The Change We Never Planned to Make

Sometimes the best changes in business are the ones you never actually planned.

From the day Haus Maids started in 2012 until late 2024, the way we met a new client remained largely unchanged. We visited their home, talked through what they were looking for and provided an estimate in person.

Then one of our franchisees went through a temporary period where they were unable to drive.

Rather than allowing that to become a problem for their business, we worked together to find a solution. We introduced virtual estimates, allowing them to meet prospective clients remotely, understand their requirements and provide an estimate without travelling to the property.

What started as a solution to one temporary problem ended up changing the way much of Haus Maids operates.

We trialled the approach in that office for 12 months and, after seeing the results, made it available across our franchise network. Today, the majority of our franchisees have chosen to incorporate virtual estimates into their businesses.

For clients, it means we can often offer an appointment quickly and make the process of arranging their cleaning service incredibly straightforward. For our franchisees, it means less time driving across their territory and more time available to actually build and manage their business.

And the results have been really encouraging too, with more estimates being completed and improved conversion rates.

Virtual doesn’t have to mean virtual only. Franchisees can still visit a property when they feel the scope of the work requires it, or when an in-person visit is simply the better option. Equally, some may prefer to continue carrying out their estimates face-to-face.

For us, that’s really the point.

We found a better way of doing something, proved that it worked, and then gave our franchisees another tool they can choose to use to run their business more effectively.

The Technology Behind Haus Maids

October marks one year since every Haus Maids franchisee moved onto our brand-new business management software.

As part of that change, we tripled our investment in software and technology, giving our franchisees access to the latest tools to help them run and grow their businesses.

And what a difference a year has made.

Our cleaning team members now have their own app where they can manage their working day, get directions to customers’ homes, follow property-specific checklists, upload photos and videos and keep the office updated while they’re out working.

Our franchisees aren’t tied to their desks either. With access from their phones, they can keep on top of their business wherever they choose to work.

But perhaps our favourite addition is something the customer sees.

After every clean, our software automatically contacts the client and asks them to rate their service out of five and leave their comments. That constant stream of feedback helps our franchisees spot potential issues early, retain customers and identify where additional training might be needed. Just as importantly, it allows us to recognise team members who are doing a fantastic job – every single day.

A year on, the feedback from our franchisees has been incredibly positive, and the technology has become an integral part of how Haus Maids businesses operate.

For somebody joining Haus Maids today, there’s nothing extra to buy or build. You’ll have access to the software from day one, with the cost included within your regular management fee.