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Overview
The cleaning industry is worth billions each year. There is plenty of money to be made, and you don't require any specific qualifications to get started. What you do need is a range of key skills, and a personal determination to succeed. This book will give you insider knowledge of the world of office and domestic cleaning. It will provide you with all the practical tools you need to succeed in a competitive but rewarding industry.- The basics required to set up your business and the services you can offer.- How to develop sales, and how to find - and keep - satisfied clients.- How to find good staff, train them, and deal with problems.- How to maintain the quality of your service provision as you grow.- Managing the legal, health & safety, and insurance requirements.- How to develop your brand and grow your company.- Book keeping, debt control and finance- How to develop further lucrative services to offer your client base.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781845282844 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | How To Books |
| Publication date: | 02/15/2009 |
| Pages: | 178 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.70(w) x 9.60(h) x 0.60(d) |
About the Author
Robert Gordon set up his own cleaning and maintenance company in 2004 at the age of 28. Based in Glasgow and covering Central Scotland he took this new company from just himself and three cleaning staff to nearly 100 staff with a turnover of over GBP1million in less than four years. In this book, Robert shows you how he did it and how you can do it too.
Table of Contents
List of illustrations xi
Preface xiii
Chapter 1 Working in the cleaning industry 1
Industry facts 1
Recruiting and retaining staff 2
Basic skills 2
Filling the skills gaps in the cleaning sector 3
Qualifications 3
Dealing with the franchise problem 5
Thinking positively 8
Chapter 2 Deciding between the various cleaning services 10
Cleaning offices 10
Cleaning pubs and leisure premises 11
Builders' cleans 13
Cleaning new-build homes 14
Cleaning new-build commercial premises 14
Domestic cleans 15
Window cleaning 21
Cleaning carpets and upholstery 23
IT (information technology) and specialist cleans 24
Supplying cleaning consumables 28
Chapter 3 Starting up 31
Becoming self-employed 31
Naming your business 33
Choosing your legal entity 34
Working out the initial costs 36
Deciding where to base yourself 37
Forget profit: chase success 39
Creating your brand 40
Using the telephone 43
Telephone etiquette 44
Providing staff uniforms 45
Chapter 4 Keeping your clients happy 46
Ensuring client satisfaction 46
How clients regard cleaning 48
Anticipating typical complaints 49
Recognizing problems before they occur 53
Keeping your clients informed 55
Chapter 5 Managing your staff 57
Employing staff 57
Motivating and rewarding staff 57
Finding staff 58
Conducting interviews 61
Choosing the right place for an interview 63
Training 64
Dealing with staff turnover 66
Your responsibilities as an employer 67
Your staff's responsibilities 69
Chapter 6 Organizing your first cleaning account 70
Visiting your potential client 70
Making and submitting your quote 72
Arranging the start date and next meeting74
Setting the cleaning schedules 74
Preparing welcome packs 75
Organizing your staff 77
Preparing your cleaning materials 78
Starting the first shift 79
Following up 80
Chapter 7 Ensuring quality of service 81
Providing your clients with a service 82
Auditing 83
Producing detail lists 84
The importance of following up 86
Having the right attitude 86
Conduct and ethics 88
Application 89
Dealing with staff problems 90
No shows 91
Be proactive and reactive 92
Chapter 8 Health and safety, laws and regulations 95
Planning for health and safety 95
Accidents to cleaners 96
Complying with employment law 98
Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE) 102
Applying the national minimum wage 105
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) and colour coding 106
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) 108
Chapter 9 Sales, marketing and advertising 110
Marketing and advertising 110
Emailing 113
Organizing stationery and promotional material 115
Advertising on the Internet 116
Networking 118
Making the most of opportunities 119
Don't stop pushing sales 120
Chapter 10 Managing finances 121
Creating business plans 121
Raising capital 122
Choosing a bank 123
Managing your overheads 125
Buying machinery 125
Organizing materials and supplies 129
Bookkeeping 130
Choosing an accountant 132
Arranging insurance 133
Cushions and cautions 135
Chapter 11 Tax and national insurance 136
Registering for Value Added Tax (VAT) 136
National insurance 137
Deducting tax and managing the payroll 137
Corporation tax 138
Income tax 139
Claiming capital allowances 139
Working out your business expenses 140
Chapter 12 Controlling debt 141
Managing credit 141
Establishing your invoice dates 142
Issuing statements 143
Pursuing debt 143
Winding-up and bankruptcy petitions 144
Factoring 145
Chapter 13 Managing your expansion 146
Coping with the problems of growth 146
Recruiting service managers 146
Employing administrative staff 149
Managing the payroll 150
Retaining your clients 152
Chapter 14 Property services 154
A lucrative add-on 154
Offering additional services 155
Employing a general maintenance operative 159
Quoted works 160
Expanding your property services 162
Chapter 15 Engaging subcontractors 164
Pros and cons of subcontractors 164
Finding and choosing subcontractors 165
Arrangements and agreements 166
Complying with health and safety requirements 167
Protecting your clients 168
Appendix I Useful contacts 169
Appendix II The Cleaning Operators' Proficiency Certificate 171
Appendix III Equal opportunities policy 173
Index 175