By Myles Ma
Gloria and Jennifer Kubick put a personal touch on cleaning at Upstairs/downstairs Cleaning Service. It’s one of their selling points to customers.
“I stress to them that we’re a family-owned business,” said Jennifer Kubick, who runs the operation.
Customers can expect to see the same employees come to their houses each time, and will hear either Jennifer or her mother Gloria’s voice on the phone when they call. It’s what owner Gloria said has kept customers loyal to them over the company’s 19-year history.
Gloria started the business alone out of her basement in 1991 as JAAG Klean, Inc. She had no professional experience cleaning, but she did have experience running a business and said she was detail-oriented.
And those traits have helped her keep many of the customers she started with in that first year, she said. The business grew, and Gloria purchased the customers and name of Upstairs/downstairs Cleaning Service in 1993.
At its peak, the business had 20 employees, but has receded to a more manageable five over the last few years, Jennifer said, citing the economy post-Sept. 11. Gloria said the smaller size of the business means the company can better provide its signature personal touch, however.
“We’ve gotten it down to where being smaller but more professional is better,” she said.
Some of their employees have been with the company 15 years, and Gloria said that longevity is important to establishing a relationship with their customers. Gloria said people like that they can communicate with the people cleaning their homes.
In addition, the fact that the business is family-owned, and not beholden to the whims of a controlling franchiser, means Upstairs/downstairs is able to provide more personalized service. While many franchises would refuse to wash dishes or clean an attic, Upstairs/downstairs will do so, though they don’t advertise it.
Most of their customers are on an every-other week schedule, with an initial deep and thorough cleaning. But Upstairs/downstairs offers other services, like estate cleanouts and move-in or move-out cleaning.
The company also does light commercial cleaning, at businesses like attorney’s offices, real estate offices and country clubs. Jennifer hopes Upstairs/downstairs can continue working with other small businesses.
Jennifer said the business has received a lot of calls from landlords based near the College of New Jersey for these services. The businesses serves all of Mercer County, as well as parts of Monmouth, Burlington and Middlesex counties.
“If you hired us you wouldn’t have to worry about your cleaning needs,” Gloria said.
But the area the Kubicks are most familiar with is Hamilton. Jennifer graduated from Hamilton West in 1991. They have lived there more than 25 years, and know the area well.
“We should be, after 19 years, a pretty familiar name in the area,” Gloria said.
Upstairs/downstairs Cleaning Service is located at 1607 South Olden Ave. For more information, call (609) 888-1311.
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