Debbie Sardone Explains the 5 Systems Every Maid Service Needs

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“Learners are earners” – Debbie Sardone

Some of the most wealthy people in this world have built their empires on mistakes, and the reason why is simple…

They learn from them.

These folks develop a positive mindset, listen to their teams, and continue to renew the systems they have in place to function better.

Just like them, when we don’t give up, continue to learn, to grow and to evolve, we can change not only our world, but the world of those around us as well.

However, it takes willingness and effort, not just a pure heart.

You have to be willing to take risks and make mistakes in order to learn the lessons that create financial and professional success.

Fortunately, you don’t have to make all of them yourself. There are opportunities to learn from other people’s blunders rather than going through each of them directly.

Many of the lessons from leaders in the home cleaning industry have been obtained by altering the systems that they had in place, in order to better their companies.

This is not simply a cash grab project though, these strategies are meant for those who are invested and who have a desire to make a difference.

Are you the kind of maid service owner who genuinely wants a quality, honest, residential cleaning business that values their cleaners and office staff?

We know you are!

So, we are here to tell you that with the proper systems in place, you too can grow a seven figure self-running business.

There are 5 main systems that you should improve at your maid service in order have abundance and freedom in your life:

1. Your cleaning business needs a profit-first method

Without any understanding of how to maintain a proper profit margin, you cannot grow at all.

The problems that occur with low (or no) profit will continue to build over time.

You can’t pay yourself
You can’t pay your cleaners
You can’t pay your cleaner staff well
You can’t create benefits for employees

…and there are certainly no incentive programs.

There are ways to better understand where your money comes from and where it goes, so that there is effectual profit though.

One option is to designate and follow through on how revenue will be spent.

For example, it can be split into different areas of the business like this:

20% can be allocated for owner income and profits
25% can be designated for overhead and operations
55% can go to cleaners and cleaning office staff.

This would improve your home cleaning business while investing in the very people that make it work so well.

These numbers can be altered as appropriate for your personal maid service, but no matter what they are, it’s important to know where your money is going.

2. Improve the hiring and onboarding in your maid service

If you find yourself struggling to find quality cleaners and cleaning company staff, consider the position that you are offering.

Do you provide a company with a supportive and friendly culture?

Do you pay your cleaners appropriately?

Most of making employees happy, doesn’t have anything to do with the job itself. This element is likely something they have already been drawn to.

It’s about creating an environment where people feel valued and enjoy what they do.

If you want to keep quality employees, you should target much of your efforts toward them and their growth within your company.

Additionally, the owner who values their employees should also invest in them monetarily.

Staffing is the most important thing in the cleaning industry, so if there is any place where you are going to increase the budget, it should be here.

Don’t expect to keep your best cleaner around for years without continuing to pay at the level they deserve.

“You need good pay and an incredible culture for people to want to become career cleaners” – Debbie Sardone

3. Have a proper home cleaning company training program

Quality, well-trained cleaners provide the consistency needed to make your business reputable.

However, it all starts at the top! A wonky, inconsistent crew is not the fault of the group, it is the fault of the leader.

So, you have to begin proper training from the top down starting with the owner, moving through to the trainers and finally to the cleaners.

This will help to keep the whole implementation of a new training program on track.

As an owner, you should know everything about the training program that you are providing. Get your office manager or virtual assistant in on it too!

Study your maid service’s company training programs, so that you better understand what it is you want from your cleaners and office staff.

Following owner and office manager training, be sure your trainers know how to properly teach the techniques in the course.

This will allow the trainers to translate the objectives of each task to the cleaners with ease.

High quality cleaners at your home cleaning company is essential, but in order to have cleaners at this level, you also need the trainers to know how to train.

Really, the owner and the cleaning office manager should be trained prior to execution of a new module to assure that the entire program is organized as efficiently as possible.

Finally, train the cleaners and residential cleaning office staff to give them a more uniformed look to their daily routines.

With everyone from the owners to the cleaners on the same page, you show your cleaning customers that your company is organized and functions well as a whole.

4. Utilize great branding and marketing strategies for your maid service

In order to succeed in standing out above the rest, you should have an approach to the ever changing strategies that get your home cleaning business noticed.

Understand why clients choose you over other people.

What values do you and your clients share?

Do you appreciate having your cleaning clients all from the same area or are you in the business of cleaning homes on a wider scale?

These are vital things to consider so that you can know how to market to your target customers.

Use a variety of methods to stay on top of the minds of your cleaning clients as well as gain new ones.

Combine paid marketing, such as AdWords or Facebook advertising, with organic marketing mass mailers (yep, they still work) to reach your target.

Never stay focused on just one area because there is no one perfect way to gather your people. Continue to evolve and continue to learn, there is no magic pill for success.

5. Revise the sales conversions for your residential cleaning services

Do research on the price points in franchise services and adjust your prices accordingly.

If you set your prices too low and are making little to no profit, you’re going to find yourself spinning your wheels.

Your sales should always reflect what you are offering and what you deserve.

This is not the sort of thing you can check off of your list forever once it is done, complete this cycle of research and revise periodically.

How you value your cleaning services and staff should show through in your prices.

“There are no advantages to being priced in the middle” – Debbie Sardone

Remember, if you are putting out a great product, cleaning clients will pay so that you can be profitable.

Additionally, as the maid service owner, you can teach people in your office in sales so that you don’t have to and make money no matter if you’re working or vacationing.

Now, that is the life!

This article was based on a talk by Debbie Sardone at the 2019 Maid Summit, hosted and organized by Zenmaid.

About the presenter

Debbie Sardone has been a driven individual her whole life. She started working at 14 through a school work program and now has her own consulting firm The Maid Coach.

As such an incredible business woman, she has not one but several successful businesses in the cleaning industry.

Debbie is the owner of Speed Cleaning, a line of professional green cleaning products and Buckets & Bows Maid Service.

She also founded a non-profit, Cleaning For A Reason, an organization which provides a cleaning home for women with cancer.

Debbie is truly an inspirational businesswoman and we love that much of her knowledge is directly maid service based.

The Maid Summit is an annual online event that brings together the most successful leaders in the cleaning industry, like Debbie Sardone, Angela Brown, Courtney Wisely, Amy Caris, Chris Schwab and more. Get free access to masterclasses and workshops that will help you to grow, scale and automate your cleaning business so you can get more leads, create more profit. Make sure you’re on our email list to find out how to get free tickets to the next event.

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