Merry Maids provides dependable cleaning services with a satisfaction guarantee�if the customer is unhappy, Merry Maids will return to clean the area at no extra charge. Merry Maids employees are carefully screened to ensure that they are qualified and trustworthy, and each member is trained according to the specific techniques and quality standards of Merry Maids. Efficient two-person cleaning teams are armed with all the necessary tools and supplies to clean homes effectively and safely.

As the number of working women, as well as the desire for more leisure time, continues to increase, the maid industry and its time-saving services has enjoyed impressive growth. Merry Maids maintains a systematic approach to training, cleaning and office management to encourage the growth for each franchisee. The company has more than 20 years of experience in the maid-service industry and has more franchisees in the United States than its next three competitors combined.

 

Investment Required
The fee for a Merry Maids franchise varies according to market size. The fee is $27,000 in a full-sized market, $23,000 in a mid-sized market and $19,000 in a small market.

Merry Maids provides the following range of investments required to open your initial franchise. The range assumes that all items are paid for in cash. To the extent that you choose to finance any of these expense items, your front-end investment could be substantially reduced.

On-Going Expenses
Merry Maids franchisees pay a royalty fee equal to 7% of gross sales (5% if sales are above $500,000) and a software lease fee equal to $14.40 a week if weekly gross sales are $3,000 or below.

What You Get�Training and Support
Franchisees begin with eight days of home-office training, which is followed by meetings with the Merry Maids franchise development team and support from an existing franchise owner. Throughout these phases, franchisees will be instructed in the necessary preparation, procedures and systems for developing, managing and operating a Merry Maids franchise. Topics include hiring, training, marketing, selling, scheduling and cleaning; methods include training manuals, videotape presentations, CD-ROMs, on-the-job and in-the-field experience and computer instruction. Additional resources and learning opportunities include newsletters, quarterly regional meetings, invitational conferences, specialized field seminars, advanced performance training seminars and an annual convention.

The franchisee fee conveniently includes the equipment, supplies and Merry Maids proprietary cleaning products to equip two cleaning teams. More than 300 home cleaning-related products can be ordered through the Merry Maids Resource Center, which can be accessed online or by phone. Tools and materials for selecting, training, developing and compensating cleaning team members are also provided, such as training videos, hiring and safety presentations, recognition and reward programs and a quarterly newsletter.

Merry Maids has multiple marketing, advertising and public relations programs in place to achieve the maximum return on franchisees� investments and expand their customer bases. TV campaigns generate thousands of customer calls to Merry Maids franchisees around the country, and Merry Maids customizes websites for franchisees to make it easy for customers to locate the nearest Merry Maids in their area.

Territory
Merry Maids grants exclusive territories; full-sized markets have a minimum of 10,000 qualified households, mid-sized markets have a minimum of 5,000 and a small-sized market has a maximum of 5,000.