Sharon Hanks
Bring Fido to work? Why not? Bissell Inc. wants its product development employees to bring their pets to "Pet Spot" -- a special work area at the company's headquarters for pets and workers -- in hopes the furry friends will inspire their owners to come up with better cleaners of pet messes.
Long known for its vacuum cleaners, the Walker-based company recently opened the 1,000-square-foot Pet Spot as part of its $9 million Innovation Center, a renovated warehouse at its headquarters at 2345 Walker Ave. NW. Pet Spot features three indoor kennels and outdoor dog runs, three work stations, a conference table and a dog bathing area.
"People love it," says company spokesperson Beth Jester. "For years we've been sending pet products to pet owners for testing. This is a natural extension of that. The idea is that people who are working on product development for pet messes can be allowed to bring a pet to work for inspiration."
Employees have to sign up in advance, bring their own pet food, and work side-by-side their four-legged friend for the day. Only dogs are allowed at Pet Spot after they have passed a temperament test to ensure social harmony, but Jester says plans are to open the doors to cats as well.
Jester says Pet Spot was dreamed up by Cathy Bissell, director of corporate affairs and wife of Mark Bissell, the company's chief executive office and great-grandson of the company's founders. The couple has three black labs of their own, one adopted from the Kent County Humane Society.
Cathy Bissell also has been a big promoter of the company's growing line-up of pet home-care cleaning products launched in 2005 and of pet adoption. Its most recent line, "Pawsitively Clean," is available at national retail pet stores and offers an assortment of sprays to remove stains and odor.
In addition to spray cleaners, Bissell also sells a compact deep cleaning machine for spots and stains along with a vacuum brush attachment to capture "fly-aways" -- loose fur that can be brushed away before it shakes loose on one's carpet, hard floors and furniture.
Source: Beth Jester, Bissell Inc. spokesperson in Walker
Sharon Hanks is innovations and jobs news editor at Rapid Growth Media. Please send story ideas and comments for the column to Sharon at [email protected]. She also is owner of The Write Words in Grand Rapids.
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