In response to an Unhappy Franchisee.com post on the Jan-Pro commercial cleaning franchise (JAN-PRO Franchise Complaints), we received the following tips from a janitorial franchise insider. Many commercial cleaning (janitorial) work the same way (they market, bid and sell the cleaning jobs then provide them to franchisees to clean) and generate the same types of warnings.
Former Jan-Pro Employee wrote:
As a former Employee of a Master Franchiser (company like Jan-Pro) I would like to say I feel your pain. I only knew of 2 franchises and worked for 1 of them. The one I worked for was not honest at all. However, they made sure they did nothing illegal. Now we’re talking ethics…
They had me make franchisees sign TT’s or Troubled Transfers before the franchisee (saw the building) agreed to it. Most accounts they offered were very underbid. Their commissions are based to where the sales person has no choice…also, the sales persons I delt with had no experience. I have many years of janitorial experience.
It’s very sad to see people sold a dream, this is all of the money they have and the promise made to them was broken. They make promises to their employees that they broke, myself included. I know there must be Master Franchisers out there who are honest.
Remember this, do as much research as you can. This is your money!!! Tell them you want to talk to 50 franchisees before you make up your mind. Do not sign anything until you have shown the contract to a lawyer. When they say they will meet your designated business fulfillment it means 180 BUSINESS DAYS, not consecutive days!!!!!!! This is longer than 6 months!!!!! Do not agree to any account unless it meets your standards. They twist your arm and threaten you with the fact that if you deny business they are free of their obligation to give you what you paid for in 180 days this is why it is so important to know the facts before you sign!!!!! So remember to ask them if Your Master Franchiser or any representative has been cleaning this account (another franchisee) before you and were there problems that caused you to be the new cleaner.
You have the right to know how many cleaning days, how many hours they bid it at and whether or not it’s a brand new account for the company. Refer to the contract before you sign it, know what your rights are. They are bound by Franchise Laws, they know them!!! You should too!
One of their bidding numbers years ago was $15 hour. So if it took 2 hours it would be $30 per cleaning. Now, you need to factor in GAS per trip, Cleaning Supplies, Franchise Fees, Insurance, Payments on the account if any, Employees + Burden if any…Suddenly, $15 isn’t $15 anymore?????? You are responsible once you sign…remember that!
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH JAN-PRO OR OTHER COMMERCIAL CLEANING FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITIES? SHARE A COMMENT BELOW.
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I really don't understand why there are so many unhappy people. I to own a janpro franchise and I am very happy with it. I have 4 accounts and I make about 2,000 a month and I only work three days a week and a total of 8 hours. What people don't understand is that you own a "BUSINESS!!!!! You are responsible to make your business grow not janpro. Yeah I can understand about them being late on giving you your contracts but when you do get them you should know what you are getting before you accept the contract. You need to read and do the math before you agree to take the contract. No one is going to hold your hand and do all the work for you. As a business owner you are in control of your own success not janpro. When I first brought my franchise I didn't wait for janpro to fulfill my accounts I went out and start getting my own accounts, so to all the people waiting for janpro to hold there hands and get them accounts. You need to remember you are a BUSINESS OWNER. try going out and getting business for yourself. And I am a real janpro franchise owner in Arizona...............
To Charles
You are just someone from corporate. I don't see how you can sleep well at night. I have heard so many Horror stories from so many people from all over the country on how they got ripedoff.
1. No you don't own your own business, jan-pro controls you. Jan-pro will fine you for many different reasons and comand you on what to do.
2. When they haven't fullfilled your contract and time is up. Tthey wont give people there money back like they say they will.
3. If you don't accept there contracts because there not profitable, to far away or at the wrong time they count those against you. This is a scam and a crime that needs to be prosecuted.
4. Charles you don't make sence, You said you joined jan-pro and then you went and got your own accounts by yourself? Why would you join jan-pro for then?
How would you get your own accounts if you were new at the business?
You make absolutely no sence!
5. They underbid accounts so low that you make less than minimum wage!
Charles by the way I have people calling me from Arizona wanting to join the lawsuit.
Please read the following article that is about our National lawsuit about jan-pro. http://franchisetimes.com/content/story.php?article=01374
I agree Jerry, Charles is not a real franchisee! I am an active franchisee in NC. The latest "business" offer I got is so out of reality that I will be better off working for a fast-food restaurant making minimum wage. I am hoping that the case presented in the Supreme Court gains the status of class action law suit. This business model of selling an illusion has to stop.
Hi i am currently thinking of buying a franchise with jan pro, just at entry level. I live in N Ireland and was wondering if there is anybody else who has bought one in N Ireland and how has it went so far, having read these comments it has put me off however things may be different over here.
I own a JanPro Franshise not really happy but the economy being what it is I bare it out. Recently I made a deal with another JanPro franchisee where I paid him x amount for his bussiness he wanted to get out because he landed a hourly job with a school. after a matter of months of having paid I started losing his accounts. Well I figure no problem Janpro garrenties their accounts you buy for one year atleast thats how ;they do it here where I live.Well I was told that since I brought the accounts from someone else and not them , and even though they were garentied to him they are not garretied tho me. I could go on and on on how oneside JanPro is. Please excuse the spelling.
Please read this info about the situation with Jan Pro:
http://www.llrlaw.com/pdfs/franchise_times_taking_off_the_gloves.pdf
Also, I contacted Lichten & Liss-Riordan P.C. here is the link:
http://www.llrlaw.com/ca_clean_fran.htm
This is the reply I got from the law firm:
Thanks for contacting our firm about the Jan-Pro case. We do have a case
against Jan-Pro that is in pre-litigation in Federal Court. In this case, we
are attempting to get the judge to approve this case as a national class action
lawsuit. This means, that every franchise in the country that wants to
participate in the case can file a claim. We have not had a ruling on this
issue yet. Therefore, if the case is approved as a class action, you will
automatically receive a notice either from us or the court and it will ask you
if you want to participate in the case. If you would like, I can keep your
contact information in our database so that in the event it is not approved as a
class action, we can let you know and discuss other methods for proceeding.
This is what I have to say:
Please tell your fellow franchisees about this lawsuit, the more we get involved the better results we can get. I am a current franchisee in NC. I have been involved with Jan pro for almost four year. I have not seen a sign of a real business so far. I have been in business for myself since 1997 (Landscaping). I thought this "cleaning business" was going to take to the next level. What a disappointment. This business model probably worked 10 years ago. This business model is collapsing because there are so many imitators overselling it. Right now is legal scam. Do you want to ask me questions about my experiences with Jan Pro, please email me: jfcita@nc.rr.com
this a scam
im in los angeles, and invested 700 into janpro im having 2nd thoughts after reading this imgoing to ask for money back
Larry, I do not think you are going to get your money back anytime soon. Jan-Pro master's Franchisor make their money from you (you are a pot of gold, fees, fees and more fees, or perhaps they can sell you an account that has been sold five times prior you) not from Jan-Pro's customers. Do not forget that they are not your costumers. You in the other hand, you are an employee paying for to be a glorify janitor.
Are any Canadian Franchisees being hounded by their master franchise regarding WSIB? I have a documented answer from the WSIB office regarding volunteering your time and working for free. Since we are business owners, then we are not covered under WSIB. So I do not understand why the head office say as franchise owners you are covered for WSIB. As independent contractor you do need to show clearance certificate to confirm that you have paid WSIB premium, but only if you have employees. If you do not have employees then you don't need to provide one. I choose to work for free for my husband's sole propertorship company thus WSIB premium is not required. Does anyone know why the insurance is based on percentage? Shouldn't it be fixed monthly amount? We pay other insurances (house, car, etc.) by a fixed monthly amount. Why it Jan-Pro insurance percentage based? How much is Jan-Pro's insurance on a monthly basis? Why can we be provided with this information. Why are we being deducted $50 for no good reasons at all. They chalked it up to service or complaint fee. Such greedy master franchisor.