8 Tips for Excellence as You Start a Cleaning Business
After initially starting a house cleaning business, far too many house cleaners neglect their duties over time, and as a result their job security suffers. My partner and I know this because we’ve “stolen” many jobs away from other people who started a house cleaning business when they failed to meet their clients’ expectations. They were poorly prepared. When you start a cleaning business, as in any other business, you will do your best work if you have good mentors. We hear complaints about these “flakes,” over the phone time after time, when our new clients are calling us because they’re disappointed in their current service.
When you’ve started your house cleaning business and it’s running smoothly, it pays
to think ahead and give yourself an extra edge of job security by delivering little
extras that will make your clients glad to write those checks out to you, month after
month. We’ve experienced the job security that comes from applying ourselves with
integrity to meet each client’s needs - not just meet them, but exceed them. When
you start a cleaning business, you can too. What’s more, you can keep your clients
for as long as you choose. If you are starting a cleaning business, delivering
excellence will help you build job security, because your clients will be praising your
name.
The good news is, delivering excellence is not all that difficult to do. How do you do
it? Here are eight tips:
1. Show up on time and be consistent. Being punctual shows your client that you
respect their schedule and that you can be counted on. Don’t vary the time you both
agreed on unless you must. While starting your cleaning business, create or develop
systems that provide a structure within which you can work efficiently and
consistently. Developing consistent systems also provides a way for you to check off
your mental“to do” list while working, reducing the likelihood that you’ll forget
something.
2. Be thorough. Focus on one task at a time, while keeping in mind the whole
picture. Know where you are going next, not just as you start your cleaning
business, but as you clean at each of your jobs. If possible, fully complete one task
or room before beginning the next. Move your cleaning equipment along with you
instead of spreading out all over the house.
3. Do your job to the best of your ability. Clean as if their place were your own.
Show that you care. Do what you would like to have done in your own house or
place of business. Work quickly but never rush or take risks with their belongings.
4. Return your clients’ phone calls as soon as you possibly can. Don’t give them
even one reason to think of you as less than professional. Make it easy for your
clients to keep you on and refer you and your service to others.
5. Make it smell yummy. Reduce the smell of “man’s best friend,” by applying
lavender or orange essential oil to the vacuum bag or filter before using. Essential
oils not only clean the air of bacteria and make things smell fantastic, they will lift
your spirits while you work! This is a subtle and magical trick. Your clients may
never figure out why, but they’ll just know that every time you clean their home,
everything smells so darn good.
6. Keep up to date. Continue learning and educating yourself about your business.
Don’t assume that you always know the best way to handle new situations. We can
all afford to step back periodically, get a fresh perspective, and reinvigorate
ourselves and our approach.
7. Say thank you. We send our holiday cards just before Thanksgiving, when they
won’t be lost in the sea of Christmas cards. This is a nice time to thank your clients
for giving you the opportunity to serve them. But don’t wait for the holidays.
Whenever the urge to say thanks strikes, do it. When we first started a cleaning
business, we sent a round of thanks to all our clients. Now one of them, a real
estate agent, consistently refers new clients to us. We like surprising her by leaving
behind a single stem flower once in a while.
8. We’re all human. Mistakes can and probably will happen every once in a blue
moon. Especially when you first start a cleaning business. Apologize and make
amends if you need to.
These little extras are not much more than common sense, but we all know how
uncommon that can be. As you start a house cleaning business, work to consistently
fulfill your clients’ expectations, and then go one step further and give them more
than they bargained for. You will have job security for as long as you choose.
This article was adapted from the newly revised and improved edition of Suzanne
Arthur’s ebook, Start Your Own House Cleaning Business. Two of Suzanne’s other
business ebooks, featuring the Suze & Ev Method, are Start Your Own Window
Cleaning Business, and Start Your Own Office Cleaning Business. These ebooks, as
well as a handy dandy cleaning tips ebooklet, can be found at