Answers to your Self-Running Cleaning Business Operational Systems Questions
“I’m pretty new in business, will the product be simple enough for me to understand? ”
YES!! I have designed the product to be simple and ready to use for all sized businesses from the serious brand new owners to multi-million dollar a year businesses. When you get the product you will open it up and read the “Chart Your Course Owner’s Manual” to identify where your business fits according to size, profitability, etc. From there recommendations are made as to which systems to implement first, how to get your team on board with the systems, and how to customize any systems that need tweaking.
You will receive a CD that includes all of the electronic documents used in the product, AND a file system already laid out for you to add to and store documents if you wish.
The systems are very simple in nature… so simple, in fact, that many of you may say “I could have written a letter like that myself”. But, of course the value is not in making things complicated, but having instant organization, already done and ready to make your business life simpler, and more profitable.
“We are an experienced business and already have an employee handbook, and a few other systems in place, is this product right for me?”
Yes. If you already have systems in place then you know just how LONG it takes to write and create these things yourself. Hours, days, weeks, months and even years depending on how busy you are. It’s not uncommon, for example for someone to spend 2 months putting together one sales script, for example, and this product has lots of scripts in its over 150 systems. Keep in mind that if you gain just one new time saving system that is easy for your staff to begin using, it may save you hours every week…and if you pick up just one new Bi-weekly client from that time you have paid for the product.
I used to run a 25+ employee, profitable business on similar systems and I did so working less than 10 hours a week, and vacationing nearly 12 weeks a year. If this product was available then, I would have bought it in a heart-beat…even after I had my own systems in place.
“Will the Employee Handbook within the Operational package be “close enough” to what we need to really save me the effort of writing it all?”
You bet. We include an Employee Handbook as a bonus with your Operations Package, and it will definitely save you time from writing your own. The handbook that is included is written specifically for cleaning businesses, with things like a method and procedure, quality policies, entry and key handling instructions, policies on managing staff, policies on managing the clients in their homes, customer service techniques, employee evaluations, and complete job descriptions (and sample pay ranges) for everyone from field employee, team leader, trainer, manager, assistant to specialty cleaners, sales person and more. About 70% of the handbook contents are things you would not find in any off-the shelf Employee Handbook product, nor in any other Cleaning Industry product or forms.
Instead of spending weeks creating and writing your own policies and cleaning/management techniques, you can spend less than an hour reading through the ones that have already been proven to work in other companies, and editing the parts that you would like to adjust for your own business.
“With so many systems, how will we find time to do more paperwork?”
More? Huh? It’s true that when you put systems into place you may have more checklists to follow, more documentation, etc… but the whole point is that day to day operations will take you less time. If you tracked the time that you are spending now, my guess would be that you spend much of your day chasing down solutions to logistical problems. Ie. Sally is at the house, but doesn’t have a key, while Jack is at house number two and the client says she cancelled last week, but Jack never got the message. By adjusting how you are used to doing things from “work from my memory”, to “work from a system where I can easily delegate, see what’s happened, and know the priority of the task” you will find that you SAVE TIME.
One more point about saving time is how easily you can delegate and train tasks. One of my clients put some of these systems into place and had an assistant manager resign because she was moving. She had a new person trained and working with clients and staff 1 ½ days later!!!
“I already have industry software, will we be duplicating work with these systems?”
Nope. The industry software products out there do a great job of storing client data, scheduling tools, employee data, etc. But, it is not really their focus to manage the workings of the self-running cleaning business office.
For example, when a client terminates service you have number of tasks to do that go beyond making a schedule change. (1) Use a script to try to save the sale and investigate why they are canceling service, (2) Contact the team to let them know of the cancellation, (3) return the client key, (4) send the client a letter thanking them for their patronage and inviting them to use you again (or a different letter if they left on really unhappy terms), (5) Work with the employee or team to correct the mistakes made on the job, etc. Software does not track all of those steps and be sure that they all get done, but the systems in our product will give you the script, tracking tool for the tasks, key return tasks and materials, the tool used to track the employee’s performance and rank his/her amongst other staff members, a couple of different client canceling letters and instructions on how and when to use them, and instructions on how to setup and organize your office so that things to do not fall between the cracks.
And, for a few of the systems there are ways to utilize your industry software to your systems, and we identify those opportunities, and give instructions on how to do it.
“Can I get forms like this anywhere else?”
Eek, shivers just went down my spine form the word “forms”. The systems that I include are a complete set of steps and tools to solve problems which may include some “forms”, but it’s much different then what you will find anywhere else. My systems have to do with how your office runs, efficiency, and empowering others in your organization to take tasks off of your plate and make your business self-running. Many of my clients that I do on-site operations visits with have offices full of forms that are never used, duplicate work, and are obsolete. From these clients I hear that just one of the things that makes my systems more powerful is that I include clear schedules for exactly what is to be done when, how to plan your day, and how to proactively avoid problems instead reactively put out fires on a weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual basis.
Another point is that other industry form products that I have seen include only stuff pertaining to how to clean, basic hiring tools and other things related to getting the cleaning done in the field. I was looking with this product to fill a hole in the market with systems that run an efficient self-running, profitable cleaning business with little or no effort from the owner.
“Any ideas on how I can implement this product quickly?”
“Ideas are easy, execution is hard” is what I hear from entrepreneurs and that is why all of my products include ready to use templates that take very little time to get going. However there are a couple of other things that I am going to include with this product to help out with implementation. First, in the “Chart Your Course Owner’s Manual” I will help you identify what pieces to do first, so that you don’t have to wade through everything just to take a first step. And, secondly, as an early bird bonus for this release I am offering attendance in Renee’s upcoming Live “Systems Makeover in 6 Easy Steps” Implementation Tele-Class Course where we will go over section by section the parts of the product, answer questions, and inspire you to start using it right away. I am even thinking of holding a little contest for the participants to implement quickly.
“Tell me about the CDs that are included in the product”
* A CD of the complete document library from this product. (over 150+ )
* An introduction audio CD on how to get started quickly.
* The complete set of recordings (6 in all) of the “Systems Makeover in 6 Easy Steps” Implementation Tele-Class Course sessions, sent to you even if you are not able to attend the session.
* A handy storage case to hold all of your CDs included in the package
“I see in the picture a booklet (“Delegate-Answers Pocket Coach”) What is that?”
This is an awesome tool that I created to give your managers, assistants, family members, future owners, or whoever needs to know answers of how to handle 75 or the biggest or oddest emergencies in the business. No more will anyone be able to say “I left that for you because I did not know what to do?” because that will clearly be a weak excuse with such detailed tools at their finger tips.
“Is everything included, or is there anything sold separately?”
Everything that you need for the operational systems is included in the package except for some things that you can find in some of our other products like the Training Program, the Cash Cow Marketing Kit, Winner’s Circle, Contests Kit, Employee Motivation Kit, the 7 Day Startup Kit and some of the special reports. The GOOD NEWS is that a bonus that I am considering (probably as an early bird bonus) is a voucher for 50% any other products that you get within 30 days of this purchase. So, essentially you can buy everything that you need completely for about 1/10 what the initial investment alone would be for a franchise. What a deal!
“Does the product include consulting time?”
No one-on-one consulting is included in the product, but you will have lots of opportunities to access to my advice on the topic through the “Systems Makeover in 6 Easy Steps” Implementation Tele-Class Course, and the Q&A sessions during them. I am doing it this way since many people will be working on the same stuff at once, and you can benefit not only from my advice to you, but also others’ experiences.
A lot of you want to know the answers to the same questions about certain features with in the product. “Will the product include this feature?” YES to all listed and many more:
YES – How to estimate accurately, the best way to charge and when to bidding, including formulas and scripts?
YES – How to determine the level of service offered, how to do tiered service pricing?
YES – Financial Targets for stable and successful businesses?
YES – Employee retention goals and management systems?
YES – Systems for achieving consistency in handling inquiries, management tasks and work in the field?
YES – How can I, as a beginner, set my business up so that I can pull myself out as quickly as possible and have it running by itself, with little interference from me?
YES – Owner Income expectations and avoidable barriers
YES – Systems for recruiting the right people, improving morale, staffing issues, personality conflicts and employee accountability.
YES – Scheduling tasks and strategies for cleaning, profitability, drive time, grouping clients, etc.
YES – How to develop your administrative staff and office support staff.
YES – Balancing growth of clients and employees at the same time
YES – Day to day operations with schedules, checklists and charts
YES – How and when to hire/compensate a manager and delegate responsibilities, and training materials for that manager.
YES – Best selling strategies to charge high prices and have them happily accepted.
YES – Strategies for implementing the new systems with the least resistance.
YES – Financial systems, daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and end of year, to make stress-free tax preparations, and meaningful business steering reports.
YES – Systems for keeping everyone in the company focused on the companies goals instead of just their hourly pay check.
You’ll be happy to know that lots of you all wanted to know the same stuff.
“When can I by this product?”
The burning question. Currently the product is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, March 11th. The release time will be sent out in an email prior so be sure to check it.