Money Making

BRAND PROFILE
[ MINSTER CLEANING SERVICES ]
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
THE COMMERCIAL
CLEANING MARKET
IS MASSIVE. IT’S AN
ESSENTIAL BUSINESS
SERVICE THAT
APPEALS TO A BROAD
CLIENT BASE”
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.”
INFORMATION
Visit www.minsterfranchise.co.uk.
44 MAKING MONEY