How to Start and Grow Your Own Cleaning Business

TABLE OF CONTENTS

"This system is a business in a box. It is the most complete how-to-do-it system I have ever seen, for any type of business. "
Jim Cathcart, CSP, CPAE -- Author of the bestsellers, Relationship Selling and The Acorn Principle www.cathcart.com

 

This outline is not brief. 

We've detailed every topic you'll cover in the program.
*Click on any session title below to learn more.

CD 1:  GETTING STARTED RIGHT (Run Time: 90 Minutes)

1. CHOOSING A BUSINESS ENTITY (Run Time: 17 Minutes)

2. PRE-OPENING CHECKLIST  (Run Time: 29 Minutes)

3. YOUR CHART OF ACCOUNTS  (Run Time:  22 Minutes)

4. YOUR BUSINESS PLAN  (Run Time:  22 Minutes)

 

 

CD 2:  PROFESSIONAL HOUSE CLEANING TUTORIAL (Run Time: 71 Minutes Plus Quiz for Each Lesson)

1. BATHROOM CLEANING   (Run Time: 15 Minutes, plus Quiz)

2. KITCHEN CLEANING   (Run Time: 15 Minutes, plus Quiz)

3. DUSTING AND POLISHING  (Run Time: 18 Minutes, plus Quiz)

4. VACUUMING  (Run Time: 11 Minutes, plus Quiz)

5. SPECIAL PROJECT CLEANING  (Run Time: 7 Minutes, plus Quiz)

6. PROFESSIONAL WINDOW WASHING  (Run Time: 5 Minutes, plus Quiz)

 

CD 3:  THE 3Rs OF EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT (Run Time: Approximately 5 Hours and 58 Minutes – Time may vary due to more interactive nature of this part of the program)

1. THE 3Rs MODEL  (Run Time: 7 Minutes)

2. RECRUIT TO WIN  (Run Time: Approximately 26 Minutes)

3. CONDUCTING THE PHONE INTERVIEW   (Run Time: Approximately 21 Minutes)

4. THE APPLICATION AND INTERVIEW   (Run Time: Approximately 28 Minutes)

5. REFERENCE AND BACKGROUND CHECKS   (Run Time: Approximately 24 Minutes)

6. THE HIRING DECISION   (Run Time: Approximately 11 Minutes)

7. ORIENTATION FOR THE NEW HIRE  (Run Time: Approximately 20 Minutes)

8. TRAINING – A NEVER ENDING PROCESS   (Run Time: Approximately 37 Minutes)

9. COMPENSATION  (Run Time: Approximately 29 Minutes)

10. TEAM COMPOSITION   (Run Time: Approximately 10 Minutes)

11. TEAM LEADERS   (Run Time: Approximately 14 Minutes)

12. EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE REVIEWS   (Run Time: Approximately 16 Minutes) 

13. OFFICE, AUTOS & EMPLOYEES   (Run Time: Approximately 11 Minutes)

14. THEFT AND DAMAGE   (Run Time: Approximately 25 Minutes)

15. ILLNESS & INJURY PREVENTION   (Run Time: Approximately 22 Minutes)

16. IT’S THE LAW!   (Run Time: Approximately 17 Minutes)

17. MEETINGS & EMPLOYEE RELATIONS   (Run Time: Approximately 40 Minutes)

 

CD 4:  THE 4Ps OF CLIENT DEVELOPMENT (Run Time: 3 Hours and 44  Minutes)

1. THE 4Ps OF MARKETING   (Run Time:  13 Minutes)

2. PRICING FOR PROFIT     (Run Time:  27 Minutes)

3. ESTABLISHING THE PRICE   (Run Time:  30 Minutes)

4. SCHEDULING   (Run Time:  23 Minutes)

5. YOUR ADVERTISING OPTIONS   (Run Time:  54 Minutes)

6. A WORD ABOUT PUBLIC RELATIONS   (Run Time:  9 Minutes)

7. TELEPHONE TECHNIQUE   (Run Time:  16 Minutes)

8. IN-HOME PRESENTATION   (Run Time:  11 Minutes)

9. NURTURING YOUR CLIENTS   (Run Time:  26 Minutes)

10. YOUR MARKETING PLAN   (Run Time:  15 Minutes)

CD 5:  INTERACTIVE CUSTOMIZABLE DOCUMENTS

Please click here to preview the flyers, ads, and other marketing material, along with training information, employee-related documents and the large collection of forms on this CD.

 

Total of 52 customizable  documents on this CD.  Easy to  edit in MS Word format.

 

 

CHOOSING A BUSINESS ENTITY

Your “Business Entity” is the structure under which you will conduct your company.  There are advantages and drawbacks to each of the alternatives from which you can choose to operate your business.  Even if you’re already in business, depending on your situation, you many want to consider changing the form of business entity under which your business is being conducted.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to obtain a “DBA” (which stands for “Doing Business As”, which will be your company’s name).
• What’s involved in forming a “sole proprietorship”.
• Advantages and disadvantages of a sole proprietorship.
• The difference between a sole proprietorship and a “partnership”.
• What you need to consider before choosing to form a partnership.
• The pros and cons of a partnership business.
• The difference between a “C Corporation” and a “Subchapter–S Corporation”.
• Why forming a Sub-Chapter-S Corporation may be a good choice.
• How a Limited Liability Company (LLC) differentiates from a Corporation.
• How forming a Corporation or LLC can protect your personal assets.
• How you can save several hundred dollars on the cost of incorporating or forming an LLC.
• Hyperlinks to online incorporation and LLC resources

 

PRE-OPENING CHECKLIST

Before opening for business there are several activities you need to take care of.  This session will help you identify, organize and prioritize these activities.

In this section you will learn:

• What an EIN is and how to obtain one.
• What you’ll need to open a business bank account.
• What type of licenses and permits you’re going to need, and how and where to obtain them
• An inexpensive alternative to renting physical office if you plan to start the business from your home in a community that will not grant a business license at residential addresses.
• What you need to consider if and when you’re ready to lease commercial office space from which you will operate your business, including tips on negotiating the lease.
• The type and amount of insurance coverage you’ll require.
• How and why you need to obtain information on other cleaning companies in your market.
• The furniture, office equipment, communication, software, printing, and cleaning supplies and equipment you’re going to need for your business.
• Hyperlink to State Departments of Insurance

PLUS:  This Session contains printable PDF documents as follows:

• 46-Point Pre-Launch Checklist and Action Plan
• Competitive Survey Report Form
• Media Rate/Circulation Data Form
• Client Control Form
• Team Work  Schedule Form
• Sample Client Invoice
• Employee Confidentiality Agreement (an important document that would cost you $300 to $500 to have an attorney draft on your behalf)
• Illustrated Cleaning Equipment & Supplies Checklist (with a hyperlink to a one-stop source for just about everything you’ll need).
• Furniture & Equipment Checklist

YOUR CHART OF ACCOUNTS

If you’re like most entrepreneurs, accounting is probably your least favorite subject: “Let somebody else do the numbers crunching; let me run the business.”  However, not paying attention to the numbers is often the reason many small businesses run into trouble. 

Whether you use accounting software, the old-fashioned manual method, or a bookkeeping service, we provide you with a standard Chart of Accounts for various assets and liabilities on your Balance Sheet and income and expense items on your Profit & Loss Statement. 

In this section you will learn:

• What “Capital Expense” items are and on what basis they may be expensed (amortized) in accordance with IRS guidelines for income tax purposes.
• What items will appear on your Balance Sheet as “Current Assets.”
• What items will appear on your Balance Sheet as “Fixed Assets.”
• What items will appear on your Balance Sheet as “Current Liabilities.”
• What items will appear on your Balance Sheet as “Long Term Liabilities.”
• How to determine your company’s current Net Worth, or “Equity.”
• How to set up your Chart of Accounts for your Profit & Loss Statement (P&L).
• Why it’s important to identify sources of income on your P&L.
• Hyperlink to recommended accounting software and tour/demonstration

PLUS this session includes the following printable PDF documents:.

• Sample Chart of Accounts
• Sample Balance Sheet.
• Sample Profit & Loss Statement

YOUR BUSINESS PLAN

This session is MUST reviewing even if you’re already operating a cleaning business.  While most people think that a formal business plan is only used for obtaining borrowed money or investment dollars, that thinking is incorrect.  Taking the time and effort to create a formal, written business plan is the only way to solidify in your mind where you want the business to be.  The process forces you to think through your goals and strategies for achieving those objectives.  It’s the roadmap for your journey to success. 

In this section you will learn:

• Why you really need a business plan, even if you don’t intend to use it to borrow money or raise investment capital.

The various elements that need to be included in your business plan, including:

• The Executive Summary: a brief overview of the entire business plan;
• The Market: who your market is and what the potential is from that market;
• What your Competitive Advantages are;
• What Marketing Strategies you will employ to generate prospects;
• What Sales Strategies you intend to use to convert prospects into clients;
• Your Sales Forecast for the first three years, and the assumptions behind the forecast;
• Your Personnel Plan:  when and how many people you will need as your business grows;
• Milestones that will serve as “way points”  or stepping stones on the progress of your plan;
• Your detailed Financial Plan; your Pro Forma Profit & Loss Statement projected out over the first three years;
• Your Specific Objectives:  goals that can be measured in quantifiable terms;
• The Keys to Success:  what specifically will be required to meet your objectives.

PLUS

• Hyperlink to recommended Business Plan software (take the guided tour)
• Hyperlink to recommended Mailing List site to obtain FREE demographic information on YOUR specific market.
• A printable sample Business Plan you can use as a model for creating your own personal document.

PROFESSIONAL BATHROOM CLEANING

This lesson provides step-by-step narrated text on the proper techniques for cleaning bathrooms proficiently and efficiently.  This is an excellent aid to use as an adjunct in both orienting and training employees, particularly when used in conjunction with the accompanying supplemental handbook and on-the-job training.  At the conclusion of the lesson the employee can take a brief Quiz to test how much he or she has retained from this lesson.  Depending on whether the employee has answered each question correctly or incorrectly, a bell or buzzer will sound, respectively. 

In this lesson your employees will learn:

• What tools and cleaning supplies are used in cleaning the bathroom.
• The six cardinal rules to remember when cleaning the bathroom.
• What special steps are required when cleaning the bathroom on the very first visit.
• The best and most efficient method of cleaning shower walls.
• How to clean those difficult shower doors and runners.
• The best way to clean the bathtub, sink and toilet.
• Cleaning mirrors streak-free.
• Checking for cobwebs and fingerprints.
• Dealing with towel racks and other bathroom fixtures.
• Cleaning the medicine cabinet and counter tops.
• The efficient way to wash walls, ceilings and floors.

PLUS the following PDF documents

• Supplementary training handout
• Illustrated equipment and supplies checklist

PROFESSIONAL  KITCHEN CLEANING

This lesson provides step-by-step narrated text on the proper techniques for cleaning kitchens proficiently and efficiently.  This is an excellent aid to use as an adjunct in both orienting and training employees, particularly when used in conjunction with the accompanying supplemental handbook and on-the-job training.  At the conclusion of the lesson the employee can take a brief Quiz to test how much he or she has retained from this lesson.  Depending on whether the employee has answered each question correctly or incorrectly, a bell or buzzer will sound, respectively. 

. In this lesson your employees will learn:

• What tools and cleaning supplies are used in cleaning the kitchen
• The six cardinal rules to remember when cleaning the kitchen
• What special steps are required when cleaning the kitchen on the very first visit
• The most efficient, time-saving but proficient kitchen cleaning routine
• How to deal with those tough kitchen countertop problems
• Paying attention to glass, mirrors, doorways, open shelves and switch plates
• Cleaning the refrigerator
• Cleaning the stove, including hood, stove top (both electric and gas), stove front, oven door and oven)
• Countertop appliances
• The sink area
• Cleaning the kitchen floor

PLUS the following PDF documents

• Supplementary training handout
• Illustrated equipment and supplies checklist

 

DUSTING AND POLISHING

This lesson provides step-by-step narrated text on the proper techniques for dusting and polishing proficiently and efficiently.  This is an excellent aid to use as an adjunct in both orienting and training employees, particularly when used in conjunction with the accompanying supplemental handbook and on-the-job training.  At the conclusion of the lesson the employee can take a brief Quiz to test how much he or she has retained from this lesson.  Depending on whether the employee has answered each question correctly or incorrectly, a bell or buzzer will sound, respectively. 

. In this lesson your employees will learn:

• What tools and cleaning supplies are used in dusting and polishing
• The six cardinal rules to remember when dusting and polishing
• Important information about the feather duster
• How to manage cleaning cloths during the dusting and polishing process
• Special requirements on a first-time cleaning visit
• Cobwebs, fingerprints and wall marks
• Dusting pictures and cleaning mirrors
• Dusting and polishing the coffee and end tables, dining room table and chairs, mirror-top buffet (bar) and hutch
• Cleaning leather and Naugahyde sofas and chairs
• Cleaning upholstered furniture that may not need vacuuming
• Dusting bookshelves
• Dusting drapes, window frames and blinds
• The TV, VCR, CD and DVD players and stereo
• “Rotation” cleaning
• “Visuals” and those things most often overlooked by cleaners when dusting and polishing

PLUS the following PDF documents

• Supplementary training handout
• Illustrated equipment and supplies checklist

VACUUMING

This lesson provides step-by-step narrated text on the proper techniques for vacuuming proficiently and efficiently.  This is an excellent aid to use as an adjunct in both orienting and training employees, particularly when used in conjunction with the accompanying supplemental handbook and on-the-job training.  At the conclusion of the lesson the employee can take a brief Quiz to test how much he or she has retained from this lesson.  Depending on whether the employee has answered each question correctly or incorrectly, a bell or buzzer will sound, respectively. 

. In this lesson your employees will learn:

• Setup and getting started for best the vacuuming efficiency
• Special requirements for vacuuming on a first-time cleaning
• Vacuuming hard floor surfaces
• Vacuuming carpeted floor areas
• Vacuuming throw rugs
• Vacuuming stairs
• Vacuuming furniture
• “Edging” and air vents
• Vacuuming drapery
• A word about moving furniture

PLUS the following PDF documents

• Supplementary training handout
• Illustrated equipment and supplies checklist

 

SPECIAL PROJECTS

This lesson provides step-by-step narrated text on the proper techniques for special cleaning projects.  This is an excellent aid to use as an adjunct in both orienting and training employees, particularly when used in conjunction with the accompanying supplemental handbook and on-the-job training.  At the conclusion of the lesson the employee can take a brief Quiz to test how much he or she has retained from this lesson.  Depending on whether the employee has answered each question correctly or incorrectly, a bell or buzzer will sound, respectively. 

. In this lesson your employees will learn:

• What “special projects” are
• The most effective and efficient way to clean the oven
• The best way to clean the inside of the refrigerator
• The best and most time-saving method of cleaning chandeliers

PLUS the following PDF documents

• Supplementary training handout
• Equipment and supplies checklist

 

PROFESSIONAL WINDOW WASHING

This lesson provides step-by-step narrated text on the proper techniques for professional window washing.  This is an excellent aid to use as an adjunct in both orienting and training employees, particularly when used in conjunction with the accompanying supplemental handbook and on-the-job training.  At the conclusion of the lesson the employee can take a brief Quiz to test how much he or she has retained from this lesson.  Depending on whether the employee has answered each question correctly or incorrectly, a bell or buzzer will sound, respectively. 

. In this lesson your employees will learn:

• The tools and equipment needed to get professional results
• Professional window cleaning procedures
• Tips used by the pros

PLUS the following PDF documents

• Supplementary training handout
• Illustrated equipment and supplies checklist

THE 3Rs MODEL

This session gives you an overview of the basis on which the 3Rs Model of human resource management is designed.  Very few small businesses employ a systematic process to their human resource challenges.  The practice is almost non-existent in the cleaning industry.  The 3Rs Model is based on a proven, eight-step process to attract, select, hire, train, manage and retain good employees.  If you’re already in business, you know that the biggest challenge is not getting and keeping clients; it’s recruiting and retaining a work force.  This session delves into the need to use a proven, scientific system to win at this game. 

In this section you will learn:

• The need for a human resource management success strategy
• Factors in the labor force playing field that effect recruiting and retention
• The two critical ingredients that successful companies use
• The eight sequential steps of the 3Rs Model

 RECRUIT TO WIN

A crucial element in your hiring and retention strategy is to have a clear picture in your mind of the type of employee who will have the highest probability for success on the job — your success and the success of your employee.  Recruiting and hiring must be seen as a game.  A game where the successful outcome is a win-win relationship between the employer and the employee.             

You can hire people for the wrong reason (I just need a "body" to fill out this team), and people can take the job for the wrong reason (I just need any "job" to meet some expenses), and it may work out for awhile.  But eventually, and sooner than later, problems will arise which reveal the nature of the lose-lose relationship that has been established.

In this section you will learn:

• How to develop a profile of the ideal candidate for the job
• The common characteristics of a “successful” house cleaning employee as determined by a national survey of house cleaning employees
• The Top Ten reasons given by house cleaning employees for satisfaction with their job
• Help Wanted advertising hints and examples
• How to use your Web site to attract employees
• The best time to look for employees
• Your recruiting campaign strategy
• The importance of “recruiting record keeping”
• Establishing a recruiting budget
• The dual purpose of your advertising copy
• About the “Employee Selection System”

PLUS the following printable PDF documents:

• Sample Web site recruiting page
• Sample Web site Online Application
• Sample Help Wanted recruiting brochure

CONDUCTING THE PHONE INTERVIEW

The copy in your recruitment ad should have provided enough information to screen out those who would not be a good match for the job.  Some candidates will read the ad and know they’re not a good fit, and others will not think about the job requirements and simply call your number.  It will now be your job during that phone contact to help the caller and yourself determine if you should invest the time to go through the interview and application process.

In this section you will learn:

• What your goal on the phone should be when an individual responds to your advertising
• How to use the telephone response as your first “screen” of the candidate
• The 5 parts of the telephone screen interview, and how to use them to quantify the candidate’s possible “fit” for the job
• Specific questions to ask with respect to “Fact Finding” and “Background” information on the candidate
• The three areas of evaluation on which you will assign ratings scores
• How to score the Caller Evaluation Sheet to determine whether or not to invite the candidate in for an interview
• The mechanics of the rating system that will objectively identify “perfect”, “good”, and “minimal” candidates and also those who should be considered a poor fit for the job (so as not to waste your time, or the candidate’s, by proceeding to the interview stage)

PLUS the following printable PDF documents:

• Phone Interview Screen and Evaluation Form
• Hiring Interview Log

THE APPLICATION AND PERSONAL INTERVIEW

You may have conducted many successful interviews in the past and have your “own way” of doing things.  By putting a common structure in place for each interview you can begin to quantify these events and become more consistent and “scientific” in your approach.  You have begun this more structured style in the way you conducted and scored the phone interview.   Now in Steps 2 and 3 you’ll use the APPLICATION, your INTERVIEW GUIDE and the evaluation scale on each step to evaluate the candidate.

.In this section you will learn:

• How to properly prepare for the personal interview step
• Questions that you may and may not ask on the Employment Application or during the personal interview – you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to run afoul of the law
• How to use and evaluate the Employment Application
• The three Behavioral-Based Questions you need to ask during the personal interview and how to objectively evaluate the candidate’s responses
• How to score the Application and Personal Interview Evaluation Sheet to determine whether or not to move on to Steps 4 and 5 in the Selection Process.

PLUS the following printable PDF documents:

• Application form (custom-designed, 30-point application for house cleaning employment)
• Personal Interview Evaluation Form
• Cleaning team member job description
• Authorization for Release of Information Form

REFERENCE AND BACKGROUND CHECKS

We’re now entering steps 4 and 5 of the 5-step selection process.  By now you and the candidate should be at the stage where you both think that she and the job are a good fit.  However, until you complete this very critical part of the process you are not in a position to make a job offer to the candidate.

..In this section you will learn:

• “Green” and “red” flags to be on the lookout for when checking employment references
• How to use the Employment Reference Checklist to get the information you need from prior employers
• How to score and evaluate the Employment Checklist and Questionnaire
• Ten questions to ask Personal References to obtain meaningful information on the candidate
• Information you need to obtain to conduct a criminal history background check
• How and where to obtain criminal history information
• Why you need to obtain a driver’s license background check and how and where to obtain this information

PLUS the following printable PDF documents:

• Employment Reference Report Worksheet
• Employment Reference Questionnaire and Checklist
• Personal Reference Questionnaire

THE HIRING DECISION

You’ve now reached decision time.  You’ve taken all the steps necessary to help you make a measured and objective decision.  Most of the time you’ll have made your decision by this point.  However, when you have one position to fill and more than one candidate who has proceeded to this point in the selection process, you can use an objective rating system to help you make the right choice.

.

..In this section you will learn:

• How to use the “Cumulative Decision Maker” worksheet
• The importance of the timing sequence of the hiring decision process
• Why you  need to obtain third-party reports expediently
• How to prepare the applicant for acceptance or rejection
• Information you need to obtain to conduct a criminal history background check
• How and where to obtain criminal history information
• Why you need to obtain a driver’s license background check and how and where to obtain this information

PLUS the following printable PDF documents:

• The Cumulative Decision Maker Worksheet

ORIENTATION FOR THE NEW HIRE

Now the real work of getting your new employee ready for success on the job begins.  Proper orientation will set the stage for getting your new hire in the right frame of mind for wanting to succeed at her new job.

In this section you will learn:

• Setting the stage for starting your new hire out on the right foot
• The First-Day Arrival Time Schedule
• The Orientation Outline, Materials and Procedures
• Why you need to keep the first day brief
• How to proceed if you’re starting more than one new person at the same time

PLUS the following printable PDF documents:

• EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK
• New Employee Information Form
• Employee Change of Information Form
• IRS W-4 Form
• INS I-9 Form
• Cleaning Team Member Job Description
• Employee Acknowledgement Form
• Request for Leave of Absence Form
• Request for Time Off Form
• Record of Verbal Warning to Employee Form
• Employee Notice of Deficiency Form
• Attendance Record Form
• Team Member Performance Review Form
• Training Review Report Form

TRAINING:  THE NEVER ENDING PROCESS

It’s important to think of training as something that goes on forever, as long as the employee stays on the job.  Basically, you will be conducting two levels of training with your new employee:

Initial Training

Follow Up Training

Beware of the trap that is easy to stumble into:  Training Complacency.  “I don’t have time for training,” isn’t something you want to hear yourself saying.  Adequate initial and follow-up training is the very foundation of your business.  The “vehicle” on which your business moves is satisfying the housecleaning needs of your clients.  However, your “product” is your people, whose mission is to satisfy the cleaning needs of those clients.

..In this section you will learn:

• That your “product” is your “people” – and the “People Manufacturing Process”
• The three types of training
• The 8 primary technical habits to be ingrained in your employees
• The 8 primary behavioral habits to be ingrained in your employees
• Pacing the training in accordance with the trainee’s adeptness
• How to use the “What, Why and How” training technique to improve the training process
• Keeping the training on track
• Testing the trainees’ comprehension
• The training sequence and factors that can influence the sequence
• Cross training, but; same person on the same job
• How to conduct effective training reviews
• How to use the Training Review Report to evaluate progress
• How to rate the quality of the training and the person doing the training

PLUS the following printable PDF documents:

• The Training Review Report
• Training Review Report Rating Guide

COMPENSATION

Compensation is an important element in your ability to attract and retain employees.  If you offer or pay too little, you won’t attract or retain good help.  Conversely, if you offer more than you can realistically afford to pay, you will be forced to go out of business by trying to pay higher wages than the business can support.

..In this section you will learn:

• Factors that influence compensation
• What is a “competitive wage”?
• Various compensation alternatives
• The ideal compensation method
• Payroll record keeping

PLUS the following printable PDF documents:

• IRS Publication 15-A
• Daily Team Record
• Individual Weekly Revenue Share Summary
• Individual Weekly Hourly Payroll Summary
• Employee Wage and Payroll Summary
• Record of Labor Expense and Payroll Tax Summary

TEAM COMPOSITION

What is the ideal composition of a team?  Is the ideal number of team members two people, three people, or perhaps four?  Why not just send one person out on the job instead of composing teams of people?  Don’t people trip over one another when they’re cleaning a home together?

The model we recommend is based on a team of three, consisting of one person whose primary responsibility is cleaning bathrooms (the “Bathroom Person”), a second person whose primary assignment is cleaning the kitchen (the “Kitchen Person”), and a third whose main responsibility is to oversee the other two team members and take the lead in the dusting and vacuuming (the “Team Leader”).

. ..In this section you will learn:

• Why not just use individual house cleaners?
• Factors that influence team composition
• The “2 versus 3-Team Member” debate
• Four good reasons for three-person teams
• What the drawbacks are

PLUS the following printable PDF documents:

• Staff Roster Form

TEAM LEADERS

This session will define the role that your team leaders should play in your company.  If you intend to grow your company into one that services 200, 300, 500 or more regular clients, you won’t be able to do it without cultivating good employees to become good team leaders.

. ..In this section you will learn:

• The duties of the Team Leader
• What the qualifications are to serve as Team Leader
• How to select your team leaders
• Rating potential team leaders using the Potential Team Leader Worksheet
• Testing Team Leader candidates by trial
• Monitoring Team Leaders

PLUS the following printable PDF documents:

• Team Leader Job Description
• Potential Promotion to Team Leader Worksheet

CONDUCTING EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE REVIEWS

Conducting regular performance reviews is another crucial element in your human resource management strategy.  When well conducted, performance reviews will help increase tenure.  How can performance reviews improve retention?  A consistent finding in employee surveys has been that employees, who are learning, growing, and feel that they are making a contribution, stay on the same job longer.  You have a chance to help associates learn, grow and become better contributors through performance counseling.

. ..In this section you will learn:

• About the Performance Review
• Why you need to evaluate the “performance” – not the “person”
• How to use the Performance Evaluation Form
• The SMART model performance coaching system
• The importance of conducting “Exit Interviews” with employees who terminate
• Using exit interviews to improve tenure of remaining and future employees

PLUS the following printable PDF documents:

• Team Member Performance Review Form
• Team Leader Performance Review Form
• Training Review Report Form
• Performance Review SMART Model Coaching Guide
• Record of Verbal Warning to Employee Form
• Employee Notice of Deficiency Form
• Employee Separation Report
• Exit Interview Form

OFFICE, AUTOS & EMPLOYEES

We’re not going to talk about the legal  zoning issues involved in operating a business from your home.  This discussion will focus on the practical aspect of running your housecleaning business from your home versus operating from commercial office space, from the aspect of the potential impact on your human resource challenges.  In this section, we’ll also discuss the issue of supplying company vehicles versus compensating employees for using their own cars.

In this section you will learn:

• The benefits and disadvantages of a home-based office
• How a “real” office can improve recruiting efforts
• A cost vs. benefits comparison of company vs. employee-supplied vehicles
• Why some companies provide vehicles to employees
• How to compensate employees for providing their own transportation
• The potential “real value” of providing company vehicles

 THEFT AND DAMAGE

The telephone rings.  It’s Mrs. Smith, and she’s not too happy.  She tells you that she noticed her two-karat diamond ring missing shortly after the team was there last.  Your heart skips about six beats.  You hum and haw and stammer and tell Mrs. Smith you’ll look into it and get right back to her.   Now what do you do? 

In this section you will learn:

• The subject of employee dishonesty
• Preventative measures you can take to discourage theft
• Evidence of why background checks are absolutely essential
• How to conduct an open discussion with your employees on this topic
• How to educate your clients to minimize problems
• What to do when you do “get that call” from a client
• How to handle the situation with your employees when a client reports something missing or stolen
• Rules to abide by when a client’s property is damaged while in your care, custody and control
• What to do when a client calls to report damage to his or her property
• How to handle disputed claims
• The types of insurance coverage you should have
• Eight specific questions to ask your insurance underwriter

PLUS the following printable PDF documents:

• Breakage and Damage Report

PLUS Internet hyperlinks to the following:

• Department of Insurance links for all 50 states
• Fingerprint station and fingerprint cards

INJURY & ILLNESS PREVENTION PROGRAM

The Federal Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 requires that all employers with more than 10 employees have an official Safety and Health Program in place.  However, some states exceed the Federal requirements.  For example, at least Alaska, California, Hawaii and Washington require that all employers have a Safety Program, regardless of size. 

Legal requirements aside,  it simply makes good business sense to implement a Safety Program.  Business owners are used to taking risks in connection with day-to-day business decisions.  Entrepreneurs are, by nature, risk takers.  However, taking risks with the safety and well-being of your employees is not worth the gamble.

In this section you will learn:

• How just one lost work day due to injury could cost you a bundle
• The seven essential elements of a good safety program
• The importance of holding Safety Meetings
• Twenty-four Safety Meeting topics
• Information and Training Resources

PLUS the following printable PDF documents:

• First Aid Kit and Safety Equipment Checklist required by OSHA
• Custom Safety Program Handbook
• Directory of Approved Sources of OSHA-Funded Agencies

PLUS Internet hyperlink to the following:

• United States Directory of Workers Compensation Resources
• Listing of Local OSHA offices for all 50 states

IT’S THE LAW!

Bureaucracy is alive and well in America!  Today’s business person — the employer —  must not only be very good at dealing with Human Resources, and wearing a lot of other hats that go with the territory, but you also have to do all those things in compliance with Federal, State, County and City laws and ordinances.  Just keeping track of your legal requirements can be a big chore in itself.

This section will cover those areas you must pay particular attention to relative to your Human Resource Management Policies and Procedures:

In this section you will learn:

• Compliance with IRS regulations relating to federal and state income taxes and FICA
• Federal and State Unemployment Tax issues (FUTA and SUTA)
• How to avoid fines of $100 (up to $10,000 for repeat offenses) that can be incurred by failing to comply with INS laws on providing proof of eligibility of individuals to work in the United States
• Compliance with OSHA regulations
• What you need to know about THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT, AGE DISCIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT ACT, THE EQUAL PAY ACT, THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT, and THE EMPLOYEE POLYGRAPH PROTECTION ACT
• Laws regulating how long you must keep various records on file
• Specific federal and state Posters you are required by law to display on your premises (failing to display one, in particular, could result in a $10,000 fine)

PLUS the following printable PDF documents:

• Personnel Records Retention Guide
• Full size copies of the 5 federally mandated Posters
• Specific state posting requirements

PLUS Internet hyperlink to the following:

• Federal and State Minimum Wage Standards

STAFF MEETINGS AND BUILDING ON EMPLOYEE RELATIONS

One activity that business owners tend to do, either too often or too seldom, is conduct staff meetings.  Except for meetings held for training purposes, or to make special announcements, staff meetings held more often than once a week are probably held too often.  Frequency of less than every two weeks is too seldom.  We suggest that you religiously conduct a staff meeting every week, preferably early Monday morning prior to the start of the first workday of the week.

In this section you will learn:

• The purpose of weekly staff meetings
• Meeting preparation
• Sample Meeting Agendas
• Recognition & Rewards
• When and employee becomes a liability
• Managing crisis
• How to groom and compensate an assistant manager without breaking the bank
• How to continue to build on employee relations to improve morale, pride in workmanship, quality of work and tenure on the job

 

THE 4Ps OF MARKETING

To begin this discussion, we discuss the 4Ps of Marketing

PRODUCT

PRICE

POSITIONING

AND PROMOTION

 In this section you will learn:

• What the Product you’re offering REALLY IS:  The answer may surprise you
• That consumers don’t really buy “price”; they buy “value”
• How you “position” your company in the market place can determine the price you can charge for your service
• Why the lack of promotion by most of your competitors opens up an avenue of opportunity for you
• What activities fall under the “promotion” category

PRICING FOR PROFIT:  THE POM=CP FORMULA

The cleaning price seems to be the Achilles Heel in the profitability of many, if not most, house cleaners.  There seems to be no formula used at arriving at cleaning prices.  If anything, house cleaners either shop the competition and then set prices to “underbid” their competitors, or establish arbitrary prices based on what the market will bear.  Little thought goes into what it costs to provide the service they’re selling. 

You ARE in business for yourself and you may choose any method you wish to determine what you charge for your service.  However, we’re going to share what we feel is a very viable way of pricing for profit.  We call it the POM=CP Formula

In this section you will learn:

• What elements go into the “P” part of the equation
• What elements go into the “O” part of the equation
• How the “M” part of the equation can virtually guarantee a predetermined profit on every cleaning job you do, provided the “P” and “O” portions are properly determined
• Detailed examples of how the POM=CP formula works
• Another look at the “Team Share” compensation method and why it helps make this formula work so well

PLUS an Internet hyperlink to the following Web site:

• United States Directory of Workers’ Compensation resources for all 50 states

 ESTABLISHING THE PRICE

You now have a formula for pricing the job that allows for adequate compensation of your employees, factors in overhead expenses and provides for a predetermined level of profit for you and you business.  What we’re going to be discussing in this session are all the elements that need to be considered in order to determine how much work is involved and the amount of time it will take to perform the work.

In this section you will learn:

• Two homes could be identical in size, layout and design but one could require far more time and effort to clean than the other
• There’s a big difference between “old” dirt and “new” dirt accumulations, and how to “look for” dirt when creating your estimate
• The difference between pricing a first-time or onetime cleaning and routine weekly, biweekly or monthly cleanings that follow
• The danger in under pricing or “low balling” your first-time cleaning price
• How to justify a higher first time or one time cleaning price to your prospective client
• The first steps in pricing the work
• Using your Cleaning Worksheet to come up with both the first-time and repetitive cleaning prices for your clients
• Factors that tend to increase the price of your regular, routine cleanings
• Factors that tend to make cleaning a home easier
• What to do if you price the job incorrectly
• Beyond the “numbers”

PLUS the following printable PDF document:

• Cleaning Worksheet

SCHEDULING

Inefficient scheduling of client cleanings will have a major negative impact on your overall efficiency.  It makes absolutely no sense to fine tune the cleaning skills of your employees and then turn around and lose it all through inefficient scheduling of your clients. 

.In this section you will learn:

• An illustrated look at how inexpensive, off-the-shelf software ($40) can help you schedule more efficiently and prepare in advance for your cleaning consultation appointment
• How to establish the most efficient routing
• Why the order in which you clean for a group of clients on any given day is so critical to your bottom line and to employee morale
• Why you need to clean on days and times based on your cleaning schedule
• It’s important to know your teams’ schedule BEFORE visiting a prospective client
• Why you may need to schedule a client’s first-time cleaning on a day other than that which will become her regular cleaning day
• Options for fitting in first-time or onetime cleanings into a busy team’s schedule
• How to use a Map Grid in planning your advertising activities

PLUS the following Internet hyperlinks for:

• Sites offering software programs designed to help you schedule and manage your business

YOUR ADVERTISING OPTIONS

A solid investment in consistent, relatively intense advertising can get your business to a weekly sales volume and client base that would otherwise take many years to achieve through lesser efforts.  Actually, attracting new housecleaning clients is the easier part of the equation (it is much more difficult to attract and keep good employees).  It is basically a numbers game —  the more advertising you do, the more clients you're going to attract —  but it requires you to commit the necessary financial resources to make that happen. You are in a marketing-driven business.

In this section you will learn:

• What you can anticipate investing on advertising to obtain a client
• Factors affecting your “Client Acquisition Cost” (CAC)
• Door hangers:  what they are, how effective they can be; and your options for using this method of advertising
• Factors that can influence the effectiveness of a door hanger campaign
• Direct mail:  your options for using direct mail advertising, and how the direct mail compares with door hangers in terms of cost and results
• Information on mailing list companies, list costs and demographic features you can choose to obtain when selecting a list
• Web site marketing
• Information on “coop” or “marriage mailings where literature is distributed to homes in a “packet” with other advertising literature
• Factors affecting direct mail response rates
• Yellow Pager advertising; what to consider about this media
• Factors affecting Yellow Page response rates
• Newspaper Inserts: what are they and are they worth considering?
• Classified newspaper advertising
• Newspaper Display advertising:  what you MUST KNOW
• Factors influencing newspaper advertising response rates
• Cross promotion opportunities with other non-competing merchants in your market
• Referrals: how valuable they are and the best way to get them

PLUS the following printable PDF documents:

• NEVER CLEAN YOUR HOME AGAIN brochure
• Sample display newspaper ad
• Sample newspaper insert or flyer
• Sample Yellow Page ad
• Sample neighborhood flyer
• Sample Referral Post Card
• Sample referral solicitation letter

PLUS the following Internet links to:

• USPS Direct Mail 101 site
• Mailing list site (get free demographic information and household population numbers for your area) as well as cost figures for conducting a direct mail campaign
• Links to Web site developer directory
• Poly bag ideal for delivering door hangers

A WORD ABOUT PUBLIC RELATIONS

Have you ever wondered how local businesses and business people manage to get articles written about them in the newspaper?  Do they pay for this publicity?  Do readers pay attention to what’s written?  You bet people pay attention, and it’s better than free advertising.  Depending on the slant of the story and the way it’s written, it often comes across like a third party endorsement.  So, how can you get in on some of this free publicity, too? 

 In this section you will learn:

• How to look for PR opportunities
• What business reporters and editors look for in Press Releases
• How to generate FREE publicity by doing good deeds for others

PLUS the following Internet links to:

• Software designed to produce professional Press Releases
• A resource site on How to Write a Professional Press Release

TELEPHONE TECHNIQUE

Generally, the telephone is the first personal contact you will have with your prospective client.  The impression made at this juncture can impact your overall marketing effort positively or negatively, depending on your customer’s perception of the experience.

.In this section you will learn:

• That important “First Impression”
• What to do when you’re not there to answer the phone yourself
• Professional telephone procedures
• Sample Telephone Presentation
• Typical questions you’ll be asked, and how to handle them

PLUS the following printable PDF document:

• Telephone Log Form

IN-HOME PRESENTATION

By the time you arrive at your prospective client’s home, she has pretty much made up her mind that (a) she is going to hire a residential cleaning service and that (b) your service is in the running for consideration.

To this point, you are still a “voice on the other end of the phone”, representing a company the client may or may not know very much about.  Obviously, your customer’s inclinations are positive or you wouldn’t be invited to make a quotation or presentation in her home.  All you have to do now is reinforce the fact that your company will be her best choice.

.In this section you will learn:

• How to look and act like a professional
• The Presentation Procedure
• Issues to cover during your visit
• The significance of tracking your conversion ratio of leads to appointments and appointments to sales
• Typical questions you’ll be asked, and how to handle them

PLUS the following printable PDF documents:

• Client Profile Form
• Cleaning Checklist
• OUR FIRST CLEANING VISIT brochure
• Quality Control Checklist
• Client Invoice
• HAPPILY EVER AFTER client relationship ground rules booklet

NURTURING YOUR CLIENTS

It’s amazing how some companies will focus all their time and resources on finding and selling new customers, and then spend little or no time and effort on keeping them.

In any business – but in this business in particular, it’s more important to focus on developing clients than on selling customers.  What’s the difference?  A customer is somebody you sell ONE time; a client is somebody you sell time and time again.

For all the time and effort it takes to find a new client, it’s critically important to nurture that client once you’ve got them.  And it’s a whole lot cheaper, not to mention easier, to keep an existing client than it is to go out and replace her with a new one.

.In this section you will learn:

• Guaranteeing satisfaction and reliability
• “Little things” that can go a long way to maintaining client loyalty
• Making and keeping commitments
• Access issues:  clients’ keys
• Keeping accurate records can keep clients happy
• Negotiating price
• Dealing with client complaints
• Dealing with the "client from hell"
• How to deal with clients who want a specific day or time
• How to handle clients who expect a certain amount of time spent cleaning in their home
• Clients who want to “trade cleaning jobs”
• How to maintain a client’s cleaning schedule even while they’re on vacation
• Using due diligence with respect to client’s property

PLUS the following printable PDF documents:

• Client Satisfaction Survey Card
• Series of sample letters to clients about various issues

YOUR MARKETING PLAN

This session  will give you guidelines for using all the information in this course to assist you in developing a workable, manageable and effective marketing and advertising strategy to get your business off and running and to keep it growing as you progress.

.In this section you will learn:

• The importance of establishing objectives
• What you need to do before establishing your game plan
• Understanding the objective of your advertising – HINT: it is not to make sales
• Advertising response expectations
• Rating your advertising’s effectiveness
• Lead cost versus Sales Cost
• Consider “investment advertising” to launch your business

Still have questions? 

Call 800-634-1717

Since 1991
2500 Quantum Lakes Drive, Suite 203
Boynton Beach, Florida 33426
561-732-2128
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