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Why Purchase an Office Cleaning Franchise…and Why Not

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In the past, we’ve talked about the actionable steps involved in opening an office cleaning business. We’ve talked about personal considerations, preferences, and unique goals, risk tolerance and aversion, and the benefits of entrepreneurship. Since we’ve shared these thoughts with you, the world has changed. Traditional employment options are fewer and farther between than they have been in a very long time. And it’s difficult to predict when things will return to normal for us again.

For some people, starting a business or becoming an entrepreneur has shifted from wish to necessity. For others, the trials and tribulations of this year have been enlightening and shown them that there is a better, stronger, and smarter career path available to them. Whatever drives you to consider purchasing an office cleaning franchise, it’s important to make sure that you’re doing it for the right reasons. If a business venture aligns with your personal mission, values, and goals, it’s much more likely to be successful.

Let’s talk about why you may want to purchase an office cleaning franchise first:

It offers freedom and independence

Purchasing an office cleaning franchise gives you freedom and independence that is nearly unmatched when it comes to other career paths. You can choose how much of yourself you want to dedicate to this business. You can work full-time with a few other employees or hire a full team and supervise, check-in, or work part-time. You can run a large full-time operation that acts as your sole source of income or you can simply use your office cleaning franchise to bring in supplemental income. Unlike many others, you can tailor this type of career path to align with your unique goals and lifestyle.

You can skip a step or two

When you purchase into a franchised business, you gain immediate access to assets that have already been established by someone in your industry. The franchisor has developed a business model, systems, and procedures that you can adopt and learn from. This saves you valuable time and energy by allowing you to skip over the time-consuming steps of developing these things on your own. You benefit from the work that they put in, their track record, and their success. They’ve established themselves as reliable, credible, and high-quality service providers in the cleaning industry. These things all increase the probability of your success when you purchase an office cleaning franchise under their wing.

Additionally, you’ll benefit from ongoing operational and sales support, access to capital, and a strong support system to rely on when you need guidance. While we help you build, you can focus on providing quality services, building meaningful client relationships, and doing what you do best. When you choose to own and operate an office cleaning franchise under Corvus, you’re never alone. With nearly 15 years under the same management and ownership team, we’ve built a trustworthy brand with national recognition. Our high-quality service, honesty, and reliability are what we’re known for. When you join us, these qualities will be what you’re known for, too.

Commercial cleaning is an essential business

Another important factor to consider is the incredible amount of stability involved in purchasing an office cleaning franchise. The cleaning industry isn’t going anywhere. Offices and other commercial buildings will always need to be cleaned and disinfected, and now more than ever before, they’ll need these services to be more frequent and more thorough. But that stability also comes with a few additional bonuses: the cleaning industry also has low initial capital requirements and allows you to keep your overhead low, create recurring and reliable revenue streams, and remain open as an essential business, even when other businesses are being shut down.

Low barriers to entry

Unlike many other startups, there are no licensing fees, patents, heavy machinery, or sprawling factory needed to own and operate an office cleaning franchise. You can hire as many or as few employees as you choose, depending on how much time you personally want to dedicate to your business. There is no formal training or educational requirements. Janitorial expertise and technical skills can be developed through experience rather than costly training programs. This means that you can get started right away, building and growing at your own pace.

You choose your hours of operation

This goes along with office cleaning franchises providing freedom and independence, but it’s worthy of its own explanation. Anyone who already works during traditional business hours, takes classes during the day, or cares for family members knows how difficult it can be to juggle so many different things at once. This career path opens the door to an incredible amount of customization, right down to your hours of operation. You can customize the volume of your services, the scope, the days and times your business operates, and so much more. If you’re working or with your kids during the day, you can operate your office cleaning franchise on weeknights or weekends.

Now, here are a few reasons why you may not want to purchase an office cleaning franchise:

You’re capable of building the business on your own

At Corvus, transparency and honesty are important to us. It wouldn’t be right to issue blanket statements and claim that our office cleaning franchises are right for everyone. We know that for some people, this is not the right choice. If you’re already at a high level in your career or you’ve built successful businesses in the past, you may already know how to perform the functions necessary to run an office cleaning business. You may know how to develop operating systems, handle marketing and brand development, and look forward to completing these tasks rather than skipping over them. If this is true for you, it may not make financial sense for you to purchase a franchise.

You don’t need access to capital or other forms of support

While we exist to help our Franchisees improve their lives and careers, we are also a for-profit company, like all other franchisors. This means that royalties or start-up fees will be owed to Corvus by Franchisees. If you are privy to effective sales and marketing techniques, have access to sufficient capital, have time to oversee your team, and can juggle everything from training and customer service to payroll and performance, it likely won’t make sense for you to be part of a franchise system. Whether you’re starting your own business or purchasing an office cleaning franchise, it’s important to remember that starting a business is inherently risky. Success is never guaranteed. Everything from the economic climate to your own effort and ability will impact the success of your business, no matter what form it takes.

The wrap-up
In our humble opinion, there are more reasons to purchase an office cleaning franchise than there are not to. But we recognize that this is not the right path for everyone. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide what the right path is. Consider your goals, strengths, and weaknesses. If you do decide to purchase an office cleaning franchise, our proven process and successful track record give us confidence in our ability to support and help franchisees prosper. Contact us today for more information.

Electrostatic Spraying: A Safe & Easy Step for Your Cleaning Routine

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Electrostatic spraying is a powerful disinfection technique that promotes health and safety in public spaces.

How Does Electrostatic Spraying Work?

Electrostatic spraying has gained a lot of attention as businesses, workplaces, and schools reopen. These large, indoor spaces have several high-touch surface areas that, if improperly cleaned, can induce the transmission of COVID-19. A detailed explanation can be found here, but essentially electrostatic spraying works by applying a positive electric charge to a liquid spray. The liquid spray then passes through a nozzle and sticks to a surface containing a negative electric charge. Most surfaces are negatively charged, so the positively charged particles produced in the electrostatic sprayer will stick to these surfaces. While standard cleaning sprays disinfect the areas that the spray is directly applied to, electrostatic spraying provides complete, 360-degree coverage of the area. It ensures that the disinfectant reaches those hard-to-reach corners and crevices that are often neglected in standard cleaning routines.

Your Facility Needs Electrostatic Spraying

Just as individuals must continue to follow recommended safety actions like wearing a face mask, washing hands frequently, and maintaining a social distance of at least six feet, organizations must take the necessary safety precautions to protect individuals and control the spread of COVID-19. This fall we are seeing more and more businesses reopening their doors to customers, employees returning to workspaces, and students going back to school. Social distance restrictions are being lifted at a state and local level alike, but many people are still nervous about contracting COVID-19 in public spaces. Shopping in stores or eating at restaurants can be avoided, but someone who is an employee or a student might not have the option to work from home or learn remotely. It is crucial that all facilities, whether they are deemed essential or non-essential, keep this in mind as they are operating through these times.

Follow CDC Guidance

We know that when the coronavirus lives on an object or surface, it can take anywhere between a few hours to several days for the virus to die naturally. Traditional cleaning methods, like using soap and water, can decrease how much of a virus is on a surface, but in order to completely kill a germ on a surface, a disinfectant must be applied. Fortunately, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that the virus that causes COVID-19 can be killed with proper cleaning and disinfection. The cleaning and disinfecting guidelines they published emphasize that both a cleaner and disinfectant must be used to best reduce the risk of exposure to the coronavirus.

Don’t Just Take Our Word For It…

An electrostatic sprayer is beneficial no matter what the size or scope of your facility might be. Take airlines, for example. This industry was immediately affected by the stay-at-home orders and travel restrictions implemented in response to COVID-19. There are many high-touch surface areas on an aircraft (overhead bins, seats, armrests, tray tables, etc.) that require deep cleaning and disinfection. Major airlines, such as Delta and American Airlines, are using electrostatic sprayers to ensure that the aircraft is sanitized and their passengers’ are safe.

Is Electrostatic Spray Toxic or Dangerous?

There is no need to worry about electrostatic spraying being toxic or dangerous. Electrostatic sprayers require fewer chemicals than standard disinfection techniques. This is due to their vastly higher transfer efficiency – it requires fewer chemicals to properly disinfect, leading to less chemical exposure for both humans as well as the environment. While electrostatic spray technology has only recently been used in the cleaning industry, it is not new by any means. The technology was invented in the 1930s to improve spray disposition and was made popular by the auto industry in the 1940s. Electrostatic spray is completely safe for the person applying it as well as the occupants within the area it is being applied to.

Take the Extra Step

As state and local officials continue to ease social distancing restriction, day-to-day life is becoming seemingly more normal. It is important to understand that the coronavirus is still very much out there, and we must do everything in our power to stop the spread. Corvus Janitorial is offering electrostatic spray services for high-level disinfection that will protect your business and give you peace of mind as you reopen.

Corvus Janitorial Systems

If you are looking for a commercial cleaning company that uses only the highest-quality products and proven techniques, Corvus Janitorial is it. For all of your cleaning, purifying, and disinfecting needs, trust Corvus Janitorial. Contact us today to learn more about how Corvus can help your facility.

Starting an Office Cleaning Business: Invest in an Essential Service

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Interested in starting an office cleaning business of your own? It can be a very exciting venture, but there are several things you need to do before diving in! Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with the four biggest things that should be on your to-do list before starting an office cleaning business.

Now more than ever, cleaning matters. As an essential industry, the commercial cleaning business has never been more in the spotlight – or more in demand.

STEP 1: RESEARCH

At Corvus, we are partial to the reliable and tested system that we and our franchise partners have built. However, as with any important decision, we recommend researching your options. There are many different franchisors of office cleaning and janitorial services concepts out there, and it’s important to familiarize yourself with the market. Resources to assist an individual in their initial research include Franchise.com, Entrepreneur Magazine, and the International Franchising Association (IFA).

When researching potential franchises, we suggest paying attention to the following:

• Company’s longevity

• Pricing of fees and services

• Quality of relationship between firms and its franchise base

While there are other things to consider than the few items listed above, this will be a great starting point on your researching journey. Once the initial due diligence has been exhausted and you have decided whether or not to go with a franchise base, it’s time to start the process.

STEP 2: CONTACT

Once you have researched, it’s time to make an initial call or email to a company teammate in order to learn more and explore the possibility of purchasing a cleaning franchise. The aim of the initial call is intended for both parties, the potential franchisee and franchisor, to get a basic sense of each other’s goals, experience, and ideal investment level. At Corvus, we aim to understand the level of interest by the inquiring party. When it comes to franchisees, we only want the best and most dedicated to represent us. At some point during the initial call, a prospective franchisee will typically be invited to attend a “Disclosure” meeting, or Discovery Meeting, at a Corvus Regional office.

STEP 3: MEET

The Discovery or “Disclosure” meeting is critically important. Many companies conduct these in a variety of ways, but we will be sharing how it is handled with our franchisees.

While there are several things that will be happening at a Corvus Discovery meeting, there are many things that most certainly will NOT be happening. Specifically, no sale or pressure is applied whatsoever to the prospective franchisee. The meeting is simply intended for two purposes. First, we provide the individual with regulatory paperwork called a Federal Disclosure Document. Then, we explain Corvus’ franchise system. During that explanation, we will typically go through the different features and benefits while also addressing cost structures and ongoing fees. In other words, the goal is to explain to potential franchisees how our system works and what it costs. We want anyone that is considering joining our team to make an informed decision about starting an office cleaning business.

Although a general presentation is a part of the meeting, the balance of time is usually spent addressing any and all questions and concerns the prospective franchisee may have. Additionally, for any franchise company, it would be against federal regulations and laws to affect any sale until the minimum 14 day holding period has passed following the Disclosure Meeting. Corvus highly recommends that all interested individuals review and thoroughly read FDD materials, including providing the FDD to an advisor, attorney or CPA to receive additional professional counsel or advice.

STEP 4: LAUNCH

Once the fourteen-day holding period has passed, an individual may become eligible to purchase a Corvus Cleaning Franchise. To do so, the individual contacts their regional Corvus support office to schedule a closing, or as we call it, an opening. Business openings typically occur on Fridays, but regional offices will always be willing to schedule an opening at a time that works for the franchisee. Generally, a business opening takes approximately 1-2 hours. Oftentimes, a regional office will attempt to include some initial cursory training at the time of signing. Once the individual purchases their franchise, becoming an owner of an essential business, training and orientation is scheduled…and then it’s time to launch!

As you can see, there is a lot of careful consideration and time that goes into deciding to start an office cleaning business by opening a franchise. While we at Corvus Janitorial are only one franchise of the many available, we hope this gives you a little more insight into what’s ahead if you decide to venture into the world of franchising.

If you are interested in learning more about business ownership with Corvus Janitorial Systems, inquire today to speak to a local representative.

Cleaning Matters: The Importance of Floor Care | Pro-Tips from Corvus Franchisees and Personnel

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The Importance of Floor Care

…$.30 per square foot or $4.00 per square foot to replace

Most facility or office managers know the importance of floor cleaning, insisting their workspaces receive regular sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming as a part of their regular janitorial services. However, many organizations overlook the importance of more technical floor care processes. This can be a costly oversight in terms of both appearance and cost. Whether an office possesses a soft, carpeted floor or a harder floor material like vinyl or terrazzo, methods for deeper cleaning and protection of those surfaces both exist and should be utilized at least twice per year.

Carpet Cleaning – Hot Water Extraction

In the case of carpets, steaming the material, also referred to as hot water extraction, is an essential part of the process. Hot water extraction is a method by which hot water and a properly diluted carpet cleaning solution are injected into the fibers of the carpet using relatively high-pressure. This form of cleaning yields several desirable results.

First, this method dislodges debris, dirt, and dander from carpeted materials. The same debris which causes foul odors can contribute to sinus or allergy issues by contaminating the air, or simply render the carpet’s aesthetic unpleasant to the eye.

Hot water extraction also allows for agitation of the chemical application that further cleans the carpeted material, all before being vacuumed up by a high-power suction hose attached to the equipment. While some organizations use truck-mounted carpet cleaning techniques, hot water extraction works at a lower pressure level which, in turn, keeps the liquid and chemical from overly pressurizing the important adhesive material used to attach carpet to the subfloor.

Hard Floor Cleaning – Strip and Refinish

When it comes to cleaning hard floors, more rigorous applications for cleaning and protecting floors also exist. Notably, a service called “stripping and refinishing”, or “stripping and waxing”, stands out as the gold standard for floor protection and maintenance of aesthetics.

Typically, when a floor is installed, a layer of floor finish, or sealant, coats the top surface of the raw floor. This provides protection from wear and tear by creating an in-between layer of sealant. As the sealant is worn down by typical traffic and other use, the floor becomes increasingly prone to scrapes, scuffs, or cuts into the actual flooring. Unfortunately, this could lead to a costly replacement process.

Moreover, debris, dust, and dirt usually begin to seep into eroding sealant. As this happens, the “deep, wet” desirable look turns dull, giving the floor the appearance of being unclean and unattractive. The remedy for these phenomena is to remove the sealant with a cleaning chemical called a “stripper”. Essentially, this is the commercial cleaning version of fingernail polish. Once the sealant is removed and the floor material is exposed, janitorial service providers can begin coating the floor with a floor finish or “wax”.

Stripping and waxing not only protects the floor as it dries “hard”; the acrylic in the compound also provides the floor with the wet look that gives it that much-desired sparkle and shine. Of course, the reapplied finish also builds back up a protective layer, which mitigates the potential for damage. The strip and refinish process will not only save the unfortunate cost of ultimately having to completely replace the flooring, it will also restore it to its former, shiny glory.

Considering the cleaning and sanitary benefits of hot water extraction carpet cleaning or stripping and refinishing, pursuing a floor program seems like an easy decision. However, further comparing the relative prices of floor replacement – $3 – $6 per square foot – against service cost – $0.10 – $0.35 per square foot, the choice becomes a no brainer.

Corvus Janitorial Systems

With over two decades of experience, Corvus Janitorial Systems has perfected floor care. We use a wide range of techniques and tools to maintain facilities of all types. Reach out to us today for a free quote for your floor care, cleaning, disinfecting, and/or sanitizing needs.

Understanding Dwell Time and Why It’s Important

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The words “dwell time” have been thrown around quite a bit more this year than in any other year in the past. Dwell time, or contact time, is the appropriate amount of time that a disinfectant has to remain visibly moist on the surface being cleaned to effectively kill the germs, viruses, or bacteria you’re combating. One common disinfecting mistake is spraying the disinfectant and wiping it away without giving it any time to work its magic.

Without adhering to the right dwell time, the disinfectant won’t have enough time to do its job, which is to disinfect and kill the targeted pathogen. While the disinfectant may kill some of the bacteria or germs on the surface, it won’t be nearly as effective as it would be if you had followed the suggested dwell time. In many cases, this bad habit leaves behind surfaces that aren’t disinfected at all. So, let’s clear up some of the mystery behind dwell times:

What is the right dwell time?

The right dwell time will vary depending both on the disinfectant you’re using and the goal you’re trying to achieve. For example, a regular household disinfectant that’s meant to kill germs that cause the common cold may have a much different dwell time than a stronger disinfectant that’s approved for use against the coronavirus. And the dwell time for different disinfectants can range drastically, lasting anywhere from a mere 30 seconds to 15 minutes.

But there’s good news: you don’t have to do the math or work too hard to find the answer. The dwell time of your disinfectant should be listed right on the label! If it’s not, you can find the dwell time by searching for your disinfectant on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) website. Disinfectants approved for fighting fast-spreading viruses like COVID will likely have shorter dwell times. This may seem counterintuitive, but trust the process; a single-minute dwell time simply means less time waiting around and more time protecting your loved ones, employees, and customers.

Which disinfectants should I be using?

If you already have disinfectants at home, check the label or the EPA’s website to see if they are approved for use against COVID-19. Otherwise, finding the right disinfectants has been a bit challenging for many over the last few months. Just like finding toilet paper was in April. Clorox and Lysol are two of the most common household disinfectants and they are generally effective against COVID (always double-check the specific product before use), but if they have a longer dwell time, they may not be your best option.

One favorite this year has been Diversey’s Oxivir TB Wipes. These have a dwell time of one minute and are approved for use against COVID pathogens. While the shorter contact time makes effective disinfecting easier, there’s one other thing to keep in mind: make sure the surface doesn’t dry before the dwell time is up. If it dries, you’ll have to reapply. Diversey wipes (when used appropriately) tend to keep the surface wet for the required dwell time, so this shouldn’t be a problem here if you can get your hands on some.

What is the shelf-life of diluted disinfectants?

While many effective disinfectants come ready to use, others may need to be diluted with water. These are typically used in the old-school-style of disinfecting that involves filling a bucket with the diluted disinfectant and dipping towels or rags in it. They’re effective for a variety of surfaces, but they have a short shelf-life once you alter them. Your disinfectant’s label should give you the right time frame that you have to use it in before disposing of what’s left.

Are dwell times really that important?

When it comes to cleaning and disinfecting, there are plenty of opinions and suggestions floating around. Dwell time isn’t one of them. Following the appropriate dwell time is a requirement for effective disinfecting. The EPA puts in a lot of work to test and confirm the effectiveness of different disinfectants so that we don’t have to. If the end goal is thorough and effective disinfection of any surface, letting the disinfectant dwell for as long as the label specifies is crucial.

Corvus Janitorial Systems

While we’re sharing space with COVID-19, following the appropriate cleaning and disinfecting procedures is more important than ever. If figuring out the ins and outs of effective office or business cleaning feels overwhelming, we’re here to help. We understand the appropriate dwell times of common disinfectants, use high-grade chemicals and procedures, and offer a variety of advanced services specifically designed to fight fast-moving viruses like COVID.

If your workplace is in need of commercial cleaning and/or disinfecting services, contact your local Corvus Janitorial Systems team for a free consultation and quote.

Organize for Success: Cleaning Tips from Corvus Franchisees and Personnel

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Organize for Success

Typically, when we think of operating a business, we think about the actual delivery of the product or service. And as it relates to the office cleaning business, clearly delivery of high-quality cleaning and disinfecting is key to maintaining a thriving business. After all, if customers are not receiving the service which they deserve, they won’t be customers for long. However, it’s also important to focus on activities and systems that occur before, during, and after service delivery. The little details are the things that take a business from mediocre to extraordinary.

Organizing Your Route of Accounts

Before delivering the service of an exemplary cleaning, you’ve got to organize your routes and make a schedule. Whether you are a large operator of a janitorial services business or a small purveyor of office cleaning, building out your weekly, or monthly, schedule of customer accounts to be cleaned in a visible manner is enormously important to succeeding. A calendared view with account names, days cleaned, approximate length of service, and location changes everything. You can plan for what equipment and chemicals are needed as well as assist in providing visibility into other potential costs like travel expenditures. A high-level view of the customer schedule may seem small, but it packs a powerful punch.

Pre-Cleaning Prep

Similar to an athlete preparing for a big game, successful owners and operators of office cleaning businesses prepare for their cleans on a nightly basis. Once you have a laid-out route and schedule, you can then begin to think about the specific clients, their needs, and how you’ll meet those needs. According to Jonathan Frias, Regional Director at Corvus of Northwest Arkansas, “I always remind our franchisees to do the prep work for nightly cleaning at some point during the afternoon. That is the time to not only ensure you have your chemicals, equipment, and other tools ready to go, but it is also a good time to think through what hot spots, areas of focus, or special attention a customer account needs. Mentally getting ready for the work that needs to be done is an essential part of being successful”. Just like athletes, you’re never going to reach your true potential of success without being prepared for what is ahead.

Organizing the Clean

Why start from scratch on each clean? Why waste time finding new ways to do what you already know works? As the saying goes, “don’t reinvent the wheel”. Corvus Franchisees learn to create established cleaning patterns that they follow at each office or place of work. They spend time learning, organizing, and implementing the most impactful cleaning and disinfecting techniques in a manner that optimizes both the client’s time and the Franchisee’s time. Once the cleaning plan is established and proven effective, consistently following it not only helps in terms of ensuring wonderful service, it also allows for improvement on the quality and efficiency of it.

Finishing Up

Finally, once an office is cleaned, disinfected, and secured, there remains more to do if you truly want to be successful. “I always load my vehicle the same way after a clean, making sure I have all my chemicals and equipment. Leaving anything in an account does not only irritate a customer; it puts me in a jam for the next clean…or, worse, if I don’t recover whatever I left, costs me money. There is no excuse for not collecting and organizing your tool kit”, said Latarsha Key, a Corvus of Jacksonville Franchisee.

Michael Kerby, Regional Director of Corvus of Denver, takes that advice a step further by adding, “…and the work really isn’t done until a Franchisee checks his or her inventory levels, cleans their equipment, launders rags or mop heads, and stows their gear…if you will”. Clearly, organizing, cleaning, and taking care of the tools needed to provide an excellent clean is a critical part of succeeding in the office cleaning business. Again, with the athlete analogy, if an athlete simply walks off the court or field and goes home, they’re never going to be truly successful. They’ve got to stretch, reflect, shower, and clean up. Once you can look back and appreciate a job well done with nothing left unturned, then you can call it a day.

To learn more about the janitorial service industry or receive information about Corvus Janitorial Systems’ Office Cleaning Franchise Opportunity, call or email our team today.