Tidy Profits

Minster Cleaning Services franchisees can look forward to a secure future, whether they invest in an established franchise or a new area

Not only has Minster been providing office and commercial cleaning services in the UK for nearly 35 years, its 43-branch franchise network also includes the current British Franchise Association HSBC B2B Franchisee of the Year.

Award winning Kevin Lawley, who runs Minster Norfolk and Suffolk, bought the management franchise when it came up for sale in 2011. Today turnover stands at £1.4 million and its 180 employees service 170 contracts.

Significant progress

Thanks to Minster’s expertise in implementing cleaning regimes and practices that meet the requirements of the Care Quality Commission, Kevin has been particularly successful in the health care sector, where he has around 40 medical practice contracts. He’s also making significant progress in the education market.

Mike Parker, Minster’s managing director, says: “Kevin has demonstrated just what can be achieved through a combination of strong management skills and Minster’s comprehensive support. “He’s been able to get just the right balance between customer relationship management and new business acquisition by approaching the business in a planned manner with consistent, targeted growth.”

A full member of the bfa since 1992, Minster’s annual turnover is well over £35 million, taking the average branch turnover to in excess of £800,000. The company has both branch resale and new areas available. Established franchises in Derbyshire, Dundee and Liverpool are on the market at a fee of £10,000 (plus VAT), in addition to the purchase price of the business.

New franchise opportunities are available in Cambridge, Doncaster, Durham, Leicester, London, Middlesex, Guildford, Peterborough and Swansea.

What type of franchisee is Minster looking to recruit? According to Paul Stairmand, marketing manager at Minster Services Group, as some larger branches employ over 200 people, franchisees need to have excellent people management skills in order to deal with staff effectively, understand the requirements of a diverse range of clients and maintain good relationships across the board.

Paul adds: “They must be resilient and hardworking to be able to withstand the normal ups and downs of running a business and aim to provide a high quality service that’s reliable, consistent, flexible and great value for money.”

Start-up cost

The start-up cost for a new franchise is £28,225 (plus VAT), which includes a licence to use the Minster brand, training, computer hardware, stationery, machinery, equipment and materials, plus initial and ongoing support. Working capital of between £40,000- £60,000 is also required. Finance is available from leading banks, subject to status.

Paul says: “Support for franchisees has always been central to Minster’s success and we have used our many years’ experience to establish systems to simplify many of the important day-to-day business activities, leaving franchisees free to concentrate on building a substantial, valuable asset.

“The commercial cleaning market is massive. It’s an essential business service that appeals to a broad client base and, together with the size of Minster’s territories, offers almost unlimited growth potential.”