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If your business is like many other traditional cleaning companies, you started by cleaning an office, apartment building, retail store or other commercial building. Adding additional clients may have included more office buildings, medical clinics and perhaps even expanding into manufacturing facilities. But have you stopped to think about expanding into residential cleaning? Perhaps some of the people who work in your buildings have asked if you also clean houses. This is an opportunity to break into the residential market.

Even if your cleaning business is doing fine with your commercial accounts, expanding into residential cleaning is one more way to increase your profit margin. You probably have all the supplies and equipment that you need to cross over from commercial to residential accounts. And as with commercial cleaning, there is always the possibility of add on services - carpet spotting, carpet cleaning, window washing and floor stripping and waxing.

There are several benefits to residential cleaning:

- Residential cleaning is typically done during the day, so it can be easier to find employees.

- Improved cash flow for your business as payment is required after the service is performed.

- Commercial accounts usually require bidding against several competitors and requires extra time on your part to calculate and present your bid. Residential customers don't often want to spend the time getting prices from several different companies.

- Residential customers tend to go with a name they trust and stick with that company.

So how do you make that first step from commercial into residential cleaning? First take a look at the market in your area and study the competition. Is your area saturated with residential cleaning companies? If so, make a few calls to the current cleaning companies and see what their charges are and if they are accepting new customers. There still may be opportunities available if the current residential cleaning companies are already booked up several weeks in advance.

Once you have an idea of the competition and prices in the area it's time to start looking for residential cleaning customers. A good place to start is with your commercial accounts where you have already built up a good reputation. Send out a flyer announcing that you are now offering residential services. Or see if they'll allow you to post a flyer on the break room bulletin board. Also, send out press releases to your local media announcing your new service. Start slowly and as your reputation builds your client list will grow.

Although commercial and residential cleaning clients are similar, there are also some major differences to keep in mind. When cleaning a home it is a more personal space and cleaning expectations tend to be higher. Cleaning homes can also have major obstacles - such as grease filled kitchens, rust stained bathroom fixtures, and pets.

Adding residential accounts to your commercial cleaning business can provide your company with another income stream. Begin by entering the market slowly and build up your reputation as a cleaning company that provides a great service and your residential client list is sure to grow!

Copyright 2006 The Janitorial Store