House Cleaning - The Low Investment Fallacy

You can buy books telling you what a low investment, high growth opportunity residential house cleaning can be. We believe that the house cleaning's 50% per annum failure rate speaks for itself. It is an attractive industry, but it is the potential for limitless scale and profits from cleaning nice homes, not the misconception about low investment, which makes it attractive. Most certainly the industry does require a low level of investment relative to many specialty retail, restaurant or manufacturing industries, and it has fantastically greater potential for scale, but it is irresponsible for experts to tout prospects for high growth and profits based on an operating model of operating from home with a cell phone and a bucket.

We are not saying that entry into our industry requires investment. In fact, for those cleaning themselves, or employing just one or two others to clean with them, it is possible to get into the industry with just a hundred bucks, and we have nothing against someone else taking such an approach. It's just that we don't consider the growth or profit potential for such endeavors to be interesting. Rather, we believe that (in addition to typically damaging the industry's price structure) such entrepreneurs really end up just buying themselves a job cleaning houses, a job they will weary of before their enterprise reaches anything remotely sufficient in scale to become financially interesting.

Think of any such an enterprise as being the equivalent of Alice, the Maid, of Brady Bunch fame. I can imagine that the Brady's paid her, not like an architect mind you but nevertheless, reasonably well. Even so, was she really in business, or did she just have a job as a maid? What if she had bought herself a cell phone and dashed around the neighborhood during her lunch hours trying to line up work for herself and her sister for Saturdays-would that then have constituted a business? We like Alice just fine. It's just that we don't think of her as having been in business and, even when she worked for the Brady's, given her inability to scale, we didn't feel horribly threatened by her, as a competitor. If you intend to get into business for the cost of a bucket and start out by cleaning yourself, then imagine yourself as being Alice. If you are as committed and competent as Alice, have no further aspirations for growth and profits, and would be satisfied with her wages, insurance benefits and retirement plans, then the endeavor will be a success for you (as long as you find a family as nice as the Brady's).

I'm not trying to discourage you, but on the other hand we wouldn't want everyone just stumbling into our industry with their eyes closed, making a mess of the place. We dispute a lot of the hype being sold today--that a bunt through some miraculous metamorphosis results in a homerun, in the maid service ballpark. We already have enough companies in our industry bunting their brains out. If someone wants to start another maid service, let them bring their money and swing for the fence. To start a real scaleable maid service enterprise from scratch, expect to spend $50,000 (paying yourself zero) over the course of the first 12 to 18 months. Over that time, with some skillful management and a healthy dose of luck you likely will have passed operating break-even (not full payback of your investment), built a referral bank of 100 to 120 fantastic well-paying customers, and gathered a troop of 8 to 10 exceptional, well-paid, well-trained, loyal employees. A foundation will have been established, and round two can begin.

It certainly can be done a lot more cheaply over a longer period, but really it comes down to what value you put on your own time. For Hanna and I, we were both investment bankers prior to embarking on this venture. So we weren't really willing to go slowly for three to five years, paying ourselves a pittance cleaning houses ourselves, whenever necessary, while we were waiting for the company to grow. I know some believe you should do some of the cleaning work yourself when you first start out, but we never resorted to becoming fill-ins, even though opportunities presented themselves almost daily. It wasn't a matter of not wanting to get our hands dirty, it's just that our hands were already quite full, managing the monster. Given the chance to do it over, we could avoid some of the mistakes we made then and could have spent less than we did, but fundamentally, we wouldn't now take any less brazen approach to growth, or quality of service.

If we had it to do again, as a first step, we would try much harder to locate and buy an unprofitable maid service-one with at least OK prices, a half dozen employees, and about 50 to 100 customers clustered as best they could be in several nice neighborhoods. The only problem with such an approach is that you have to be opportunistic about it, or you will grossly overpay. Before we started Denver Concierge, we looked and actually found one such company, but luckily we refused to pay the $100K being asked for it (the price should have been just $30K). We hadn't yet learned that for such a company, the involvement of a business broker in and of itself, makes a transaction at any reasonable price untenable.

We were in a big rush anyway, so we decided instead to start a company from scratch. In retrospect, maybe we should have just spent the entire first summer looking for the perfect acquisition prospect, finding the perfect place to lease, organizing an office, pricing suppliers, organizing insurance, prepping vehicles, and developing simple systems for training, operations, accounting, payroll, and scheduling. We could have invited ten companies around to clean our house, developed marketing materials, scoped out competitor prices pay, and office locations. We could have done all that for the added cost of some rent, and tax-deductible house cleanings, and we would have been better prepared when we were finally able to acquire a going concern at a reasonable price. At the time though, we didn't understand that cleaning companies, like falling leaves, are plentiful . . . if you just wait for the autumn. Even had we understood, there would have been no waiting around for us; we didn't like the idea of earning nothing for an entire summer. Of course, that seems ridiculous now, since we didn't actually pay ourselves anything at all for the first two years anyway.

Ignoring all that as I'm sure most will, if you decide to start the venture from scratch, that is zero employees and zero customers, and if you plan to provide exceptional service from the outset, then we would endorse incurring extra payroll hours throughout the start-up period to train and keep full-time employees while you are trying to scramble together enough house cleaning assignments to keep them busy. Others might suggest that you employ them on a part-time basis at first-we believe such an approach puts you on the slippery-slope from the outset, because your employees will be running around looking for better employment opportunities during their days off. Instead of you sorting your employees, they'll sort themselves, and you'll quickly be stuck with the duds. Adverse selection of employees is an early slip towards mediocrity, and in our industry, mediocrity always ends badly.

Nostalgically, I remember on about the sixth day of our operations, when we got our first customer and packed off three eager, smiling, well-trained and over-equipped house cleaners (two of the three still work here). After that assignment, our newest phoned with glowing reviews, and signed on for every two-weeks. Well done . . . now it was just nine days of blanks before our next scheduled assignment! Those were the days.

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Chris Lude founded Denver Concierge in September 1999 and over four years grew it to become one of the largest independent house cleaning companies in the United States. Permission is granted to reproduce this article but credit must be given to the author. No part of the article content can be modified, and a link must be provided to: http://www.House-Cleaning-Alliance.com

House Cleaning Rates That Are Fair For Your House

The best way to work our fair house cleaning rates for your house is to use this format. I need to make it clear upfront that I cannot give you an exact price because I do not know: where you live, the size of your house, exactly what you want the cleaner to clean or what state your house is in right now. All of these things will affect the amount you have to pay.

However, I can tell you a way that you can find out what would be a fair price to pay for the work you want to have someone do for you. This is a formula that my girlfriends and I worked out and that we have tested. We were all happy with the estimates that we received when we asked cleaners to estimate for cleaning our homes.

First you have to recognize that there are three very distinctive types of cleaning company - those that are franchises and those that are independent. Then there are one-man-band independent cleaners. In our researches we could find no reason why we would not have employed cleaners from any one of these sectors. There are advantages and disadvantages with each type of cleaner.

Franchises are likely to offer the most complete menu of services. You will probably also be covered by their insurance policy if the cleaner breaks anything or accidentally stains your carpet. However, they probably also have the highest overheads and you will be paying for those. Independent companies are likely to offer roughly the same services as a franchise but it may be more difficult to get them to service your complaint if something goes amiss.

One-man-band cleaners often do not carry any insurance and may be a bit hazy about the services they offer and how much to charge for them. This may lead to differences of opinion about price at a later date. With these caveats in mind this is how you can get a fair estimate.

Look up house cleaning services in Yellow Pages. It may be under Cleaning, Domestic. Choose two or three franchise companies and two or three independents and invite them to visit your house to quote on the work you want done. You can find out if they are franchises or independents by ringing their number and asking them.

Next walk around your house with a pad and pencil and make a list of everything you would like them to clean. When they visit you walk them around the house pointing out what you would like them to do. Make a careful note of anything extra that they suggest.

Try to make sure that you request exactly the same services from each company. They will each try to offer you there own favorite extras. But the more you can keep your requirements the same the easier you will find it to compare their prices.

Ask each company how they will ensure that your house gets cleaned even when your regular cleaner is off sick or on holiday. This is really important because it is a sure-fire bet that the moment you plan to throw a party the cleaner will get sick - sods law. You need to take into consideration your "gut feeling" about each company. It is always easier to work with people you like and whom you instinctively feel to be honest. Then all you have to do is compare the estimates they give you and decide which company you would like to work with.

Molly is an busy housewife who has needed to move house many times because of the demands of her husband's job. In the process she has become an expert on cleaning and renovating houses. She also runs a discussion group to find better, more effective and quicker ways of cleaning houses. She tells you how to find fair house cleaning rates on her website http://HouseCleaningTimeSavers.com.

Start a House Cleaning Business With the Right Vacuum

When I started my house cleaning business, I had a business plan and goals. One of those goals was to be known as a professional service with top paying clients. Establishing a business plan helped me define who these top paying clients were and how I would win them as my clients.

At the time I started this house cleaning business, the upright vacuums with the tools-on-board were relatively new. When I saw my first bright orange German-made machine at the supply company, I fell in love and knew this was one way to stand out from the other cleaning services. Imagine my glee as I looked

over this sleek machine with the HEPA filter, dual motor and furniture arm that would allow me to complete a room without the additional time and energy needed to interrupt my routine and retrieve the canister.

This was a huge investment for me at the time, but I knew I could offset the cost with reduced cleaning time and acquire more customers by telling my prospects about this unique vacuum.

These features were important to prospects as so many people in my city had allergies and asthma and were concerned about the additional dust floating through their home by the usual vacuum cleaners.

With the dual motor, this vacuum turned off the beater bar automatically when it was placed in an upright position, allowing me to use the on-board tools without having to press a button. This is an important feature because it is so easy to forget to turn the beater bar off and this could wear the carpet while standing in one position and in some instances, even cause a burn.

One feature of this commercial brand vacuum that I was looking forward to was the 50ft cord that would allow me to vacuum whole sections of the house before having to re-plug. You know what I'm talking about; you just have a small section left to vacuum by the back window and the cord will not reach. This is

so frustrating that sometimes you end up not completing that section just because you do not want to take the time to re-plug for that little area. I knew this would be a problem when I started hiring employees for my house cleaning business.

This great vacuum lays flat to vacuum under beds and tables; what a time saver! Soon after I started using the vacuum in client homes, I realized another benefit. Those darn paper clips, rubber bands and other small objects that normally rattle around in other vacuums are sucked right in and immediately deposited in the vacuum bag. No more broken fan blades and no more stopping to get the vacuum head working again.

And my clients loved this machine. They were so impressed they told their referrals who then called to schedule an appointment and would always ask if I would bring the orange vacuum. This machine more than paid for itself many times over.

This orange machine has evolved over the years and the stability issue they originally had has been resolved. Many new brands have been introduced to the commercial industry.

Upright Versus Canister

As a professional house cleaner, you must have two vacuums. You'll need the canister for bare flooring and a good upright for carpets. You can invest in the back pack canister that you don't have to pull around, purchase used light weight floor canisters or even invest in one of the newer, super small hand held canisters that have the suction of the larger models.

In maintaining carpet quality and also keeping your repair bills down, you should consider a new, commercial brand upright with the tools. Why a commercial over any store-brands?

Commercial Versus Store-Brands

We're all familiar with the store-brands, but look at what you get with a commercial upright:

The unit lays flat to vacuum under beds and tables

Picks up paper clips, rubber bands and other small objects without clogging or stopping the beater bar. This is due to a unique design that filters the dirt through the bag and not the blower fan. Many store-brand vacuum repairs and replacements are due to this one design flaw that allows the dirt to be sucked into the machine through the fan.

Molded-in easy-carry handle allows the vacuum to be carried with proper weight distribution

35' - 50' cords allow more square footage to be vacuumed before the need to re-plug

Large capacity, top-fill bag for efficiency and increased time between changes

Superior air filtration along with the sturdier construction which prevents harmful dust and particulates from escaping through gaps in the vacuum cleaner body or around the filter seal.

Less needless features to pay for that only end up not working like dirt sensors, etc.

The furniture arm: this one feature alone I would pay extra for! This is the extension that you see on one side of the vacuum head on most commercial upright vacuums. I have never seen this feature on a store-brand. This one feature saved me from having to move furniture when it's not needed because the furniture arm loops around furniture legs.
Badded Versus Bagless

You'll find 75% of the store-brand uprights are bagless while 75% of the commercial brands are bagged. That's because the dirt receptacle on the bagless vacuums emit so much dust when emptied. The commercial vacuums and bags are designed to be air-tight and retain the dust.

HEPA Filter

The High Efficiency Particulate Air filtration system is a must have for those people with asthma, allergies and/or pets. These special filters alter the flow of the air passing through them in such a way that any particles contained in the air become trapped in the many tiny fibers which make up the filter. HEPA filters trap germs and other contaminants, which then die in the dry environment of the filter.

By having a business plan and goals, I was able to define what people were looking for and also define the niche for my house cleaning business. I also defined what products and equipment were right for my clients, set my rate to ensure a healthy profit and cost justified equipment that required a large investment.

What are your goals for your house cleaning business? To stand apart from your competitors and land more jobs, you have to define the type of clients you want to service and then offer what they want. If

you're selling your service on price alone, there will always be other cleaners that will under bid your price. Be unique and you'll be getting the first calls and the chance to sell what you have to offer.

Sign up for a FREE eCourse on running a successful house cleaning business. Learn about bidding house cleaning jobs in Special Report #5.

How to Price Your Window Cleaning Service

Probably one of the greatest mysteries for the new self-employed window cleaner is knowing what to charge for your window cleaning services. First you must remember that you are becoming a business and as such, your earnings go towards the cost of running a business as well as putting food on your kitchen table and a roof over your head. Now I've made mention on the home page about window cleaners earning $50/hr and up but you may be wondering how one prices actual jobs so that you can earn this kind of money from them.

Target Earning Goal

I usually tell beginners to set an earning goal of around 50$/hr for their first few months (up to a year) in the biz. If a new window cleaner can achieve this consistently, then they are well on their way to earning $60-$70/hr by their second year. Here's why. Even after you've calculated what to charge per window/job in order for you to achieve the return of $50/hr, you will be earning this as an unskilled window cleaner. That's right, until you've been cleaning windows for a while; technically you're still unskilled. But after you've acquired the skills to clean windows more professionally and quickly, your hourly return rate will increase.

I tell a story on my window cleaning tutorial DVD of when I first started out window cleaning and priced out a job where I ended up only making around $35/hr. The following year I returned to do a repeat clean at the same bid price but because of the improvements in my technique, my earnings on that job increased to $70/hr. Simply because I was now cleaning more windows per hour.

How To Price (bid) Jobs

After studying price ranges (for residential) across the North American market, I have determined that window cleaning companies charge anywhere from $4 per basic window in/out on the low end to $8 per window on the high end. Storm windows are usually priced much higher because of the amount of work, not just in cleaning them but also the time it takes to take them apart and re-assemble them. French panes (small cut ups) are often charged at $1 in/out to $1.50 in/out for each individual pane. The two things that will determine what you charge is how your per window price meets your earning goal and also what your market will bare.

Pricing commercial work is slightly different. Usually a per window price will be lower than residential work. Reasons for this include such things as level of competition in your, simpler window styles (usually), more frequent visits (sometimes by contract of weekly/monthly/quarterly etc.) In many cases you may be ask just to clean the outside glass only. Pricing of anywhere between $1 per pane side to $2 per pane side is quite common for ground level commercial glass but may need to be increased depending on other variables. (see below)

If you are looking at going after storefront work, it is often a good idea to set a minimum per service stop because some stores may only have a few pieces of glass. If you're aiming at getting many small stores in one area location, you may want to set your min per stop at around $15 and test the waters for going up from there. The one main characteristic in doing storefront work is that although you may make a smaller amount per stop, you plan to make it up in volume (number of stops per day). Some window cleaners prefer this type of work because a store front window cleaning route of weekly/bi-weekly/monthly accounts means consistent earnings throughout the year, even in the cold winter months.

Variables In Pricing

All the pricing guide info offered above is taking into consideration that the window cleaning jobs are pretty straight forward. But there are always going to be variables that may affect what you end up charging per job such as how dirty the glass is, what is the access to the glass like, do you need to use ladders or extension poles, any obstacles to make cleaning difficult, any stains or hard water spots to remove? etc.. In time you will even come across glass that is so corroded due to neglect that the only option is replacement. Just remember, whatever extra work you face on the job, make sure you charge for it.

Is Your Pricing Too Low/High?

A window cleaner who had been in the business for many years once told me that you should aim for landing around 70% of your bids. If you consistently win more bids than that then your prices are probably too low. Likewise, if you consistently land fewer bids than 70% then your prices may be too high. I would say this is very true when it comes to residential jobs and larger commercial jobs. The only time one should ignore this rule is when bidding storefront. Storefront is the most competitive area in window cleaning and many small businesses are price shoppers so be prepared to hear a lot of "no's" while canvassing for clients. Homeowners can be price shoppers too but don't feel bad if you lower your price to land some jobs in the early stages of your business. You gotta eat right? Plus, you can chalk everything up to experience in the long run.

Last Words

Don't be afraid to network with other local window cleaning companies. The good ones won't be afraid to share information with you and will encourage a healthy marketplace for everyone. But stay clear of those competitors that offer rock bottom prices. They may appear to be constantly busy but what's the point if they're not profitable, right?

Mark Strange is a professional window cleaner from Toronto, Canada. He also hosts 'Tool Talk', a YouTube video seris reviewing window cleaning tools. http://www.windowcleaningskills.com

Foreclosure Cleaning - Advice on What to Do and What Not to Do When Pricing Jobs

In most cases, when potential clients call you for a foreclosure cleaning job, they're going to want you to give them a rate over the phone. You should patiently explain that you have to view the property before giving an estimate.

Once you clear this hurdle, they're still going to want you to give them a rate immediately after viewing and assessing the job.

Don't.

Following is why.

Foreclosure Cleaning Jobs: An Industry with Thin Profit Margins

Most of the services offered by foreclosure cleaning companies have thin profit margins. This means you have to know what your direct and indirect costs are in order to price a job correctly. This is not only fair to your bottom line - it's fair to clients as well (even if they don't realize it).

Foreclosure Cleaning Pricing: Direct and Indirect Costs Defined

Direct costs are those expenses that can be defined in absolute terms for every job. These are things like how much you pay workers and the cost of supplies. You know these costs are exactly, which makes it easy to factor into a pricing model.

Indirect costs are a bit trickier. They are the costs that are not accounted for in your direct costs for a particular job. However, they are every bit a part of pricing a foreclosure cleaning job as direct costs. Hence, they should be factored into every estimate you give.

Some examples of indirect costs are annual business license renewal, phone, paper and toner for your printer, etc.

The inability to factor in indirect business costs accurately is a major reason so many new small business owners find it difficult to price jobs. Because they leave these out, they usually wind up undercharging and find themselves in the red -- and out of business -- before they know it.

How to "Accurately" Calculate Indirect Costs for Your Foreclosure Cleaning Business

The word accurately is in quotation marks because, by their very nature, indirect costs are not concrete. But you can get pretty close calculating them using some specific formulas and common sense.

Your largest indirect costs are pretty easy to calculate (eg, wages, business insurance, phone).

The intangibles are what will give you headaches, eg, gas for running around giving estimates and calculating how much time it's going to take to complete a job. The only way to figure costs like these out is to pull upon knowledge you already have.

For example -- take gas. To get a good idea of how much you're going to spend, calculate a certain number of miles per week. If you stay within a certain geographic area (say, 50 miles) then figure giving 1-2 estimates a week initially. At 100 miles per round trip, you can get an idea of how much gas you'll be using.

Once you do a foreclosure cleaning estimates, you'll get better and better and calculating costs -- and hence, raise your profits for each foreclosure clean up job you do.

May be reprinted with the following, in full: To learn everything you need to know about how to price foreclosure cleaning jobs, get the manual Pricing Guide for Foreclosure Cleaning & Real-Estate Service Businesses: How to Price Jobs for Profit at http://www.Start-a-foreclosure-cleanup-business.com

Hiring Professional Carpet Cleaners For Christmas Home - Some Important Tips

Before hire professional carpet cleaning service it wants to some research. For the get highest results ensure your professional carpet cleaner have an I.I.R.C. certification. With the expectation of visitors to Christmas, the approach of the festive season can be tipsy. Hiring the services of professional carpet cleaning lifts some of the burden off the Christmas household organizer.

CARPET CLEANING PRICES CAN BE NEGOTIATED WITH COMMERCIAL CARPET CLEANERS

Because Christmas is a time when numerous people are searching for ways to freshen up and clean their carpets and rugs, prices are most high during the festive season. Some companies offer to clean a room or hallway without charge, or offer free upholstery when contracted to clean an entire house. Ratings are generally given based on a "house sized" so be careful to read the fine print when looking for commercial cleaning services.

Commercial carpet services of cleaning normally apply the hot water extraction system of cleaning, using truck-mounted or portable extraction machines. The truck mounted extraction system is more costly than the portable machine but gives a more powerful carpet cleaning service. Cleaning solution is shot into the carpet at a high pressure than portable machines can get, and higher power suction extracts dirt and water which leaves the carpet drier than when you use a portable machine.

PROFESSIONAL CARPET CLEANER HOLD I.I.C.R.C. CERTIFICATION

Users should make sure their chosen professional carpet cleaner have an I.I.C.R.C. certification (International Institute of Carpet Restoration and Cleaning). Have an I.I.C.R.C. certification that proof for carpet cleaner that cleaners must have studied and completed formal examinations. Other questions to ask before hiring the commercial service could be:

* What kind of guarantee do they offer

* Are their technicians are fully trained in use of the machinery and chemicals

* What kind of chemicals is used in the process

* Will they replace furniture

* Do They Understand Customer Service?

* Which System Do They Use?

* Do They Have Good References?

* What Kind of Experience Do They Have?

Cleaning steps and stairs will probably incur an additional cost and can be fixed by step. Stubborn stains or flooring that are dirtier than the service considers standard will also add cost. Carpet and rugs can be very high quality off the standard price. Ask your friends and family for recommendations, ask for several quotes and negotiate with the carpet cleaning company to ensure a competitive price.

PROFESSIONAL CARPET CLEANERS ALSO OFFER SERVICES SUCH AS:

* Upholstery cleaning

* Protecting fabric from future stains and spills

* Controlling pests such as spiders, cockroaches and flies.

The Dirty carpets can be a health hazard, especially for people with allergies and asthma. Pollen, dust mites, chemical and nicotine may also be removed in a deep carpet cleaning commercial process. Homes with small children, animals or people who enjoy leisure activities such as arts and crafts in particular benefit from one year spruce-up using the services of professional carpet cleaning. Before entering the commercial carpet cleaners ensure they know exactly what services you want and you have a thorough knowledge of their services, prices and warranty. Brightening up the house for Christmas can be efficiently achieved using commercial carpet cleaning services.

Rapid dry now is a leading Carpet Cleaning Services company specialist of Carpet Cleaning.

How To Start Your Own Cleaning Service Business (Office Cleaning & House Cleaning)

House and apartment cleaning services are gaining in popularity. The main reason for this is due to families that have 2 working adults/parents in the home. The overworked family has no time for cleaning their home. Their need to supplement the family income creates the opportunity for you to set up a lucrative business.

Ten years ago, businesses of this kind were serving only the affluent - homes of the wealthy people where people didn't want to be bothered with the drudgery of house cleaning, and had the money to pay someone to do it for them. But times have changed, and today the market includes many middle-income families in every residential area across the entire country. The potential market among apartment dwellers is great also. All in all this is a business that has grown fast, and has as much real wealth building potential as any we can think of.

Cleaning services are generally associated with women owners, however, men are finding that they can organize, start, and operate very profitable home and apartment cleaning businesses just as well as women. It's an ideal business for any truly ambitious person wanting a business of his or her own, especially for those who must begin with limited funds. Actually, you can start this business right in your own neighborhood, using your own equipment, and many items you already own.

Many enterprising homemakers are already doing this kind of work on a small scale as an extra income-producing endeavor. There's a growing need for this service. Organizing your efforts into a business producing $40,000 or more a year is quite possible, and you can get started for $100 or so, always using your profits to expand and increase your business.

In most cases, no experience is required. Everyone knows how to dust the furniture, vacuum carpets, make the beds and carry out the trash. But you must ask yourself if making a house clean and bright is important and uplifting work. If you look on it as degrading or as drudgery, don't involve yourself in this business.

Pricing your services will always be a constant challenge for you. You will learn as you go. The pricing really depends on you, the services you provide and how thorough you are. To start off, your best bet is to figure out what you need to make ends meet per week. Then, divide that number by amount of hours you want to work per week. Then be sure to add any expenses you will incur by working that many hours (ie. Daycare, Gas, Cleaning Supplies, Insurance, Equipment Repairs, Etc.) Also count on a little downtime for traveling between jobs, sick days, auto breakdowns, etc.

As a general rule, you shouldn't charge less than $12.00 - $15.00 (USD) per hour, per person on a job (depending on where in the world you are located. Most cleaning companies will charge $20-$30 (USD) per hour, per person. This is just a guide, and some parts of the US or other countries may be much different.

Here is an example:

A 2-Bathroom, 3-Bedroom house with a Living Room, Kitchen, Dining Room, Hallways, Stairs and a family room, will approx. take 4 labor hours as long as there is not a lot of clutter (always be sure to notice the amount of clutter and how dirty/dusty the home is when doing an estimate and take that under consideration). Labor hours means the amount of time it will take multiplied by the number of people cleaning. For example... A 4 hour labor job breaks down like this:1 person-4 hours, 2 people-2 hours, 3 people-1.33 hours, etc.). I personally wouldn't recommend charging less than $15.00 /hr. Charging $15.00/hr would bring this job to $60.00 Per visit. Charging $20.00/hr would bring this job to $80.00

You want to be sure you charge enough to provide a quality service. If a prospective customer is trying to lower your rates, they are not worth having. It's ok to be higher than another company as you should never try to gain new customers by just offering the lowest price. Always sell the quality of your work rather than the price!

Customers will expect to pay more for cleaning services that offer a quality service and bring their own supplies and equipment. Make sure if you are using your own equipment, you put a lot of effort into finding the right products. Customers like name brand products being used in their homes and offices.

Customers will also expect to pay more if your company is insured. Insurance is well worth the investment to protect yourself and your company in the event something gets lost, broken, or damaged. It is also a wonderful selling tool.

Remember... Sell quality, not cost!

TIP::::: You should consider providing services in schedule friendly timing:

- Weekly is every week

- Bi-weekly is every 2 weeks

- Monthly is every 4 weeks (not the same as coming the 1st of every month)

As far as supplies and equipment is concerned, you should consider obtaining the following:

- Vacuum Cleaner with attachments, or 2 different vacuums

- Paper towels

- Terrycloth rags

- Furniture polish

- Glass cleaner

- Multi-purpose cleaner

- Bath tub/Shower cleaner

- Toilet Bowl Cleaner

- Abrasive cleanser (like comet)

- Sponges (consider using sponges with an abrasive side and a soft side)

- Feather Duster

- Caddy (to carry it all)

- And anything else you may need to perform the services that you offer

You also need an advertising campaign of some sort. Most people start out using the classified ads and the Internet. A listing on the Cleaning Service Directory (www.house-cleaning-services.com) is very inexpensive and can help you get leads quickly.

Another point to make is that customers are willing to pay a premium for cleaning services that are well established and well known. Be sure to advertise in your local newspaper and direct customers to your Web site. A Web site is a great place for potential customers to read more about your company, see your credentials, look at testimonials from your other customers and explore the other services that you may offer. A Web site also provides one of the most cost-effective forms of advertising that works 24/7! Getting your name out there will provide name recognition, and install confidence that you are a legitimate company that people can trust. To find out more about getting your company online, visit http://www.modernconcepts.org

You might also want to consider creating a flyer, such as the following:

HOUSE CLEANING / APARTMENT CLEANING

We do the work - You relax and take it easy.

You get the best job in town, at rates you can afford.

Your satisfaction is always guaranteed!

For more details,

Call Jane Doe: 123-4567 - ABC Cleaning Services!

Here's an idea for making a flyer....

Visit your stationery store to pick up a pad of "fade out" graph paper, a couple of sets of transfer (rub-on) letters, a glue stick, and if they have one, a Clip Art book.

Take these materials home and clear off your kitchen table. Take a sheet of graph paper, and temporarily tape the corners down on the table. Then take a pencil and a ruler, and mark a rectangle five inches wide by six inches long along the lines of the graph paper. This will be the overall size of your flyer when it's finished.

Look for a Clip Art piece depicting a harried housewife engrossed with either cleaning tools or in the act of running a vacuum cleaner, or some other household chore. Cut this piece out, and with your glue stick paste it in the upper left-hand corner of your rectangle. Then take your transfer letters and make the headline: HOME OR CLEANING. Next, type out the body of the message on ordinary white typing paper. Be sure to use a relatively new ribbon, preferably a black carbon ribbon, and upper case letters. Cut this strip out, and paste it onto the graph paper, centered just below your headline. Then use some transfer letters that are about twice as large as your typewriter type, and paste up the action part of your message: For details, call Sue: 123-4567. Cut out a couple of border flourishes from your Clip Art book, paste them under your action line, and you're ready to take it to the printer.

In essence, you have a professional advertising "billboard." You can check around in your area, especially with the advertising classes at your local colleges, but generally they'll do no better than you can do on your own, using the instructions we've just given you, and they'll charge you $50 to $100.

Once you have this advertising flyer completed, take it to a nearby quick print shop and have about 200 copies printed. You should be able to get two copies on a standard 8 1/2 x 11 sheet, and running 100 sheets of paper through the press should cost under $10. For just a few cents more, have the printer cut them in half with his machine cutter, so you will have 200 copies of the advertising flyer.

Now take these flyers, along with a box of thumbtacks, and put them up on all the free bulletin boards you can find - grocery stores, Laundromats, beauty salons, office building lounges, cafeterias, post offices, and wherever else such announcements are allowed.

Handling the customers...

When a prospective customer calls, have your appointment book and a pencil handy. Be friendly and enthusiastic. Explain what you do - everything from changing the beds to vacuuming, dusting and polishing the furniture and cleaning the bathroom to the

dishes and the laundry. Or, everything except the dishes and the laundry - whatever you have decided on as your policy. When they ask how much you charge, simply tell them, you'll need to see the home and make a detailed estimate for them. Then without much of a pause, ask if 4:30 this afternoon would be convenient for them, or if 5:30 would be better. You must pointedly ask if you can come to make your cost proposal at a certain time, or the decision may be put off, and you may come up with a "no sale."

Just as soon as you have an agreement on the time to make you cost proposal and marked it in your appointment book, ask for name, address and telephone number.

Jot this information down on a 3 by 5 card, along with the date and the notation: Prospective Customer. Then you file this card in a permanent card file. Save these cards, because there are literally hundreds of ways to turn this prospect file into real cash, once you've accumulated a sizeable number of names, addresses and phone numbers.

When you go to see your prospect in person, always be on time. A couple of minutes early won't hurt you, but a few minutes late will definitely be detrimental to your closing the sale. Always be well groomed. Dress as a successful business owner. Be confident and sure of yourself; be knowledgeable about what you can do as well as understanding of the prospect's needs and wants. Do not smoke, even if invited by the prospect, and never accept a drink - even coffee - until after you have a signed contract in your briefcase.

Once you've made the sale, the best thing is to shake hands with your new customer, thank him or her, and leave. A little small talk after the sale is appropriate, but becoming too friendly is not. You create an impression, and preserve it, by maintaining a business-like relation ship.

When you go to make your cost estimate, take along a ruled tablet such as those used by elementary school students, carbon paper, a calculator and your appointment book. Some people find it easier to work with a clipboard and ordinary blank paper with

carbon. Later on, you may want to have general checklists printed up for each room in the house, with blank lines or space for special instructions.

Whatever you use, it's important to appear methodical, thorough and professional, while leading the prospect through the specifics he or she wants you to take care of: "Now, you want the carpet vacuumed and all the furniture dusted and those two end tables, the coffee table and the piano polished as well, I assume?"

Simply identify the specific room at the top of the sheet of paper, then lead your prospect through the cleaning steps of each room, covering everything in it. Your implications of putting everything in "ready for company" shape will cause the customer to

forget about the cost, and hire you to do a complete job. Always have a carbon paper under each piece of paper you're writing on, and always look around each room one more time before leaving it; then ask the prospect if he or she can think of any special instructions you should note for that room.

Finally, when you've gone through each room in the house with the prospect, come back to the kitchen and sit down at the table. Take out your calculator and add up the time you estimate each job in each room will take to complete. Total the time for each room.

Be liberal, thinking that if you can do the carpet job in 15 minutes, it will usually take the ordinary person 30 minutes. Convert the total minutes for each room into hours and tenths of hours per room. Add the totals for each room to arrive at your total hours to clean the entire house.

Talk with your customer briefly, wondering how she can ever find the time to get everything done at home, especially when holding down a full-time job. A little bit of small talk, a quick mental evaluation of the customer's ability to pay, plus your knowledge that you can get everything done in four hours, instead of the six hours it would take most people.

Here is an example of a typical conversation between you and the prospective client:

"Well, Mrs. Johnson, you've certainly got enough routine cleaning work to keep you busy all day every day of the week! I certainly don't know how you do it, but any way, we'll take this whole problem off your shoulders, save you time, and actually give you time to relax. We charge $100 for monthly visits, or $80.00 for bi-weekly visits.

"I can well imagine how tired you are when you get home from work. If you're at all like me there are times when, faced with all this housework, you want to run away someplace and hide. Now, we'll take care of everything for you - keep the house spic and

span, ready for company, allow you to forget about housecleaning chores, and for a lot less than it's costing you now in time, work, and worry. And we guarantee that our work will more than satisfy you. So, would you like to try our cleaning service one time for $75 or do you want to save $15 a call and let us take over all these chores for you on a regular basis?"

Here you begin finding a place in your appointment book, and tell her: "Actually, I have an opening at 8:30 on Tuesday morning. We could come in every other Tuesday at 8:30, clean the whole house and have it done before you get home from work."

The customer agrees that 8:30 on Tuesdays will be fine. Then you ask her if she prefers to be billed with the completion of each house cleaning session or on a regular monthly basis. Point out to her that by engaging you on a monthly basis , she picks up

a free house cleaning every three months.

Now that you have your first customer, you want to fill in every day of the week, each week of every month with regular jobs. Once you have one week of each month filled with regular jobs, it will be time for you to expand.

Expansion means growth, involving people working for you, more jobs to sell, and greater profits. Don't let it frighten you, for you have gained experience by starting gradually. After all - your aim in starting a business of your own was to make money, wasn't it? And expanding means more helpers so you don't have to work yourself to death!

You can operate this business quite successfully from the comfort of your home, permanently, if you choose to. All you'll ever need is a telephone, a desk, and a file cabinet.

So, just as soon as you possibly can, recruit and hire other people to do the work for you. The first people you hire should be people to handle the cleaning work. The best plan is to hire people to work in teams of two or three - two for jobs not including dishwashing and laundry - three for those that do.

You can start these people at minimum wage or a bit above, and train them to complete every job assignment in two hours or less. Just as soon as you've hired and trained a couple of people as a cleaning team, you should outfit them in a kind of uniform with your company name on the back of their blouses or shirts. A good idea also would be to have magnetic signs made for your company and services. Place these signs on the sides of the cars your people use for transportation to each job, and later on, the sides

of your company van or pick-up trucks.

Each team should have an appointed team leader responsible for the quality and over all completeness of each job assigned to that team. The team might operate thus: One person cleans the bathrooms and kitchen, while the other person dusts and polishes the furniture and does the vacuuming. On jobs where you do the laundry and the dishes, the third person can pick up the laundry and get that started, and then do the dishes and clean the kitchen. By operating in this manner, your work will be more efficient and the complete job will take a lot less time. However, it is important that each person you hire understand that the success of the business depends on the "crew" doing as many complete jobs as they can handle each day - not on how much they get paid per hour working for you.

Your team leaders will check with you each afternoon for the next day's work assignments and gather the team together, complete with cleaning equipment and material, on the next day. Your team leader should be supplied with a stack of "hand-out" advertising flyers to pass around the neighborhood or within the apartment building before leaving each job site. A good supply of business cards wouldn't be a bad idea for them either, in order to advertise your services to others they come in contact with. The

only other form of advertising you should go with would be a display ad in the yellow pages of your telephone directory.

Design on paper a system of clean-up operation that can generally be applied to any situation, then drill your teams on speeding up their activities to make the system work even better. Just as firemen practice and practice, you should drill your people as a team in their cleaning activities.

Probably the biggest time-wasters in this business will be in the travel from job to job. For this reason, it's important to spread advertising circulars to the neighboring homes when you're doing a job, or to the apartments on the same floor when you're in an apartment building. As the organizer, and person assigning teams to jobs, it will behoove you to locate, line up, and assign jobs as close together as possible. Keep up efforts to cut the time it takes for your crews to travel from one job to the next. Work at lining up jobs all in one block, or in one apartment building.

One of the most important aspects of this business is asking for, and allowing your customers to refer other prospects to you. All of this happens, of course, as a result of your giving fast, dependable service. You might even set up a promotional notice on the back of your business card (to be left as each job is completed) offering five dollars off their next cleaning bill when they refer you to a new prospect.

Good luck!!

** Please note: You are responsible for running and maintaining your business correctly. The information provided here is for informational purposes only. We accept no responsibility for the information contained in this document. For this reason, be sure to use your best judgment and be responsible for your own actions.

http://www.house-cleaning-services.com

Commercial Cleaning - Cleaning Your Office Was Never So Easy!

Looking for a good commercial cleaning service in Austin? It is really hard to find a company that provides quality services at an affordable price. If you are confused regarding how to go about the process, it is best to gather sufficient information. There are a lot of companies that advertise via fancy campaigns, but in reality they offer poor services and charge exorbitant rates. It is important that you are aware about the reliability of the company that you will hire.

Commercial cleaning means the total cleaning of your office space. A clean and well maintained office always looks good. When a client walks in, he will be pleased to see a neat and clean office. It will help in registering a favorable image in his mind regarding your company. A dirty and unkempt office will always send a negative signal. A reputed commercial cleaning service in Austin will help you to maintain the cleanliness in your office. It is essential to provide a clean and healthy atmosphere for your employees and customers.

Here are some pointers that will help you to choose a good company for commercial cleaning (Austin):

Look for a company that uses the latest carpet cleaning equipments. Outdated equipments man poor service.
Find a company that will clean the furniture, seats, webbing fabric, and leather covers.
A company that has a good experience of maintaining Hard Wood Floor is also a good option.
It is offering janitorial services for your office.
A company that is hiring qualified and trained technicians.
Make sure that the company is using no harmful chemicals.
The company offer steam extraction service to clean your office.
It helps to keep your office odor free.
The company has good knowledge about every type of fabric (carpets that are made using this fabric) in the market.
The company will schedule their work according to your convenience.
The company has expert knowledge about leather cleaning and conditioning.
The company has a long experience in cleaning of windows, walls, tile, and grout.
It offers daily maintenance guarantee.
Has good experience in air duct or vent cleaning.
The company gives you all the services at affordable prices.

steamerscarpet.com is the one of the best commercial cleaning services in Austin. Operating for more than 15 years with trained and skilled technicians, they are going to provide you with the best service possible. The best part is that commercial cleaning services (Austin) come at extremely affordable rates. So what are you waiting for? Get a sparkling, clean office today!

Cedar Park Carpet Cleaning - Get a fast, safe and reliable carpet cleaning services in Cedar Park. For more details visit at http://www.steamerscarpet.com/.

11 Ideas For Service Businesses

The best part is that many of these opportunities can begin as part-time money and balloon into a huge source of income. Here are a few ideas:

Day Care-Child care is in huge demand as more women are working outside the home. Because of the going rate of daycare, it is one of the most profitable opportunities for stay-at-home moms, and one of the most popular choices among minorities. In addition to caring for children throughout the day, many parents prefer their children to be supervised after school until they get home from work. Providing an after-school service helps retain customers after younger children start school. For pricing in your area, pick up the phone and call some local daycare centers. You may need to set your prices slightly lower to begin with and be aware of any local laws that govern childcare services.

Cosmetologist-Although a few bucks for haircuts might not sound like a lot, think about how much it costs to have your hair colored. Add that to the occasional nail fill, product sales and think again. Like other service-based businesses, cosmetology is based on repeat business, so the right personality, skills, and location can turn a few bucks on the side into a thriving business. A license is required in most areas.

Call Center-While there are huge outcries about customer service jobs being sent overseas, the trend of corporations shifting this work to contractors working from home has been relatively quiet. This trend helps companies reduce their overhead while you make a healthy living working from home. Google "call center from home" opportunities.

Cleaning Homes and Offices- The Building Service Contractors Association International says that the business of cleaning and maintaining America's office buildings, commercial, industrial, educational and health care facilities is a huge business, estimated at $49 billion per year. That does not even consider the money available by cleaning homes. These services can vary from a basic cleaning to getting down in every nook and cranny, depending on customer needs, wants, and, of course, price. Like other service jobs, cleaning can secure a steady revenue stream through scheduled, repeat business. Check out associations that specialize in this type of service like The Janitorial Store. (Working women, even those of us at home, always need someone reliable, intuitive and trustworthy!)

Knitting, Needlework, Alteration Services-Unless someone invents clothing that is truly 'one size fits all,' this service will always be in demand. Proms and weddings provide many opportunities to alter garments and gain exposure.

Detailing Cars-Far from washing cars for fundraisers, a wash, wax, and thorough cleaning on the inside can bring a hefty price in many areas. If you are in an area where people take pride in their cars, clients can be easily to get. They're likely to come back if your services are worth the price.

Pet sitting-Pet care is an often-overlooked industry. Many pet owners deplore the thought of leaving their pets alone while they are out of town, and taking them to a kennel is even worse. People who are close to their pets are often more than willing to spend a little extra to ensure the animals' comfort. Possible services range from feeding and watering, taking pets for a daily walk, or staying with the animal during owner absences.

Pet Grooming-Grooming can be a lucrative venture, especially if you are comfortable working with animals. Many breeds of dogs and cats can benefit greatly from a seasonal haircut as well as the occasional bath that many owners cannot fit into their busy schedule.

Catering/Food Prep-Catering can be as large or as diverse a business as you want, and can be done full or part time. Many catering services specialize in banquets, but smaller niches, like wedding cakes, can also be very profitable, requiring fewer people and logistical considerations. Likewise, some people make good money by cooking specialty food (like Cajun, Oriental, deep fried, or organic) in their kitchen and delivering to various repeat clients.

The food from this type of home-based operation often rivals the flavor of more expensive restaurants. Finding clients can be difficult, but companies that commonly order food for their employees (check out car dealerships on Saturdays) can be a good source of repeat business.

Personal Trainer-Many of us want to get in shape, but either don't know how or cannot stay motivated. If you're knowledgeable exercise and personal training, and can keep a person's eye on the prize, you can make some serious money. A personal trainer's program can be an aerobics class, weight training, yoga, helping neighborhood kids make the starting lineup, or any mixture of cross training that will help clients see results and keep coming back.

Tax Preparation-Call H&R Block to find out how overpriced tax preparation has become, and you will see the potential to pull in extra income by preparing taxes. If you have been a CPA or an accountant, you probably have all the training you need, but otherwise there are courses available through sources like H&R Block that walk you through the basic tax forms. Many different computer programs do much of the legwork associated with filling out tax forms and calculations, too.

Carrie Wilkerson is the voice of experience. From corporate life to teaching high school to direct sales, she has 'been there and done that' professionally and personally. An 'overnight mom' to 2 toddlers through adoption, her priorities instantly changed and so did her workplace. She's now built several businesses and coached others to do the same while overcoming extreme debt, losing 110lbs and having 2 more children, for a total of 4 children, ages infant through 12!

As 'The Barefoot Executive', Carrie and her network of experts have quickly become the definite resource for helping women achieve extra income and career goals while working from home. Visit http://thebossmovie.com

Deep Carpet Cleaning

Incorporating carpets into the interior of your homes can really create a nice environment. However the same place can turn into a sty and actually turn away your guests if the carpets are not maintained. Experts suggest all carpets need to undergo a thorough cleaning once or twice every year. This of course depends on a number of factors but in general it is advised that carpets be cleaned periodically.

The kind of cleaning being referred here is not everyday routine cleaning. Rather you need to get your carpet cleaned by a professional cleaning company every once in a while. Choosing the right carpet cleaning company can be quite a challenge. This is because you want a company that will do a high quality job at an affordable rate.

There are hoards of carpet cleaning companies in every area. However one should not be enticed to choose a particular company based on price alone. A good way to determine the worth of a carpet cleaning company is to take a look into their track record to see how well they have done on their previous contracts. Further you should check to see what other services they offer such as Upholstery cleaning and fabric protection. This is because while you are at it you might as well get your upholstery cleaned and give your fabrics reinforced protection.

Search the internet for a number of cleaning companies in your area. When you have a list of the companies then you can compare the rates at which they are offering their carpet cleaning services. While comparing the price you also need to make sure you are comparing the services especially the equipment that each company will be making use of. Once you have short listed a couple of companies then take a look into their operating policies. For example some companies actually charge you an extra fee if you require them to move furniture. Rather than being surprised at the hidden costs at the end make sure you ask all the questions before hand so that you know exactly how much you will have to pay.

Deep cleaning of your carpets is what you want hence you need to make sure you hire a company that offers just the kind of service you require. Availing carpet cleaning services are like buying electrical equipment. You should never settle for poor quality services just to save up on some money. Low standard carpet cleaning companies will not only do a poor cleaning job rather they might end up ruining your carpets rather than extending their life.

It is always better to arrange for a free appraisal from the company rather than asking for quotes over the phone or through the email. You can actually ask the company to pay a visit to your home and analyze the condition of your carpet in order to give you an exact quote on how much the cleaning job would cost you. This in home consultation can prove out to be a very fruitful thing as both parties will be satisfied and the job will be conducted without any glitches.

Discover carpet cleaning [http://www.textilecleaning.com.au/tcp/carpetcleaning.php] at its best at textilecleaning.com.au. The company offers a host of other cleaning and maintenance services including Carpet Steam Cleaning at affordable prices.

Operating a Scaled Maid Service Enterprise

We started a house cleaning company in Denver five years ago with zero maid service customers and zero maid service employees. Denver Concierge has since grown to become one of the largest purely residential, independently-owned, maid service companies in the US. We avoided becoming mired in mediocrity, because we ignored the house cleaning industry's babble, and found our own way. In doing so, we dwarfed the gurus' own growth rates, and we spent loads of dough in developing systems. Last week, one fellow referred to us as "Cowboys." Yada, yada . . . I suppose, had we hailed from Boston, he would have used a different term. If you've already bought CD's telling you how to start or operate a maid service, then we congratulate you on your purchase. In fact, we likely agree with 80% of what is included in the package. But the difference between offering mediocre service and exceptional service is concealed in the 20% bit about which we disagree.

Over the next six-months, the House Cleaning Alliance will offer, mostly for free, its own details about how to operate a scaled maid service enterprise. Keep an eye out for the forms to appear in the Maid Service Co-Op Shop, over the next several weeks, at fantastically low prices. Until a complete package is made available, the following (along with Articles included in this site) will have to suffice to summarize our main points of dissent.

Your Father's Marketing Plan Any guru offering a marketing plan which doesn't mention web-based marketing is either headed for the bone yard, or has just arrived from the moon. Traditional marketing methods are passé. With a fully-developed web-based marketing plan, your next customer will seek and find you, and each new customer will cost you just pennies on the dollar, as compared to traditional methods proposed by the gurus. And you will add new customers at a rate which will astonish you.

Specifically, we don't agree with making door hangers the cornerstone of your marketing plan. Since the no-call lists have served to eliminate those dinner-time telemarketing calls, door hangers have taken their place as the new fly in home owner's ointment. Use door hangers sparingly, for operational reasons, and with discretion.

Mailings certainly have a place in your overall marketing scheme. They should be incredibly focused in terms of content and target, and we would never again have a third-party distribute them on our behalf, without independently verifying that they were indeed mailed.

Phone book and newspapers ads are passé. We don't intend to ever spend another nickel on either.

Mind Your Phone Manners The Gurus advise: End every sentence with, "So when's the In-Home Visit going to be then?" Such hard-sell techniques have no place in our industry. If a prospect phones your office, it would be remiss for you not to offer an In-Home Visit (or an hourly price over the phone, if the Prospect prefers), but to do so more than once would insult the Prospect's intelligence. If the Prospect has called for information, then give it freely over the phone. Selling house cleaning services requires instilling a sense of trust, and acting like a high-pressure used car salesmen is not going to give her that warm and fuzzy feeling she is seeking. Consumers are weary and wary of high-pressure sales techniques, so relax a little. The difference is subtle; it depends on adopting an attitude different from that of your mediocre competitors. Exude confidence, not desperation. You offer exceptional services, and your services are highly sought after. This Prospect is seeking your services. Be a facilitator. Invite her, don't scare her. Be the spider sitting back in your web, not the hawk swooping upon its prey.

When fielding calls from Prospects, you want them to finish the conversation thinking that you are polite and competent. Respect the Prospect's process, rather imposing your own. Your objective for each call from a Prospect should be to satisfy the inquiry, with a secondary objective being one of a number of possibilities: 1) the Prospect visiting your website for more information about your company and services; 2) the Prospect phoning back the next day (or next month) to inquire further; or just maybe 3) booking the In-Home Visit while the Prospect is on the phone.

In-Home Quotes: Leave your Plaid Jacket at Home The purpose of the In-Home Visit is firstly to describe those tailored services you are offering to this particular prospect. The process offers the chance for you to distinguish yourself from your competitors. Indeed, if it is a mediocre service that you are offering, then it might be altogether better for you to skip In-Home Visits and quote everything hourly over the phone. But if your service is exceptional, then it's going to be a natural sale. You can simply walk around, listen, and, with complete candor and confidence, make 20 promises to your Prospect about the baseboards, under the beds, cobwebs, etc. Collectively, the promises represent your sales pitch.

When you are done, and have established (and documented!) the scope based on your walk-through with the Prospect, then give her the prices. Hmmm . . . I have loads to say about how to arrive at the prices. It won't fit here. Suffice it to say, we go about it altogether differently than the gurus. If you want to chat about our pricing method sometime, I may be happy to do so. We are presently developing a statistical tool to help you price house cleaning assignments. It'll be ready this calendar year.

Aside from arriving at the price, we disagree with the gurus' Living Room techniques. Better to assume your Prospect has an IQ of 150 and will appoint a house cleaning company precisely when she is ready, and not before. Make your offer, then describe your method for having arrived at the price (it's a function of the time you estimate it will take to clean the home, based on the agreed-upon scope).

The offer is followed by a pregnant pause, not by the obnoxiously insulting question, "So what's it going to be then, weekly or every two weeks?" At this point in the visit, you will have a good sense for whether or not you've won over the Prospect. The price might astonish her. That's OK, you've already described your premium services, and now you've given her your premium price. Maybe she needs a moment to digest it. Be calm and polite. Of course, you're ready to book it on the spot. But if she seems indecisive, I always say, "These quotes are good for one year. If you get three quotes from three companies, I will expect that ours will be the highest. It's not that we charge more per hour for our services, but rather that we spend more time in our clients' homes, and our prices reflect that. If you are uncertain, then choose one of our competitors for a lower price. Once you've tried them, you'll find that they either satisfy your needs, in which case you've saved money, or they disappoint you, in which case you will be more appreciative of our services, once you appoint us six weeks hence." The most common response: "Wow (what confidence!), why would I waste my time with the others? When can you start?" Of course, over time, this only works if you can actually deliver what you've promised.

The gurus track close rates. To them, a sale equals success. To us, a sale may very well represent the worst-case scenario, if it is based on a bad price. An orangutan dressed in a plaid jacket can sell premium maid services for a bad price. We monitor close rates, but we emphasize accuracy in pricing. The difference may seem subtle, but beware, the results can be remarkably different.

Let the Market Dictate Your Operating Profile The gurus say three person teams are "the Best." That's like saying a Cocker Spaniel is the best. The best for what? When it comes to Operations, think outside the box. Flexibility is the key to meeting customer demands and optimizing the big Scheduling Puzzle. One of the benefits of being an independent maid service company is that we don't have to abide by one of those pesky operational manuals, and we're not about to impose superficial operational rules on ourselves as a substitute.

We happily and intelligently run one-person, two-person, three-person, four-person teams, depending on the clients, the location, and the circumstances (maybe even five or six-person teams for special assignments). We do it to please our customers, optimize the schedule, minimize drive-time, facilitate training, and because we have the systems which enable us to do it.

The gurus, with their manual forms and pencil sharpeners, sacrifice flexibility in order to simplify and solve the Scheduling Puzzle. To them, "a Team" is a static concept. To us, it is dynamic. On Monday, Maria manages a two-person team. On Tuesday she manages a separate three-person team. On Wednesday she manages an altogether different four- person team, and so on and so forth. What's the difference? Well, to Maria's Monday clients, there is none. She has the same Monday team each Monday. But from an operations perspective, the difference is remarkable. Firstly, evaluations: every Cleaning Associate works with, and is evaluated by, multiple Team Leaders every two-weeks. Yes! Another relative performance parameter on which to base pay! Secondly, flexibility in matching the perfect personnel package to the perfect assignment. Thirdly, flexibility in solving the Scheduling Puzzle. Fourthly, camaraderie across teams, not just within them.

The gurus' specialization concept? Yech! Who wants to become a bathroom specialist? Why would anyone introduce yet one more constraint into the Scheduling Puzzle? Get real. Everybody does everything-the Team Leader trains everyone, and uses her discretion in assigning tasks. She mixes it up amongst the team so as to make their lives more bearably interesting. And it would be naïve to imagine that quality won't suffer from the gurus' undue emphasis on efficiency. Give your house cleaners some credit for being intelligent enough to work out efficiency among themselves, monitor quality carefully and continuously, and you may be surprised at the results. Rely on your pay schemes to reward your employees for a combination of efficiency and quality. What pay schemes, you ask? Well, that really is the million dollar question, isn't it? Please see the Forum.

Please check back to read about our plans to send a maid to the moon.

Janitorial Cleaning

Typically Janitorial Cleaning Service are for those who are in the blue collar job and want to start their own business and have small amount to invest. Many people are stepping into this field of career aspect in an alarming rate.

Once you have make up your mind regarding venturing into a business of janitorial cleaning service, you need to register you business name, and get the license from your local country or from the city hall.

There are majority who are wanting to start their business from home itself. After consulting your residential area's guide liner, you can carry out your business from home. Make sure that your janitorial cleaning services are bounded and insured.

If people are considering to start their own business with janitorial service, they are bagging a lucrative deal. By doing proper estimation of the price which you charge for the janitorial services, you can remarkably maximize your profit margin to an extent. This way you can make your earning potential huge.

You need to decipher on the matter in relation to start up cost that is required in the janitorial cleaning business. According to janitorial expert, one should have no less than $500 - $5000 to start the janitorial cleaning business as this service involves buying of the basic equipment that is needed to make the things dirt free.

Some of the Equipment includes: Hard hat, Dust mask, Safety goggles, Heat resistant Gloves and Heat resistant Apron and slip resistant, steel toe shoes.

There is excess demand for this service and so there are lots of companies who are hiring small cleaning companies to accomplish their cleaning task efficiently. For example, if the organization has thrown a party, they entail a dire need of cleaners before and after the party to make the things spic & span, and immaculately turned out.

Janitorial services includes cleaning of the commercial buildings such as businesses, hospitals, schools, retail stores, warehouses, manufacturing facilities and even parking lots. Usually services like: sweeping, dusting, emptying wastebaskets, refilling soap and paper dispensers and buffing and/or vacuuming the floors includes in the janitorial services.

Getting listed in the yellow pages under all of the main services that you are offering is the best option to get the beehive of the customers knocking at your door for the cleaning services. Than sending the professional-looking brochure is the next best alternative to make your business run in the brisk. No doubt, all this will require few bucks but once you get the hold of the customers, you can make your money to be covered up.

This article has been provided courtesy of Areal Building Services Inc, http://www.areal.ca a janitorial cleaning service company specializing in contract cleaning services in Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and Toronto for more than 20 years.

How Much Does Carpet Cleaning Cost? (And How to Find the World's Best Carpet Cleaners)

How Much Does Carpet Cleaning Cost? Really.

This question is about as easy to answer as asking "how much does a house cost?" The short answer is, that depends. The longer answer is the following.

Every job is different, so there is no one-size-fits-all price however, carpet cleaners should be able to give you a ball-park estimate over the phone, but may need to inspect your carpet in person to firm up the quote. There are two common ways to price carpet cleaning services - per room rates or per square foot rates.

Per room rates are designed to make it easier to price cleaning services over the phone without having to send a technician out to your home to measure each room. You may find advertised prices as low as $20 or $25 per room, but beware of the lowest rate as you usually get what you pay for. There are many ways a carpet cleaner can cut costs to lower their price, but none of them will benefit the customer.

The per room rate is usually limited to a maximum size and/or larger rooms are charged as two rooms. The rates are calculated to average out over many jobs to an acceptable net rate for the company to remain profitable. Customers with smaller rooms often pay a premium, while customers with larger than average rooms may get a break.

Per square foot rates are designed so that companies can custom tailor each job price more closely to the actual value of the service. If you have smaller areas to be cleaned, you will pay less and if you have a larger than average sized rooms you will understandably pay a little more. This method allows the company to make their required margins on each job, however it also requires them to make a special trip to your home to provide a quote which may add to the cost.

The rate per square foot charged may also vary depending on the size of the job, smaller jobs will likely be charged a higher rate while larger jobs may be charged a lower rate due to the fixed costs of travel and equipment set up, etc.

The average net rate for quality carpet cleaning services varies considerably region by region, and depends on many factors, but on average, at the time of this writing, you should expect to pay approximately $0.30 - $0.45 per square foot. Whatever the rate, it should include all cleaning solutions, materials, and labour required to complete the job to IICRC standards of care.

Usually (well hopefully) you'll get what you pay for so, just as with any other major purchase decision, it's buyer beware. When you do your homework you'll find all carpet cleaning companies are not created equal.

Beware of additional charges or surcharges for fuel, disposal of waste, environmental fees, use of spotting solutions, or any other hidden or surprise charges. Prices quoted prior to the start of the job should be inclusive of all these costs.

Of course every cleaning situation is different, and there are valid business reasons for charging higher cleaning rates for extraordinary circumstances, and additional charges for additional services that are not included in the cleaning rates should be expected. Services such as carpet protection treatments, pet odour removal, and extreme spotting or stain removal processes are not generally included in regular cleaning rates.

Beware of the lowest quote, cheap per room rates, or huge discount offers. These may be warning signs that the company may not be entirely "above board". There are, unfortunately, many carpet cleaners operating with less than impeccable ethical business practices.

Some carpet cleaning companies, probably most, pay their technicians a commission based on the total dollar amount of the jobs they do. This naturally motivates them in two ways: to up-sell as much as possible, extracting as much money from your wallet as they can, and to rush through jobs to get as much work completed, or more precisely, collect as much revenue in a day as they can. This can lead to sloppy workmanship, high pressure sales tactics from the technician for you to pay for additional services, and poor service attitudes from technicians who may feel they are not being compensated properly if you decline the extras or if your job situation requires more time than average. Make sure the company you deal with has strict quality standards in place that they will adhere to regardless of the size of the job.

Here are of few unethical marketing practices to watch out for:

Bait and switch selling. Some unscrupulous carpet cleaners will quote a super low price per room over the phone or in an advertisement (the bait) only to change the price when they get to your home (the switch) when the technician pressures you to pay more, claiming that the original quote didn't include the cleaning solutions or the processes required to do a good job for your situation.

Bait and switch selling is illegal in Canada and the United States. You can report offenders to the Competition Bureau of Canada or to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

Continually running deep discount offers. Some companies advertise huge discounts, 30%, 35%, even 50% off, week after week after week. Of course, discounts that sound too good to be true usually are. If a company offers deep discounts on a continual basis, you may wonder, when does anyone ever pay the regular price? It may be that the "discount" isn't a discount at all, and perhaps their original prices are inflated to allow for the continually offered "sale prices".

The Competition Act of Canada prohibits this practice. You can read the "Advertising Dos and Don'ts" section at the Competition Bureau of Canada website and judge for yourself.

The FTC in the United States has similar standards for truthfulness in advertising to protect consumers, which can be found on their website.

Telemarketing. The best advice here is never to book an appointment or give any personal information to a telemarketer and ask them to remove you from their list. While some companies using this marketing strategy may be reputable, the overwhelming majority are not. Get the name of the company calling you then do your homework. If they check out, you can always call them back to book an appointment.

You can add your phone numbers to the Do Not Call List in Canada and the United States if you want to stop telemarketers from calling you.

Here are some helpful tips to finding a quality, reputable carpet cleaner in your area.

The carpet cleaning industry is largely self regulated and only a small percentage of technicians receive any formal training at all.

1. Check with the IICRC at www.iicrc.org for a list of Certified Firms near you. Certified firms are required to have a certified technician on every job. Unfortunately that doesn't always happen. Even certified firms have been known to send technicians to homes that have no formal training. When discussing your cleaning project with prospective firms, insist that they send a certified technician to your home, one that is certified in the area of expertise that you require. Which leads us to important tip #2...

2. Conduct a brief, informal interview of your technician before he (or she) starts. Confirm that they are IICRC certified specifically for the type of service you require. If he is, he will be happy to produce his certification card for your inspection. Also make sure that your technician has at least three months of full time experience working along side a more experienced certified technician. He should be able to confidently answer basic questions about carpet cleaning, routine maintenance, spot removal and other questions about your carpet.

Note: For upholstery cleaning or more technically challenging jobs such as cleaning wool carpet, make sure your technician has several years of experience and many IICRC certifications to ensure your dealing with a top professional.

3. Get a quote in writing before committing to the job. Make sure the quote includes everything necessary for a complete job and top quality workmanship to the IICRC standards of care. Then get at least one other quote for comparison.

4. Review a written copy of their guarantee to ensure that if you are not satisfied with the cleaning results, they will stand behind their work and happily re-clean any unsatisfactory areas. Also check that they are insured so that you are fully protected in the event that something were to go wrong. Ask what will happen if something gets damaged during the cleaning process.

5. Get more quotes if you're not comfortable making a decision with what you heard from the first two.

Here are some helpful tips that might help you minimize the costs of carpet cleaning.

While professional carpet care is not inexpensive, consider the substantial investment you have in your carpet. An average home has thousands of dollars worth of carpet installed and proper maintenance will extend the life of the carpet for years, avoiding the high cost of premature replacement. Not to mention keeping all that used carpet out of our landfills.

Clean for health. Regularly cleaned carpet contributes positively to the quality of the air your home by filtering out and capturing harmful particles that would otherwise be floating around the air for you and your family to breath in. Healthy carpets help create healthy home environments.

Regularly and frequently cleaning your carpet has so many benefits beyond mere aesthetics, improved indoor air quality, and the economic and environmental benefits. Well, actually that may be about it, but these are all really good reasons for you to feel better about the cost of keeping them clean.

But who doesn't want to save a few dollars when you can, so here are some tips to help keep the costs down...

1. Carpet manufacturers and industry experts recommend that you clean your carpets annually, yet the average homeowner cleans their carpets only every 5 years, if at all. By waiting until carpets are visibly soiled before cleaning, they are generally considered overdue for professional attention. If you have your carpets cleaned frequently and regularly most carpet cleaning companies will reward you with a discount as the cleaning job will require less time and effort to restore them to their original clean condition.

2. More is less. The more areas you have cleaned during the same visit, the better rate per square foot you will likely get. For every cleaning job there is a fixed amount of time required to drive to your home, set up the equipment, and pack up the equipment. These fixed costs must be factored in to each job so you can expect the square foot rate will be higher for smaller jobs.

3. More, more is less. Most carpet cleaning companies offer a range of additional services such as upholstery cleaning and tile cleaning. Have more services done during the same visit and benefit from better rates for the same reasons as mentioned above.

4. Prepare the work area or empty rooms of furniture. A well prepared work area makes the cleaning job easier and faster for the technician and by clearing the furniture out of a room, many companies offer discounts or special empty room rates. You can also save by cleaning only the main traffic areas in lower use areas.

Copyright © NuvoClean 2010. All Rights Reserved.

Dave Marryatt has more than 25 years experience in the cleaning and restoration industry, several years as a trainer, currently operating NuvoClean, a home services business in Vancouver Canada, which specializes in eco-friendly carpet and rug cleaning, upholstery cleaning, leather restoration, and tile & grout cleaning.

If you are fortunate enough to live in the Vancouver BC area, you can take advantage of our expert services for your home. Give us a call 1-800-681-4592 or visit us on-line http://www.nuvoclean.com

How to Charge Correctly For Your House Cleaning Business

A home cleaning business can be very profitable if set up and run properly. Knowing how to charge correctly for your house cleaning business is one of the most important steps to ensure you make money at your venture.

Setting the price of your house cleaning has many variables and factors. The first thing you must do is look at your competition in the area. Determine how they charge, square foot, hour, or flat rate. If they all charge by the hour, you can opt to charge a flat rate in order to market yourself.

Next, determine what your cost would be to clean a house. Remember items like gas and travel time. Once you have a total, you must then determine the amount of profit you can live with. Factor in your salary and the amount of cash you wish to put back into the business.

Lastly, compare the price you calculated with those of your competitors. If you are significantly lower, try to determine possible costs you may have left out. If you are significantly higher, did you factor in an unrealistic profit?

Marketing will be an expense that will be ongoing throughout the life of your business. If you've ever heard of the old adage, "it takes money to make money", this is where marketing comes into play. Plan on sending out flyers to attract new business. Also, you can offer discounts or coupons to first time customers to generate new business.

With a little planning and determination, your home cleaning business can thrive. If you have difficulties setting everything up, there are consultants that can help you.

As an author for Online PhD Degree, the author reviews cutting-edge universities and PhD degrees such as Kaplan Doctoral Programs and Kaplan PhD Programs.

Apartment Cleaning

Even people who have apartments, have cleaning companies. It doesn't have to be just the wealthy people with huge homes that have people come to their homes and clean, anymore. Because cleaning has become more affordable and more mainstream, it's less likely that people will be thought of as 'snooty' if they have a housekeeper. A lot of people avoided having one in the past because they were concerned about what others would think. Since that's less of an issue now, more apartment dwellers are getting their residences cleaned. When you get an apartment cleaned you get the same basic services that you would get when you have a larger home cleaned - it just generally takes less time, and therefore costs less, because most apartments are smaller. If you live in a very large apartment, you can expect a cleaning service to charge about the same rate that they would for a house, so you'll want to ask them how they figure their price. It is usually either by square footage or by the hour, but some places will visit your apartment, take a look around, and quote you a total, fixed price.

 

If you aren't sure that you're comfortable with a price quote that's given to you by one of the Redmond apartment cleaning companies, you can certainly get other quotes. There are a lot of companies out there who provide this service. There are also private individuals, but most of them aren't licensed, insured, or bonded, so you'll need to be very careful if you hire these people. They might do a great job cleaning, but if they steal something, break something, or get injured while they're cleaning for you it could be a serious problem, and there might not be much that you can do about it. Hiring a reliable Redmond cleaning service is very important so that you can have peace of mind and know that your apartment will be cleaned the right way and nothing will go missing or be damaged. If you're really busy and don't have a lot of time you owe it to yourself to have your apartment cleaned for you.

All of our articles are originals, if you liked this, check out Redmond Commercial Cleaning for similar information. If you need a professional Housecleaning Company, Executive Green Clean can help!

Starting a Cleaning Business Means Low Start Up Costs & Big Profits

Are you thinking of starting a cleaning business? Good for you! This home based business opportunity has one of the lowest start up costs of any business you could choose. If you don't mind getting a little dirty, a cleaning business is an easy and profitable home business.

Whether you choose house cleaning, commercial cleaning or both, there are some things you need to consider before starting a cleaning business. A good business plan is a must! What does a business plan consist of?

You need to write out a plan, and include what your start up costs will be (which are very minimal in this business), what hours you will work, transportation you will use, marketing plan, etc. One VERY important thing you must do - check out your competition! Knowing their prices and what services they provide will help you compete and gain more clients.

Starting a cleaning business is really easy. If you are contemplating a commercial service, you will need contracts for your clients. These contracts will include services you will perform, rates, etc. You and your client should be clear on prices and what services are to be included in your price.

A home cleaning business is a little different, in that you don't usually need a contract. Most of the time you can clean houses during regular daytime hours, and get paid at the time of the cleaning. Some people will want to pay you on a monthly basis, if you clean for them every week.

There are a few other things you need to know about starting a cleaning business, especially if this is your first venture into this type of business. If you do your research, get a good marketing plan together and make sure you know what you are doing before you start, a cleaning business can be your ticket to freedom from the 9 to 5 - AND your ticket to a great income!

Starting a cleaning business is an easy way to make HUGE profits, with very little start up cost. To find out all you need to know about starting your own house or commercial cleaning business, visit http://www.simplymakemoneyfromhome.com - Sign up for our FREE newsletter!

Foreclosure Cleaning Business - Why You Should Never Discuss Rates Or Prices Over the Phone

If you own a business cleaning foreclosures, or are thinking about starting one, one thing you should know going in is that you will get call after call from subcontractors and wanna-be business owners asking for guidance on how to price jobs and/or how much they can make in this business. They'll call asking questions and make comments like:

"I own a landscaping company and want to pitch my services to foreclosure cleanup companies. I just need a little guidance on how you go about pricing your services;"

OR

"I am thinking of going into the foreclosure trashout business. I wanted to know about how much I can expect to make on a house -- just a rough estimate is all I need, eg, for just doing the cleaning and trashout;"

OR

"I own a general contracting business and want to get into cleaning foreclosures. How do you decide what to charge for things like making repairs, painting, etc.?"

These are actual calls one foreclosure cleaning business owner says she receives on a daily basis.

Don't get sucked into answering these types of questions. It's not that you don't want to share trade secrets or anything, or that you don't want to be helpful to others. Rather, it's for the following very practical reasons.

Foreclosure Cleanup Business Owners: 3 Reasons NOT to Talk Rate/Pricing w/Others

Time: If you're actively running a foreclosure cleaning business, you probably won't have the time to answer these types of questions. As foreclosures are a hot topic in the news now, many are interested in starting this type of business. And you could be fielding 5, 10 or 15 calls a day like this - from all over the country - and beyond.

These calls can take anywhere from 10 or 15 minutes, on up to a half hour or more, which brings us to the next reason not to take these types of calls . . .

You're Not a Consultant: Many times, the callers will start out with one or two questions, but it rarely stops there. One question leads to the next, which leads to the next and on and on and on.

You're not a foreclosure cleaning business consultant, you're a foreclosure cleaning business owner. And if you start answering questions for every caller, it won't be the last call you'll get. Many will continue to call as they run into problems.

A lot of what needs to be learned in this business can only be learned by trial and error, as anyone in the business can tell you.

It's Impossible to Answer Correctly: Prices and job rates depend on so many variables - location, size of house, work to be done, contractors to be hired, turnaround time, equipment to be rented, etc. that it's practically impossible to answer correctly anyway. So, don't even try.

Cleaning foreclosures - like any other business - takes time and commitment. And those who are serious about it will take it upon themselves to learn what they need to know to succeed.

May be reprinted with the following, in full: Foreclosure cleanup businesses present a sizzling opportunity to make money in the current economic climate -- and beyond. Visit Start-a-Foreclosure-Cleanup-Business.com for 200 pages of info that tells you everything you need to know to start a business cleaning foreclosures. View the news video featuring the owner of a leading foreclosure company in Atlanta, GA on the site as well.