A
janitorial service is a well paying, steady business that
involves
mostly night work on a contract basis. You agree
(contract)
to perform certain scheduled actions and the client
pays
you on a monthly basis.
Normal
services are sweeping, dusting, emptying ashtrays, pencil
sharpeners
and wastebaskets, refilling soap and paper dispensers
and
buffing and/or vacuuming the floors. Waxing might be done
every
third night; stripping once a month.
These
services are normally performed at night when the business
is
closed, which gives the janitorial crew a time span of 12 to
14
hours. If the jobs are relatively small, one crew might do
several
businesses a night.
A
beginner can start with ordinary household tools (and buy more
as
they are needed), plus some cleaning supplies. To start, find
a
small store or business that needs cleaning at night and offer
your
services. Do all the work yourself for a while. Learn first
hand
how long it takes to do each job, which techniques work
best,
and the type and amount of supplies that are needed.
When
you are just starting, it is a good idea to tell the client
that
you are learning, that you want to do a professional job,
and
that you might have to adjust your rates when you learn how
much
work and supplies are required. Be sure to ask them to
advise
you of anything they think you can do better -- and thank
them
when they do.
People
love to give advice, and in this case it is not only free
training,
it will help you keep the contract while you are still
learning.
On
your first few jobs take notes of the workload and time it
takes
for each operation, so you will know what to consider when
bidding
on future jobs, and how long it should take your helpers.
Most
janitorial contractors have checklists that they use when
walking
through the job with the prospective client, so they can
find
out (and record exactly what is wanted -- and bid
accordingly.
The objective is to bid the amount that will satisfy
both
you as a business person and the client.
Before
making your final bid, check the outside of the building
to
see if there are additional chores that could or should be
included,
such as sweeping a parking lot, straightening the trash
bin
or washing the outside windows. Also check the general
appearance
(which will tell you the quality of work they expect),
and
see if there is someone that may be hard to please.
One
contractor always looks for a behind the scenes person who
has
been there through the past five bank presidents, who will be
the
one that calls the service back to empty a missed ashtray. If
he
spots such a person, he adds 10% to the bid -- and everyone
stays
happy!
When
hiring help, you will probably need to bond them (as well as
yourself.
Many businesses will not deal with janitorial companies
unless
they are bonded, because they have access (often, a set of
keys)
to their buildings and offices when no one else is there.
A
bonding service also helps protect you: if there is a question,
the
bonding agent arbitrates. Since most of the work is done
after
normal working hours, it is not difficult to find helpers.
Many
students and day workers are happy to "moonlight" to make a
few
extra dollars.
To
locate professional janitorial supplies, look in the phone
book
or THOMAS REGISTER (a multi-volume reference book that lists
all
major manufacturing companies in the country).
Some
janitorial contracts include refilling paper towel
containers
and the like, which add a minor amount to the contract
price..
Other include periodic wax removal, special jobs like
window
or wall washing, carpet shampooing and even plant care.
You
can probably increase your profits by selling some of the
suppliers,
since you can buy in larger quantities than most of
your
clients.
Most
suppliers do not wholesale to retail establishments or small
businesses.
If you find a good source for wholesale supplies, you
may
be able to offer the same supplies at or below the price they
are
currently paying -- and still make a profit.
Note
if you do the work AND furnish the expendable supplies, your
service
contract will be a little more secure since the client
depends
on you for both the work and supplies.
As
your business grows, you can add equipment that you have
specific
need for -- such as buffers, wax strippers and
commercial
vacuum cleaners, that will enable you to do more jobs
and
make more money. Keep an eye out for bargains in used
janitorial
equipment, but don't buy things you can't use; save
your
money for things that will help you make money.
Although
most janitorial companies pay their employees by the
hour,
it is perfectly alright for a beginner (especially a single
proprietorship)
to pay by the job -- a set amount per night, per
month,
or an actual percentage of the contract. In the latter
case,
it may be legal to actually sub-contract individual
accounts,
so that you are not burdened with withholding taxes and
the
like.
For
example, if you have a contract for $250 a month, you can
sub-contract
it for $200 per month, and pocket the difference.
That
is your pay for getting the contract and also for being
responsible
to find another sub-contractor if the need arises --
because
the original contract is in your name.
Aside
from obvious potential problems like theft or major
breakage,
the greatest possible problem is when you and the
client
disagree on what work is supposed to be done. It is very
easy
for this to happen unless everything is IN WRITING, and the
results
can be very unpleasant.
When
you accept a job or submit a bid, every detail of what you
are
responsible must be spelled out (remember the checklist
mentioned
above). You can't just say clean and tidy the place --
this
leaves too much open to interpretation. Put down the details
and
make sure that both you and the client understand them the
same
way. This may take a little more effort at contract time,
but
it can save some big headaches.
Although
there are a couple of schools listed under Business
Sources,
few people actually need to take a course -- especially
if
they start small or have any experience at all. The reason we
have
listed several schools and franchises under Business Sources
is
to afford you the opportunity to correspond with them. By
checking
their offers you might get a better idea of just what
you
want to do and how you should best go about it.
You
will need to keep a current record of incoming and outgoing
cash,
and a file of your receipts and checks. Your financial
records
should be summarized monthly to let you know how you are
doing
and annually for income taxes.
Your
contracts can be fancy, technical forms from a lawyers, or
simple
forms from a stationery store, or even a letter that you
compose
spelling out the details of the agreement and you both
sign.
A
contract needs only sate that in exchange for a certain fee
(paid
monthly or?), you will perform the listed chores on a
daily,
weekly or whatever basis (separate them by when they are
to
be done).
Subcontractors
are similar but with different names (they
contract
to do jobs for you). If you are in doubt about the
contract
wording, work up a draft and ask a lawyer to review it
(he
will ordinarily charge much less to review than to compose
one,,,
even though his secretary will probably copy most of it
from
existing forms).
Once
you are satisfied with your contract form, have copies of it
reproduced.
To save money, you can have a word processing service
make
the master and then just make more copies as you need them.
The
advantage of this that the word processor can easily alter
the
form if there is a mistake or a change needed -- and you
aren't
stuck with 1,000 copies of outdated or worthless forms!
The
janitorial business is not glamorous, but it is profitable
because
it is something that every business needs. The work is
not
complicated or difficult and it is relatively easy to get
help.
Business often prefer to deal with a service than to try
and
hire their own because they are not there to supervise and
the
service gives them some assurance of a professional job.
A
neat looking area is very important businesses and stores and
they
are willing to pay well for good service. If you are willing
to
work learn and manage people, you can do well in the
janitorial
business.
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