You likely think that they are just concerned with price and dependability and while they are there are other things that are just as important. The company that you are trying to land a contract with wants to know if you are complying with all state and federal regulations so they don’t get stuck paying for your workman’s compensation or your unemployment.

Does the Lowest Bid Win?

While you might think that they are going to jump on the price quote that you gave them because it is less than the competition would charge they want to know why you cut your costs. Did you cut the costs because you lack in experience or maybe you don’t have insurance? The lowest bid usually rises a bit of concern. Companies, especially national companies know that when they are seeking office cleaners, window cleaners, or carpet cleaners that they will get bids from big businesses and small businesses. They also know that both have advantages and disadvantages. Most of the time, they are not partial as long as you have your business in order.

Big Guy vs. Little Guy

The big cleaning companies usually have high tech equipment, they usually work faster, they are usually never short handed but they cost more. The little companies offer a strong presence, they are trustworthy, they show the face behind the name and they offer a better price. The other things that companies look at are what other services that you offer. If you offer multiple services then that saves them time and time is money. If they have any special needs they want to be sure that you can meet them and they will likely be concerned with your schedule in comparison to theirs. Can you wrap up this contract today or is it going to require further meetings? These are some of the things that are being considered.

Questions, Questions, and more Questions

Can you answer any questions or concerns that the client may have? What can you tell them about how they can determine how often they will need an office cleaning service? How can they tell if their cleaning needs are daily or weekly? What can you tell the customer about the type of cleaners and cleaning chemicals that you use? While some may not care, others are sure to. And finally, what can you tell the company about the workers that you will be sending into their offices when no one is present? What kind of assurance can you provide for them?

These are some of the things that you must be prepared to answer when heading in and hoping to land a cleaning contract!

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Where to Market

Your best marketing friend should be the Internet since you can get the information to so many people so quickly. The only problem with that is that you need to keep your customers kind of local so they are people that can actually use your service. The good news is that having a Web address that can be put on your stationary and business cards can be a great marketing tool. The inserts that are added to newspaper or stuffed inside of those Value envelopes work wonders for marketing. Make sure that you place a special coupon inside and this will lead to plenty of calls. Once you get the calls it is up to you to make sure the customer is satisfied and that you get their repeat business.

Why you Market

The whole point behind your marketing message needs to be delivering a message that shows the customer how you can help them or how you can solve their problem. For example, they have a dirty carpet and you have a carpet cleaning service. They have a dirty office and you can come in and clean it for them. That’s the whole concept behind marketing…convince them how you can help, why you are the best choice and why they should pay for your service rather than the other guy.

Marketing vs. Advertising

Never confuse marketing with advertising because it is like comparing apples and oranges. All advertising does is makes sure that you have made a presence in the industry, you and two million others, but you want them to know why out of two million they should select to do business with you…that’s marketing. While advertising might get you the initial sale if you have some dynamic advertising scheme it is good marketing that brings the customer back after the sale. Good marketing is what places the buck in your hand.

Planning

Prior to starting your cleaning business you should have some kind of idea about how you plan to market it. There is no better tool available then a superior marketing strategy. There is no service business, including a cleaning business that can continue to exist if it is lacking a verified marketing plan. Before you do anything else you have to assess your opposition and find out what they are doing. The importance of knowing what they are doing is not to follow suit but rather to offer them something new and innovative…something fresh.

Present additional services that are not offered by the majority of your rivals. Keep up with the changing market and predict what lies ahead.

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• Upholstery cleaning
• Spot and stain removal from upholstery
• Fire restoration
• Drapery cleaning
• Smoke damage cleanup
• Carpet restoration
• Wall cleaning
• Carpet dyeing

Who are your Customers?

Potential customers are everywhere and will embrace companies that offer multiple domestic cleaning services. For you, this means that your company growth will be more successful when offering a variety of related services but it also means that your initial costs will be inflated. Those that enter this niche will find that it is very productive and rewarding.

Upholstery and carpet cleaners are necessary at places such as:

• Apartment buildings
• Condos
• Offices
• Schools
• Banks
• Restaurants
• Hotels
• Churches
• Bowling alleys
• Transportation terminals

Financing your Business

Most people that are starting a cleaning business rely on personal money or family loans to begin their venture. After a period of being in business most will reinvest profits to expand their future growth but some will be able to rely on financing options once you can show the bank that you have been using some of your own finances to fund your business.

When it comes to finding capital to further fund your business there are some options such as:

• Credit cards
• Liquidating assets
• Borrow from a friend or family member
• Find a partner
• Government programs
• Be home based

Image

There is no doubt that a commercial location will allow you to portray more of a professional image but when you think about it, how often will your customers actually visit your office? The truth is that they normally don’t. So, if in the event that you choose to fund a brick and mortar building you should not find something elaborate since in the long run it will be over priced and unnecessary.

What might be a bit more important when it comes to displaying professionalism is what your customers will see which is your equipment and your vehicle. If your equipment and your vehicle are run down and shoddy looking then that will display a reflection of you.

When it comes to image keep in mind that it is made up of several components:

• Appearance
• Neat and organized invoices and statements
• Clean and organized equipment
• Integrity
• Insurance
• Your vehicle(s)

In the event that you do have to use your own vehicle or that you hire employees and they have to use their own vehicle you should purchase some magnetic signs to put on the vehicle that display your company name and phone number. These look professional, are affordable, and are a form of advertising.

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• Will you hire any employees?
• Equipment
• Supplies
• Cost
• Pricing
• Advertising

Pricing

Pricing can be a monotonous and lengthy procedure particularly if you don’t have a flair for working with numbers. Pricing might not be a concept that you perfect the first time around but it is essential that you get as close as you possibly can. Bidding too high can cost you jobs and bidding too low costs you money. Neither is an attractive option.

Make sure that you are spot on with your pricing by doing things such as evaluating each completed job and comparing it against your estimate. Break down all the costs and see the true profit margin. Estimating labor is an important aspect of being in business for yourself just as accurately estimating operating costs is.

There are a few factors that have to be calculated when it comes to pricing:

1. The cost of labor & materials
2. Overhead
3. Profit

Not until after you have a track record for comparison purposes can you begin to be certain that the prices you are setting are solid and reflect a profit ratio. Until then you will have to base everything in terms of pricing to estimating. This includes labor and materials and is usually determined in a set price per hour.

Material Costs

Material costs are separate; they do not include labor and are just the operating costs that are essential when you are starting your own cleaning business. The best way to determine these rates is by looking over the cost of your operating costs in the past. To calculate overhead rates add up every expense for an entire year only leaving out labor and materials. Divide that total by the full price of labor and materials.

The number that remains is your overhead rate. Use industry averages until you are able to establish your own numbers. It is possible for you to calculate your profits and add them into your estimate by relating a portion of revenue to the collective expenditures of labor, materials and overhead.

Final Advice

Always keep your customers abreast of all specials, information or additional services that you are or will be offering. Remember, they can’t use your ideas if they do not know about them. Use flyers that share your specials and services. These are fantastic ways to market your business and are also very affordable as well.

The overall market for cleaning services is incredible but you have got to settle on the particular niche that you will shoot for. It is this particular niche that you will essentially target and then market it hard. You will have to examine the geographic vicinity you desire to serve. Make sure that the area that you plan to target has an adequate number of prospective customers.

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]]> http://www.startcleaningservice.com/blog/the-essentials-of-starting-your-own-business/feed 0 http://www.startcleaningservice.com/blog/start-a-carpet-cleaning-business http://www.startcleaningservice.com/blog/start-a-carpet-cleaning-business#comments Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:00:54 +0000 admin http://www.startcleaningservice.com/blog/?p=290 Carpet cleaning is one of the most well-liked home start up businesses that are considered. The start up costs is minimal and one can usually get started in a business such as this for well under $1,000. Most people will initially rent their equipment and supplies until they begin to see a profit. When it is time to start shopping for the equipment many will buy used at first. Wholesale suppliers very often have amazing deals on both used and new equipment that is needed for this type of business.

Not just anyone should jump into carpet cleaning businesses. While it can be a lucrative business venture it does require some skill and knowledge about this arena. You have to know how to professionally clean rugs and carpets. At first it is likely that you would begin with smaller residential accounts but your goal should be to grow commercially and expand to larger contracts and the ability to rely on repeat customers and regular accounts.

Considerations

When it comes to providing prices for your carpet cleaning business there are a few considerations to make:

• Will you charge an hourly rate
• Will you charge a flat rate
• Will you have a minimum
• Will you move furniture for free or will you charge an additional fee
• Are you competitive with other companies in your area that offer the same service

Marketing & Reaching the Customer

How do you plan to get the word out about your new business? Good business people will always rely on word of mouth but it takes time to create a buzz about your service and generally that is only of it is outstanding. Word of mouth is not enough so you will have to incorporate a degree of passing out flyers, advertising in local papers, and handing out business cards. Networking is also a great idea.

Growth

While it might be alright to begin your carpet cleaning business with leased equipment or freestanding units you will have to eventually keep up with the big guys. The professional companies use truck mounted systems. The good news is that once you upgrade your prices will be able to professionally reflect the upgrade. For even more growth you should eventually consider adding upholstering cleaning to your cleaning menu.

Knowing the Ropes

It is important that you have the ability to provide a quality carpet cleaning service to your customers if you want to expand. To become familiar with the latest and greatest carpet cleaning technology it is often a good idea to take a short term job with a company that is already established so you can learn the ropes. Here are some things that you should never do:

• Schedule more customers than you can efficiently accommodate
• Never be late
• Never reschedule
• Never try to do a two man job by yourself

Just remember all of the places where carpet exists when you are preparing to advertise:

• Cars
• Houses
• Offices
• Boats
• Stores
• Hospitals
• Various buildings

Starting a carpeting cleaning business can be the key to your future financial independence if you have a passion for cleaning, enjoy dealing with people, and need to keep your start up costs very minimal.

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]]> http://www.startcleaningservice.com/blog/start-a-carpet-cleaning-business/feed 0 http://www.startcleaningservice.com/blog/school-cleaning-job-what-to-expect http://www.startcleaningservice.com/blog/school-cleaning-job-what-to-expect#comments Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:00:02 +0000 admin http://www.startcleaningservice.com/blog/?p=289 Individuals that take on school cleaning jobs will usually have a range of important cleaning duties. This sector is a bit different from the other cleaning niches in terms of the work that needs to be done which is more janitorial in comparison. Some of the duties include:
• Floor cleaning
• Rug shampooing
• Wall washing
• Glass cleaning
• Trash removal
• Cleaning bathrooms
• Cleaning the cafeteria after lunch
• Unlocking and locking the buildings before and after school hours

Janitorial duties often go much farther than that and can include:

• Making sure that faucets don’t leak
• Some painting
• Light carpentry
• Lawn mowing
• Minor heating & cooling tasks
• Mopping floors
• Extermination
• Snow & ice removal

Work Hours

For the most part, office buildings are cleaned after hours of operation. For many this means working in the evening. However, school cleaning jobs are a bit different and require that workers work in shifts so someone is readily available at all times. Part-time cleaning jobs usually require working in the evenings and/or weekends. The good news is that weekends are almost always free.

Other Considerations

People that decide to work cleaning schools are almost always considered to be employees rather than people who are in business for themselves. This means that there is no need to be bothered with buying insurance or supplies as they will all be supplied. Those who are hired in as janitors will have to pass other criteria as opposed to independent cleaners such as:

• Drug screening
• criminal background check
• A physical
• A minimum of a GED

Because school cleaning jobs are considered to be more permanent employment it is likely that you would be given the same perks that other school employees have such as insurance, 401K, and retirement benefits. Most janitorial jobs keep the employee in the same school or at least the same district for the duration of their employment.

When it comes to part time cleaning jobs, cleaning schools or what many call janitorial work is a good choice. The jobs are pretty basic and duties are often mundane.

Pay

School cleaning job compensation can vary considerably. Some cleaning staff, as mentioned is hired as a regular employee and they are the ones that make the least amount of money. Cleaning staff that does work on a contractual basis will likely make the most money. The national average for school janitors that are employed through the school district ranges from $20,000-$35,000 respectively.
As you can see this type of cleaning job is different from most others. Schools do not, as a rule, just hire random employees or companies to enter the school buildings because there are children involved and for safety provisions this is understandable.

A cleaning job in a school can be a rewarding career for many people, it can also be versatile and secure. If you are the type of person that likes to work at your own pace then this just might the job for you.

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]]> http://www.startcleaningservice.com/blog/school-cleaning-job-what-to-expect/feed 0 http://www.startcleaningservice.com/blog/part-time-cleaning-jobs-many-to-choose-from http://www.startcleaningservice.com/blog/part-time-cleaning-jobs-many-to-choose-from#comments Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:00:53 +0000 admin http://www.startcleaningservice.com/blog/?p=288 Often when people think about part time cleaning jobs they will think in terms of cleaning a home or cleaning offices. In fact, there are other niches in the cleaning industry that are just as important and are almost always hired out.

Other Types of Cleaning Jobs

Why not consider starting a window cleaning service? This type of cleaning service extends over both the commercial and residential sector. There are numerous advantages to starting this type of business:

• Start up costs are very low
• Operating costs are very low
• Fantastic opportunity for repeat business
• There is the possibility of earning several hundred dollars per day
• No special vehicle required

Getting Started

There’s not a lot to getting started. Businesses usually have their windows cleaned on the regular and if they are satisfied with the quality of your work will usually reward you with repeat business. The key is how to get hired in the first place. There is a chance that if you advertise locally that they will see the ad and call you but for most businesses you have to be more direct and forward. Try showing up at the business with a business card and a prewritten estimate in hand. Have your supplies ready too because you never know when they might ask you to clean their windows on the spot.

The story is a bit different when it comes to residences. Homeowners usually find people to clean their windows in one of two places, the paper or word of mouth, and they prefer the latter of the two. It is very common to be washing windows for one person and have a neighbor approach you and ask if you can clean their windows when you are finished. Often psychologically, people will think that if you are cleaning for the neighbor that there must be a degree of trust already established and the price must be fair as well.

Keeping Your Customers Happy

Once you have landed the initial customers the key to successfully growing your window cleaning business is going to be keeping those clients happy and satisfied. It is up to you to make sure that they have no reason to look elsewhere for a window cleaner. The ways to do that is:

• Always be punctual & consistent
• Be thorough
• Always do your best work
• Always return customer phone calls right away
• Always go the extra mile to thank each customer

Possible Earnings

The window cleaning business is one that will generate immediate profits! Depending on who you are cleaning windows for the average hourly pay ranges from $25-$50 per hour. This means that later if you need to hire a crew there is enough money to pay them up to $12 an hour and still make a handsome profit.

Insurance

There is no doubt that all kinds of insurance is expensive but what you have to remember is that it is even more expensive not to have it. When you carry insurance and have professional invoices you portray a more expert image and can usually charge a bit more. Not more than everyone else but more than the guy who doesn’t have any of this. The additional charges will soak up some of the costs that you pay out in insurance premiums.

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]]> http://www.startcleaningservice.com/blog/part-time-cleaning-jobs-many-to-choose-from/feed 0 http://www.startcleaningservice.com/blog/starting-your-own-cleaning-business http://www.startcleaningservice.com/blog/starting-your-own-cleaning-business#comments Mon, 07 Sep 2009 20:01:41 +0000 admin http://www.startcleaningservice.com/blog/?p=287 When it comes to starting your own cleaning business it is important that you understand that this is broken into two groups, commercial and consumer. One segment, the commercial niche consists of mainly janitorial services, window cleaning, and carpet cleaning. The consumer cleaning has more of a maid service feel to it handling house cleaning duties. When you plan to start a new cleaning business it is important to decide on one niche and stick to it until you have found some success.

One thing about starting a cleaning business is that it is possible to make a lot of money fairly fast. Some owners choose to operate full time while others opt for part time. The main location can also be run from an office location or from a residence. This is a very flexible business which is one reason that it is so attractive.

Some Considerations

It is important to decide early on if you want to be part of the business where you get right in there with the others and do some cleaning yourself or if you are more of a manager that would be better at managing teams, creating schedules, and making payroll. The extent of what needs to be done depends a lot on the style of cleaning service you choose to establish.

Residential or Commercial?

If you are measuring simplicity then residential cleaning might be better for you because it doesn’t require buying any special equipment or supplies unlike commercial cleaning does. This means that the start up costs is much more manageable and less training is required.

Both businesses require that the person in charge has some specific qualities such as good time management skills, organization, dedication, and the ability to build relationships with both customers and employees.

When starting a residential cleaning service it is easy to start off small by managing client’s right from your home. You can set up a separate phone line to take incoming calls and since the clients never come to you they will never even know that you are working from home. Later, as the business prospers then you might choose to rent an office.

Ideally, a residential cleaning service would have one person that handles scheduling, ordering supplies, giving estimates, answering the phone calls, and payroll. Hired staff is generally who visits the residences and does the actual cleaning. It is very difficult, if not impossible to manage both jobs.

The Demand

In the past few decades more and more women have entered the workforce which has created an increasing demand for house cleaning services. The typical client that would hire a residential cleaning service would make in excess of $50,000 annually. Other clients will be made up of well off families where the wife does not work but spends her time doing other things and many single people that work but live alone could call on you as well.

Another thing that you will find when comparing residential cleaning to commercial is that commercial cleaning has to be captured on a much larger scope. In other words, it is not just limited to cleaning homes. You have to target to hospitals, offices, restaurants, salons, etc. Of course once these accounts are landed, the profit margin is a lot higher. You can put together a very thriving cleaning business on recommendations, but remember that you need those initial customers to get started.

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]]> http://www.startcleaningservice.com/blog/starting-your-own-cleaning-business/feed 0 http://www.startcleaningservice.com/blog/commercial-cleaning-services-start-your-own http://www.startcleaningservice.com/blog/commercial-cleaning-services-start-your-own#comments Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:00:19 +0000 admin http://www.startcleaningservice.com/blog/?p=286 Many people seem to dread the task of house cleaning and definitely don’t want to envision cleaning on an even bigger scale such as offices but when you are getting paid very nicely to do it, things could be a whole lot worse. Opening an office cleaning business is a brilliant way to receive big money while ensuring some future security.

Many people are tossed when it comes to starting a cleaning business. They are fearful that they won’t generate enough residual income and that they won’t have any true job security. So, starting an office cleaning job is a venture that requires a true and natural entrepreneurial spirit and a great deal of self confidence.

Reasons to Get Started

There are some very good reasons to select an office cleaning business over many of the other options that you might be considering.

• Start on a shoestring budget. This industry is one of the best for low-cost start-ups.
• You can be your own boss and control your own destiny.
• Make your own schedule. When you’re allowed to control your own agenda most take more delight in the work.
• Get paid regularly.
• Additional future start up possibilities.

The Many Benefits

One of the best things about having an office cleaning business is that you always have the option to incorporate other cleaning niches into it. Obviously the bigger your company grows, the bigger your bank account is going to grow. So you should have a goal of eventually running crews.

Sure you could branch off and expand to housecleaning services but think on a bigger level. You want to be able to offer all of the services that you know these offices and businesses are going to need such as carpet cleaning, window cleaning, floor stripping and waxing, or even pressure washing.

The service sector is the one that continues to grow so starting an office cleaning business is a wise investment. It is also a business that doesn’t require much more on start up than registering your business, buying some liability insurance, and some small start up costs.

Market Growth

The business will grow a lot bigger if you are able to spring for some marketing. The reason that advertising and marketing is so important in this business is that the clientele is so extensive and located just about anywhere where businesses exist.

When it comes to owning and operating an office cleaning service you can stick exclusively with just cleaning or a better idea is to capture the entire line of services that each business will be able to utilize. This will also give you the advantage when the company reviews your estimates as you offer something unique and beneficial.

A commercial office cleaning business can and often will generate an exceptionally strong income, usually well into six figures. These kinds of figures will not show up until you start running crews.

Keep in mind that office cleaning is generally done as evening or night work and not very often is the option open to clean during business hours. This is the exact opposite of housecleaning which almost always employs day time workers.

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]]> http://www.startcleaningservice.com/blog/commercial-cleaning-services-start-your-own/feed 0 http://www.startcleaningservice.com/blog/part-time-office-cleaning-jobs-can-supplement-the-pocketbook http://www.startcleaningservice.com/blog/part-time-office-cleaning-jobs-can-supplement-the-pocketbook#comments Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:00:33 +0000 admin http://www.startcleaningservice.com/blog/?p=285 When you are in search of that perfect part time job, one that will supplement your pocketbook, part time office cleaning jobs might just be perfect for you. This is what a part time office cleaning job will offer:
• Work close to your home.
• Part time hours.
• Flexibility.
• A steady pay check.

Duties

Almost all businesses employ the use of office cleaning services. The business will contract a company to clean their business, usually after hours, and the company in turn will hire individual cleaners or teams of cleaners to go into the business and do such things as:

• Sweep and mop the floors
• Empty garbage
• Clean the bathrooms
• Clean the lunch room area
• Wash the entrance windows
• Vacuum rugs or carpets

Usually a team of workers will go into the office and can normally knock out everything in a few hours or less. Office cleaning jobs are more often than not weekday job with weekends off. The cleaning company that was originally contracted will provide the cleaning supplies and equipment and they will also be providing your pay checks as well as al of the liability insurance.

Your job will be to conduct efficient and thorough cleanings throughout the building. Once you get a schedule down pat you will know which things to keep on top of from week to week and things will be a lot easier then when you first get started. Most of the time office cleaners do not touch the office cubicles so there is no disruption of an employee’s personal property.

About the Job

Each business and every office cleaning service will have different rules that they will implement but there is no doubt that this is a great and very flexible way to earn some extra cash. Some of the places that office cleaners work at are doctor’s offices, manufacturing shops, hair and nail salons, and a number of other locations.

Qualifications

Very often you can thumb through your local classified section and there will be at least a few jobs that are labelled as ‘office cleaning jobs’. All you have to do is make a quick phone call and you can be on your way to that part time job that you have been looking for. All the cleaning company usually requires from you is that you are:

• Over the age of 18
• Have reliable transportation
• Can pass a drug screen
• Are bondable

These things are really important since the cleaning company has put their name on the line for you. Many times you would be expected to be in some of these offices without a representative from your company. This is why it is important that you are a trustworthy and reliable person. In addition, if you are sent on a job that entails privacy issues there has to be established trust there.

There are a number of possibilities available when it comes to this kind of part time job. Believe it or not they can be a bit fun…of course that depends on who you work with. You will get plenty of exercise and have some extra money!

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