Barbara Reguero’s ability to sustain strong unit economics in the suburbs of New York City illustrates the brand’s viability in any economic scenario. Even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Maid Right, the nation’s largest home and commercial cleaning franchise with over 20 sites, demonstrate that certain business models may thrive in times of economic distress and uncertainty.
For Barbara Reguero, a franchisee of Maid Right in New Rochelle, New York, despite working in one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, she maintained her business ambitions. Reguero, who spent 23 years on Wall Street heading a multinational equity research firm, lost her job during the 2008 economic meltdown. With the help of a large severance settlement, she took time off to consider her options.
Barbara Reguero wanted to work locally in the suburbs and be her employer after 30 years of commuting into Manhattan. She contacted many franchise brokers and began searching for the ideal concept. When Reguero met Maid Right, she knew she’d found the perfect match. Maid Right franchisees benefit from a low entry cost, scalable margins, and a recurring revenue model that does not require a brick-and-mortar location.
Barbara Reguero was impressed with Maid Right’s business concept and its recurrent customer base. Additionally, she appreciated that it provided a recession-proof service that could not be recreated by e-commerce. She believed there will always be a demand for home services, which is true for all Premium Service Brands’ business models.
In February 2015, Reguero started her first Maid Right franchise. When the outbreak began in New York, she sent information, best practices, and resources to her team to ensure our safety. Before, it was mandatory to wear masks. She ensured that her cleaning business followed every health protocol, building trust and safety for all.
Barbara Reguero estimates that 40% to 50% of return clients who took a break during the epidemic returned after becoming accustomed to working from home. With clients spending so much time in their homes, they needed to feel secure. By being adaptable and assisting clients in any way possible, they gained confidence in her firm as a useful resource during this period.
This in-demand solution assisted Reguero in generating $516,000 in revenue over the final six months of 2020. Additionally, Reguero obtained a contract with a property management business that recently completed construction of a new facility in the New Rochelle region and required a post-construction clean. Commercial services provided an additional revenue source for Reguero’s organization at a critical moment.
Today, Barbara Reguero at Maid Right reports that around 90% of clients have reverted to regular service. Despite her firm contracting to 50% capacity during the pandemic’s peak, Reguero came up just $75,000 short of her 2020 objective. Along with Maid Right’s sound business plan, Reguero’s tenacity, exceptional customer service, and extensive employee communication enabled her organization not just to survive but expand in 2020.
Reguero’s remarkable achievement did not go unnoticed either—she was named Franchisee of the Year at the 2020 convention of Premium Service Brands.
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