Post by liaisonpartners on Mar 18, 2009 14:39:37 GMT -5
How do I grow my business? This has been a question that has been posed to me on more than one occasion. The thought that first comes to my mind is “how did you build your business to the point you are at now”? The replies are as varied as the people that answer them. Most owners of janitorial service companies have come to them by happenstance. A friend might have asked them if they wanted to earn some money on the side by cleaning their small office. Others come from a military background and can strip and polish floors like a pro. Still others may have worked for another cleaning company and their entrepreneurial spirit kicks in and they decided to go it on their own. However you came to this profession and whatever your motivation there will come a point where you will need to grow your business to the next level.
A good place to start is to look at your current book of business and evaluate several key components. First, what type of cleaning company am I? Do you have a mix of commercial and residential? If you do, then perhaps you should decide to be in one or the other. These are two completely different cleaning sectors. When I decided to be a commercial cleaning company it was largely driven by profit margins, but seeing how some people treated their offices also made me want to stay away from their homes. Secondly, what type of core services and specialty services do I want to offer? If you’re mainly a “Class A” offices cleaner then you want to concentrate on nightly cleaning.
Work loading your building so that you have maximized your production rates is key be being competitive and profitable. For those a little new to the industry an example of production rates is how many square feet one person can clean in an hour. Next, you can look at the specialty cleaning services. The main ones are VCT and carpet cleaning. Stripping and waxing floors are a core component of our service contracts. Usually, they are included in the specifications, but if done with more frequency, there is an additional charge.
Carpet cleaning can either be in those specifications or an additional service. With methods ranging from bonnet to dry cleaning to hot water extraction it is important to know what method is best suited to your customer’s needs and carpet. An example is that common areas are in the specifications for quarterly cleaning. Since, you are providing this service within the guidelines of the contract, you would want to use the Bonnet method because this is the least expensive of all the processes and offers great results. Hot water extraction is more costly and you’ll be able to charge the customer a premium for this service.
Geographic location is another component of growing your business. If you’re thinking of growing your company you may need to expand your area of service. Before you consider this I would ask that you consider the following: Is it really necessary for you to expand to other cities or states? You may want to look at your customer base and ask yourself “do I have all their business”. Getting all your customers offices in your current territory is easier than looking for a new customer in another city. Have I saturated my current area? I found it helpful to look at all the business within a 50 then 100 mile radius. Once you look at this there may be no need to look elsewhere. All the business you need could be right in your own backyard.
So, we looked at the question”How do I grow my business” and have answered this with more questions and a few tips. Consider what I have said here today and write yourself some notes. Remember, evaluate your company’s customers, services, location and most of all you need to evaluate your motivation for growth. Next week, we’ll discuss your company’s infrastructure and if you’re ready to grow.
A good place to start is to look at your current book of business and evaluate several key components. First, what type of cleaning company am I? Do you have a mix of commercial and residential? If you do, then perhaps you should decide to be in one or the other. These are two completely different cleaning sectors. When I decided to be a commercial cleaning company it was largely driven by profit margins, but seeing how some people treated their offices also made me want to stay away from their homes. Secondly, what type of core services and specialty services do I want to offer? If you’re mainly a “Class A” offices cleaner then you want to concentrate on nightly cleaning.
Work loading your building so that you have maximized your production rates is key be being competitive and profitable. For those a little new to the industry an example of production rates is how many square feet one person can clean in an hour. Next, you can look at the specialty cleaning services. The main ones are VCT and carpet cleaning. Stripping and waxing floors are a core component of our service contracts. Usually, they are included in the specifications, but if done with more frequency, there is an additional charge.
Carpet cleaning can either be in those specifications or an additional service. With methods ranging from bonnet to dry cleaning to hot water extraction it is important to know what method is best suited to your customer’s needs and carpet. An example is that common areas are in the specifications for quarterly cleaning. Since, you are providing this service within the guidelines of the contract, you would want to use the Bonnet method because this is the least expensive of all the processes and offers great results. Hot water extraction is more costly and you’ll be able to charge the customer a premium for this service.
Geographic location is another component of growing your business. If you’re thinking of growing your company you may need to expand your area of service. Before you consider this I would ask that you consider the following: Is it really necessary for you to expand to other cities or states? You may want to look at your customer base and ask yourself “do I have all their business”. Getting all your customers offices in your current territory is easier than looking for a new customer in another city. Have I saturated my current area? I found it helpful to look at all the business within a 50 then 100 mile radius. Once you look at this there may be no need to look elsewhere. All the business you need could be right in your own backyard.
So, we looked at the question”How do I grow my business” and have answered this with more questions and a few tips. Consider what I have said here today and write yourself some notes. Remember, evaluate your company’s customers, services, location and most of all you need to evaluate your motivation for growth. Next week, we’ll discuss your company’s infrastructure and if you’re ready to grow.