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Monthly Professionals Update
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May 2017
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Contractors hate the dreaded customer call-back. Doing the same task twice wastes time and chews up profits. You can't get to other customers because you're back at the same place.
Customers hate them too. They have to take time to complain and then take time off work to wait for a technician. They vent their frustrations on on-line reviews, hurting your company's reputation.
Here are four important ways to reduce callbacks this spring:
1) Improve communication between the office and the field. Get incoming customer requests accurately and completely noted on work orders. And be sure technicians read the information in detail.
2) Set customer expectations up front. Be detailed on quotes and realistic about how services will make improvements on landscape health. There are a lot of things you can't control (weather, etc.). Be sure your customer understands those.
3) Train your technicians on the RIGHT procedures. You can't afford to have crew members doing it "their way". You must have everyone doing things according to your "rule book". Cutting corners and steps often ends in heartache.
4) Use checklists to close out both new installations and service visits. Checklists require your crews to verify things are done correctly before they leave the site. 5 minutes with a thorough checklist can save hours of wasted time correcting deficiencies during callbacks.
The Team at CPS Distributors
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Check Out Our New Website
 We are excited to announce the launch of our new website. The new and improved website has a new look and it's fully responsive to whatever device you have.
Some of the improved features include:
- Find Your Nearest CPS - our location page will guide you to the nearest store location
- Event Calendar - learn about upcoming counter days, seminars and other events
- Product Pages - discover our full offering of solutions for professionals like you!
Please Take a minute to check out the new site. We value your opinion! If there is something we could do on our website to enhance your online experience please share your feedback.
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Join Us at Our Customer Appreciation Cookouts starting in Glenwood Springs on May 9th.
Please join us as we say "Thank You for your Business" at our May Customer Cookouts at your CPS branch.
Come by for a "FREE LUNCH" and take advantage of "ONE DAY SPECIALS" as you visit with our sponsors, industry leaders and CPS staff.
Here is the May schedule:
Glenwood Springs May 9th 4:00pm to 7:00pm
Lakewood May 11th 11:00am to 1:00pm
Boulder May 16th 11:00am to 1:00pm
Aurora May 18th 11:00am to 1:00pm
Englewood May 23rd 11:00am to 1:00pm
Fort Collins May 25th 11:00am to 1:00pm
Visit our website to see all upcoming events
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 Power Up with Rain Bird
We want you to "Take a Break on Us" and have the opportunity to win "Gift Card Packages" for two when you purchase Rain Bird products at CPS
Buy Rain Bird to enter monthly drawings for the gift card packages which include dinner and a movie. (A $100.00 value) You will also have a chance to win the "Grand Prize" at the end of year party on November 2nd at Mile High Station.
Complete details to win on flyer.
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 Back by Popular Demand: FREE Sprinkler Fridays
It's time for you to buy Hunter Irrigation products and have a chance to win a "FREE" sprinkler system.
Starting May 15th you will start to qualify for entries towards the free system giveaway. This year's promotion will have additional products added. Special Thanks to Febco, Oetiker Clamps, Polyethylene Technologies, Lasco Fittings and Blazing Products.
For more details, ask your CPS Counter Person, Branch Manager or Territory Salesperson for more details.
View Promotion Details
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 Toro Swing into Spring Savings Event
Through May 31, 2017, save instantly on these Toro / Irritrol favorites at CPS:
$10 per controller on Toro Evolution Modular and 6-Station Rain Dial-R
$1.25 per rotor on T5 RapidSet
$1.00 per valve on Irritrol 205 and 2400
$1.50 per valve on Irritrol 2700
View Promotion Details
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No Muddy Paws! Dog Runs Are More Fun
 Constructing a dog run is a great way to keep dogs active and ensure that they get enough exercise, but finding the right materials can be tricky. Gravel and dirt are uncomfortable for dogs to run on and often make for dirty paws. Natural grass is expensive to maintain and cannot easily be kept alive in inclement weather. The ideal dog run surface is soft, durable, and offers substantial drainage. Synthetic turf is the leading green alternative to natural grass, and with its 100% permeable backing, UltimateGrass is your dog run surface solution.
In addition to being pet-friendly and low-maintenance, UltimateGrass is discoloration and stain resistant, making clean-up of dog messes quick and easy. Safe, non-toxic, and chemical-free, it is also durable enough to stand up to even the most challenging of pets.
Last year, world renowned dog whisperer Cesar Millan partnered with EasyTurf, parent company of UltimateGrass, on the 10,000 sq. ft. installation of artificial grass at his Dog Psychology Center in Santa Clarita, California. It has also been installed in countless dog parks, animal shelters, animal hospitals, pet resorts, and veterinary clinics throughout North America. The experts agree that installing UltimateGrass makes dog runs cleaner, more comfortable, and more fun!
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Calculating Drainage: Calculating Stormwater Runoff
 One of the most important elements of designing a
drainage system is determining how much stormwater is falling on the property and what to do with it. There are 3 steps to follow when calculating
drainage:
- Calculate the storm runoff, or flow. Runoff is given the symbol Q
- Convert the storm runoff into a volume of water
- Determine how to store the runoff volume
Here's how to
calculate the
storm
runoff, using the rational method. The Rational Method's equation is Q = C x I x A / 96.23; where Q is the
storm
runoff in gallons per minute, C is the
runoff coefficient, which can be found
here, I is the rainfall intensity in inches per hour which can be figured out by looking at the
100-year rainfall map, and A is the
drainage area in square feet. 96.23 is a conversion factor when you want the flow rate in gallons per minute and the
drainage area is in square feet. Let's do an example: If the surface is sand, the C value would be 0.5. The house is in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the
runoff area is 1000 square feet. The
storm
runoff is:
Q = C x I x A / 96.23
Q = 0.5 (C) x 1.5 (I) x 1000 (A) / 96.23
The expected
runoff here is 7.79 gallons per minute.
See this and the full "How to
Calculate
Drainage" video series
here
. Visit the
NDS contractor website to receive a starter package that includes training and marketing materials or visit the
NDS YouTube channel for extensive installation videos and helpful product overviews.
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Protect Controllers with Proper Grounding Procedures
Always install and verify correct grounding equipment
 Protecting expensive irrigation control systems is an essential step for a quality installation. The thousands of feet of wiring in the typical commercial installation acts as an attractive target for lightning strikes. The more stations on a controller, the more important the number and placement of ground rods and ground plates becomes for an installation.
Good grounding begins with use of Regency Wire's UL-listed ground rods, 5/8" diameter and 8 foot length. These are driven in the ground no further than 10 feet from the controller locations and connected to the controller's grounding lug with a bare copper wire. A Cadweld connector is used to link the ground rod to the 6 AWG copper wire. The wire is never soldered to the rod. Rather, an exothermic weld is created with a Regency Cadweld kit. A Cadweld igniter must be utilized to properly install the kit.
Regency copper ground plates are often added into many installations. It is essential that the plates be surrounded by appropriate earth contact materials that are both non-corrosive and that aid in the conductivity of current from the plate into the soil. We recommend Regency GEM (Ground Enhancing Material).
 The earth-to-ground resistance of grounding circuits are typically measured using a Megger®, or other similar instrument, with a desired maximum reading of no more than 10 ohms within the circuit. Many commercial irrigation specifications require ground testing of new installations to verify proper readings.
For more information on grounding and meeting requirements of project specifications, contact us.
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What is Backflow? Why Are Backflow Preventers Needed?
 Backflow Preventers are a common item in irrigation supply houses and are mandated by code in many areas, but have you ever wondered what backflow is, and why backflow preventers are required?
What Is Backflow?
Backflow is the undesirable reversal of flow of a possible source of contamination into the potable water system.
Backflow is a risk in all irrigation applications, and a solution to protect drinking water systems must be provided.
When Does Backflow Occur?
Backflow is caused by pressure changes, including conditions of gravity, vacuum, etc. The two factors that contribute to
backflow are backsiphonage and backpressure.
What is a Backflow Preventer?
Backflow
preventers are designed to protect the public, potable water supply from the hazards of
backflow (contaminants and pollutants). For more information on the importance of
backflow and how to select the right
backflow prevention device, visit
www.zurn.com or
click here
Ideal Backflow Preventers for Irrigation Systems
- Pressure Vacuum Breaker: protects against backsiphonage in low and high hazard situations
- Reduced Pressure Principle Assembly: protects against backsiphonage and backpressure conditions in low and high hazard situations
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