General Info:
Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Cleaning Service How long have you been in business? It takes little more than good intentions and a mop and bucket to start a cleaning business, but it takes far more to run a professional, sustainable company. This is not to say you should not consider hiring a newly formed company (we all start somewhere,) but generally the longer a company has been in business the more likely they are to be around in the future. Are you insured? What happens if something in my home is broken or damaged? Proper insurance (at least one million dollars in coverage - two million is better) is vital. An uninsured company will absolutely be cheaper, but when the finish is eaten off your wood floors, your stainless steel appliances are scratched, or your grandmotherʼs vase is broken, they are also the ones who will not be able to afford to compensate you for it, leaving you to foot the bill. Always verify insurance coverage through the companyʼs insurance provider. Ask to see it. Do you carry workman’s compensation insurance on all of your employees? Workmanʼs comp is required for all employees under Colorado law, yet very few cleaning companies comply because it is so expensive. This opens you up to significant risk of lawsuit if a cleaner is injured in your home. The risk is even greater with an independent maid, since technically YOU are their employer. How do you prescreen your employees? Does the company check references? Perform criminal background checks? Are they willing to provide proof? If they are an independent cleaning person are they willing to provide you with a copy of their own background check at their expense? What does your training program consist of? The turnover in the industry is high, and many services are just desperate for “warm bodies” to throw out there and get the work done. It is not uncommon for new hires to get very little training, or no training at all. The best companies will have formal, documented, on-going training programs. This helps ensure consistency in quality and reduce the turnover of the staff who clean your home. Can you provide me with a written checklist of tasks to be performed? This is extremely important. Different companies have different ideas of what a basic service consists of. It is important to know exactly what you are paying for, and know you are truly comparing apples to apple when making a final decision. Do you have a formal quality assurance program in place? What methods do the company use to measure quality on an ongoing basis? Do they perform regular quality checks, mail surveys, leave behind comment cards, or do a follow up in person. Just protect your home and your yourself. Kelli Green Apple House Cleaning --