TRAINING TRAINING TRAINING...

It's all very well recruiting potentially great people but if you don't have a well thought out induction and training programme then they'll never be the amazing team you deserve.

With three new team members joining the Freshly Maid team since August, its been a busy time for us helping them settle into their new roles and our two week induction and training programme is key to their success or failure as members of our team. We have found that you can quite easily teach people to clean the 'Freshly Maid' way, but you can't teach attention to detail. They either have it or they don't. They either care enough to do a great job every time, or they don't.

"People are definitely a company's greatest asset. It doesn't make any difference whether the product is cars or cosmetics. A company is only as good as the people it keeps." Mary Kay Ash

Because we believe that a great attitude is worth far more than experience or qualifications, we are also offering all our team members the chance to join our new management training programme. They will learn IT, client care, sales, networking and team management skills in a structured programme designed to help them develop as individuals and as a team. We hope to not only have some fantastic people to help us grow our business but also to support them in their future goals.

Here's to our amazing team!

Best Wishes from

Diane at Freshly Maid

www.freshlymaid.co.uk

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WHAT A BUSY SUMMER!

With a new baby, a promotion, a new team member, a holiday without my mobile and a parachute jump, Freshly Maid has had a lovely busy Summer so far!

Wetherby Branch Manager Johanne gave birth to her beautiful daughter Maddison Violet on Friday August 5th, much to everyone's delight. I’m sure they will already be making good use of the lovely moses basket and baby carrier the team clubbed together to buy.

Debs has stepped up to provide maternity cover for Johanne. She is managing brilliantly so far and with her background in team management and customer service we are confident she will help us improve as we grow.

In July I had two weeks on holiday without my mobile phone and Adele, Johanne and Debs managed brilliantly without me. I even came back to learn we had a new member of the cleaning team, Alison, who is already receiving great customer feedback!

And our lovely Tadcaster Branch Manager Adele is preparing to jump out of a plane for Cancer Research – we always suspected she was nuts! She will take part in a tandem parachute jump this August and is hoping to raise lots of money for the charity. You can sponsor her at ww.justgiving.com/g-g-joyce

What a great Summer it's been and the Autumn won't be any different I'm sure with a new management training programme planned and new recruits already in progress!

Best Wishes

Diane Greenwood

General Manager

www.freshlymaid.co.uk

NOW WE ARE TWO!

Freshly Maid is now officially a business of two amazing teams......

The brand new Tadcaster branch and relaunched Wetherby branch were officially declared open by our newly promoted Branch Managers Adele Bradley and Johanne Lickers.

We celebrated with a little bucks fizz and some cake for breakfast and are pleased to say that the two teams are so far working brilliantly and Adele and Johanne are doing a fab job of managing their respective branches.

See our website for more news and photos ..... www.freshlymaid.co.uk

AND THE TEAM GROWS ON....

With three fantastic Freshly Maids joining us already this year in June, Lynsay and Christine, we're continuing our steady growth and commitment to our business and our customers.

Not only have we increased our cleaning team but we are also developing our people. Johanne Lickers and Adele Bradley have recently stepped up to become Branch Managers and following their training they will be managing their own teams and looking after our clients to ensure that as we continue to grow we ensure we delight all our clients and retain our lovely team of Freshly Maids.

Watch this space for news of our brand new Tadcaster branch due to open on Monday 9th May!!

Best Wishes

Diane @ Freshly Maid

www.freshlymaid.co.uk

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRESHLY MAID...

It's our third birthday this month!!!

Hard to believe it’s been three years already and we’ve come such a long way in such a short time!

The Freshly Maid ladies have been delivering cakes over the past two weeks so our lovely clients can join the celebration with us. We've had some funny looks at the lockup though with boxes and boxes of cakes being delivered!

Thanks to all our clients, team and friends for their best wishes and support over the past three years and here's to many more fantastic years to come.

Diane @ Freshly Maid

www.freshlymaid.co.uk

FRESHLY MAID SHORTLISTED IN ACKRILL BUSINESS AWARDS 2011!

We are all very excited to learn we have been shortlisted for an award in the medium sized business category of the Ackrill Business Awards. We are batting well above our weight as there are some pretty big businesses in our category so we are thrilled to have made the shortlist. On Tuesday next week the team will be posing for what we hope will be some great photographs that will go in the newspaper and that will be shown on the big screen at the awards dinner in Harrogate in March. Its also a good excuse for me to buy a great frock so I can look glamorous at the awards dinner and although I won't tempt fate by writing an acceptance speech, I will have my fingers well and truly crossed! Best Wishes Diane www.freshlymaid.co.uk

Freshly Maid superstar wins weekend away!

Our annual rewards competition was a close run thing this year with Joy, Adele and June all giving the winner a run for her money, but I was very proud at our Christmas party to announce that our lovely Linda Hammond had received the most customer reward points throughout 2010.

Not only had she already won several boxes of chocolates and numerous bottles of wine throughout the year for her efforts, but she was also the winner of our annual prize of a Valentines weekend for two in the Lake District. I know the rest of the team weren't at all surprised, as Linda is not only a star with clients but is always willing to lend a hand to her co-workers too.

All our girls work very hard every day. Cleaning isn't the easiest of jobs because you are always balancing getting as much done as possible with making sure its done to a high standard and at the end of some days the team are ready for nothing more than a cup of tea and a sofa!

Feedback is incredibly important to us as it helps us improve but also helps us stay motivated and happy in our work. We encourage all our clients to call, email, text or leave a note to let us know their thoughts. Its often easier to complain than praise nowadays but we are lucky in that our clients take the time to send thank you's throughout the year and are constructive in their feedback also.

Diane @ www.freshlymaid.co.uk

Resolve to have a Freshly Maid Home!

Its that awful time of year when we all make our New Year resolutions that we'll more than likely have given up on by Valentines day.

But this year everyone can make one resolution they don't even have to keep themselves...

A new year spring clean is a great start to the year and a tidy, clutter free home can really be a tonic to get you motivated to do other things. Write that book, actually go to the gym, start a new business.

And of course having a regular cleaning and/or ironing service can free up hours of your life that can be far more productively spent elsewhere.

More and more people are valuing their time and realise that if they find someone reliable to help with household chores, then they can spend their free time doing things they enjoy or that add value to their lives.

Make 2011 the year you resolve to give yourself the gift of free time!

Happy New Year

Diane @ www.freshlymaid.co.uk

Give the gift of free time...

We're really excited that our brand new gift vouchers have arrived just in time for Christmas!

They are perfect stocking fillers for friends, family or colleagues and can be bought in two hour increments. Now obviously we are a little limited by geography as we only cover within a 15 mile radius of Wetherby or Tadcaster but lucky recipients can choose either cleaning or ironing, whichever they prefer, and we can provide service in Wetherby, York, North Leeds and Harrogate so plenty of lucky friends and family to choose from!

And the best news of all is that our current regular clients can have them for FREE to give to their friends, family and colleagues! That'll make Secret Santa more interesting in the office!

And if any friends or family decide they'd like to book us as a regular thing then we will give a £5 Marks and Spencers voucher as a thank you for the referral.

I think we're getting carried away with this Christmas spirit!!!

Best Wishes to all for a fantastic Christmas and an amazing New Year

xx Diane xx

www.freshlymaid.co.uk

Christmas is Coming!

Well the coke advert is on TV and the Freshly Maid phones are ringing so it must be that time of year again!

Our clients can relax though, safe in the knowledge that we will take care of the guest rooms, changing beds and pulling out furniture. We'll be making sure there are no hidden ironing piles lurking in airing cupboards, cleaning ovens and generally helping prepare for the festivities and the arrival of friends and family.

Our regular clients often book extra time during Christmas week and our fortnightly clients who would otherwise miss out are also booking a top up visit to make sure all is well and they can concentrate on the shopping!

One off cleans are also popular at this time of year but make sure you call as soon as you can or we'll be fully booked and we won't be able to help.

Simply call us on 01937 520356 to book an extra visit or a one off cleaning and ironing session. Make sure that this Christmas you can welcome your guests with both you and your home looking suitably refreshed and gorgeous.

Best Wishes

Diane @ www.freshlymaid.co.uk

£6100 raised for local children's charities

Just wanted to let everyone know because I am so excited about it, that I helped organise a charity dinner and auction on Friday last week and with about 120 people attending and having what I hope was a fantastic evening, we raised over £6100 for Martin House children's hospice and Candlelighters children's cancer charity. Wow!

Thank you to all the local businesses who donated such amazing gifts for the auction and thank you to everyone for attending and making the evening such a success.

Thank you also to Zena Bentley of Inside the Box Interior Design, my partner in crime who worked so hard to get everyone there and ensured it was a brilliant night.

Team News

Welcome to Elaine Hall who joined our team recently and is settling in well and has become a great member of the Freshly Maid team.

We are going from strength to strength now and I am really looking forward to the next 6 months where we look at how we can grow again but keep the quality of our service consistent and cover a wider geographic area.

Johanne Lickers and Adele Bradley have stepped up to share the role of Duty Manager to ensure the team are well supported every day and to make sure our clients homes are maintained to a sensible housework routine and with a view to them developing within the business to help us grow.

Our new Home Health Checks have got off to a great start with the whole team joining in and scheduling tasks together and the weekly briefing for the team is highlighting areas for improvement and also celebrating our achievements.

Best Wishes

Diane @ Freshly Maid

www.freshlymaid.co.uk

Race for Life

Well some of the team and I are taking part in the Race for Life at Temple Newsam in Leeds tomorrow afternoon. We hope to enjoy the sunshine, have some fun and raise lots of money for a great cause.

Its taking place on a very apt day for me as tomorrow is Fathers Day and I lost my Dad suddenly 3 years ago following an operation to remove a tumour, so I'll probably be a bit teary all day, but I feel as though I'm doing something positive in his name.

Good luck to everyone taking part and if you would like to donate you can do so at http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/freshlymaid.

Diane @ Freshly Maid

www.freshlymaid.co.uk

Another new team member!

Well we're continuing to grow at a pace and are happy to welcome Natasha Elvidge to the office cleaning team. Debbie and Linda are helping her learn the ropes and looking after her and she'll be a great new asset to the ever growing Freshly Maid team.

Best Wishes

Diane @ Freshly Maid

www.freshlymaid.co.uk

New Team Members!!

June Thompson, who started in May, is now a fully trained member of the Freshly Maid team. She has settled in really well and the feedback from both clients and her team mates is really positive.

Vicky Gaddas is starting her induction and training on Monday and we're all looking forward to working with her. She's a friend of Annette so she's more than likely bonkers but she'll fit in well!

We've also got Wendy Hill joining us a week on Monday in the office to help me with book-keeping and administration so I am really really looking forward to her arrival!

All in all its been a great year so far with great new team members and lots of lovely new clients to help with their cleaning and housework.

Best Wishes

Diane @ Freshly Maid

www.freshlymaid.co.uk

Newsletter headed to printers...

Well, our very first newsletter has been sent to the printers so should be on its way to clients in the next week or so.

Contents include:

• Freshly Maid Turns Two…
• An Award Winning Business…
• Frequently Asked Question….
• Top Cleaning Tip…
• Meet the Team…
• Celebrations…

We'll be looking forward to client feedback on this new way of keeping in touch!

Best Wishes Diane

It's Our Birthday!!

Well on 7th April it's our SECOND BIRTHDAY!!

Wow, what a two years it has been! We've come a long way in such a short time really. In our first month of trading in April 2008, we cleaned for a whole 46 and a half hours and this April we expect to complete at least 950 hours of cleaning so quite a difference really!

Our team has grown from 1 to 13, including myself and we are hoping to increase that to 14 in the next couple of weeks.

We've learned a lot in the past two years but I would say our number one learning is that its all about people. Its about having a great team who are as committed to the business as I am, and its about helping our clients to enjoy a great service. We still can't spring clean a house in 2 hours, but we can help new clients plan how we will first get on top of the cleaning and ironing and then plan how we will maintain it.

Our regular cleaning and housekeeping clients will all be receiving something special during April so they can share in our birthday celebrations and we will also be launching the first of our brand new quarterly newsletter, which will be full of cleaning tips and news about our team and the business.

Best Wishes

Diane @ Freshly Maid

Freshly Maid joins new Wetherby Networking Group

Enjoyed a lovely breakfast yesterday at Le Bon Appetit in Wetherby along with about 30 other local business people. This was the launch meeting for 4Networking, a national networking group that has just started a group in Wetherby.

What a great meeting, with some great people there, all as enthusiastic about their businesses as I am about Freshly Maid. There were no other cleaning and housekeeping service businesses there so even better!

So, I've taken the plunge and joined this new group and will look forward to meeting more interesting people over the coming months.

Best Wishes

Diane @ Freshly Maid

Freshly Maid goes Networking

Freshly Maid is proud to have joined Wetherby Business Association this week and we are looking forward to working with local businesses to promote the local area.

This evening, I've been to a networking event organised by the Association. A great meeting with 17 people in the room from a diverse range of local business, from Insurance to Interior Design, from Banking to Business Support Services. We had a great meal at The Bridge Inn and I enjoyed meeting some new people and have made some great contacts.

I'm also a member of Wetherby BNI, which meets every Friday morning over breakfast, so if you are looking for a local tradesperson or business just ask, as I can recommend some fantastic people who offer great services. See my website www.freshlymaid.co.uk for more information.

On Monday Shirley and I attended a quarterly business planning day run by Business Coach Hayley Erner www.greatbusinessevents.co.uk. This was an amazing day and has given me the focus to move the business forward, whilst also providing a great opportunity to meet other local business owners to share ideas and advice.

More Soon....Diane @ Freshly Maid

www.freshlymaid.co.uk