The iconic 18th century maid's cap logo and instantly recognisable pink and blue colours, have propelled the company to domestic and international success and a fixture as the leading business in the UK's flourishing cleaning industry. In 2024, Molly Maid celebrates their 40th anniversary in business, a milestone that Jonathan Holden, COO says is down to their somewhat relentless focus on helping Franchises which is propelling them to new records in every area of their business.
You would think that after 40 years in business the company would be resting on its laurels, having created a business model that has always topped the Franchise rankings of domestic cleaning franchises in the UK and a brand that is the most well-known in regular YouGov surveys (in the industry). But, in speaking with Holden you instantly know that what drives the company is not really about what they have achieved but more about finding new and creative ways to help Franchisees build a successful business.
"In our business plan the number one priority we have each year is growth and moreover, helping Franchisees to grow their business. Growth for Franchisees means higher profits, greater business value and over the years I have found that building a business is much more exciting and rewarding than standing still."
If you think the domestic cleaning industry is small potatoes, Holden says think again. The company regularly conducts research to determine the size of the market and in 2023 was shocked when their YouGov research showed the market had more than doubled from about £3 billion annually to over £8 billion. "Coming out of COVID and Brexit we saw an absolutely huge growth in the number of customers wanting our services, so we knew the industry had grown, but to see the magnitude of the growth really surprised us."
The company has always invested heavily in advertising and encouraged its Franchisees to do the same, but knowing the increased potential for growth they ramped up this investment by introducing several new on-line advertising campaigns including their 40th Anniversary social media campaign. "We have selected 40 unique stories about our fantastic people and some of the amazing things we have done to become market leaders, and sharing them on social media."
Asked if he has a favourite, Holden doesn't hesitate in saying it was his interview with Jim MacKenzie, the Canadian who invested in Molly Maid when it was a small, fledgling business outside of Toronto, Ontario, and through his vision and marketing smarts has helped the company grow to international success. "I interviewed Jim as part of our 40th anniversary national Franchisee meeting in January of this year, and to hear some of the history of how Molly Maid came to be, his passion in helping Franchisees build successful businesses and delivering a service that delights customers, was really inspiring." Holden adds that, "Many of the business principles that Jim had are still followed today. We've just changed them slightly to reflect some of the differences in the market."
When pressed what these are Holden cites one of the key advertising activities they have invested in to see their business grow by double digits in the past two years. Paid search advertising with Google is the foundation for every successful advertising campaign the company does and by managing the campaigns for its Franchisees and paying directly to increase their monthly budgets, they are always the most searched company for domestic cleaning service in the UK. It helps that they have a large budget but Holden is quick to point out that their constantly evolving website is a key contributing factor. "Most of our competitors haven't even changed their website since COVID - that's four years ago. If you aren't constantly evolving your marketing, you just won't appeal to new customers and you won't help your Franchisees to grow their business."
It is this Franchise-focused approach to business that Molly Maid is known for in Franchising circles. In 2023 the company earned its fourth straight 5-Star Franchisee Satisfaction Award which is voted on by its Franchisees, and then went on to win the Best Management Franchise in the UK. Holden says they are proud of the awards but that the awards are just an indication that they are doing the right things for Franchisees. "If we continue to focus on helping Franchisees to grow their business, to take more of this huge market, then the awards are just icing on the cake so to speak."
Looking ahead to the future Holden says some exciting things are afoot, including a new re-designed management software system to help Franchisees manage their growing businesses and an exciting project that he says is top secret. "You will see more about this in 2025 but it will help Franchisees to be even more successful and more profitable."
For more information visit Molly Maid
