With a vision of a cleaner future, Gareth Sanders of Sparkle Cleaning explains how his values have helped him build his business
When I started my business, I didn’t really have a plan, but I had £800 in my pocket, a lot of management and business experience as an employee to draw on and an idea of what sort of company is great to be part of.
I’ve worked in companies before where I’ve not been valued. I know how that feels and I never wanted that for our business. Historically, cleaners have not always been treated well by their employers or by clients they work for and we believe cleaning is a valuable career - not just a minimum wage job.
Mixing fun with professionalism
I’ve thought hard about the culture and values I personally live by and those I want my company to live by.
We, at Sparkle Cleaning, are unique because our business is more than just a group of people who are cleaning - it’s a family of people who mix fun with professionalism and always support each other to offer the best possible service to our customers.
Our staff love being part of a team and in an industry known for high staff turnover we have a great retention rate, with people who joined us when we started still being with us today.
We strive to keep our staff happy by paying fairly and offering support and training when required, as we believe that great team members help us to add value to our business and provide a better service for our clients.
Family first
I wanted to create an environment at Sparkle Cleaning where ‘family first’ is a guiding value.
When people work for us, they are part of our family - they can take ownership of their work and they have a part to play in a team.
We reward excellent behaviour and work. If we get great feedback from one of our clients, the staff that work on that project are rewarded. We want people to grow with us, have enjoyment in their work and become confident team members and team leaders.
We deliver high quality, dependable cleaning services because our people are committed to doing the best job possible.
People are key
After the value and culture are established, the rest of the business comes together more easily. People are key - the right people. Having clear values and culture makes recruitment a lot easier as a business owner.
For example, we know we’re looking for people who put their family first and believe in keeping things simple, adding value and having fun. We know by recruiting well into a great environment that you will also retain those staff. This reinforces the great company culture, helps the business continue to produce excellent work and reduces the running costs of your business.
Running my business is part of my life. We all get tough days in business and this alignment of personal and business values makes the hard days easier and decision making simpler. I wish you well on your journey.
At a glance Sparkle Cleaning
Established:
2016
Number of franchised outlets:
6
Location of units:
Bristol, Bath, Newport, Swindon, Birmingham central, Birmingham north
Investment range:
£10,000
Minimum required capital:
£5,000
Contact:
01172 591456 sparklecleanup.com
