It’s challenging to start, operate, and maintain a business. Aside from a lot of guts and dedication, you also need to invest time and money into your venture. There’s also the matter of coming up with a viable business idea in the first place, which can be the biggest hurdle for some.
This is why buying a business franchise is an appealing idea for many budding entrepreneurs. In particular, a cleaning franchise can be a great choice because it’s a constant need of consumers; thus, there will be no shortage of customers.
Plus, with an already established model, operating under a cleaning franchise can be easier than starting from the ground up.
That said, while getting a cleaning business franchise can be a little easier than starting a new one from scratch, it isn’t as simple as it sounds. Much like any endeavour, there are certain pros and cons that you should consider before choosing to proceed with this line of work.
The Pros of Operating a Cleaning Franchise
There are many benefits of starting a commercial cleaning business through a franchise. These include:
You Can Hit the Ground Running
Many would-be entrepreneurs find that actually starting a business is the most difficult stage to get through. If you’re facing the same dilemma, a cleaning franchise would be ideal. This way, you can skip the initial steps like writing a business plan, developing and testing a product, and the like.
Simply put, buying a cleaning franchise means you can hit the ground running. The only thing that’s left for you to do is to manage your business and ensure that you provide quality service.
You Can Bank on the Franchise’s Name
One of the biggest risks in starting a business is that you don’t know whether or not your business will “fly” because you’re an unknown. With a franchise, this isn’t so much of a concern because you can bank on the franchisor’s established name and reputation.
Just think of it this way: if you’re a customer, who would you trust in cleaning your property? A newcomer that has yet to prove their quality of work or a long-time company that’s trusted by thousands of people? Most likely, your answer will be the second one.
Going by this predicted consumer behaviour, it would be a wise move to operate under a franchise rather than build a new business from the ground up.
You Can Receive Business Assistance from the Franchise Owner
Speaking of reputations, a franchisor won’t want their hard work in establishing their good name to go to waste. Thus, they often provide different forms of assistance to help a new franchisee succeed. Doing this can then help maintain the company’s good standing in the industry and among customers.
Depending on the franchise, you may receive help with purchasing cleaning equipment and supplies. Companies like Crewcare also provide full training, so that you can run your business as smoothly as possible.
The Cons of Operating a Cleaning Franchise
On the other hand, you should also consider some of the potential downsides of operating a cleaning business under a franchise before signing up. Some of them include:
You Have to Invest a Little More in the Beginning
As previously mentioned, when you buy a franchise of a cleaning business, you’re banking on their good name—and this good name sometimes comes at a hefty price. Of course, the initial fee depends on how big the franchise is. You also have to consider any royalty fees.
That being said, there are also established franchises that offer affordable packages that can be tailor-fit to your budget.
You Have to Abide By the Rules
Establishing your own business means you get to be your own boss. You have control over all aspects of your operations, from the products you use to the number of clients you want to accommodate per day.
However, when you’re operating under a franchise, you won’t have absolute freedom. While you will have some degree of autonomy, you’ll also always be bound by the franchisor’s rules and regulations.
Of course, this isn’t always a bad thing, particularly if you and the company share the same mission, vision, and values. The most important thing to keep in mind is that while you own a franchise, you aren’t the franchise and therefore don’t have full control over every aspect of your business.
You May End Up in Conflict With the Franchisor
In relation to the previous point, the worst-case scenario is perhaps ending up in conflict with the franchisor. If you end up not getting along to the point of wanting to break away, you can be caught up in a variety of legal issues.
This is obviously an extreme example. That being said, you need to prepare to have some disagreements with your franchisor. This is pretty normal in business, so make sure you know how to handle such scenarios.
As you can see, there are significant things to consider before you start a cleaning business franchise. For the large part, however, it’s an overall net positive. At the end of the day, your success depends on the amount of time and effort you can dedicate to the business.