Gator Cleaning's New Brand Sees Growth, Adds Jobs

When Marcus Meyer opened Gator Janitorial Services in 2004 it was a one-man operation. 

His company has expanded its services and staff, and changed its name to reflect its broader range. Gator Cleaning Solutions provides commercial cleaning services, including floor care, windows and construction cleanup in addition to general cleaning. And Meyer and his wife and partner, Erin, recently hired a quality assurance specialist and plan to add more sales staff.

"Up until now, it’s been myself and our first hire making cold calls, etc.," says Marcus. "Hopefully we’ll bring on our first sales rep soon. And if growth goes as we plan, we want to bring on another one. As the sales team brings in new business, we can then add another QA specialist as well as an account manager. So we're anticipating 20 to 25 new hires. full-time, part-time and contracted cleaners."

Marcus attributes the growth to word-of-mouth and a consistent commitment to personal service.

"Through the years of having the company, it’s always been the personal touch," he says. We get a large amount of referral business. I still have clients I had as an individual from the very beginning. We get a large amount of referral business. Even through the down economy, we’ve enjoyed a 35 percent growth rate."

Adds Erin: "We pride ourselves in our constant research of products and services. We use state-of-the-art equipment and eco-friendly products. With our healthcare and education clients, we strive for high satisfaction scores and low infection rates. For our business clients, its about their image. We help create and maintain that."

Marcus says he has noticed more demand for services recently, which may be indicative of an improved economy.

"I do feel that the economy is improving," he says. "I can tell because our clients are asking for more frequent cleanings again. For a while there, they'd gone down to two or three a week. Now they're asking for five times a week again. They’re reinvesting in their image, which is what we help them do."
 
Writer: Missy Kavanaugh
Sources: Marcus and Erin Meyer, Gator Cleaning Solutions