Starting an independent office cleaning business: costs and management strategies

Office Cleaning Services

Commercial cleaning business is known to come with a level of job security. The same routine is repeated every day to create and maintain cleanliness of a facility. In fact, every building with inhabitants irrespective of the city has to be cleaned by a cleaner. These cleaning services help protect the asset of the customer such as floor coverings, general furnishings and rest room fixtures. A professional cleaner makes a meaningful contribution to the society by prolonging the normal lifespan of both the facility and the contents (National Pro-Clean Corp., n.d; Lynn & Entrepreneur Press, 2014). Despite the presence of large multinational companies and franchise operations, more businesses now outsource their cleaning needs than they have ever done, as the larger cleaning services companies represent only about 30% of the entire market needs. About 70% of cleaning contractors are small, independent janitorial companies.

I would require a fairly low capital to start a new cleaning business. However, it can take up to six months before the cleaning business starts bringing in profits. As a new cleaning business owner, I can handle the initial growth challenges faced by the business by keeping my job, minimizing spending and conserving the flow of cash. A small start-up resource is needed before I can start my new office cleaning business (National Pro-Clean Corp., n.d). Here are the general cost projections (excluding salaries, taxes and profits):

Startup Instruction Manuals, JanBid estimating software, video, audio, literature along with FREE specialized consulting

$379

Necessary set of janitorial supplies equipment and supplies

$500

Commercial checking account and business license

$150

Fidelity bond and general liability insurance

$1,200

Office supplies (computer and printer)

$3,000

Monogrammed shirts, literature and business cards

$300

Subtotal

$5,529

As the business begins to grow, it is important that the service be expanded to incorporate both floor care and carpet. These services need additional equipment and training, but can earn up to double or triple of the total amount charged for major janitorial services. Before I start the business, I will need to validate whether the timing is appropriate to extend my cleaning business. Writing my business plan out will help me set up goals, create a written approach, and determine start-up costs. Contract cleaning business offers either the chance to grow steadily while the growing income finances used or new equipment purchases. Opening a new office or buying a brand new van is not mandatory (National Pro-Clean Corp., n.d; Gordon, 2008).

Good management skills are required to grow the business. I have mastered a number of requisites such as: proper time management, negotiation skills, appropriate business figure, effective management of the workforce and customer service. For contractors, accounting is a very important skill. Monitoring expenses and income regularly will help discover new tendencies as well as profitability. The skill will enable me track my efficiency for each and every building I clean, monitor my equipment, monitor costs of job as well as all financial fashions. Following monthly expenses and income is essential for realising cost-saving opportunities (National Pro-Clean Corp., n.d).

Hiring and Recruiting Workforce

Providing bad assistance may be a very fast manner to lose a client in office cleaning business. I can recruit workers through several means. I can ask my employees to provide me list of reliable, hardworking people they know who are in need of added work and would want to do some cleaning job. I will probably give dividends to workforce who refer people who finally got hired and stayed. I will also post a job opportunity on the internet (National Pro-Clean Corp., n.d).

Training Programs

A specialist training program can quickly evaluate when an employee requires special training. This happens to be mostly referred to as 'gap analysis'. The program is designed to make a comparison between what the employee can do or what he/she is expected to do, which can be followed up by preparations to satisfy the opening adequately. The Cleaning and Performance Guideline will be excellent for training workers and teaching them how perform excellently and at high rates of productivity (National Pro-Clean Corp., n.d; Lewis & Renn, 2007).

Customer Relations

What precisely maintains long-term cleaning arrangement is customer's satisfaction. Make sure one follows up with novel customers on every project. Ensure the workers are satisfied with the job. Follow-up might yield more referrals and work. Remember that once necessary work is overlooked/ignored, and soiling is allowed to build up, there may be complaints. Customer's complaints can deter new contractors. As the business owner, I will understand that in case a customer makes complaints, I should avoid taking it personally. Instead, I will apologize for any reasonable issue/missing items. Lapses of several kinds are possible when cleaning any building with my employees, employees of the customer, and with the building supervisor. Having an experienced consultant who can guide me through the dicey world involving customer service would be quite helpful (National Pro-Clean Corp., n.d).

Tracing production times

Tracking the time spent cleaning for each job is an advantageous practice. When placing bids in the future, this will be of great help. One other important thing is to take note of some cleaning factors that made the job a lot easier, average, or more difficult. It is quite helpful to keep records of time of production in areas cleaned up each hour, the hourly net and gross profit, as well as the price for every square foot (National Pro-Clean Corp., n.d).