industry

Stories by Bimbola Oyesola

The time of recession indeed could be an opportunity for innovation and a turn around enterprise for a discerning mind. If you are searching for low cost business idea that needs not much preparation, then cleaning business is the ideal one. This is not a new business at all, in fact when you look around you, many people are already doing it. Perhaps before now you have looked down on the business, but those doing it now will tell you that they have no regret venturing into it.
In spite that the market is saturated, there are still demand for it. From the homes, offices, parties, there are quite lots of options.
However, you’ll need to have a clear vision about where you plan to position your cleaning business in this somewhat crowded market and carve a niche for yourself to ensure your start-up and stands out.
The following will serve as guide towards running a successful cleaning business:
Decide the type of cleaning business you want to run
There are three main types of cleaning company:
•Domestic – domestic cleaning involves cleaning people’s homes (normally while they’re at work) and can be undertaken by you as soon as you secure some clients. You may eventually take on staff as your client-base soars.
•Commercial – in order to clean commercial properties you’ll need a team of people (the properties will  tend to be large office buildings. In Nigeria today, the operators are  more in the banking halls) and it may be that your role is more managerial than on the ground cleaning.
•Specialised – there are lots of niches to explore, from window cleaning to schools and vehicle cleaning.
Bear in mind your skills set (are you prepared to clean every day or are you more suited to the administrative side of a cleaning business, where you are the one that co-ordinates your staff and goes around for marketing) and where there’s the best market opportunity in your desired area.
Research, research, research
As mentioned above – researching the potential market and local demographic will be key in determining the type of cleaning business you should start. If you’re planning on running a domestic cleaning venture, you’ll need to ensure that people in the locality are financially capable to pay for someone else to do their domestic chores, likewise for a commercial business,. Market research will also be key in determining your prices (try posing as a prospective client and ringing around the local competition to ensure your pricing point is competitive).
Never stop learning
Technology advances affect the equipment you use, safety issues affect the chemicals you clean with, and there will always be ways you can enhance your organizational and managerial skills. Read industry publications, go to meetings and conventions, participate in trade organizations, and encourage your suppliers to keep you up to date.
Tap all your resources
A wide range of associations serves various aspects of the professional cleaning industry. These groups can help with operational, marketing and management issues. Many state and government agencies also offer support and information for small businesses.
Clean it like it’s your own
Regardless of what you’re cleaning and whether you’re doing traditional house cleaning, janitorial work, or providing a specialty cleaning service, clean like you’re cleaning your own home or office.
Develop systems
Systems provide a structure that allows you to work consistently and efficiently, and also lets you create a company that will continue to run whether you’re there or not. Create systems for every function: cleaning, laundry, supervision, reporting, customer service, accounting and management.
Be careful!
Though time is your most valuable commodity, don’t rush so much that you get careless. Customers will usually understand when accidents happen, but you’re better off if you don’t have to fall back on that. Also, the cost to repair or replace something–in out-of-pocket cash, time lost and damaged customer relations–is usually far more than the time you might save by working carelessly.
Don’t under sell yourself
When you’re starting out, you may be tempted to try to undercut your competitors prices. A better strategy is to simply outperform them by providing quality work.
Take care of your employees
Your employees are critical to your success; after all, it’s the quality of their performance that determines whether your customers are satisfied. Look for ways to make them want to do their best. Train them well, don’t micromanage, and treat them with respect. Provide bonuses and incentives for top performance, and consider offering perks such as letting them use company equipment in their own homes.
Find a niche
Don’t try to be all things to all people; pick the market you can best serve, and focus on that. For example, if you choose to service smaller office buildings, you may not be able to provide quality work at a profitable price level to larger facilities. Excel in what you’re doing and build consistency in the services you provide. When you try to serve too many markets, you won’t be successful in any of them.
Develop your computer skills
You need to be as skilled with your computer as you are with a mop or buffer. The cleaning business may not be particularly high tech, but you don’t have time to do estimates, billing, payroll, inventory control and other record-keeping by hand.
Track labour costs
The biggest single expense you have is labour, and you must stay on top of it. If you aren’t watching your labour costs every day, they’ll get away from you. Compile a daily over and under report, which makes it easy to spot trends before they become major issues. If labour is on the increase, figure out where the problem is. Is the customer asking for extra services you aren’t charging for? Did you underestimate the time it would take to do the work? If you’re under on your labour estimates, make sure your employees are providing the quality you’ve promised.
Invest in customer service
The quality of your cleaning is important, but it’s not everything. Building strong relationships with your clients requires a serious commitment to customer service. Don’t assume that just because the work looks satisfactory to you that it is to your customers–or that there’s nothing else they want or need. Be sure to follow up with them consistently to find out how things are going.
Keep your eye on the economy
As long as things get dirty, there’ll be a need for professionals to clean them. But economic changes can mean changes in your market. Residential cleaning services, for example, are often seen as luxuries, and an economic downturn could affect your customers’ willingness and ability to pay to have their homes cleaned.
When business profits shrink, companies look for ways to cut expenses, which means they may examine their budgets for services that can be reduced or eliminated.
Also consider how the world economy can impact your profitability. For example as oil prices now has skyrocketted, that means you’ll have to spend more to operate your vehicles, and your general utility costs will probably increase. When the cost of lumber goes up, so does the cost of bathroom tissue, paper towels and other disposable paper products you provide to your customers. You may be able to pass along some of those costs, but don’t depend on a thriving economy to keep your business profitable. Have plans in place so you can shift your market focus if necessary.
15. Don’t take every job.
If you can’t make money on a job, or if the work is undesirable for any reason, turn it down. It’s better to focus your time and energy on profitable work you enjoy.


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SON set to improve ease of doing business through standardisation

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In its efforts to support Federal Government’s economic revival, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has vowed to enhance the Ease-of-Doing business in Nigeria through the avenue of standardisation.
The new Director-General of SON, Barrister  Anthony Osita Abaloma while on official tour of the organisation’s facilities in Lagos, said this would be achieved without a compromise on standards.
But for it to be so, he said the staff need to redouble their efforts, adding that committed staff has no reason to fear while working in the organisation.
Abaloma underscored the importance of the federal government’s change mantra, urging Nigerians to allow the change start with them as individuals.
He expressed his desire for the SON to become a positive reference point amongst parastatals in  Nigeria, promising to do  everything possible to boost staff morale.
Calling for team work, he said he could hardly achieve anything without the collaboration and support of the staff especially given the critical point at which Nigeria had found itself, as well as the enormous responsibility of the SON.
The DG said his dispensation would continue with ongoing projects and programmes initiated by his predecessor to enable SON consolidate on progress it had already made.
On the immediate challenges facing the agency , the new director general assured the workers that it would be tackled in such a way that workers would be proud to represent the organisation.
At the Ogba office of the SON where it is currently building an ultra-modern laboratory, Abaloma was conducted round the facility by the immediate past acting director-general, Dr Paul Angya.
The DG’s entourage equally visited both the Apapa and Lekki offices of the SON.
At the Apapa office, the Head of Enforcement, Engineer Bede Obayi described the office as a one-stop shop for the SON, in the sense that it carries out all the basic functions of the agency.
He however lamented that some dubious elements in the society had formed the habit of faking SON papers which they use to commit illegal transactions.
“Notwithstanding, the office had been electronically equipped to monitor cargoes arriving or leaving the ports”, Engineer Obayi informed.
At the Lekki office, immediate past acting DG, Dr Paul Angya commended the staff for responding to a reception meeting for the DG  within a short notice, observing that they had always displayed a warm reception to previous DGS in the last 17 years he had been in the system.
Angya appealed to the staff to give the new DG the maximum cooperation needed to bring about success, adding that the success of the new DG as well as the SON is the success of employees.


Federal-Government-of-Nigeria

FG commences re-skilling, reintegration of IDPs

The Federal Government through the Industrial Training Fund, (ITF), has commenced skills and vocational training for thousands of internally displaced persons,(IDPs) in Maiduguri,Borno State.
The move was part of the federal government’s efforts to  fast track the re integration, re-skilling and empowerment of thousands of people, particularly women and youths that have been displaced by years of conflict in the North East Zone of the country.
The initiative, the government said was, is in line with efforts to empower the people and rebuild the economy of the zone.
President Muhammadu Buhari, it would be recalled, has pledged the commitment of the federal government to resettle millions of IDPs back to their communities, in order for them to be empowered with skills that will assist in urgently reintegrating them into their various communities.
Flagging off the programme which forms part of the 5th Phase of the National Industrial Skills Development Programme, (NISDP), Director General of ITF, Mr Dickson Onouha, said the NISDP is the Technical and Vocational skills training component of the National Enterprise Development Programme, (NEDEP), which is a scheme set up by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment to fastrack the realization of the National Industrial Revolution Programme (NIRP).
He said the scheme which has produced thousands of skilled Nigerians will expose the IDPs to intensive technical and vocational skills training for 3 months in different trade areas.
Onouha said ITF increased the number of trainees from the IDPs in Borno, making it the state with the highest number of trainees for this phase of the programme.
“This increased figures clearly demonstrates the commitment of the Federal Government to equip young Nigerians, especially IDPs with livelihood skills for self sustenance, and also quicken their rehabilitation and intergration”, the ITF DG said. Onouha said to achieve the set objective,  the fund in conjunction with relevant arms of the state government have identified and selected suitable centers in Maiduguri to provide trainings in tailoring and fashion design, poultry farming and cosmetology amongst others.
According to him, the trade areas were carefully selected based on their anticipated value addition to the citizens of the state, and the potential to provide opportunities for the establishment of micro, small and medium scale enterprises, as well as being a sure means for sustainable livelihood.
Calling for the support of all stakeholders, the ITF DG said it was pertinent to note that the objective of the programme cannot be achieved without the support, synergy and collaboration of all stakeholders.
He commended the State Governor, Hon. Kasheem Shetima, for the support, pointing out the training was bound to be a success, due to the encouragement of IDPs by the state government.
He urged the trainees to shun all negative acts capable of undermining the noble objectives of the programme, saying they must exhibit relentless appetite for excellence, before, during and after the training.