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The Zambian Professional Cleaning

Services Industry

An Industry Survey Report

Prepared By:

©2018
At a global level, over the and Medium-Scale Enterprises An Industry Survey:
past decade there has been an (SMEs), especially in easy to
enter industries such as Very few studies have been
increased outsourcing of
cleaning services. conducted on the Zambian
cleaning services by
cleaning services industry with
governments and businesses.
most of them only emerging
Cleaning services are
after the cholera outbreak that
increasingly being provided to
was experienced nationwide
major clients on a total facilities
between November 2017 and
management basis. Demand for
February 2018, with most of
cleaning services is driven to a
these studies concentrating on
large extent by trends in
The commercial cleaning disease outbreaks in relation to
commercial construction
services industry in Zambia is cleanliness. It is however known
activity and outsourcing
relatively new with a few that the need for professional
cleaning services by
recognized companies serving services such as cleaning
governments and businesses
major clients such as shopping services in Zambia is growing.
which are looking for
malls, government institutions, For any individual or company
operational cost efficiencies.
and the private sector. These to invest in the industry in
Globally the sector has a low
commercial cleaning companies Zambia they need to have
globalization level. Technology
include; NemChem Zambia, Mr. quality information that is
plays a major role in the
Clean Zambia, Rumphi research backed and well
cleaning services industry, the
Enterprises Ltd, Chabmoe analyzed. Therefore, between
use of mobile communication
Enterprises Limited, etc. On the March and April 2018 MashMap
equipment is required to stay in
residential side of the industry Consulting Group conducted a
contact with workers,
the major companies offering Cleaning Services Industry
contractors and clients.
cleaning services are the maid Survey on the Zambian
In Africa, outsourcing service centers that mostly monopolize Professional Cleaning Services
delivery, a key privatization specific neighbourhoods. Industry.
approach outlined by most
government, involves the Major Challenges in the
“transfer of provision of Industry:
services to the private sector
with government retaining The lack of capacity of local
responsibility for ensuring the contractors, which has been
quality of the services and the frequently abused by individuals
efficiency with which the in decision making positions,
services are being delivered”. has not spared Zambians in the
This emphasis on specialization cleaning sector, giving rise to
has been adopted to many numerous challenges leading to
sectors of the African economy. the business being dominated
This has led to some industries by foreign companies.
such as commercial cleaning
services becoming more The Overall Objective of the
prominent. survey was to get an
understanding of the challenges
In Zambia, the call for and opportunities that exist in
economic diversification and the Zambian cleaning services
specialization has seen the industry.
increase in a number of Small-
Major Findings from the A review of how clients got to Investigations of amount and
Survey: (A) DOMESTIC know and find their current frequency of payment for
providers of cleaning services services, the majority of
(i) Presence of Maid or revealed that word of mouth respondents indicated that they
Housekeeper (referrals) was the most would prefer to pay less than
effective type of medium with ZMW500 per month and
When asked if they have a maid
38%, this was followed by social between ZMW301 and
or a housekeeper 62% of the
media with 32% while other ZMW500 for once-off,
respondents indicated that they
forms of media such as; representing 46% and 30%
do, while 38% indicated that
television, brochure, respectively. These result can
they do not.
newspaper, billboard and be appended to the previous
through the city council all had minimum wage of about
Once in a a 6% representation. ZMW500 which was
2%
while implemented by the
Six times a (iii) Satisfaction with Cleaning
4% government and adopted by
week Services
citizens for a prolonged period
Five times a
week
7% An analysis of the level of of time.
satisfaction with service
Twice a month 0% Above
providers revealed that 93% of 4%
ZMW1,500
Once a week 9% respondents are satisfied with Btn
the level of service they are 4%
Three times a ZMW1,001…
week
4% getting while 7% are not Btn ZMW701
13%
satisfied. and…
Everyday 36% Btn ZMW500
33%
and ZMW700
Poor Okay
Less than
Figure 1: Frequency of use of Good Excellent 46%
ZMW500
Current Maid/Housekeeping 6% 0%
Services 35% 59% Figure 4: Preferred Monthly
(ii) Use of Professional Cleaning Payments by Domestic Users
Services
Figure 3: Rating of Service
An analysis of the use of Above
0%
professional cleaning services (iv) Client Perception of ZMW1,500
Professional Cleaning Services Btn
by domestic users revealed that 10%
ZMW1,001…
68% use professional cleaning It was discovered that the Btn ZMW501
services while 32% do not. 10%
majority of residential clients and…
need maid services with a 44% Btn ZMW301
43% 30%
and ZMW500
representation. This was
29% Btn ZMW150
followed by thorough cleaning 25%
14% and ZMW300
7% 7% services with 31%, and garbage Less than
25%
collection and carpet cleaning ZMW150
having a 29% representation
each. Pest control, roof/gutter
Figure 5: Preferred Once-Off
cleaning, swimming pool
Payments by Domestic Users
cleaning and clothes washing
had the least responses with An analysis of clients’
Figure 2: Types of Professional 4%, 4%, 4% and 2% preference to get cleaning
Cleaning Services Used respectively.
services from a professional (B) COMMERCIAL USERS Further investigations on the
company revealed that 84% of level of satisfaction and quality
respondents preferred to get (i) Presence of In-House of service gotten from the
their cleaning services from a Janitor(s) current providers of cleaning
professional cleaning company services revealed that 88% of
Investigations on the current
while 16% prefer not to, this the respondents are satisfied
state of affairs when it comes to
shows the increasing need for with their service provider while
having in-house janitors
professionalism by clients and 12% are not, and 74% rate the
revealed that 75% of the
the appreciation of the quality quality of service as good while
respondents do have in-house
of service that come with it. those that rate the quality of
janitors while 25% do not.
service as okay and excellent
In order to have an
(ii) Use of Outsourced Cleaning were represented by 13% of the
understanding of what other
Services respondents each.
services are on demand on the
market, respondents were In determining which (iii) Perception of Cleaning
asked what other services they commercial users outsource Services
would like coupled with their their cleaning services it was
The survey revealed that the
cleaning services. discovered that the majority of
most required cleaning services
the respondents (86%) do
by commercial clients are;
outsource professional cleaning
30% garbage collection, thorough
services, while 14% of the
cleaning and janitorial services
respondents do not. Some of
24% with 24%, 20% and 12%
those that outsource the
representation respectively,
cleaning services couple them
while those not needed include;
with their in-house janitors.
swimming pool cleaning,
14% 14%14%
painting, maid services and
Garbage before and after lease cleaning
14% all having a 0% response.
Collection
2% 2% Specialized In terms of how much
Cleaning (floor 14% commercial clients are willing to
Washing of clothes and carpet…

waxing,…
Baby Sitting
Swimming Pool Cleaning

Supply of Cleaning Chemicals


Security
Landscaping
Garbage Collection

pay for cleaning services it was


Carpet discovered that the majority of
14%
Cleaning respondents are willing to pay
between ZMW1, 001 and
Yard Cleaning 0% ZMW1, 500 per janitor per
month with 83% responses and
between ZMW10, 001 and
Maid Services 0%
ZMW20, 000 as a lumpsum
service per month with 33%
Janitorial responses.
58%
Figure 6: Other Services Services
Preferred to be coupled with
Cleaning Services
Figure 7: Types of Outsourced
Cleaning Services Used

(iii) Level of Satisfaction and


Rating of Quality of Service
(C) SUPPLIERS OF (ii) Challenges in financial  High customs duties on
CLEANING PRODUCTS affairs, financing, or foreign imported capital goods
exchange: and intermediary
AND SERVICES (CLEANING
goods;
COMPANIES)  Volatility of local
 Difficulty in quality
currency’s exchange
Investigations on the providers control; and
rate against the US
of cleaning products and  High cost of
dollar;
services revealed that the supervision.
 Tax burdens (i.e.
clients of the products and corporate taxes); and Small cleaning companies
services that the companies  Rising interest rates. stated that they are faced with
interviewed supply include: numerous challenges, some
(iii) Challenges with labour and
 Schools; including:
employment laws:
 Offices (Companies);  Regulators making it
 Office Complexes;  Increase in employee
difficult for business
 Shopping Malls; wages (minimum
such as the new motor
 Real Estate Companies; wage);
vehicle importation
 Churches;  Difficulty in recruiting taxes makes it more
 Domestic Houses; and skilled personnel; expensive to import
 Individuals.  Regulatory costs such motor vehicles; and
as; workers  General workers not
Business Dynamics (Challenges compensation, pension meeting customer
and Opportunities) contribution, expectations.
insurance, PAYE, etc.;
(i) Challenges in sales and other
and (v) The results on the business
business activities:
 High level of dynamics revealed the
 Decrease in orders uneducated personnel. following opportunities in the
from clients; industry:
Here however other
 Major clients
respondents indicated that they  Increased
requesting lower
had no challenges in labour and infrastructure thus
prices;
employment laws. more buildings will
 No increase in new
need cleaning services;
clients or markets; (iv) Challenges in service and
 Decrease in sales prices provision:
 Increased number of
due to oversupply;
 High fuel and power malls and retail
 Inflow of cheap centers.
costs;
imported products and
services into local  Insufficient capacity
markets; due to lack of skilled
labour;
 Accounts receivable in
arrears;  Difficulty in meeting
certain client needs;
 Expensive inputs
(chemicals and  Limited cost-cutting
equipment); and measures available;
 Marketing and selling  Increase in the costs of
their products and inputs;
services especially for  Difficulty in the public
new companies. procurement
processes;
About the Survey MashMap Consulting Group Acknowledgements
wishes to make it clear that this
The survey was conducted by research was conducted for the Thanks would like to go to the
the MashMap Consulting Group purposes of gaining a deeper MashMap Consulting Group
Research Consulting understanding of the Research Consulting Team lead
Department. The survey used professional cleaning industry in by Mr. Katelema Mapoma and
both secondary and primary Zambia, to be used for general Ms. Lead Banda. Special thanks
data and was conducted for knowledge as well as to guide would also like to go to Clemack
both commercial and domestic any investment decisions. The Suppliers Limited headed by Mr.
users of cleaning services, as information contained however Aubrey Mackinnon. Last but not
well as suppliers of cleaning is in no way a reflection of least a lot of thanks would like
products and services (cleaning MashMap’s views of the to go to all residential and
companies). A total of eight (8) industry but rather a translation commercial respondents who
commercial and forty-five (45) of the views of the respondents were interviewed during the
domestic users of cleaning interviewed, as well as survey including; ZICTA,
services were interviewed secondary data, and as such Mandahill Mall, Pam Golding,
representing the demand side MashMap Consulting Group Roma Park, Foxdale Court,
of the industry. While four (4) will not be held liable for any Miracle Life Family Church,
cleaning companies were losses an individual or Woodford School and MKP
interviewed representing the company will incur from Hospital. As well as all the
supply side of the industry. investments made based on cleaning companies that agreed
These respondents were this data. MashMap Consulting to participate in the survey, who
located in Lusaka Province of Group reserves any rights included; Ubusaka, Aquacare,
Zambia. refuse responsibility for any/all Mr. Clean and Kuwala Maid
damaged caused by this report. and Cleaning Center.

Katelema Mapoma (BSc., PG


Dip.) – Principal Consultant

+260 955 966247

consultancy@mashmapgroup.com

For More Information contact


MashMap Consulting Group.

©2018

This survey was conducted in


partnership with Clemack
Suppliers Limited (T/A Clemack
Cleaning Services).

MashMap Consulting Group: Tel: +260211268629, Email: consultancy@mashmapgroup.com

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