[tuchby1]

I am wanting to open a commercial cleaning company. I was thinking about franchise but a friend told me I would be better off doing it myself. How do I find information on doing it on my own or would the franchise be better?

[Clough]

Hi, tuchby1!

How much cleaning experience have you already had doing it for others to make a profit, please?

Thanks!

[Stringer]

Both have advantages and disadvantages as in most things.

Franchise: Training, presentations, sales materials (POS), accounting help.

And, Less profit, limited areas of responsibilities, possibly bad reputation in your area from past franchises, additional expenses, etc,

Your own company: More profit per job, less contractual restrictions, feeling that you did it (all) on your own (Entrepreneurship).

And, Financial risk, additional work (marketing, sales, etc) experience level in business, especially cleaning: slow start up.

I can easily compete with any franchise operation in my area and I usually win.

There are disadvantages that have to be pointed out to the prospect when selling against a franchise. Yes the sale and sometimes even the presentations are handled by the franchise company and most are very professional. However, even though the franchisee is local; the franchiser is usually not. They are not a local company from your community. And many times even with training the franchisees are not consistent in their ability to provide quality service, and this is usually the case. It is the "after the sale" part that keeps clients coming back... You cannot just throw something against the wall and hope that something sticks...

I have my own commercial cleaning company that I started 16 years ago and the personal touch with my own reputation preceding me allows me to have kept most of my clients for an average of 6 years some for over 12 years. When the industry average is 1 1/2 years. I would still have my original client had they not gone out of business.

For further information on starting your own service type in "Clough Cleaning" in the search box on top of your thread.

Stringer

[Clough]

Outstanding answer by Stringer above! [I couldn't rep again so soon.]

I was hoping that you would show up on this thread, Stringer! I look to see if you were around because of what you had posted, and it didn't look like you had been around for a couple of hours. Was going to message you in some way about this thread.

To tuchby1! If you put the two words, Clough, Cleaning or Stringer, Cleaning into the search function at the top of this page, you will find many, many threads where a cleaning service of some kind has been the subject. Most information about that kind of business is covered within those threads.

Thanks!

[Stringer]

I was talked into "showing myself" as "offline" as a good idea... I can sneak around... hee hee:)

Well Clough, I haven't kicked this sinus infection that I have been nourishing for three days so I am going for the evening. And I want to thank you for trying to "greenie" me I can use all I can get you know... ha ha.

And besides, my beautiful wife and I are celebrating our sixth wedding anniversary tomorrow with a dinner here with all our family. Then we are going to celebrate alone at WildFire Restaurant in Oak Brook next weekend, she loves that place. I did really well when I married the cutest girl in Chicago my friend.

Sorry, didn't mean to steal the thread...

Stringer-----Good night.