So you’re considering setting up your own venture, brilliant! Before you jump in headfirst, there are some key questions to ask to help prepare yourself.
Being a successful cleaning business owner isn’t about being an experienced cleaner or having everything in place financially. Instead, you need to have the right attitude and be prepared to learn as you go.
Here, we go through the 10 questions every prospective cleaning business owner should ask themselves before they start trading.
1. Do I have the right skills and training?
To be clear, we’re not talking about formal qualifications. You don’t need a degree, diploma, or even to have finished sixth form to start your own business. Instead, there are certain skills which are highly desirable for new cleaning business owners. This includes customer service, networking, budgeting, and general organisational skills. Don’t feel like you need to have all of these straight away though, as you’ll end up learning a great deal as you get your business off the ground.
David Manning – “I have found the franchise good for me as it gave me all the knowledge, training, equipment and ongoing support that I needed that I would have otherwise not had. The systems put in place give you everything you need from dealing with initial enquiries, booking jobs in, to sending order confirmations, completing the work and sending invoices. If you’re prepared to work hard and follow the systems put in place, then there is no reason not to make a success of building your own local business.”
2. Am I comfortable dealing with all kinds of people?
One of the unavoidable aspects of running a cleaning business is that you’ll meet people from all walks of life and backgrounds. This is what many new owners love! Unless you specialise in servicing a particular clientele, you should be prepared to provide services to a broad range of clients. You don’t have to be an extrovert, but being open to meeting new people, being friendly and up for a chat is a must.
3. What are my earning expectations?
Of course, you want to be sure that starting a cleaning business is a financially viable option. Many people underestimate just how much they can earn by running a professional cleaning business. Running a cleaning business ranks highly in the list of UK jobs that pay well without a degree, especially if you provide a specialist service. Your income will depend on the pricing for your services, demand, and how many hours you’d prefer to work each week. As such, this needs to be considered ahead of time so you can meet your earning goals and avoid burnout.
4. Am I prepared for the challenges of self-employment?
Let’s be clear, being your own boss is extremely rewarding, but it isn’t a walk in the park. You’ll have a lot of responsibility, which will extend to every aspect of the business (at least in the early stages). The key qualities here are motivation and a willingness to learn; everything else will come later. That being said, you will need to create efficient ways of working so you can use your time effectively. Creating a business plan will help you plan out how you can become more efficient, as well as create a preliminary timeline for improvements and goals.
Watch the video below to hear from some of our long-standing franchisees who started their journey with Ovenu without any real experience.
Simon Kirkby – “I chose to buy into a franchise as I needed to hit the ground running and therefore invested in Ovenu as it was a well-established model that had been proven in the open market. I had no previous experience of oven cleaning but the initial training was excellent as is the on-going support. I have no regrets about my decision to buy into Ovenu other than I wished I’d done it sooner.”
See what some of our Ovenu franchisees have to say about the process of starting their business in their testimonials.
5. What type of cleaning services will I offer?
You might be surprised to see this one is quite far down the list, but we believe many of the qualities in a new business owner can be applied to lots of services. Depending on the cleaning services you offer, you might need different equipment, products, or insurance. For instance, you wouldn’t use the same cleaning materials to tackle a bathroom as you would for carpets and upholstery. Focusing on a niche such as oven cleaning will help focus your business plan and allows you to develop your expertise.
6. Where are my customers?
You don’t want to set up your local cleaning business, only to find your main customer base lives miles away. Then you might be wondering, who are my ideal customers and how do I find them? Before you set up your business, it’s worth mentioning your plan to friends and family, or even putting out some early marketing. Digital marketing tactics can also provide insights on which areas are demonstrating the highest demand for your services.
7. How will I stand out from my competitors?
Most populated areas will have multiple general domestic cleaning businesses. To stand out, you’ll need to build trust within the local community as someone offering reliable, quality services. Equally, choosing a cleaning niche to focus your services will help you target a more specific customer base with less competition. Niching down your cleaning business services can also enable you to charge premium prices.
8. What equipment and supplies do I need?
Specialist cleaning businesses often require professional-grade equipment and safe, effective cleaning products. If you’re providing cleaning for homeowners, you must ensure your cleaning products and methods won’t cause damage or disruption.
Gary Burbedge – “Some of the things where Ovenu stand out is that there is continued support and branding and marketing evolves as technology and social media changes, ensuring we are keeping up with what is needed to stay at the forefront of our business. You are part of a genuinely great team, the family-run HO and other franchise owners. The products speak for themselves and I have many happy customers who would agree.”
9. What are my legal requirements?
Running a business means complying with regulations, holding the right insurance (public liability, for example), and managing paperwork correctly. This can be a lot to keep on top of while running your business at the same time, which is why many independent owners employ accountants and other experts to help manage parts of the business. Joining a franchise will also give you the support you need in upholding your legal requirements.
10. Should I start independently or join a franchise?
Where going solo means building everything from scratch, which can be risky, stressful, and time-consuming, joining a franchise gives you a ready-made business model with a proven track record of success. Our franchise package also includes ongoing marketing support, your exclusive territory, branded products, training, and a leading reputation.
Choosing between the franchise or independent path is an important decision which will have lasting implications for your business. If you’d rather forge your own path and discover a way of running your business that works for you, then you might prefer starting independently. With a franchise, you are replicating what has been tried and tested over years of successful trading. While there is room for your personality to shine, you will still have to adhere to any established brand guidelines.
Find a business mentor
When planning to start a cleaning business, you should not only ask yourself important questions, but also find someone to question. Ideally, this will be someone who was in your position but is now further down the line. Learning about their experiences will be invaluable, as they might also tell you what they’d do differently if they knew what they know now. Joining a franchise gives you direct access to training and support from other franchise owners, who are people with lived experience of running a cleaning business.
Ready to get started?
With the support of an experienced franchise like Ovenu, you don’t need to tick all the boxes. Many of the questions discussed here will be answered by our franchise package. For instance, national digital marketing campaigns and brand recognition help all Ovenu branches find new customers.
Nevertheless, you will still need a strong work ethic and commitment to your local area to succeed. After all, as anyone who runs a business knows, the hard graft is a big part of what makes it so rewarding.
If you think the Ovenu franchise is right for you, register your interest today by getting in touch or filling out our application form.