Molly Maid Ranks in 13th Position for Elite Franchise Top 100
It is no surprise that in the midst of a global health pandemic, families are paying even greater attention to keeping their home clean and sanitised, which is driving the professional home cleaning industry to even greater heights. Valued at near £3 billion annually, this growth has the longest established and most recognised brand – MOLLY MAID – planning for significant expansion in the next few years. Kevin Hipkins, President & CEO, has been with the company for almost 30 years and says the changes in the industry are unlike anything he has seen.
The company’s Franchise Owners and 1,000 strong workforce have always done things ‘right’ says Hipkins; “Things like a contract of employment, comprehensive training and care for employees welfare, including fair wages”, and these things are going to be even more important to the millions who will now be choosing professional services like MOLLY MAID to keep their home cleaned and sanitised. The company launched its HomeSafe cleaning procedures within weeks of the first national lockdown, another innovation to the sector and something that Hipkins says shows the values of the company. “Today more than ever, caring for the health and safety of people has to be ingrained in your company’s culture and operations.” HomeSafe has been lauded by the UK Government (Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy) and recognised in the press, for its safety-first approach in helping MOLLY MAID Franchise Owners quickly resume service in early May.
MOLLY MAID was founded in Canada in the 1970’s and came to the UK in the early 1980’s. The company’s instantly recognisable pink and blue colours, distinctive logo and Franchise Owner focus caught the attention of Pam Bader OBE, the first female chairwoman of the BFA. Pam led the company for more than two decades as it became the industry leader in the UK and to accolades like the BFA Franchisee of the Year and finalists of the Franchisor of the Year. The company is now owned by Hipkins, a veteran of the industry having been the long time President of MOLLY MAID in Canada and working with the company’s master licenses in Portugal, Japan and the United States. Unsurprisingly, the company hasn’t skipped a beat featuring in the Elite Franchise top 15 Franchises in the UK in 2019 and 2020 and top 10 in 2021.
Hipkins is of course proud of these accolades but even prouder of the company’s Franchise Owners and Support Office team in what they have done to come through this challenging period. “From the first day of lockdown our focus was on helping Franchise Owners and preparing our business for a hugely successful restart. Within weeks of resuming service some of our Franchise Owners were already achieving similar turnover as they were before the lockdown and this doesn’t happen by accident. It starts and ends with close and trusting relationships with customers, something that we have long believed in and work extremely hard at, and that effort has certainly paid off.”
The home cleaning industry has grown steadily for the past few decades, helped in part by an increasing number of time-pressed families who don’t want to clean. But with the importance now of cleanliness in the home, the industry is set for record growth in the next decade and with the industry leading brand and their HomeSafe trademark, MOLLY MAID is sure to be the biggest benefactor. As the company comes up to its fourth decade in business Hipkins says a combination of a growing industry, the most well-known brand and a team of great Franchise Owners, means it will be the best decade for MOLLY MAID in its history.