In the old days, there was no need for anybody to hire residential cleaning services to keep their homes spic-and-span. But with the prevalence of families where both parents hold down regular jobs, not to mention single-parent families, the presence of these companies has become more valuable than ever. If you have never hired a residential cleaning company before, here are a few guidelines to help you in your search.
The first thing to consider would be the type of company you would want to work with. You may have the money to hire one of the several national franchised companies, or you may also want to tighten the belt and go with someone working independently. There are also local residential cleaning companies that operate on a smaller level than franchises. Do you have friends or family who know somebody they can recommend? If you don’t, then the Internet and the phone book are great places to look. Regardless of who ends up in your shortlist of prospective companies, you can make things much easier on yourself if you’re prepared for the interview process cleaning services.
So how should you interview a residential cleaning company? Well, the first question you should be asking would always be regarding the company’s experience in the business. In line with that, do they have references they can provide? Does the company offer insurance or any form of protection in case they do not provide you with your money’s worth? Do they offer protection to their own employees pursuant to local and national labor and insurance codes? How many people work for the company, and how many of these workers are employed full-time? What type of equipment or cleaning agents do they use? This is just a very quick sampling of interview questions. However, these are also the most fundamental questions you should be asking a residential cleaning company, so do take note of them.
If the answers to the above questions are mostly, if not completely to your liking, then you can lay the cards on the table, hope they do the same, and start talking pricing. Transparency is very important – this applies to both parties in the transaction. You want to be very sure they don’t ding you for hidden costs when they hand you the bill. And you also want to get the best bang for your buck, so be sure you’re dealing with a company that offers a fair price for their specific services.
And once you’ve decided on a residential cleaning company, you should remember to treat their staff with courtesy and professionalism. Be effusive with your praise and tactful if you have to criticize. Cleaning companies are not unlike other businesses – show their workers respect and they’ll do the same to you. Who knows, you may eventually get a neat little discount on their services if you prove yourself over time as a loyal and trusted customer!
