HOW TO HIRE A MAID SERVICE AND SAVE MONEY!
Fact: Cheaper is NOT always better!
I know I said I was going to save you money, but this is not the way to save it. Don’t go with the cheapest maid you find because it will cost you in the end.
... Tip #1: Call around, and ask for estimates by phone. It is a good sign if they tell you they can’t do an estimate over the phone because phone estimates are just guesses. Reputable cleaning companies will come to your home to give a free estimate, so don’t be afraid to open your front door and let the bids walk in. However, do NOT hire anyone until you’ve gotten the highest bid. I’ll explain why in a moment.
Tip #2: Hire a legitimate cleaning company or individual. Anyone can put up a snazzy website or put an ad in the Yellow Pages, but only legitimate cleaning companies will have proper documentation. The last thing you want to do is hire someone who has no intention of paying taxes, who hires undocumented workers, who never performs background checks, nor carries proper insurance. The fastest way to know if the company is legitimate is to ask for proof of their liability insurance. Conversely, the first red flag that a maid service is not legitimate is their rock-bottom quote for cleaning your home compared to the rates charged by others.
Tip #3: Insist to review evidence of background checks performed on all employees. While background checks don’t guarantee that a theft won’t occur in your home, it greatly reduces the likelihood.
Tip #4: Bonding vs. liability insurance. If the company you would like to hire has insurance, they will be pleased to offer you this proof. The last thing you want is for a maid to slip and fall in your home and sue YOU because they were uninsured. Now, if they give you a bonding certificate and try to pass it off as the most important insurance necessary, don’t hire them.
Here’s another confession that most people don’t know: bonding insurance only covers a theft of an item, and the policy is paid only AFTER a conviction is made. The chances of a conviction are extremely slim in this industry. It is not going to help you if someone is injured, or if items are inadvertently broken. If the company performed background checks on their employees to begin with, it’s likely you won’t have an issue anyway.
Fact: Higher priced companies will typically give better discounts and incentives, making them more affordable than their lower-priced competitor.
Remember how I said you want to hire the highest price maid service? Here’s why:
Tip #1: Ask the highest priced maid service if they offer referral discounts. You will find they typically do, and they add up quickly. In my business, I give $25-$50 off a cleaning for every referral made. Some of my clients get free cleanings because of this, and I gain more clients (and profits) in the end.
Tip #2: Ask your maid service if you can be put on their “on-call” list instead of a regular schedule, and ask if you can get a discount for filling last-minute slots. Some services have a Facebook fan page for announcements of last-minute openings, so ask if they do this, and keep watching and waiting. Just like the Priceline.com concept, if there is an unfilled slot available on the schedule, it will be offered at the last minute at a reduced price. Maid companies would rather fill the slot with a discounted client than have no paying client at all.
Tip #3: Ask the maid service if you can be considered one of their “training” homes for a discounted rate. New employees need to be trained before they become ready for regular clients. New employees may work more slowly than usual or miss a few spots, but it’s all about giving them the practice. By offering your home for a discount, everyone wins.
Higher priced maid services are priced higher for a reason. They pay to perform background checks, pay proper taxes, supply high-end professional products, conduct proper training for their staff, and carry the proper insurance. These cost money, but they also give more value in the end. You may even find that the higher priced maid services give back to their community by donating their services to those in need. I’d much rather give my business to someone who cares for the community and is willing to give back to the clients served, wouldn’t you?
Asking for help in order to put more time back in your life to do more important things isn’t as costly or embarrassing as you may think. Hopefully, you’ll find my confessions and inside tips will help you take control of your time, your home, and your life. Remember that even Wonder Woman needs help sometimes!
- Andres Griego
President/CEO
Metro Source Janitorial & Maid Service, LLC.
www.MetroSourceNow.com
Andres@MetroSourcenow.com
Fact: Cheaper is NOT always better!
I know I said I was going to save you money, but this is not the way to save it. Don’t go with the cheapest maid you find because it will cost you in the end.
... Tip #1: Call around, and ask for estimates by phone. It is a good sign if they tell you they can’t do an estimate over the phone because phone estimates are just guesses. Reputable cleaning companies will come to your home to give a free estimate, so don’t be afraid to open your front door and let the bids walk in. However, do NOT hire anyone until you’ve gotten the highest bid. I’ll explain why in a moment.
Tip #2: Hire a legitimate cleaning company or individual. Anyone can put up a snazzy website or put an ad in the Yellow Pages, but only legitimate cleaning companies will have proper documentation. The last thing you want to do is hire someone who has no intention of paying taxes, who hires undocumented workers, who never performs background checks, nor carries proper insurance. The fastest way to know if the company is legitimate is to ask for proof of their liability insurance. Conversely, the first red flag that a maid service is not legitimate is their rock-bottom quote for cleaning your home compared to the rates charged by others.
Tip #3: Insist to review evidence of background checks performed on all employees. While background checks don’t guarantee that a theft won’t occur in your home, it greatly reduces the likelihood.
Tip #4: Bonding vs. liability insurance. If the company you would like to hire has insurance, they will be pleased to offer you this proof. The last thing you want is for a maid to slip and fall in your home and sue YOU because they were uninsured. Now, if they give you a bonding certificate and try to pass it off as the most important insurance necessary, don’t hire them.
Here’s another confession that most people don’t know: bonding insurance only covers a theft of an item, and the policy is paid only AFTER a conviction is made. The chances of a conviction are extremely slim in this industry. It is not going to help you if someone is injured, or if items are inadvertently broken. If the company performed background checks on their employees to begin with, it’s likely you won’t have an issue anyway.
Fact: Higher priced companies will typically give better discounts and incentives, making them more affordable than their lower-priced competitor.
Remember how I said you want to hire the highest price maid service? Here’s why:
Tip #1: Ask the highest priced maid service if they offer referral discounts. You will find they typically do, and they add up quickly. In my business, I give $25-$50 off a cleaning for every referral made. Some of my clients get free cleanings because of this, and I gain more clients (and profits) in the end.
Tip #2: Ask your maid service if you can be put on their “on-call” list instead of a regular schedule, and ask if you can get a discount for filling last-minute slots. Some services have a Facebook fan page for announcements of last-minute openings, so ask if they do this, and keep watching and waiting. Just like the Priceline.com concept, if there is an unfilled slot available on the schedule, it will be offered at the last minute at a reduced price. Maid companies would rather fill the slot with a discounted client than have no paying client at all.
Tip #3: Ask the maid service if you can be considered one of their “training” homes for a discounted rate. New employees need to be trained before they become ready for regular clients. New employees may work more slowly than usual or miss a few spots, but it’s all about giving them the practice. By offering your home for a discount, everyone wins.
Higher priced maid services are priced higher for a reason. They pay to perform background checks, pay proper taxes, supply high-end professional products, conduct proper training for their staff, and carry the proper insurance. These cost money, but they also give more value in the end. You may even find that the higher priced maid services give back to their community by donating their services to those in need. I’d much rather give my business to someone who cares for the community and is willing to give back to the clients served, wouldn’t you?
Asking for help in order to put more time back in your life to do more important things isn’t as costly or embarrassing as you may think. Hopefully, you’ll find my confessions and inside tips will help you take control of your time, your home, and your life. Remember that even Wonder Woman needs help sometimes!
- Andres Griego
President/CEO
Metro Source Janitorial & Maid Service, LLC.
www.MetroSourceNow.com
Andres@MetroSourcenow.com
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