Check out our
FAQ (Frequently Ask Questions)
for commonly ask questions. These may better prepare you for your future job
bid.
Housekeeping/Maid
service
Thinking of
hiring a maid service? You’ll want to ask quite a few questions
of any cleaning service you are considering in order to help you decide
which company is a good fit for your needs and expectations.
A professional
service will ask a number of questions about your home and your family
during the process of building your cleaning estimate. Sister Act
Cleaning, Inc. will access your outside environment (i.e. dirt road,
rural conditions, insects.) and your
indoor environment (i.e. Pets, Smokers, brick-a-brack to be dusted.).
You should in
turn ask questions about the cleaning service. Find out whether
the company is bonded and insured; this protects your home and your
property from damage or theft. Any reputable maid service should
be able to provide you with a certificate of insurance to assure you
that they are indeed properly insured. Understand what the
company’s cleaning policies are should you need to change a scheduled
cleaning, whether or not they require a contract for a specific length
of time, who will provide the cleaning products, what happens if
something in your home is broken or
damaged, and
what type of quality guarantee the maid service offers.
Housecleaning
What should
you expect from a professional house cleaning? It’s important to
understand that every cleaning service will perform your house cleaning
a little differently. Some are better able to customize their
approach to your needs. Ask for a specific cleaning check list of
exactly what your house cleaning will include. Also be sure to
ask whether all of the tasks will be performed with each cleaning
service, or if some tasks will be rotated from cleaning to cleaning.
If you are
extremely particular about how your house cleaning is done, then it is
possible that the maid service you hire may do things a little
differently than you would do yourself. Keep in mind, though,
that even if things are not done exactly as you would do, the fact is,
you entire house has been cleaned and you didn’t have to lift a finger!
Cleaning
service
Why choose a
cleaning service rather than an individual maid? There are quite
a few differences between using home cleaning services and using an
individual, or independent cleaner. Often times a maid service
will cost a little more. But that is for good reason!
With an
individual cleaner, you are likely to get very personalized
attention. Individuals & Maids may perform laundry, child
care, or other personal services. There may be a limit to the
types of services and special requests a cleaning service will
typically perform. However, there are some distinct disadvantages
as well. A cleaning service will take
care of all
the tax and social security payments that you would otherwise be
responsible for. Also, a cleaning service pays for workers’
compensation, which means that you are not liable if a cleaner is hurt
in your home. And, a cleaning service is most reliable; they
always have someone to send on your regular cleaning day, even if
someone calls out sick.
Housecleaning services
Housecleaning
services are very personal. Building a relationship with the
house cleaning service you choose will be important to your
satisfaction.
Communicate
with them openly and honestly about exactly what you expect from a
thorough home cleaning. Call or e-mail them with feedback on your
level of satisfaction with the service you are receiving. Trust
the advice that your maid service gives you on how to best maintain
your home, and always show your appreciation to your ‘Sister(s)’,
whether you leave gratuity or just a nice note, your thanks will
encourage their good performance.
Homecleaning
Homecleaning
is a chore you no longer have to tackle on your own! Whether you
hire a maid service to tackle just your toughest home cleaning tasks,
or you bring in the professionals to take cleaning off your hands
entirely, help is available, and more affordable than you might think.
A typical
house cleaning, done on a weekly basis in an average sized home, will
total about $80 to $140 per visit, depending on the frequency of
cleaning, type of rooms to be cleaned, and overall condition of the
house. And remember; even if your budget is too tight to use a
maid service regularly, a thorough home cleaning a few times a year
will make the maintenance cleaning you perform on your own much easier!
If
I give you my keys, how are they protected?
It will be
stored in a locked key storage box to which only Sister Act Cleaning,
Inc. management and team leader has access. The day of your
scheduled cleaning, your key is matched to your work order. At
the end of the day, the team leader returns all keys to the management
who then places them back into the secured storage box.
How
many people will clean my home?
Generally, our
‘Sister(s)’s work in teams of two or three. Sometimes we have teams of
more, especially for initial and spring cleanings. When more than
one person is at the job, the quoted time -- which was given in man
hours -- is lessened by the number of people. For example, if you
were scheduled for a two-hour service and two ‘Sister(s)’ are assigned
to your job, the cleaning should be completed in one hour or two
man-hours.
Will
I always have the same ‘Sister(s)’?
We make every
effort to send the same ‘Sister(s)’ each time. Occasionally there
may be a change in ‘Sister(s)’ due to illness, day off, vacation or
they may no longer work for Sister Act Cleaning, Inc. Therefore,
it is not possible for us to guarantee the same team for each
cleaning. In the event of such an occurrence, Sister Act
Cleaning, Inc. will find a
replacement.
Sister Act Cleaning, Inc. provides an extensive training program to
each of our employees to ensure consistent cleaning techniques
throughout our staff.
Are
‘Sister(s)’ trained and supervised?
All
‘Sister(s)’ attend continuing inservice training. Sister Act
Cleaning, Inc. includes orientation to our company, a session on
cleaning, situation role-play, and a session on driving.
Employees are then assigned to trainers who supervise them on their
first several cleanings. After a formal review with the trainer
and management, the ‘Sister(s)’ is then assigned to a team.
Can I get a partial cleaning?
I just want some light dusting.
Sister Act
Cleaning, Inc. provides and maintains a thoroughly clean home.
During the initial cleaning, all windows are cleaned inside and
out. We clean Rafters, Vents, Ceiling Fans, Light fixtures, and
appliances. Every room and its furnishings are cleaned from top
to bottom. Your scheduled cleanings thereafter maintains the
cleanliness of your home. Therefore we cannot do a partial
cleaning or just dusting.
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How
do I pay for your services?
Sister Act
Cleaning, Inc gladly accepts MasterCard/Visa, Cash or Check.
Payment is due at the time of service. For your convenience, a
credit card number may be left on file with Sister Act Cleaning,
Inc to use in the event you should forget to leave your payment
at the time of the cleaning. Otherwise, a $10.00 non-payment fee
will be incurred. A
$25.00 fee is
applied to all returned checks. If you use a credit card, your
account will be charged the balance due, plus any fees, after each
cleaning.
What
is the cost of my cleaning?
Fees are based
on the size and condition of your home. When you receive the
initial estimate, it is just that -- an estimate. Once the
‘Sister(s)’s enter your home for the first time, they should have a
better sense of exactly how long the cleaning should take. As
soon as they become aware of a discrepancy between the estimate and
actual time needed, they immediately contact Sister Act Cleaning, Inc
management who will try to contact you to discuss the difference.
We’ve been doing this for
many years, and are proud of how accurate our estimates are.
However, first-time cleanings or one-time cleanings sometimes may
require additional time and an additional fee. If this is the case, you
will be contacted by management prior to authorizing the ‘Sister(s)’ to
spend more time in the home.
Does
your staff wear uniforms?
While we
insist that our staff dress appropriately - No, we do not have
uniforms. Most of our ‘Sister(s)’ wear bibbed overall.
They’re greaaat! With all those pockets and the comfort of denim
what would make a better choice?
In Addition,
we have an in your face approach to dirt. Floors are cleaned on
hands and knees, so alot of our ‘Sister(s)’ opt to wear knee pads.
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Should
I tip my ‘Sister(s)’?
If you are
pleased with the work done in your home we encourage you to show your
appreciation to your ‘Sister(s)’. Although not required, a
gratuity is a powerful way to say "I appreciate your work." Even
a note from you, simply saying "thanks for a job well done" means a
great deal. Many of our customer surprise us every Christmas with
imaginative gifts and gift certificates.
What
is the cancellation policy?
If it is
necessary to cancel/skip your regular cleaning day, Sister Act
Cleaning, Inc appreciates a 2 business day notice. If Sister Act
Cleaning, Inc receives less than a 1 business day notice, or can't
access your home, it will be necessary for us to charge the time &
gas loss associated with your cleaning. Future scheduled
cleanings will remain unchanged. Please be sure to submit in
writing any termination of regularly scheduled cleanings. Do not
inform the ‘Sister(s)’ of any changes to your schedule -- it must be
done directly with the management of the office.
What
if my cleaning falls on a holiday?
It’s hard to
get a ‘Sister(s)’ to work on a holiday! Many of our staff have
family obligations. Carol maintains the schedule and helps ensure
that neither your home nor our staff is inconvenience during holiday
periods. If your scheduled cleaning falls on a holiday Sister Act
Cleaning, Inc, Carol will be sure to contact you to reschedule your
cleaning.
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How
do I provide feedback on my cleaning?
Cleaning is a
very personalized and subjective service, we welcome any and all
feedback. Carol makes scheduling queries and confirmation calls
within a few days. In addition, you may call Jerry at the office
directly, or even visit this web site to let us know how things went --
good or bad. This feedback is essential to serve you better, to
correct any problems and to praise those ‘Sister(s)’ who meet and
exceed Sister Act Cleaning, Inc's expectations.
Can
I hire your ‘Sister(s)’ directly?
By entering
into a service agreement with Sister Act Cleaning, Inc, you agree not
to hire a present or past Sister Act Cleaning, Inc staff member
introduced to you by Sister Act Cleaning, Inc for any home-related
service. If you do wish to employ such a staff member, our
referral fee is $2,500.
Sister Act
Cleaning, Inc has several resources, should you have a special need of
labor or service (i.e. Movers, Landscaper, Someone to hang
Holiday Decoration, or even a Baby-sitter), we’d be happy to refer you
to a trusted and reliable person.