Award for Sheffield’s Minster Cleaning Services franchise

Commercial cleaning franchise wins customer focus franchisee of the year.

The Sheffield franchise of Minster Cleaning Services has become the first branch to achieve £2 million turnover. The franchise’s owner and managing director James Lofthouse has also been awarded the customer focus franchisee of the year.

The award is a big milestone for the franchise, which opened up shop eight years ago in 2005. Lofthouse decided to become a Minster franchisee because he could be his own boss, while still having the backing of a large franchisor with an established business model.

“It was very important. I needed peace of mind that I was buying into a reputable and ethical brand that would provide me with the opportunity to grow a profitable and sustainable business,” he said. “Minster’s bfa full membership status provided me with these assurances.”

The commercial cleaning market is one defined by low barriers to entry, but also a high level of competition. There is also often an expectation among clients that cleaning contractors will deliver a poor service. Lofthouse thought that he could leverage Minster’s established name to capture a lot of new business through a focus on providing a local, quality, value-added service.

In 2016, the Sheffield franchise was awarded the Minster Cleaning Service Franschisee of the Year award. Now, it has received another award for its customer-focused approach to cleaning contracting.

“Becoming a finalist in this year’s bfa HSBC awards makes me very proud,” Mr Lofthouse said.

“I’m delighted not only for me but even more for the recognition of every member of my team for their outstanding contributions to my successful and customer focused franchise.”

Being directly visible and available to his clients is something that Mr Lofthouse believes has set him apart from his competition. He has always seen himself as personally responsible for the service that his company provides to his clients. Making sure that the company employs the right people has also always been a key priority.

“A key focus is on recruiting the right people who reflect our brand values and ensure that service delivery is excellent,” he said.