Standing Over the Shoulder

[chrisf]

Hey everyone,

Not that it should be totally unexpected, but have any of you found that while performing a routine cleaning for a residential client, they tend to follow you around or 'stand over your shoulder' a lot? I guess that would be a little bit of a nuisance most likely. But maybe it's just a normal reaction to having basically a complete stranger in your home.

Or, is the typical situation being that you have a lock box of some sort-to access a key, and your clients are living their everyday life-like being already at work, dropping the kids off at school, shopping, etc.?

Please share some of your own experiences or what you find or have heard to be the norm.

Thanks again,

Chris

[Pages Personal Cleaning]

We won't work with someone standing over our shoulder. Period.
Patti

[tcmb04]

I hate that would not either....

[chrisf]

Thanks for replying. What about the lock box aspect?
For those of you who incorporate residential clients, do you just use a lock box to store the needed keys?

And if so, who provides the lock box?

Chris

[Kevin]

Customer: What are you doing now? What type of chemical is that. You really dust with that? What are you doing now? When I used to clean..., The last cleaning lady did this... Let me show you..., What are you doing now?

Keys We have a jailers key set. Numbered. No names. lol.. numbers reflect the amount of money we get at each house, I never seem to forget that.. I have to be crafty sometimes though creating new prices $126.00 , $84.00 , 72.00

[gailm]

Patti - How do you tell them not to follow you around?

There is a specific reason your client is doing that. As a business owner, it's your job to instill trust and confidence. This is a common business problem and one that is easily solved when you run a professional business.

Keys - Again, you have to instill trust and one way to do that is to tell them how you handle and care for their key. Keys are always numbered and locked in a box or safe when not in use.

[Kevin]

Sometimes I think it has nothing to do with how professional your business, or you are. Some people just want to follow you around, and be bossy. A good response is "work in progress" You will receive the full tour and you may inspect when were finished. "

[Angela]

I've only had one client who pretty much watched me the whole time I cleaned. And sometimes still does. She's an older lady and pretty much just wanted to chat. When I would get to the front of the house, I'd suggest she start checking the work in the back so she can let me know if there was something I missed. That seemed to work from there on. She just made sure she was never in the rooms I was in after that.
-Angela

[genieclean]

I had one client when I started like that and the reason she was is she had heard stories of cleaning people backing uhauls up to houses and driving off with all the insides of the house. After a two months ( And with some people especially older people) it takes time. In talking to her and getting to know her she would finally schedule hair appts and leave when I came. I have not had one follow me around telling or asking what I am doing. I occassionally have one who is home due to back and hip issues and is thinking of remodels ask my opinion on floor types abd carpet types.I did a intial walk through with a woman who was extremely bossy informing she "helped" her last cleaning lady and worked beside her. Oddly the last cleaning lady developed a brain tumor and had to quit. I know the former cleaner shes healthy as a horse.
G

[jdinstl]

...she had heard stories of cleaning people backing uhauls up to houses and driving off with all the insides of the house...

Oh, you could have fun with this!

"Oh, not to worry ma'am! That ugly sofa? Please....credit me with some taste! Why, that style went out with Nixon...and with the same amount of disgrace! Oh, and that hulking ugly dining room set? I'd sooner die than be caught with THAT! Have you considered shag rugs to finish out the decor? A DVD player could be hid discreetly behind that chinsy bookcase, and you could pipe in reruns of Rhoda and the Mary Tyler Moore show. You could even serve "highballs" while wearing bell-bottoms...or something more appropriate for your age...polyester, perhaps?

Cancelling our cleaning service? I'm shocked! Why, you indicated satisfaction on each customer survey!

On a more serious note -- I sort of had that situation today when I replaced a medicine cabinet. The tenants little boy was inquisitive, asking who I was, why I was there, etc. I responded appropriately, although I must admit saying "I'm John, the maintenance guy!" was interesting to hear myself say...but he learned what a template was, why I added washers to the screws, and so forth...he was a nice kid, it was fun!



Cheers,

John

[gailm]

This problem DOES have a lot to do with how professional a business you are running when you're doing residential cleaning. The problems you encounter are totally different than those in commercial; at least that's what I know from my experience.

This issue is huge and I could write a book on it; oops I already did. ;D

Professional starts with the first phone call you receive from them all the way through to the actual on-the-job cleaning and follow-up.

Let them watch a little on the first cleaning but make sure they know your "rules" that are outlined in your Service Agreement, that you gave them a copy of, and that you are now reminding them of.

In my business, once they saw our procedures, they felt comfortable and backed off. I only had a few that had to be told again. After the first reminder, I would drop clients that could not follow the "rules".