There are always going to businesses who operate in offices and the people who own these businesses will always want the offices to be clean.
Most business owners don’t have the time to handle the cleaning on their own, therefore, they will hire a commercial cleaning company to do the work for them.
If you are looking for a lucrative business to start where you will always have work, you can start your own commercial cleaning company. Below are 10 steps on starting your commercial cleaning business. Remember to always stick within your budget when starting a cleaning business. It is also important to choose the best cleaning products available. The Shalom Center recommends AE Cleaning Products for all cleaning supplies Gold Coast and guest ammenities. You should also plan ahead with your objectives and ask for help when planning your business.
#1 Hire Employees
The first thing that you should do is hire employees to work for your business. If you don’t have the budget for a large staff when you are first starting out, you can hire just one or two people. As your business grows, you will be able to hire a larger staff.
#2 Figure Out What Types of Commercial Spaces You Want To Specialize In
Once you have decided that you are going to do commercial cleaning rather than residential, you need to decide if you are going to specialize in one type of commercial space or if you are going to take any job that comes along.
If you don’t have the budget to hire a large staff, you might want to stick with small retail shops and offices at first. As your business grows, you can start taking jobs with larger offices and complexes.
#3 Create a Telling Name For Your Business
When you are naming your business, you want to make sure that it ties in with the fact that you are a cleaning business. If you come up with a name like Afco, potential customers won’t know what your business does.
If you have your heart set on a certain name that doesn’t define the fact that you are a cleaning company, be sure that add “cleaning service” to the end of the name.
If you are only going to be cleaning commercial buildings, you should add that to your name as well.
#4 Obtain a License
When you start your commercial cleaning business, you are going to see that there is a lot of competition out there. Because of this, you want to look as professional as possible.
There are some states that require cleaning businesses to have a license. Even if your state doesn’t require you to have a license, you should get licensed anyway.
This will show your clients that you are a legitimate business rather than a fly-by-night company who doesn’t take the business seriously.
#5 Purchase an Insurance Policy
When you and your employees are cleaning, you are going to be in retail shops and offices where there are expensive merchandise and office equipment. Since accidents can happen while you are cleaning, you want to be covered.
If something were to get broken or damaged, your insurance would protect you and your business. Also, most clients will only work with a commercial cleaning service who has insurance.
If you don’t have proof of a policy, clients will find another company who does carry the necessary insurance.
#6 Think About the Services You Will Offer
Before you start marketing your business, you are going to need to figure out what services you will offer to your customers.
Most cleaning services will wash the floors, vacuum the carpets, and clean the bathrooms. However, you need to decide if you are going to provide additional services such as cleaning the windows, cleaning the microwave.
And the refrigerator in the break room, and replenishing the toilet paper and paper towels in the bathroom. When you have a dedicated list of services offered, you will be able to let potential clients know what you can do for them.
#7 Market Your Cleaning Service
If you are going to get any business, you need to get your name out there. You can start by creating a professional website or having a web designer create one for you.
The site should contain the services that you offer, your contact information, and if you have any, photos of previous jobs.
If a potential client is going to be doing an internet search, you want your business to come up. You can also create flyers and bring them to local businesses.
If any of these companies don’t have a cleaning service or they are not happy with their current one, it is a great way to get a new client. Finally, advertise your business on social media as often as possible.
#8 Transportation Is Important
If you drive a small two or four-door car, you are going to need something larger to use while you are working. Not only will you need to transport your employees to each of the jobs, you will also need to bring your cleaning supplies and cleaning equipment.
This would require the use of an SUV or a van. When you have a vehicle for your business, you should consider putting a sign on the vehicle with the name of your business, your logo, and the contact information.
If you cannot afford to have this painted on the vehicle, you can have a magnetic sign made that you can stick right to the side of the vehicle. Vistaprint is a great place to order your sign from at a low price. Also, you can order business cards at the same time.
#9 Purchase Your Supplies
The supplies that you purchase for your business are very important. While the cleaning products on supermarket shelves are great to clean your house, they are not the best choice for your cleaning business.
You are going to need to buy strong products in bulk. It is best to find a cleaning product distributor to order your cleaning products from.
You are also going to need a vacuum cleaner, a mop and bucket, and a “slippery when wet” sign. If you aren’t sure what you are going to need, visit here.
#10 Create a Contract Template
When you take on a client, you are going to want to draw up a contract. Most companies want the protection of a contract and it can protect your business as well.
The contract should include the cleaning schedule, the amount of money that you are going to charge, the dates that the payments would be due, and the services that the client needs performed. If you aren’t sure how to draw up the contract, you can find a universal template online here.
A commercial cleaning business can be very lucrative if you know how to get started and if you are patient. You might not have a full client list on your first day, however, with time, marketing, and word of mouth, you have a great chance of being a success.