Mistakes When Hiring A Cleaner

I am often approached by prospective clients who already have a cleaner but for various reasons, they are unhappy. Sometimes this is for very understandable reasons such as a breach of trust/confidentiality or persistent unreliability. But other times, those unsatisfied clients could have a better relationship with their current cleaner if they follow these guidelines.....

Be clear with your expectations - I have a detailed consultation with all new clients before commencing work as communication is key. Different cleaners will do different things as standard or sometimes, we will prioritise things within the timeframe given. If you have a specific set of requirements, make sure you let your cleaner know! A list can be a great idea if you're hiring a cleaner and you have specific requirements. Just don't forget if you do have a list, give your cleaner the time to execute it properly. Perfection takes time, especially if you're wanting a high detail clean.

Be reasonable with your expectations - This should go without saying but sadly, this is definitely a cross-industry peeve. We may be professionals but we're still human and we can only do so much or work so quickly. Work with us if you have a budget to make sure you're going to be happy with what can and cannot be done within your restrictions. Most cleaners take huge pride in their work and it's always heart-wrenching when the client is unhappy due to unreasonable expectations. There's only so much that caffeine can do and we can only move as fast as our species allows.

Don't let the ball drop yourself - This is a big one I often see - just leaving everything as the cleaner is coming. If you don't want to do any cleaning, that's fine! But what I sometimes see is the level of cleanliness and untidiness getting worse after each clean and the allotted time staying the same. If you're doing less, you have to allow more time to keep standards at the level we'd both like!

Consider giving us a key - It just makes life easier for everyone if we're able to come in, whizz around and do our magic, all before you step in your fresh, clean home after running errands or working.

And remember - Kindness is key. I would always encourage you to talk to your cleaner first and try to rectify any issues before you consider looking for a replacement.

I have glowing feedback and testimonials from dozens of happy clients over the years I have been in business, but even I am not completely immune to issues, niggles and the odd piece of feedback which doesn't meet my usual high standards. So how do I deal with that when it happens? I make it clear to my clients that while excellent standards of cleaning are obviously important, it's the effectiveness of my communication that makes my service stand out from others. It's also important to make sure that the expectations of my clients match up with what I can realistically provide. I will talk to you, discuss your needs and keep you informed via text, email, telephone and social media. Should a client ever inform me that they are not happy for whatever reason, I use communication to resolve the matter and will always do whatever it takes to ensure that a situation is left on a positive note. Ultimately I look to make sure, wherever possible, that I work with clients who completely understand my ethos, and appreciate that sometimes things can get in the way of providing a perfect service. When I do find these clients, that's where the magic happens, meaning that I very rarely have any issues to resolve!