50 Years of doing it right

Dave Chapman

No one loves a recession, and contrary to what they may say in the press, times get harder. If you are a business owner, money becomes scarcer and trying to find new clients ever more difficult to do, especially if you are a small business in a highly competitive market the size of an ocean.

That's why it's reassuring to hear about ServiceMaster Ltd's Golden Anniversary. Started in the UK in 1959, ServiceMaster Ltd was one of the founding members of the British Franchise Association and this year, the company celebrates 50 years in franchising.

Over the last half a century the company has helped businesses grow and prosper across its family of brands including TruGreen professional lawn care, Merry Maids domestic cleaning services, Furniture Medic furniture repair and restoration services and the ServiceMaster Clean business offering both programmed carpet cleaning services and daily office cleaning services.

Steve Emmerson is Managing Director at ServiceMaster Ltd; "2009 represents a huge landmark for ServiceMaster in the UK; our 50th anniversary just goes to prove that our businesses really do stand the test of time."

So how does a national business such as ServiceMaster Ltd continue to develop even during a recession? Totalfranchise asked ServiceMaster Ltd, what they believe makes a business stand out in economic uncertainty:

Understand Your Strengths We believe that in the current economic climate, there is no room for deviation from your business strengths. You should know what business you are in, and who you are in business for. In times of economic uncertainty where every penny counts, it becomes all the more important to analyse the effects that chasing into new markets may have on your company. At ServiceMaster we believe that by focusing on clarity of purpose, a business can understand what they are good at and continue to excel, to ensure growth.

For example, our TruGreen® lawn care technicians are certified by the National Proficiency Training Council (NPTC) and also receive regular updates on the latest information and techniques in lawn care ensuring that we provide the highest level of professional lawn care service. Whilst it would be cost effective to provide a lesser form of training and support - it would undermine one of the key aspects of the franchise.

Match Your Customers Expectations. A relevant knowledge is able to convey an emotional, physical and positive experience, reinforcing the company's values long after they have finished with your service. In the age of the internet, where blog posts, twitter feeds and Facebook comments could potentially destroy a company overnight, focusing on creating a positive experience is paramount to a business's success.

Our customers expect a high level of service which we strive to consistently exceed. Our franchisees understand that the key to receiving repeat business is by matching and exceeding their customer's expectations. Part of our success can be attributed to using relevant up-to-date customer service methods, which make it easier for customers to stay in contact with the business.

Believe In Your Brand When it comes to our organisation, we understand that branding is important to ensure that our corporate messages reach throughout the entirety of our business - and as quickly as possible. This allows our franchisees to quickly adapt to changing market conditions. We adhere to the basic principle of 'practice what you preach'. Our franchisees are proud to deliver their service and understand that by striving for excellence they are seen as a local, trustworthy and credible service provider.

Be Consistent ServiceMaster Ltd has been consistently supporting businesses for the last 50 years. We understand that if an organisation stands still for too long, then it becomes harder to change for the better. We believe that by addressing needs of change in an appropriate manner that we never result in a dilution of our core beliefs and values. Everyone within ServiceMaster Ltd knows that our brand must never be undermined on quality or experience.