Archive | August 2014

Avoiding Difficult New Clients

August focus: Domestic Cleaning Service

avoiding difficult new clients

Avoiding Difficult New Clients

You will come into contact with all kinds of people once you begin promoting yourself. I have seen homes that were so disgustingly dirty that my stomach turned while I was doing the quote. I have also recognised when people felt that they were better than me, just because I worked as a cleaner, and sensed that their attitude towards me was going to bring me trouble if I took on the job. The easiest way to avoid taking on a client that you can intuitively feel will do this is to give them a fee for service that is much higher than they were expecting to pay. Then the person subject to your quote can only say that your fees were too expensive, and ‘expensive’ is relative to whether or not the desired item or service has value to the intended purchaser. Continue reading

Good Clients and Bad

August focus: Domestic Cleaning Service

good clients and bad

Good Clients and Bad

Recognising a Bad Client

In this business there are plenty of bad clients. That doesn’t mean to say though, that you should treat any of them with a lack of respect. You should treat each client with the same amount of respect and value, no matter whether you are being paid well or being paid average to do their work. When a person feels valued by you they are going to tell others about you and your service. This is how you will gain referral business. But be aware that in the home cleaning business there will always be good clients and bad. Continue reading

Pieces in a Puzzle

August focus: Domestic Cleaning Service

pieces in a puzzle

Pieces in a Puzzle

Even after reading all of this and becoming fairly good at the suggestions in this month’s articles,  there will still be times when just everything seems to go wrong for you with a particular client. Even though you have all good intentions, you must remember this: just as they are looking for the right person to help them with their cleaning, so too are you looking for the right clients to serve. Everyone wants the right pieces in a puzzle. You want your clients to be right for you, and your clients want you to be right for them. Continue reading

Breaking Down the Language Barriers

August focus: Domestic Cleaning Service

breaking down the language barriers

Breaking Down the Language Barriers

In communicating with your client, the most important thing is to find a way to understand each other, either verbally or even by using gestures. It is important when you meet your client to tell them that you understand every word that they say but have difficulty in saying some English words, or you may have difficulty in finding the right word to describe something. It’s OK. A little bit of patience and understanding by both of you goes a long way. Continue reading

How to Improve Your Memory

August focus: Domestic Cleaning Service

how to improve your memoryHow to Improve Your Memory

If you wish to know how to improve your memory and recall a fact, and it does not come into consciousness, what do you say? “I have forgotten.” That is the customary remark. You now understand what such a statement will do. It is exactly the same as telling your subconscious mind to do nothing at all. You have forgotten, and that’s all there is to it. The next time you wish to recall a fact, say; “It will come to me,” or some such positive thought. With such a mental instruction your subconscious mind will delve into your storehouse of knowledge and presently you will find the thought coming into your consciousness.

As we grow older, our interests increase and frequently, through not having shown sufficient attention at the time of hearing a fact it will escape us. As we have such experiences, we begin to feel our memory is slipping and a ‘bad memory consciousness’ is created. The memory becomes poor because we have literally instructed the subconscious mind to make it poor. It is extremely easy to correct this condition. To hold to the thought, ‘I have a good memory’, will prove a revelation to us. We will develop a good memory. Continue reading

Becoming a Good Conversationalist

August focus: Domestic Cleaning Service

becoming a good conversationalist

Becoming a Good Conversationalist

Since making your client comfortable with you is dependent upon conversation, here are a few thoughts which will help toward making you a better conversationalist, which you will be rewarded for in your earnings. You already know this information intuitively, but why not review it anyway? Continue reading

Gaining Trust and Confidence

August focus: Domestic Cleaning Service

gaining trust and confidenceGaining Trust and Confidence (of the Client)

Making an Impression when you Arrive

It is always advisable to meet the client at an allocated time that is not the time set for doing the work, and when you do meet your client for the first time, a better impression will be made if you arrive wearing the clothes of a businessperson. This means, a business jacket and matching pants (or skirt). This will immediately impress upon your client that you take this business seriously, and that you will provide a professional level of service. Without even having to open your mouth, much will be said about you that words won’t then have to express or explain. Continue reading

Working in Another Person’s Home

working in another person's home

Working in Another Person’s Home

Who will be my Clients?

Before considering where to advertise, look at the area that you live in and sum up its potential. If you want to work in this area, do the people here all work, or are they mostly on government benefits? It’s no use advertising in areas where people cannot afford to hire you. It’s better to travel a little and make some money. There are many factors to consider when working in another person’s home. Continue reading

Summary Questions and Exercises

August focus: Domestic Cleaning Service

summary questions and exercises

Customer Service – CLIENT⇔ MESSAGE ⇔ CLEANER

The most important thing in your job apart from being a ‘super cleaner’ is communication.  Contact between the clients and yourself is vital.  This is why it is important that when a new client leaves you a message that you call them right away to introduce yourself and set up your initial appointment. The client will be shopping around, so the sooner you get back to them the more chance you have to secure their booking. When you do you will want to make arrangements with your client about keys, security systems, dogs etc. Continue reading

Planning Ahead

August focus: Domestic Cleaning Service

 planning ahead

Planning Ahead – Keep your Diary Close-by

Always have all of your client’s details and your diary or roster with you while you are working. If you need to contact the next client to inform them that you are running late you should be able to access their details at all times. This also allows you to accept a one-off job if it comes in, giving you the opportunity to earn the extra income. It gives you the option to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to a request for you to work that same day. Continue reading