Tough times have significantly shifted the paradigms of the human society. People’s preferences and tastes have become more sophisticated over time. Sophistication is not a cheap endeavor; it comes with a heavy burden on the household resources. This strain has resulted in people spending more time at their workplaces than at home dealing with the basics of home living like cleaning.
Cleaning is inevitable:
We cannot dig our heads into the sand and assume that our homes will clean themselves! This is where professional cleaning services come in. Professional cleaners offer us the peace of mind of knowing that our homes are clean so that we can concentrate on that which matters; earning a living. Getting strangers to come to our homes is no easy feat, it requires trust and a significant amount of due diligence. Through the course of this article, I will endeavor to enlighten you on the questions you need to ask when taking up cleaning services in Singapore.
What is your hiring process?
This is the most important question to ask any cleaning service company. You are inviting strangers into your home, most likely unsupervised. These visitors gain access to your food, beddings, and other vital belongings whose whereabouts you would rather keep private. Understanding the hiring process will enable you to know whether the cleaners are of good conduct or if you should exercise more caution when dealing with the company. For example, a company that does not perform background checks on its employees is more likely to introduce malicious individuals into the confines of your house.
What will I do if the service is not satisfactory?
The cleaning services industry in Singapore is now more than ever expanding. Companies are competing for customers, which means customers get the best deals at the best rates. A good deal will typically include a satisfaction guarantee. It is quite obvious that people who have nothing to lose will be less motivated to do a task to their best of abilities. It is, therefore, wise to ensure that you can either get back your money or get the work redone at the cleaning services expense should the work not be satisfactory. It is regarded unsavory to ask people to repeat chores, but when it comes to delegating tasks like cleaning to another individual, a guarantee of satisfaction is indeed quite necessary.
How do you arrive at the price?
Earlier in this article, we said that delegation of cleaning duties brings about the peace of mind needed to concentrate on the necessary course of earning a living. Time saved by getting cleaners should not be more expensive than the extra revenue we get from working as opposed to doing the cleaning ourselves. Understanding the pricing mechanism of your worker will allow you to ensure that you are charged reasonably for cognitive tasks. It is quite often that some unscrupulous cleaning companies will attempt to better their bottom line by overcharging some customers. Asking this question will ensure that you do not fall victim to unreasonable prices. This will as well guide you in the budgeting process. You can even decide that some tasks do not need to be done at a particular cleaning event and save money.
Are you insured and bonded?
By taking up these services, you are inviting strangers to your homestead. Most people are full of good intentions, but once in a while somebody gets tempted, and something goes missing. A good company will have insurance for your home contents should any unfortunate situation occur. Accidents happen everywhere even to professionals. The professional company will bear the liability for damages, breakages, losses or even theft allowing you to be at ease leaving these unsupervised individuals at your home. It is advisable to inform the company of any valuables that might need extra care owing to their value or brittleness.
Who bears liability for injuries to workers?
You are personally liable for injuries to individuals at your premises. This is the reason why corporate put up trespass signs on their properties, such that the liability shifts to the trespassing person. When you invite workers to work on your premise, any injuries suffered can not see blame assigned to the employee. Claims from such injuries could raise your bills to unwanted levels defeating the purpose of hiring them in the first place. This cover guarantees that the employee’s welfare is assured. It also assures you that the services offered to you will not cost you more than you are comfortable settling.
Who is responsible for equipment and cleaning supplies?
This is an extension to the pricing question. Cleaning service companies make their purchases of cleaning supplies in bulk and therefore guarantee better prices than the ordinary retail prices. Some may pass these cheap costs over to you while others will inflate these costs making it quite expensive. In reaching this decision, you need to understand the market practice and decide whether the savings are worth the compromise. It is, however, unreasonable to own most of the cleaning equipment and the supplies; it would be much easier to employ somebody on a full-time basis at your home.
What services make up the package and how do you intend to gain access to my home?
Some services that rack up the cleaning bill tend to be quite unnecessary. It is wise to understand the terms of this engagement and make sure that only the tasks that you need get availed. At ties the vital services you need may not be in the package the company is offering or the company may not have the necessary skill set to perform these tasks. It will be in your best interest to understand what it is you are buying. Some companies will require that you make somebody available at your premises to grant them access and others may have flexible terms that give you the better deal of not having to source for a babysitter for the company.
Will a written agreement be availed?
It is one thing to agree on terms and another to enforce the terms. As we agreed, inviting people to your home is a tough task. Managing what these people will do is even harder and getting them to stay on course and be liable if they do not, requires a higher power, the law. Enforcing this agreement needs it to be in writing, such that there are no ambiguities when people start making liability claims. A written contract is good for accountability.
Armed with the above questions, I trust that you will be in a better position to make a right decision on the type of company to hire and the terms of your engagement. As a rule of thumb be sure always to get a written agreement.
