AdvantaClean is the leader in indoor air quality and light environmental services, providing mold removal, moisture control solutions, air duct, coil and dryer vent cleaning, and water removal (among other services) to both residential and commercial customers. In 2008, the company the company began offering franchises to the public and the first start up franchise opened in early 2009.
In regards to the training process of new franchisees, Kevin Drudge, the chief development officer at AdvantaClean, says there are two main aspects: the onboarding process and the two-week training program.
The onboarding of new franchisees is typically a 30-to 90-day process, depending on how much time each franchisee needs and how much time they have to devote to the onboarding efforts. According to Drudge, “This (onboarding process) is everything from getting the business-related items set up, like bank accounts, credit card processing, insurance, licensing and certifications (which is a big part of it), and equipment and vehicle procurement. Basically everything they need to have in place in order to operate and open for business.” This effort is coordinated by a dedicated operations manager who works with each new franchisee and walks them through the process from start to finish.
Second, the two-week initial training program, which happens during onboarding, is an extensive process that trains everyone within the new franchise, specifically in the four lines of service offered by AdvantaClean. These four lines include emergency water damage remediation, mold remediation, air duct and dryer vent cleaning, and moisture control solutions. “They’re all interrelated,” says Drudge. “It’s unique content; there’s not another company offering such an array of services like we do. Essentially, it’s like four different businesses in one offering.”
On the training process, Drudge mentions, “As a franchisor, from a training and support standpoint, we’ve put together a program where they can perform the work in a real-life scenario in a state-of-the-art training facility within our corporate headquarters, which allows new owners and their employees to learn the AdvantaClean business firsthand.”
During the Monday through Saturday two-week training, AdvantaClean works on training new owners and any new employees they hire. According to Drudge, AdvantaClean doesn’t charge for initial training for the owners or anyone else the owners want to send through training.
Monday thru Wednesday of the second week of initial training focuses on AdvantaClean’s new moisture control solutions. Those that complete this part of training become certified in crawlspace encapsulation and receive a certificate showing successful completion of the dehumidification system. Executive training follows in week two on Thursday and Friday, and this is typically geared toward franchise owners. They’re learning the marketing, sales, running, and managing the business—things that are specific to owners and/or sales people,” says Drudge.
A business-to-business marketing program is a key aspect of marketing the services of AdvantaClean, and this is made clear during training new franchisees. “The B2B marketing program is where we target people that are in and around buildings and properties that will drive repeat business. And so, those strategies involve going out and building relations with home inspectors, property managers, real estate offices, and builders.”
Owners are required to go through not only licensing of AdvantaClean’s services, but also certification through accredited organizations that, “…mandate industry-best practices and how these services should be performed.” Additionally, Drudge comments that the certification training helps new franchisees and their employees become more comfortable with the services we provide. This is very important considering most new franchisees don’t have previous experience with our services.
To ensure new franchisees get started properly the initial training ends with a multi-day “Launch Visit” where AdvantaClean sends an operations director to the local market and they work with the franchisee locally to make sure the business-related items are set up properly as well as helping them get out there initially marketing their business. This helps in reinforcing what they learned in the initial training and applying it locally in their new business.
AdvantaClean is headquartered just outside Charlotte, North Carolina, and has been in business for 23 years. To-date, AdvantaClean operates around 230 territories nationwide.
Monday is the first day of training and focuses on AdvantaClean’s new moisture control solutions. This generally lasts three days. Those that complete training receive a certificate showing successful completion and understanding of the services. Executive training follows on Thursday and Friday, and this is typically geared toward franchise owners. “They’re learning the marketing, sales, running, and managing the business—things that are specific to owners and/or sales people,” says Drudge.
A business-to-business marketing program is a key aspect of marketing the services of AdvantaClean, and this is made clear during training new franchisees. “The B2B marketing program is where we target people that are in and around buildings and properties that will drive repeat business. And so, those strategies involve going out and building relations with home inspectors, property managers, real estate offices, and builders.”
According to Drudge, many owners are multiple-unit operators. “Even with multiple units, we work territories. Our territories are large—they’re 200,000 to 250,000 in population. We have about 50% of our chain that are single territory operators; we’ve probably got the other 50% that are multiple territory operators, with the majority having two or three.”
One of the benefits of AdvantaClean’s system, says Drudge, is that the territories are large and protected. “…franchisees don’t feel like they’re competing with one another. In markets where we have multiple franchisees, those referral partnerships are going to generate opportunities outside the immediate territory that they operate. It could be a neighboring franchisee,” comments Drudge.
Owners are required to go through not only licensing of AdvantaClean’s services, but also certification through accredited organizations that, “…mandate industry-best practices and how these services should be performed.” Additionally, Drudge comments that the company will also do training out in the field with new franchisees.
AdvantaClean is headquartered just outside Charlotte, North Carolina, and has been in business for 23 years. To-date, AdvantaClean operates around 230 territories nationwide.
About AdvantaClean
AdvantaClean was founded in 1994 in Winter Park, Florida as a contracting business specializing in emergency loss mitigation services and structural repairs to homes and buildings. The original partners created the company after gaining a wealth of knowledge and experience responding to Hurricane Andrew, which ravaged South Florida in August of 1992.
In May of 1995, the company opened a second office in Charlotte, North Carolina. The business grew quickly, and in three short years AdvantaClean was ranked by Entrepreneur Magazine as the 33rd fastest growing small business in America.
The AdvantaClean franchise program was initiated in 2000, and the company’s existing locations were enrolled as company stores. In 2006, the first of the company stores were sold to others under the AdvantaClean franchise model.
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