The profitability of a company depends on several factors, such as income, expenses, offer, and demand. To keep it simple, if your income is greater than your expenses, your balance is positive. Hence, you are making a profit. The same concept applies to any company or business, including cleaning service companies.
You might be tempted to think that because everyone should keep their house, office, or workplace clean, cleaning services are useless. However, some people lack the time or the will to clean by themselves. So, they pay another person to do it. Here is where cleaning services come to the rescue.
And don’t think for a moment that the cleaning industry is small. Studies from the Bureau of Labor Statistics suggest that the cleaning sector generated over 2.3 million jobs in 2016. Also, the number of cleaners should rise by ten percent by the end of 2026. Therefore, cleaning services present a huge opportunity for workers and entrepreneurs alike.
If you are thinking about making your way through all the dust and dirt to start your cleaning company, you should take a look at this advice.
Care About Everything
Don’t rush things; try to teach your workers to do their jobs within deadlines. But make sure that they have enough time to care about every single detail. This way, they are less likely to make mistakes. Thus, reducing the risk of accidents.
Remember that all accidents cause expenses, which translates into less profit; try to avoid them. However, sometimes, it could be impossible to prevent accidents from happening. In this case, you should consider insurance for your cleaning service. This way, you won’t have to pay for those extra expenses from your pocket.
Learn New Things
Most people think that cleaning has no science and there is no way to improve it. What they don’t know is that they couldn’t be more wrong. While the cleaning industry is not as complex as others, it still has some new things that you could learn to make your company better. For example, if there is a new piece of equipment that makes certain cleaning duties easier and with great results, you should consider buying it.
You can always learn new managing skills to improve the way you manage your company. If you wish to stay up to date with the latest trends in the cleaning industry, you should go to meetings or read the most recent publications about the niche.
Use Every Resource You Have
Use your tools and resources wisely. If you don’t know how to manage something, you should hire someone to help you. For example, many government agencies offer management and operational support for small companies.
Divide Your Company unto Small Systems
It doesn’t matter how small or big your company is. You should always create small groups to handle supervision, customer service, accounting, laundry, cleaning, and management. This way, you don’t need to be handling everything, and your company will have an organised structure.
Give Your Best When Cleaning
You should always clean like you were cleaning your own house or office. This not only prevents problems with clients, but it is a good way to promote your business. A recommendation is worth more than a TV ad.
Keep your staff motivated
A company is like a mechanical clock; if one gear is damaged, the clock’s entire operation is affected. Therefore, to keep your business running smoothly, you should take care of all your employees. For example, treat them with the due level of respect, give the bonus for outstanding performances, or provide then with benefits such as discounts in cleaning apparel. A satisfied employee will give his best in any task you order, which increases customer satisfaction.
Price Your Company Accordingly
Most start-ups think that the best way to make their way in the market is to offer the lowest prices. Sadly, this strategy doesn’t work all the time. The best way to stay on top of the competition is to offer the best price-quality ratio in the market.
Don’t Try to Do Everything
It is better to be the best at something rather than just above average in many things. For example, your company could specialise in hospital cleaning and nothing more. If you are an expert at something, it will be easier for you to find clients to grow your company.
Keep Track of All Expenses
It is easier to keep track of your income rather than your company expenses. However, this is where you should focus, especially on labor costs. If the labor cost is higher than expected, try to find out why and correct the problem. This way you will prevent it from happening again.
It could be helpful to have a monthly balance as well. This could be used to make projections and estimate future labor costs.
Use a Virtual Broom
Use all digital tools you have at hand to manage your business. For example, keep track of your balance, inventory, payroll, and unpaid bills on an excel sheet. You can also make a calendar with the due date of all your projects and share it with the head of each department.
Additionally, you must make sure that your company has an online presence. Make a website and social networks account to keep in contact with your clients.
Happy Clients Equals More Work
Leaving the place shining bright like a diamond is not enough. You should keep track of your client’s necessities. Ask them whether they lack the service or not, if there is any way that you could make things better, or if there is anything more they might need. This way, you will build a strong working relationship with your clients. Besides, they are more likely to re-hire your services if they feel comfortable with you.
Be Mindful of your Environment
The way that economy moves affect the profitability of your company. For example, in an economic downturn, people are less likely to hire house cleaning services. Likewise, companies will try to cut expenses down, and most of the time, they do so by sacrificing the cleaning staff.
You should keep an eye out for the price of other goods too. Even if they are not related to the cleaning industry. For example, if gas prices rise, your transportation expenses will rise as well. In such times, you should consider reducing some costs to avoid charging more for your services.
If you can make a chart with this data, it would be incredibly helpful. This way, you can predict any changes in the economy and act accordingly.
Don’t Bite off More than You Can Chew
You’ll be tempted to take all the offers that come to your desk. This is not a wise move, though. It is better to work on the projects that best suit your company; turn down any project that you don’t like.
These pieces of advice don’t male your company bulletproof. However, they could be helpful for you, especially if you are thinking of starting a cleaning company. Remember, there is always something new to learn.
