Over 90 active Jan-Pro franchise owners call the greater St. Louis metro area home, and that number is growing. Each new franchise owner in the region undergoes an intensive five week training course to study Jan-Pro’s proprietary methods. They also receive a startup package of state-of-the-art equipment to launch their businesses, including a lightweight ProTeam® backpack vacuum, the Super Coach Pro®.
“For many years, ProTeam has proven to us that their vacuums can do the job,” said Billy Reynolds, director of operations for Jan-Pro of St. Louis. “The 10-quart Super Coach Pro is our bread and butter. Knowing the daily wear and tear they receive, I can say they are very high-quality vacuum cleaners.”
When used properly, a ProTeam backpack vacuum cleans two to three times faster than an upright, and 52 percent faster than a dust mop. Reynolds’s team teaches new franchise owners how to get the greatest comfort and productivity from their backpack vacuums.
“Setup is key. First they learn how to adjust the straps for a comfortable fit,” said Reynolds. “We also teach them to use the backpack vacuum for more than just the floor. It improves efficiency. We use them on pretty much any surface that we need to clean: chairs, tables, ceiling fans, vents, and air intakes. We even vacuum cubicle walls.”
Instead of the backpack vacuum’s standard configuration, Reynolds recommends the straight Sidewinder wand to franchise owners. He has observed a 20 to 25 percent increase in productivity compared the standard wand, once the user becomes accustomed to the different vacuuming motion. The Sidewinder also reaches easily under copy machines, low desks, and other obstacles.
“Personally, the Sidewinder is the only wand I will use,” said Reynolds. “It picks up anything in its path, and it glides well on any surface.”
When Jan-Pro salesmen speak to potential customers, they emphasize the benefits of improved indoor air quality from using backpack vacuums. Whereas a duster sends dust and debris swirling through the air to settle on the floor later, the Super Coach Pro captures dust directly off surfaces.
“The big benefit is that the dust is going into the vacuum, so it’s not being spread around the building,” said Reynolds. “In terms of health, it is important that we remove as much dust as possible from the building.”
Reynolds also teaches Team Cleaning® concepts to franchise owners. In Team Cleaning, cleaners band together as teams of specialists. Each specialist takes on fewer tasks and performs them throughout a building. A vacuum specialist, for example, will vacuum for three to four hours straight. That specialist’s responsibility is to know both the vacuum and vacuuming tasks inside and out.
“We teach the concept of Team Cleaning, and then it is the option of the franchise owner. They can integrate it however they choose,” said Reynolds. “For me, the choice is obvious. One of the benefits of Team Cleaning is greater efficiency, and you can never be too efficient.”
