.

 

That topic would make   a good article in a trade magazine. Do you know someone who could write that up?

[John T 744]

That topic would make   a good article in a trade magazine. Do you know someone who could write that up?

Yes that would make for a good article. It's in the heart that counts.

It's great that there are awards for contractors of the year, vendors of the year along with many other industry type awards. People win contest/prizes all the time. That's all good.

Personally I like charity stories better then how people cleaned something which I enjoy as well. If contractors can get recognized for doing good deeds that's great. Many contractors like to stay quite in the charities there involved in and I completely respect that. Who wouldn't?

If people are motivated to do charity work because they have a shot to be recognized or get some great publicity as well once again the ones who win here regardless are the ones who are on the receiving end of these contractors/vendors good deeds.

The goal should always be to help someone or something out one way or another and to not pass judgement on what was the motivating factor of the ones who did the charity/volunteer work to begin with IMO.

[Alexy 85]

We do cleanings at 3 places as a donation, all are 501c and they just give a donation letter to us. No big deal either way since 2 are churches and the last is service organization that does some really great things for people with almost nothing.

 I have never asked for publicity nor do I want it. We had a local company do a septic tank pumping for a church and got written up as a "thank you" by a local paper. They were inundated for weeks with other churches and non-profits calling to see if they would donate a pumping to them.

[John T 744]

We do cleanings at 3 places as a donation, all are 501c and they just give a donation letter to us. No big deal either way since 2 are churches and the last is service organization that does some really great things for people with almost nothing.

 I have never asked for publicity nor do I want it. We had a local company do a septic tank pumping for a church and got written up as a "thank you" by a local paper. They were inundated for weeks with other churches and non-profits calling to see if they would donate a pumping to them.

Lol.. That is the drawback to doing good deeds. The "human greed" factor can kick in. They see you doing a good deed and now they want you to do it for there organization as well(draining).

I noticed this years ago when we have donated money for some charities. Alot of them come back every year asking for more. My attitude with that was to just ignore them and to donate when we can. Because of these over aggressive sales people once again who look to get you to give, give and give some more that's the greed factor. They work on your guilt as well. Personally I just block them out and give when I can.

Also over the years I looked into certain groups to see what % of your donation actually goes to the ones in need. The surprising factor is some are less then 5% of your donation goes to where you intended it to go. The other 95% goes to the "fat cats" wallets such as paying the chair millions and his BODs hundreds of thousands. When we find that out we no longer if ever donate to those groups.

Charity is complex. In our Vegas event because I know a couple of people who are directly involved with certain charities we were able to get our donation thru 100% which is rare.

[Alexy 85]

There is no drawback from doing the right thing.

The drawbacks come from when people want to do the right thing for the wrong reason. Personally I think it goes against what god wants people to do to brag about how you donate or help out a service organization and expect to get positive exposure or a tax credit.

Do it because you want to and be done with it. If you recieve a donation letter from them so be it but don't go looking for it.

[steven 37]

99.9% of all freebies are done  because YOU want to, and that makes You feel good.

[Rapid HotClean 26]

I try to get my ticket punched...er, clean at my church about three times a year. In fact, it's time for another 'punch'.

[John T 744]

Personally I don't care as to why people donate. Some may be doing it to impress their girlfriends, some maybe doing it because their self esteem may be low or some may just do charity work because they have a "Giving heart".

It's the ones who are on the recieving end of the charitable work that matters.

There is one thing that burns me up when it comes to charitable work. It's when you find out a certain charity raises money for a cause so you donate to that cause and then years later you find out that just about all the money that anyone ever donated pretty much went to pay for these conniving sneaks salary. There's tons of stories about these corrupted charities which because of what they do they damage the field where some rock solid charity groups are in.

[Alexy 85]

You mean like United Way.... bunch of !/ing scumbags

 We used to have a supervisor who "wanted 100% donations from people in his unit" when they payroll deduction came around for the once a year donation. It went on for years until one guy adamantly refused to give a dime to them and stood up and said his wife used to work for them and left in disgust over how they wasted money on themsleves. They had a closed door "talk." about it and they agreed to not talk about it anymore.

Just over a year later the president of United Way was fired and indited for his thivery the guy who  refused to pay's wife testified against him

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Aramony

Edited November 3, 2013 by Alexy

[John T 744]

You mean like United Way.... bunch of !/ing scumbags

 We used to have a supervisor who "wanted 100% donations from people in his unit" when they payroll deduction came around for the once a year donation. It went on for years until one guy adamantly refused to give a dime to them and stood up and said his wife used to work for them and left in disgust over how they wasted money on themsleves. They had a closed door "talk." about it and they agreed to not talk about it anymore.

Just over a year later the president of United Way was fired and indited for his thivery the guy who  refused to pay's wife testified against him

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Aramony

Yes Exactly!!

So many people will not donate to charities because of horror stories like this. It's the damn shame of it all because the ones in need get screwed here that's why personally I don't care why people donate and what their reasons are as long as the ones in need get something.

Because of these ripoff stories I now check on any charity we may donate to. I've been burned in the past on certain charities. One of the bigger scams for years was the Girl Scout cookies. My girls sold tons of cookies when they were in the scouts and when the story broke here about how much actually goes back to them...was a scam that prayed on these little kids.

[steven 37]

I always give to the local charities in my area. I bought a calendar today for 15 dollars. It was being sold for the non profits in town. I had the chance to pick where it went so I chose the recreation department. I always try and buy local also. I would rather support the local hardware merchant than Lowes or Home depot. He might be 3 or 4 dollars more but it would take me an hour and $10 in gas to get sandpaper and plastic.

[Thad 135]

Support local charities and help people in your community who need it.

Keep it between you, them, and God.

[Alexy 85]

I always give to the local charities in my area. I bought a calendar today for 15 dollars. It was being sold for the non profits in town. I had the chance to pick where it went so I chose the recreation department. I always try and buy local also. I would rather support the local hardware merchant than Lowes or Home depot. He might be 3 or 4 dollars more but it would take me an hour and $10 in gas to get sandpaper and plastic.

Our neighbor runs accounting software that is used by hundreds of small hardware stores across the US to track inventory and sales. He said that in reality the smaller hardware stores are with-in pennies of the bog box stores on everything with the exception of power tools and building materials.

[steven 37]

Our neighbor runs accounting software that is used by hundreds of small hardware stores across the US to track inventory and sales. He said that in reality the smaller hardware stores are with-in pennies of the bog box stores on everything with the exception of power tools and building materials.

 I bought a Makita orbital sander from him this year and he was right on with the price. I am going to buy another one next year.

[James 625]

How about all those police union charities or police charities I get bombarded with every year?

[steven 37]

How about all those police union charities or police charities I get bombarded with every year?

Or I could pick a family of a person that was wrongfully killed by a police officer. There's no shortage of them anywhere in the U.S.A

[dave mac 26]

 

6 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

² “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ³ But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

 Hope this helps.

Marko

 

 

 

Marko great post, helps keep things in prespective!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Alexy 85]

Or I could pick a family of a person that was wrongfully killed by a police officer. There's no shortage of them anywhere in the U.S.A

I thought that talk was reserved for the other forum......

Edited November 10, 2013 by Alexy