Equipment
As you’re getting started, you may be focused on buying cleaning equipment—but take your blinders off. You’ll also need to stock your office with the equipment and supplies necessary to run your business.
Many entrepreneurs find a trip to the local office supply store more exciting than any mall. It’s easy to get carried away when you’re surrounded with an abundance of clever gadgets, all designed to make your working life easier and more fun. But if, like most new business owners, you’re starting on a budget, discipline yourself to buy only what you need. Consider these primary basic items:
• Computer and printer. A computer can help you manage complex bookkeeping and inventory control tasks, calculate estimates, coordinate work loads, maintain customer records, and produce marketing materials. It’s a valuable management and marketing tool, and an essential for growing a strong and profitable business, especially in today’s technology-dependent world. Printer technology is advancing rapidly; an office supply dealer can help you decide what type of printer(s) you’ll need based on what you expect your output to be.
• Software. Think of software as your computer’s brains, the instructions that tell your computer how to accomplish the functions you need. There are many programs on the market to handle your accounting, inventory, customer information management, and other administrative tasks. Software can be a significant investment, so do a careful analysis of your needs and then study the market and examine a variety of products before making a final decision.
Beware!
Although multifunction devices—such as a copier/printer/fax machine or a fax/telephone/answering machine—may cost less initially and need less space in your office than stand–alone items, if the equipment fails, you’ll lose all these functions simultaneously. Also, consider the machine’s efficiency rating and cost to operate; compare that with stand–alone items before making a purchase. Tough decision? Pick the machine that best suits the needs of your business.
• Internet access. High-speed internet access is essential for an efficient business operation. Your choices will typically include a high-speed telephone line, cable service, wifi, or satellite, although not all these options will be available in every area. The type of equipment you’ll need depends on how you’ll be accessing the internet, and prices can vary depending on the service you need. Shop around for the best service and price package.
Beware of extremely low prices, as-is deals, and closeouts when it comes to purchasing computer equipment. Deals like these often hide problems you wouldn’t want, even for free.
• Photocopier. The photocopier is a fixture of the modern office and can be useful to even the smallest cleaning service business. You can get a basic, low-end, no-frills personal copier for $100 to $500 in just about any office supply store. More elaborate models increase proportionately in price. If you anticipate a heavy volume (rare for a cleaning service), consider leasing.
• Fax machine. With the ability to easily scan and email documents, the need to send and receive faxes is declining, but you may still want fax capability in your operation. You can either add a fax card to your computer, use an online fax service, or buy a multifunction printer with fax capability or a stand-alone machine. If you use your computer, it must be on to send or receive faxes, and the transmission may interrupt other work. An online fax service will send you an email when you have received a fax. Most residential cleaning operations will have limited fax needs; commercial cleaners will likely have a higher demand for fax service. Expect to pay about $100 for a single-function plain-paper fax machine to $175 to $750 for a multifunction device (fax/copier/printer/scanner).
• Postage scale. Unless all your mail is identical, a postage scale is a valuable investment. An accurate scale takes the guesswork out of postage and will quickly pay for itself. It’s a good idea to weigh every piece of mail to eliminate the risk of items being returned for insufficient postage or overpaying when you’re unsure of the weight. Light mailers—one to 12 articles per day—will be adequately served by inexpensive mechanical postal scales, which typically range from $10 to $25. If you’re averaging 12 to 24 items per day, consider a digital scale, which is somewhat more expensive—generally from $50 to $200—but significantly more accurate than a mechanical unit. If you send more than 24 items per day or use priority or expedited services frequently, invest in an electronic computing scale, which weighs the item and calculates the rate via the carrier of your choice, making it easy for you to compare. Programmable electronic scales range from $80 to $250.
Bright Idea
Postage stamps come in an array of sizes, designs, and themes, and can add elements of color, whimsy, and even thoughtfulness to mail. Stamps look more personal; metered mail looks more corporate. Consider using metered mail for invoices, statements, and other official business, and stamps for thank-you notes and similar marketing correspondence that could use a personal touch.
• Postage meter. Postage meters allow you to pay for postage in advance and print the exact amount on the mailing piece when it’s used. Many postage meters can print in increments of one-tenth of a cent, which can add up to big savings for bulk mail users. Meters also provide a “big company” professional image, are more convenient than stamps, and can save you money in a number of ways. Postage meters are leased, not sold, with rates starting at about $20 per month, or you can get a meter/electronic scale combo for $30 to $120 per month. They require a license, which is available from your local post office. Only four manufacturers are licensed by the U.S. Postal Service to manufacture and lease postage meters; your local post office can provide you with contact information. An alternative to a postage meter that will allow you to avoid buying stamps is to print your postage online. Visit the U.S. Postal Service website at usps.gov or check out private companies, such as stamps.com, for more information.
Bright Idea
Be sure to include your area code with your phone number on all your printed materials (stationery, brochures, signs, etc.). As more areas convert to ten-digit dialing with multiple area codes, more consumers will see a seven-digit number as incomplete.
• Paper shredder. A response to both a growing concern for privacy and the need to recycle and conserve space in landfills, shredders are increasingly common in both homes and offices. They allow you to destroy incoming unsolicited direct mail, as well as sensitive internal documents before they’re discarded. Shredded paper can be compacted more tightly than paper tossed in a wastebasket, so conserves landfill space. Light-duty shredders start at about $25, and heavier-capacity shredders run $150 to $500.
• Credit- and debit-card processing equipment. This could range from a mobile device to a simple imprint machine to an online terminal. Consult with several merchant status providers to determine the most appropriate and cost-effective equipment for your business.
Telecommunications
The ability to communicate quickly with your customers and suppliers is essential to any business. Also, being able to reach your employees when they’re out on jobs is important. Advancing technology gives you a wide range of telecommunications options. Most telephone companies have created departments dedicated to small and homebased businesses; contact your local service provider and ask to speak with someone who can review your needs and help you put together a service and equipment package that will work for you. Specific elements to keep in mind include the following.
Whether you’re homebased or in a commercial location, a single line should be adequate during the startup period. As you grow and your call volume increases, you’ll add more lines.
Your telephone can be a tremendous productivity tool, and most of the models on the market today are rich in features you’ll find useful. Such features include automatic redial, which redials the last number called at regular intervals until the call is completed; programmable memory for storing frequently called numbers; and speakerphones for hands-free use. You may also want call forwarding, which allows you to forward calls to another number when you’re not at your desk, and call waiting, which signals you that another call is coming in while you’re on the phone. These services are typically available through your telephone company included in your monthly charge or for a fee.
If you’re going to be spending a lot of time on the phone, perhaps doing marketing or handling customer service, consider a headset for comfort and efficiency. A cordless phone lets you move around freely while talking. You may find that this wide variety of products will help you in your business; however, these units vary in price and quality, so research them before making a purchase.
Stock Me Up
In addition to equipment, you’ll need an assortment of office supplies. Those items include:
Correction fluid or tape (to correct typewritten or handwritten documents)
Desktop document trays
Letter opener
Paper and other supplies for your fax machine (if you have one)
Paper clips
Pens, pencils, and holders
Plain paper and ink and toner for your copier and printer
Scissors
Scratch pads
Staplers, staples, and staple removers
“Sticky” notes in an assortment of sizes
Tape and dispensers
Trash cans
Because your business phone should never go unanswered, you need some sort of reliable answering device to take calls when you can’t do it yourself. Whether you buy an answering machine (expect to pay $40 to $150 for a model that’s suitable for a business) or use the voice-mail service provided through your telephone company depends on your personal preferences, work style, and needs.
Cell Phone
Once considered a luxury, cell phones are as common as land lines and have even replaced land lines for many users. You may want a cell phone that you use exclusively for business so that your staff can reach you at any time. Most have features similar to your office phone—such as caller ID, call waiting, and voice mail—and equipment and service packages are reasonably priced.
Bargain Basement
When you begin shopping for equipment for your cleaning service, keep in mind that you can buy secondhand equipment for a fraction of its retail cost. Businesses that have failed, merged, or outgrown their existing equipment are often good sources for used office equipment. Janitorial and residential cleaning companies can be sources of used cleaning equipment, and carpet cleaning businesses may be selling their used carpet cleaning equipment.
Judicious shopping can turn up some excellent bargains. Check the classified section of your daily paper and the weekly business journal for furniture and equipment bargains. Also check the “Business Opportunities” or “Businesses for Sale” categories—businesses that are being liquidated or sold may have excess furniture or equipment for sale at substantial savings. Check eBay and other online auctions, as well as online classified sites such as Craigslist, for new, used, and reconditioned equipment.
Another good source for used equipment is new equipment suppliers. They frequently have trade-ins or repossessions for 50 percent off. Often, these items have been refurbished and even include a warranty.
Most cleaning services are local operations. But if you’re planning to build a large operation, or if you’re in a niche business and targeting a customer base outside your local calling area, you’ll want to provide a toll-free number. This way, customers who don’t have free or flat-rate long-distance can reach you without having to make a toll call. Most long-distance service providers offer toll-free numbers, and they have a wide range of service and price packages. If you have a regional business, you may also find a toll-free number useful. Shop around to find the best deal for you.
Email is a standard element in any company’s communication package. It allows for fast, efficient, 24-hour communication. Using an email address with your company’s website instead of a general provider like AOL, Yahoo!, or Google makes you look more professional. Check your messages regularly and reply to them promptly. Email costs range from free to $20 per month.
Dollar Stretcher
When a postage increase is coming up, stock up on “forever” stamps, which can be purchased at the current rate and are good for mailing one–ounce first-class mail anytime in the future, regardless of price changes.
The Best Equipment Is Information
One of the most efficient and effective ways to promote any business is through content marketing, defined by the Content Marketing Institute as “a marketing technique of creating and distributing relevant and valuable content to attract, acquire, and engage a clearly defined and understood target audience—with the objective of driving profitable customer action.” The idea is to provide information that has value to your audience through your online content. You can share and promote that content through a variety of ways, and one of the most popular is social marketing. But if you’re going to do it, you need to do it right.
The two primary components of social marketing are media and networking. Social media are websites and applications used for social networking. Social networking is the use of dedicated websites and applications to communicate informally with other users or to find people with similar interests to oneself.
Perhaps the biggest challenge of social marketing is the number of platforms available and the rapidly-changing popularity of those platforms, which is why we’re not going to give you how-to lessons on specific social media sites. It’s not necessary for you and your company to be active on every social network. A smarter strategy is to pick the two or three networks that are most popular with your market and establish your presence on them, and not worry about the others.
It’s important to keep in mind that social marketing should be only one component of your overall marketing strategy. You’ve probably heard plenty of stories about companies that have thousands or even millions of fans and followers, and thought that you should try to do the same. The reality is that you should do what’s best for your company and what matches your strategy. These steps will help you get started:
1. Set clear goals for your social marketing efforts. Be specific and keep those goals in mind with everything you do.
2. Dedicate the human resources to social marketing. You need someone on your team (and it could be you) who understands social marketing, is comfortable with the platforms you’ll be using, and has the time to manage your social marketing program.
3. Be prepared to produce sufficient content. Content is the fuel for your social marketing vehicle, and without it, your efforts will stall.
4. Prepare your website for social media attention. Be sure your website is ready for the increased traffic social marketing could generate.
5. Remember that it’s a conversation. Don’t simply talk at your audience, engage with them.
6. Create a social media policy for your employees. Employees need to know what they can—and can’t—say about the company when they are online.
7. Be realistic in your expectations. Don’t anticipate monumental results for a minimal investment.
Stat Fact
Of marketers surveyed by Social Media Examiner, 89 percent said that increased exposure was the number-one benefit of social media marketing.
In the next chapter, we’ll discuss how to create a complete marketing plan for your cleaning service business.