In 1985, when Tim Conn began operating a janitorial company to service a family-owned commercial office building he knew it well that he was making a great business choice. EVERY business needs cleaning. Any commercial building that has a garbage can and a restroom needs someone to clean! Commercial cleaning is an ongoing service business. The commercial cleaning industry has been growing steadily year after year because people know they need to keep up with the daily dirt and dust, and in most cases, they prefer to hire a professional cleaning company to get the job done. Janitorial services reached a revenue of $61 billion in 2018.
In 2001, Tim partnered with Mike Schuchman to own a master franchise with a national janitorial brand. When their licensing agreement expired, Tim and Mike in 2011 cofounded Image One — a commercial cleaning services business franchise company that is very different from the rest of the franchises in the industry— and began franchising.
In the year 2013 Scott Kochanski, V.P. of Franchise Development joined Image One. He says that professional, quality cleaning is a necessity, not a luxury. “It isn’t just about cleaning for appearance, but cleaning for health,” asserts Scott. “Studies have shown that keeping a facility clean and healthy allows for a more productive workspace. Additionally, a healthy workspace promotes a healthier bottom line through less missed days by team members.”
With a commitment to providing premier commercial cleaning services at affordable prices while delivering on their promise of using environmentally responsible products to keep the earth safe, green cleaning practices to promote a healthier work environment and ensuring its franchisee’s success; Image One continues to make its mark on the janitorial service industry. The company is regularly recognized as a top franchise by organizations such as CNBC, Entrepreneur, and Franchise Business Review. Image One has more than 104 commercial cleaning franchise locations covering Chicago, Florida, Detroit, Cincinnati, Nashville, Denver, and Dallas.
"It isn’t just about cleaning for appearance, but cleaning for health"
And what’s the reason for their fast-growing franchise chain? The Image One franchising model, says Scott, which was formed on the principles of transparency, training, and top-notch financial and customer service support. At Image One, their mission is simple –‘Image One believes that it is our responsibility to train and develop our franchise owners to be the best that they can be. To be successful business people anywhere they would go, but treat them with such respect and offer them such value that they would never choose to leave.’
“We have a true family atmosphere. Our team really enjoy working together and working to help our franchisees achieve their goals!” Scott states proudly. “We consistently score in the high 80’s on independent engagement surveys. Additionally, our franchise owners rank Image One as one of the best opportunities through the Franchise Business Review annual survey.”
The training and support that is offered by Image One are far beyond than which is provided by others in the janitorial industry. “We provide complete transparency for our franchisees and teach them everything that they need to know to build a successful cleaning franchise,” says Scott. When the new franchise owner begins with their modular training with Image One, it starts with classroom learning and also includes on-the-job and on-site training. During the day they learn about several aspects of the franchise. In the evenings, they work with another franchise owner and learn about all the aspects of cleaning. Beyond the initial training, Image One provides unparalleled ongoing support to their franchise owners in their market. “We will send our sales and operations support teams to your market to help you with your growth. The sales support team will help you grow with new sales, the operations support team will help you maintain clients, hire/fire staff, set a plan for growth and be your accountability partner,” shares Scott.
Image One combines technology with commercial cleaning services so that the jobs can be completed more efficiently. Image One has developed apps such as iFast™ to communicate with clients proactively, and their Image One proprietary app allows franchise owners to properly staff jobs through their IntelliClean™ process. IntelliClean keeps up with the latest advancements and creates a balance of services that meet the client’s budget and needs. “We provide an iPad app that allows for inspections, proposal development, and delivery, as well as managing accounting and client communication,” adds Scott. The proprietary software that Image One provides to their franchisees is completely unique in the janitorial industry. Something that none of their competitors have.
Previous
Next
Get Dirty
Going forward, Scott says that Image One will continue to focus on franchise development and support while expanding its geographic footprint. “Image One is looking for an additional 50-100 franchisees throughout the country, and our franchisees are seeking clients to clean in their individual markets. Their ideal client includes general offices, banks, doctor’s offices, schools, churches, automobile dealerships, and most any other business that needs cleaning.”
Image One franchisees also have multiple revenue streams. In addition to janitorial services, Image One franchisees offer services such as floor care, carpet cleaning, and window washing. Additionally, franchisees can offer construction cleans, as well as pre-move in and post-move out clean. As a result, Image One franchisees enjoy a quick ROI and recurring revenue of at least $50k per month.
Although Image One is working to grow their current franchisees base, they are very particular about who is awarded a franchise. “Finding the right franchise is critical if somebody is going to be successful,” says Scott. “Not just the right franchise concept, but the right culture and fit!” They need to have a strong drive and they need to be willing to work hard to get their business moving in the right direction. They need to be willing to go out and market/sell their services or hire somebody that is capable of doing so. They need to have the desire to grow their business at a consistent pace to meet the goals that they establish early in training.
“The cleaning industry isn’t the most glamorous industry, but it offers a sense of accomplishment knowing the service that we provide,” says Scott. “We don’t only provide a clean looking facility, but we help ensure a healthy facility for our clients’ team members and customers.”
So if you are someone who really loves to keep your surroundings tidy, well in that case, Image One might be a great fit for you. “While some franchises come and go as fads and trends, others such as cleaning will always be necessary,” says Scott.
All designs displayed on this page are the intellectual property of © Aspioneer BizByts Marketing Pvt. Ltd.