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The Residential Cleaners -- Q & A

Interviews with Industry Pro’s.

CleanPeers asked a select panel of residential cleaning service professionals a series of questions regarding their service business. We asked the following people.

LaShaun Campbell, 2 Women & A Broom, Kent & Valerie Lande, The Squeak Squad,

Diane Dyer, 4 Corner Cleaning Ken Steele, Better Cleaning Services, Inc.

Alicia Ray, Sunshine Cleaning Sonya Busby, Buzz Building Maintenance

Briana O’Malley, Celestial Cleaning Ann Diett, Ann’s Maid Service

Daphne Woodyatt, Diane Lindsey, Allmax Cleaning

Kim, A Perfect Touch Dave Crichton, Harbor Vista Services

CP: What marketing method works best for you?

Referrals from existing customers and word of mouth advertising were the top answers here.

Another idea was supplying existing customers with gift certificates for referrals that gave a discount to the new customer and a smaller discount to the referring customer.

Door hangers, fliers, ads in local newspapers, leaving cards when doing new construction clean ups, making sure your vehicle has name/number/logo on it, direct mailing, website and post cards

CP: How do you handle different customers who expect you to use different products in their home than what you would normally purchase? In other words, you use Mr. Clean they want Lysol……

The number one response from all was, “We supply our own professional chemicals and equipment, if a customer insists on special requirements we tell them to purchase it and we will use it.”

Other comments included”

• Customers only tell us what NOT to use due to allergies or reactions to certain chemicals.
• We try to educate our customers and explain the value of allowing us to use our professional products.
• Many times a quick demonstration of our products convinces them to allow us to use ours.

CP: What type of personal protective gear do you wear while cleaning in a home? Or don’t you?

Everyone responded with latex, rubber or vinyl gloves. Other responses depending on the type of work or job included: masks, eye protection, no shorts, no open toe shoes or sandals.

CP: When you price a home for cleaning, what do you look for in existing conditions? Do you price higher if it’s a pigpen than you would the same size home that is neat?

There was a unified response that said conditions of the home affected the pricing structure.

Other issues affecting the price included:

• Types of surfaces to be cleaned—tile/wood/marble/carpet/vinyl
• Window Treatments—example numerous blinds to be dusted
• Pets
• Children
• Age of the home
• Amount of small knick, knacks, fine china, collectables, etc…
• Well water or softened water
• Will they be home during the cleaning?
• Smokers in the home?
• French doors, sliding glass doors, fireplace?

CP: What do you say to your customer when they call and complain? How fast do you react? What do you do—re-clean? Touch-up? Credit on the next bill?

Response is dictated by the type of complaint, which then could vary between:

• Customers have 24 hours after cleaning to call with concern.
• Express regret and demonstrate concern
• Double check problem area on next cleaning
• Immediate return to property to correct
• Discount on next invoice

Cleaning Peers & Advisors thanks all of these dedicated professionals for taking the time to answer our questions and in turn help their fellow cleaners.