Business Survival Rates?

According to statistics published by the Small Business Administration (SBA), about half of all employer establishments survive at least five years and a third survive ten years or more. This is a far cry from the previous long-held belief that 50 percent of businesses fail in the first year and 95 percent fail within five years. Pictured, window cleaner, Russ Cox reaching the 5 yr mark.

What Are The Real Small Business Survival Rates? According to statistics published by the Small Business Administration (SBA), about half of all employer establishments survive at least five years and a third survive ten years or more. This is a far cry from the previous long-held belief that 50 percent of businesses fail in the first year and 95 percent fail within five years.

Those of us who converse with small businesses on a daily basis are well aware that many of them will fail in the first five years. In fact, these odds are a big reason why I assist people in buying well-established businesses that will provide a higher probability of success than a start-up. But what are the real numbers of small business survival? Many people believe that 80 to 90 percent of start-ups will fail in their first 5 years, but is that accurate? Let's take a look at the facts:  

"About half of all new establishments survive five years or more and about one-third survive 10 years or more. As one would expect, the probability of survival increases with a firm’s age. Survival rates have changed little over time.”

- Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, BED

The latest data from the Small Business Administration (SBA) states that nearly 66 percent of small businesses will survive their first two years. That means only about one third of total businesses will actually fail in these first two crucial years, the main cause being a lack of experience. When the data is extrapolated four years out, the number of surviving businesses has been consistently near the 55 to 60 percent mark. This same data shows a five year survival rate that has historically hovered around the 50 percent mark, a far cry from the 80 to 90 percent failure rate so commonly claimed. 

Window cleaner to celebrate 5 years: Clinton Window Cleaner and Services will celebrate its 5-year anniversary Aug. 8th this year. Owner Russ Cox has been washing windows and cleaning out gutters for five years now, all the while working by himself in this labor-intensive job. Cox got this idea from his wife and son, Cox said. They said that since he had janitorial experience from working with the Clinton School District, this would be his best bet for opening a business, he added.

He travels within a 50-mile radius from the Clinton area to clean windows and gutters. “There are surprisingly not a lot of people who know I clean out gutters, too,” Cox said. He does both residential and commercial work. Two-thirds of his work is commercial, because he can go year around with commercial work, he said. He does homes from March to December if the weather will let him. Cox goes to all different homes, from those in the country to condos.

“I get to meet a lot of different people,” Cox said. “I have lived in the area since 1972, but only in the last 5 years I have seen the community in a different way by having my own business. I like the people. I like going to different places, that can be fun or interesting. I even had my granddaughter with me one time.” He said he does not repair windows, but he will help with information on repairing windows or other things in the home to get the help that is needed. “I like to see businesses sprout up that are home-owned businesses,” Cox said.

This Window Cleaners Strategy

Tyler Engle, owner of Wichita Window Cleaning, recently added high-rise clients. “It’s recommended you have training, but I did rock climbing for years,” he said.

Window cleaner’s business strategy takes a broad view (Wichita, Kansas); Ask Tyler Engle what the latest video he has posted has to do with his small business, and he’ll tell you: Nothing. Nevertheless, Engle said engaging people on social media has been key to growing Wichita Window Cleaning, which washes windows for residential and business clients. “It’s an odd strategy,” he said. “I put out stuff that’s funny or entertaining. Somebody will say, ‘Hey, this guy’s funny, I see he’s got a window cleaning business, and I need my windows cleaned.’”

Engle, 24, started washing windows in high school for his father, Rusty, who owns Pro Cleaning Glass. Their businesses are separate entities, although they often work together or cover for one another on jobs.

Engle earned a computer engineering degree from Wichita State University and worked at data storage company NetApp for almost three years but said it “wasn’t really captivating for me. I like being the boss.”

He is now the boss, along with being the chief window washer, accountant and marketer. He has two part-time employees and hopes to add a full-time employee this summer. Engle said he thinks he has the largest window cleaning operation in Wichita. “For example, we have McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Wendy’s,” he said. “Pretty much any fast-food restaurant you go through, we clean it.”

Recently, he added high-rise clients such as the Hyatt Regency Wichita, although he admits he doesn’t have any “formal training” to hang from a harness more than a hundred feet in the air. “It’s recommended you have training, but I did rock climbing for years,” he said. “It was terrifying at first, but I’m getting a little more used to it.”

Posting video of that work garnered him some additional clients, but other videos Engle posts have nothing to with windows. Most recently, he and a friend used a drone to film scenes of the Arkansas River and Keeper of the Plains. It has garnered some 162,000 views on Facebook.

Engle doesn’t discount the importance of old-fashioned legwork, saying he spent a lot of time making personal contact with the people who “pull the trigger” on decisions like who’s going to clean a business’ windows.

Engle doubts he will wash windows forever – he’s thinking about launching a digital media marketing company – but says the lessons he has learned should work in any field. “I had always thought that growing a business just kind of happened, word-of-mouth-wise,” he said. “When I started really taking it seriously, you discover the correlation between how much effort you put in and the result. “I’m still dealing with that. I’m only 24.”

• Business growth attributed to social media engagement
• Owner thinks his window cleaning service if biggest in Wichita
• Old-fashioned leg work is important, too, he says

Webinar Tonight - Automate - Grow - Sell

 8:00 pm Eastern Time (US and Canada), GMT +5 (1 a.m.)

Window Cleaning Webinar Tonight: Chris Lambrinides and Josh Latimer founded cleaning companies from scratch with no money. Fast forward a few years and they had a combined 75+ employees with just under $500,000 a month in collective revenue. Let them show you EXACTLY what they did to achieve this. Better yet, Josh only worked 4 hours a week on his business the last two years he owned it. The content in this webinar series took Josh 2 months to put together. It is REAL insight with zero fluff.

Automate - Learn the nuts and bolts of how to build systems into your business that will create freedom so you can spend your life doing what you really want. 

Grow - Josh and Chris grew their combined service businesses to over 75 employees with just under one half million a month in revenue. Learn how you can triple your revenue with-in 24 months from guys who have done it.

Sell - Find out why you should build your business to sell even if you never plan on selling it. Learn the techniques, create real value and equity in your business. 

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Inspired Business

Marc Whitbread, 23, of Church Crookham, has been nominated as Young Business Person of the Year in the Inspire Business Awards 2015.

Inspire Business Awards 2015: Whitbread's Window Cleaning looks to scoop Young Business Person prize - The company Marc Whitbread founded as a teenager has seen him nominated for Young Business Person of the Year.

He was just 17 when he launched his window cleaning company which today boasts more than 700 clients, and now Church Crookham entrepreneur Marc Whitbread has been nominated for an Inspire Business award .

Marc employs two full-time staff at his firm, Whitbread’s Window Cleaning, operating across Aldershot, Camberley, Farnham, Farnborough, Fleet, Hook, Sandhurst, Yateley and other areas on the Hampshire-Surrey border.

The ambitious 23-year-had originally wanted to become a chef and had started training in kitchens. “I was fed up with the low pay and working with people, so looked into businesses I could set up,” he recalled. “When I was 12 I saw a guy with a water-fed pole system, which lets you clean windows from the ground, and it just stuck with me. “I started looking into start-up costs and did some market research, and thought it had good potential.”

The company now has 720 regular clients, and Mr Whitbread hopes to take on more staff every year – the next intake in the spring. He has just bought a third van which will be ready to use in November.

Marc says the secret is the combination of having the right attitude and filling a gap in the market. “There’s been a demand but I have always been very determined and put in the hours,” he added. “A lot of people are just comfortable standing still, but for what? “I want to grow a business not just be a window cleaner.”

When asked what he makes of being nominated for Young Business Person of the Year, he said: “I’m really pleased. I didn’t know how popular the awards were, but I was really pleased to find out that I had been shortlisted.”

Business Spotlight: Working with Veterans

Teresa Emerson says 70 percent of Clearview’s business is cleaning commercial buildings such as Juanita K. Hammons Hall. Working with veterans tips the scale for a woman-owned window-cleaning firm in governor’s award.

Business Spotlight: The Cleanup Crew - Working with veterans tips the scale for a woman-owned window-cleaning firm in governor’s award. Teresa Emerson never thought she would run a window-cleaning business. But two days before earning her MBA from Drury University, the telecommunications veteran put her college knowledge to use with the 1995 purchase of Clearview Window Cleaning from David and Debbie Morris. “About three days later, I was hanging doing high-rise work,” says Emerson, who worked in the field a few years in the early days as a small-business owner.

Now 20 years in, the work of Emerson’s crew is seen in the shiny clean windows of such major commercial clients as CoxHealth, Mercy, City Utilities of Springfield and Missouri State University, as well as area storefronts and homes.  Her commitment to growth and the hiring of veterans and active military personnel even earned her recognition from Gov. Jay Nixon in early September. It’s all in a day’s work for Clearview.

Nixon’s nod; On Sept. 3, Emerson traveled to St. Louis for the 2015 Governor’s Conference on Economic Development. One of 10 honors presented by Nixon, Clearview earned the Governor’s Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year Award. Nominated by a Springfield peer, Emerson visited St. Louis, met the governor and gave a speech thanking her employees. “It was a very odd feeling. I’m usually not much on awards,” she says. “They tend to focus on the moment in time. This is 20 years in the making. It made me think of all the technicians who have worked here over the years who have just been great people.”

In presenting the award, the governor noted Clearviews employment growth to 15 window-cleaning technicians and three support staff from just three employees when she took over in the mid-1990s. “I think they want to see that you are creative in the way that you keep your business rolling,” she says. Nixon, who started the Show-Me Heroes campaign in 2010 to encourage business owners to hire active military personnel and veterans, also credited Emerson’s commitment to that cause. Of her 15 technicians, seven are Missouri veterans, active in the military or members of the National Guard or Reserve.

Emerson wouldn’t have it any other way. It doesn’t hurt the state’s Show-Me Heroes program provides on the job training assistance – reimbursing 50 percent of wages for new employees – and facilitates federal work opportunity tax credits, which can range up to $9,600 for hiring individuals who face employment barriers. But Emerson says the main advantage is the work ethic instilled in service members, as well as their commitment to teamwork and adherence to safety guidelines.

Not all employers hold service members in that regard. “Believe it or not, it can be very difficult for a veteran or somebody in the military looking for a job,” says James Wittman, a five-year Clearview employee and an active Army Reserve member. Wittman says he’s observed employers pass over workers who list active military duty on their resumes. Calls of duty may come in a matter of hours, which can put a business in a pinch. A team leader for Clearview, Wittman says Emerson is understanding of his sergeant responsibilities to the Harrison, Ark.-based Army unit. “I don’t have to worry a bit,” Wittman says about the Army’s occasional short notice for personnel.

Shine on: Hanging from rigs, climbing ladders and using other equipment, Emerson’s crew performs about 70 percent commercial jobs and 30 percent residential, a complete flip from when she bought the business. Clearview’s work takes technicians as far as Ft. Leonard Wood, Parsons, Kan., eastern Oklahoma and Eureka Springs, Ark.

Large office jobs range widely from $300 to $3,000. Homes, which largely comprise jobs for working couples, tend to average $200. The company’s 600-700 clients may only use its services once or twice a year, but some are as often as weekly. Declining to disclose revenues, Emerson says sales increased roughly 5 percent last year, and she projects a 12 percent rise this year.

Ronnie Lightfoot, CoxHealth system director for support services, says the health system has contracted with Clearview for his seven years with the company. The contract is renewed every three years, and Lightfoot says Clearview gets the edge in the bidding process because of a commitment to pristine buildings and a systematic rotation. “When you see workers hanging off the buildings, that’s her team maintaining our windows,” Lightfoot says. “If there’s a facility we own, they maintain the windows for us.”

For Cox South’s recently completed patient tower, Clearview was brought on board to perform construction cleanup work, a growing source of revenue for the company. Lightfoot says Clearview’s employees are trained in Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards, and they take on jobs needing specialized lifts and tools to clean out-of-reach places. At Cox South, Clearview was the final piece of the puzzle after the contractors and engineers finished, essentially completing the final polishes. “It’s kind of like getting up and getting showered and all ready, and she’ll be putting makeup on the building,” Lightfoot says.

New Service Business Model Dubai - Jim Will Fix It

Another new addition to the company’s offerings is window cleaning, which is due to be available by the end of 2015. “Not a mop and bucket,” says Thomas, but a high tech system that’s being brought in from the UK and uses pure water as the main cleaning method to eliminate smears and droplet marks caused by ‘total dissolved solids’ (TDS).

Fixing up the maintenance industry: If you have lived in, or even just visited Dubai in the past seven or eight years, you will have almost certainly seen the purple and yellow Jim Will Fix It vans going from job to job. Their noticeable presence not only speaks volumes about their eye-catching branding, but also the company’s success in redefining the emirate’s approach to home repairs and maintenance.

Offering a range of services including DIY, plumbing, electrics, air conditioning, carpentry, and painting and decorating, the business was founded in 2007 by two men who wanted to change a maintenance landscape which they believed was restrictive and often poor quality. Colin Thomas and Daniel Garner both arrived in Dubai from the UK in the early years of the new millennium – Thomas with Sony PlayStation, and Garner with Morgan McKinley. But despite the heady days of pre-global financial crisis Dubai, there was something that the duo felt compelled to address. So much so that they started their own business to deal with it.

“I was living in a big place in Al Barsha, and the whole nugget of the idea came when the AC broke down,” explains Thomas. “On three different occasions I phoned three different companies. They either needed an annual contract and wanted all the money upfront, or alternatively it was a guy who spoke no English and came with one screwdriver. “We thought surely there’s a better way of doing maintenance than this. So we kind of started from there.”

Joining forces with Garner, the duo “sort of did it backwards” by quitting their jobs before embarking on a six-month research period, culminating in a business plan. “We did our market research - we were stood outside Spinneys and Choithrams every evening for about a week, and that research came back to say quite clearly that there was room for something that was radically different,” continues Thomas. “And that ‘different’ is exactly where we sat. Back home you would never have somebody coming to you saying ‘pay me £3,000 for the year and I’ll look after your house for you’. People would laugh them out the door. So we couldn’t understand why up until then Dubai had been operating in that way.”

The important thing in the early days was for people to try out the fledgling company. “The real key to the business was: can we get the quality service without needing an annual maintenance contract, so people have the option of trying us to work out whether we›re as good as we say we are?” says Thomas. “If we offer them a warranty not only on parts but also the service that we do, then they can have the peace of mind that they haven’t spent a small fortune before finding out whether we’re any good or not, and they have a warranty so if anything does go wrong they have that peace of mind there as well.”

The timing, however, was not ideal. The company launched in 2007, shortly before the financial crisis engulfed most of the globe. But while many new businesses were struggling to stay afloat, Thomas says Jim Will Fix It proved to be somewhat recession-proof. He explains: “It was quite clear within a month or so that the recession was very much upon us here in Dubai and at that stage there was a big question mark of whether or not the business would work. “But what became clear was that things break even in a recession, and you either lived with it or you get it repaired. It kind of grew exponentially from day one. And that’s continued for the last seven years which has been fantastic.”

Part of the company’s early success, according to Thomas, has been its balance between offering a full range of services, and building a reputation for honesty with clients. “We couldn’t just look after one particular facet, like a plumbing service,” he says. “We really needed to offer people enough of a breadth that we were almost a one-stop-shop for their maintenance needs. “That said if there was something too specialist, unlike some companies that claim to be experts in everything, we had to be prepared to walk away from it if it wasn’t within our core expertise. That’s really helped us build a rapport with our customers. They know if it’s a job we’ve taken on then we’re good at it.”

This kind of rapport has helped Jim Will Fix It compete against other companies in the facilities management sphere, but for Thomas there is a much more important differentiator. “What you tend to find with those guys is that they’re very much competing on price, while we’re very much competing on quality,” he explains.

“For us it was important that we had the right staff - really capable people who come to us with qualifications. For example all our AC guys are three years qualified in the Philippines and then we retrain them again, so they go through a really rigorous training process with our senior technicians to ensure they’re the required quality.  “Then we have ongoing training. So every three months they go through a refresher course on customer training, and then we have a refresher team on the road that just trains, trains, trains and shadows each of our teams.

“It’s permanent because we have to maintain that quality, even as we’re growing at a very quick rate.” The company’s tag line – ‘one call, one visit, job done’ – is “more than just a mantra”, according to Thomas. He explains that the quality of service needs to be strong throughout the entire process, starting with the initial call to the bookings team. “The first call is critical because that call is for us to be able to determine that we’ve got the right person there, make sure we have the materials we need to do that job, and make sure the customer understands exactly what that job is. “And that’s followed up by the fact that our staff are all English speaking - they are able to communicate, and are constantly retrained in communication with the customer. “They are there to eke out the maximum amount of information so that we can go there in one visit, can get the job done, ensure it’s going to be right, and that we’ve got all the right materials to proceed.”

The company also has back-up plans in place, just in case the job turns out to be more difficult than first expected, or if parts aren’t available. “We now have a fleet of very big vans that float around Dubai and work as mobile warehouses as well,” says Thomas. “So if we do have a job where those parts aren’t available, there’s a good chance they’ll be in the mobile vans, so we can get the parts to people quickly and still get everything done in that one job. “However, there are always going to be those jobs where you’ve got specific items, so when a technician is still on the roof, for example, from the roof he can call the parts team in office, and they will call in immediately the part details. The parts team will then call our driver who is already in the area of the supplier. So in effect from diagnosis to part being available, it can be as quick as half an hour. It’s something we’ve really worked on perfecting as we’ve got bigger.

“We’ve now done 55,000 jobs and we’re kind of at the stage where we’ve seen everything before, without a doubt, and we’ll know how to deal with it.” The focus on quality is something that Thomas and Garner were adamant about from the very beginning. While starting out, they took advice from friends who had also launched businesses in Dubai, and decided that there were certain things they would leave in the hands of other professionals. “We sat down with those guys to learn from their mistakes, and what that told us was that we didn’t need to worry about the bureaucracy of setting up. We could focus on our business and find a facilitation company to look at the set up requirements. We’ve got a great one that we still use to this day.

“There’s a real decision to make when setting up a business, which is what will you spend money on, and what will you focus on yourself. We knew that our product delivery had to be better than the lowest common denominator operators, and the established operators as well, and we couldn’t just match it, we had to be significantly, demonstratively better. We wanted to focus on that.” That focus paid dividends almost immediately.

Despite the challenges the founders faced in the form of competition and a generally poor perception of the maintenance industry, the quality that they were so intent on establishing shone through. “Within probably six months of us starting, Dubai’s word of mouth kicked in massively for us and it made our significant advertising efforts pale in significance,” says Thomas. “Expat Woman was probably the best source we had for word of mouth and we were getting 60-70 percent of our work on referral alone. For us that was absolutely critical.

“As well as that, there were just huge amounts of hard work and graft. When you’re signing the cheques yourselves, and it’s money you’ve earned yourselves [the start-up money came from the founders and their families] it makes you beyond hungry to make sure it works. “So for us it was ridiculous hours, ridiculous days. I lost a huge amount of weight, and for the first six months I spent a lot of time on the road going to the jobs, being on the roofs in 50C heat to ensure our service delivery was right, and I’m able to talk about jobs knowledgeably, which was absolutely key.”

Having established a strong following, and ensured a consistent quality of service through continual training, a system of spot checks, and customer feedback, the company began to expand its offering.

In order to provide the best possible service, Thomas explains that he and Garner keep a close eye on new products and procedures available in other parts of the world which could enhance their offering in Dubai. One example is the addition of duct cleaning to their AC service. Thomas explains that they have brought in a specific piece of equipment from the US which cleans AC units and ducts much more quickly and efficiently than they were previously able to do. Another new addition to the company’s offerings is window cleaning, which is due to be available by the end of 2015. “Not a mop and bucket,” says Thomas, but a high tech system that’s being brought in from the UK and uses pure water as the main cleaning method to eliminate smears and droplet marks caused by ‘total dissolved solids’ (TDS).

With any new product, there needs to be a tangible benefit to the customer and the company, explains Thomas. “If we can keep our quality level, but use the technology to make it faster while maintaining that quality, and get to the point where we reach a really nice competitive price, then it means it’s feasible for the Dubai market, and feasible for us. “There’s a bit of chicken and egg situation with new products, in as much as we know it’s being used in a certain way, but can we tweak it to get the quality we need, and can we get the economies of scale that we need to get to a price that will make it mainstream in Dubai?” The answer for an increasing number of products appears to be yes. But while the breadth of what they are able to do is increasing, the geography in which they do it is not. Yet.

“At the moment we’re in Dubai, and the reason we’ve stuck to Dubai so far is that for our services and the reputation we have here, we have a really strong amount of growth year on year, every year,” continues Thomas.

“But we are looking at Abu Dhabi, without a doubt - it’s just a case of how soon we will roll it out.

“We also get approached on an almost weekly basis for franchises abroad. To date we’ve decided not to do that. It’s so critical that anything we do, we do to our quality level, and to package all of that up into a little manual is not really possible in the way it might be for a fast food outlet. ‘If our key is quality, then it doesn’t really franchise that well, in our view, and we have to stick to maintaining that quality.”

Speaking with Thomas, it is clear that his business is about much more than making money. The company’s dedication to quality service is matched by the partners’ assertion that it should be a place their employees feel comfortable working. People are at the heart of what they do, and the quality they are keen to provide at every turn is a constant reminder of this. Having helped fix the reputation of the maintenance sector in Dubai, no doubt Jim Will Fix It will continue to be at the forefront of its development in the future.

Late Payments

Late payment is inexcusable, shameless and completely unfair. Independent professionals don’t receive regular income like employees and therefore rely on being paid on time to keep their business afloat.

Dash for cash leaves self-employed workers chasing £200 a month in late payments: The self-employed workers who keep Britain’s houses clean, tidy and well-maintained are among those owed £208 in an average month by customers who don’t have cash in hand to settle bills.

This means that the UK’s sole traders - including many cleaners, decorators and gardeners - are chasing nearly a fifth (18%) of their earned cash income each month, significantly impacting their cash flow and forcing them to spend time recovering debts. The figure rises to £1,846 for other small businesses with between one and nine employees.

Despite having the best intentions (86% of us agree that paying small businesses on time is important and 57% would prefer to pay by cash) 28% of us regularly have to dust off cheque books, make a dash to the cash machine (44%) or simply pay late (17%).

But the dash of shame to the cash machine to get money to pay Britain’s one man bands – or the red-faced “I’ll have to pay you next time” - could soon be a thing of the past.  Paym, the easy way to pay small bills, friends and family using just a mobile number, is available to more than 90 per cent of UK current account holders – and tradespeople can get paid straight to the number on their business card.

Craig Tillotson, Managing Director of Paym said: “Window cleaners, gardeners and decorators are facing challenges from well-meaning customers who often don’t have the cash on them to pay there and then. Paym is an easy alternative to accepting debit and credit cards which we know many of these types of business resist because they find them expensive or inconvenient. It will be a massive help with time-poor customers.

“We know that many small businesses rely on their mobile to run their business – and Paym makes it possible to use that vital phone number to easily accept payments. We’re urging businesses and self-employed people to sign up today and to spread the word amongst their customers – it should help both parties avoid awkward situations or inconvenient trips to the bank.”

Paym in action – case study

Tim Sutton is a sports therapist who offers massage and treatments that cost roughly around £30 per session. He currently has 1,500 customers on his database, treating around 30 people a week. The summer period is a busy time for Tim as more people venture outside for sporting activities.

He has been using Paym for nearly a year, originally for personal use but has now introduced it to his business. As a small business Tim used to only accept cash or cheques, not wanting to invest in and carry around a card machine.

Tim is a huge fan of Paym, he says: “‘Paym is perfect for my business and customers. Not only does it save me multiple trips to the bank, there’s no need to carry around handfuls of cash. It is quick and easy to use and my clients now only need to know my phone number.”

Payments are made through Faster Payments or LINK at the same speeds as existing current account, online, and mobile payments – most payments arrive in seconds.

The research from Paym also looked at how we as a nation rely on self-employed people such as our window cleaners and electricians, and how much we pay them for their services: Paym is an easy, secure way to send and receive payments to a current account using just a mobile number. Paym means there is no need to ask for other people’s sort code or account number, or tell them yours.

Other key findings from the research:

Young people (18 to 34-year-olds) are the most likely to make the dash for cash; more than half (56%) have done it in the last year, compared to just one in three (33%) of those aged over 55. One in six (17%) have paid a small business late because they didn’t have cash on them - which rises to 26% of those aged 18 to 34. 23% of sole traders have given up chasing a payment and 30% of sole traders have stopped supplying a customer due to consistent late payment.

Options for chasing late payments: Late payments are an increasing problem for small businesses. So, when the normal channels of chasing invoices have failed, here are some of the options available to ensure your finances remain solvent.

Go legal:

Federica Monsone, owner of network storage provider A3 Communications, decided to contact a solicitor after a client had ignored three invoices she had sent them. ‘My options seemed to be that I could either hire a debt collector, which I felt would cost too much money, or write the debt off,’ she says. 

For Monsone, neither of these options seemed cost-effective, particularly as writing the debt off would be no guarantee of future contracts with the client. ‘It seemed to me that the company was struggling so I was doubtful whether we would even get any more business from them. And even if we did, this might have been the first of many non or late payments.’

After doing some research Monsone eventually found a solicitor who wrote her client a legal letter demanding payment. She says: ‘This only cost £100, but it made us look serious enough for them to consider that there may be legal ramifications if they didn’t pay. I recovered all the money minus the interest they owed.’

Don't mess around:

Carl Hackman, director of debt collection agency CCI Legal, says that over the last two years there has been a growing demand on the part of small businesses for using their services. The company typically charges ten per cent of the total amount recovered. He says: ‘Small companies often don’t want to upset their larger clients. So by using third-party intervention it's diplomatic and tactful and in everyone’s interest.’

Hackman adds that the advantage for a small business with this approach is that it has a better chance of retaining its client, as the company is only paying what it owes. ‘No late charges are incurred and our fee is paid by the small business,’ says Hackman.

Alternative options:

Benjamin Smart, regional manager of Business Link London, suggests there are other things you can do before taking legal action or calling in a third party. He says it is a good idea to visit the company first and find out if there are any discrepancies with the outstanding balance.

‘This should be followed up with a phone call to set a date and standing order for when the money is due to be paid by the client,’ says Smart. 'If it is a large amount of money, say around £100,000, this is the point where you can get the bank to bring in invoice financing. If the company doesn’t follow through with the payment the bank pays 90 per cent of the money upfront to you, and then chases the debtor with legal action.’

Kick up a fuss:

In a landmark victory for small businesses, Justine Thompson, director of training company MTa International, took on pharmaceutical giant Boots for extending its payment policy to 75 days and charging a 2.5 per cent processing fee. She says: ‘As soon as we started to get the media involved and I had agreed to speak on the radio, they backed down and changed their terms back to 30 days with no 2.5 per cent fee.’

But Thompson is sceptical about the options currently available to SMEs. She says: ‘I don’t see debt collection as being any better at gaining leverage than legal options; when SMEs start to kick and fuss they are in danger of losing their clients. I was fortunate because I wasn’t in a position where I was reliant on the Boots contracts.’ For Thompson, small businesses need to join together to fight larger organisations. ‘It’s not just a business issue but a moral and ethical one too and it’s not something they can fight on their own.’

Self-employment body supports calls to end late payment scandal: IPSE, the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self Employed, has today supported calls from business groups, the FSB and IoD, to put an end to the scandal of late payment.

Simon McVicker, Director of Policy and External Affairs at IPSE, said: “Late payment is inexcusable, shameless and completely unfair. Independent professionals don’t receive regular income like employees and therefore rely on being paid on time to keep their business afloat.

“Late payment is a key issue for the self-employed which is why it is at the forefront of our manifesto. The Conservatives are taking steps in the right direction by acting on IPSE’s proposal for a small business conciliation service and enforcing the Prompt Payment Code, but we still must put pressure on big businesses to do the right thing when it comes to paying their suppliers. We would like to see all the major Parties agree to this before the General Election."

A survey commissioned by IPSE with ComRes shows overwhelming support from the general public to tackle the problem of late pay. The survey asked 1,000 ‘traditional’ employees and self-employed professionals in the UK’s most marginal constituencies and found 79% support strengthening rules to prevent this issue. The survey also found 78% of people support developing a way for small businesses to settle disputes without court action. 

Simon McVicker added: “IPSE stands with the IoD and the FSB in tackling the scandalous problem of large businesses bullying suppliers by enforcing long payment terms. “Our research shows that the general public overwhelmingly support proposals to end the scandal of late payment and we hope big businesses will wake up to public opinion. 

“Late pay means microbusiness owners get caught in a catch-22 situation - they rely on regular pay but can’t excessively chase payment because it ruins relationships. We will continue to work with Government and business to ensure the culture of payment is radically changed across the board.”

Apple Pay For Your Business

Apple Pay for your business. But you'll need a NFC/contactless payment-capable reader which many window cleaners might find a little pricey.

Should Small Businesses Start Offering Apple Pay? There are a few things retailers should consider before deciding whether to offer Apple Pay to their customers. The Apple Pay mobile payment system will be available in 220,000 retail locations nationwide, including at many large retailers including Macy’s, Walgreen and Toys “R” Us.

For small business owners, the rollout of such a hyped “digital wallet”—which can currently only be used by iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus users—may present something of a conundrum: Many small merchants have been reluctant to adopt mobile payments due to the startup cost (which is generally $300 to $500 per reader, according to RetailWire). But Apple Pay is expected to up the ante when it comes to mobile payment adoption.

Should small and independent retailers rush to jump on board? Here are some things retailers should consider when deciding whether to offer Apple Pay:

Long-time Apple analyst Tim Bajarin predicts that about 30 million Americans will have an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus according to USA Today—meaning they will be able to use Apple Pay. Moreover, the Apple smart watch (Apple Watch) being introduced in early 2015 is expected to include near field communication (NFC) technology and be able to facilitate mobile payments.

Small businesses with NFC readers may already be equipped to accept Apple Pay. Businesses need a payment terminal supporting NFC in order to accept and process Apple Pay transactions. That means businesses that already offer mobile payments on another system may be able to start offering Apple Pay, too. By October 2015, all retailers will need to accept credit cards with EMV chips.

Many of the EMV chip readers include NFC readers—and many of those will likely be able to accept Apple Pay. It can bolster shoppers’ data security. Given the spate of high-profile data breaches in recent months, retailers both large and small are concerned about protecting customer data. Apple Pay will encrypt each transaction with a unique code that prevents shoppers’ personal information from being stolen as it’s transmitted through a retailer’s network, according to The Wall Street Journal.

How does it work? iPhone 5 or 6 users can sign up for Apple Pay and enter their credit card info, or take a photo of their card—with their camera. (Apple is seen as having a major head-start here, because it already has millions of payment cards on file thanks to its popular iTunes service.) The card data is encrypted on a chip embedded in the iPhone called the Secure Element. At participating stores, customers can then hold their iPhones in front of a near-field communication (NFC) reader and place their finger over a fingerprint sensor to confirm payment. An app on the phone will allow them to select Apple Pay as their payment method and use Apple's Touch ID to confirm it. (Watch a video of how the technology works.)

Apple Pay will also sync up with the new Apple Watch. Customers will be able to authorize payments by simply tapping their watch. For a small business, Apple Pay may become a game-changer as some businesses will likely consider adopting NFC technology that allows customers to use mobile payments. With so many large retailers already on board, it may become an issue of competitiveness; consumers may get used to being able to use their smartphone, tablet or smartwatch to pay for things—and expect that convenience from small businesses as well.

Click picture for Apple Pay website.

Window Washing Is A Dirty Business

Window washers clean glass on the 23-story One South Market building under construction in downtown San Jose on Feb. 3, 2015.

Window washing is a dirty business, but somebody's got to do it (by Bruce Newman): As a design feature for large public buildings, the window has experienced a long, humbling decline. Preening architects transformed the urban skyline into a high-rise hall of mirrors, while windows that once breathed light became rare as gargoyles. But through all the changes, window cleaners - who now scour entire glass buildings armed with only squeegees and buckets of soapy water have remained indispensable.

The dangers inherent in a job that sometimes requires working hundreds of feet off the ground for hours at a time became painfully apparent during a 10-day stretch in November. First, a pair of window cleaners working 69 stories above the street outside New York's new World Trade Center found themselves suspended for an hour from a scaffold that had tilted to nearly vertical, before firefighters cut through the glass and reeled the men in.

The following week in San Francisco, a workman who had not yet begun cleaning windows at the Sterling Bank and Trust Building plummeted from the roof, screaming as he fell 11 stories, before landing on a moving car. That saved his life, although the still unnamed window cleaner has endured numerous surgeries since the accident.

Thirty years ago, when Andy Shavalia, owner of Superior Window Cleaning in Santa Clara, was learning the business, the sort of safety equipment that almost surely saved the lives of the window cleaners in New York was rarely used. Instead of the motorized scaffold-like devices that are used today, called a "swing stage," window washers were lowered from the tops of skyscrapers on a small chair tied to pipes or air conditioning units. "That's like rappelling down the side of a building," Shavalia says. "I would say rope work is probably the hairiest situation you can be in when you first learn the trade."

Shavalia has cleaned the 40-story McKesson tower in San Francisco and the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose - jobs that can take a month or more. The work is slow and methodical, and often the only thing that breaks the tedium is the occasional surprise encounter. Shavalia has come across couples in the full flower of connubiality. "Especially on hotels," he says, "we've had a couple of incidents where maybe the management forgot to tell their guests that if they want privacy to close the curtains. They tried to cover up. You just turn away and continue with your job."

Most window cleaning companies do a mixture of commercial and residential work, although not all of them ascend to great heights. Tim Zickuhr's R12 Window Cleaning in San Jose is only insured to go three stories high, after which the cost of his coverage would quadruple. "How they figure that there's more danger at four stories than three stories is beyond me," says Zickuhr, who uses an 85-foot articulating boom to reach the glass at the top of triple-decker office buildings.

Unlike most homeowners, who tend to use spray products such as Windex to clean their glass, the pros typically use Dawn dishwashing soap and water, which they slop on with a mop, then remove in a long coiling motion with a squeegee. This is known as "snaking" the window, and Shavalia says the technique can take as much as a month to learn to do without leaving any streaks. Zickuhr uses a 45-foot telescoping pole that hooks to a water de-ionizer that filters out San Jose's notoriously hard water. Windows dry spot free.

Zickuhr has "window washer" among his Google search terms, but he disdains the term. "When you've been doing windows as long as we have, there's an art to it," he says. "It's not just a matter of washing a window. You wash your clothes, you wash your car, you don't wash windows. You clean them. If I come in and clean your house, and I miss some dust, chances are you're not going to notice it. But if I miss a spot on the picture window that you sit next to every morning to have your coffee, you're going to say I didn't do a very good job. The art of window cleaning is having an eye for detail and being very meticulous."

The window cleaning industry used to be quiet, or would switch to gutter cleaning during winter months. But when taggers began etching graffiti onto the windows of ground floor stores and restaurants about three years ago, polishing out the etched messages created a booming new business. Billy Berk's bar and restaurant, on the corner of First and San Fernando Streets in downtown San Jose, has suffered vandalized picture windows several times. Nick Ramezani, who has owned the place for two years, estimates he has gone through seven replacements, costing a total of $1,600. "It's really expensive," says Ramezani, looking at several panels of defaced glass. "To be honest with you, I've just given up. As soon as you put on a new one, they start writing on it."

Along a block of mostly abandoned storefronts on the east side of Second Street between Santa Clara and San Fernando streets, at least 48 separate panes of glass have been defaced with gang glyphs and other etchings. The supplies for a three-step polishing process that can remove the disfiguring marks costs Zickuhr $3,500 to repair 600 square feet. "It's a good business to be in," he says. "Silicon Valley has a lot of people in tech, and they don't have enough blue-collar people who are willing to come out, get dirty and make everything real shiny for them."

Bank Of Ireland's Poster Boy

David Wilson of Rise 2 Shine

David moving up the ladder: Lurgan entrepreneur David Wilson has become the poster boy for Bank of Ireland thanks to his fast growing business. David (34), who started cleaning windows at the age of 15, is now the manager of Rise 2 Shine, a firm which specialises in contract cleaning and refrigeration services as well as his window cleaning roots.

David explained how he got his foot on the ladder in the window cleaning business. He said: “I was 15 or 16 and I asked Bunty (Ian Bunting) if he knew of any work going. He told me to call at his house. He gave me a ladder and told me to wash his windows. After I did that he told me to go round the doors in Thornhill Park and see if anyone else wanted their windows cleaned. “That’s how I got started. I fell in with different contractors and the business grew and grew.”

David married Adele in 2007, but before getting married he ‘put the serious head on’. He explained: “I was living at home and had no bills or mortgage hanging over me so it was a casual business. “In 2007 before I got married I decided it was time to put the serious head on and set up a business that I could make a living off. “Four years ago I went to Bank of Ireland. The company was growing and I needed a bank to back me. I haven’t looked back since.”

He gave thanks to the bank for their backing, in particular Gareth Williamson, branch manager in Portadown. The upward trajectory of David’s Rise 2 Shine business led Bank of Ireland to ask him to feature in a nationwide poster campaign. David employs upwards of 40 people and his contract and refrigeration services carry out work for major supermarkets all over the UK. He said: “I don’t do the window cleaning anymore myself but we still clean windows for some of my original clients.”

Window Cleaners Supplies With Crowd Funding

CLEAN UP: One of the wash and reach systems sold by Supplies for You.

Window cleaners going up in the world: Worcester businessman Thomas Priest is hoping to go up in the world with his new venture and raise money for a local charity in the process. His company Supplies for You started out as a window cleaning operation, but has now grown into a cleaning business which supplies products to customers, including a wide range of cleaning products, cleaning chemicals, cleaning hardware, washroom products.

Worcester MP Robin Walker and actor/rapper Ashley Thomas aka Bashy, have both Tweeted their support for Supplies for You, which has also attracted a Worcester City Council booster grant. "We will be the only window cleaning suppliers in Worcester, " claimed Mr Priest. "We will be offering wash and reach systems, which will be a major step for this area. There are a lot of window cleaners in Worcestershire and they can cut down on delivery prices by collecting direct from us.

I know a lot of buying is done online, but some people still like the good old fashioned way, with same day collection, being able to see products, get a feel for the products and talk to a real person who knows and has used these products for many years." As it develops, Supplies for You is proposing to make donations to the New Home charity in Worcester, which helps families with disabled children and complex health and care needs.

We are a small supplies company, We are now looking to expand, Supplying cleaning products all around the UK.

What you get back? By donating to help a small business we will enter you in our prize draw.

Prize Draw 1 - Cleaning Products, Excellent for your house,office or business

Prize Draw 2 - Beverages - Pg Tips 1150 - Coffee - 12 Bottles of 500ml Cold Drink

Big prize - Win a Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 - 8 Inch - Wifi - 16gb Black

We will also place your name or business name on our website with a link to your twitter, facebook or website Saying you helped us out and how much we appreciate your help

What happens if you raise to much? If we raise to much money, We are going to donate it to a charity within Worcester, The Charity is New Hope Worcester. They work with families that have children with disabilities and complex health care needs. This is a excellent charity and what they do is outstanding. So when donating remember its not just to help a small business but for every Pound, Dollar, Euro over the £3700 we raise will help a charity.

How will you spend the money? We will spend it on a wide range of items we need. We currently have a major section of our funding and are trying to match it with this crowdfunding.

Start Up Secrets, Employees & Niche Add-Ons For The Entrepreneur

Keep your eye on the economy. As long as things get dirty, there'll be a need for professionals to clean them. But economic changes can mean changes in your market.

13 Secrets for Making Your Cleaning Business a Success: This excerpt is part of Entrepreneur.com's Second-Quarter Startup Kit which explores the fundamentals of starting up in a wide range of industries. In Start Your Own Cleaning Service, the staff at Entrepreneur Press and writer Jacquelyn Lynn explain how you can launch a profitable cleaning service, whether you want to offer maid services, janitorial services, carpet and upholstery cleaning, and more. In this edited excerpt, the authors offer words of wisdom from owners of successful cleaning businesses on what you need to do if you want to succeed in the cleaning industry. Nothing teaches as well as the voice of experience. So we asked established cleaning service owners to tell us what's contributed to their success and what they think causes some companies to fail. Here are their tips:

1. Never stop learning. The cleaning industry may not be the most glamorous or complex, but established business owners say there’s always something to learn. Technology advances affect the equipment you use, safety issues affect the chemicals you clean with, and there will always be ways you can enhance your organizational and managerial skills. Read industry publications, go to meetings and conventions, participate in trade organizations, and encourage your suppliers to keep you up to date.

2. Tap all your resources. A wide range of associations serves various aspects of the professional cleaning industry. These groups can help with operational, marketing and management issues. Many state and government agencies also offer support and information for small businesses.

3. Clean it like it’s your own. Regardless of what you’re cleaning and whether you’re doing traditional housecleaning, janitorial work, or providing a specialty cleaning service, clean like you’re cleaning your own home or office.

4. Develop systems. Systems provide a structure that allows you to work consistently and efficiently, and also let you create a company that will continue to run whether you’re there or not. Create systems for every function: cleaning, laundry, supervision, reporting, customer service, accounting and management.

5. Be careful! Though time is your most valuable commodity, don’t rush so much that you get careless. Customers will usually understand when accidents happen, but you’re better off if you don’t have to fall back on that. Also, the cost to repair or replace something--in out-of-pocket cash, time lost and damaged customer relations--is usually far more than the time you might save by working carelessly.

6. Don’t undersell yourself. When you’re starting out, you may be tempted to try to undercut the competition’s prices. A better strategy is to simply outperform them by providing quality work.

7. Take care of your employees. Your employees are critical to your success; after all, it’s the quality of their performance that determines whether your customers are satisfied. Look for ways to make them want to do their best. Train them well, don’t micromanage, and treat them with respect. Provide bonuses and incentives for top performance, and consider offering perks such as letting them use company equipment in their own homes.

8. Find a niche. Don’t try to be all things to all people; pick the market you can best serve, and focus on that. For example, if you choose to service smaller office buildings, you may not be able to provide quality work at a profitable price level to larger facilities. Excel in what you’re doing and build consistency in the services you provide. When you try to serve too many markets, you won’t be successful in any of them.

9. Develop your computer skills. You need to be as skilled with your computer as you are with a mop or buffer. The cleaning business may not be particularly high tech, but you don’t have time to do estimates, billing, payroll, inventory control and other record-keeping by hand.

10. Track labor costs. The biggest single expense you have is labor, and you must stay on top of it. If you aren't watching your labor costs every day, they'll get away from you. Compile a daily over and under report, which makes it easy to spot trends before they become major issues. If labor is on the increase, figure out where the problem is. Is the customer asking for extra services you aren’t charging for? Did you underestimate the time it would take to do the work? If you’re under on your labor estimates, make sure your employees are providing the quality you’ve promised.

11. Invest in customer service. The quality of your cleaning is important, but it’s not everything. Building strong relationships with your clients requires a serious commitment to customer service. Don’t assume that just because the work looks satisfactory to you that it is to your customers--or that there’s nothing else they want or need. Be sure to follow up with them consistently to find out how things are going.

12. Keep your eye on the economy. As long as things get dirty, there'll be a need for professionals to clean them. But economic changes can mean changes in your market. Residential cleaning services, for example, are often seen as luxuries, and an economic downturn could affect your customers’ willingness and ability to pay to have their homes cleaned. When business profits shrink, companies look for ways to cut expenses, which means they may examine their budgets for services that can be reduced or eliminated.

Also consider how the world economy can impact your profitability. If oil prices skyrocket, you’ll have to spend more to operate your vehicles, and your general utility costs will probably increase. When the cost of lumber goes up, so does the cost of bathroom tissue, paper towels and other disposable paper products you provide to your customers. You may be able to pass along some of those costs, but don’t depend on a thriving economy to keep your business profitable. Have plans in place so you can shift your market focus if necessary.

13. Don’t take every job. If you can’t make money on a job, or if the work is undesirable for any reason, turn it down. It’s better to focus your time and energy on profitable work you enjoy.

Pressure washing can be added to an existing cleaning business or operated as an independent company for a modest initial investment.

Start These 8 Niche Cleaning Businesses: This excerpt is part of Entrepreneur.com's Second-Quarter Startup Kit which explores the fundamentals of starting up in a wide range of industries.

In Start Your Own Cleaning Service, the staff at Entrepreneur Press and writer Jacquelyn Lynn explain how you can launch a profitable cleaning service, whether you want to offer maid services, janitorial services, carpet and upholstery cleaning, and more. In this edited excerpt, the authors describe eight cleaning services you can either run as an independent business or add to your existing cleaning service.

In addition to the more common cleaning services, there are niche cleaning businesses to consider, either as stand-alone operations or as companion businesses to your primary cleaning company. These specialty services require varying levels of training, skill and equipment, and you’ll need to do additional research on the areas that interest you.

1. Window cleaning. While some residential cleaning and janitorial services clean windows as part of their service, windows are a cleaning industry specialty. If you like working outside and don’t mind heights, window cleaning could be the perfect opportunity.

It’s a good idea to start your window cleaning service by targeting one- and two-story office buildings, storefronts and homes. As you become established and your skill level increases, you can expand to taller buildings. High-rise window cleaning requires an extra level of skill to ensure the health and safety of above-ground workers. You’ll need a controlled descent system for access to exterior high-rise windows.

2. Disaster cleaning and restoration. Many carpet cleaning and janitorial service companies do disaster cleaning and restoration for their customers, but this is a specialty area in its own right. You’ll need special knowledge in fire, water and smoke damage cleaning and restoration.

Once you’re trained, you can work with insurance adjusters and other contractors to provide all or part of the services needed. The Restoration Industry Association [ENT.COM: PLEASE LINK TO www.restorationindustry.org] offers training programs to help you develop the expertise necessary to provide this service.

3. Blind cleaning. Mini-blinds and Venetian blinds are common fixtures in homes and offices, and many consumers are choosing interior shutters as window treatments. Along with vertical blinds and pleated shades, all these window coverings attract dust and need frequent cleaning--the occasional pass with a feather duster isn’t enough to keep them looking their best.

Without the proper equipment, cleaning blinds can be time-consuming and labor-intensive. Special blind-cleaning equipment can speed up the labor process and allow you to offer this service at an affordable price. You’ll need to learn how to quickly and efficiently take down and rehang blinds, as well as operate your equipment.

4. Pressure washing. Pressure washing can be added to an existing cleaning business or operated as an independent company for a modest initial investment. Some of the more common uses of pressure washing equipment include cleaning and maintenance of residential and commercial buildings, walkways, parking lots, heavy equipment and vehicles, truck and automobile fleets, trailers, engines, warehouse floors, machinery, kitchen areas and sanitary areas.

5. Restroom cleaning. There’s a tremendous need for restroom cleaning, particularly in large public buildings, sports stadiums and arenas, and schools, and companies that specialize in this work are busy and profitable. Businesses want to provide clean, pleasant, fresh-smelling restrooms for their employees and customers, and they’re willing to hire specialists to get the results they need.

You’ll clean and sanitize restrooms on a regular schedule and stock the facilities with soap and paper supplies as requested by your customers. You may work directly for the property owner or manager, or you may subcontract through a janitorial service.

6. Chimney sweeping. The demand for chimney sweeping goes beyond residential fireplaces. The chimney sweep--or chimney service professional--aids in the prevention of fires, carbon monoxide intrusion and other chimney-related hazards that can be caused by fireplaces; wood stoves; gas, oil and coal heating systems; and the chimneys that serve them.

The basic task of a chimney sweep includes removing the accumulated and highly combustible creosote produced by burning wood and wood products, eliminating the buildup of soot in coal- and oil-fired systems, and getting rid of bird and animal nests, leaves and other debris that may create a hazard by blocking the flow of emissions from a home-heating appliance. Though the highest demand for chimney sweeps is in cold-climate regions, this is a service that’s needed throughout the country. In addition to cleaning, chimney sweep services may also offer repairs and parts such as chimney caps that protect the chimney from water, leaves, debris and animal intrusion..

7. Ceiling and wall cleaning. Ceilings and walls trap odors, smoke, oils, cooking grease, films, nicotine, dust mites and other unsanitary pollutants. These contaminants can reduce light by as much as 60 percent, dull the appearance of a facility and contribute to an unhealthy environment. Cleaning ceilings and walls is far more cost-effective than painting or replacing them. In fact, replacing a ceiling can cost up to 100 times more than cleaning it. Besides being part of standard building maintenance, various ceiling and wall cleaning techniques may also be used in disaster restoration work.

8. Post death and trauma cleaning. Post death and trauma cleaning services are usually called in after a homicide, suicide, unattended death or a non-fatal trauma where property has been contaminated by blood or other bodily fluids and tissue. Because of the potential health risks, it’s critical the job be done properly and thoroughly. In most cases, your clients will be the family of the deceased and you’ll be paid by an insurance company. You may also be called to clean up commercial facilities after an accident or crime that has contaminated a property.

You’ll need to make a substantial investment in training, equipment and supplies. OSHA requires that all workers performing this type of remediation receive the proper training and vaccinations, and be properly equipped with protective gear and cleanup tools. EPA regulations dictate the disposition of hazardous wastes, so you’ll need the proper tools and procedures to be in compliance. In addition to cleaning, you may also want to offer repair or replacement of structural components, such as carpet, flooring, cabinets, doors and walls.

A good rule to follow is to only hire people you would trust in your own home.

7 Training Tips to Get Your Cleaning Service Employees on the Right Track: What kinds of people make good employees for cleaning service businesses? Look for people who will be enthusiastic about their work and who enjoy cleaning. Of course, you’ll find people who say they love to clean and want to do it for a living, but they don’t completely realize that as a job, it’s hard work and physically tiring. If you sense a prospective employee feels they're “above” cleaning for a living, probe further during the interviewing process. If they really feel this way, they may come to work for you because they need a job and the money, but they probably won’t stick around very long. Turnover is expensive; it’s best to take the time to hire the right people in the first place.

You’ll probably improve your chances for a successful hire if you’re more creative in your searching techniques than simply writing a “help wanted” ad. Sources for prospective employees include suppliers, customers (Use caution here: You don’t want to lose a client because you stole an employee) and professional associations. Put the word out among your social contacts as well--you never know who might know the perfect person for your company.

College students make good employees, especially for janitorial services that are often looking for night workers. Students who attend classes during the day are often available to work for you at night. And if you find them in their freshman and sophomore years, you’ll have employees with the potential of working for you for the next three or four years. Residential cleaning services often find that mothers represent a strong pool of candidates, especially those looking to work part time while school is in session.

Consider using a temporary help or employment agency to help you find qualified employees. Many small businesses shy away from agencies because they feel they can’t afford the fee--but if the agency handles the advertising, initial screening, and background checks, the fee may be worth paying.

Use caution if you decide to hire friends and relatives--many personal relationships aren't strong enough to survive an employee-employer situation. The key to success as an employer is making it clear from the start that you’re the one in charge. Be diplomatic, but set the ground rules in advance, and stick to them.

Be particular about whom you hire, even if you’re in an area where competition for workers is fierce. A good rule to follow is to only hire people you would trust in your own home - that way, you’ll know you can trust them in your customers’ homes and offices. Remember, good employees are the key to happy customers, and happy customers are loyal.

Now that they’re hired, it’s likely that the majority of applicants for entry-level cleaning jobs will need training. This isn’t necessarily a disadvantage; in fact, you may prefer to handle this yourself since hiring individuals without professional cleaning experience lets you train them to clean your way.

If you think you can’t afford to spend time on training, think again--can you afford not to adequately train your employees? Do you really want them interacting with customers or cleaning homes and offices when you haven’t told them how you want things done?

These tips will help you maximize your training efforts:

Find out how people learn best. Delivering training isn't a one-size-fits-all proposition. People absorb and process information differently, and your training method needs to be compatible with their individual preferences. Some people can read a manual, others prefer a verbal explanation, and still others need to see a demonstration. In a group training situation, your best strategy is to use a combination of methods; when you’re working one-on-one, tailor your delivery to fit the needs of the person you’re training.

Use simulation and role-playing to train, practice and reinforce. One of the most effective training techniques is simulation, which involves showing an employee how to do something and then allowing them to practice it in a safe, controlled environment. If the task includes interpersonal skills, let the employee role play with a co-worker to practice what they should say and do in various situations.

Be a strong role model. Don’t expect more from your employees than you’re willing to do. You’re a good role model when you do things the way they should be done all the time. Don’t take shortcuts you don’t want your employees to take or behave in any way that you don’t want them to behave. On the other hand, don’t assume that simply doing things the right way is enough to teach others how to do things. Role modeling is not a substitute for training. It reinforces training. If you only role model but never train, employees aren’t likely to get the message.

Look for training opportunities. Once you get beyond basic orientation and job skills training, you need to constantly be on the lookout for opportunities to enhance the skills and performance levels of your people.

Make it real. Whenever possible, use real-life situations to train--but avoid letting customers know they’ve become a training experience for employees.

Anticipate questions. Don’t assume that employees know what to ask. In a new situation, people often don’t understand enough to formulate questions. Anticipate questions and answer them in advance.

Ask for feedback. Finally, encourage employees to let you know how you’re doing as a trainer. Just as you evaluate their performance, convince them that it’s OK to tell you the truth, ask them what they thought of the training and your techniques, and use that information to improve your own skills.