How to Start an Office Cleaning Business

Introduction

The office cleaning business is a multi-million dollar industry. It often goes under the radar. It involves the cleaning of offices and its surrounding areas.

It encompasses the vacuuming or cleaning of the office floors. Also, the cleaning of the louvres and doors, cleaning of the restroom and other services. It can also include the cleaning of the office surrounding such as keeping the lawn and car park clean.

Starting an office cleaning business is easy. People assume that an office cleaning business is expensive to set up. They think you need to get an office space, get workers and buy valuable cleaning items. This assumption is far from reality. You can start and run an office cleaning business from the comfort of your home with little or no money.

Steps to Start an Office Cleaning Business

Setting up an office cleaning business involves some steps. They are a business plan, registering the business, buying tools and sourcing for customers.

1. Have a Business Plan

Drawing up a crystal clear business plan is the first step to starting a cleaning business. The business plan helps you have an overview of what the company is all about. It also enables you to identify the challenges and discover some unknowns.

Here are some salient questions to answer in your business plan.

1. What is the cost of starting an office cleaning business?
2. What is the running cost for the company?
3. Who is your target market?
4. What is the charge for your services?
5. What is the name of the business?

Researching the market will help you draw up a proper business plan.

2. Proper Regulation of the Business

Obtaining proper registration documents is essential for the growth of your business. A significant reason to register your business is your target market is businesses. Many offices will ask you or find out if registered before handing you a contract. Some won’t. Don’t because of a few, miss out on the rest.

Get a business permit and a business tax registration certificate from the business regulatory office. Also, some states recognize commercial cleaners. Another name for officer cleaners as contractors. As a result, you may need to get another permit or license from the state.

If you are unsure about the requirements for registration, you can always seek guidance from the state’s business registration office to that effect. Also, if you plan to use staff for your business, ensure that you get an Employer Identification Number for each of your employers from the appropriate body. Find out more about taxation for your business from the state’s tax office.

3. Get Insurance Cover for Your Business

Insurance is a necessity for running an office cleaning business. Many offices will ask if you have insurance cover before awarding cleaning contracts. Finding an insurance company to provide insurance services for your business is easy. You can use a google search to find them. Type in the type of increase you want; in this case, it will be business insurance along with your location. Google will provide hundreds of results for you.

Business insurance covers damage to property. Some states stipulate a business insurance cover for office cleaners. Insurance is not free, but it is a small cost to pay to protect you and your business. In the event of damage to your cleaning tools and injuries to properties in the office, insurance will save you the cost of a new purchase with your resources. Also, if you use a vehicle for your business, you can protect it against damages and unforeseen calamities.

Your potential clients will have a more favourable outlook of your business if they know you are insured. It gives you a professional look and stands you out in the marketplace.

4. Buy All Necessary Working Tools

Prepare yourself for business by purchasing all the necessary working tools you need to start your business. Some of the essential working tools you will need include the broom, vacuum, trash bags, sponges, cleaning towels, squeegees, cleaning transport cart, cleaning chemicals and buckets. Use this setup stage to find a reliable cleaning equipment supplier for future purchases.

5. Source for Your Customers

After sorting out the business requirements for the state you work, getting a business insurance cover and buying all necessary working tools, the next step is to source for your customers. Two steps will help you get customers at an early stage, an effective marketing campaign and referrals.

The extent and outreach of your marketing campaign depend on your capital. For office cleaning jobs, you do not need a large budget to be effective. What you need is to identify your target audience (businesses), write convincing sales ads and deliver it to their doorsteps.

If you have the capital and want to scale your business, you can buy marketing ads from newspapers or online. Printing of fliers, business cards, brochures and stickers about your cleaning business will also go a long way. Another strategy is to make phone calls to local businesses in your area to convince them to hire your company for their cleaning jobs.

After you have secured your first few clients, the next step is to seek referrals. Referrals are practical business tools to help you increase your client base. Two types of references exist, the positive and the negative. The positive referrals will grow and boost your business while the negative referrals will weaken and harm your business.

The trick to positive referrals is to please the customers. Ensure you do high-quality cleaning jobs for all your customers. A satisfied customer is a returning customer. Not only that, but happy customers will also return and bring others along. The best marketing tool for your business is its reputation. Protect it by all means.

Conclusion

Starting an office cleaning business is easy and profitable. You have to follow the steps explained in this post. With little capital, you can start it and make an earning from it.