COIT: Setting the Standard in Specialty Cleaning and Restoration

COIT is a leading name in the global specialty cleaning and restoration industry, with roots tracing back to 1950 in San Francisco, California, near the iconic COIT Tower. What started as a local business has evolved into a major international brand, now operating franchises across the United States, Canada, and Thailand.

The company delivers a wide variety of cleaning services tailored to both residential and commercial customers, covering everything from carpets, upholstery, and drapes to grout and air ducts. This broad range of offerings enables COIT to meet diverse cleaning and restoration needs, giving it a competitive edge over providers with narrower service lines.

Franchising since 1966, COIT has seen impressive growth, now serving more than 106 markets and delighting over 12 million customers. This impressive footprint highlights COIT’s long-standing dedication to delivering exceptional service and dependable solutions around the world

Training

The COIT Services franchise provides an extensive training program designed to prepare franchisees and their teams for successful operations. Here’s a numbered summary of the training they offer:

1. Initial Orientation Program
   COIT provides an initial orientation for up to six people, including principals, officers, or employees, focusing on business management, financial management, human resources, marketing, customer service, and technical procedures like carpet, drapery, upholstery, and air duct cleaning.
2. Core Services and Technical Training
   Franchisees and their teams receive hands-on training covering core services, including the use of proprietary equipment and cleaning methods, supported by manuals, videos, and instructional materials. This training ensures consistency in delivering COIT’s service standards.
3. Software and System Training
   Franchisees are trained on COIT’s software systems for operations and reporting, including setup assistance and future enhancements. This training is provided without additional charge, though franchisees cover related travel and lodging costs.
4. Wood Floor Services and Specialized Programs
   For franchises offering specialized services like wood floor cleaning, COIT provides additional required training for the designated manager, with no fee for the initial session and optional follow-ups available for a fee.
5. Refresher and Additional Training
   COIT offers periodic refresher courses and optional additional training, which may be required to maintain standards or introduce new services. Fees may apply, and the franchisor covers instructors and materials.

Territory Protection

The COIT Services franchise grants franchisees an exclusive territory, typically covering at least 100,000 households, where no other COIT franchise or company-owned unit will operate using the COIT system and marks.

This exclusivity is contingent on the franchisee being in good standing and meeting operational obligations, such as providing core services and continuous advertising. However, COIT reserves the right to redefine territory boundaries if performance thresholds, like annual revenues or advertising requirements, are not met. Despite this territorial protection, COIT retains broad reserved rights that limit the exclusivity.

The franchisor can use other channels—such as internet sales, catalog sales, or telemarketing—to market within the franchisee’s territory, and can establish other businesses offering similar services under different trademarks. Additionally, COIT controls “Special Accounts,” meaning large national or regional clients, and may reassign service rights in the territory if requested by these accounts.