The business manages an average of 60 jobs per day, with teams handling four to six houses each.
At the beginning, Leyva said, she knew that she wanted to create a business and she needed one that did not require a lot of investment money for startup. She also wanted to stay connected to people and the community. “I love people,” the former Prescott Valley Town councilmember said. “This is a great business and a great service to provide.”
Leyva began cleaning one house every other week, and then another house every month. Her business grew enough that she hired another person, then another, and soon, her customer base was rapidly growing.
“At some points in the growth of the business, I was overwhelmed because I had to do the cleaning, the estimating and answer the phones,” she said. “I was the one in charge of everything. I had no experience with human resources, marketing, taxes or accounting. I had to learn all those things. The cleaning was the easy part, but learning the rest of it was kind of hard. And managing people, that’s a big thing.”
She learned quickly and put into place a foundation that serves the business and its employees. “This is a business of trust, because you’re letting people into your home, so we have to establish a relationship where you feel comfortable.”
New employees learn the company’s mission and vision, policies and procedures and each attends the Maid to Order “Cleaning Academy” program. Leyva maintains files on all customers, so cleaners know customers’ preferences before beginning a job. Employees work in teams and when each team leaves the office in Maid to Order vehicles, customers are notified that they are on their way and a photo of the team is provided.
Leyva said she feels every customer should be treated with care. “Everyone is different and they have different pet peeves. Some people say, ‘just focus on the floors.’ For others, it’s the bathrooms or the showers. It’s a very personal service, because your home is your sacred space,” she said. “The little things can really free up space in your mind when they are taken care of. It’s a great service to have and I think that’s why we’ve been so successful.”
She also has built a loyal employee base. “We all have to work, and we all deserve to be working in a place where you’re treated right, and you get paid fairly. We eliminate a lot of employee issues before they start because we treat our employees well.”
Prescott Maid to Order serves a large area on the west side of Mingus Mountain, so Leyva says expansion into the Verde Valley on the east side is an easy decision. “It’s just adding a territory. We already go to Sedona for new constructions and vacation rentals.”
Today, the full spectrum of Prescott Maid to Order services includes residential, new construction and vacation rental cleaning, and janitorial services through MTO Janitorial. The business manages an average of 60 jobs per day, with teams handling four to six houses each.
Even though Prescott Maid to Order has grown exponentially, Leyva said it has been – and still is – rewarding. She has loved meeting people and getting to know them better through their homes. “You go into people’s homes and see their personality through their decor, their pictures, their history.”
She wants people to know that Prescott Maid to Order is here to stay and that it’s a family- oriented business providing employment to local people. “We’re taking care of each other, taking care of people. I’ve been able to create systems and ways to make it so personal and train our cleaners how to care,” she said.
Leyva credits the longtime support of her two now grown children, Abraham and Helen, who assist her in her other business, the Warehouse Event Center in Prescott Valley, for making it possible for her to use her time for creating and working on projects. “It feels super amazing,”
She is also grateful for her loyal customers. “I’m really thankful because people trust us.” VVBN
By Heidi Dahms Foster
For more, visit prescottmaidtoorder.com.
Photos by Kay Lyons: Prescott Maid to Order founder Lucy Leyva built her business from a one-woman operation into a thriving company with more than 80 employees. Now, two decades later, she’s preparing to expand into the Verde Valley.
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