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.
