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If you need help with your home cleaning, there are plenty of options available. First, you might choose to do some research online to see who provides the services you need. Or, you can message the local businesses and ask them directly about finding the right housekeeper.
Cleaning services aren’t cheap, so you should always take your time to select the right one for your home. When you’re on the lookout for your next housekeeping service, keep the following in mind;
Finding The Right Housekeeper
1. Ask about their experience and time in operation
An experienced company will have a larger pool of workers to choose from. They will have proven operations, services, and support to ensure that things run smoothly with your cleaner or housekeeper. In general, the longer they have been operating, the better. For example, GYH has been operating since 2011!
2. Find out what equipment they use.
A cleaning company will usually provide a team of cleaners (many of whom may not speak English) that bring their own equipment and supplies. This may seem easier, but it might be a sign that there is a lot of cross-contamination going on. If you have a lot of surfaces or items that may be damaged by incorrect cleaning products, it is recommended that you look for a cleaner or housekeeper who uses your products/equipment to your specifications.
We know that many cleaners use the same equipment across multiple households, without proper sanitisation between homes. Do you want your floor mopped by a mop that has been in someone else’s home?
3. Ask about their workers. How are they employed?
It may not surprise you that many cleaners and housekeepers in Australia are employed by dodgy operators. This means they may be being paid in cash, not being paid entitlements, or may be working too short hours. For example, the minimum shift time in Australia is 3 hours. If cleaners are coming to your home for 2 hours, are they being paid for the time between homes?
If it is important that your housekeeper or cleaner is being paid fairly, ask the company how they employ their staff. If they say their staff are ‘self employed’, that is usually code for ‘not being paid entitlements’!! We suggest looking for companies that legally, fairly, and openly pay their workers a decent hourly wage.
4. Consider how easy it is to communicate with the head office.
Many cleaning companies have large teams of customer service operators who deal with daily operations. Unfortunately, this means that when something goes wrong it can be difficult to get help! Find out if you will have a dedicated SMS line to your own area manager, in case you need help. It isn’t worth having to wait 24-48 hours for a response when something goes awry! (For example, GYH has a single line for calls and messages that are answered immediately during business hours – check the bottom of the site).
5. Look at how you pay for cleaning or housekeeping services.
Are you paying cash? If so, it is unlikely that the company is paying its staff entitlements. It may save you a few dollars, but cash is a headache and is hard to trace. In the event that something goes wrong, paying via BPAY or Credit Card/Debit Card is a safer and easier way to pay. It gives you the peace of mind that you could conduct a chargeback and also means you can provide feedback.
6. Check out their reviews online.
Check out their online reviews. If the company has turned off reviews on its Facebook page – avoid them! You need other peoples advice to ensure you are on the right track for finding the right housekeeper.
We hope you enjoyed reading about finding the right housekeeper for your home. If you need help finding the right housekeeper for your home, please contact us at Get You Housekeeping.
