Clean It Up
UK General Cleaning Forum => General Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: maggie67 on January 19, 2005, 12:24:06 pm
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Excuse my ignorance I am toying with this one! ???
Do I build up a list of cleaners first or get loads of work & then hand over ::). Some input from those of you more successfull people who can remember the early days & your first steps to getting where you are now would be gratefully appreciated! ;)
Regards
Maggie
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Maggie,
I have that very same question in mind, myself. I have a few domestic jobs at the moment that I do myself but I am quite confident that when I start promoting and advertising more, I will get loads of other work. I am not sure whether to get staff in first or not ??? I don't really have too much idea how the whole recruitment process should take. For example, the police check can take a few weeks to come through so should they not be working until then? My solution for that particular issue would be to work with them on jobs until it does but it still begs the question......advertise and get jobs first or get staff first ???
I would definitely be interested in what other's have done here.
Thanks
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hi both!
I am 4 months into my new business, still cleaning myself but have 2 other cleaners.........in my limited experience, i tried the getting work first bit, but I was getting too much and had to turn potential clients away....not good!! I decided I needed to have a small base of cleaners first, so advertised in my local rag. It cost me a bit over 65 quid, but i got 5 calls. I told them all that there wasn't actually any work straight away and that when it did come in it would be gradual. All 5 were happy. I sent them all application forms which were a bit basic, I should have asked for CV's (if they are keen they will send one) The first person to reply already had her CRB check so I was covered there (although I have registered with them, it costs £300.00, and they take months to sort it). She has cleaning experience, but on an industrial level. She started with me last week. I wasn't able to go with her to her first cleans as I am still cleaning too.....bad move.....out of the 4 people she cleaned for, 2 of them picked her up on stuff......nothing serious but if I had been with her it wouldn't have happened. This week she cries in sick and I have to cover her job today....luckily I could, it was one of the ones who picked her up.....what she had been picked up on was not any better when I cleaned (shower, probably not been cleaned properly for years.........very old bathroom suite, plenty of condensation and mould/mildew in grout and sealer...in fact you couldn't see the sealer for the mould!!)
I have never employed people before, and in my inexperience, probably didn't ask the questions I should have of my new lady when I interviewed her. I have learned very quickly from that. I had 4 jobs to fill and couldn't do them myself so took on the first person that came along.....not wise!! I think she will work out, but it may take time (which we don't really have, clients want it all done last week!!!) it will take encouragements and support from me (she is getting penty of that) and most of all I will not let the Clients push me or my cleaners around....if I feel they are making ridiculous demands I won't clean for them........simple!!
In a nut shell.......get yourself a base of 5 or 6 cleaners who are CRB checked, have plenty of cleaning experience (especially domestic), can supply 2 checkable references, are genuine (so far as you can tell), reliable, trustworthy, hardworking, confident (after all they do have to meet the Clients too).
Give them plenty of encouragement and support, make yourself willingly available to both Cleaners and Clients at virtually any time of the day or evening, both during the week and weekends. Build slowly and graduallt introduce your exisiting Clients to your new cleaners, leaving you free to market your business, meet prospective Clients not looking like a tramp (as I do most times bearing in mind I am going straight from a previous cleaning job), and allow yourself to be the one to step in in an emergency should one of your cleaners not show up. Also ensure you have other Cleaners who you can call on to do the same at short notice!!
I am not making a mint, but I do have 2 cleaners and 15 very happy Clients so far, even with the teething problems that have occurred!!
Have I deviated off the subject??? ;D
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Hi Jan
Not at all. Very down-to-earth thank you for your 1st hand experiece and advice. Will take note! ;D
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Maggie,
I have found that working alonside the cleaners to begin with the best thing. I also do alot of the cleaning myself but will take my cleaners along to jobs when I am free. I usually get them to help with my jobs and then pass these jobs onto them. Once I am happy with the cleaners I will advertise for more work and then just take the cleaner along to the new client and introduce them. also showing the cleaner what needs to be done.
Hope this helps.
Rgd
Kim
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We have been operating for nearly 18 months, and we now have 14 cleaners, I try to work along side of them when they are new for a week or so, but its now getting harder as my mobile is constantly ringing and the phone in the office is unmaned, its time for me to get out of the cleaning, (which is difficult as the clients do tend to cling on) and start some admin procedures, time sheets, contracts, payroll, servicing equipment, invoicing, etc, I now find that there is always at least one cleaner off sick, one that wants to do half the agreed hours, and one on holiday, so we never work up to full strength. I move the cleaners around as much as possible so that the clients and cleaners get to know each other, much easier when the propties are empty.
However I still enjoy what I do, even though Ive never worked so hard in my life. :)
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I absolutely agree that working alongside new cleaners is the best way forward..........it isn't possible for me to do that at the moment as I clean everyday myself, the intention is for me to back away from the cleaning myself and do the 'support new cleaners' bit...we all learn my our mistakes and other propel's experiences and that is why this site is such a god send ;D
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I explored a domestic franchise once and spoke to a number of the Merry Maids franchisees. One in particular complained that his first 12 months or so was terrible due to the unreliability of his staff. He got over this by having 12 staff but only worked 8 each day, obviously he chose which 8 worked each day on a number of factors.
I think you have to have the work first before acquiring the staff. On this subject and due to the high number of applicants that we have been receiving per local newspaper ad (100-200), I have now set up "a pay as you go" mobile phone with a voice message for people to leave there name and number. I only switch it on once a day when not working and then ring them back for more details. it works really well although costly on collecting all the voice mails its still cheaper then getting disturbed every 5 mins.
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Voice nessaging is free on virgin.
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Thank you all
Voice messaging is a brilliant idea ! Much appreciated!