| While most companies have specific policies and a | | | | your bookkeeper is responsible for paying sales tax |
| printed procedure manual written up for employees to | | | | she should write down all relevant information including |
| follow, your cleaning business may have started on a | | | | when to send in the taxes, where it goes, who she or |
| part-time basis with you doing everything. Most likely, | | | | he calls if there are questions. Keep your manual |
| nothing was put in writing. With many different tasks | | | | consistent by creating a simple template that you use |
| pulling you in a thousand directions, putting your | | | | for all of your procedures. Following is an example for |
| procedures down into writing has most likely not made | | | | the format of a section:1. Date Updated: |
| it to the top of your "to do" list. But what happens | | | | _________________2. Updated by: |
| when you want to go on a vacation? Or if you | | | | ___________________3. Procedures Required |
| become sick or injured? Having a written policy and | | | | to |
| procedures manual for your cleaning business means | | | | 4. List step-by-step proceduresA filled out page might |
| your business can keep running if you do become sick | | | | look something like this:Date Updated: 9/15/06Updated |
| or injured or if you decide to take some much needed | | | | by: John JonesProcedures Required to |
| time off.So how do you go about writing down the | | | | CheckVoicemail.- Call 555-5555- Press the # key to |
| procedures you do to keep your business running? | | | | stop the message- Enter code: 9156- Listen to |
| Start off by realizing this is an important task to take | | | | messages- Press 3 to delete message, press 7 to |
| on. Following are a few tips to help you create a | | | | save messageListed below are additional items that |
| procedures manual for your cleaning business:1. Don't | | | | you will probably want to include in your cleaning |
| try to sit down and write out your manual in one sitting. | | | | business' procedures manual. This is just a general list. |
| You will get discouraged and most likely set the | | | | One of your first steps in putting together your own |
| document aside and never get back to it. You do not | | | | manual will be to decide what information you need to |
| have to tackle this project all at once. Instead, set | | | | include.- Important contact information.- Customer |
| aside a block of time every day or once a week to | | | | contact information and contract information.- Account |
| work on your manual.2. Set up your manual as a | | | | numbers and passwords.- Vendor lists.- Legal |
| Microsoft Word document and password protect it. | | | | information- Type of business entity, important account |
| Microsoft Word is an easy program to work with and | | | | numbers.- Computer procedures, software and |
| allows you to easily make changes. By password | | | | product ID's, back-up systems.- Website designer, |
| protecting the document it will not be accessible to | | | | website host and registrar for domain names.- |
| anyone else. Just make sure you share the password | | | | Bookkeeping procedures.- Procedures for paying |
| with a spouse or trusted assistant in case something | | | | taxes.- Payroll procedures.- Employee evaluation |
| happens to you.3. Start by putting basic information into | | | | procedures.- Where to find equipment warranties and |
| your manual. This is the information that you needed to | | | | service information. Information on your safety |
| get your cleaning business up and running and is | | | | program including where to find MSDS sheets.The |
| probably scattered about your office in numerous | | | | easiest way to begin putting together your manual is to |
| documents. Some of the information you'll want to | | | | make a list of all the things that you and others do for |
| document include: your business address, e-mail, phone | | | | your cleaning company that need to be documented. If |
| number, fax number, your attorney's name and | | | | you can delegate some of these items to others then |
| address, accountant's name and address, bank | | | | do so! That will make your job all that much easier. Put |
| account information, Employee Identification Number | | | | together a template that works for your cleaning |
| (EIN), sales tax number and credit card information.4. | | | | business and then start filling in the blanks. Before you |
| When you are working on specific tasks for your | | | | know it, your manual will be completed. Print it off and |
| business, whether that be sending out billings, making | | | | put it into a three-ring binder so you can use it as a |
| sales calls, etc., write down your procedures. If there | | | | reference. Then if for some reason you cannot work |
| are particular tasks that have to be done regularly, or | | | | or if you decide to finally take that vacation there will |
| other tasks you feel are important to the business, | | | | be procedures in place so your cleaning business can |
| make sure you document the procedures, | | | | run efficiently in your absence.Copyright (c) 2006 The |
| step-by-step. You can even dictate the specific | | | | Janitorial StoreSteve Hanson is co-founding member |
| procedures into a tape recorder and have those | | | | of The Janitorial Store (TM), an online community that |
| transcribed.5. If you have other people helping you, | | | | offers weekly tips, articles, downloads, discussion |
| such as an assistant, bookkeeper, or salesperson, | | | | forums, and more for anyone who would like to learn |
| have them document what they do. For instance, if | | | | how to start a cleaning business. |