Like all service businesses, customer service in the cleaning industry is an essential part of maintaining the existing customer base and gaining new customers through referrals.
Customer service is important in all sectors of the cleaning business but is of particular importance in the house cleaning or maid service niche as operators in this area come into contact with customers much more often and generally have a wider customer base.
Treat your clients as individuals. Each will have preferences and requirements that may differ dramatically from other clients and you should keep files where you note down these specific details for later reference. Try to find the right balance of being friendly with customers but also not overstepping the mark, chatting too long with them or letting them disrupt your schedule.
If you hire staff then make sure that they are appropriately dressed and that you instruct them on how they should behave towards customers.
Make sure that customers can contact you at all times if necessary and that you either have someone to take their calls or you respond to their messages within a few hours.
Thank your customers for their business. Have a series of standard letters that you can use to welcome new customers and send out at Christmas or for other occasions.
Always strive for the highest level of service. If you are able to exceed your customer's expectations then you will increase the chances of them telling their friends and associates about your service.
Always have an agreement that customers sign that sets out exactly what your service includes. Explain how you go about cleaning a property so that the customer knows exactly what to expect and they will therefore not be disappointed in any way.
Make sure that everything is put back to its original position after you have completed a cleaning job so that the customer doesn't have to look for things that were moved from one part of their house or room to another.
Fire your customers if they cause you too many headaches. Spend time on your best customers who don't give you headaches and refer business to you.
If you understand the cost of acquiring new customers for your cleaning business you will quickly start to see the value of maximizing customer retention.
'Six figure' operators understand that top-notch customer service is one of the things that separate them from the other 90% in the industry who never achieve a decent level of success. Strive for your cleaning business to deliver five star customer service!
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Reasons for Starting a Cleaning Business
There are many reasons why entrepreneurs are attracted to the cleaning industry, seeing it as a more viable option for them in comparison to the many other industries that they could enter.
Dust and dirt is a fact of life and there will always be cleaning work to be done. This huge industry can offer realistic opportunities for all those who put in the effort to start and develop a cleaning enterprise. Lets take a look at a few reasons why cleaning is a great industry to be in.
Seen by so many as being an ugly, dirty field of work, the odds of finding success are stacked in your favor. Some businesses are perceived to be glamorous and exciting and thus become tough due to the intense competition. No child ever says they want to be a cleaner when they grow up and this mentality makes for a business environment with less competition.
Most people are wrong in their perceptions about cleaning being low paid and low class. If you keep a positive attitude a cleaning business can provide you with a satisfying and rewarding lifestyle that your office cubicle-bound friends could only dream of. The amount of money that you can make by scaling up your cleaning business is limited only by your imagination.
Cleaning is relatively easy work that anyone can master in a short period of time. No extensive training sessions or qualifications are needed and you can get down to business right away.
Cleaning is seen as being recession proof, and it is to a certain extent anyway. Even in tough economic times the cleaning market is large enough that anyone putting in the effort can secure clients.
The low cost of entry is a big attraction for some people who are desperate to have their own business yet don't have a lot of start up capital available. You can get a basic foothold in the cleaning industry for less than a few hundred dollars.
Many people think that having their own business is a way out of their unsatisfying day job and a way to be a master of their own destiny. Many cleaning professionals soon realize that it's great to be free of a boss and that they are motivated enough to work independently. Being able to schedule your own vacations and take days off when you have earned them is a nice bonus when you are able to work into your schedule.
Being able to run a business from home is a great prospect for a lot of people. To a certain extent they can work when they like and they can work as hard as they like.
One reason why some people love cleaning is that it is not stressful. You can basically go about getting your work done and have time to think. You come home physically tired but not mentally exhausted like so many professionals do.
With cleaning you avoid the long commute to work. Your day will involve short trips between jobs that are all reasonably close to your home so you can avoid the depressing crawl of morning or evening rush hour.
Cleaning workers can also avoid the other downsides of working in a large office. Water cooler gossip, office politics and uncooperative colleagues can make work life hell. With your cleaning business you can work alone, with your spouse or even with a friend.
There are many reasons why people start a cleaning business and it has a lot to offer those who are prepared to work hard.
Dust and dirt is a fact of life and there will always be cleaning work to be done. This huge industry can offer realistic opportunities for all those who put in the effort to start and develop a cleaning enterprise. Lets take a look at a few reasons why cleaning is a great industry to be in.
Seen by so many as being an ugly, dirty field of work, the odds of finding success are stacked in your favor. Some businesses are perceived to be glamorous and exciting and thus become tough due to the intense competition. No child ever says they want to be a cleaner when they grow up and this mentality makes for a business environment with less competition.
Most people are wrong in their perceptions about cleaning being low paid and low class. If you keep a positive attitude a cleaning business can provide you with a satisfying and rewarding lifestyle that your office cubicle-bound friends could only dream of. The amount of money that you can make by scaling up your cleaning business is limited only by your imagination.
Cleaning is relatively easy work that anyone can master in a short period of time. No extensive training sessions or qualifications are needed and you can get down to business right away.
Cleaning is seen as being recession proof, and it is to a certain extent anyway. Even in tough economic times the cleaning market is large enough that anyone putting in the effort can secure clients.
The low cost of entry is a big attraction for some people who are desperate to have their own business yet don't have a lot of start up capital available. You can get a basic foothold in the cleaning industry for less than a few hundred dollars.
Many people think that having their own business is a way out of their unsatisfying day job and a way to be a master of their own destiny. Many cleaning professionals soon realize that it's great to be free of a boss and that they are motivated enough to work independently. Being able to schedule your own vacations and take days off when you have earned them is a nice bonus when you are able to work into your schedule.
Being able to run a business from home is a great prospect for a lot of people. To a certain extent they can work when they like and they can work as hard as they like.
One reason why some people love cleaning is that it is not stressful. You can basically go about getting your work done and have time to think. You come home physically tired but not mentally exhausted like so many professionals do.
With cleaning you avoid the long commute to work. Your day will involve short trips between jobs that are all reasonably close to your home so you can avoid the depressing crawl of morning or evening rush hour.
Cleaning workers can also avoid the other downsides of working in a large office. Water cooler gossip, office politics and uncooperative colleagues can make work life hell. With your cleaning business you can work alone, with your spouse or even with a friend.
There are many reasons why people start a cleaning business and it has a lot to offer those who are prepared to work hard.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
What to Consider Before Starting a Cleaning Business
Before making the decision to start a cleaning service there are many things that you should consider. This article sets out some points that will help you to decide if cleaning is the business for you, and if so what area of cleaning you would be suited to.
1) What time of day would you like to work? Residential cleaning operators are usually active during the day while their clients are at work. Commercial or janitorial services however are normally in demand after office hours and during weekends.
2) Is there suitable demand for cleaning services in your area? Do you have competitors or franchise outlets that are thriving nearby? Is the market big enough for another player to take a slice of the pie?
3) Have you put aside savings to live on while your business is getting started? Allow for a worst-case scenario in which you make no profit in your few months of business. The other solution is to start off part time and also work a part time job.
4) Do you have the necessary skills to run a cleaning business? If not you may have to look at taking some courses in sales, marketing and small business management.
5) Are you a good decision maker who can lead a team and delegate responsibility to them? Any path to a high level of success in the cleaning business will involve hiring and managing staff and good people skills can be helpful in this area.
6) Can you run a cleaning business from your home? If you have the space and are legally able to run a business from a residential property in your area then your business plan for a small cleaning start-up will be much more feasible.
7) Are you hard-working? Just like all businesses, hard work is unavoidable in the cleaning business. It is hard work doing cleaning yourself and it can be hard work ensuring that others do it properly too.
8) Are you prepared to face the negative stereotypes about cleaners? Cleaners feel that there is sometimes prejudice towards them and in the best-case scenario many cleaners say that they are mostly ignored, like they are invisible. If anything goes wrong in a building and if anything is lost or stolen people often blame the cleaner so you must be prepared for this.
9) Are you in a reasonable physical condition? The cleaning business is without a doubt hard work. The upside to this though is that you are active throughout the day and will improve your fitness level.
10) Are you organized? To get everything done in business you must be organized. Look into how you can organize your schedule and manage your time in a way that gets things done.
The cleaning business, like any other does have its downside, but for those who are hard headed and press forward through the work and difficulties then the cleaning industry can be very rewarding.
1) What time of day would you like to work? Residential cleaning operators are usually active during the day while their clients are at work. Commercial or janitorial services however are normally in demand after office hours and during weekends.
2) Is there suitable demand for cleaning services in your area? Do you have competitors or franchise outlets that are thriving nearby? Is the market big enough for another player to take a slice of the pie?
3) Have you put aside savings to live on while your business is getting started? Allow for a worst-case scenario in which you make no profit in your few months of business. The other solution is to start off part time and also work a part time job.
4) Do you have the necessary skills to run a cleaning business? If not you may have to look at taking some courses in sales, marketing and small business management.
5) Are you a good decision maker who can lead a team and delegate responsibility to them? Any path to a high level of success in the cleaning business will involve hiring and managing staff and good people skills can be helpful in this area.
6) Can you run a cleaning business from your home? If you have the space and are legally able to run a business from a residential property in your area then your business plan for a small cleaning start-up will be much more feasible.
7) Are you hard-working? Just like all businesses, hard work is unavoidable in the cleaning business. It is hard work doing cleaning yourself and it can be hard work ensuring that others do it properly too.
8) Are you prepared to face the negative stereotypes about cleaners? Cleaners feel that there is sometimes prejudice towards them and in the best-case scenario many cleaners say that they are mostly ignored, like they are invisible. If anything goes wrong in a building and if anything is lost or stolen people often blame the cleaner so you must be prepared for this.
9) Are you in a reasonable physical condition? The cleaning business is without a doubt hard work. The upside to this though is that you are active throughout the day and will improve your fitness level.
10) Are you organized? To get everything done in business you must be organized. Look into how you can organize your schedule and manage your time in a way that gets things done.
The cleaning business, like any other does have its downside, but for those who are hard headed and press forward through the work and difficulties then the cleaning industry can be very rewarding.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
How to Start a Cleaning Business with No Money
One of the great things about the cleaning industry is the low start up costs involved. With only a little investment or even no money at all, you can quickly be set up and running a basic cleaning operation. Once you have some cash flow coming in you can then look at getting licensed (do this as quickly as possible) and becoming a more professional company. So let's look at some ways that you can get started in the cleaning business on a shoestring budget.
One major expense is the equipment and cleaning products that you will need. The budget-friendly solution here is to only take cleaning jobs if you are able to use the customer's equipment and supplies.
The other major expense involved is having a vehicle to get between cleaning jobs. Traveling around on public transportation can take up large parts of your day and is sometimes not an option. Look at targeting the market around where you live. If your customers are close by you can walk or even ride a bicycle to get to their homes.
If you are desperate to get into the business but don't have the budget for some serious marketing then you have to be a little creative. A good set of business cards can be printed quite cheaply and can go a long way towards giving you a little credibility and something to hand around.
One good option for gaining some customers with no advertising spend is networking. By letting friends and family know that you are interested in cleaning you should be able to secure some nearby work. Take a walk around your neighborhood and chat to people who happen to be outside their houses in their gardens or on their driveways and ask them if they currently hire a cleaner and let them know that you are available.
Consider offering people in your community a free house clean. They will be surprised by the offer and may reward you by giving you permanent work or letting others know about you.
The cost of customer acquisition in any service business is typically quite high so you should not expect customers to come easy. But once you get your first few clients and start servicing them well then word will soon spread and you will get referrals that won't cost you a dime.
For those who would like to start a business and keep using their lack of funding as an excuse, give cleaning a try. Making a start is the hardest part and while it would be extremely difficult to start a cleaning business with no money it should be reasonably easy to start with only a little money.
One major expense is the equipment and cleaning products that you will need. The budget-friendly solution here is to only take cleaning jobs if you are able to use the customer's equipment and supplies.
The other major expense involved is having a vehicle to get between cleaning jobs. Traveling around on public transportation can take up large parts of your day and is sometimes not an option. Look at targeting the market around where you live. If your customers are close by you can walk or even ride a bicycle to get to their homes.
If you are desperate to get into the business but don't have the budget for some serious marketing then you have to be a little creative. A good set of business cards can be printed quite cheaply and can go a long way towards giving you a little credibility and something to hand around.
One good option for gaining some customers with no advertising spend is networking. By letting friends and family know that you are interested in cleaning you should be able to secure some nearby work. Take a walk around your neighborhood and chat to people who happen to be outside their houses in their gardens or on their driveways and ask them if they currently hire a cleaner and let them know that you are available.
Consider offering people in your community a free house clean. They will be surprised by the offer and may reward you by giving you permanent work or letting others know about you.
The cost of customer acquisition in any service business is typically quite high so you should not expect customers to come easy. But once you get your first few clients and start servicing them well then word will soon spread and you will get referrals that won't cost you a dime.
For those who would like to start a business and keep using their lack of funding as an excuse, give cleaning a try. Making a start is the hardest part and while it would be extremely difficult to start a cleaning business with no money it should be reasonably easy to start with only a little money.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Starting a Cleaning Business - Overview of the Industry
Cleaning is by no means glamorous work and some people will think that you would be crazy to show an interest in starting a business in this area. However, if you are prepared to roll up your sleeves, work hard, and eventually become a cleaning contractor, managing cleaning crews then this business can be very lucrative.
The cleaning industry in the US is huge and accounts for multi billion dollar revenues each year split between the many companies involved.
By some estimates, 10% of American homes frequently use a residential cleaning service with cleaning staff usually visiting once or twice a week. The cleaning of commercial office space is also huge and accounts for approximately one third of the industry.
Many say that the cleaning business is immune to recession and this is true to some extent and in some market sectors such as office cleaning. While some consumers in the residential market may cut back on cleaning during a downturn, a large part of the clientele are affluent and can afford to continue with their cleaning service during a recession. Cleaning would be one of the least affected industries anyway and by starting soon you would position yourself well for when the economy recovers.
The cleaning industry can be divided into two basic areas, commercial cleaning (janitorial services) and residential or consumer cleaning (or maid service). There are also many smaller niches within the cleaning industry with residential carpet cleaning being one of the larger market segments.
Cleaning is a service business and if you want to be successful you have to focus heavily on serving your customers well. Good service can result in 'word of mouth' business or referrals and this is invaluable to small businesses lacking in time and funds to put towards marketing.
Depending on the area where you live and local regulations you should be able to start a home-based cleaning business and can thus avoid renting commercial premises. For larger operators though, requiring storage for large volumes of chemicals and equipment then commercial premises or storage facilities can quickly become a necessity.
Depending on how seriously you want to start out in the business, start up costs can be kept to a minimum and a lot of entrepreneurs are attracted to the cleaning business for this reason.
No qualifications are required, though you will need a business license to start a legal business operation. The cleaning market does have many illegal operators and some serious market participants are pushing for more regulation in the industry.
Cleaning effectively is not always as easy as it seems and the best way to get started would be to look for some opportunities to learn from experienced cleaners such as work experience or a mentoring arrangement.
For those looking for a turnkey solution to learn about and get started with a cleaning business, then there are many franchise options available. Many decide that a franchise is not for them though and end up opening their own independent cleaning businesses.
Other areas that you will need to investigate include pricing, insurance, market research, marketing, basic small business management and bookkeeping. The cleaning industry offers so many opportunities to entrepreneurs wanting to start their own businesses. The market is so large that anyone who works hard in the cleaning business is basically assured a certain level of success.
The cleaning industry in the US is huge and accounts for multi billion dollar revenues each year split between the many companies involved.
By some estimates, 10% of American homes frequently use a residential cleaning service with cleaning staff usually visiting once or twice a week. The cleaning of commercial office space is also huge and accounts for approximately one third of the industry.
Many say that the cleaning business is immune to recession and this is true to some extent and in some market sectors such as office cleaning. While some consumers in the residential market may cut back on cleaning during a downturn, a large part of the clientele are affluent and can afford to continue with their cleaning service during a recession. Cleaning would be one of the least affected industries anyway and by starting soon you would position yourself well for when the economy recovers.
The cleaning industry can be divided into two basic areas, commercial cleaning (janitorial services) and residential or consumer cleaning (or maid service). There are also many smaller niches within the cleaning industry with residential carpet cleaning being one of the larger market segments.
Cleaning is a service business and if you want to be successful you have to focus heavily on serving your customers well. Good service can result in 'word of mouth' business or referrals and this is invaluable to small businesses lacking in time and funds to put towards marketing.
Depending on the area where you live and local regulations you should be able to start a home-based cleaning business and can thus avoid renting commercial premises. For larger operators though, requiring storage for large volumes of chemicals and equipment then commercial premises or storage facilities can quickly become a necessity.
Depending on how seriously you want to start out in the business, start up costs can be kept to a minimum and a lot of entrepreneurs are attracted to the cleaning business for this reason.
No qualifications are required, though you will need a business license to start a legal business operation. The cleaning market does have many illegal operators and some serious market participants are pushing for more regulation in the industry.
Cleaning effectively is not always as easy as it seems and the best way to get started would be to look for some opportunities to learn from experienced cleaners such as work experience or a mentoring arrangement.
For those looking for a turnkey solution to learn about and get started with a cleaning business, then there are many franchise options available. Many decide that a franchise is not for them though and end up opening their own independent cleaning businesses.
Other areas that you will need to investigate include pricing, insurance, market research, marketing, basic small business management and bookkeeping. The cleaning industry offers so many opportunities to entrepreneurs wanting to start their own businesses. The market is so large that anyone who works hard in the cleaning business is basically assured a certain level of success.
Review of the 'Instant Office Cleaning Kit' by Sam Rodman
Office cleaning is one of the largest and fastest growing sectors in the cleaning industry. Offices have to be cleaned whether the economy is thriving or in a downturn.
Beginners in the office cleaning business can definitely benefit from receiving some advice and insights from those that have experiences managing profitable commercial cleaning businesses.
One great resource to research before you start planning your office cleaning business is a kit by Sam Rodman called the Instant Office Cleaning Kit. Sam Rodman has been in the industry for nearly twenty years and has written a great report that can help entrepreneurs to start up the right way and avoid unnecessary mistakes.
One of Rodman's secret weapons in the commercial cleaning business has been his cleaning agreement. He feels that some of the clauses within this document have helped to separate him from other local players. A copy is available for download for free with the kit.
Rodman's product is a gold mine of cleaning business marketing advice and includes some proven systems for developing a 'six figure' office cleaning operation in just a few short years.
His guide does not offer much in the way of practical office cleaning advice, which is readily available elsewhere, but instead focuses on the business side.
The guide also offers tips on starting out the right way, getting leads, leading employees and the best approaches for selling cleaning services to prospects.
The guide comes with a variety of relevant business letters as well as a copy of the agreement that has been so effective for Rodman's company all these years.
The 'Instant Office Cleaning Kit' currently promises a sixty day refund period if you find that you are in any way disappointed with the product. It is definitely worth a read and I am confident that you will not be disappointed.
To get ahold of the guide click here
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