What are the rules of your business game? How do you put your vision, mission, and culture into action in your business? Knowing this will help you build a system that your business and its franchises can work from. At Sparkle Cleaning we have devised a simple system that explains our ‘rules of the game’; we call this The Sparkle Way.
Vision statements define your business purpose, they focus on its goals and future aspirations, and should be uplifting and inspiring
Mission statements define the business purpose and primary objectives. These statements explain why you exist as a business.
Values underpin the vision and mission and are the “core beliefs or DNA” of the business.
The Sparkle Way includes our vision, values, culture, uniform, standards of work (safety, courtesy, cleaning, and efficiency) and customer service.
Our values are the cornerstone to our business. Superb people are the core of any successful business, and we believe that creating this team starts with your core business values. They are the fundamental beliefs of an organisation, the guiding principles that dictate how people should behave and act. To build long-lasting relationships with suppliers and clients, it is important for a business to be clear about its values. But more than this – these values let people know if it is the appropriate organisation for them to work for. If they have a cultural fit.
Our core values are:
- Keep it Simple – Some other cleaning companies overcomplicate what needs to be done using several chemicals when one will do. That’s why at Sparkle Cleaning we keep it simple, paring down the chemicals to only a handful, and we also give staff a checklist that has been agreed with the client so that they know exactly what is expected. This helps the standards of work remain high and makes it easier to onboard and train new staff.
- Family Comes First – We think of our team like family, this means we all work together and support one another if anyone has an issue, they are never afraid to ask a question or ask for help.
- Add Value – All our clients pay for a service, but the service they pay for should be the bare minimum we offer, we seek to add value wherever we can, whether its plumping pillows, learning names or wishing people a happy birthday.
- Make Money – We need to have a win/win between us, clients, and staff, what we charge and pay must be fair to all. We are in business to make money but in the fairest was possible.
- Have Fun – We need to make work as fun as possible, which is why we do family fun days, Christmas parties and like to surprise our staff with cards and gifts.
For us, ‘family comes first’ is a guiding value. I have worked in companies before where I have not been valued and I know how that feels and I never wanted that for our business. Historically, cleaners have not always been treated well by their employers or by the clients they work for, and we believe cleaning is a valuable career – not merely a minimum wage job. When people work for us, they are part of our family – they can take ownership of their work, and they have a part to play in a team. We reward excellent behaviour and work. If we get great feedback from one of our clients, the staff that work on that project are rewarded. We want people to grow with us, to have enjoyment in their work, and to become confident team members and team leaders.
We believe that strong business values help so many parts of your business, recruitment, retention, and the future direction. Our values have inspired The Sparkle Way, the rules of our game. Be clear on yours and the rest will follow.
This article comes courtesy of Sparkle Cleaning https:/sparklecleanup.com/ a UK – wide cleaning company with strong values at it’s heart.
