“What attracted me to Molly Maid amongst all the other cleaning franchise business opportunities was their five-star ratings and good reviews. That told me instantly, that this is the company I want to be associated with because they must be doing something right.”
The stellar reputation of Molly Maid convinced Jantjies that this was a cleaning company that took customer satisfaction seriously and had figured out how to consistently deliver quality service.
“I also liked that they did in-house estimates before taking on any cleaning jobs,” he adds. “I liked the sound of that personal touch, visiting clients, discussing their service requirements, and pricing them according to their specific needs.”
The Set-up Process
Once committed to becoming part of the Molly Maid family, how easy was it for Jantjies to get his franchise off the ground?
“The process was straightforward but thorough,” he says. “Molly Maid was upfront with all the costs involved from start to end, as well as extra costs to budget for in case it was needed.”
After an extensive application and vetting process including credit and reference checks, Jantjies received the green light to move forward.
“I then received a call from Jonathan Holden, the Chief Operating Officer, to confirm my application had been successful and welcome me onboard and the franchise award letter followed.”
Funding a new business can be challenging, but Jantjies found that Molly Maid offered valuable support in this area as well.
“Molly Maid then assisted by introducing me to their funding partners,” he explains. This included providing introductions to banks as well as hands-on help creating a tailored business plan.
“They were also very instrumental in referring me to banks for business loans, including helping me with my bespoke business plan tailored for my area, which was key to me receiving the financial support I needed to get started.”
In addition to assisting with startup funding, Molly Maid provided ongoing training and support as Jantjies launched his franchise.
“They assisted me with almost everything I could think of, business cards, (business starting pack), which included, a website, flyers, equipment, insurance, booking systems, and one week of training at the Support Office.
“They also came out and spent a week with me on site in Norwich assisting me in setting the business up. They helped me with recruiting staff, managing new leads and estimating potential clients, and everything I needed to start running the business from day one.”
Learning on the Job
Even with extensive support, Jantjies had a list of items he needed to quickly get up to speed with on many aspects of running his new franchise.
“How to engage clients in the Molly Maid way. How to pitch to clients when conducting estimates to determine their service requirements and needs. How to run the payroll for staff, including HMRC compliance and all the administrative tasks that go with running your own business. The great thing is that Molly Maid was only ever a phone call away to help me with anything I was stuck with.”
With his Molly Maid franchise now up and running smoothly, Jantjies is now looking to grow the business, but first needs to build a trusted team around him.
“Recruiting the right staff that will grow your business and keep clients happy by providing quality service every time. Retaining the staff that fit that profile and keeping them motivated all the time.
“I do this by remaining constantly engaged with them, making sure I thank them each week for their hard work. I have also taken them for breakfast and an evening meal to acknowledge that hard work and show my appreciation for helping me get off to such a great start.”
Expanding the franchise also brings other day-to-day complications.
“More vehicles, more staff to look after, more products to buy, more clients to satisfy, more admin work, and more responsibility overall,” says Jantjies.
While rapid growth has its headaches, it also allows him to increase profits and the future value of the franchise.
“Strangely it also becomes a bit easier to run, as you have more room to move, and juggle cleans when you have a cancellation or a member of the team off sick.”
Words of Wisdom
Drawing on his firsthand experience getting his Molly Maid franchise off the ground, he has advice for others considering following in his footsteps, stressing the importance of self-care, noting that launching a franchise requires long hours and hard work.
“Take a proper holiday before you start a new franchise because once you start, for the next 12 months it will be a hard grind. But it is also very rewarding, as you build teams and watch it grow.”
He also encourages owners to seek help when needed.
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions from support staff and head office, or other Franchisees – they have been through everything you are going through.”
Finally, he emphasises staying positive through challenging times – because there will be challenging times.
“Always have a positive attitude and do not let small hurdles along the way knock you off track or get you down, there is always a way to navigate these.”
With stellar support from Molly Maid and this proactive, upbeat mindset, Jantjies is excited about his future growth plans for the franchise.
“Expanding, growing my teams to five teams within the next six months, 10 teams within two years, and thereafter expanding territory to the entire Norfolk region, opening branches in various locations exclusively in Norfolk.”
