The right team is everything according to Mastercare commercial cleaning franchise network

“Nobody gets very far in business without plenty of support along the way,” says Colin Walker, Managing Director of Mastercare Franchising. “I don’t care if someone’s just starting out or they’re the CEO of a major corporation; if anyone says to me they don’t need a helping hand, I simply don’t believe them.”

Mastercare Franchising is the commercial cleaning arm of property services leader Mastercare Property Services. “We started offering franchises in mid-2009 and we’ve been doing incredibly well,” says Colin. “I think that’s because everything about Mastercare Franchising is geared towards support. You’ll see it in our branding, of course, but it’s not enough to deliver empty promises. Our franchisees see support where it counts; in their day-to-day relationship with our company, in the helpful attitude of our team, and in our willingness to answer any and all questions they may have.”

Clearly, Colin is on a mission to be heard, but actions speak louder than words, as many a franchisee knows. Is he all talk?

“Absolutely not!” says Colin. “Our franchisees are part of a team and we have a number of initiatives in place to make sure they know it. For a start, we publish a regular newsletter to keep everyone connected and informed about happenings in the franchising and commercial cleaning sectors. More than that, we focus on comprehensive training. After all, you can’t make a go of a business if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing from the outset.”

Mastercare’s training includes full induction and site-specific training, as well as manuals and a structured training program containing an impressive 36 modules in four categories.
“The cleaning business isn’t difficult,” says Colin. “Most of us know how to do it, but our franchisees still need comprehensive training. There are any number of specifics they have to know about, like the best chemicals to use, how to handle and store materials, how to get recycling right, the list goes on. We’re totally committed to ensuring they know the ins-and-outs of their business. We’re also committed to educating people about Occupational Health & Safety. People need to feel safe, so we teach them how to lift and carry properly, and to be aware of potential risk. As a matter of fact, we just achieved triple certification in OH&S, Quality Assurance and Environmental Management. In our industry, that’s a very big deal, and I’m positive our training went a long way towards helping us gain the accreditation.

“We also never make the mistake of thinking that our franchisees are just cleaners; they’re business people, first and foremost. They’re running a commercial and office cleaning operation, with sites and clients to manage, and they need to know they can access advice and information regarding best business practices, admin, problem-resolution techniques and so on. Our cleaning franchise owners know they can come straight to me with their questions, and they won’t be fobbed off onto someone else. I don’t agree with leaving people in the lurch. It’s a point of pride.

“In the long run, offering reliable back-up and support to our franchisees pays dividends, and those dividends work both ways. We can be confident that Mastercare’s name will continue to be a benchmark for great cleaning outcomes, while our franchisees can be sure they’ve got people to go to when they need help. It’s like we always say, when you’re with Mastercare you’re in business for yourself, not by yourself.” 

Further information on becoming a franchisee can be obtained from Mastercare.