A day in the life of… Gina Glendinning, Merry Maids Wakefield & South Leeds

Gina has been a Merry Maids franchisee since 2017

7:30 am: Leave for the office having checked my emails, you never know what you might have come in overnight. I once had a customer from America email to say they’d be home today but had forgotten their keys, so they wanted to know what time the girls would be there. They also got the day wrong for our clean. I had to add them to the rota for the day as I could not have a customer sitting outside their own front door!

7:45 am: Open the office, check my voicemails. See if any of the ladies are not able to work.

8:30 am: The teams start to arrive and collect their jobs and extra clothes. Some teams leave looking like Santa with the number of cloths they take with them.

9:30 am: The last team leaves and now the day really gets going for me. I have five quotes today and set off to the first one. I will now have a tour of West Yorkshire for the next three hours.

1:00 pm: Back at the office, Caroline has been busy washing and drying the cloths ready for tomorrow’s cleans.

2:30 pm: The first lot of teams are back at the office and so am I. A new tumble dryer was ordered for delivery tomorrow so we will soldier on with airers tonight, with just enough dry cloths for tomorrow.

4:30 pm: The last teams arrive at the office, and I start my admin duties. All jobs need closing off, and time and attendance sheets need to be updated. Once I’ve done this it’s time to review what evening quotes I have.

5:30 pm: Invoicing done and emailed to the customers. I am off to my evening quote now.

6:30 pm: Back to the office as it’s on the way home and I won the quote! Will leave putting the quote on BMS until tomorrow. I am off to see if my husband, son and dog still recognise me!

6:45 pm: The still do, and it’s time for a lovely evening walk with the dog and hubby.

At a glance Merry Maids

Established: 1979
Number of franchised outlets: 40-plus
Location of units: UK coverage
Investment range: £19,995+VAT
Minimum required capital: £5,995+VAT
Contact: 0116 275 9000 or franchisesales@servicemaster.co.uk