This month (March 2020), we are celebrating the 10th Anniversary of JDK Cleaning in Swansea.
The company was initially established in 2010 by our MD, Jack Kelleher. He started the business whilst holding down a full-time job, working round the clock, seven days a week. His reputation grew and as he began to gain more work, he hired a Ford KA at just £60 a week to travel to and from his cleaning jobs and to store his equipment. He also invested £30 of his own money in flyers and a basic website.
Within less than one year Jack had enough cleaning jobs to enable him to give up his job – and so JDK Cleaning was born.
Today, the company employs 15 staff (going up to 30 during seasonal peaks) and operates from dedicated offices and storehouse in Fforestfach.
Achievements
Initially, JDK Cleaning offered both domestic and commercial cleaning services. However, as the business developed, the company switched its focus to commercial contracts only and carpet cleaning services for the domestic market.
In 2014, Jack opened his first office premises in Pontardulais’s High Street in order to present a more professional image and for the storage of cleaning supplies.
Eighteen months later, he invested in the unit in Fforestfach where he employs a dedicated office manager and accounts manager. Since then, the team has actively sought larger contracts through the tendering process along with key, professional accreditations including CHAS and Safe Contractor. In recognition of his commitment to employee development in 2017, JDK Cleaning achieved the Chwarae Teg award for Exempler Employer Status.
Through investment in marketing including active participation in local business networks, JDK Cleaning has won several, very large and prestigious contracts including:
The M & S Food Hall in Fforestfach (a live refurbishment project which involved staff going into the store every evening for a number of months to clean up the different departments as the individual refurbishments were completed. The company also completed the final, end of project clean
A four-month contract to clean the Great Hall at Swansea University’s new Fabian Way campus which included cleaning all of the food areas and the final builder’s clean.
Carpet cleaning contract in the Copper Quarter to clean all of the communal areas over 20 blocks which resulted in a further contract for the same company in Newport
Contract to clean all of the labs at Swansea University (through Keir Construction)
Annual contract to clean Llanridhian Holiday Park (including deep cleans during January break)
Builder’s clean following the refurbishment of the Lush Shop in London.
Contract to clean the W Swansea City FC at the Fairwood and Landore Training grounds
Annual cleaning of student accommodation block in Bristol and Bath during the summer holidays (ongoing contract)
The refurbishment clean of Plantasia ahead of the venue re-opening on 13 April.
An urgent builder’s clean on one of Morganstone’s care home sites in Maesteg which required a very fast turnaround as the previous commercial cleaning company had let them down
Post refurbishment clean of the new Superbowl in Swansea
Builder’s and sparkle cleans during the refurbishment of Oldway House in Swansea City Centre to provide 556 en-suite student bedrooms over 12 floors.
Refurbishment cleans at more than 100 Tesco stores in 2019 and a contract to clean a number of Sainsbury’s stores across in 2020
Refurbishment and sparkle clean of the new Simply Gym premises in Llansamlet, Swansea
Following regular cleans of the Oldwall’s in Gower, in addition to the wedding venue, the company won the retained cleaning company for all of the accommodation which includes 13 rooms and five suites.
In short, JDK Cleaning has gone from a one -man band, operating out of a hired Ford KA to one of the region’s premier commercial cleaning companies.
Unique Selling Points
What sets JDK Cleaning apart from its competitors is that Jack and the team continue to look after their smaller clients as well as the big ones, most of whom have continued to use the company since the first contract was signed.
What also gives JDK Cleaning the competitive advantage is the investment Jack has made in developing robust policies and procedures designed to ensure the highest quality of work at all times, including spot checks, regular contact with client and staff reviews. The aim is always to make sure the job is done properly at all times.
As well as achieving key safety accreditations, JDK Cleaning is also a member of the British Institute of Cleaning Science. In 2018, the company also invested in Ezitracker which is attendance verification software, designed to monitor the hours worked by the cleaners at different sites. The software provides JDK Cleaning with a real-time verified report on the actual hours worked at customers’ sites which is seamlessly integrated into the payroll system so that the actual hours worked are accurately matched against contracted hours.
In 2019, Jack also invested in two new, fully branded vans to enable the cleaning teams to meet the growing number of customers across Wales and the South West of England.
Commenting on the 10 years of growth, Jack says, “Over the past 10 years we have pulled out the stops when it comes to marketing our business which has played an important part in our continued growth. Investment in offices and top of the range equipment has allowed us to deliver a professional and effective service; whilst investing in staff training, has resulted us achieving the Chwarae Teg Exemplar Employer Award. Going forward, we are aiming to continue to make similar investments to enable us to improve our standards and efficiencies to our rapidly growing customer base. Here’s to 10 more years of growth and success!”
Comments