As a safety requirement, all restaurants are required to keep their hoods, exhausts, and vents clean. Grease and smoke can clog up these vents and make the space a fire hazard.
Count on your kitchen staff to do their routine cleaning, but the exhaust system requires trained professionals. This is a good point to jump-off for those looking to start their own business in the hood cleaning faction.
These are the things you can tick off the must-do list to start your kitchen exhaust hood cleaning company:
Equipment Supplier
Start off by sourcing relevant exhaust hood cleaning equipment and chemicals to perform this service. You may look locally for readily available ones or ship from abroad for cheaper items in bulk.
Equipment may include spray guns, high-pressure hoses, floor dryers, and foamers. Also, there are accessories such as protective gear, wash pads, and cleaning agents that you will need to purchase as well.
Effective Marketing
Invest in marketing and put up traditional ads in local papers, street signs, or other out-of-home locations to reach restaurant owners. This is one of those businesses where even a business card on the corkboard works, especially if it’s in a restaurant.
You may also maximize social media and online ads targeted towards your market. We did a case study of this with a city branded business, Louisville Hood Cleaning. Businesses these days must have an online presence to gain traction.
Once your company is established, word of mouth can also be helpful. So be sure to ask customers to leave reviews or comments on your website (if they are satisfied with the service).
Although, the most important thing in this day and age of advertising for any business is the website that people run into, whether it be from search, social media, yelp, or ads. This has to stand out and be professional to gain customers trust.
Price
You should also do a competitor check and see their prices so you can set competitive rates.
On average, exhaust hood cleaning typically has a flat rate of around $400. With this, you can weigh in your expenses and set the best price you can profit from without turning off customers with sky-high prices.
Ease of Booking
You can either choose to set up a local office in an accessible location so people can drop by or set up a social media page and website.
Do both or start with one and work your way from there. What matters most is that potential customers find it easy to view the services offered and have a hassle-free booking experience.
Prior Training
Hood cleaning is a labor-intensive field of work and requires highly trained people to keep it going. Cleaning schools and certification programs are available for anyone looking to be a pro.
Be sure to train and motivate your cleaning staff so they always perform their best. This ensures that your team can offer quality service that your customers will love and even recommend to others. Good luck guys!