Hi all,

I brought this up in another forum and thought I would post here to get some additional info.

I considered adding meal delivery services to my residential cleaning biz in the past. I was thinking along the lines of using a "Super Suppers" type of program and offer it to my clients.

Come to find out, an online friend of mine (not in the cleaning biz) is considering buying a "Super Suppers" franchise. I told him that I had considered adding the meals to my services in the past and he ought to consider marketing maid/cleaning services as a way to promote his upcoming business.

My question for you all is this: Do you current do anything like this? If not, is it something you would consider?

If anyone has experience (good or bad) doing this type of offer to their clients, I would love to hear your experiences. Pros, cons...etc.

Thanks!

Torrey, it is so funny that you posted this. I was just doing my school work and one of my classmates was talking about having her groceries delivered. I thought to myself, we don't have anything like that here so that could either be an add on service or a new business idea. I would like to hear everyone's feedback as well. I was thinking that customers could give us a list and we could deliver the groceries and put them away while we are there to clean.

I would be in love with either of you. Bring me food AND clean my house? Those are the core man needs. Well, you know what I mean..

Kendra, I do all my food shopping from the computer on Friday nights and Acme brings it all out on Sundays. I would love to have a service that took it one step furher and put it away. I'm lazy that way. Sorting groceries and putting them away is tedium.

I was spoiled when I lived in DC. I ordered groceries each week online and they were delivered on the weekend. I REALLY miss having that service.

My idea to start doing meal delivery came when a client was underfoot trying to throw a meal together for a hurried supper. She was lamenting on how she would LOVE it if we offered cooking or meal delivery services because she would pay a premium to stay out of the kitchen as much as possible. That sparked my interest in finding out if others would also be interested. I randomly asked clients and I got positive (sometimes begging me!) feedback.

I looked around and found a few maid services around the country that offer this. I figured I would hook up with a catering company or one of the Super Suppers franchises to get the meals.

One thing led to another and here I am asking more about it. Like I said, a friend in Atlanta and his wife are buying one and wanted to increase marketing. When I told him the maid service angle, he got very excited at the prospect of providing specials for maid services to become the provider of those meals.

He's very interested in speaking with people who have done it before. If anyone has done this, at the very least I'd like to know more about the pros and cons too!

Torrey

Personally, I'd think this would be a good idea. Just make sure you bill for your time!

I'd consider taking it a step further by getting pre-made meals. People love making their life simpler. What could be more simple?

Torrey the problem I think would be the margins. Even if you have a customer on weekly cleaning service, how many pre-made (or pre-maid?) meals could you bring them? I would think you would be spreading yourself out thin. At a $10/hr employee and the cost of gas I would guess you would need a 100% markup per meal to make any money.

That's why I was thinking of having a caterer do all the prep work and packaging. I simply don't have time to go do them myself. I want it in the final form when I get the meals and pass it on to the client. It was my understanding that Super Suppers (and anything similar) had pre-made meals in their arsenal of products.

Pricing would be difficult, I agree. People would end up paying a premium and then some!

Then again, has anyone seen the prices of Schwan's food lately? Good gosh... apparently people like to pay high prices.

I don't mind and regularly do pay higher prices but the service really has to exceed the "above and beyond" mark. I shop at a supermarket called Genuardi's. When I do actualy go into the store to pick up stuff I always get asked if I need assistance finding something (usually when I am sitting there with a "where in the hell are the olives" look). There is never more than two people in any given line. At checkout I get addressed by my name and thanked for my business and asked if I would like assistance getting my bags to my car. One day I am going to get one bag full of stuff and accept the offer.

For some, that extra comfort level is not worth the price of admission. But to many, customer service and convenience take precedence over price. That is the niche you will have to find.

I would kill to have a tall person waiting for me on each isle so I don't have to climb and stretch to reach things.

You too, huh? LOL I am barely 5 feet tall and have that problem! I loved it when I dated a 7' tall guy because I never needed to ask a stranger to help me.

I just send my DH to the grocery store now. I gave up!

I am 5ft also. Atleast that is my story and what I had them put on my drivers license. The actual number was embarrassing! I am just glad they don't actually measure you. I think lying to the DMV is a crime!

Mine says 5'2". It's actually 5' and one-half inch. It could be less by now.

I shrunk.

I offered a service like this once before then people started asking for babysitting also lol...i did get alot of responses because people were eager to try but the response i got from it was too much at the time...so i know it can be done with people who are just to busy to cook and clean or just want to relax and have food made for them when they come in from work

Thanks Dustbusters. What were the prices of the meals, may I ask? I am wondering what people consider "too much".

That's funny on the babysitting. LOL