Karl seizes the chance to grow his business by retraining in carpet care
A strong sense of a job well done is just one of the many rewards of owning a CrestClean business, says Karl Parker.
“I enjoy the cleaning because you might be doing the same job five nights a week, but you feel like you’ve accomplished something every time you walk out,” he adds.
He gets a huge amount of satisfaction from looking after his Nelson customers. “You go in and it can be in a bit of a mess and when you have finished, and it’s nice and clean and tidy, there’s a feeling of a job well done.”
Karl took advantage of the company’s Move to the Regions Programme when he joined CrestClean. The programme offers various incentives, including $3,000 towards relocation costs for anyone relocating to Nelson or Blenheim to purchase a cleaning franchise.
There’s no shortage of cleaning work in Nelson and Karl, who has a background in supermarket management, has been slowly building up the size of his business.
As well as looking after the requirements of his regular cleaning customers, which include schools, offices and kindergartens, Karl has recently undertaken further training to become a Carpet Care specialist. Other specialist cleaning opportunities available in CrestClean include Hard Floor Care, and Pure Water Window Cleaning.
“Carpet cleaning is a chance for me to grow my business and meet more customers.
There are so many opportunities to grow in CrestClean, and that’s what I like. I knew there would be avenues.”
Karl says being a CrestClean business owner is a world apart from his previous career in retail. He spent 21 years in management and 13 years as a store manager.
“These days I really enjoy the freedom of being my own boss. Working in a supermarket felt like I had a million balls in the air at a time. It was very stressful.
“Joining CrestClean was one of the best decisions I’ve made, on a personal and a business level. I enjoy the rapport you build up with your customers, it’s a really important part of the business.”
He likes the fact that CrestClean takes care of the paperwork, allowing him to concentrate on the practical side of the job. “You own your own business but you don’t have to do the fiddly bits like the accounts.
“The training is fantastic and you have a clear plan of what you need to do and help is there if you need it.
“What I like about the franchise system is that you are part of a bigger organisation than yourself. I know I have the full backing of CrestClean.”
Keeping in touch with his customers is also a very important part of his business. It’s something he particularly enjoys. He schedules time to swing by every month or so for a quick catch up to check all is well.
“I want to ensure my customers are happy with my work and to get their feedback. It’s all part of being a responsible business owner,” he says.
Living in Nelson has given him and his partner an idyllic lifestyle, says Karl. He gets plenty of free time in the day before starting his cleaning work mid-afternoon.
“Nelson is a fantastic area and the people are great and very friendly. It’s very good here for families. At weekends you’ll see a lot of families out enjoying time together.”
Barbara de Vries, CrestClean’s Nelson Regional Manager, says Karl is a very detailed cleaner and is well liked by his customers. “He goes above and beyond what is required and is always cheerful and happy.
“Karl has recently upskilled so he can offer his customers a carpet cleaning service. The sky’s the limit when it comes to how far people want to go with CrestClean.”
