Kilted Cleaner’s cheeky business secures franchise growth

A marketing professional who launched an Adelaide cleaning business wearing his kilt after he was made redundant a little more than a year ago has secured his company’s first franchise deals.

Scotsman John Durrant – who moved to Adelaide in 2017 – launched Kilted Cleaners after he was made redundant twice in two years. His business has been such a hit with South Australian customers that he’s now offering people the chance to join the group as franchisees.

Kilted Cleaners has agreed franchise deals with three individuals so far. The startup is initially offering three franchises in South Australia, five in New South Wales and five in Victoria.

The quirky company offers window, solar panel, gutter and pressure cleaning by men and women wearing kilts. The business idea quickly grabbed attention in Adelaide, much to John’s surprise.

The former marketer said he felt like a new start after becoming tired of his corporate career. When he was made redundant in late 2019, he decided to make a big change.

John said: “I was getting to the stage that I was dreading going into the office when I woke up in the morning. I’d been in marketing and media for almost 20 years and I was just completely over it. I lost two senior marketing roles in pretty quick succession and it really forced me to ask myself if I wanted to work in that industry anymore.

“When I was honest with myself, it was obvious the answer was no. That was the easy part in a way. The hard part was working out what the hell I was going to do next to make a few dollars.

“Wearing a kilt to work stood out as a good idea and I’d had experience of window cleaning as a teenager so I thought I’d give it a crack. I just couldn’t believe how quickly it took off.”

John posted ads on Facebook buy-and-sell groups and within days, he was fully booked weeks in advance.

Kilted Cleaners offers customers window cleaning from $149. The company also offers solar panel, gutter and pressure cleaning throughout South Australia.

John said Kilted Cleaners franchise partners can make up to $2,000 per week in South Australia and even more in New South Wales and Victoria.

He puts the company’s strong growth down to a strong brand, clear and honest pricing and a market-leading website that boasts instant online quotes for all services.

Kilted Cleaners has a customer retention rate of more than 70 per cent, which John said will help to continue the company’s speedy growth.

The Scottish businessman decided on a franchise business model during the last New South Wales lockdown.

He explained: “We were in the process of expanding into Sydney when their big Covid outbreak happened. We were recruiting a Sydney team when it struck me that running a multi-state business during a pandemic would have so many potential problems. That’s when it became obvious that franchising made much more sense. Our franchise partners are standalone business owners working their own territories within their state. It makes much more sense for the growth of Kilted Cleaners and for our franchise partners.”

The startup has become one of the most talked-about cleaning businesses in South Australia. John said customers love when he and his team arrive at their homes in kilts.

The Scotsman launched and ran a successful marketing agency in Edinburgh and was named in Scotland’s Top 40 Entrepreneurs Under 40 by a national newspaper in 2015.

He believes his entrepreneurial and marketing nous will help him to grow Kilted Cleaners into one of Australia’s biggest cleaning franchises.

“It’s really exciting to be part of something that’s growing so quickly. Securing our first franchise partners is a huge step for Kilted Cleaners and I’m confident this is just the start,” said John.

EDITOR’S NOTES

For more information, interview requests and high-res images, please contact John Durrant directly on 0439 511 866 or email him at info@kiltedcleaners.com.au