[andyjs1uk]

ok girls and boys,

i thinking of starting a sideline it be either cleaning or window cleaning, so i am hoping you can help me out.
1. which would you do. .?

2.i look at cleaning as a labour only job, especially domestic. but i would try to put more in to it than that. what would you suggest.?

3. is there really great demand for cleaners these day?

4.how would you start or how did you star.??

5. have you seen a decline in the enviroment recently..?


thanks peeps

[dsdearlove]

Hi,

I wouldn't say sales have declined, people will always need a cleaning service so cutting it out doesn't usually happen. If anything people have asked to reduce the hours cleaned, but then it makes them other cleaning session harder and longer, so cutting out is going backwards for both parties.

The domestic market is strong (i think) although we do office cleaning, the residential market will continue to grow, people are living longer and most do have disposable income to spend on things like cleaners. Try to target more affluent areas.

Post Leaflets for a start.

Knock on doors talk to them face-to-face, if you asked your partner to marry you....would you send an e-mail, phone her, post a letter or talk to her face-to-face if you wanted her to say yes.

I don't know much about window cleaning but of course its seasonal and weather dependant in some cases.

[andyjs1uk]

cheers ds,
thanks for your reply i will take on board...and if u have any other good advice feel free to advise.
andy in kent

[vacman]

Yes, there is demand for domestic cleaners (lots of people still have full time jobs and need the houses cleaned, despite what the media would have you think). I have to say that for domestic cleaning your people skills have to be as sharp as your cleaning ability. Not that i am saying yours aren't (i don't know you so why would i?), I am but making the point, if you see. 

[martin19842]

hi there

the cleaning market isnt shrinking or expanding as such,

both in domestic and commercial, clients are reviewing what they are spending, trying to get services at better prices, therefore tightening revenue levels.

there are more and more people coming into the cleaning market, it is perceived to be an easy, low capital business to get into, therefore more and more people are chasing the work.

make sure that you are on the ball with your sales activity, postcards, posters, website, flyers, etc, the more ativity that you do, the more chance that you or winning contracts, make sure that you are smart and that your business appears smart, and professional, give the right impression.

once you have your first clients, then focus marketing into that geographical area, work smart as well as hard.

the trick is to ensure that you do enough sales activity to ensure that work starts to be awarded to you

good luck

regards

martin

[HIGH LEVEL WINDOW CLEANERS (scrimmy)]

make sure your target market can afford your service...there is no point in aiming for say 30 quid per hour per customer in an area where the weekly wage is below being able to afford that, its a tough game these days and its getting tougher as we speak, so try to project a proper image, with good looking flyers, investing in a proper website is a MUST ( a lot will disagreewith that)  but if i was a custie and was inviting someone into MY home to do an extended service the 1st thing i would do is check their website, then research them from the information given.

every decision you make regarding business needs to be researched until you know exactly what you want and then just go do it

[andyjs1uk]

thanks scrimm man. i looking for insperation and all of you are good advisers....please tell me though. on the domestic front is it only the yuppies that have cleaners??

[vacman]

No it is not only the 'yuppies'!!!!!!!! Wash your mouth out LOL.

I have cleaned for some of the poorest members of society in the past, the reasons they had cleaners ranged from ill health to a complete loathing of house work. The trouble in this game is that a lot of people with cleaners don't liek to talk about it for two main reasons; one, they worry what people's attitude will be, and two, they worry that the cleaner will get poached/stolen/given an offer they can't refuse. Because of this, the stories you hear will often be from people who've never had 'help'.

So, to attempt to dispell some myths; a cleaner is only a luxury for those that don't have them. Those who do, well, they've usually had help before, and for them it's a neccessity. Lots of people will 'budget' for the cleaner, by making allowances on the shopping, and believe me, unless someone loses their job, the cleaner is NOT the first thing to go when belts are tightended and spending is regined in.

Websites are good, word of mouth is better still. If you find that all your work is by recommendation then you've cracked it. Yes, value for money is everything, BUT people won't want to change from a cleaner they really like, which is another thing, if you can send the same cleaner each time (assuming that the client likes the cleaner) then you may do better than if you send random staff. 

Then of course with the same-cleaner comes the risk of the client/cleaning working together and by-passing you, but thats another story...