Categories: ALL POSTSCleaning FranchisesCOVERALL

COVERALL Franchise Complaints

The Coverall franchise website states: “Since 1985, Coverall® has assisted nearly 9,000 entrepreneurs in becoming successful business owners and commercial cleaning professionals…

“Coverall provides its Franchise Owners with comprehensive training, an initial customer base, billing and collection services, financing, a global network of 90 Support Centers, plus the unique benefits of the Health-Based Cleaning System program, for measurably cleaner, safer customer facilities…. Coverall offers you the support you need to grow and develop your business.”

However, unhappy franchisee commenters have posted complaints about the Coverall franchise opportunity, with some claiming the Coverall franchise is a scam. In 2008, commenter “ntoi” on the Complaints Board website wrote:

I’m a franchise owner for Coverall for almost two years now in San Mateo, CA and I really regret it joining and starting my business with them because all they did is SCAM me. Coverall Cleaning Concept aka Coverall-Based Cleaning System is where you can start your janitorial business by buying a franchise. You basically starting your cleaning business by using their name and you pay them yet they automatically deducted 15% each month plus insurance other charges. They suppose to guarantee you an account so that way you can start making money right away. They only guarantee you with account just enough that they can take and make money out of you each month and you left nothing. Which what is happening to me. All this time which all I get is headache because I always have to call the office to give me more account but no result. Now their holding my check and their not paying me. I called so may time what happened to my check and they just pass me around and no on knows. I’m ready so sue Coverall all for all my lost. I’m ready take them to court.

Anyone who want to start a janitorial cleaning business do your research. As I tell DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH COVERALL CLEANING CONCEPT aka COVERALL HEALTH-BASED CLEANING SYSTEM because is a SCAM.

More recently (on the same board) “Coverall Franchise owner/until expires” wrote:

I totally agree with the complains. I am a franchise owner myself. they are totally liers. I made a contract for $20k, I gave $14.000 downpayment and we agree that I was going to pay the rest each month /deducted from my paycheck. I though I was going to get my acconts (offices to clean) in one month. But, they made me wait about a year, plus I was making $9 dollars per hour (fast and hard work) and I did not had any money to hired an employee to help me. How much I was supposed to pay if I hire one? 1 dollar? THEY ARE SCAMMERS. Yes, they are in the forbes magazine, of course because they make money but franchises dont. they will take you money and make you work like crazy. they also charge for administration but you are the one who has to comfront the office owners if something is wrong or if you want them to increase your payment because you are working extra hours. DONT MAKE ANY CONTRACT WITH THEM, They are not good, this business is not worth it at all. I am totally dissapointed :(

THEPUNISHER wrote that all janitorial franchises, not just Coverall, are scams:

JANITORIAL FRANCHISES ARE A SCAM! It might work for some but I guarantee it doesn’t work for the majority. This is how they work:
_You pay them a package, for example you pay about $16K for a $4k monthly income
_They’ll get you the accounts.
_Although they say you can choose to accept or not a specific account, it’ not true. They will turn around and say they satisfied the agreement of providing your accounts and if you didn’t take, they won’t give you more accounts.
_They underbid contracts to compete with everyone else, since they are NOT the ones doing the work..they don’t care. They get the accounts due the low price and you’re stuck working hard for few hundred dollars a month. You would be better off working for McDonalds getting $8 an hr. DO THE MATH!
_NOW This is the worst of ALL…once they have too many franchisees and can’t find enough accounts, they will find anything wrong in some buildings as a missed trash can and ask the company if they want another person to clean…since it doesn’t make a difference for them, they will say yes. Then the Franchise call you and say your customer requested to get another contractor because he’s not happy with your job. Now they sale that account to the newer franchisees so they honor the agreement to get accounts. THAT’S STEALING!
WITH A CLEANING FRANCHISE, IN REALITY YOU NEVER OWN YOUR OWN BUSINESS! If you owned the accounts you should be able to walk away with them after a period of time..right? NO..YOU CAN’T BECAUSE THE CONTRACT IS ON THE FRANCHISE NAMER…NOT YOURS!
I just hope that a Federal Court one of these days force all cleaning franchises to get the accounts on the franchisees’ names…not theirs. Create a money back guarantee and protect the little guys..the franchisees…I can’t believe in this age Cleaning Franchises are able to get away with this scam.

kbill, who claims to be a former Coverall franchise owner in Ohio, wrote:

I was also a Franchise owner through coverall in cincinnati OH. They are complete scam artists. I wasted 6 years with them, trying to get something started and they did not hold up to their end of the bargain. I agree with what you guys are saying. Buyer beware!!!

ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE COVERALL COMMERCIAL CLEANING FRANCHISE?

IS COVERALL A SCAM OR LEGITIMATE FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY?

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HOLDEN MAGROIN says:

May 23, 2014 at 7:40 pm

Russell your "speak" is a little to by the book I've been around thousands of FO's and I can count on 1 FINGER the ones that could express as clearly and exactly perfect from the training manual like that your obviously an employee, good try though!
I'm a former employee with a lot of information on some very disgusting practices that went on a for very long time and would love to help any case that I can,I'm sure there will be even more coming as they've been in a franchise sales mode the last year and have no accounts to give, it's absolutely horrible what these people are doing with peoples last penny they thought they were using to buy a dream when in reality its complete nightmare
Wally Lowe says:

July 20, 2014 at 4:47 am

I wasted 10 years of my life with these losers! I lose my home had to file bankruptcy. All they do is keep smiling and taking my hard earn cash! When I started there. There was 25 franchise "owners!" Now it down to about 10! Grant I was blinded by there lies of making easy money! They under bid contracts so bad! Its a joke! But it all a shell game! They under bid contracts so bad you can barly make any money! STAY AWAY!I should have never got involve with them!

Wally
Looking at the business says:

July 24, 2014 at 7:22 pm

Wow.
I am meeting with the area General Manager next week. Before coming to this site, I decided to look up info about Janitorial Franchises published by the Federal Trade Commission. Its interesting that when I asked for a specimen agreement, he thought it would be best if I got the agreement when I visited his office giving me little time to review the info. I can not say he refused me which appears to be a FTC violation but I think he is on shaky ground. Now looking at the FTC required disclosure document that identifies 9 items on the list that they need to provide and that information needs to be provided 14 days prior to the purchase of the franchise, I also asked to contact franchise owners in which he once again stated that it would be provided at my visit next week. It sure seems to me that this company has not learned from the Class Action Lawsuit Settlement Agreement that was issued on July 15, 2014
Its like everything else, nothing comes easy and its best to make an informed decision. All of your information both good and bad has been extremely helpful and is most appreciated.
Marta says:

September 12, 2014 at 7:51 pm

Hey guys! I've been a FO just little over a year.. I got the smallest package with $3000.0 down.. And 24 months to pay the rest..... Im 27 years old and in 14 months I was able to pay myself and payoff the amount I owed.... The are two clases you need to take 1) money management 2) business management.... Most of my accounts were $17/hour so I paid myself minimun wage and the rest kept it safe..... Of course you need to keep your own full time regular job to do so.... Now in the process of hiring someone because I dnt owe to coverall and i can pay someone the minimun and the money i was paying coverall goes to my business savings..... Me doing nothing but supervise the person I hire!!! I still have my job but more income... Just do your surveys every month and talk to your clients tell the how it works if you can.... And be present if anyone from coverall does a random survey!! So you know what was the outcome!!!! Good luck you all!!!
Jacob says:

October 26, 2014 at 8:32 pm

Coverall of Arizona is a terrible company they are total rip offs the pay sucks you are better off getting a second job there regional director only looks out for his friends by giving them the best accounts and all the special services work and if you have special service crew men he will find a way to get rid of you and steal your crew away and yes they severely underbid contract just to get them all while promising you an increase that will be never come and they don't mention to you in the beginning when you are first get started buying a franchise is that they have out side contractors come in and work accounts and they aren't even franchise owners most of the negative complaints on here is 98%accurate
Amanda says:

November 11, 2014 at 10:40 am

Coverall es una trampa, te garantizan las cuentas de inicio solo 6 meses y las q compras 3 meses luego de eso te la quitan alegando mal desempeño y las reciclan. Osea q se la venden a alguien mas y así hacen con todo el mundo q conozco q ha te ido franquicia con ellos, son un fraude deberíamos llevarlos a corte, nosotros los amenazamos con eso y hace desde entonces dos años q no sabemos de ellos, ni siquiera nos han mandado un Bill para pagar el loan q aún quedaba pendiente. Eso te da a ver q son un fraude
Bryan Banks says:

November 29, 2014 at 11:21 pm

Coverall Health Base Janitorial here in Chicago is a RIP OFF. I had to walk away from them before I do something I might regret! !!
Jim says:

December 9, 2014 at 12:34 am

I am a business broker. Many, if not most, "franchises" are merely scams, especially "cleaning", in both Oz & USA.
Jackman says:

December 22, 2014 at 2:45 pm

Folks, if you want to start a cleaning business, DO NOT go through a franchise, you Don’t need them. There is a wealth of information online and other sources that one can utilise to start up a business. It doesn’t take a lot of money, no where NEAR what a franchise will cost you…don’t let ‘em fool ya.

I’ve personally done both, independent,franchise and back to independent. I only went with a franchise to (hopefully) “ramp -up quickly”- due to a relocation and a job that was supposed to follow, but didn’t. I went with Coverall and it didn’t start out bad. The “Field Rep(Representative)”- who is your liaison to the “District Office”(DO) was an “industry guy”(had worked in janitorial/service ) and was well versed, but more importantly – honest, and clued me into some “tactics” employed and also about the “sales team”, who couldn’t give a rip about the franchise owner(FO), only the commissions.

Briefly(well, will try!) this is how it worked when I was in(to my recent knowledge still does):
You purchase your initial package ,say a $3000 level of business(which,mind you,costs generally 3Xs more than that-like $9000+) .

You get “training”(a joke) ,usually 2 weeks,mainly classroom/videos.
They have a specific amount of time to fill your ‘package’- to get you to your level of purchased business. You might get just 1 account for the full amount(rare) ,or several accounts over the course of weeks(possibly months).
You’re told you can “choose” accounts, yet to reject initial business is generally frowned upon- and you sense it. So you eat a chit sandwich or two hoping the ‘quality’ of accounts gets better. Believe me, they are “bottom feeders”, again- sales doesn’t care(all these cleaning franchises are are "sales shops" for accounts), they don’t clean them and once the new client signs the contract they’ll never see them again. So, you bee-bop along ,servicing “your”(they aren’t ,really, the franchise holds the contract) accounts ,then one day ,you get a dreaded cancellation letter from your D.O. -an account bites the dust....

But lo! Your Rep calls a few days later and they have another account you might be interested in. And here’s how they make even MORE money(beyond the royalty fee each month) – the “Finder Fee” . You pay for new business you “take on” from them , anywhere from 2.75 to 3.5(Coverall now) . THAT’S NOT a % ….THAT’S a Multiplier! Say the new account is $300 a month, multiply it by (Coverall’s) 3.5 and YOU PAY $1,050 for the “privilege” of owning(again,you never do) that new account. You get to work it 4 months FOR FREE(talking NET,after all other fee deductions).

Oh yes, they tell you you can get you own accounts with their contracts, and I’ve seen a few FOs(Coverall’s) on this thread trumpeting that in the franchise’s defence, but it begs a question......

If you can get your own business(accounts), what the hell do you need them for?!? Accounting? Bullocks....so ,I slowly ,as time permitted, did just that and ‘weened’ myself from them. Anyone else in a cleaning franchise- you can too. Getting insurance and a “shingle” is not a big deal, and you’ll feel a greater sense of ownership/accomplishment.

Your welcome;)
adam says:

January 14, 2015 at 9:08 pm

I am a Coverall Franchise Owner in NY. If any Franchise Owners would like to get out please contact me. I will purchase your business at a fair price.

Thank you,

Adam