ProTeam Backpacks Improve IAQ for National Maid Service

When Frank and Cynthia Berger emerged in the cleaning industry 10 years ago, they already had 15 years of experience in running a successful food-service franchise. They opened the first You’ve Got Maids residential cleaning service in Orlando, Fla. with a mission to be exceptional and grow rapidly. Today, their franchise comprises over 40 locations nationwide. One of Berger’s early decisions was to use ProTeam vacuums to improve IAQ (Indoor Air Quality) in the homes they cleaned. Having lost a father to lung cancer, Berger was impressed by ProTeam’s educational partnership with the American Lung Association.

“Homes today are virtually air tight. They are so well insulated that IAQ is worse,” said Berger. “I love ProTeam, because I feel they are very similar to us. We are both on a mission to improve IAQ in homes. The backpack vacuums do a great job of removing pollen and dust from the air.”

Most of Berger’s franchises use the ProTeam Super Coach Pro 6 backpack vacuum. Its Four Level Filtration captures many allergens and asthma triggers that threaten human health. Franchises use their ProTeam backpacks on all hard surfaces, edging, rugs, blinds, ceiling fans, and areas with a heavy dust cover. Berger likes the cleaning power and the longevity of the backpacks.

“In my humble opinion, there’s no one even close to ProTeam in backpack vacuums. I compare them to Lexus or Mercedes – something that you pay a little more for but works great and never breaks. We still have the vacuums we bought that first year in Orlando. The actual body of the vacuum is indestructible. As long as you don’t get them wet, they keep going and going,” said Berger.

Today, the average You’ve Got Maids franchise employs between 10 and 20 full-time workers. They serve around 70 percent repeat customers and a steady stream of one-time calls like post-construction or move-out cleanups.

“The cleaning industry is a lot harder than it looks,” said Frank Berger. “There are lots of little details that, if you don’t get them right, you’re going out of business. That’s why we teach the minutiae to our franchises.”

Every new You’ve Got Maids franchise can access an online database of support materials, a national call center for immediate help, and Maid University training for their employees. The training curriculum consists of classes offered in English and Spanish. They include Bathrooms 101, Wowing The Customer 201, and Vacuuming 104 where they show the maids how the backpack vacuums are faster and easier to use. Upon graduating Maid University, employees get a raise.

“Many cleaners at other companies have to work two, sometimes three jobs to make ends meet. We think they should make enough money working for us to have one job,” said Berger.

After graduating, if maids want to advance within the company, they can work up to team leader, trainer, office manager, and, with a recommendation, open their own franchise. Berger even waives the 9,000-dollar franchise fee for maids who work their way up within the company.

“We strive to improve the lives of the mostly single moms who work for us. I see so many people that have no hope of things being better,” said Berger. “But this is not too good to be true. It’s what our maids are really doing.”

See the ProTeam Super Coach Pro in action here.