A new suite of exterior cleaning services is transforming the way Greensleeves Lawn Care franchisees operate – unlocking year-round revenue, reaching new customer groups and creating dedicated full-time roles.
Originally developed to help franchisees make traditionally quieter periods more productive, Greensleeves’ Exterior Care Package is delivering results far beyond its initial blueprint. Early numbers point to a significant commercial opportunity, with franchisees using the comprehensive offering – spanning gutter, fascia, soffit and hard surface care – to build a complementary operation alongside their established lawn care businesses.
For Jamie and Lesley Clark, who run Greensleeves Doncaster, North Yorkshire and North Nottinghamshire and have been piloting the new services, demand for the hard surface cleaning packages included within the wider exterior offering took off almost immediately.
“Introducing hard surface cleaning packages was an absolute no-brainer for us,” said Jamie and Lesley. “We’re already trusted to look after our customers’ outdoor spaces, so helping them restore and protect the hard-standing areas around their homes was a natural extension of that relationship. What really caught us by surprise was the steady, year-round demand. The additional revenue quickly reached a point where we could justify hiring a full-time staff member dedicated entirely to this work, giving us greater operational flexibility and supporting our long-term growth.
“It’s also opening the door to a completely new audience. We’re regularly attracting people who have never used Greensleeves for lawn care before, giving us a brilliant foot in the door to showcase the quality of all our services.”
Further north, Natalie Reid, franchisee at Greensleeves Aberdeen, has also been one of the first to road test the new services. She saw similarly fast pick-up of the package’s gutter clearing service.
“We’re always looking to evolve the business and try new services, so having something fresh to offer existing and potential clients was hugely appealing,” explained Natalie. “Gutter clearing complements lawn care rather than competing with it – and it keeps our technicians’ calendars full where previously we may have had some seasonal lulls.
“The customer reaction has been fantastic. We’ve even seen former lawn care customers return to Greensleeves specifically for gutter services, which shows how these additional services can reconnect us with people in a completely different way. We’ve also used the service to support a local charity, helping us introduce what we do to even more people across our community.”
Developed and tested centrally by Greensleeves, the Exterior Care Package has been rolled out across the network with the training, equipment and operational support existing franchisees need to confidently add the services to their businesses. For new franchisees joining the network, the package will form part of the opportunity from the outset, giving them the tools to build multiple complementary revenue streams under the Greensleeves brand from day one.
High-powered vacuum systems allow gutters to be cleared safely from ground level, while integrated camera technology supports high-level inspections without the need for ladders or scaffolding.
“Lawn care remains at the heart of Greensleeves, but there’s no reason the trusted relationship our franchisees build with a customer has to stop at the edge of the lawn,” said Managing Director Cheryl Harper.
“Homeowners need exterior care throughout the year, and independent providers are already capitalising on that demand. For us, it made sense to look at how Greensleeves could take a bigger share of that market too. What started as a smart way to maximise quieter periods is showing the potential to become something much bigger – effectively giving franchisees the tools to build a business within their existing business. The early response from franchisees and customers shows just how much opportunity there is as we continue to expand beyond the lawn.”
