August focus: Domestic Cleaning Service

Handling Jobs that Take Longer

Working at jobs that require more hours and a higher hourly rate – never, ever work at jobs where you are required to work for more than a day without getting progress payments from the client. If the client requests you to go to their home and work for more than one day at a time always make them pay you a progress payment as you go along. There have been cases where clients have set out to have someone do four or five days work knowing that they had absolutely no intention of paying them for the work that was done. So when the time came for the cleaner to collect their money on day five, the client in the example that I am thinking of found something wrong and even completely lied about damage done in their home just to cut the poor cleaner out of getting paid what they had worked hard for. Although it doesn’t happen very often, some clients will attempt to have you work without paying you.  Always get your money daily before leaving the house, and make sure that it is cash. Some will also try to tell you that you quoted them a different hourly rate to what you are expecting to collect, so perhaps you should hand them the Terms of Business at the start of the booking to make sure that you know that they have been informed of all the prices.

What to do if the client says that you quoted a different rate – get out your Terms of Business that contains the Rates chart and show them that the rates are standard, hourly and unchanging. These rates are dependent upon the type of clean and whether or not you or the client provided the products and equipment. If the client has an email address you should send them a Terms of Business, a Rates chart and a Service and Commitment form. Then make it a requirement that they tick the receipt box to show that they have received the information, so they legally will not in be a position to argue with you about prices. You will also know undoubtedly that the email has been received, and this will help you in your negotiations with them.

What to do if the client does not give 24 hrs notice – You are also entitled to charge them for late notice if this happens. You will occasionally have a client who will constantly cancel at the last minute. When it does, charge them for late notice and then decide whether or not it is best to keep this client at all.

What to do if the client wants to pay by cheque – Your client is entitled to pay by cheque and will request to do so when their cleaning is a tax deduction. You will need to be prepared to accept a cheque, as well as provide these clients with a receipt or invoice with your business name and ABN printed on it. I do not recommend that you accept cheques from new clients until you have been cleaning for them for a while. I strongly advise NEVER to accept a cheque for a Vacate clean, a Renovation clean or a Builders clean. Also, don’t be beguiled by some posh, fancy, expensive home. Just because the client appears to have money is no guarantee that they will pay you – they sometimes got the look of having money from conning other people out of theirs. ALWAYS ASK FOR PROGRESS PAYMENTS IN CASH.

I am now going to discuss how to develop an assertive personality. Being assertive will allow your business to succeed and is just as important as being able to perform the work to a high standard and quality. You will need to have these skills to be able to succeed on your own in business. It is my aim to help you develop them.

You can read in next article about: Assertiveness – Part I