Why Alex Markov Chose to be a Nationwide Cleaners Franchisee

Nationwide Cleaners investor Alex Markov told us about how he became a franchisee, as well as why he’d recommend the franchise to other hopeful entrepreneurs.

Before making the leap, Alex worked in hotel administration. But as an employee with a fixed salary, he knew that he could take his earnings to the next level. Equipped with an ambitious attitude, a quality that many of the savviest entrepreneurs share, he decided to take the reins on his future and begin a new professional challenge.

I thought that if I worked harder, I should receive more rewards.

Armed with the will and the drive to build a successful and profitable business, Alex decided to invest in his very own Nationwide Cleaners franchise. The company’s proven concept spoke for itself and, as a new franchisee, Alex was confident that he’d made the right decision. When asked what makes the cleaning franchise a great business to work for, Alex praised the company and its franchisor: “It is a simple model that works. The franchisor, Peter, is friendly and knowledgeable.”

Help and support

Nationwide Cleaners puts franchisees first, making sure they have all the tools they need to launch and run a productive business, all while minimising distractions caused by time-consuming administrative tasks. For example, all investors can make use of the franchise’s call centre to manage incoming customer enquiries. And thanks to the business’s carefully developed model, franchisees never have to manage their cleaners’ wages; employees are paid directly by the customer.

These are just a couple of the measures put in place to help franchisees. But it’s the business’s simple and flexible set-up that makes it so popular among entrepreneurs — and one of the biggest reasons why Nationwide Clearers was so attractive to Alex in the first place. “The model is a bit different to other cleaning franchises,” he says. “Anyone can do it if they are organised.”

Nationwide Cleaners makes it easy for budding franchisees to get their businesses up and running quickly and in a way that meets both their professional and personal needs. For example, franchisees can run the business from the comfort of their own home and put in full or part-time hours, based on what makes sense for them. Also, new recruits don’t need any previous business experience; the franchise runs a comprehensive training programme to get them up to speed and operational, fast.

Even better, you only need to invest £8,000 to launch your Nationwide Cleaners branch. To help franchisees get started, the company itself is usually willing to float a portion of the investment cost up front. In short, as long as you have the drive and ambition to build a successful franchise business, Nationwide Cleaners will support you to achieve your goals every step of the way.

Training programme and franchisee resources

Alex underscored the incredible level of support that Nationwide Cleaners provides to franchisees. With impressive training programmes and carefully curated support procedures, the franchise makes sure all its franchisees thrive. As soon as they come on board, all franchisees are given an exhaustive operations manual to be used as a reference tool throughout the franchise contract period.

“The manual explains everything — and, and top of that, there was an initial training period, followed by ongoing support whenever I was stuck,” says Alex. “It is definitely better having someone to ask for help than having to pay for expensive seminars that don’t deliver as much value.”

The training programme covers the key components of the franchise’s business model, especially the basics of how to manage and grow a successful Nationwide Cleaners business. Once this training has been completed, franchisees continue to benefit from ongoing support, particularly in sales and marketing.

Once a franchisee has been with the business for several months, they’ll be able to take advantage of Nationwide Cleaners’ advanced training programme. Once enrolled, they’ll have the opportunity to learn useful tips and tricks directly from the business’s highflyers.

Developing a customer base

Over time, Alex was able to build a robust network of customers who would soon rely on his business for regular cleaning services. In fact, he knew he had reached a success milestone when he had “450 recurring cleaning clients requesting cleaning services every week or every two weeks.” The Nationwide Cleaners model proved so successful that Alex soon found he was inundated with too many cleaning requests:

When using leaflets provided by Nationwide Cleaners to advertise our cleaning services, we end up getting more customer enquiries than we could even handle! Obviously, this is a great problem to have. The results were unexpectedly good. To be honest, I feared that it would not work, but it was truly better than I imagined.

Obstacles and advice

Of course, there were challenges along the way. Finding good staff was one of Alex’s biggest tests. “If you learn how to hire great employees, your business will do well,” says Alex. “It’s the same in any company. You do not need to be educated or clever to succeed, but you need to be organised.”

So, what has this savvy franchisee learned from his time with Nationwide Cleaners? Here are the three tips he would offer any prospective investor:

1. Learn the system. Do not try to change or customise it; it’s a system that works.
2. Do not fear the competition. If you provide stellar service at reasonable prices, you will always have plenty of clients coming back for more.
3. Be honest with staff and clients. This is the key to driving long-term results.

Alex recognises the value of trusting an experienced franchisor and following their proven business model. But he isn’t the only one ready to sing Nationwide Cleaners’ praises; the business has garnered loads of positive testimonials from happy and successful franchisees. Here’s what franchisee Michael had to say:

“I have been a franchisee of Nationwide Cleaners for five years now. Being in business has allowed me to receive additional income whilst continuing to work in my profession. Peter really made it easy to start by breaking down what needs to be done step by step. Whenever I had a problem in the business, Peter was always able to give me good advice.

“I have benefitted a lot from meeting other franchisees, as well as from participating in the internal forum. As I had never run a business before, this was perfect for me. Within a few weeks of starting out, I began signing up customers and receiving money in the bank. In my opinion, this is a great opportunity, and I can certainly recommend it to others."

Learn more…

If you want to find out more about the lucrative cleaning sector, be sure to read: Five Reasons To Start A Commercial Cleaning Franchise.