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franchise.co.nz – PUTTING PEOPLE IN BUSINESS
ince 1995, commercial cleaning company Cleantastic has been
demonstrating a successful system with an enviable record. “The
proof in the pudding is the endorsement of Cleantastic’s long-term
successes at the Westpac New Zealand Franchise Awards, starting with
winning the Supreme Award back in 2004,” says new owner Tom Lowe.
“In recent years, Cleantastic was a finalist three years in a row, between
2021 and 2023, and won the Business to Business Franchise System of
the Year title in 2022. I’d been acutely aware of this success as I looked
for my next investment. And I reckon I’ve bought the best of the best!”
Tom has owned a range of businesses over the past 22 years. He moved
into the commercial cleaning sector in 2011 as a hands-on operator with
an independent cleaning company.
“Just like any franchisee, I started small, on the tools. I learned the
processes intimately. I think this is vital for anyone who wants to
understand business; you must understand the fundamentals. The best
way to do that is to live it!”
Cleantastic has almost 300 franchisees across New Zealand. It is a
franchise that attributes its success to its highly effective support
system – one of the chief reasons Tom sees the business as such a smart
investment. New franchisees are encouraged firstly to learn the business
thoroughly and gain confidence at their own pace. When they are ready,
they can expand to take on more hours and more work, moving into full-
time hours as, when and if, it suits them.
Confident, and beyond
“It is a big step for anyone to take on a new business,” Tom says. “What I
really liked about Cleantastic was that, as a company, we recognise that
new franchisees want support, particularly in their early days. We don’t
just chuck them in at the deep end; we go with them during the whole
process until they are confident, and beyond. Our aim remains to get
them to be successful business owners.”
Cleantastic provides franchisees with a suitable number of clients for
their new business, so they can start confidently. Franchisees are fully
trained in all areas of the business from cleaning ‘The Cleantastic Way’,
through to client communication and invoicing.
“We provide a whole system, brand and know-how,” says Tom.
“An advantage for new franchisees is that they are backed with our
knowledge, based on nearly 30 years of experience in commercial
cleaning. Our point of difference in this field is that we want our
franchisees to see themselves as business owners in their own right. Our
mission is for them to be as successful as the company, so we give them
the tools to do that.
“Franchisees also have the autonomy within the system to run things as
they want, based on their experience and interactions with clients.” For
example, Tom says, franchisees invoice their clients directly. “Most other
franchises reverse that process by handling the invoicing and passing on
the revenue to the operator.
“That’s a double-edged sword, however,” he explains. “From a brief
survey, our franchisees much prefer our method. As one long-standing
couple with Cleantastic commented, ‘We much prefer to invoice our
clients and collect payments as it is preferable to paying higher fees.
“And you don’t need cleaning experience,” Tom explains. “We can train
you in everything you need to know. But you do need the right attitude
to put your clients’ needs first. Good communication skills are also
necessary to ensure you understand and meet those needs every time.”
The sky is the limit
Expansion is a must for Cleantastic now, says Tom. “We have around 300
franchisees, but not only am I looking to expand, it is essential I do so,
because there is a big and growing market out there. This represents a
magnificent opportunity for motivated people who want to take the big
step to own their own business.
“We offer a system of training and support that is second to none and
that is dedicated to your success. You can start small and part-time.
Many of our most successful franchisees have done just that, and some
are now running very big operations indeed.
“If you are looking for something small, which you can grow at your
own pace to achieve your dreams, we can provide that. We take pride in
developing motivated individuals on their business journey, to grow to
whatever size they are comfortable with.”
New owner Tom has big plans for the brand but, he says, one thing is
certain not to change. “That is, best of all, a new Cleantastic franchise
comes with a guarantee of income for 24 months. This allows a
franchisee to more than double their investment in their first two years.
It’s a reflection of the confidence
and experience we have in this
business,” says Tom. “Would I
change that? Good gracious, no! I’ve
bought a winning formula, and the
sky is the limit!
“Investment starts from just $23,200
plus GST so contact me now to find
out more.”
FUTURE
DRIVEN
Opportunity: Business & Commercial
New lead at Cleantastic pushing
extra growth.
Cleantastic
www.cleantastic.co.nz
Contact
Tom Lowe
021 425 853
tom@cleantastic.co.nz
Advertiser Info
Clean start: New Cleantastic owner Tom Lowe