Which type of cleaning franchises should you invest in?
If there’s one type of service that’s always going to be in demand, it’s cleaning. From homes to offices and household appliances to cars, everything we use needs a bit of TLC every once and a while. In recent years, there’s been a big increase in demand for commercial cleaning services. According to the British Cleaning Council, the cleaning industry is now worth an impressive £24 billion to the UK economy. The sector is also one of the country’s biggest employers with around 700,000 people currently working in cleaning-related businesses.
What’s more, growth in the cleaning industry is stronger and more consistent than many other sectors. The same BCC report highlighted the fact that in 2015, wages in the industry increased by an average of 6.4% compared to a national average of just 2.3%. Something that’s even more relevant for entrepreneurs is that, since 2010, turnover in the industry has gone up by an impressive 21% compared to just 17% nationally.
Cleaning franchises are a big part of this growth. Offering entrepreneurs a clear way into the cleaning industry, franchises are companies with proven track records of success and a clear target audience. The number of cleaning franchises currently available is growing fast, with businesses offering ever more specialist and convenient services for customers to choose from.
Domestic cleaning franchises
Most entrepreneurs investing in the industry are probably looking at domestic cleaning franchises. In general, these types of businesses offer regular and one-off cleaning services to homeowners in the local area. Domestic cleaning services have become increasingly popular with homeowners over the past few years with one in four households now paying a cleaner on a regular basis.
These types of franchises are often a popular choice with entrepreneurs who want to work part time and who want flexible working hours. Another benefit of a domestic cleaning franchise is the low start-up costs involved. Although the franchisee will need to invest in some specialist cleaning products, there is generally no need to buy a van or hire commercial premises, often two of the biggest costs involved in setting up a business.
In many cases franchisees can also work for themselves and by themselves with few or even no staff required to help run the business, as long as operations are kept reasonably small. This makes a domestic cleaning franchise the ideal choice for franchisees looking for maximum flexibility when it comes to running their business.
Oven cleaning franchises
One of the fastest growing niches within the cleaning industry is oven cleaning. Cleaning an oven is difficult and requires expertise, experience and a lot of elbow grease. More often than not, homeowners don’t have the time or energy to clean the oven themselves and so employ a specialist to do the job for them.
A lot of the time, oven cleaning services are used by tenants when they’re moving out of their current property or by landlords preparing a rental home for its new residents. More affordable than buying and installing a new oven, this service can help to bring a tired and dirty appliance back to life.
Green cleaning franchises
Another key niche in the cleaning industry is ethical and environmentally friendly cleaning services. Increasingly, homeowners are becoming aware of the potentially harmful chemicals contained in cleaning products and many are happy to pay more for a cleaning service that will use only natural or ethically sourced sprays, waxes and polishes. As the environment becomes an ever more important topic and more people realise the impact they’re having on the local and global landscape, this niche is likely to become a major part of the cleaning industry.
Commercial cleaning franchises
Commercial cleaning is another major part of the industry and there are a number of UK-based franchises operating in this area. These types of franchises provide individuals and cleaning crews for offices, shops and commercial spaces of all kinds. Generally working late in the evening and at night, commercial cleaning franchises are in demand in towns and cities across the country.
Carpet cleaning franchises
Like oven cleaning, carpet cleaning is often carried out at the beginning or end of a tenancy in order to prepare the property for the next residents. Unlike other types of cleaning franchise, carpet cleaning requires a little more investment as the machines used aren’t readily available. In some cases, these large machines will also require the franchisee to buy a van or at least a large car, something that can add to the cost of starting a new business.
Benefits of a cleaning franchise
Thanks to the wide range of benefits offered by the cleaning franchise model, more and more entrepreneurs are being attracted to the industry. One of the biggest benefits that a franchise offers is name recognition. Unlike a start-up business, a franchise will already have a good level of brand awareness and a proven track record. This means that, as a franchisee, you won’t have to work quite so hard at building a name for yourself and should have a readymade audience for your professional cleaning services.
As well as having a pre-existing client base, you’ll also be buying into a turnkey business. The franchise will already have done the necessary market research, product development, branding and other work needed to ensure the business is sustainable. As a franchisee, all you need to do is copy their example and your enterprise should be a success.
As your business begins to grow, the marketing and training support offered by the franchise will really come into its own. The model that the franchise provides will allow you to train new staff quickly and efficiently and will help to ensure that standards remain high as your company expands.
For entrepreneurs thinking of investing in the cleaning franchise industry, the desire to be their own boss is often the key driving factor in the career change. Cleaning franchises offer a lot of flexibility when it comes to creating your own timetable and picking your hours. This is especially true if you work alone and are able to build up a dedicated base of loyal customers.
However, when buying a franchise it’s important to remember that the franchisor will always retain an element of control over the business. They’ll have the final say on branding issues, operating systems, marketing and potentially even over the products you use and the services you offer.
How to invest in a cleaning franchise
If you’re considering investing in a cleaning franchise of your own, the first thing you need to do is take a look at the opportunities available on our site. Take a look through the various types of cleaning franchises on offer and compare start-up costs, geographical areas and other factors that could impact on your decision. Once you’ve found the opportunity that’s right for you, simply contact your chosen franchise, fill in an application pack and get the ball rolling.
You’ll find more information about franchising, as well as the various opportunities available, by taking a look around our site today.