Men In Kilts Sees Massive Growth with Window Cleaning Software

Here’s the story of how Men In Kilts went from a single-truck operation to a North America-wide franchise, and how window cleaning software plays a part in their continuous growth.

It Started With a Kilt

Men In Kilts was started in 2002 by Nicholas Brand, a Vancouver-based Scotsman. Brand fashioned a hand-sewn kilt and put a visual to the otherwise faceless window cleaning business. By 2009, Men In Kilts had grown to over one million in annual revenue.

Brand decided to begin franchising the company so that homeowners and businesses across North America could experience the “power of the kilt.” Systems were streamlined and processes were created for scalability. The centralized call center was established and the first franchise owners joined in 2011.

A Key Partnership

The first franchise operation was in Victoria, BC but the largest game changer came when Men In Kilts built a partnership with an existing window cleaning company in Calgary, AB. Owners Chris and Robyn Carrier operated an existing Calgary window cleaning company that began in 1992 and had become one of the largest in Canada, with over $3 million in annual revenue.

When their Calgary location joined forces with Men In Kilts, the franchise experienced rapid growth and the Carriers brought their wealth of knowledge and experience in the window cleaning industry to contribute to the overall strength of the operations.

New Leadership

In January 2015, after 23 years in the window cleaning industry, Chris Carrier became Men In Kilts’ newest CEO. Carrier bleeds tartan and sees a vision for the growth of the unique and unforgettable Men In Kilts brand, as it sets out to become a household name across North America.

Carrier’s focus is on support, and inspiring growth within the existing franchise locations while providing a strong foundation for new partners to flourish.

A Brand Story that Resonates

Men In Kilts has appeared in many publications, both print and televised. These include Entrepreneur Magazine, MSNBC, CBC, Fox Business, the Canadian Business Journal, Good Day Philadelphia, Global National, Breakfast Television, and the Boston Business Journal. They even made an appearance on Dragons’ Den (Canada’s version of Shark Tank).

Window Cleaning Software With Franchise-Wide Booking Helps Them Grow

“The savings in time alone has been 30%+ on the admin front.”
-Chris Carrier, Men In Kilts CEO

Men In Kilts has been using Vonigo’s window cleaning software to manage their whole franchise for several years. “We are one of Vonigo’s initial clients and the primary decision to going with their platform was two-fold,” says CEO Chris Carrier. “First, centralized call center and scheduling. And they have a forward-looking approach to technology that operates in the cloud and is scalable as we expand operations across North America.” He adds: “The platform has come a long way since we first joined them and we expect that progress to continue.”

Administration Savings of Over 30%

In terms of the benefits, Carrier mentions the “fully mobile technicians that are able to perform 99% of functions in the field in real time.” It’s an improvement, he says, over the “three people that may have had to touch a process prior. This saves time and money.”

How much money does it save? “Administration costs in many of our systems have reduced substantially as a result of improved efficiencies with the Vonigo platform,” says Carrier. “It’s hard to pinpoint the number exactly, but the savings in time alone has been 30%+ on the admin front.”

Their Growth Continues

Men In Kilts will continue to scale its operations across North America. “Vonigo allows us to bring new franchise partners and their teams into our system seamlessly,” says Carrier. “We train them, and then turn them loose to bring smiles to the world…. one kilt at a time.

“Our teams are the best in their field,” says Carrier. “Not only do we dress for success, we back it up with a 100% clean guarantee. Clients may try us due to our attention-grabbing marketing, and the kilts. However, our real business strategy revolves around an unprecedented service that will have our customers raving to their friends and family about the great work we do.”

The novelty of seeing the crews in their kilts just doesn’t seem to wear off, says Carrier. “They often try to sneak in a picture of our teams to share with their friends. Our people deliver on our brand promise and service daily. That makes us stand out as an industry-leading service provider for the discriminating buyers looking for excellence.”

Learn More About Window Cleaning Software

Want to learn more about how to use window cleaning software to help manage and grow your business? Book a free, private demo of Vonigo.