Founding a cleaning company

They have recognized the need for professional cleaning and now, with the help of their own business, want to meet it. You realize that pretty much any place where people are, cleaning is due. No matter whether it concerns larger or smaller buildings, and business or privately used rooms and also private households engage frequently cleaning personnel. Specialists are needed for professional facade cleaning, carpet cleaners who know their trade and cleaning staff for offices, private rooms or hotel rooms. With a cleaning company you are the head of a large cleaning crew, which are sent to different clients. They organize and see that the customers are happy with their ordered cleaning staff.

Requirements for starting your own cleaning company

You don’t need a master’s degree or solid qualifications to start a cleaning company, so it’s really only up to your personal qualities whether your cleaning business will be a success. Surely it would not be bad if you had a sound training as a cleaner. These experiences are of course important afterwards, no matter if it is about the professional, or the personal skills. You will still need some business background knowledge as well, especially as it relates to your particular service. Those who jump in at the deep end and go to customers without prior knowledge of the industry could quickly go to ruin.

Determine your unique selling point of the cleaning company

You certainly know what you and your team can and cannot do, or you know exactly what you want and what types of cleaning you can or want to undertake. There are extremely many specialization possibilities in the cleaning branch. For example, you can start your own business in the field of building cleaning, you can specialize in facade cleaning, glass cleaning, escalator cleaning and maintenance, or you can focus on textiles or carpets. You can also exclusively clean commercially used rooms, for example industrial plants, clinics, hospitals, kindergartens or open-plan offices.

To find out which specialization makes the most sense, you should conduct a detailed, systematic market analysis. Of course, it does not make sense if you open a cleaning company for large glass facade cleaning directly in rural area. This would work in a larger city, but not in regions like this. So try to find a unique selling point for your location.

Private households or companies – define your clientele

In order to define your clientele, you will first need the staff that can meet the requirements of the customers. After all, you can’t offer facade cleaning if you only hire people who are afraid of heights. You can also define your clientele on the basis of your materials and equipment. Depending on this, you offer a wide range of services and address private households and companies. However, do not overdo it with your offer, this could quickly appear unprofessional. Nobody can do everything at the same level.

Create a financing plan

For your own cleaning company, you may not need your own office space or a fixed location, at least at the beginning of your activity. However, you will have to take into account various expenses, probably the biggest will be in terms of personnel and materials. Special facade cleaners or equipment to clean escalators in a department store already cost several hundred euros. You will need several such cleaning equipment and cleaning agents if you want to expand your customer base.

Therefore, create a sophisticated business plan and try to focus on a few essential aspects in the beginning, but offer them professionally. Depending on the start-up and success, you can offer further services later on and expand your offer.

After all, your employees want to be fairly compensated and, at best, properly employed.

Establish official procedures for cleaning company

Of course, setting up a cleaning company also involves dealing with the authorities. In the case of a cleaning company, however, it is sufficient to go to the local trade office and apply for a trade license. Specify very precisely your services there, the number of your employees and directors is also important. Then you can usually already continue with your activity.

Establish a cleaning company and avoid risks

Of course, it can happen in every company that employees cause damage during work. In this case it is a question of damage to other people’s property and the perpetrators can be held liable accordingly. However, if they work for you, you are responsible as the managing director. So think also about the right insurance for such cases. Commercial insurance for young startups is certainly not wrong for cleaning companies. A business liability insurance for cleaning services is also important to protect yourself. If someone gets hurt or breaks something, you as the employer cannot necessarily be held liable for it.

Marketing a cleaning company – how to position yourself on the market

In any case, compare the competition and stand out from them with various unique selling points. Most have an outdated and confusing website. Make it better at this point and be a young, modern and willing to perform team. Also pose like this on the internet, show presences and be communicative with your customers. On your Facebook page share successes, experiences or job postings. Where else but on social networks can you better discuss the sense and nonsense of new cleaning methods, cleaning equipment or new cleaning agents?. Market yourself on the basis of special things that only you do. Perhaps you use only non-toxic and biocompatible cleaning products or have a freshly launched and new piece of equipment ready to test in detail now.

Flyers and business cards belong to the round appearance, however, the Internetprasents has become much more important. From there you can control which people will pay attention to you in the future. You define your own radius in which you want to work, can be found on the basis of search engines. Use modern marketing strategies to draw attention to yourself.

And most importantly, use a lot of visuals and references in this industry. You have polished a glass exterior facade to a high gloss and are allowed to take photographs of it? Then order a professional photographer and have the clean facades photographed, at best for a before and after comparison. Professional photographs during work can also get sympathy points.

A professionally raised cleaning company can quickly build a good reputation. Very many companies are looking for long-term cooperation, which will allow you to build up an enormously large customer base in the future. Aim exactly for that.

You would like more information about starting a cleaning company? Then look at the founder platform, from the idea to the business start, simply explained and accompanied.