7 Questions to Ask Before Hiring Maid Services in Memphis, TN
A few decades ago, cleaning companies were reserved for the wealthy. Having someone come to clean your house was considered a luxury.
House cleaning has become a necessity in recent years, and the current pandemic has made it crucial to healthy living.
Before hiring maid services to help you clean, make sure you ask these seven questions.
1. How Long Have You Been a Business?
Unfortunately, there are a lot of pop-up cleaning services that try to turn a quick dollar before closing the shop. Don’t get stuck with a company that has no intention of correcting mistakes or helping you again.
Because failure rates for cleaning businesses are high, see if businesses have been around longer than five years.
Cleaning services that have been around longer than five years have generally met exceptional standards of service and customer satisfaction.
You can still give a new cleaning service a chance by asking a representative for credentials or proof of past experience. They might also have a list of past clients that were satisfied and can speak to their service.
2. Do You Perform a Background Check on Employees?
When you allow people into your home to clean, you are put in a very vulnerable position. Maids will have access to your rooms, valuables, and important documents.
The last thing you want is someone with a criminal record or violent history spending time in your home.
Ask the company how they screen employees for their cleaning service. Do they do a standard background check? Ask to see if they’ll check the references of their employees.
Drug screens are also good filters to find out who is chemically dependent or abusing substances. A cleaner who is addicted to drugs will be more likely to try and steal something of value to sell later.
3. Do You Have Insurance and Permits?
One of the worst-case scenarios would involve a maid accidentally breaking a valuable asset while cleaning. Who pays for the damages?
Ask the maid service if they have insurance to cover accidents or damage. You don’t want to end up in court trying to recover the money to pay for repairs or replacements.
Make sure the insurance coverage has a high enough limit to cover everything in your house.
You’ll want to see if the business has all required permits or licenses to operate within the city and state. If you hire someone who isn’t legally allowed to work, you can get into legal trouble, too.
4. What Happens If a Worker Is Hurt?
Another bad scenario is a maid getting injured at your house. Maybe she trips down the stairs or has a shelf fall on top of her.
Ask the maid service if they have workers’ compensation insurance. You don’t want to be responsible for the financial burden of any injuries.
A reputable cleaning service will have insurance coverage to protect you and the worker. If they don’t have it, ask for a document in writing that will release you of any responsibility.
If you hire an independent maid, make sure you are aware that you’re the employer. This is why it’s always best to go with a reputable company that has workers’ compensation protection.
5. What Are Your Basic Services?
A lot of customers have different expectations for what a basic cleaning entails. Get a copy of a cleaning company’s basic services. You want to know exactly what to expect.
If you have cleaning requests that aren’t involved in any level of service, then ask them how much it will be to include it. You want to have a clear understanding of what is expected as far as the detail of cleaning and the areas that are cleaned.
Some companies will have discounts for repeat customers, so it might be advantageous to sign up for multiple cleanings in a month. There may also be specials for new customers.
6. Do You Have Training and Supplies for Workers?
The turnover rate in the cleaning industry is quite high. Some businesses are just looking for a body to place.
Ask about a cleaning service’s training program to ensure you’re getting a person who knows what they are doing. The best cleaning companies will have documented training.
You’ll also want the company to provide their own supplies when cleaning your home. Part of the benefits of hiring a company is that you no longer have to keep a full closet of cleaning supplies.
You can still ask about what they provide in case you need a specific piece of equipment or environmentally-friendly chemicals. Be wary of a maid service that doesn’t provide basic cleaning and sanitation gear.
7. What’s Your Process for Getting in and out of the House?
While you might prefer to stay and watch a maid clean your home, this almost defeats the purpose of hiring them in the first place.
Find out if they have a good process for getting in and out of your house. Some companies will have very strict procedures that include a key pick drop-off and pick-up.
Make sure the only person who has access to the key is a manager or the owner of a cleaning business. The fewer keys you pass around, the better secure your home will be.
You may have to spend time showing the cleaners proper lock-up if you have security systems. It’s up to the customer to ensure animals and dangerous obstacles are put away.
Hiring Maid Services to Make Your Life Easier
Make your life easier and get back precious hours by hiring maid services to clean your home. Ask these questions to make sure the cleaning company is perfect for your home.
Remember, this service is for everyone in Memphis.
If you’re ready to let someone else handle the messes, get a quote today!