Tips & Trends

Are your household cleaning products working to fight coronavirus?

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By Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas
Chicago Tribune
Apr 02, 2020

click to read article on Chicago Tribune website

With Americans more focused than ever on keeping their homes safe amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a key to success is knowing the difference between cleaning and disinfecting.

The words aren’t synonymous, rather, they’re more akin to two steps in one process, such as sweeping your floor before mopping it, explained Justin Douglas, CEO of Corvus Janitorial Systems.

“That’s how I explain it when we train new employees,” Douglas said. “Or, I use the example of picking up the clothes off the floor of your kid’s room before you can do anything else. Cleaning and disinfecting aren’t interchangeable words.”

It’s easy to think there’s no wrong way to clean. And while it doesn’t take a microbiologist to do it correctly, a basic understanding of something referred to as “dwell time,” also sometimes called “contact time” or “kill time,” is necessary, Douglas and other experts say.

Luckily, information about contact time is available on every cleaning product mass-produced in the United States. To achieve the efficacy of claims such as “kills 99.9% of germs,” just one frequently overlooked step is crucial: Read the instructions, said Todd Clements, chief operating officer for UNX Industries, a chemical manufacturer that supplies nursing homes and hotels with cleaning products.

“All of us are guilty of not reading the backs of the labels,” Clements said.

“As far as I know, there’s no EPA-registered product with specific kill claims against COVID-19 because it’s so new, but it falls under human coronaviruses, so look for the contact time listed for those,” he said.

Clements and Travis FormyDuval, also with UNX, said people may be surprised to learn just how long many top cleaning products must sit — five or 10 minutes is not uncommon. But consumers should be reassured that if they allow a chemical to sit according to instructions, the claim on the front of a product bottle should be achieved. Each product is tested by the Environmental Protection Agency to ensure it does what it says and the instructions have been vetted for accuracy.

“We can’t even change the font on the label unless the EPA approves it,” Clements said.

Joe Rubino, a microbiologist and the director of research and development for Reckitt Benckiser, the parent company of the brand that makes Lysol products, said “sanitize” is another term people also often use incorrectly.

“Cleaning is basically removing dirt and soil. You’re going to remove some of the bacteria but not all of them,” he said. “Disinfecting is a very high level of germ kill, or greater than 99.99%, and you’d really need a few more 9s. Sanitization is another level, the somewhat lower level of 99.9%.”

FormyDuval, who teaches hotel housekeepers best practices, said people can wrongly assume if they use a product for any length of time, they’re going to achieve the efficacy advertised.

When teaching, FormyDuval said he talks about the elements needed to disinfect, which include time, agitation and heat. Agitation is how hard a person must scrub to remove soap stains or grime from surfaces.

“I tell them that just by changing up the routine a little, starting by spraying your chemicals in the bathroom, you can move on to the living portion of the room while you let it sit. When you come back to the shower, it takes less elbow grease, less physical activity to remove any scum, so you’re actually saving time,” FormyDuval said.

Using the same principle at home, he suggested residents spray a chemical in the kitchen, then spray a chemical in the bathroom, select separate towels for each space and head back to the kitchen, leaving each product to sit for the appropriate time. The different rags are so you don’t introduce bathroom germs into the kitchen, or vice versa. Likewise, in the bathroom, it’s best to start at the top and work your way down to the floor.

Erica Marie Hartmann, an assistant professor at Northwestern University, said not every surface needs to be disinfected every time, but it’s a good idea for frequently touched spaces, particularly if sharing a home with someone displaying COVID-19 symptoms.

“People who are symptomatic, if they’re touching things or coughing on things, those are the things that you want to disinfect more regularly, such as the nightstand, the door handle or whatever they’re commonly interacting with,” Hartmann said. “There are, depending on the surface, tens of billions of microbes.”

When they’re done using cleaning chemicals, people may be tempted to “wipe away” residue with a wet rag, which is unnecessary because the EPA has determined the chemical is safe to leave behind. But it also won’t prevent or undo disinfection, Rubino said.

“There are a lot of additives to cleaners that can be harmful to health, including endocrine disruptors,” said Dr. Susan Buchanan, a University of Illinois at Chicago environmental medicine specialist. “At this time when we’re trying to fight an outbreak, though, those concerns tend to take a back burner.”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also has a list of recommended products to disinfect against COVID-19, as well as the necessary contact time for each product.

kdouglas@chicagotribune.com

How to Keep Your Home Clean During the Coronavirus Outbreak

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By now, we’re all well aware of the CDC’s COVID-19 guidelines. We’re all washing our hands more frequently, avoiding gatherings of more than 10 people, and not touching our faces, especially when we’re out in public. Many of us are taking a step further by avoiding anyone other than the people we live with, having groceries delivered, and working from home. When we’re facing something this treacherous, you can’t be too careful.

But with updates and articles flying at us left and right at all hours of the day and night, information overload is nearly impossible to avoid. So, how do we know that we’re doing everything we need to, without having to scour the internet’s thousands of available resources? Let the experts at Corvus Janitorial clear things up for you right here.

Here are some important tips on how to keep your home clean during the coronavirus outbreak:

Sanitize shared surfaces each day

While the most common types of transmission are airborne (sneeze or cough) and through person-to-person contact (handshake, hug, or kiss), health experts have found evidence that the virus can also be transmitted through contact with a contaminated surface. This is where the avoid touching your face rule comes in.

On top of refraining from touching your face, you can also decrease the risk of contaminated surface transmission by sanitizing shared surfaces. Use a Clorox wipe or another disinfectant to wipe down doorknobs, sink handles and faucets, countertops, refrigerator handles, and desks. Any other shared surfaces, like toilet and shower handles and light switches, should be sanitized, too. If anyone in your home is sick, sanitizing becomes even more essential.

Clean your reusable bags and grocery boxes

Whether you’re still cautiously making grocery store runs, or you’re having food delivered, the virus may live on cardboard boxes and reusable bags for up to 24 hours, so it’s important to clean these, too. When you’re home from the grocery store, or you’ve carried in your purchases from your driveway drop-off, use a sanitizing solution or wipe to clean the inside of your grocery bag or the outside of the delivery box.

Once you’re done with the packaging, it couldn’t hurt to wipe down your purchases the same way. Many foods like cereal, granola bars, and coffee pods come in cardboard packaging that can hold on to the coronavirus germs. Depending on your preference, you can wipe the boxes down or open them up and transfer the foods to clean containers in your home and get rid of the packaging altogether. When you’re done, wash your hands and wipe down the surfaces they touched.

Analyze your cleaning style

If you can see that a surface is dirty, don’t just jump right to the disinfecting wipes or solutions. Clean these surfaces with soap and water first so your disinfecting efforts will be more effective. If you have them, wear disposable gloves while you clean and sanitize surfaces and objects that may be infected. If you don’t, continue to wash your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds at a time. And don’t forget about your clothes. If you’re cleaning shared surfaces, making grocery trips, caring for a sick individual, or going to work each day, it would be good to change and wash your clothes a bit more frequently than you normally would.

The best cleaning products for this particular outbreak are diluted household bleach solutions or ones that are alcohol-based and contain a minimum of 70% alcohol. If you’re wondering if your cleaning products are effective enough, the EPA has released a list of common disinfectants that meet their criteria for use against the novel coronavirus.

Your disinfectant may not be on their list yet, but the packaging may provide more information about its uses that will help you determine its effectiveness. While you’re checking labels, make sure your cleaning supplies aren’t expired so you know you’re getting the most out of your efforts.

About Corvus Janitorial Systems

Founded in 2004 to make people’s lives better, Corvus is a full-service commercial cleaning franchisor that offers cleaning services through reputable local Franchisees. Corvus has been guided by its mission to transform people and transform places by consistently delivering independence, security, and freedom to Franchisees who deliver high-quality cleaning to offices, educational buildings, medical buildings/offices, recreational centers, industrial parks, and other spaces. The company has 17 regional support offices across the United States with nearly 900 Franchisees. For more information regarding Corvus, visit www.corvusjanitorial.com or www.corvusjanitorial.com/franchise for franchise information.

5 Things You Can Do Right Now to Prevent the Spread of Coronavirus

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As you all know, the novel coronavirus has landed in the United States. As of writing, cases have been confirmed in 46 states and Washington DC. According to the latest estimate from Johns Hopkins University, there are now more than 1,700 confirmed cases across the United States. Understandably, there is a plethora of uncertainty, misinformation, and fear spreading along with the virus.

Corvus Janitorial Systems recommends taking the time to do your research, stay up-to-date, and most importantly, take steps to prevent the spread of the virus. Though you should be concerned and take this situation very seriously, now is not the time to panic. By taking preventative steps in our personal lives, businesses, and communities, we can help to slow the spread and long-term impact that coronavirus will have on our health, lives, and economy.

1. Use Good Judgement

Are you experiencing a fever, a cough, or shortness of breath? Is anyone in your social circle showing these symptoms? If so, now is the time to implement the age-old “better safe than sorry” approach. If you are experiencing symptoms of the novel coronavirus, stay home. Even if the symptoms are mild (they are in approximately 80% of cases), you are still contagious and can spread the virus.

Use your best judgment; if you have a fever, stay home and limit your interactions with other people. Work from home if possible if you have a cough. If you are exhibiting any symptoms, avoid the vulnerable population (the elderly, people with underlying health issues) entirely. Avoid traveling to areas with widespread infection if you are healthy and try not to travel at all if you know you are ill.

2. Wash Your Hands Often and Use Proper Hand Washing Techniques

One of the best ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 – or any virus for that matter – is frequent hand washing using the proper technique. Hand sanitizer doesn’t cut it; traditional handwashing with soap and water is still the most effective way to kill germs. To properly wash your hands, use warm water, fully lather your hands with soap and scrub them until they are fully soapy and sudsy.

A ten-second rinse is not enough – you should spend at least 30 seconds washing your hands. Timing tip: A good rule-of-thumb for handwashing: if you sing “happy birthday” while washing your hands and don’t get through it in its entirety, you have not washed long enough.

3. Catch Your Cough

This one is straightforward – if you have a cough, cover your mouth when you cough, especially in public spaces and around other people. Catch your cough with your elbow, hand, or a handkerchief. Doing so can prevent community spread from person-to-person contraction. COVID-19 has shown an ability to live outside of a host for a longer duration than standard influenza, therefore if you do cough on a surface, wipe it down immediately with disinfectant and sanitizer.

4. Elbows, Bums, and Tums – Avoid Common Touch Points

Avoid using your hands while interacting with common touchpoints such as doors and door handles, railings on public transit, light switches, and sink handles if possible. Open doors using your elbow, rear-end, or stomach if they are push-to-open. If a door is pull-to-open, consider waiting on someone to open it from the other side, or cover your hand with your sleeve if necessary.

If you do have to open a door with your hands, wash them after. When you are finished, you should turn off the sink with your elbow or a paper towel. Do not touch your face with your hands at all; use your shoulder or upper arm to scratch an itch. Rather than shaking hands, use a fist or elbow bump when meeting or greeting someone.

5. Dinner? Not Tonight. Practice Social Distancing

The phrase “social distancing” has been thrown around a lot in recent weeks, and for good reason. Limiting social interactions, especially in public spaces and other high traffic areas, will highly increase your chances of staying healthy. Cook at home as opposed to going out to eat. Limit your social interactions to a close circle of people that you know are healthy, and even then, only for interactions that cannot be conducted in any other manner.

Thankfully, social distancing does not mean complete social isolation; there are many alternatives to face-to-face interactions in the digital age. Call or video chat with your friends; conduct meetings through video conferences; start a group chat with your social circle.

Recommended Resources for Coronavirus Research and Updates

Center for Disease Control and Prevention

World Health Organization

ABC News Live Updates

This piece is meant simply to inform, not to provide any legal or medical advice.

About Corvus Janitorial Systems

Founded in 2004 to make people’s lives better, Corvus is a full-service commercial cleaning franchisor that offers cleaning services through reputable local Franchisees. Corvus has been guided by its mission to transform people and transform places by consistently delivering independence, security, and freedom to Franchisees who deliver high quality cleaning to offices, educational buildings, medical buildings/offices, recreational centers, industrial parks, and other spaces. The company has 17 regional support offices across the United States with nearly 900 franchisees. For more information regarding Corvus, visit www.corvusjanitorial.com or www.corvusjanitorial.com/franchise for franchise information.

What is Coronavirus and What Can You Do to Stay Healthy?

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What is Coronavirus?

The sudden appearance of this new health threat has already triggered a significant level of panic across the globe. It has also been the cause of a lot of confusion. As cleaning professionals, the Corvus Janitorial Systems team would like to inform you about coronavirus and provide some tips to help you stay healthy. So, before we get to the symptoms, what health professionals are doing about the virus, and what you can do to avoid it, let’s talk a bit about the official definition, where it started, and where it’s going; what is Coronavirus?

CoV is more than just one virus. It’s a cluster (or family) of viruses that lead to illnesses ranging from mild, like an everyday cold, to more serious diseases, like SARS and MERS. Coronavirus strains like MERS and SARS have been around for years, but the newest coronavirus, called COVID-19, started in China in 2019. It is believed that the new outbreak started in an animal reservoir. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the outbreak was declared a public health emergency on January 31, 2020.

The virus is most commonly transmitted from person to person. Certain strains can also be transferred from animals to humans, although this is far less common. In the initial outbreak in Wuhan, China, some patients had connections to animal markets that suggested they may have contracted the virus from animals, but the growing numbers of patients without animal connections tells us that it’s spreading through human-to-human transmission. Coronavirus is said to spread in a similar way to the flu; contact with an infected individual’s sneeze or cough, and less frequently, touching a surface that an infected person had recently touched may cause infection.

What are the Symptoms of Coronavirus?

Now that we’ve answered the question, “What is the novel coronavirus,” let’s talk about the symptoms of it. Symptoms typically range from mild to severe, with the most common ones being fever, cough, and shortness of breath. In individuals with compromised immune systems, the infection can cause pneumonia, respiratory issues, kidney failure, and death. More research needs to be done to determine the exact timeframe, but it is believed that symptoms appear between 2 and 14 days after an individual is exposed to the virus. This timeframe was determined based on information from previous strains.

What Has Been the Global Response?

Across the globe, over 3,000 people have died from the recent coronavirus outbreak, with nearly 90,000 (and counting) confirmed cases in dozens of countries. Outside of Antarctica, each continent has been affected. In response to the potential severity and growth of the disease, many countries are preparing action plans.

Quarantines in Italian cities are on the rise, as they’ve suffered 52 deaths due to the coronavirus so far. Outside of China, only one country has a higher death count; Iran has lost 66 residents to the virus. But China, by far, has been hit the hardest. Over 2,900 of the 3,000+ cases have occurred there. Factories have been closed, quarantines put in place, experimental drug trials scheduled, and numerous lockdowns have gone into effect.

In the U.K., where there have been forty confirmed cases, the British government is working on a virus backup plan that includes calling retired medical professionals back to work, delaying tax bill due dates, closing schools, and encouraging adults to work from home. The French government is similarly allowing delays in tax payments for companies that are struggling due to the global outbreak. There have been 191 confirmed cases in France, including three deaths. In Germany, an international craft fair that was expecting 100,000 visitors has been canceled. Meanwhile, many international testing sites for college admissions have been shut down to help slow the spread of the virus, and Iranian officials sent drones out to disinfect the streets and teams to conduct virus checks.

In the United States, there are have been six fatalities to date, with just over 100 confirmed cases. Washington state is on high alert, as it is currently the state with the largest number of infections and deaths in the US. The virus has also been detected in California, Oregon, New York, Rhode Island, Georgia, and Florida. Conferences and other large group gatherings are being canceled, schools are being closed, workers in certain states and industries are being urged to work from home or avoid coming in if they feel any symptoms, and travel is vehemently being discouraged. The governor of New York has waived fees for coronavirus testing so that lower-income families and individuals can get the care they need.

The business conglomerate, Amazon, has recently switched to video conferencing to replace many of their in-person interviews. Amazon’s headquarters is located in Washington, where several schools have also been shut down temporarily. Twitter Inc. is also doing what it can to protect its employees by placing mandatory restrictions on global travel, as many other international companies have done.

As a byproduct of the growing fear of coming into contact with an infected individual, online grocery sales, antibacterial or disinfectant purchases, water bottles, and children’s books about germs and personal hygiene have all significantly risen. There is currently no vaccine, but healthcare officials and agencies are working on producing one. In the meantime, it seems that each state, country, and health organization is doing what they can to slow the spread of the virus. Now, let’s talk about what you can do, too.

How You Can Prepare for Coronavirus in the United States

Currently, the best way to stay healthy is to avoid infected individuals, wash your hands frequently, stay home if you’re not feeling well, cover your sneeze or cough with your sleeve, and avoid touching your face after touching public surfaces. Wearing a face mask isn’t recommended for people who are healthy, but they can effectively help infected individuals keep from spreading the virus through their sneeze and cough particles. Disinfecting shared surfaces and carrying hand sanitizers that include alcohol to be used when you don’t have immediate access to soap and water can also help.
You may recognize these suggestions as similar to the ones that health professionals suggest for flu prevention. COVID-19 spreads in a similar way, so many of the same methods of prevention can be used. However, if you have any concerns, feel any symptoms, or need more information, we recommend checking in with your health care provider. This article is meant simply to inform, not to provide any legal or medical advice.

About Corvus Janitorial Systems

Founded in 2004 to make people’s lives better, Corvus is a full-service commercial cleaning franchisor that offers cleaning services through reputable local Franchisees. Corvus has been guided by its mission to transform people and transform places by consistently delivering independence, security, and freedom to Franchisees who deliver high-quality cleaning to offices, educational buildings, medical buildings/offices, recreational centers, industrial parks, and other spaces. The company has 17 regional support offices across the United States with nearly 900 Franchisees. For more information regarding Corvus, visit www.corvusjanitorial.com or www.corvusjanitorial.com/franchise for franchise information.

7 Traits That Make a Successful Franchise Owner

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Being an entrepreneur holds the potential to provide boundless personal and financial rewards. Entrepreneurship is unique in its ability to equip business owners with financial security and dependability that’s difficult to find elsewhere. Unlike holding a traditional job, entrepreneurs possess an enduring asset that is entirely under their control.

This makes owning a business risky, difficult, and uncertain, at times. However, it’s also what makes it endlessly worthwhile. If it were easy, everyone would do it… But we’re not everyone.

The demographics of successful office cleaning franchise owners cover a wide range, but certain traits are usually found across the board. This is particularly true when we examine the details of Corvus entrepreneurs who have reached the point of success and commercial stability.

It’s important to note that not everyone possesses these important characteristics at the start, but they are able to effectively develop them through diligence, thoughtfulness, and tireless effort. In other words, the building blocks of becoming a successful Franchisee are not always innate, but they can be learned and developed by anyone willing to put in the effort.

Some of Corvus’s most prominent individuals generously offered their time and research skills to collect themes and specifics around what traits are, in fact, often found to be found in successful franchise owners, their attitudes, strategies, and approaches. Chad Weaver (Corvus of Louisville Executive Director), Kevin Fox (Corvus of Columbus Executive Director), and Matt Mong (Corvus of Charlotte Executive Director) have done the research and gathered the evidence for us, so all we have to do is follow the lead of their inspiring and successful Franchisees.

Here is what they found:

1. Successful Franchisees Commit to Improvement

This category can look a little bit different for everyone and it can be described in many different ways: coachability, a focus on learning, drive, ambition, and so on. However you choose to describe it, almost all Corvus Franchisees showed a commitment to learning from their mistakes, evaluating their own performance areas, and implementing plans to improve.

If we’re seeing these traits across so many individuals, they must be important. But why? Because in business, we are always going to face obstacles and setbacks. This is a normal part of every aspect of life, whether these issues surface as a result of potential errors or events that are entirely out of our control. What matters more is how we handle these difficult situations.
Successful business owners look at obstacles and setbacks as an opportunity to learn something. The best business owners operate in a constant state of both self-improvement and organizational improvement. They don’t give up or ask, “why me?” They may adjust their operating strategies, attempt to learn a new skill or tactic or seek the advice of a trusted colleague instead.

Successful franchise owners will look to glean insight as to how they can improve and move forward.

2. Successful Franchisees Welcome Feedback

As human beings, we naturally don’t enjoy being told that we’re underperforming. We enjoy being praised, being good at every task we attempt, and reveling in glory. Unfortunately, underperformance is something that we have to deal with, whether we like it or not. It’s a natural part of life, despite the hit to our ego or the uncomfortableness of receiving constructive criticism. The key is to fight every instinct we have that suggests that we should become defensive and unwilling to admit that we’re human and we make mistakes.

When it comes to evaluating outstanding cleaning franchise owners, it’s easy to see that they handle these uncomfortable situations a bit differently. Successful Franchisees don’t hide or get defensive, they seek out feedback and embrace it, whether it’s negative or positive. They are bold and consistent in asking those around them what they could do differently and how they could avoid negative situations in the future. In approaching the situation this way instead, they turn what may have been a frustrating moment into an opportunity for growth and future success.

3. Successful Franchisees are Optimistic, Pragmatic, and Resilient

Business owners who perform at the highest levels, earning high financial reward and personal satisfaction, typically show a few of the same critical personality traits. Successful Franchisees typically show a blend of pragmatic realism and enthusiastic optimism, despite any difficulties or setbacks. No individual, team, or organization can go through life without facing challenging times, but the best will understand that these moments will come, and they’ll accept them as they arise.

This pragmatic perspective has the somewhat ironic effect of creating a mindset that better equips entrepreneurs to deal with these inevitable pain points when they occur. The successful entrepreneur does not take failure as a broader indication of his or her own ability or flaws, but as a simple reality of running a business – a reality, as discussed above, that represents an opportunity to grow and flourish.

When it comes to winning business owners, that realistic perspective is almost always coupled with a healthy amount of optimism. Yes, an experienced Franchisee is clear-eyed about the hardships of running a business and the inevitability of difficulties, but they are almost uniformly enthusiastic about their ability to find personal development and commercial success anyway. They don’t allow themselves to be beaten down or discouraged, no matter how pronounced or severe the difficulties, and instead look forward, with optimism, to a bright future.

4. Successful Franchisees Have a Long-Term Vision

Of great importance to any entrepreneur’s success is their long-term vision, both for themselves and their businesses. A vision is a mental image of a desired future and it’s an important piece of the entrepreneurship puzzle. The vision encompasses a business’s “why”: the reason that the company exists and the important purpose that they serve. A franchise owner’s vision should align their personal goals with their business goals.

Vision is the foundation of a business and it determines the strategy, resource allocation, and culture of the company. It should be ambitious and clear; an ambiguous vision is incredibly difficult to fulfill. Defining your vision is a great first step, but there’s still a lot of legwork needed to implement, pursue, and ultimately realize your vision within the company. A successful Franchisee is a passionate leader, energetic about their vision, and ready to spread their vision across the organization to elicit passion and energy from their dedicated team.

Once a team “buys in” to their leader’s vision, the vision becomes an integral part of the company culture. A clear vision is not only the backbone of the company culture, but it also outlines the company’s path to success. Short-term and medium-term goals should always be set to align with the business’s long-term vision. These goals are stepping stones that push the organization in the right direction.

Pursuing a vision keeps the business and all individuals involved focused on long-term success. It helps to guide the decision-making process and keep everyone on the right path. When asked about the importance of vision to the success or failure of Franchisees, the Executive Director of Corvus’s Louisville office, Chad Weaver, states, “There is a clear advantage associated with franchise owners who have defined their vision right out of the gate. These entrepreneurs have a much better grasp of what will drive their long-term success and they are able to confront adversity in a way that pushes them closer to fulfilling their vision.”

5. Successful Franchisees are Organized

Any entrepreneur working toward fulfilling a vision or reaching a goal understands the importance of keeping themselves and their businesses organized. Being organized is more than keeping your workspace tidy and using a state-of-the-art filing system. A truly organized franchise owner is not only on top of all of their paperwork, scheduling, and other daily tasks, but they also have an organized and methodical approach to their business strategies and management philosophies.

Successful Franchisees create and implement systems to help them organize critical business functions, making it easier to stay organized day-to-day and for others when they’re out of the office. An important factor in the success of a franchise (or any business, for that matter) is thorough financial planning and preparation. Although the initial fee is clearly outlined to the entrepreneur at the start in a franchise system, first-time business owners often underestimate their ongoing variable operating expenses. Failure to organize and adhere to a strict operating budget can lead to the failure of a business; a slow start or an unforeseen event can quickly drain capital from the venture.

The best business owners always plan for the worst and they’re never caught off guard by a sticky financial situation. However, financial functions aren’t the only areas that require systems for organization and execution. Individual employee and team management is an area that is often overlooked when it comes to business organization. Elite Franchisees hire the best individuals they can find, regardless of their qualification for the job on paper.

Once they have the best team in place, successful franchise owners will put their people in the roles where they will excel the most. They’ll move teammates around if they have to and they’ll find the role that they fit the best. Good entrepreneurs know how to organize themselves; great entrepreneurs know how to organize others. This is a critical skill in building a business.

6. Successful Franchisees Communicate

Effective communication is key to any successful business, particularly in the unique franchise industry. Franchisees not only have to communicate effectively with their employees, customers, and suppliers, but they also have to keep in frequent contact with their franchisor. The best franchise owners understand the importance of both internal communications (teams and franchisors) and external ones (customers, vendors, and other key stakeholders). The success of any business is a team effort and great Franchisees recognize this.

Top-level communicators know the importance of engaged listening, extending the benefit of the doubt, one-on-one interaction, feedback loops, and constructive criticism at every level. Business leaders that excel at communication understand that it must be constant and consistent. They take advantage of multiple channels to deliver information to relevant parties and provide them with reminders reinforcing the information. Important details, announcements, and updates are provided on a consistent, recurring basis, enabling stakeholders to anticipate changes, be open to incoming information, and be better prepared to take action, as necessary.

Communication is a two-way street. Successful business owners recognize this and are willing to accept feedback and criticism just as well as when they give it to others. They’re not upset by criticism but rather recognize that it’s an incredibly valuable opportunity to improve themselves and their business. Most importantly, top-performing franchise owners aren’t afraid to ask for help when they could benefit from some extra support. The ability to understand your own limitations and weaknesses is a great strength in and of itself.

One of the most beautiful and beneficial things about the franchise system is that many others within the same system have been through the process already. Others who have experience, training, and skills in the industry are a valuable resource for Franchisees, as they can tap into this knowledge base when they’re struggling or in need of fresh input. Kevin Fox, Executive Director of Corvus of Columbus adds, “I can’t stress enough the importance of communication, especially in the cleaning industry. The best franchise owners in Columbus are extremely communicative; I trust that if an issue arises in an account, I will be able to reach out to the franchise owner, relay the issue, and they will not only take care of the problem for the customer, but also inform their team of the deficiency, follow up with the customer, and inform our operations team of the actions they’ve taken. These Franchisees make everyone’s lives easier.”

7. Successful Franchisees Work Hard

At the end of the day, there’s one aspect of running a franchise that’s more important than any other: hard work. No matter how clear your vision is, how well you communicate, or how skilled a team you develop, no business can survive and thrive without it. Being a business owner is challenging and growing a franchise is no exception. It’s not enough to do the bare minimum on a daily basis. The most successful Franchisees see each day as an opportunity to go above and beyond what’s expected of them.

Successful Franchisees aren’t content with just doing a good job; they’re not satisfied with anything less than perfection. This pursuit of perfection drives them to continue to work harder and never become complacent. An exceptional work ethic pays dividends in many different areas. A business owner who always puts forth 100% of the effort they have to offer is one who sets an example and organizational expectations for their employees to follow.

But employees and partners are not the only ones who notice a great work ethic. Consistent hard work goes a long way with customers, as well. It not only reflects well on the Franchisee, their business, and the system at large but it also builds trust and loyalty between the customer and the business owner. Human connections drive businesses and we would be lost without them.

Customers who see the dedication, hard work, and effective communication that goes on within a successful franchise are much less likely to leave it. When they know that everyone involved in the business, top to bottom, is working their absolute hardest, it creates the accurate perception of a company with a strong work ethic and solid integrity. These are important qualities for consumers.

Corvus of Charlotte’s Executive Director, Matt Mong, highlights how an exceptional work ethic can make all the difference for a franchise owner, “It [success] all comes down to how hard the individual is willing to work. A person with zero experience in the cleaning industry who gives 100% effort and goes above and beyond for their customers and teammates will outperform any industry veteran that doesn’t work hard 99 out of 100 times – and I’d pick the high-effort individual 100 out of 100 times.”

The Takeaway

We’ve learned a lot about the traits it takes to make a successful franchise owner, and we hope you have too. Owning a business, running a franchise, and being an entrepreneur are challenging but they’re also incredibly valuable, worthwhile, and fulfilling pursuits. The important thing to remember is that you have to be willing to put in the work.

Successful Franchisees possess an awareness of their abilities and they’re looking to refine and improve them whenever they can. An openness to feedback and the mindset that everything is an opportunity for growth and future success can open up entire worlds of possibilities for you and your business. Choose to never stop learning, think optimistically while remaining realistic, align your goals with your long-term vision, and keep communication open and constant.

These are the secrets to success from real-life franchise owners who have found their way. No matter where you’re starting, you can develop the skills you need to be successful, too. And remember, when you’re unsure, scared, or stuck, talk to someone who has been through this process before. When you choose to be a Franchisee with Corvus, you’re never alone.

How to Acquire Commercial Cleaning Contracts and Customers

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In our last post, “How and Why to Start an Office Cleaning Business”, the Corvus Janitorial team outlined steps entrepreneurs should take to open a cleaning business and provided an analysis of the industry. In the second entry of our two-part series presenting the facts of operating a business in the commercial cleaning industry, we provide a how-to for acquiring office cleaning contracts along with the considerations that ought to go into the process.

Once an individual has created the foundations of their office cleaning business by organizing the entity, purchasing necessary tools and determining a marketing strategy, it is time to start selling janitorial services. Regardless of which industries a company chooses to service and the cleaning programs they offer, the basic methods and time frames around winning customer accounts is relatively similar. That being said, certain standard considerations exist that all office cleaning owners should think about.

 

Getting Cleaning Contracts: Which Facilities to Clean?

First, determining what type of facility you wish to target is critical, and when selecting facility types it’s important to think about how facilities and industries differ. For instance, light industrial or manufacturing facilities likely require a less detailed level of service than a medical office or day care facility. The facility cleaning needs change with the organization’s varying purposes. An organization tasked with the welfare of infants will have far different needs than an organization tasked with distributing cardboard boxes.

In thinking about what types of customers you want to pursue, think about your skills, strengths and weaknesses…determining what suits your skillset best will help you identify your ideal customers. Some companies may not need or want recurring janitorial services, but they may require special event cleaning after an office party. As with recurring commercial cleaning contracts, special event clean up contracts will have a wide variety of needs, and the entrepreneur must decide which of these opportunities to go after.

 

Clean Close – Travel, Expenses, Logistics

Second, travel and logistics should play a role in selecting clients to target. Travel time represents a real cost in terms of money and your time and should not be overlooked in deciding which types of contracts your office cleaning business wants to target. It is highly advisable to calculate the cost associated with traveling to client accounts. Moreover, researching areas where your target accounts can be found and selling to areas of closer proximity is very important. Clustering your cleaning accounts in geographic locations that are close to one another will reduce your commute time and the associated costs, as well as limit the chance of a missed clean due to traffic or other unforeseen and uncontrollable circumstances.

 

Types of Office Cleaning Services

Third, creating a menu of the services your office cleaning company intends to provide is important in terms of selling and pricing your cleaning contracts. Variables such as how often per week or per month you intend to offer service will impact not only your time commitment but also the cost the customer will pay for your services.

Another variable to consider is the level of cleaning you intend to provide on a nightly, weekly or monthly basis. For instance, you may elect to provide weekly high dusting in your cleaning contracts, or you might decide to provide high dusting every night. In the second case, your cleaning company will be spending more time in the client facility to perform high dusting, thereby driving your personal cost higher – which in turn should be passed on to the client.

 

How to Get Cleaning Contracts: Tools to Use

Traditional Sales Channels

After you have identified your ideal customer, decided which geographic area(s) to target, and defined your service offerings, it is time to begin selling contracts. Traditionally, the most effective and cost-efficient way to get commercial cleaning contracts is by picking up the phone and dialing, aka cold calling. If you already have a network with local business owners or office managers, tapping this network is a great place to start selling.

Once you establish a base of satisfied customers, you can ask them to refer you to other businesses in their building, network, or industry. Word-of-mouth referrals are a strong vote of confidence for your brand and will make selling contracts to new clients much easier. Cold calling, networking and customer referrals can help jumpstart your business, however they cannot ensure consistent, stable growth in the long run.

Marketing a Cleaning Business

Additional marketing efforts are necessary if you aim to acquire a large customer base. Fliers and pamphlets are a time-tested and relatively low-cost method to spread the word about your cleaning company. Contacting and building relationships with real estate agents and property managers is another great way to obtain customer contracts. Classified ads in newspapers are also an effective source to sell cleaning contracts, and classified ads are much cheaper than larger newspaper ads. In the age of the internet, a digital marketing strategy is critical to be a true competitor in the commercial cleaning industry.

Increasingly, businesses are turning to the web and social media to find and hire professional cleaners. An established online presence is important to winning customer contracts, and the foundation of this presence is creating a website for your cleaning company. An effective website will showcase your service offerings, provide information about your business, and tell your brand’s story. Make sure to include contact information on your website – inbound web traffic are likely high potential cleaning contract prospects.

 

How to Price Commercial Cleaning Contracts

Frequency and scope of service (or level of service) ultimately will determine how to price a cleaning contract. If you intend to service a restaurant or bar, for example, there is a big difference between cleaning the dining area and cleaning the kitchen. In the latter case, a much more intensive clean will be required, as the customer will expect an absolutely spotless kitchen. These elevated expectations should be reflected in the contract.

Ultimately, you should take a consultative approach to understanding client expectations, customizing cleaning schedules, determining the frequency and scope of work to suit the facility needs and client desires, generating a cleaning contract with terms, and outlining conditions and pricing to match the client’s desires.

 

Collecting Money from Office Cleaning Customers

Finally, creating a billing schedule and agreement represents an often-overlooked aspect of starting an office cleaning business. On the one hand, launching a cleaning company and getting clients can be fun and exhilarating, but the end goal is to create financial security and additional income. Therefore, no process is more important than building policies for billing and collecting money owed from customers.

Generally speaking, office cleaning companies offer “terms” to clients in the cleaning contract. What this means is a cleaning company may ask to be paid at a specified date following the receipt of the invoice that corresponds to delivery of service. For instance, net 30 indicates the customer must pay the office cleaning company 30 days after receipt of the invoice, net 10 indicates payment is to be expected 10 days following receipt of invoice and so on and so forth. Depending on your savings and capital reserves, you should select a payment term that ensures a steady flow of incoming funds which you’ll need to replenish supplies, continue marketing your service and, best of all, set aside to increase your savings. Cash flow is king and establishing terms to meet your company’s cash flow needs is a key to success.

 

Conclusion

At the end of the day, the success of any business is determined by how much and how often they are able to sell. Above all else, consistency is crucial to building, growing, and maintaining a profitable commercial cleaning business. Therefore, having systems in place for sales, marketing, and collections is highly recommended to any business owner who aims to make a profit. Determining your service offerings and identifying your target customer and market are only the first steps to operating a successful commercial cleaning company.

The development of a marketing strategy is ultimately how you will acquire customer cleaning contracts, and you must also build out a system to price contracts, distribute bids, and collect money from clients. Getting cleaning contracts – and retaining them – is by no means an easy task, but with the right systems in place, a commercial cleaning business can provide consistent and reliable income to a hungry entrepreneur.