In the world of today when everyone is busy trying to make a living, some basic chores such as cleaning can be greatly daunting, if at all one gets time for them. This has over the years, created a great opportunity for entrepreneurs in the cleaning business to earn a buck for themselves while also creating employment for others. From homes to business premises, hospitals, public gathering venues, and even government institutions, there is business all over for cleaning service providers.
However, the trade also comes with its own fair share of challenges. From capital to marketing, service delivery, and customer satisfaction, there are so many things that could determine whether or not your cleaning service venture will materialize to be successful or not. Are you an entrepreneur who’s thinking of trying your odds in this business or perhaps you’ve just launched?
Here are some pointers on what makes a cleaning business successfully.
Proper niche selection
Especially in developed countries, the cleaning service industry is a crowded one. As of 2016, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that the cleaning sector accounted for 2.3 million jobs, and the prospective field growth within 10 years (to 2026) was 10%. In such a competitive industry, you’re better off offering something unique, not necessarily entirely, but having a defined bearing will obviously lead you to the right path.
Marketing
Before your new venture gains a household name in your local area, let no one convince you otherwise, but you shall need to put a pretty solid amount of effort into marketing. You may have acquired a few clients here and there at first, but this is not where it should stop. Many businesses and organizations measure their success otherwise. Liaise with building constructors, market your skills/knowledge, spread the word in your local area, and make sure your brand is recognized. For best results, consider promoting your services online by putting up a website, marketing it on social media, and ensure that you’re in all the relevant online directories in your area.
It’s a digital world, embrace technology
For utmost effectiveness, consistency, and efficiency, one of the best things you can do for your cleaning business is to invest in a system for your operations. According to BookingKoala, the best cleaning services in NYC invest in systems and tech products that make it easy for customers to make their booking, and the business owner to track progress. The best systems also incorporate other functions such as customer service, supervision, reporting, billing, payroll, and accounting, and much more. With all these integrated into a single system, the success of your cleaning business becomes much easier.
Service quality
In the world of hospitality, for instance, cleanliness is of great essence. Lodgings, food, places, recreational facilities, and other facilities in the hospitality industry need to be super clean, well maintained, and well kept at all times. Without this, these facilities can easily go out of business. As a cleaning service business, the quality of services you provide is what will sell you to your clients. By providing superior quality services, you will not only be able to recruit and keep clients, but most of your present clients will also be willing to refer you to other businesses or individuals that may need similar services. And it goes without saying, that this is the true definition of growth since more customers will mean more business and higher profits.
Take care of your staff
Upon starting a cleaning business, you’ll need to hire a number of employees with time as you recruit more clients and your venture continues to expand. However, your employees will be very critical to the success of the business. To ensure that great service quality is maintained and that your clients are satisfied, you will want to motivate your clients in various ways, some of which may include the following:
Pay them fairly
Provide incentives such as bonuses for the top-rated employees or those who achieve their targets
Invest in staff training where necessary
Due to factors such as competition and the lack of proper equipment, achieving success for your business in the cleaning may not be as easy as it sounds. However, this doesn’t mean that it is not doable either. You just have to know the ingredients of success and put them into action, some of which fortunately are provided by the few pointers above.
