Posts tagged How to start a cleaning business

When Starting a Janitorial Service – Weigh Your Options

Nov 30th

Posted by admin in General

No comments

When considering a new startup in the Janitorial business, should you go it alone, work with a partner or hook up with a franchise?

All three ways have their pros and cons and you have to consider your own personality as well. Your thoughts and ideas on how a business should be run might greatly differ from even your closest friend and if so you would probably be better off working on your own. It will mean a lot more work and overseeing different areas but even extra stress and effort would be worth the extra income and freedom.

On the other hand, if you had a business partner, you would be relieved of a lot of duties that could take you away from offering premium service to your customers as well as growing the business and collecting the revenue in a proper fashion.

Many people us a franchise when they start a janitorial business and that in and of itself is almost like having a partner. The franchisees typically have to pay between ten and thirty five percent to the mother ship and are relieved of the responsibility of carrying the receivables and sales.

The franchise generates new business on a regular basis and pays you whether the client pays or not so there is some worthwhile tradeoff when you go that route. Of course, some of the business that the franchises’ salespeople generate may not be your cup of tea and that can have some adverse effects on your business situation.

So when you do venture out into the world of self-employment, take some time and weigh all your options.

, , , , , , ,

Janitorial Cleaning Service – Getting Started

Nov 30th

Posted by admin in General

No comments

A janitorial cleaning service is one of the best businesses for a hardworking, blue collar person to start from scratch. Every business and every building needs to be cleaned once in a while – in some cases, many times each day. With the overhead involved with hiring employees to provide janitorial services, it is convenient for a company to outsource to a commercial janitorial service provider.

This is where you step in!

If you are reading this article, you are probably looking for advice on how to start a janitorial service. Hopefully the following information and advice will get you moving in the right direction.

Start Up Costs and Financing Sources:

$500 and up

It is possible to get started with almost no investment, but you will be in a much better position if you have a few hundred dollars of basic equipment available. Equipment for a full-scale commercial janitorial service may run many thousands of dollars.

Writing a sound business plan describing how to start a janitorial service in your area – including detailed market research and plans for future growth – may help you to secure some of your initial funding from venture capitalists or angel investors.

Pricing Guidelines for Service:

Base your time at $20 to $50 per hour (before taxes and expenses) and price your services according to the time you expect to spend on each task.

Itemize the exact services you intend to provide. Charging by the hour tends to make clients comfortable asking you to do more and more work for the same money. Be clear that you provide certain services for a certain price. By charging a flat fee, you will continually earn a better hourly rate as you improve and become more efficient.

Advertising and Marketing:

Get listed in the yellow pages under all of the main services you provide. This is more expensive than one general listing, but you can’t expect all of your potential clients to look under “Janitorial Services” when they are really looking for “Window Cleaners”.

Face-to-face selling can go either way. Some managers and store owners like the fortitude of this very direct way of marketing, but others find it very annoying – especially if they get a lot of people coming in and asking to wash the windows. Always obey “No Soliciting” signs.

Walk around town and identify businesses which look like they really need your help. Send a professional-looking brochure to the general manager.

Essential Equipment:

A janitorial cleaning service can start very small and build up as it grows more popular. It is sometimes possible to start out by using the equipment of the client companies, buying your own equipment with that revenue.

Get a unique uniform – and unique does not mean outrageous! A uniform looks much more professional than jeans, and it can provide a marketing service for you, as well. When people recognize your janitorial cleaning service working at the company down the street, it lends credibility to you when you approach them for a contract.

Much of the following equipment will become useful as your business expands:

Safety Equipment:

  • dust mask
  • safety goggles
  • heat resistant gloves
  • heat resistant apron
  • slip resistant, steel toe shoes
  • hard hat

General Supplies:

  • dust mop, brooms, and dust pans
  • vacuum cleaner
  • window squeegee and buckets
  • wet mop and bucket
  • scrub brushes
  • towels, lots of towels
  • window cleaning solution
  • degreaser solution
  • carpet cleaning solution
  • plunger
  • drain “snake”
  • basic tool set: hammer, screwdrivers, wrenches, etc.
  • tape measure
  • utility knife and plenty of blades
  • tool belt
  • ladder
  • 50-foot water hose
  • pressure washer
  • chainsaw
  • weed whip
  • a cargo van to carry it all

Income Potential:

$15,000 to $60,000 per year, going solo.

There is a limit to the amount you can earn working alone. As you become more successful at negotiating with clients, you can eventually start hiring other people to do the work. The ultimate earning potential is unlimited.

Target Market:

One of the nicest parts about janitorial services is that you don’t have to look for new customers week after week. After you secure a few accounts, you will have a fairly steady source of income that only changes infrequently.

Convenience stores, restaurants, grocery stores, strip malls, and office complexes are all great places to start looking.

Tips for Success:

  • Always be professional and courteous. Everyone encounters stressful and undesirable working conditions once in a while. It will carry you a long way if you can remain respectful and calm when dealing with these situations. Don’t let your clients walk all over you, but don’t let them walk out on you!
  • Janitorial services are very repetitive from day to day. Keep a mindset toward using your time more and more efficiently.
  • Go the extra mile. Do what you can to go above and beyond your clients’ expectations. This translates to job security and a better reputation in the industry.
  • You should get your janitorial cleaning service bonded and insured. If you are not bonded and insured, your prospects for business are very limited.

Training, Skills or Experience Needed:

The best training is to have worked as a janitor for some time so you know what you’re getting into. It is not easy work. Read a few books on how to start a janitorial service. No matter how much you already know, you are sure to find new information that will help you to be more successful.

Schooling is not usually necessary, but you can earn better money and find more contracts if you learn to maintain HVAC or other common equipment. There are independent classes available for this type of training.

, , , , , , , , , ,

Commercial Janitorial Services Can Help You Take Care of Your …

Nov 30th

Posted by admin in General

No comments

Tired of getting down on the floor and scrubbing? For most folks running their own business, this is not exactly the part of the job they love best. Most folks also don’t like coming in an hour early or staying an hour late to sweep, dust and run that smelly blue stuff through the toilet a time or two.

That’s why we hire commercial janitorial services. Not only does it save you from doing the dirty work yourself, it also puts the work in the hands of professionals. After all, most of us aren’t born cleaners.

Make Those Floors Shine!

The biggest cleaning headache, whether it’s a small closet-sized office or a 15-story skyscraper, is floors. Floor maintenance is probably 50% of your cleaning trouble, and sweeping for 10 minutes just isn’t going to get it done.

A commercial janitorial service will handle all your floor maintenance needs, from sweeping and mopping to waxing and buffing. They have the latest gear and chemicals on the market, and they can do your carpet cleaning and pressure washing as well. Very few of us can afford to stock up on the gear you need to remove these tough stains and blemishes.

When The Windows Turn Brown…..

Window cleaning is another major janitorial duty most of us don’t want to take on by ourselves. If you’ve ever cleaned your own windows, you know how tough it is to get it just right and not leave a big smudge that says, "Nice try". These services can do your windows perfectly using the latest techniques and equipment.

It’s The Little Details That Really Matter

Windows and floors are the biggest and most noticeable problems, but there are lots of tiny details that most of us never bother with cleaning. One example is your vents. If you don’t clean your air conditioning and heating vents, you are inviting every toxin and contaminant into your work space for workers and customers to enjoy.

Dusting is another small problem. Most of us can run a duster over the desks and surfaces, but you really need somebody with the state-of-the-art dust removal equipment to get it all. There are also the high surfaces which are most prone to dust, and which you don’t want to climb on chairs to do yourself.

Odor removal is an especially tricky problem if you’re not an expert cleaner. Where is that smell coming from? I don’t know, but it stinks and your customers might prefer the nicer smelling place down the street. Odor removal is best left to a specialist.

There are many more tiny details that a commercial janitorial service can help you with like wall washing, upholstery cleaning and mold prevention. These little details are what make the difference between a clean office and an office that is sparkling each morning when you come into work.

Hiring a commercial janitorial service is a step in building your business. For every small business owner, there comes a day when they decide they’ve had enough of mopping and scrubbing, and they can shell out a few bucks to have somebody else do it. Find a commercial janitorial service in your area, and leave the dirty work to the pros.

, , , , , , ,

The Secrets to Starting a Commercial Cleaning Company With No Experience

Oct 18th

Posted by admin in General

No comments

You are tired of working for someone else and barely making enough money to support your family. You want to tell your boss "you are fired" and see the look on his face.  You want to enjoy scheduling your work around your own time available and still get to enjoy the pleasures of life.  Most of all you would like to supervise others and still get to keep the profit you make.  There are a number of small businesses that offer you this opportunity and are rewarding in the end.  You can even make profit in your first year.  The business chosen to be highlighted here is a commercial cleaning company.

 

Cleaning Business is not rocket science.   At home, you are always cleaning your living spaces and at the office you are most often assist the cleaner by directing on how you like your space to look before they do their work.  You are therefore ready to delve into the cleaning industry.  You may need to be physically endowed as cleaning is a manual job.  You use most of the cleaning solutions and machines at home and therefore can work them in a second.  You can also stand for long hours on end.  YOU already have the skills set required for the business.  You will develop the rest of the technical know-how as you go along.  You, however, don’t have any experience to claim when marketing yourself.  Don’t worry, this can work for you.

 

Armed with your tools of trade and the desire to prove yourself you can gain the experience necessary whilst making your money.  All you need is a strategically placed and willing client.  For instance, you can run a cleaning business in an institution and let them sample your work first hand. When you have left an impression, you can also leave them with your contacts and get them to call you when they require your services.  Alternatively, you can visit your local place of worship and provide your janitorial services during the next potluck luncheon. Skillfully assist in various ventures that will give you mass marketing.

 

Where to buy your cleaning supplies is important.  Janitorial supply distributors are better than supermarket stores.  This is because the distributors have time to equip you by guiding you on the usage of their products.  You need this information because you are relatively inexperienced.  Although the distributors are deemed more expensive than purchasing from the stores, the information procured in the process is invaluable and saves you more money in the long run.  When you purchase any new gadget that you have not used before it is important to ask the sales people to come and do a small demo for your employees who will be using the equipment on a day-to-day basis.

 

Once you have decided on your market niche, offer your janitorial services at a discounted rate.  The price tag for your services can be quite challenging.  You can price yourself out of the market and business or you can price yourself into bankruptcy.  It is therefore important to put the price just right but still much lower than the regular cleaner and your competit ors.  This is because most people want an experienced commercial cleaning company to work for them.  When there is an offer, however, they don’t mind saving a few coins and giving a start up a chance.  This way you get to garner experience and still earn whilst creating awareness of your presence in the industry.

 

Like most business startups, the main factors that will largely contribute to your growth in the cleaning business are referrals.  Therefore, it is important to log all your customers’ responses and feedback.  This will ensure that when you next clean for them and they note the change as recommended they will feel valued and market you free.  This is the sort of free press you need to take you off the ground and catapult you to the next level apart from giving you presence.  Creating an incentive for the customers that you get for any repeat jobs they will offer you is equally rewarding.

 

A very important factor to note in your line of business is insurance and bonding.  Get yourself insured.  This immediately boosts your credibility, as most cleaners don’t insure their businesses.  This guards against any eventualities and may save you from losing your business altogether.  Apart from giving you peace of mind, it also gives your customers the assurance and informs them that you care about their business or homes and earn you a great following.  The janitorial business has a very high turnover rate for employees and this is a very high possibility that among them there could be a thief.

 

This is a reality that you most often want to hope against but when you are prepared, nothing can faze you.  The client is also more forgiving when there is an assurance that their stuff will be returned.  This ensures that you don’t lose them as a client altogether.   Taking the uncertainty out of the equation will help you first. 

 

A word of caution is in order at this point.  Different customers have their specific preferences.  Note the choice of detergents used on their upholstery will save your insurance and you some money and save face for your company.  The small details involved will take you a long way.  You need an information packet with all your details and the insurance details as well as references and procedures at hand.  Include in this packet all the information about yourself including a background check by the police from your locality. This might sound a bit extreme but it gives your procurers the much-needed confidence in leaving their homes and offices to you. , , , , , ,