Cleaning Service Owner Job Description, Career as a Cleaning Service Owner, Salary, Employment

Training/Educational Requirements: License preferred

Median Salary: $50,000 per year

Job Prospects: Fair

Job Description

Cleaning service owners act as any other small business owner in that they handle the daily operations that keep their business running. They wear many different hats as the owner and operator of their cleaning business or franchise. The success or failure of the cleaning service business is often the sole responsibility of this individual.

Cleaning service owners may start their business from the ground up, or they may work to acquire a franchise from a larger corporation or parent company. No matter how they start their business, they must work to promote it and draw in clients. The owners of business that clean offices and houses are responsible for the hiring and training of cleaning professionals. Owners must perform interviews and any background checks required to bring on maids and other cleaning professionals to work for them. Owners also must handle any disciplinary actions of specific employees.

Cleaning service owners hold liability for the company, and therefore must be heavily involved in the financial aspects of the business. They must track all income and expenses, and business owners are responsible for the profit and loss of the business as a whole. Cleaning service owners act as small business owners in all of their responsibilities and liabilities, which means they also must fulfill all tax requirements each year; should be involved in evaluating the efficiency of their staff, which may mean visiting client homes or other sites where the services are being provided; and must advertise and handle all publicity functions to bring in new clients and to keep current clients happy. As an owner, those running a cleaning service usually have a hands-on approach with all aspects of the business. If they want it to be successful, they will usually be integrated into each and every activity that the business performs and be aware of how the clients feel about the work being provided.

Training/Educational Requirements

The requirements vary by state, but most prefer that cleaning service owners have some sort of license to operate and run such a business. It is usually helpful if a cleaning service owner, as any other small business owner, has a bachelor’s degree, but this is not necessarily a requirement. Anybody who has the money and the background to successfully purchase or start a cleaning service business can move forward with the process.

It can help to keep current with training and industry trends, or even to sharpen skills. Though there are no set training requirements for cleaning service owners, it can be helpful to attend seminars or keep up with new products, equipment, or services. Any training that a cleaning service owner engages in can be directly translated to their staff; this, in turn, means that the clients are provided a better service.

How to Get Hired

As this is an entrepreneurial type of role, there isn’t any one path to getting hired. This is a job where the individual purchases an already existing cleaning service business, purchases a franchise, or even works to start her or his own independent business. Therefore, getting hired isn’t as much of a goal as is getting your business to generate new clients and steadier and bigger revenue.

The best way to attract new clients is to offer competitive prices, regular specials, and the best service around. Word of mouth by existing clients is often the best marketing. It can also help to provide effective marketing techniques, such as referral fees for existing clients who recommend new clients, as well as discounts for regular clients. Enlisting the help of direct mail services or participating at community events can be another way to get hired over the competition.

Job Prospects, Employment Outlook, and Career Development

Unfortunately one of the first things to get cut in tough economic times is a cleaning service for an individual household. Though many households need cleaning services, because the families have a busy schedule balancing work and home, they may not have the funds to hire one. So when the economy sours, the job of a cleaning service owner may become less prominent because a cleaning service may be considered a luxury.

With the tough work-life balance that so many households struggle to maintain, the need for a cleaning service is definitely present. This means that when the economy cooperates, there can be a great need for this type of company and, therefore, the cleaning service owner.

Working Environment

The typical working environment for a cleaning service owner is usually an office, but this may vary by the day. They may go into the field to meet with clients or to inspect the work being provided by their staff. They may travel to meetings, or may even participate in events to generate business. There may not be a typical day anymore than there may be a typical environment. This type of business is usually run out of a facility where the equipment is stored, and that’s usually where the cleaning service owner maintains an office.

Salary and Benefits

Though the typical salary range for a cleaning service owner is around $50,000, this can vary based on several factors. The experience that he or she possesses, the size of the business, the revenue generated, and the geographical location in which the owner operates her or his business can all affect the salary range. As cleaning service owners are small business owners, they are usually responsible for their own benefits and often supply them for their employees.