Jani-King cleaning franchise: franchisee's view

Jani-King is a world-leading management franchise

BusinessesForSale: Inevitably, the first question is why Jani-King?

Balvinder Uppal: It was affordable, and I liked the idea of the turnover guarantee – it’s a good safety net and I knew that commercial cleaning is proving recession-proof. Having been at the KFC head office for 15 years I was familiar with cleaning. There, it was a major part of what I needed to manage and audit, and you use the same chemicals and equipment generally right across the board.

BFS: How long have you been a Jani-King franchisee, and how's business right now?

BU: Five years down the line I’ve reached £22k per month turnover with good profit levels. My husband has a full-time job and can’t really help me with the business franchise, so I need to be realistic about what a single person can achieve.

Five years down the line I’ve reached £22k per month turnover with good profit levels

BFS: Has your growth been steep or gradual?

BU: Gradual, and I think this is important. Grow gradually and you can cope with the growth and build staff as necessary, without compromising on service quality. My supervisors know what I expect, so they can make sure we provide a high level of service across all accounts.

BFS: Has recruiting supervisors been easy?

BU: You need to get the right people on board, train them and motivate them, but in certain areas it’s really hard to find the right people. That’s where being self-motivated and determined comes in though. You just have to stick to your guns until you get what you want!

BFS: Controlling costs is crucial, right?

BU: This is particularly important in the early days when you are growing. You must remember you are in business for the long term and therefore you need a long-term vision. Patience also helps, because, if you get too greedy for new business in the early days, it can overwhelm you before you’ve really learned your trade or got proper systems in place.

BFS: How did Jani-King help you when you were starting out?

BU: The training I received at the beginning was excellent; the trainer was very passionate about the brand and the other franchisees I met were very keen too. Jani-King makes sure we get right to the point at these meetings, addressing any issues we might be facing and giving us good advice.

Often, other franchisees have experienced the same issues themselves and are sometimes able to make helpful suggestions.

BFS: How has being your own boss affected your home life?

BU: I do work hard, but I can fit things around my family much better now because, as you say, I’m my own boss! I didn’t go into the business to be a millionaire, although I know some people do.

I wanted to earn a reasonable living and have a better lifestyle. This means keeping it manageable and having realistic goals. As well as having more time for the family, I can also give them much more emotional support than before, whilst enjoying a stimulating career.