MAKING A CLEAN BREAK

Bobby Singh went from driving a truck to steering his own successful Paramount Services franchise

Bobby Singh spent much of his earlier career behind the wheel of a truck working for his sister’s distribution business. Not surprisingly, inspired by his sister’s example, Bobby loved the idea of owning his own business – but what could he afford? Was there a business opportunity out there that came with an excellent reputation, didn’t cost too much to get into and had the training and support to let you hit the ground running?

A friend of Bobby’s happened to run a commercial cleaning business, so Bobby tagged along with him a few times to learn exactly what the job entailed. Then he took his sister’s advice and researched what was available. That’s why, in 2012, he bought a Paramount Services franchise. 10 years later, he’s got a thriving business that’s grown every year and he couldn’t be happier with his choice.

Stand-out success

‘When I started looking around, Paramount stood out from the competition because it had been around for such a long time and had such a good reputation, not just with its customers but with its franchisees, too,’ says Bobby (above with one of his team, Levelevei Rankin, and Paramount Auckland Account Manager Josette Watson)

‘That’s really worked out for me. I started with a few small client sites and had lots of help from the support office. National manager Murray Hamilton is the key support person for my business – he’s regularly in touch, helping me to look for new opportunities locally and offering additional work as the Paramount contracts team brings on new clients.

‘As my business has grown, I’ve taken on more staff to handle the work, and Paramount has been great in helping me manage all that, especially in terms of systems, communication and training. That’s helped my team achieve and maintain the standards which keep clients happy, and of course having great support was vital during Covid when things were constantly changing.’

What do you need?

Murray Hamilton is proud of Bobby’s success, and says he quickly saw Bobby’s potential when they first met all those years ago. ‘There are certain attributes we look for, like positivity, problem-solving ability, tidy presentation, good verbal communication skills and a willingness to get things done. It helps to have an understanding of what it takes to run a business, too.

‘Bobby ticked all those boxes, especially positivity and getting things done, and that’s why he has succeeded. I remember telling Bobby that developing good relationships with customers is vital. Quality is important, and if customers know and understand their cleaning leader then it makes it easy for them to provide feedback, which in turn leads to excellent customer satisfaction.

‘Bobby really got this. I once met with the principal of a school being cleaned by Bobby and his team who said that in all his years of being associated with schools, Bobby was the best cleaner he had ever come across, along with being an excellent person to deal with. That’s the way to build a business.’

Why start now?

While the pandemic delivered a lot of negative outcomes for many business sectors, from Paramount Services’ perspective there was one big positive, too, says Murray. ‘People now see effective and efficient cleaning as being a necessary part of life both at home and in the workplace.

Levelevei Rankin: setting standards that make clients happy

‘As a result, we can command realistic pricing that allows our franchisees to provide a good service to their customers and pay staff well, thereby reducing staff turnover and the costs associated with that.

‘With our reputation and experience, Paramount is ideally situated to help new franchisees build strong new businesses, just as Bobby has, and to enhance the businesses of existing franchisees.’

New for young mums

Paramount still has many commercial cleaning opportunities available, especially in areas such as Hawkes Bay, Taranaki, Wairarapa, Bay of Plenty, Waikato, and the Far North. ‘And with demand higher than ever, Paramount Services is now launching a domestic cleaning division,’ says Murray.

‘We’ve designed a special franchise model for young mothers wanting to contribute to the family income while their children are at school. With our reputation, training and systems, we can help you run a parttime, daytime business with all the support of our award-winning brand.

‘If you’re keen to learn more about opportunities with Paramount, make contact and we’ll send details on how the Paramount system works,’ explains Murray, ‘along with a link to a tool that helps you judge for yourself whether a franchise might suit you. We’ll then follow up with a one-on-one interview and if we like each other, help you through the process of becoming a Paramount franchisee.’

Bobby Singh agrees that now is a good time to seize the opportunity with Paramount. ‘If you’re checking it out for the first time, ask about the level of training and assistance that comes with the business,’ he suggests. ‘And talk to some of the franchisees who’ve been there and done it – like me. We’ll tell you all about it.’

Meanwhile Bobby is looking to grow his own business even further. ‘That’s the beauty of the Paramount franchise – you might start with just a few clients, but you can grow as big as you want.’

Advertiser Info

Paramount Services

www.paraserve.com

Contact Murray Hamilton

P 0-9-376 7850 or 027 467 1688

mhamilton@paraserv.com

Murray Hamilton, Paramount Services National Manager

Bobby Singh: ‘My business has grown every year’

Levelevei Rankin: setting standards that make clients happy