Although it is your choice as the business owner on what services you would like to provide, you still have to make sure that they are enough to capture a large market that could become regular clients for you. While some offices may be required to provide their own cleaning tools and equipment, you still need to make sure that you have the necessary things needed in the eventuality that you come across clients who do not like keeping cleaning equipment in their offices.
Some of the cleaning equipment you will need are automatic scrubbers, floor machines, bucket and wringer sets, janitorial carts, wet floor signs, trash bins and barrels, burnishes and buffers, industrial vacuums, and carpet extractors.
For cleaning supplies, you will need the following: agents for floor sealers, floor finish, floor stripper, buff solutions, and floor cleaning solutions, disinfectants, deodorizers, toilet bowl / urinal cleaners, surface cleaner, degreaser, graffiti remover, and glass cleaner. For carpet cleaning, you will need carpet shampoo, carpet pad solution, carpet spotter.
Some of the services you will need to offer include cleaning all windows, window frames, and sills, skirting and door washing, toilet scrubbing and disinfecting, hovering and mopping all floors and stairs, and in cases of carpets, carpet shampooing, vacuuming, and drying.
Since commercial cleaning services are a bigger business than mom and pop industries, there are more things to consider before cleaning for a client.
One is to ensure that an agreement has been entered into and that all services required and equipment necessary, whether provided by the client or the cleaning service are outlined. Also, a down payment or full payment is necessary since last minute cancellations will cause the cleaning service to lose other possible customers. You will also have to agree upon the cleaning hours, and the length of time the cleaning service is to be rendered. Typically you, the cleaning service owner, will need to set a minimum length of time your service should be hired.
Generally, a janitorial service should be ready to face a more demanding clientele. Your business can start with small office spaces then eventually go into bigger corporations with a lot more floor area to clean. You can also choose to diversify into restaurant cleaning, or offering your services to schools, and shops, and stores.
If you can hire more employees and not just do the cleaning yourself, this would mean you can get in more clients and shift schedules between your cleaners. Some establishments would be interested in regular cleaning services from you and you have to prepare fees quotes for one-time clean ups, daily cleaning services, weekly or even bi-monthly cleaning schedules. As you may have realized, excellent time management skills would be required to make this business work.
For the clients that have entered into a long term contract with you, make sure that your service would include regular meetings for feedback and for brainstorming on other concerns and how to make your business relationship better.
For more info:
HOw to start a cleaning business
