CLEANING UP

There is no dirty little secret: Australians love to run a clean house even if they are too busy to do it themselves. This is where franchisers come into play.

Franchisors are tapping into the desire for a clean home.

Older people needing help, parents working long hours, busy business owners – there is every sign the demand for domestic cleaning services in Australia will continue to rise. That is good news for anyone considering a cleaning franchise, and there are more benefits as well.

A cleaning franchise offers flexibility in terms of when and how you work. For example, if you have young children you can schedule your jobs within school hours. Or, if you prefer to keep your weekdays free, you could opt for the evenings and weekends of commercial cleaning.

You can also decide how much you want to grow your business, whether to stay independent or build a team of workers or contractors.

These examples give a taste of the variety and scope...

OVENU

Most people rate cleaning the oven as one of their least favourite chores. It is also one of the hardest tasks to do well.

“The Ovenu system returns ovens to as near showroom condition as possible depending on their age and any damage,” says GM Janet Bannon. “Our franchise owners work with our own non-caustic solutions, which are much safer and more pleasant to use than supermarket alternatives.”

Most established franchise owners have more than 1000 clients on their data base. Territories are large enough for them to grow into a multi-van business, and demand is growing year on year.

“People value their leisure time and are happy to pay someone else to do the

chores they hate,” says Bannon. “They’re also excited by the results an Ovenu professional can achieve on their hotplates, range hoods and barbecues as well as the oven itself.”

The franchise attracts people of all ages. “In their mid-20s they can see the potential to make plenty of money by working hard,” says Bannon. “In their 30s and 40s they’re looking for that elusive work/life balance. And then we have the over-50s who are happy to do a couple of jobs a day so they can enjoy a secure retirement.”

CONCEPT: Oven-cleaning and detailing

service.

LAUNCH YEAR: 2005 FIRST FRANCHISE: 2006 INVESTMENT: $42,000 + GST, plus Volkswagen Caddy or similar TERMS: five years plus five

NUMBER OF UNITS: 30 in Australia, 100+

in the UK

JAN-PRO COMMERCIAL CLEANERS

While most people tend to associate commercial cleaning with office buildings, Jan-Pro franchise owners have a much wider choice. Specialised training covers a range of commercial environments from automotive spaces through to medical centres and schools.

“That means every business is a potential client,” says sales manager Suketu Vyas at Jan-Pro Enterprises. “And while all businesses change over time, one constant is that they all need commercial cleaning. The demand is continuing to grow every year, and the industry is undersupplied.”

The company’s Jan-Pro Signature Clean includes a 50-point checklist for onsite inspections.

“All our franchisees are taught this method, and it’s up to them to ensure these high standards are maintained,” says Vyas. “That means doing regular checks, listening to client feedback and acting quickly to rectify any problems.

“When you’re providing a high-quality job along with great customer service, there is huge potential to grow your business.”

New franchisees undergo a five-week training course.

“We provide the resources, training, support and systems you need to succeed,” says Vyas. “Our ideal franchise owner is keen to learn every aspect of the business then apply that knowledge to every job.” CONCEPT: Commercial cleaning

LAUNCH YEAR: 1991

FIRST FRANCHISE: 1991

INVESTMENT: $50,000 to $100,000 TERMS: five years plus two further five-year options

NUMBER OF UNITS: 110 in Australia, 12,000 outside Australia

JIM’S POOL CARE - MOBILE POOL SHOPS

Research suggests there are more than one million swimming pools in Australia.

“Many pools are in full display from both inside the house and outside,” says Jim’s Pool Care Australian divisional franchisor Brett Blair. “Their owners want them to be sparkling all year round and, ideally,

ready to swim in whenever they want.

That means there is a huge market for pool-cleaning services.”

All Jim’s Pool Care franchisees start out “on the tools”.

“They provide their customers with all levels of cleaning and onsite electronic water-balancing right through to the latest equipment, sales and repairs,” says Blair.

“As a result, they have multiple sources of income – they can charge for their time, the chemicals they provide and the lucrative equipment options every pool owner needs.”

A typical franchise owner will have between 80 and 120 regular clients with a number of one-off or casual customers.

“They target residents and body corporates and, when they’re experienced, they can also include commercial pools,” says Blair. “As they grow they have the option of putting on staff and moving into more of a team-management role.”

The ideal franchise owner is a selfstarter with a “can do” attitude.

“Customers like this, and so do we,” says Blair. “Sales, management and trade qualifications are a bonus but not mandatory as we provide all the necessary training. Getting into business is hard work but the rewards are there for people who approach it carefully, follow the systems and put in 100 per cent effort.” CONCEPT: Mobile pool-cleaning service LAUNCH YEAR: 2003

FIRST FRANCHISE: 2003

INVESTMENT: $50,000 to $100,000; plus capital investment of $69,000 (including GST/vehicle/working capital)

TERMS: 10 years with zero cost to renew

NUMBER OF UNITS: 94

VIP HOME CLEANING

For a domestic cleaner, efficiency is critical.

“Our VIP Systematic Cleaning System ensures franchise owners can do a thorough job in the shortest possible time,” says VIP Home Services founder/chairman Bill Vis. “That way their customers are happy with the service and our franchise owners can make the most of their investment.”

VIP also keeps unproductive driving time to a minimum. “A franchise territory is generally a suburb so clients are all close,” says Vis. “If clients move out of the area the franchise owner can sell them back to us.”

A single call centre in South Australia fields all inquiries, and the biggest challenge is finding enough franchise owners to handle the work that flows in. “We’ve been established for almost 40 years and have spent millions of dollars on advertising, so we have a well-established brand name and reputation,” says Vis.

Some franchisees work part time while others take on staff to build a sizeable business. “Franchise owners also have the option of taking on end-of-lease jobs along with regular house cleaning,” Vis says. “This requires extra equipment, but it can be a very profitable stream of income.”

A four-week training program covers business practices and how to quote for new jobs, as well as the cleaning method itself.

“We look for people who are well presented, friendly and enthusiastic and who take pride in their work,” says Vis. “If they’re ambitious, we can give them as much work as they want.”

CONCEPT: Domestic cleaning and home

services

LAUNCH YEAR: 1972 FIRST FRANCHISE: 1979 INVESTMENT: $20,000 to $100,000 TERMS: five years with no extra fee for renewal

NUMBER OF UNITS: 1100