Case Studies

Cambridge

Annual turnover up to £50k within one month

After a 27-year career in the construction industry, Samer found that he was working extremely long hours for insufficient reward and his work-life balance was non-existent. He could no longer spend quality time with his family and concluded that something must change. He always had a passion for delivering excellent service and wanted to find a flexible business he could build around his family while providing a reasonable and steady income.

In front of him was an array of different opportunities and having looked at other cleaning franchises, he was attracted to Total Clean as one of the UK’s leading franchised commercial cleaning providers, with a proven tied and tested model, and more importantly a guarantee to deliver business.

Samer says: “The clarity of their business model and the structure offered me an outstanding opportunity with comprehensive support and training within my preferred territory and most importantly the flexibility in terms of business scale, along me to determine how large and fast I want my business to grow.”

He met with Total Clean several times and his first impressions were of a company that was really going places and he was very happy that Will answered all his questions openly and honestly providing a real sense that this franchise could give him the opportunity to learn something new while making full use of his previous experience. Samer loved the two-way dialogue and the open communications and sense of working together to achieve the best outcomes for all – Partners in Success.

“The process of enquiring into the franchise with Total Clean was very slick and prompt. I was impressed by Will’s knowledge and professionalism. He was forthright and honest and I found it refreshing how upfront he was.”

Existing Total Clean franchisees shared excellent and encouraging experiences with Samer and the boosted his confidence to invest in Total Clean. The concept is simple really – it’s repeat business – every building needs to be cleaned – day in, day out. To Samer, cleaning is an inexhaustible market and he doesn’t believe that any other franchise comes with the same market capacity and demand.

Samer was very impressed by the training which, carried out by several members of the Head Office support team was fantastic, as it not only taught him the practical cleaning skill required, but also management issues he hadn’t considered, such as the importance of customer relationships, establishing and managing staff levels and recruiting the right calibre of staff.

“My guaranteed business has been delivered well ahead of plan! I am proud to say I am my own boss running a successful cleaning company.” I would like to thank Will and the team for their help and guidance.

Reading

Total Clean adds sparkle in Reading

Prashant and Chetna Bhikhan have been the proud owners of Total Clean Reading since January 2016. A married couple, Prashant and Chetna decided to add Total Clean to their existing business operation in a bid to grow the profitability of their business and benefit from the support of an established brand. As experienced business owners they knew that they were well-equipped to take on a new challenge, but they were looking for added support in their new venture.

“I have been running my own business as Managing Director for the last 15 years. As a manufacturer of paper products which we then supplied to cleaning companies and corporates, I knew that Total Clean would fit with what we were already doing and that my existing experience would help me to run a successful and profitable business.” 

“I’m always looking for new opportunities and ways to expand my business and the Total Clean team and concept seemed like a perfect fit. Total Clean will allow me to expand the services I can offer within my business and it’s in an industry and sector I’m familiar with. Franchising is just as good as starting a business from scratch but you benefit from having the added support and know-how of more experienced people around you.” 

The Total Clean support team at Head Office ensure that new franchisees are provided with everything they need before they launch their businesses. For the network to be as successful as possible, the team are on hand to answer any queries or solve challenges quickly and efficiently. 

“The training we received from Total Clean was great. Everyone was warm and extremely helpful and it never felt as though I was meeting the team for the first time. Our launch went smoothly and the training and support prepared us extremely well for what was to come. It has certainly helped us with building and running the business in the early days and we know we are well set for the future.”

“We chose Total Clean because we wanted to expand our existing business and become even more profitable. I have already seen my business improve and grow and I know that Total Clean will continue to provide me with new services and products I can add to my business offering to remain ahead of the competition.” 

“If my current territory performs well, I will think about expanding into another territory. I want to continue building my business and taking it to the next level and I believe Total Clean and the support from Head Office will be instrumental in this.”

“My advice to anyone looking at buying a franchise would be to listen to your inner voice and if you think you can do it and you have a passion for it, then go ahead! Being passionate about your business will help you to excel and it shines through to your customers.”

Aberdeen

Total Clean shines in Scotland

Frank James has been running his Total Clean franchise in Aberdeen since the beginning of 2016. As the first Scottish franchisee in the network, Frank is extremely keen to build a successful business. Having run his own business before, Frank decided to invest in a franchise in order to benefit from the support and knowledge available within an established business.

"I worked for North Sea Oil for a number of years but I was always away so I wanted something I could run from home. After leaving the oil industry I started up my own logistics company but found that it came with all the same stress as my previous job! I met Carlos Garcia, Group Managing Director at Total Clean, and really liked the sound of the franchise opportunity. The beauty of franchising is that the franchisor has the experience and you don’t have to make the same mistakes because they’ve done it for you. You buy into the enterprise.”

“I chose franchising because I had learned a lot from the business I had set up before. I did all of the hard work but I didn’t have a formula for the business. I knew that I needed to make a presence in the market so I looked at logistics companies but I started to look into franchising because it’s a good way to set up a business and learn about a completely new industry.”

“When I left my last job, I felt that franchising would be my best option. You’re given a formula that works and has been tested – Total Clean was founded over 25 years ago! With Total Clean, you’re operating in a solid market that’s not affected by the weather, inflation or other reasons that make people change course. Cleaning is something that everyone needs and it affects people’s health. It took me a month to really research them and speak to their franchisees. I also spoke to Total Clean customers and heard good reviews.” 

Having looked at a range of businesses before deciding on Total Clean, Frank knew that he needed to choose a business that would weather tough economic climates. Keen to avoid fad markets or sectors that are subject to change depending on customers' whims, Frank knew that the cleaning industry would offer him the type of business he was looking for. 

“With Total Clean we offer a cleaning service which is always needed! Some companies ask the staff to do the cleaning but most don’t want to so they contract the work out. Total Clean is a business I can run from home without a huge initial investment and other franchises that I looked at were too expensive. There is no fool proof business – you always have to work hard to make it work, but the extra support is extremely valuable. The team blew me away when I spoke to them and they didn’t push me to make a decision. They’re always there to help you, no questions asked.”

Although he had run a business before, Frank still valued the training and support on offer with a Total Clean franchise. Franchising offers many aspiring business owners the opportunity to venture into a market that they have no experience in. With full training and support, Total Clean is no different. 

“Before my training I had already met the team and established a rapport with them. There’s a real family approach at London HQ. The team are cohesive and really tight. They exude a lot of warmth and nothing is too much hassle for them. I found the whole team very knowledgeable and approachable. I get on great with Carlos on a personal level and that’s great because I wouldn’t want to work with someone I don’t get on with. We have the same work ethic and operate on the same wavelength.” 

“My advice to anyone looking to start a franchise would be to make sure you do your due diligence. The bfa is a good place to start because they regulate the industry. There are quite a few businesses out there who will just take your money and you don’t receive the support you need. Make sure the opportunity is right for you and it fits with your personality and skillset. Do your homework and work out what your investment should be. The first year is crucial so make sure you see the cash flow projections for the business. Will it earn enough money for you and your family?” 

“I’ve now got 13 years until I retire. Eventually I’d like to hand the business over to my children. My territory is big enough for all five to be involved if they want to be! I want it to be a family business and one of my sons is already very keen to get involved.”

Blackpool

Duncan Whitehead became part of the Total Clean franchise team in May 2014 and is now the proud owner of Total Clean Blackpool. Duncan worked in the police force for 22 years and worked across a number of specialist and interesting divisions from the rank of Constable rising to Sergeant. He had been looking for a new business opportunity alongside retiring and found Total Clean to be the best fit for him. This amazing experience coupled with a Master’s Degree in business leadership and management, meant that Duncan was tremendously well equipped to run a successful Total Clean management franchise business.

“I left the Police because I was looking for a fresh challenge and I had some money to cash in from previous investments so I started looking at franchising opportunities. I started looking at my next steps alongside retiring from the Police.”

“I knew about franchising already through McDonald’s because I knew a few people who had looked at franchising with them. I did look at another franchise 12 months ago but after doing a bit of research, I decided that it didn’t fit my skillset so I waited and researched a few more franchises before I settled on one.”

“I chose franchising purely for the support in setting up the business. It’s a tough business environment at the moment and, after researching, I found that franchise success rates are much higher than start-up businesses. With support and investment in a franchise you are much more likely to succeed than starting up on your own. I didn’t know much about cleaning but I had a basic understanding of how a business operates so I felt that franchising was the best option for me and much less risky than starting up on my own.”

“Right from the off, Total Clean were extremely professional, I felt like I was part of a family and the team have been completely honest and open with me. Total Clean stood out from the other franchises I had looked at. I did look at other cleaning franchises but once I’d spoken to the development team, I was happy that Total Clean was the right fit for me. It was just one of those good feeling things that I find has helped me throughout my career!”

“For my training, I spent a week in the London office looking at the business management system. I also spent time with Carlos who went through all the proper cleaning methods with me. I did a training course at the British Institute of Cleaning Science and went on training courses in the use of machinery in cleaning floors. The training was comprehensive and prepared me for my new business venture. Whilst I won’t be doing the cleaning myself, I need to be able to train my team of cleaners to maintain the Total Clean standard!”

“My advice to anyone looking to buy a franchise would be to research the market and the franchisor. Be open and honest with yourself about the commitment required. You will be supported as much as physically possible but you will only be as successful as the amount of time and effort you put in. If you’re investing money in a business, no matter how much support you get, the business will only perform to its optimum if you throw yourself completely into it. The support just takes away the pressure and stress that would have been involved in setting up by yourself.”

“Over the next five years, I plan to keep growing my business and I’m hoping to take on another territory to widen my business territory a bit further. I hope to build a successful business that I can leave to members of my family when I retire.”

Manchester

Eric White, an ex-wholesale bakery manager, became the proud owner of the Total Clean Manchester franchise in March 2014. Eric began looking for a new opportunity before even leaving his last role and Total Clean stood out to him as the right opportunity. With previous background in operations and management, he was confident that he possessed the core skills needed to operate a Total Clean management franchise.

“I decided to leave my previous position because I wanted more control of my future. I looked at various other franchises before deciding on Total Clean. I knew I didn’t want to operate a van franchise, so I spoke to a variety of franchisors. Total Clean seemed more attractive than the others to me and, although they are a relatively young franchise, their business model is proven and their franchise model is very well designed. They came across as very professional and helpful, so it was a clear decision for me.”

“I chose Total Clean because I wanted to benefit from a proven business model and guidance from people who have done it before and know what they are talking about. I didn’t consider any other cleaning franchises apart from Total Clean – the decision just felt right to me. Knowing that I would save on overheads because you don’t need any premises was another deciding factor for me.”

“I heard about franchising through a Google search when I started looking for a new business opportunity. Once I’d started looking into Total Clean it only took me four weeks to decide to buy my franchise – it was just the right decision for me!”

Total Clean has a proven marketing strategy for winning new clients. In the weeks prior to launch, Total Clean works with franchise partners to create a customised business plan and strategy for their individual territories. Within each new territory, thorough and detailed local market research is carried out as the team continue to collaborate with franchise partners to realise their new business plans. The Central Office team supports implementation of the plan and with winning those all-important first clients to get franchise partners well on the road to success.

“My advice to anyone looking at buying a franchise is to look at all the possibilities that are available to you and make sure that it’s definitely something you want to do and you will enjoy. A franchise is a big investment so you need to make sure it’s something that you can do for the long term.”

“I want to build a successful business that will be profitable and secure. I also want to bring in my family members to the business to help out and to help them with their futures.”