A remote cleaning business offers cleaning services in various remote locations. It does not have a centralized physical office. All business operations are handled virtually. The services include residential cleaning, commercial cleaning, and specialized cleaning. The typical profit margin in this biz is from 10% to 28%. Remote cleaning businesses operate through mobile communication. Some YouTube influencers share their success stories online.
Johnny and Sergio of Home Service Academy are successful remote cleaners. They claim that anyone can make $65K per month through their business model. And they did this without cleaning a single property. Johnny said their company is now worth $1.3 million. They scaled the biz by partnering with realtors and property managers.
This guy also shared some tips on how to succeed as a remote cleaner online. According to him, great customer service will keep customers coming. Strive to get good reviews, because they attract new leads.
This article shares everything you need to know about the remote cleaning business. I'll share the key components, how to start the biz, and how to find cleaners. Success stories of remote cleaners are also shared in this article. And, the common mistakes that new remote cleaners make are explained.
What is Remote Cleaning?
Remote cleaning is a business model where the owner remotely manages the daily operations. They cater to both home cleaning and commercial cleaning. A remote closing business provides a variety of services. This ranges from daily cleaning work to specialized and industry-specific cleaning.
This business heavily relies on digital tools for scheduling, communication, and coordination with remote employees. Their customer base includes residential clients and commercial clients. Commercial customers include offices, retail stores, restaurants, and healthcare facilities that require professional cleaning services.
What are the Key Components of a Remote Cleaning Business?
How To Start a Remote Cleaning Business?
How to Find and Hire Remote Cleaners?
How To Set Up Payment Processing For Your Remote Closing Business?
To set up payment processing, choose a reliable payment gateway like Stripe or PayPal. Create a separate business account to keep your finances organized. Use an accounting software to manage income and expenses. Offer different payment options, like credit cards and bank transfers. Diverse options make it easier for clients to pay. You may also offer a subscription model for regular clients. This builds consistent income flow. Automate invoicing so it’s easier to bill your clients. It also lets you communicate payment terms more clearly.
How to Partner with Property Managers and Local Businesses?
Partner with local businesses by tailoring your services to their business needs. Start by listing potential partners in your target area. Emphasize the advantages, like flexible scheduling and superb customer service. Offer discounted rates for large contracts to attract big partners. Maintain high-quality service to keep the partnership strong.
Build a strong online presence with positive reviews and testimonials to boost credibility. Regular follow-ups and feedback collection are essential for maintaining long-term relationships with partners.
How Much Does It Cost To Start a Remote Closing Business?
You need around $1,800 to $6,800 to start a fully operational remote cleaning business. The actual cost varies depending on the size and needs. The initial costs include business registration, permits, and licensing. You also need to get initial cleaning supplies and tools. Insurance coverage is also necessary before starting a remote cleaning biz. SEO and paid ads are optional but are highly encouraged. Here’s a full breakdown of the costs to expect:
Cost Type | Estimated Amount |
|---|---|
Business Registration | $50 to $500 |
Permits and Licensing | $100 to $300 |
Website Development | $500 to $3,000 |
SEO and Online Ads | Around $200 |
Employee Uniforms | $150 to $500 |
Mobile Devices for Communication | starts at $200 per device |
Insurance (liability and worker’s compensation insurance) | $500 to $1,500 per year |
Initial Cleaning Supplies | $300 to $600 |
What are the Benefits of Remotely Managing a Cleaning Business?
Is a Remote Cleaning Business Profitable?
A remote cleaning business can be profitable because it has lower operating costs. You don’t need a physical office, unlike in a traditional cleaning business. So, you can save a lot on overhead costs. It runs a commission-based model. You typically split profits with the cleaner 50/50. You can save on taxes and employee benefits since you don’t necessarily need to “employ” them. Automated booking systems also cut operating costs.
The cleaning service is an evergreen market. Residential and commercial cleaning services are always in high demand. This creates an opportunity to make a steady income for remote cleaning businesses. In 2023, the household cleaners' revenue was $38.61 billion in 2023. And, the industry continues to grow at a 5.13% rate annually.
Remote Cleaners Who Made Money
Jaden is a 20-year-old from Cincinnati. He is a college student studying computer science and is working multiple jobs. He made $14,000 in revenue in just three weeks. This exceeded his initial goal of $5,000 for the first month. He uses Google, Thumbtack, and Yelp to get clients for his cleaning business.
John Gozman is Johnny and Sergio’s student in their Home Service Academy program. He believes the service is always in demand. John claims to have made $10,000 in his first 40 days. He focused on hiring quality cleaners who provide excellent service.
Bethany Jean Shares Common Mistakes that New Cleaning Business Owners Make
Taking Every Client
Taking every client, regardless of their profile, may lead to inefficient processes. Identifying if the client’s profile matches your business goals is important. Choosing your clients well ensures good profit margins.
Underbidding in Deals
Bidding under the ideal price range may lead to unmet goals. Avoid miscalculations by personally visiting the site, especially in big projects.
Using the Wrong Marketing Strategy
Many cleaning businesses waste money on unnecessary marketing strategies and poor marketing execution. Choose your expenses wisely if you’re a new business. You won’t need to brand your vehicles if you’re starting as a small company.
Unprofessional
Many customers complain about the lack of professionalism in new cleaners. They barely answer calls and don’t return missed calls. Clients won’t trust you if they don’t see you as a serious businessman.
What are the Challenges that New Cleaners Encounter?
Coordinating remote cleaning services involves managing schedules. You also need to oversee transportation and equipment needs of your employees. This is easy to mismanage if you don't have a fixed system in place.
The cleaning industry has high turnover rates because of the low wages and heavy physical work. The turnover rate for the cleaner/janitorial job can reach up to 200%. You might need to replace the entire workforce every six months.
It’s challenging to maintain high employee morale in a remote workforce. Offer benefits and better compensation packages to retain your workforce.
Local Lead Generation Agency VS. Remote Cleaning Company
Running a local lead generation agency is better than operating a remote cleaning company. Remote cleaning is highly competitive because of the low barriers to entry. There’s less competition in local lead gen because of the thousands of markets you can get into. With remote cleaning, you need to manage a remote workforce.
The daily operations can be dreadful since you need to arrange schedules, handle customers, and maintain the quality of every completed service. Local lead gen is better because you only need to build and rank sites. Daily operations are easier and the profit margins are much bigger. Remote cleaning margin is around 28%. The profit margin is at least 85% for every lead you generate from your digital assets.
