How Do I Start a Janitorial Service Business?

You should begin your janitorial service business by doing a lot of research on prospective customers. Creating a business plan that can serve as your blueprint for running your company is key. You'll need to determine your equipment needs, but it's typically best to start small and keep adding more supplies as well as staff as you grow your janitorial company to offer more services.

Since larger commercial establishments such as hospitals, schools and shopping centers usually already have cleaning contracts with bigger janitorial companies, it can be best to start with smaller businesses. In this way, you can start your janitorial service business with only a few employees. Many janitorial start-ups begin with only two people. You should be prepared to work extremely hard physically as well as in doing the required paperwork for your new business.

A good business plan is crucial as there are many components to consider such as insurance, bonding, equipment and capital. Researching what your prospective commercial customers need and want in a janitorial service can help you develop your goals. Your business plan should outline your strategies such as to start with smaller businesses and expand into cleaning for corporations. Other growth plan strategies to expand your janitorial service business may include offering a plant selection and care service and/or window cleaning or landscaping.

The services you're considering for your business should be those in demand as well as ones in which you are likely to do well and make a niche or specialty area for yourself. While it's difficult to compete with larger, well-established janitorial service companies on the amount or scale of services offered, if you focus on developing what your company can do well to meet identified needs, you're likely to be successful. It's important that your janitorial service business plan thoroughly covers the financial aspects such as what to charge for your services. While you certainly need to be competitive, undercharging for the work your company will do could result in going out of business rather than staying in it.

You'll need a good understanding of how to run a business profitably and competitively rather than having only a strong knowledge of the janitorial field. If you are starting a janitorial service business with a partner, it could work out well for each of you to be strong in the area in which the other isn't. The business management side of your company should include a strong marketing effort that needn't be expensive. Creating a website and driving local traffic to it is relatively inexpensive, yet can result in a growing customer base.