Professional house cleaning services are increasingly in demand. People are becoming increasingly aware of the significant return on investment that outsourcing these, perhaps undesirable, chores can provide. The main benefit of using a house cleaning service is often the time you save and the time and energy you free from hating or avoiding cleaning. Hiring a cleaning service for your house is a significant choice that requires careful thought. Customers often need to research products or ask the right questions. Since it is, after all, your own place, trust is essential.

Two Serious Issues

Deal with a reputable business. Many people or "private parties" offer to clean your house, and they could perform a fantastic job. However, if you engage a person rather than a business to clean your home and pay them a certain sum each year, you are that person's employer. You may be held responsible if they don't pay the correct taxes on the money you provide them; in addition, this will undoubtedly make CNN the next time you're running for a cabinet seat. Additionally, you can be held responsible if a worker enters your house while doing work for you and suffers harm.

Ideally, all these hazards are eliminated when you choose a professional cleaning service. Payroll taxes, Workers' Compensation, and liability insurance should all be paid for by the service provider. A reputable service will also provide training for its staff. You, the buyer, are no longer liable for any risk or obligation. That degree of comfort is worth $20 more. Is it not?

Be professional, but don't base it on appearance - You should still conduct your research even if a company has flashy business cards and a website that can compete with Microsoft. When selecting a cleaning service, bear the following considerations in mind:

1. Who is going to clean my house? Do they employ full-time workers or contract workers? Regardless of the response, you want confidence that you are receiving the safeguards that should be offered together with a competent service. Do they use lone wolves or groups? Inquire as to why they choose the model they do. Different company concepts are successful for various reasons. Just make sure the business you wish to employ is doing it ethically. The IRS's website explains what constitutes an employment connection between an independent contractor and an employee.

2. Do they pre-screen hires and do criminal background checks? There should be a procedure for background checks and staff pre-screening for every service. Thanks to modern technology, even the tiniest organization may get inexpensive tools over the Internet. You'll want to know their employment procedure and policies regarding due diligence.

3. Do they have enough insurance? Workers' compensation and general liability insurance are both forms of insurance. Requesting a copy of the insurance certificates is not harmful. They ought to be more than delighted to display it to you, regardless of how much insurance costs.

4. Does a satisfaction guarantee exist? What is it comprised of? How soon after the service is delivered must I contact to report issues that need attention? No matter how excellent a service or an employee training program is, the people cleaning the home are still fallible human beings. You, the client, should feel confident that the business will set things right if the staff has a "poor day."

5. Who will control the keys to my residence? What rules apply? How do I know I'm safe? Most clients refrain from inquiring about this, even though it must be a significant issue. Each day, are the keys checked out? How are the keys stored while not in use? Where do they reside? Are they imprisoned? Who is in charge of them? Are there any indications that would allow someone to locate them if they were stolen or lost? Make sure the key doesn't reveal your address in any way. Inquire about the replace/re-key policy if the key is lost or stolen.

6. Tell your friends, family, and loved ones not to ask this question, and please refrain. Don't even ask this, all kidding aside. It doesn't signify much until the situation is dire. A bond's mechanism is that it is often acquired for as low as $200 a year for a small business (it is not insurance, although insurance brokers issue them). Why are bonds so affordable? Due to the seldom payment of claims, they are inexpensive. The bail will be paid if an employee is detected stealing, put on trial, and found guilty. Every small business owner nowadays has easy access to the resources needed to assess the potential candidates for cleaning your house. Before the information superhighway, most small businesses needed more help to adequately investigate a candidate's past. It was challenging to manage the recruiting process in the past, and "situations" would happen. Having said that, most house cleaning businesses purchase the bond simply because it is simpler to pay the $200 each year and politely respond, "Yes, we are bonded," when questioned, as opposed to going into the previous story. Additionally, picture how stylish you'll see when you and your friends are talking about this at the cocktail party and the topic of cleaning services comes up!

7. Are you two in agreement? Lack of communication is all too often the cause of the cleaning service-customer relationship going south. An intelligent cleaning service owner should outline what their company will do for you and your property and provide you with a clear idea of what to anticipate. Make sure you pay close attention to everything they say. Even better, they have eye-catching printed materials explaining what their service can do for you. Everyone has their personal "hot buttons" (what they define as being clean), so what one person deems to be "clean" may not be to another. It's simply in our nature. For some folks, it's a perfectly made bed; for others, it's a spotless sink. Learn where you fall on the spectrum of pickiness, from the most to the least picky. Bring up your concerns if you feel like they need to be addressed. You shouldn't just assume that it will be completed and that they "should know."

8. What should I do if I am unhappy with the service I receive? Perhaps it is not until the first, second, or third cleaning that you discover what your cleaning "hot buttons" are. (Side note: pay attention to what these are. It can save you YEARS of therapy if you pay close attention to what they are).

I hope some of these revelations will be positive actions taken by the professional cleaning staff that you were not expecting to have such an influence on you. However, if " things " irritate you, you should deal with them. Ensure that your viewpoint is not only a result of the workday. Call the owner or management and voice your concerns. Contrary to popular belief, the most successful service entrepreneurs WELCOME and APPRECIATE constructive feedback. It is the ideal method to create a better company, and experts will see your advice as a gift. Allow it to go until your next visit if it's anything minor. If it does matter to you, request that the team be sent back to make the necessary adjustments. They should be eager to comply as quickly as is practicable.