How PlanD helps Lars Kaufhold perfectly manage his growing building cleaning business day-to-day.

After completing his retail professional training at Peek & Cloppenburg and spending several years in the fashion industry, where he worked his way up to assistant store manager, Lars Kaufhold completely turned his professional life upside down. Due to personal circumstances, he lost his job, which led him to reflect on his career future: “Back then, I asked myself: Isn’t there something more enjoyable and fulfilling in the long run?”

His grandfather’s family business – a building cleaning company – played a crucial role in this. The company was by then owned by his father, and when Lars Kaufhold also joined, the decision to become self-employed matured in him. Alongside his work in his father’s company, he completed the master craftsman course in building cleaning – partly through evening classes – laying the groundwork for founding his own company. Finally, on April 1, 2023, the time had come: Lars Kaufhold Gebäudereinigung officially launched. The beginning was challenging, but he quickly found a way to stand out from the competition with hard work and modern approaches.

“I simply communicated externally that I was now self-employed – via Instagram, Facebook, and our website. That quickly brought in the first customers.” Today, just a year and a half later, the company already employs seven people, operates an office and a warehouse, and has several company vehicles.

Here's how Lars Kaufhold Gebäudereinigung benefits from PlanD:

• Time savings in scheduling through clear, structured processes and automatic scheduling.
• Better job control thanks to transparent time tracking and a digital overview.
• Fast quote generation and invoice dispatch directly from the software.
• High reliability for customers through seamless organization and documentation.
• Employee-friendly with easy time tracking via app.

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“PlanD ensures we’re always on the ball and everything runs exactly as planned and structured.”

Lars Kaufhold, Founder & Owner

What aspects convinced Lars Kaufhold about PlanD?

The idea of implementing a software solution arose when the business grew rapidly and Lars Kaufhold hired his first employees. Especially with window cleaning, organization became more complex: “The first window cleaner had several jobs every day – with different prices and addresses. I realized I couldn't manage that manually anymore. It simply wasn't possible to organize it differently.”

After Lars Kaufhold initially experimented with other tools and apps, including a craftsman app and a trial version of Hero, he discovered PlanD through a Facebook group for building cleaners. "I wanted exactly what PlanD does: an app for employees that navigates them, documents their assignments, and provides me with all relevant data. After the test, it was clear to me that PlanD was the right solution."

Besides the functionality, he was particularly impressed by the software's ease of use. "The implementation went smoothly. My employees liked it because it also makes their daily work easier."

PlanD Success Indicators:

• Increased Efficiency: The entire order volume is processed in a structured manner through PlanD.
• Team Expansion: The company grew from a one-man operation to seven employees – and is still growing.

How Lars Kaufhold Uses PlanD

Assignment Planning

The women in maintenance and staircase cleaning work on recurring properties, with their appointments permanently stored in the system. This means these assignments run largely automatically. For window cleaning, however, which varies daily, Lars Kaufhold plans appointments flexibly: "I call customers daily, get feedback, and directly schedule new appointments for the next three to four months."

Time Tracking and Invoicing

Time tracking is done via the PlanD app: Employees start and end their assignments directly through the app, which allows Lars Kaufhold to bill precisely. "This ensures that no customer goes unbilled. We no longer accidentally miss sending an invoice."

Lars Kaufhold also creates quotes and invoices directly in PlanD. The stored templates and prices greatly simplify the process: "I just go into the system, click a few times, and the quote or invoice is ready. That saves an incredible amount of time."

Outlook and Goals

Lars Kaufhold has set clear goals for 2025: He has already hired another full-time window cleaner, and optimizing internal processes remains a focus to further increase efficiency. "Now that the hardest part is done, we want to further establish ourselves as a reliable partner in the region."

Lars Kaufhold also wants to further deepen his collaboration with PlanD: "Of course, there are still small wishes here and there, such as an app for admins so I can enter appointments directly while on the go. But I'm sure the PlanD team will implement that in the future."

Looking back, Lars Kaufhold is proud of what he has achieved so far: "For 1.5 years of self-employment, we are already on a really good path. The foundation is laid, and with PlanD, we have exactly the right tool to continue growing."

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