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!
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I am a former cleaner that worked for a short period of time and wished I never worked around Jan Pro at all. They hire people/supervisors that pay you in cash and then dont pay you at all. Very generic way of running their company. You can not trust anyone that has your social security number and then leaves you out of your pay that you worked for. Its so easy to be scammed in this Jan Pro profession. When you are hired you are not told that you are a sub- contractor and that you will have to fill out a 1099. You are also lured into cleaning for the individual with a false starting wage. There are so many other companies to work for , just please dont choose this one or people that work for Jan Pro. Too scary.
Learned the hard way,
Lori
I am a current Jan Pro franchisee out of Burr Ridge.
I have had 3 contracts, Jan Pro keeps 60% of my profits.
By the time they deduct all of their fees, out of $931 I get $250 q month.
This isn't even minimum wage!!
No sooner than I pay off my contracts, they find an excuse to transfer them to another franchissee. They make money off of these contracts. They advise the customer and I do not contact each other, just talk to the Pers Ops Manager.
I lost a law firm in February and last week behind my back, they transferred Sandbox Day Care in Orland Park, IL wrongfully accusiong me of burning a floor.
Now I have 2 small contracts which I will make nothing on, as Jan Pro will keep all the proceeds.
Yes, they 1099 me, as if they did not make these profits, yet they are keeping most of my earnings
Fraud, fraud, fraud and until ALL victims band together and start fighting the REAL enemy it will continue. Because franchising has become the PERFECT STORM that destroys all and will not go away. It will just resurface in another franchise scam under a different name. Franchising and the organizations, including the Federal Trade Commission, involved in it are PROMOTING the fraud. Even when there are MULTIPLE victims and a scam is identified WHO really wins in the end? It sure isn't the victims!
Lets just say that I'm glad that websites such as his exist as I was about to make a pretty big mistake
Thanks to all of you for sharing, really really appreciate it
I too fell for the Jan Pro line. I bought my franchise a year ago. They kept on giving me contracts. I started with 917 month I stopped at 6300 per month in less than a year. Then one day I got a call from the Jan Pro saying they we terminating my franchise come in and bring in my keys. I signed the bill of sale but my husband who's name was on the contract with mine did not sign. We are now suing for wrongful dismissal. The contracts are told we are franchisees but they have no idea that their cleaning service is being sold. We made no decisions on our business. We cleaned that is all. The contract if had any problems would call Jan Pro. We could not let the contract know we had a company name. It's not your own business. You just pay to work. Not work to pay.
Jan pro is the funniest of all....after I worked for five month they told me to retrench the key for another franchise from the same company(jam pro) I had a chance to talk to the new guy about it and he paid for that account means they charge me and the new person for the same single account.....I don't understand this and even they can not show me policies and procedures that support their action....so I contacted lowery
I have not seen a post since early 2014. I was wondering is Jan Pro a good investment in Michigan? Someone please advise before I put my money down to start my own franchise!
I can relate to some of the things you guys are talking about... It seems like thing are not getting any better... I joined Jan- pro around the first of the year I finished my classes in april and they have not found me anything they have not called or anything.... I'm really thinking about asking for my money back....
How about I'm former franchise of Jan pro and they told me you are not allowed for 1 year to work in cleaning business or open my own cleaning company...... after termination
Are Jan pro own copyright of cleaning business....
I see no sense on that anyone has any idea about that BS
Thanks
Jack, most courts do not enforce non-compete clauses, especially the ones that involve low skilled (and mostly manual labor). Of course, more facts are needed for a stronger analysis.
Here are a few of the issues that are involved. You will be able to come up with your own analysis.
1. What are the geographical limits? (The larger the distance, the more likely that the court will not enforce it....)
2. What is the nature of the work that is involved?
(Advanced trade secrets and highly skilled work (1. building and designing rocket ships, will likely be enforced) (2. Cleaning, will most likely not be enforced))
3. Was there consideration (money paid to you, or something of value) for your agreement to the specific non-compete clause?
(If you were paid $100K to not compete, then the clause will likely be enforced. If your were not paid anything, especially involving incredibly low skilled labor, then the clause will most likely not be enforced.)
Courts hate non-compete clauses because they impair an individual's right to earn a living and enter into contracts.
Please speak with an attorney. And print this information because all the work (and heavy lifting) has already been performed.