Springing into the house cleaning market

With cleaners dressed in old-fashioned uniforms using futuristic cleaning techniques, maid2clean is quickly sweeping into the competitive domestic market.

FRANCHISE SYSTEM, maid2clean, sprung onto the market during an appropriate season – spring last year – just in time to service consumer demand for spring-cleaning. Timing was also appropriate in view of the ever-increasing hype over health and hygiene hazards.

Using non-toxic, environmentally friendly cleaning products and methods, maid2clean certainly ticks all the environmentally correct boxes. But to achieve a more visible point of difference, maid2clean cleaners don smart black dresses with white-cuffed collars and sleeves. A starched white pinafore completes the distinctive uniform.

Operating under umbrella group IFG (International Franchise Group which has established the highly successful commercial cleaning franchise system, AMC Commercial), the maid2clean franchise is new to the market and needed to turn heads to establish a presence.

“The company motor vehicles sporting an image of the maids attract so many calls from passers-by, you would not believe it,” said Managing Director Joseph Saffy, who heads up the franchise business. “The look may be quirky but it gets lots of attention. And the comments we receive from customers, such as ‘very professional, unusual, or different,’ more that makes up for any inconvenience [of the nature of the dress].”

maid2clean now has nine franchisees operating in NSW under the Master Franchisee, Penelope Kontos.

As Saffy explains: “Our sister branch AMC Commercial was fielding many questions about domestic cleaning so we knew there was untapped potential. This was confirmed by our research findings – our telemarketers unearthed several interesting community trends.

“As we know, there are more dual-income families with little time for cleaning. But in areas you wouldn’t expect – the less prosperous suburbs – where many couples are both working, they want someone to spring clean their house every month or so. Others in wealthy suburbs will have their homes cleaned more frequently, twice a week perhaps.”

Under a State Master License system, the Master Franchise develops and sells regional franchises covering 30,000 residences. They in turn operate 10-15 franchisees, each paying $20,800 which ‘secures’ 2000-3000 homes within a nominated area. maid2clean uses mail drops and the media for lead generation, funded in part by a weekly franchisee levy of $110, which also covers telephone support.

maid2clean franchisees are trained and accredited in customer service, job pricing, occupational health and safety and local focus marketing. Once on board, they are provided with paperwork, stationery and the trademark maid2clean uniforms. For men the clothing is a black polo shirt and trousers, the look complementing the female attire.

Saffy estimates that cleaning 25 to 30 homes a week sustains a two-person franchise, most of whom are husband and wife teams. (One franchisee says within two months of buying a franchise she and her husband were earning between $1200 and $1500 per week.) Charging customers $30-$35 an hour, the cleaning takes between two and four hours.

Domestic cleaning has lagged commercial in terms of quality control and procedures, Saffy says, but maid2clean is now bringing the discipline across. It is, in part, led by customers. “Our research and experience indicate that more and more families are looking for a better quality domestic cleaning service.