[dianegreenwood]

Hi all

I'd really value some advice.  We have 30 plus regular domestic cleaning clients now and as I keep in regular contact I would say that 90% of them are very happy, 8% are reasonably happy and the other 2% are hard work to keep happy.

When we take on a new client I try really hard to manage their initial expectations (i.e. we can't spring clean the whole flaming house in 3 hours when they've not cleaned it for 6 months and it will take 3 to 4 visits before everything is at maintenance stage) but we usually stay extra the first couple of times anyway just to make sure they are bowled over.  I charge a high enough hourly rate to allow this, especially as its usually me that makes up the extra hour.

Now, my problem that I'd like help with is this:

A brand new customer cancelled today.  We cleaned her house on Tuesday and were there for over 5 hours even though she had only paid for 4.  They have four dogs (yes four) and 2 cats and the house was pretty minging (thankfully, all the animals were out of the house when we cleaned because they have a property down south which they live in two weeks on two weeks off).  The kitchen took me 2 hours to clean!  I washed down all the cupboard doors inside and out (this involved using a step ladder for the top ones as they were particularly tall cupboards).  Now usually a kitchen will take under an hour and use up 4 white cloths and 2 microfibre to polish off.  This one took 15 white cloths (now black) so you can imagine how mucky it was.

We also thoroughly cleaned the bathroom which took an hour and a half (including soaking shower head in limescale remover) and then it took more than 1½ hours to dust the whole house, hoover all flooring and mop the whole of the downstairs of the house, which was a bit of a challenge to say the least!

I left her a note to say that the upstairs carpets had been a bit rushed but that we had done our best and I would bring a pet hair tool for the next visit so we could do a better job, however the kitchen was immaculate as was the bathroom and we had removed a thick layer of dust from the whole house and hoovered and mopped the whole ground floor.

Sorry for the essay, but I suppose my main question is: do we do too in depth a clean each visit?

Me and my team of 3 girls all work our butts off, we don't stop for tea and charge the client time; we arrive, we work like mad, we check it, we leave.  And we have other clients that we struggle to get through the work and I don't think I underquote.

Can anyone give me guidance on what they would do at a regular client say in the kitchen and bathroom and in living rooms.  Perhaps its too ambitious to wash kitchens and bathrooms thoroughly every time, maybe I'm going mad!!

I'm a bit p*ssed off right now because I always take it too personally but I'd really appreciate some advice.

Many thanks

Diane

[KLEEN-ZONE]

We have had a few like that. It is difficult on the first visit when they want a regular clean but won't have an initial spring clean, as you say , I also explain it will take several visits before it is up to scratch on the time allowed.

Don't think it was too in depth. I find most are happy if the kitchen and bathrooms are in tip top order and the other rooms get a dust and vacuum.

Is it possible they never had any intention of continuing the service and got away with a cheap clean rather than taking a spring clean

Steve

[The Great One]

Hi

Have you asked why she cancelled?

Maybe it's just the recession??

Regards

Martin

[dianegreenwood]

Hi martin

She cancelled because she didn't think we'd done a good enough job of the hoovering!

Cheers

Diane

[The Great One]

Hi

Man that's petty, just one of the reasons i stay away from domestic, too bleeding pedantic.

My absolute honest opinion is to let her go, this job is tough enough without some petty excuse to bin you, why not just ask you to re-vac, simple answer to a simple issue.

Chin up & move on

Regards

Martin

[suffolkclean]

I sympathise with you so much!! We did the same - had about 25 regular domestic customers and it was hell. Most customers were generally happy but the moany ones made up for the ones you didn't really get complaints from.
Customers expect the lo to be done, we ended up telling about 5 different customers over the course of a year that we felt we couldn't carry on cleaning for them. We had a fortnightly clean 2 hrs - She didn;t do a thing between our visits, we had to empty overflowing bins including tampon applicators what had overflowed onto the floor (dirty b), we had to refil the toilet blocks when they ran out the lot. She complained on a regular basis. There is only so long you can take complaints from the same customer.
If I were to do it again (which I wouldn't) I would say a minimum of say 4 hours per visit until the house was up t scratch. Or I know of a local company to me who won't take on any regular customers until the house has a full spring clean at £300 for a 4 bedroom house, then it is much easier to keep on top of it.
The expectations from the customer for domestic cleaning is huge and the hourly rate they want to pay is small. I now stick to one off cleans & end of tenancy because of this.
Good Luck Diane!

[dianegreenwood]

Hi all

Thank you for all the replies.  I does make me feel better to know its not just me!!

Luckily I signed a new client for the same number of hours yesterday and I actually specified the order of priority for the first four visits, i.e. visit 1) kitchen, visit 2) bathrooms, 3) downstairs 4) upstairs and I wrote it on her agreement and asked her if she was ok that we brought the house up to standard in that order then maintained it from visit 5 onwards.  I was very insistent lol 

Thankfully though this new client is a referral from one of my best clients so I'm hoping she'll be much more realistic.

Thanks again

Diane

[Les]

You have to adopt the old addage..

"You can't win 'em all"

We know that we always try to do a good job of cleaning and like you, have had the rare customer who is never satisfied.

We've actually let a couple go over the years, to allow them to find someone 'better', and believe it or not we've had calls from them asking if it would be, 'uhhmm', possible to 'huh hum' return.

We don't go back.

I had a garage owner ring up the other day, suggesting that our cleaners can't have turned up to clean at night....and if they did their work was atrocious.
I said we'd be back that night to put things right for no cost  and I have to say, also at the request of the cleaners who wanted to point out some issues.

To cut a long story short, I was able to go back to the owner and report that the fact that the premises never looked brilliant was that we only spent a total of 2 hours there per fortnight, that his entrance door mats and other dirt trap mats were completely useless and the staff actually dreaded going there because it always felt like a lost cause.

In fairness to our staff, they clean dirtier places, just more often and weve never received any other complaints about their work.

I also pointed out to the owner that it had been his sons decision not to have the premises cleaned more often as was our suggestion.

He actually thanked me for the feedback which I always try to give in these situations.

We cleaning companies 'mostly' do a good job and need to stand up for ourselves when being unfairly criticised.

Blimey....rant over 

Les

[Jessica Harvey]

How long does it take to get 30 clients I have been going since September and have about 12 regular clients each week. I charge £50 for 2 cleaners for 2 hours is this reasonable? A regular client cancelled today as she said she had found a local cleaner for £7 an hour and no  longer wanted to pay our fees athough she said we had done a very good job.

[dianegreenwood]

How long does it take to get 30 clients I have been going since September and have about 12 regular clients each week. I charge £50 for 2 cleaners for 2 hours is this reasonable? A regular client cancelled today as she said she had found a local cleaner for £7 an hour and no longer wanted to pay our fees athough she said we had done a very good job.

Hi there, happy to answer but can you please complete your profile as I've no idea what to call you!

Cheers

Diane

[Jessica Harvey]

Diane

I have now filled in my profile. My name is Jessica and I have started a domestic cleaning business in Oxfordshire

[dianegreenwood]

Hi Jessica

I'm early days myself, only started the business in April but my clients come from:

1) website 50%
2) local ad mag 15%
3) local networking group 15%
4) leaflets 10%
5) word of mouth 10%

I sympathise over the £7 per hour brigade.  Unfortunately, we can't compete with them on price.  So I try to sell on value not price.  eg:

1) hire someone out of the post office window - cheap option but unreliable, no insurance, have to provide equipment and cleaning products for them, you get what you pay for.

2) agency route - they introduce you to a cleaner, but you still have to provide equipment and if they are off sick or just don't turn up its generally the customer who has to sort it out.

3) Freshly Maid - honest hourly rate that allows us to employ great people with high standards, crb checked staff, fully trained, fully insured, have only once not turned up and that was because of snow! We bring all our own equipment and materials. 

Most, but not all, like our personal touch and low hassle option and are prepared to pay a decent rate for it.

Hope that helps and good luck!

Diane

[Jessica Harvey]

Diane,

Thank you for that, you say you have 30 regular customers. Has your business grown rapidly and is it still growing. Do you pay for an HR company. I have been advised to do this but it will cost me £120 a month. Thanks for answering my questions.

Jessica