The Importance of Choosing the Right Uniform for Cleaning Employees

By:  Cathy Green

My business is now a year and a half old. Up to this point I have not had a formal uniform picked out for my workers.

I’m one who puts thought into things before making a move. I knew that I wanted khaki works pants for my crew because khakis look so polished and professional.

The big decision for me boiled down to the color shirt I’d choose for the business image.  At first I looked at green shirts and even red shirts. I initially avoided blue because of how common that color is in uniforms.

What I decided to do, however, was research the meanings behind colors. I discovered that there is a reason why so many businesses put their people in blue uniforms.

The fact is, studies show that consumers prefer the color blue. Blue offers a sense of calmness and makes people feel more productive.

In the end, I went with blue tee shirts with my company logo embroidered on them and khaki pants. That offers a crisp, sharp and professional look that actually is worthy of my company’s name.

With a name like “UpperCrust Maids” I want my employees to have a certain look. It’s all about building an image, a brand. I want clients to view my workers as being “clean cut” as opposed to sloppy.  And quite frankly, I believe that even the employees will take a greater pride in their work when they are dressed the part.

What about you? Have you given any serious thought yet to the image you want your cleaning company to project? If not, start thinking about it today!

Commercial Space for Your Cleaning Company

By:  Cathy Green

The vast majority of new cleaning companies start out in their home. In my case, I started out in two areas of my home. My basement stores equipment and supplies. And on the first floor of my home I converted my den into an office.

I’ve been in business now for over a year and I can tell you that I have outgrown my house for many reasons:

a. My husband and I would like to convert our basement into an exercise studio/family room. That cannot be done with all the cleaning business supplies and equipment down there.

b. My den is an area of the house that I would like to really fix up and turn into an elegant space. Clearly, with papers all over the place, filing cabinets, etc., that is not presently possible.

c. Daily, cleaning techs stop by my home to pick up/drop off supplies, pick up keys, drop off keys, etc. My home is too busy at this point. My desire is for my home to be my sanctuary, not a place where people come at 6:00 in the morning sometimes to pick up supplies.

At this point, I’m actively looking at areas for the office. If I’m going to have an office, I would like for it to be in an area where people who drive or walk by can see it.

In terms of square footage, I have a vision for my company that will need to be fulfilled in the space I lease or purchase. I have created the UpperCrust Cleaning Academy. Right now the academy exists in clients’ homes. That’s where I train my cleaning techs.

However, I want to get to a point where much of their training occurs in my office space. In short, I’m thinking about leasing a small house in a business district. The house needs to have a finished basement, a first floor and upstairs. The cleaning academy will be located in the house. My office will be set up as an office and my supplies and equipment will be in the basement.

Training of employees will take place there. I’ll have furniture there that they can practice on. They will learn my method of cleaning bathrooms in the bathrooms that are there. They will learn how to clean a kitchen in the kitchen that is there.

If they get most of their training there, then by the time they are released into homes, they will be far ahead of the game.

I want the basement to be large enough that I can have all my employees gather together for monthly meetings. I’d like to have guests come in from time to time to teach, motivate, train. My vision for my company is expansive, yet realistic.

So step #1 for me is to find the area where I would like to have the space, then look for the house within that area. I’m going to take my time because I would like to stay in whatever space I get for a long time. I might even buy the house. I’ll see what happens.

What about you? Have you expanded your vision yet to start to thinking about office space? If not, do that. It’s more professional. Your clients as well as your employees will have a totally different reaction to your company if it has space.

Maid Service Owner as Salesman

By: Cathy Green

    One of the things that maid service owners need to understand is that we are spokesmen and salesmen for our establishments.

What this means is that there is a 5-point process to landing a new client.

1 – Market the company

2 – Perspective client calls

3 – Either the owner or a trained person working on the owner’s behalf establishes the first impression and works hard to get the opportunity to set up an in home cleaning estimate (or in rare cases, close the sale over the phone)

4 – At the cleaning estimate, the owner (or designee) steps up the salesmanship. It is during the estimate that the owner works hard to convince the potential client to give the company an opportunity to clean their home at the agreed upon price

5 – The employees then need to live up to the verbage and promises put forth by the owner

What owners need to understand is that clients won’t just fall into our laps and hand us their money.

Case in point. Just today a client who had received one of my company’s postcards gave me a call. I am always thrilled when I see that my postcard marketing is working.

I found out while speaking to the potential client that he presently has a cleaning service coming to his home. The fact that he called me proves, however, that he is not satisfied with his present service and therefore he is ready to move on. So I really had to step up my salesmanship.

During the conversation as I was asking him about the specifics of his home, I discovered that his present company charges less than the estimate I gave.  In fact, he hesitated after I gave him my estimate, then he told me that he still wanted me to come out to his home and give him a final estimate

So I have gotten past first base. Once I arrive at his home to give the estimate, I’ll be at second base.

Whether or not I land at third base and the “home run” will depend on the image I present as I continue to sell him on why he should leave his present company and come over to my company. Of course I will concentrate on discussing my own company and how he will benefit by hiring us.

Keep that in mind. As a home cleaning business owner, you don’t just sit behind a desk. You are very much needed out there in the field—at least until after your business grows large enough to have someone do that on your behalf.

Bone up on your sales skills and get ready to share how great your company truly is. Have fun!

Create Your Own Company Image

 

By:  Cathy Green

Never copy anyone else. Be original. No two cleaning companies are exactly alike—which is one of the reasons I don’t believe franchises work in the cleaning industry. Cleaning homes is not like flipping hamburgers.

I already know that I will not franchise UpperCrust Maids, LLC. I cannot train another business owner to run their company exactly the way I run mine. Yes, I have things written down. Yes, I run my company as though it’s a franchise. Yes, I have systems and organization in place. Yes I have a business plan. But in spite of all that, I cannot duplicate this in the hands of another person.

I change often, based on need. I cannot bottle what I’m doing. At a surface level, I can tell people what I do but what works for my company may not work for yours. For example, not every region has the luxury of the number of wealthy households to market to that I do. I live in an area that is doing very well.

Already I have created some things for my business that is not in place in other cleaning companies. But I did it based on the needs of my particular company.

I have studied other companies. But I refuse to do exactly what they do. Some companies use three maids per home. That works for them. Some companies use two maids per home. For them, that’s perfect.

But you know what? My company functions best when we use two to three maids for first time cleanings and ONE maid for regular cleanings.

The only time we use two maids for regular cleanings is when a home is particularly large or complicated in some way.

If your systems that you created for your business are working, stay there. Don’t change based on what another company is doing.

Early in my business, I used the computerized system of a maid service company. I hated it and ended up going back to my own record keeping system. What I found was that their system works fine for them, and maybe even for other companies. But their system did not work for me. I had already created my own forms that fit the needs of my company and I realized that no one else’s forms are able to meet my needs. So….I don’t use any company’s forms. I don’t waste money on that. I use my own self-designed forms and that is fine for me. And since my payroll is handled by ADP, a professional company, I don’t need anything else.

Do your thing, your way. Create your own systems for your business, based on your needs. Don’t be a copy cat. Be unique. Be different. Stand out in a good way. Don’t make your website look like everyone else’s. Don’t follow anyone else’s strategies. Map out your own course and follow it!