{"id":6569,"date":"2016-06-20T15:13:56","date_gmt":"2016-06-20T14:13:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.highspeedtraining.co.uk\/hub\/?p=6569"},"modified":"2018-10-04T14:47:37","modified_gmt":"2018-10-04T13:47:37","slug":"type-cleaning-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.highspeedtraining.co.uk\/hub\/type-cleaning-business\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 2: What Type of Cleaning Business Should I Start?"},"content":{"rendered":"

10 Traits of Cleaning Business Owners<\/h2>\n

First of all, you need to truly assess whether or not you have the right personal characteristics to start a cleaning business.<\/p>\n

Whilst anyone with enough drive can start their own cleaning business, there are certain attributes and skills which, if you possess, will give you an advantage over competitors. You don\u2019t need to have qualifications in cleaning but it does help if you can demonstrate the following:<\/p>\n

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  1. Perfectionism<\/b> \u2013 cleaning is well-suited to those with an eye for detail and who won\u2019t rest until a job is done \u2018just so\u2019.<\/li>\n
  2. A love for organisation<\/b> \u2013 if you love tidying, organising and re-arranging then cleaning will be a satisfying outlet.<\/li>\n
  3. Stamina<\/b> \u2013 cleaning involves tough, physical work so it\u2019s important that you\u2019re fit and able to keep up the pace.<\/li>\n
  4. Lone working<\/b> \u2013 to start with you may be the only person in your company and you\u2019re likely to be cleaning whilst clients are out. A love for solitude can be beneficial.<\/li>\n
  5. Not easily bored<\/b> \u2013 some tasks may be repetitive or un-stimulating for the mind so mental stamina is just as important as physical.<\/li>\n
  6. Trustworthiness<\/b> \u2013 if you\u2019re spending periods of time in someone\u2019s home or office then they must be able to trust you with their possessions and house keys.<\/li>\n
  7. Likability and friendliness<\/b> \u2013 if you\u2019re unpleasant or brash with your clients then they\u2019re unlikely to recommend you or come back for repeat business.<\/li>\n
  8. Administration skills<\/b> \u2013 being self-employed means that a large part of your role will involve sorting out tax, wages and invoices etc so being good with papers and figures is essential.<\/li>\n
  9. Time-keeping<\/b> \u2013 nobody likes to be left waiting \u2013 and it also looks unprofessional – so being able to keep track of appointments is vital.<\/li>\n
  10. Creativity<\/b> \u2013 this will help you to advertise your business. Unique marketing ideas are much more memorable and will help you to get your brand out there.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    What Type of Cleaning Business Should I Start?<\/h3>\n

    Before you can begin to stock up on soap and pick up the polish, your first important decision is to decide what kind of cleaning company you actually want to start. There are 3 main areas that you may want to consider:<\/p>\n

    Domestic cleaning<\/b> \u2013 this involves cleaning people\u2019s homes and is usually done whilst the client is out of the house. You can work solo or hire a few employees to help you but the jobs are likely to be small and manageable. You might want to specialise in kitchens and bathrooms, focus on vacuuming and dusting or offer other services, such as washing and ironing. The start-up costs for a domestic cleaning business are low and you can often choose whether you use your own products or ask the client to supply them.<\/p>\n

    Commercial cleaning<\/b> – this involves cleaning business premises, such as offices and shops, usually outside of working hours when the premises is closed. You\u2019re more likely to need a team to tackle commercial cleaning tasks as the premises can be a lot larger than your average home. Your role in this sort of business could be more managerial and the start-up costs higher if you need to buy specialist cleaning equipment or transport.<\/p>\n

    Specialised cleaning<\/b> \u2013 this can involve a range of different cleaning tasks depending on what you choose to be your speciality. For example, you may choose to focus on window cleaning, carpeting cleaning, graffiti removal or cleaning cars. The start-up costs for a specialised cleaning company can vary but it\u2019s likely that you\u2019ll need to buy specific cleaning equipment and products. You\u2019ll also need to consider whether you can do the cleaning by hand or if you\u2019ll require machinery.<\/p>\n

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    Tidying or Cleaning?<\/h3>\n

    Whilst pretty straightforward, this is a question you need to think about very carefully before starting your cleaning company, particularly for domestic and commercial businesses.<\/p>\n

    Consider this:<\/b> when you offer to clean a client\u2019s kitchen or office, have you offered to wipe the surfaces and mop the floor? Or have you offered to wash the dishes and tidy away the papers before you wipe the surfaces and mop the floor?<\/p>\n

    It may not seem like a big deal to have to tidy up someone\u2019s coffee table before you can clean it, but tasks like these can quickly add up and contribute towards lost production time. When you determine your services it\u2019s therefore important to clarify exactly what you do, and don\u2019t, want to include in the price.<\/p>\n

    For example, imagine turning up for a 2-hour cleaning slot to find that you need to spend half of it tidying away children\u2019s toys. You\u2019ll have to stay an extra hour, or come back another day, to make sure you get your actual cleaning tasks completed. Either that or you can only complete half the job and will have to let your client know why!<\/p>\n

    Remember what tasks the client specifically requested, and make sure to ascertain this information from the onset;<\/b> the last thing you want to do is play a guessing game and end up tidying away some important papers when the client only wants their children\u2019s bedrooms cleaned!<\/p>\n

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    Tips for Doing Market Research of Your Local Area<\/h3>\n

    Market research is an essential first step of starting a business<\/b> as, without it, you may find yourself diving straight in at the deep end struggling to stay afloat due to lack of demand for your business.<\/p>\n

    You can never assume that you already know everything about your target market \u2013 how do you know what they\u2019re looking for or how much they\u2019re willing to pay you? Market research will help you to answer these important questions and prevent you from making costly mistakes.<\/p>\n

    But where do you start? First of all get yourself amongst your customers.<\/i><\/b> Knock on doors and call around your local area and actually speak to the people who you hope will become your clients. A warm smile and a friendly approach can work wonders and you\u2019ll be surprised at how many people are willing to talk to you. Remember to ask key questions such as:<\/p>\n