As the owner, if you can’t organize and run an efficient maid service business, you won’t be able to deliver on your promise to organize and clean your customer’s homes. Staying on top of the details of your cleaning business is critical to keeping your customers happy and getting your job done.t
The internet is full of hacks and tips for getting organized, but here are four high-leverage changes you can make to bring order to the chaos:
Streamline the scheduling process for cleanings.
Punctuality is crucial in the home cleaning industry. But if schedules are haphazard and last-minute, everyone’s going to be running late.
When your cleaning business is brand new, you might be able to get away with scheduling via text and maybe a Google calendar. But as you take on more customers and more cleaners, you will become more vulnerable to miscommunications, typos, slip-ups, and unhappy customers.
Thankfully, you don’t have to rely on a jury-rigged system to organize your schedules. Instead, a good cleaning company software will make it easy for your customers to schedule and reschedule their appointments online. Thanks to drag-and-drop and sync capabilities, employees can see schedules at the click of a button.
Streamline communications between you, your customers, and your maids.
There are endless ways to communicate with your customers between emails, text messages, and phone calls. This means a ton of flexibility—and a lot of lines to keep organized. If you’re trying to make decisions based on four different group texts, a pile of Post-It notes, and two different email addresses, you’re going to let something slip.
There should be one designated phone number and email address for your business. That way, all incoming calls, texts, and emails can be tracked and accounted for. It’s okay if your maids want to text their customers directly, but all essential communications should happen through designated channels.
And there should be very clear expectations regarding who monitors those channels of communication and how to handle inquiries. Even if it’s just you, make sure you set some rules for yourself, so nothing goes unanswered because you’re unsure how to proceed.
One last tip: You can outsource some of the communications to your cleaning company software. A good one will send automated appointment reminders and follow-ups to your customers, so you don’t have to worry about it.
Give everyone a checklist.
Your customers count on your efficient maid service business to deliver the same level of service every time you visit. But if your maids aren’t clear about expectations, that’s not going to happen. That level of disorganization can kill your cleaning business.
Create checklists for each room in a home that your maids can reference to ensure they haven’t missed anything. Ask for their help when compiling your lists; they may think of something that you don’t. Be sure to ask them what format would be most helpful for them, too. For example, some might want a laminated document that they can hold in their hand, while others might want a PDF they can review on their phone.
Block off a planning period every week.
We talked about this in the Launch & Learn series, but it’s so important that we’re sharing it again: You need to make high-level planning a priority to have an efficient maid service business.
It can be so easy to get stuck in the weeds on scheduling, buying products, and talking to customers. Yet, it’s essential to do those things well because they lay the foundation for the growth of your business. But a foundation isn’t going to do you much good without a blueprint.
Set aside a little time each week to work on your long-term goals and high-level projects, even if it’s just an hour or two. Happiness and productivity expert Gretchen Rubin calls this a Power Hour. Her version is focused more on household tasks, but the idea is that you use this time to focus on things that might not otherwise get done because they don’t have a specific deadline.
- For your cleaning business, your Power Hour tasks could include:
- Researching new ideas and service offerings.
- Calculating different pricing structures.
- Reading through customer reviews to look for trends and opportunities.
- Hiring additional team members.
Having a personal Power Hour can help you stay organized as you strive to meet your big goals.
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James Cash Penney, the founder of J.C. Penney, once said, “No business can succeed in any great degree without being properly organized.” At Launch27, we want to see your cleaning business succeed to the most significant degree possible!
Learn more about the features that will help you stay organized >