How Do I Choose A Professional Cleaning Service?

Start Your Own Business or Buy a Franchise?

In the beginning, you'll need to decide if you'll be starting your own cleaning business from scratch or if you'll be buying into an already established cleaning franchise. Both have their pros and cons, and ultimately the decision will come down to your own preferences and circumstances.

In Conclusion, Start your own business and reap the rewards of working for yourself (just make sure you have adequate support and resources to help you succeed) while also fulfilling your own unique vision for success and happiness.

Franchise

• Advantages:
  • Established brand name
  • Proven business model
  • Marketing support
  • Ongoing help and advice
• Disadvantages
  • Upfront capital / investment required (from $5,000 to $100,000)
  • Ongoing fees (usually a monthly/annual fee and a % of sales go to the franchisor)
  • Restricted growth (small territory, advertising restrictions and limited services)
  • Your success is linked to head-office success (your reputation can be damaged if the parent company gets negative feedback & you are reliant on your franchisor for help and support – some provide it, but some don't!)

Start Your Own Business

• Advantages
  • Complete control & flexibility
  • Low start-up costs
  • You retain all profits.
  • No ongoing costs or royalties to pay
  • Easier to sell the business in future
• Disadvantages
  • You are on your own (which can be quite challenging and lonely when getting started)
  • You have to learn by your own mistakes (although there are guides, case studies & start-up plans out there)
  • No established brand

Charging on a recurring basis (which are typically paid on a monthly or annual basis and also include a percentage of total sales that go to the franchisor).

The Essentials – Business Registration, Licenses, Training, Insurance & Tax

Your franchise's success is tied to that of the parent company (bad press for the parent company can have a negative impact on your reputation, and some franchisors provide helpful resources while others don't). If the parent company hears anything bad about you, it could hurt your reputation.

State Licenses & Local Council Regulations

Most cleaning services in Australia are not governed by any laws, so their provision does not necessitate any specific levels of training or experience on the part of their employees. However, you should contact the state licencing board and the local council to find out if there are any additional requirements you need to fulfil (e.g. health regulations).

Training Qualifications

If you don't have any experience as a cleaner, you might want to take a course before knocking on people's doors to offer your services. If there are no formal prerequisites or stated requirements for participation, it is still prudent to prepare for the possibility of such. Earning a recognised credential will equip you with the knowledge, skills, and expertise necessary to carry out cleaning tasks in the most effective and efficient manner possible. You can also learn the skills necessary to become a professional cleaner by enrolling in a training programme that will instruct you in the use of the necessary equipment and cleaning supplies. You can use your credentials as a selling point to set your company apart from the competition in your industry.

Insurance

It is highly recommended that you purchase public liability insurance with a minimum coverage amount of $5 million if you will be working on a client's property; however, some commercial clients may require as much as $15 million. You can rest assured that any unforeseen incidents or property damage will be covered by this. When you hire employees, you must also protect them with workers' comp insurance. You may also want to consider other types of insurance, such as coverage for your company's vehicles, protection against business interruptions, and income security. Consult with your company's attorney about the legal insurance requirements that are applicable to your business.

Keeping Business Records & Tax

Get in touch with a qualified accounting firm immediately. They will help you set up your business and your books properly. In the long run, hiring a good accountant can help you save money because they will be able to explain all of the deductions you can claim to lower your taxable income. With this, you'll be able to cut costs considerably. It is imperative that you keep all of your invoices and receipts (you must keep records for a minimum of 5 years). Keeping your financial records and paying your taxes doesn't have to be a time-consuming or difficult process as long as you stay on top of things. If you don't start by putting in place the appropriate system from the beginning, you'll end up in the long run running around like a chicken with its head cut off.

Choosing the Right Equipment and Cleaning Products

Take That, Your Competitors! How to Set Yourself Apart from the Rest
Check out the local area, but don't limit yourself to the typical tourist spots. One might get the impression that there are already a great deal of rivals, and one might find this to be the case. To stand out from the crowd and attract new customers, however, doesn't take much work. In a world where only a tiny fraction of businesses actually care about their customers, the ones that do tend to get all the word-of-mouth promotion they need without ever having to pay for it. If you really care about your customers and put in the time and effort to exceed their expectations, you will stand out from the competition. Having a pleasant tone on the phone and keeping commitments are two easy ways to do this. A handwritten note to a client, a discount for loyal customers, or a birthday card on a client's special day are all examples of the kinds of small gestures that can have a big impact (and cost very little to do).

Move Over Competitors – How to Stand Out from the Crowd

One of the most effective forms of advertising is forming partnerships with other businesses that already have a clientele, such as real estate agents and property managers. Newspaper ads aren't the only form of advertising that can bring in customers; community events, flyers, and leaflet drops are all viable options as well (especially in community publications). Let's say you're considering opening your own cleaning company. Since most people now use the internet to find the data they need, traditional directories, such as the Yellow Pages, are not likely to be of any use.

Become a Specialist

You should think about how to make your business visible when people are conducting online searches for cleaning companies in your area, as the vast majority of people now use Google (or another search engine) to find a cleaning company in their immediate area.

Placing highly in Google's search results can generate a steady flow of new leads every day. To promote your cleaning service website, you can either pay for advertising (like Google Adwords) or hire a company that specialises in organically increasing a website's ranking on page one of search engine results (this is known as search engine optimisation).

Pricing – Getting It Right!

Don't try and compete on price. We know it's tempting, especially when you see your competitors offering crazy deals, but you'll end up with low-profit margins and feel like you are working for nothing. In our experience, the worst customers and clients are the ones who haggle over price. Put a value on your service and be proud to tell people what you / your services are worth. You'll find that people are prepared to pay more for quality service. By positioning your cleaning business as a 'premium quality business, you'll be able to raise your prices and attract the best clients & customers.

No More Cleaning! Employing Staff & Systemising Your Business

Build a thriving cleaning service, with the end goal being to "get out of business as quickly as possible." The amount of money you make cleaning on your own is directly related to the number of hours you are able to put in. Don't expect to get paid if you have to call in sick or take time off for vacation (and might lose clients to your competition).
If you want to build a company that will allow you to live the life you've always imagined living, you need to start working "on the business" rather than "in the business." As a first step, write down how you intend to complete each of your current tasks. Afterwards, someone who has no trouble following these guidelines can take over. Training costs can be reduced and quality maintained with the help of a well-detailed procedure. There are essentially two ways to bring on more hands: contract out to a third party or hire full-time employees. The advantages and disadvantages of each choice are different.

Conclusion

Think about the benefits and drawbacks of both starting your own cleaning business and investing in a franchise. You can achieve your own personal goals and the financial independence that comes with working for yourself if you launch your own business. The decision to operate as a sole proprietor is the cheapest, most convenient, and least time-consuming option. Some of the groundwork items to think about include: registering your business, obtaining required licences, conducting required training, purchasing necessary insurance, and reporting and paying taxes. One of the disadvantages of operating as a sole trader is that your cleaning company will not be recognised in law.

You will be taxed at the same rates as an individual citizen. Each month or every three months, GST-registered businesses must submit a "activity statement" (BAS). There are no laws governing the provision of cleaning services in Australia, so there is no mandate for particular levels of training or experience on the part of the people providing them. If you want to be sure, though, you can always check with the state licencing board and the local council to see if there are any other specifications. Consult an established accounting firm right away.

They will assist you in making the appropriate preparations for your business and its accounting records. You must keep all of your bills and receipts. Paying your taxes and keeping accurate financial records doesn't have to be a hassle. The competition is fierce, so it's important to show that you value your customers. Keeping promises and maintaining a pleasant phone tone are two simple methods.

If you want to stand out from the crowd, one strategy is to develop expertise in a specific area of service and market that to customers. Think about how much you're worth and flaunt it whenever you can. You can charge more for your cleaning service if you market it as a "premium quality business." New clients can be won over most effectively through word-of-mouth promotion. Joint ventures with complementary companies are a tried and true method of expanding brand awareness. More help can be obtained in two ways: either through a third-party contractor or by hiring additional employees.

Content Summary

• The success of your company depends on how meticulously you keep the office clean and sanitary.
• When deciding on a professional cleaning service to take care of your occasional or constant cleaning needs, you should keep in mind the following.
• Credibility and Length of Service Provided by the Company
• You need a company you can trust to come into your place of business when you're not there and to stay there unattended while you're away.
• Which Is Better: Starting a Business from Scratch or Buying an Existing Franchise?
• You'll need to choose at the outset whether to build your own cleaning company from the ground up or join an existing cleaning franchise.
• There is a pressing need for you to start your own business.
• Before making any business decisions, you should talk to your accountant and lawyer.
• The decision to operate as a sole proprietor is the cheapest, most convenient, and least time-consuming option.
• One of the disadvantages of operating as a sole trader is that your cleaning company will not be recognised in law.
• When two or more people form a business entity together, they share the rewards and burdens of the enterprise in the same way that a sole proprietor does (as set out in a partnership contract).
• A corporation is considered to be a legal persona unto itself.
• The Order of Operations and Working Mechanism
• A lot of people get their feet wet in the business world by starting as sole proprietors (mostly because of the lower entry barrier), but once their venture takes off, they often decide to incorporate.
• With the training and experience you gain from pursuing a recognised credential, you'll be able to clean buildings and facilities with maximum efficiency and minimal waste of time and resources.
• To become a professional cleaner, you can take part in a training programme that teaches you how to operate the cleaning machinery and supply you will need.
• You can differentiate yourself and your business from others in your field by emphasising your expertise and experience.
• Talk to the company's legal counsel about any mandatory insurance coverage requirements.
• Consult an established accounting firm right away.
• If you stay on top of things, keeping your financial records and paying your taxes won't take up much of your time or stress you out.
• Depending on the specifics of your intended market, your cleaning business's initial supply of supplies and tools will vary.
• Explore the area, but don't just visit the typical tourist stops.
• However, it doesn't take much effort to distinguish yourself from the competition and win over new clients.
• To distinguish yourself from the competition, show genuine interest in your customers and make an effort to go above and beyond what they expect.
• Because of this, it is highly likely that a manager of a large office will hire a specialised office cleaning service rather than a "general" cleaning service.
• One way to distinguish oneself from competitors is to become widely recognised as a specialist in the provision of a particular service (think the end of lease cleaning, office cleaning, commercial carpet cleaning).
• In order to clean the outside of your home, you can do things like use a pressure washer, wash the windows, and clear out the gutters, just to name a few.
• Never try to undercut their prices.
• Cleaning service marketing that positions you as a "premium quality business" allows you to charge premium rates and appeal to the most desirable clientele.
• Word-of-mouth is the most effective marketing strategy for reaching potential new clients.
• Incentives for current customers to refer you to new customers, such as a free cleaning service, are a great way to boost your business through word of mouth.
• Say you're thinking about starting your own cleaning business.
• Promoting your cleaning service website can be done in two ways: either through paid advertising (like Google Adwords) or by hiring a company that specialises in organically increasing a website's ranking on page one of search engine results (this is known as search engine optimisation).