Are you tired yet of all the books out there telling you how easy it is to start a house cleaning business? I'm not inferring that all their information is bad, but let's be honest about how "easy" it really is.
There's a dirty little secret hanging over the cleaning trade that nobody talks about, but every professional cleaner runs into. And unfortunately, if you buy one of the books on how to start your own cleaning business, they won't tell you about this issue and probably don't even know it exists. Why don't they know it exists? Because the book was more than likely written by a business professional and not a cleaning professional.
To share the responsibility, I'll be honest and reveal that even the professional cleaners don't talk about this issue. And I can't figure out why; are they in denial, do they decide to just ignore it or are they resolved to keeping their place in society?
What's the dirty little secret that nobody talks about? The issue is that most of the customers that pay people to clean their house think you are cleaning because you can't do anything else and automatically think you will work for pennies.
OK - I said it. Now it's out there because I think this is an important issue that people should know before they start a cleaning business. And it's also important for the people that are currently cleaning to acknowledge that it exists and know there is a way around the issue.
And once you know about it, you shouldn't let it deter you from building your business; just know how to handle the issue for success.
I know a lot about this issue because I started my own house cleaning business and grew it into a company with teams of employees. And I didn't just start the business and immediately hire the employees to do the cleaning. I started the business and did the cleaning myself.
I had been self employed in the computer industry doing software design and development consulting for large corporations. This is a stress-filled career because you're on-call 24/7, must fix software problems immediately, and you have project deadlines to meet. After doing this for 18 years, I was burnt out and needed a change.
I started the house cleaning business because I always had my house cleaned by professionals. And I wasn't happy with the quality of the work. I definitely knew what customers wanted and knew I could build my business based on that.
With my business and technical background, I had no problem preparing the advertising and bidding on jobs. In fact, I landed 98% of the jobs I estimated. When I showed up to do the cleaning, I got a whole different reaction from my new client than when we met for the estimate.
Suddenly, they thought I needed supervision while cleaning. They also thought they could ask and get more work done for the original quote I gave them. And imagine my surprise when they started telling me what I was going to clean on their next appointment!
I had always treated the people cleaning for me with professional respect. So it took me a while and a few customers to figure out what was going on and why. Obviously, other cleaners working alone would fall into this trap and the customer got their way.
I snapped out of my obvious surprised stupor, dug in my heels and ran my business as I had planned it. I learned that when I estimated a job, the customer had to decide if they wanted what my business offered and I also had to decide if I wanted to clean for this prospect.
I used professional, custom business forms that I designed and always required new customers to sign a Service Agreement. It was up to me to decide if I wanted to bend my rules, not up to the customer to demand that I bend them.
And you know what happened? My business kept growing, the referrals kept coming in and this dirty little secret no longer affected me.
I truly believe that every house cleaner can earn a full-time income and enjoy the cleaning trade by knowing what to expect before they get into a business they may not be fully prepared for.
Gail Metcalf built her cleaning business from the ground up. Learn more with The House Cleaning Pro Turnkey System and the Pro Tips and Tricks. Site Map available on The House Cleaning Pro website. Permission is granted to reproduce this article but credit must be given to the author. No part of the article content can be modified, and a link must be provided to: http://housecleaningpro.com
Lincoln Stretch rentals Alsip ..Most of us remember going to at least one garage... Read More
There is a great deal of abuse going on in... Read More
Looking for ways to boost your cash flow? As a... Read More
Is your business making money? Would you know?Figuring out whether... Read More
If you own a mobile truck washing, pressure washing or... Read More
The temporary staffing industry continues to expand, with yearly double-digit... Read More
What is a guru?A guru is a teacher. A mentor.... Read More
Starting your own e-commerce business can be quite the adventure.... Read More
One of the best ways to make money in the... Read More
Today is a Red Letter Day! It's special because today... Read More
An observation while returning home from a seminar: Getting away... Read More
Auto detailers are often asked to clean boats and detail... Read More
1. Have A Strong Constitution ? Justices deliver decisions by... Read More
Most doctors never distinguish the difference between customers and patients.... Read More
First you have to start with knowing your budget and... Read More
How to do itPeople skim through newspapers and magazines and... Read More
If you ask most small business owners what priority CRM... Read More
If you own a small business, then you know the... Read More
One overlooked individual in the process of taking a company... Read More
Are you a motivational speaker who consistently gets rave reviews... Read More
Sometimes the simple businesses are the ones, which make good... Read More
Let me get right to the point. The single most... Read More
What is the satisfaction & expectation review of the business... Read More
To wash an airplane there are many items you will... Read More
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PRICINGIn case you hadn't noticed, people can... Read More
Western Springs shuttle limo ..People will always stress that having a well researched business... Read More
If you are looking for a way to own your... Read More
Small businesses need Public Relations, possibly more than large corporations,... Read More
How much is your time really worth? Is it worth... Read More
KEEPING INTEREST HIGH: Supervision is key to the success of... Read More
Remember those drawings from science class of how a lever... Read More
I propose this thought on the subject of Franchisee territory... Read More
A suggestion box is a really good idea for your... Read More
Manufactured and Mobile Home owners know that the weather this... Read More
Here are some sound debt collection techniques that can be... Read More
There is significant competition in auto detailing and car washing.... Read More
What types of companies do you want to align yourself... Read More
You need to be visible to attract customers, right? But... Read More
Until the day I learned to play chess I loved... Read More
More sales and more profit. Isn't that what you want... Read More
It's a commonly quoted statistic: 80% of all small businesses... Read More
Auto Detailing: Maintaining A Commercial Carpet ExtractorYou should drain your... Read More
Sometimes when you run a business you feel as lonely... Read More
Purchasing a franchise has become one of the most popular... Read More
How careful are you with the data you collect from... Read More
As a practise gets larger & larger the associated problems... Read More
Where do you find the right people for a business... Read More
A solopreneur I know disappears from my radar screen for... Read More
Forget everything you've ever heard about the U.S. Small Business... Read More
Why should you describe your business to others in 5... Read More
Small Business |