CBL Episode # 105 Boost Your Cleaning Business with Checklists & Tools 😊

Discover how a simple cleaning checklist can transform your business and maintain high standards, even as you expand your team.  (Look for google Drive link below, for a basic cleaning check list.)  

Join me, Shannon Miller, alongside Jamie Runco from Above All Cleaning Services, as we unpack the secrets behind creating an effective cleaning checklist that ensures consistency in every job. 

Learn about digital tools like Jobber that are revolutionizing checklist management, enabling growth while keeping the quality of your services on par with leading brands. We'll guide you through defining cleaning standards and differentiating between varying service levels to meet diverse client expectations seamlessly.

We dive into the nuts and bolts of achieving efficiency and professionalism in the cleaning industry. From implementing the 70% clutter rule (see link to episode below)  to leveraging the roles of 1099 contractors versus W-2 employees, our conversation provides actionable insights for managing your team and maintaining legal compliance. 

See how universal training parallels, such as those employed by McDonald's, can prepare your staff for any cleaning scenario, boosting client satisfaction and reducing decision fatigue. This episode is a goldmine of strategies to streamline your operations and keep your business running smoothly.

Finally, we tackle the sensitive topic of price adjustments in the face of rising costs. Jamie and I discuss strategies for implementing regular price increases to sustain your profit margins without alienating clients. You'll hear about the critical role of equipping your team with the latest tools and supplies to ensure job satisfaction and retention. We also share our personal experiences with testing cleaning equipment, emphasizing the need for effectiveness while avoiding practices that might hamper efficiency. Tune in to learn how to handle unforeseen challenges and maintain accountability through surprise visits and detailed checklists.

Cleaning Check List-Google Drive: 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/16GBrCWQcwbSiIrkDFYg68DcPHtwPkUs6/view?usp=drive_link

70% Clutter Rule Link: 

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2155653/episodes/13668777-episode-23-the-70-clutter-rule.mp3?download=true

It can be crowed when trying to figure out who you are going to learn from

Erica Paynter is the brains behind My Virtual Bookkeeper, a bookkeeping firm for cleaning companies, and the creator of Clean Co. Cash Flow Academy and the Clean Co. Collective. She’s on a mission to help cleaning business owners make sense of their numbers without boring them to tears! Erica’s all about turning messy books into profit-packed powerhouses.

 support@myvbk.com 

Up your cleaning game, join over 6000 Cleaning Business Owners most of whom are located here in the United States.  

Chapters

• 0:00 Creating a Cleaning Checklist for Consistency
• 9:36 Cleaning Checklist Efficiency and Training
• 24:42 Price Increases, Tools, and Client Communication
• 40:38 Cleaning Checklist Efficiency and Monitoring

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:52

Morning in progress, Welcome everyone my name is Shani Miller and I'm here with Jamie Runco of Above All Cleaning Services in Northern California, Woo.

Speaker 2: 1:02

Yay, it's been a real long time since I've seen you last.

Speaker 1: 1:07

Today we're going to talk about creating a cleaning checkwork, checkwork checklist that works for every job and specifically, this is going to be for regular maintenance cleaning, and I felt it was time to go a little bit back to basics. When you have a checklist, it makes it brainless. You don't have to put a lot of thought into do I fold those blankets on the couch? Do I straighten the sheets? If they didn't leave sheets out to be changed? Do I straighten up the toilet paper or the towels in the bathroom? What about the dishes on the counter? These are all things that come, that are commonplace, that you have questions about when you start to have, you know, expand out and have cleaning techs and crews. What kind of things do you have, Miss Jamie?

Speaker 2: 1:50

I well, again I'm going to pop this hat on. So I got a bunch of garb, or merch Got some swag.

Speaker 1: 2:01

I got some swag. I never get any swag from Jobber, I know.

Speaker 2: 2:05

Well, and if he's listening, eventually I will. Sam Pillar, Sam you owe me some swag.

Speaker 1: 2:13

I've definitely referred you guys. I also got, I think also got a sticker one time.

Speaker 2: 2:21

A bunch of stuff I got. Yeah, I've asked him to interview and he politely declined but sent me a bunch of job or stuff or had one of his assistants send me jobber stuff. So my cleaning checklist jobber has come a long way, yes, it has, and, um, I used to have a checklist I and a hard copy, but it started to get, you know, they would just, they knew my, my, my cleaning techs would know the house eventually. But with jobber they have to go through and, um, physically or you know, mark everything off before they can complete the visit, if that makes sense. So I put a cleaning checklist in, okay, their notes with everything and before they can uh, hit, complete that. Those have to make sure and it's um, I have them all labeled, so, um so is that something you get with the premium versus the regular?

Speaker 1: 3:38

I think I just have the minimal. Whichever, yeah, you probably.

Speaker 2: 3:41

And a lot of people do and there's nothing wrong with that. We just grew with them. I went from minimum, medium premium. It's a premium, well, and it is awesome. You grow, you know, um, and it really does, uh believe it or not help you grow your, your, uh, your whole business. And having a checklist is super. You can't send your uh eventually, whenever you get enough clients, um't just send if you've never been on the job. You want to get as much notes as you can, possibly your pet peeves. You know I do anyways, but there's a very basic standard. This is what there's, you know, this is what we do. This is what there's, you know, this is what we do. This is what a standard clean entails. Um, it's my job, kind of, to uh to communicate that to the client so that whenever my, my techs go there, they they're not just blindly going there.

Speaker 1: 4:58

I think having a cleaning checklist when you're new is perfect, and I also think that having standards of what gets cleaned and what doesn't get clean for certain cleanings is helpful. For example um, blinds are a big thing, right? Blind shutters were the big thing in the 90s. Everybody has a set or 30 sets, and it's just like to have to hand wipe those adds on time. So a lot of people, because of how expensive everything has become, blinds are not a big priority as much as they used to be, so sometimes they get feather dusted. I think we have a couple of houses that the blinds have to be done every single time.

Speaker 1: 5:36

But, knowing the difference between a regular maintenance cleaning, a top to bottom deluxe cleaning and a move out cleaning, there are three separate lists that build upon each other depending on the cleaning. Like for a regular maintenance cleaning, we wouldn't wipe down the cabinets in the kitchen. We would spot check them, but we wouldn't wipe them down. We would spot check the switch plates, but we're not wall washing or doing any of the extra things. For example, if we have a sheet change in a home which is now just starting to trickle back from COVID, the sheets have to be on the bed ready to go. It's not your responsibility to go to the linen closet or the dryer because they forgot to leave them out. If the sheets are not on the bed, they'll politely just make the bed and be done with it. It's not about, you know, searching for this one pillowcase that's supposed to match this other set but nobody knows where it is. It's stressful for the cleaning tech and it's stressful for you, and then the homeowner gets pissed because they can't. You know, it's just this whole dynamic. So having so, when you have a list, it helps your crew and yourself maintain consistency. That's super important because it's all about service.

Speaker 1: 6:44

Maintaining consistency is key. It's just like when you go and I'm not wanting to promote Starbucks, because I don't get anything from it, but Starbucks you can go to just about any Starbucks and get the same things because they have consistency. You can go to any McDonald's Starbucks and get the same things, because they have consistency. You can go to any McDonald's and get the same thing with the exception of India, because they don't eat cows and get the same thing on the menu. It's just the way it works. So having a list, whether it's virtual or a hard copy, is the best way to go and, if they're new, laminating that hard copy and shoving it in their wet kit so they can reference it. Eventually they won't need it and you can either get it back or chuck it in the trash for recycling. But maintaining consistency is important.

Speaker 1: 7:27

House cleaning clients don't like change. It's the most persnickety industry and we're fluid. We pivot all the time in our businesses but with cleaning clients they get oh my God, I have a new cleaning tech. So maintaining consistency, it helps training with your employees, it helps meet client expectations, because Mrs Smith might not want you to touch her Monet that's hanging off the wall and I don't recommend that anyone touch the Monet unless you know what you're doing, because it is a piece of fine art. Touch the Monet unless you know what you're doing, because it is a piece of fine art. Don't be that person who ruins a piece of fine art. Or the other person might have a bronze that they won at the 1987 rodeo. We don't touch bronzes because they're fragile, they're works of art. So knowing the differences and then it also helps to avoid missed tasks. You know like Mrs Smith might not like to have her pillow karate chopped, and for those of you in the industry. You know what I'm talking about. Right? The karate chop for the pillow on the couch.

Speaker 2: 8:28

I'm like, I'm really crisp, exactly Right or like.

Speaker 1: 8:31

Mary. Mary will get pissed if there's not karate chops in her pillow. So it's just the nuances of learning all the different houses, right.

Speaker 2: 8:39

I agree, um, and, and you know, um, we go with, uh, the speed cleaning, um, and uh, we, we use the speed cleaning method and um, I've seen a lot in the groups lately like, oh, you're not, oh, you're making your client pay and you're only there for two hours. It's because there's consistency and there's a difference between a standard residential clean and a deep clean. We call them top to bottom deluxe cleanings. It just sounds more specific. You know, yeah, it's just a thing. And between um and we have checklists for every for, and your, your cleaning techs need to know what they're doing whenever they're walking into right. Uh, you know, I don't, I, I, if, if there's more than 70 percent clutter, we're not going to sit there up, down, up, down, up, down, up down, it don't. It can't happen like that. I'll get you, get you a nice feather duster, but I, I, you know, I I. Time is money and the client is paying for results. That's what they're paying for.

Speaker 1: 10:00

And I believe there's actually a podcast on the 70% clutter rule. I'll have to look that up for you guys. Oh yeah.

Speaker 2: 10:06

Yeah definitely.

Speaker 1: 10:07

Time is money and they are paying for results. And there there's always that you know, dynamic of. Well, I can't clean a house that fast. Well, you need to practice. It takes like I used to play the game of beat the clock when I was out cleaning, and then eventually I would hit a thousand square feet an hour and everyone's like you're a monster.

Speaker 2: 10:26

Yeah, yeah, Well, or or, or on the other side of that. Well then, you're not doing it right, Right, there's no way that you can do that. I don't know what to tell you. I can and I do. I've also got it down to you know, but in the beginning I definitely it was I loved, I was a lot slower, Right. But having that checklist is so important, especially whenever you're taking on a new hire. If you're hired, you know, or even a 10, well, you can't do that with the 1099. I was just going to say you know what your suggestions of could be, you know of how you like, your company likes things.

Speaker 1: 11:14

But so what Jamie is referring to is the cleaning checklist is different for a 1099 versus a W2, because 1099s are supposed to do know what they already are supposed to know. Um, there are. There is a gray area that you could put customer recommends Um, these things get touched. You're not telling them what order, you're not telling them how to do it. It's just the customer requests that these items are touched. You're not telling them what order, you're not telling them how to do it. It's just the customer requests that these items are done.

Speaker 1: 11:41

Yeah, and that's the workaround for that. I'm not trying to tell you to dissuade the law or anything like that. It's just that that's the workaround for getting the communication from a W-2 or a 1099. Obviously, you have more control with W-2s. I won't go on my soapbox here because you guys will see me in the groups and I'll be like no, no, no, no, no. Yeah, I don't want people to get in trouble. I don't want to miss anyone, to misrepresent what they do. I'm very clear. I only work with 1099s. They sign a vendor agreement. It's very clear. They have their own clients. They have some of my clients at work. It's a great cohesive relationship. If you're looking for more control, jamie does the w2 model, which I did for many, many years, and you have more control and more say about what goes on inside the house and yes, uh, it's more money, but you're bringing in more money because you're taking on more clients.

Speaker 2: 12:42

It just, either way is great, but just make sure that you're following the law. And yeah, cleaning checklists are super important. You have to have a different checklist for the different deep clean, move in, move out clean and residential cleaning, especially if you're trying, if you're starting to back away and just managing the ship, which is what I'm doing. I'm starting to back out. Don't get me wrong. I still go out and I still get my hands dirty. But I've been there, I've done it and um, um, you know my job is to make sure that I provide the work and I provide checklists. And, um, you got, we know your cleaning techs know what those differences are between the 2025 mop free for Jamie.

Speaker 1: 13:47

So the checklists help maintain consistency, they help with training new employees, it helps with meeting client expectations and it helps avoiding missed tasks and it also provides some clarity and reduced decision fatigue. There's nothing worse than having to check in with the office because you don't know, because you're subbing in for someone's house and you don't know whether they like the bed made or not made. And then there's you know, we all know there's 52 questions when making beds. Right, do I want to tuck? Do I not want to tuck? Do I want a sheet? Do I not want a sheet? Do I want my pillows? How many pillows? Which way do the pillows go? Do they like their pillowcases out or in?

Speaker 1: 14:27

I mean, there's a dynamic questions that come to like there's a lot of nuances when making beds. Everyone's like it's so simple, like it's actually a pretty personal thing. And then it builds it's beneficial for clients the confidence that all the tasks are completed. So when you have a point of reference whether it's your phone or a hard copy it makes sure that you're not missing. And then Jamie had mentioned in Jobber, you can get the premium and you can check off all of those tasks.

Speaker 2: 14:56

I'm wondering if that's not even oh, go ahead.

Speaker 1: 14:58

I'm sorry, no.

Speaker 2: 14:59

I was just saying I wonder if the middle, uh, the, the I think it's core plan, I anyways or connect one of the two. Um, I wonder if that's not in there as well. I wonder if that. Yeah, I have to look into that.

Speaker 1: 15:15

No, I've not heard of it. So because I only have the basic plan, um and then um checklist saves time and boosts professionalism. So it's again. It's the McDonald's theory. You can go into, hypothetically speaking, if you were an employee at a McDonald's, you're trained on every station. So you could actually go to a McDonald's in Iowa and work every station. You could go to one in New York and at work the same station. It's all systems in place that are all consistent. So it provides help for your cleaning tech. So there's no questions. And then usually if there's something that comes up, you can message the office. Or hey, I cleaned Mrs Smith's house and this came up. Just thought you should know. Blah, blah, blah. And then there's key components of a good checklist.

Speaker 1: 15:59

There are what standard, standard tests, like the high dusting. This has actually become a thing the last couple of years. So high dusting used to be a mandatory hardcore. Like you had to high dust. I'm noticing that a lot of people are not high dusting Now. With monthlies you for sure have to high dust, weeklies probably not so much, unless you have a persnickety homeowner who's, like you, didn't hide dust um, well, you know, those things get hidden too.

Speaker 2: 16:58

I will say cobwebs. Um, there's times whenever you don't even see it, and then you're, you're high, dusting, and then it just starts wrapping around like cotton candy, right I've.

Speaker 1: 17:08

I've seen that it's like, wow, I didn't nobody even knew any of the difference.

Speaker 2: 17:13

So I mean, you know, but really it's a touch up, but really, yeah, it provides consistency, the more consistent that you are and know when to stop yourself from cleaning and getting in that zone of you start going up the walls and wiping over here and doing all the doors Stop. Yeah, that's like me with the shiny objects, the shiny new objects, right. Right, that's like me with the shiny objects, the shiny new objects, right.

Speaker 1: 17:50

So some of the standard tests, besides high dusting, would be like vacuuming, mopping dusting, and then there's a huge discussion over dusting. Can you feather dust? Should you wet wipe? And it depends on the home and the style of furniture and what is best. Again, I reiterate monthly cleanings. You have to wet wipe. You just wring out your microfiber really well, because it's been four or five weeks since you've been there, depending on which package they buy. There's the monthly cleanings that are 14 cleanings because every four weeks is 14. Or there's the monthly cleanings that are 12 cleanings because they only want once a month and they won't pay for the extra visit. So make sure that you're understanding that and then addressing client specific needs. The example that it was giving is baseboards, organizing shelves.

Speaker 2: 18:34

Those are add on charges, so make sure your cleaning techs understand what add on charges are. What a vacuum of the furniture to our weekly and bi-weekly clients, our monthlies they. That is an extra charge, of course you know the oven clean and those sometimes can take Two hours or more, yeah, and so we charge top dollar, right? Um, we charge a hundred dollars, uh, for that, and at 125 to disassemble and sanitize a fridge, because those two can take forever. Uh, baseboards sometimes I, uh we do the linear square footage and that's basically taking kind of walking and counting how many, how many steps for a base, uh, for baseboards, and my, my price starts there for the square foot.

Speaker 1: 19:48

Uh, saying that right in there yeah, um and um, uh.

Speaker 2: 19:54

If you want all the fronts of your cabinets, I have a whole checklist right here. I am so sorry. Here it goes. I'll give you some advice yourself.

Speaker 1: 20:09

Checklist there we go that she's mentioning to are considered deep cleaning tasks, but there are charges. Sometimes people are like, hey, while you're here today, can you do my baseboards? No, I can't Cause I have two other houses after this.

Speaker 2: 20:28

I'll tell you. I can almost read you the text um, yesterday one of my cleaning techs got a hold of me and said hey, there's a note, and this is on a monthly clean. There's a note here saying can I use your? Will you just use the steam mop? No, it's okay, it's hers. Uh, can you do? And it's okay to uh steam up the the wood floors at least once a month? It's fine, blah, blah, blah.

Speaker 2: 20:59

I had to get a. She's at work. I know this person, again, small town Um, but I had to text her um and tell her hey, um, yeah, kayla's seeing your, kayla's seeing your. Um, no, and I just want you to know that, even if it is your steam cleaner, it is an extra charge and we charge our chart. My charge is 150 and up to use your own, your own home. And she goes well, I wouldn't. I was like would you do you want me to go ahead and add that onto your bill? Right, and she goes I can't afford that. What about the bathrooms? Can you do the? Just the bathrooms? How? How would, how would you? How would you respond? So, um, and then, um, just some, some other things like so let's go back to the bathrooms.

Speaker 1: 21:50

Did you end up charging her for the bathrooms or not? I'm curious.

Speaker 2: 21:54

I did not. I told Kayla, I just I said I'm guilty too. Time is money, you know, and that is to stop and fill it up with the water. That is to stop and fill it up with the water. Whenever you're in your flow as a cleaning tech, they're in their flow. That just threw a whole curveball. And whenever that happens it's like, well, okay, wait, we didn't have. And I said, for future purposes, if you want something like that, done, done, go ahead and contact the office before you know a couple of days, but let's have it scheduled and I can definitely do that, but it will cost extra money.

Speaker 1: 22:39

And then she want to under underneath oh, did you charge her for the bathrooms or no? Am I misunderstanding?

Speaker 2: 22:45

I did not, she goes well. What about the bathrooms? I did not, I did not, so you didn't do it at all.

Speaker 1: 22:51

I thought you relented and just gave it to her. So, OK, now I understand. No, no, no.

Speaker 2: 22:56

I did, I did it and now that's it's. That's whenever sometimes it's hard being because we're such people pleasers and oh, OK, it's also setting those clear boundaries of. This is what you signed and just you know it's probably in there in the fine print on my jobber, but it's just. I don't want you to have any more expectations than what you're getting, which is a monthly clean and we only deal with every four weeks. We don't do that.

Speaker 1: 23:34

I've had a couple of people this last year ago I can't do the every four weeks and I waited out because they had been, you know, five years or more. I'm like, okay, I'll make the exception, but you can't tell anybody because I don't bragging to all their Shannon cave, Shannon cave.

Speaker 2: 23:48

I got my way.

Speaker 1: 23:48

I got my way. I'm like no, no, no.

Speaker 2: 23:51

I know there's a little office that I do first Wednesday of every month or another little office that we do the first Saturday of every month, Right? So I you know, yeah.

Speaker 1: 24:05

So I like that there are definitive lists and being able to navigate your schedule and having it every four weeks. For that I'm hoping that this year that I can move them back to every four weeks. You know it's up to you to decide when you do price increases. If you haven't done so, I highly recommend that you give a price increase at least once a year. We've been hitting price increases two times a year for the last three or four years in a row at least, so consider that?

Speaker 2: 24:34

What kind of price increases are you looking at?

Speaker 1: 24:38

I'm doing 7% to 8% each time. I did try to with some of them to experiment. I tried to give them a 4% and a 4%, so it wasn't so much. I tried to give them a 4% and a 4%, so it wasn't so much. But I realized that, because of how high priced everything is, 4% increase is not enough to cover and keep my profit margins in check, so it genuinely has to be. You know, the seven or 8%. And there's a couple of clients who hadn't gotten one for whatever reason, so I had to give them a 12% and they, like you know well, you know there's yeah, uh, same.

Speaker 2: 25:11

um, there's one person or it's a holdout and the time is now right, uh, you didn't, they didn't. This particular client did not get one at all last year, right. And um, yeah, again it's people pleasing and it says no, jamie, no, I got to smack my hand, no, I got to do the same thing. So I have been rolling out my price increases very little at a time and, no, they're not completely happy about it, but they're like okay, yeah.

Speaker 1: 25:52

But you're priming the pump Once you give them a price increase. It shouldn't when you do. I know this is off topic. When doing a price increase, it should be a regular thing. Everything goes up in price. Look at how much milk is. Milk is 450 a gallon in Arizona right now. At least that's what we paid the other day. Um gas, gas fluctuates. Um, food has gone up and I don't care what they say. You guys have all heard me complain for the last two years my insurance, yeah, my insurance, my work comp.

Speaker 2: 26:23

Right, I have to give. I have to give my own technicians price increases for their pay, you know, and they very much deserve so.

Speaker 1: 26:33

But yes, and making sure that it's a regular occurrence. If it's not one time a year, it should be twice a year, or maybe you do in thirds. Whatever it is that you have to keep your profit margin in check, please do. I spoke to someone the other day who hadn't given a price increase for four years and she got a lot of hoeing and hawing. I'm like dude.

Speaker 2: 26:55

Because you let the client get away with it.

Speaker 1: 26:57

you know, no, they had a new boat delivered right, they had a new car delivered, they got upgrades in their house, but yeah, they cannot. You know, it's just this whole dynamic. So, make sure, even if it's a small incremental amount, you're priming the pump for them to get future price increases. That's what I wanted to say, that was long winded and I apologize.

Speaker 1: 27:16

No. So clean top to bottom, room by room to max the size. So yeah, speed cleaning is also helpful with your checklist. If you guys have not experienced speed cleaning, I believe it's still on YouTube for free, or at least some of the older videos, and then supplies and tools. This is really important Every once in a while when I'm running around and I have free time and if they're local, I'll go visit the client. Yes, I know I have 1099s, but I've been in town a long time and I know these guys, so I'll look at the cleaning tech's wet kit. I'm like, oh my God, it looks like a dead animal in there. I'm like, when was the last time you cleaned your clean? Oh, I did it like last year. I'm like, oh my God, let me, let me take care of this, right.

Speaker 2: 28:01

Oh, please, yeah, Let me help you yeah.

Speaker 1: 28:04

Make sure your cleaning techs have the newest and most up-to-date tools, especially if you have W-2s. I know we talked a little bit about this a couple of weeks ago about providing tools. There was a big discussion on Facebook whether it was the business owner who had 1099s, I believe. Who she was running around in a van oh, employees. Yeah, oh, they were employees and she didn't want to provide gloves to her cleaning techs because she thought it was a waste of money. Provide those tools to make their jobs easier. They will stick around longer and love you for it, rather than the business owner who gives out one sponge, like the cleaning authority.

Speaker 1: 28:42

I know you still do this. They work in teams of three. They get one kit. They clean multiple houses in a day. Drive around a van. They get one sponge, it goes, and they don't use toilet brushes. You go you know where I'm going with this the toilet to the sink, from the toilet to the sink and house after house after house, and they're given so many um rags I know that's that's a professional term microfire um per house, so and they have to come back with them because they count them and if not, they get billed for it. So, yeah, don't be like the cleaning authority.

Speaker 2: 29:17

That's not. Oh, yeah, that's not okay. Exactly Again. I always say I geek out on everything and anything cleaning, and then that means down to my tools. Some of them have been a hit and a miss, like, oh, that was a flop, I always try it out myself. But then there's these ones that the mop I'm a flat mop, we have flat mops. It's, you know, very effective.

Speaker 1: 29:48

It took Jamie a while to accept the flat mop system.

Speaker 2: 29:52

Yes, because you know everybody was anyways yeah and uh, so we ended up getting an. It's so good. Usually, um, you just take your, your, your uh flat mop head, throw, you know, stick it to it, and sometimes the stick loses its ability to stick anymore. So I had found this new mop and it's like oh, you know, whenever we find out that there's this great and you want to share it with everybody, like and, and I love that, my cleaning techs and if you guys ever listened to this, I appreciate you guys so much because they get so excited, just like I do what? What is that? That? And it's this mop, it's Mr Siga.

Speaker 1: 31:19

So how is?

Speaker 2: 31:20

the mop working out. It is working, so you can flip it up and it gets up on the baseboard. I mean, it's not, I really like it, um, and then they can take those little. You know, one of these times maybe I should have brought a bag, a cleaning bag, to show some of the latest, and you know, because you got to stay up on this stuff you really do, especially if you have employees, um, and or you're a nerd like I am over cleaning, right, and I think a checklist even for a homeowner to do whenever you know that it's it's important um it, it's a checklist out to the client so they knew.

Speaker 1: 32:05

So it was cohesive. The client knew what was supposed to be cleaned and the cleaning tech knows what's supposed to be clean, so that way there's no miscommunication. Um, it really does come down to communication and providing the right tools and you know there's like steps that you can create your own checklist. So access to common areas like kitchens, bathrooms, living rooms, bedrooms. Break tasks down by room and surface wiping the countertops, sanitizing the sinks. Include frequency options daily, weekly or monthly task. Get feedback from your cleaning team and clients.

Speaker 1: 32:41

So, checking in, especially if they're new clients, when it's a one-time cleaning, you should, as a cleaning business owner, call that customer and ask. Or, if you're not as vocal, you could text, but calling shows more emphasis that you are taking this as a priority versus texting, is just like not so much, and I guess it's a generational thing, so it would just depend on the age of the client. But you should always call and ask hey, how was your cleaning? Sometimes I've walked it or sometimes someone else has walked it, and if they've walked it, that is your go-to. Like this is covered. I'm gonna get paid for this, by the way. You know so and I walked it and it was good. So your total bill is this right, and I always send that over in a text message because that way they don't go.

Speaker 1: 33:29

Well, she's got my black american express right and what? Oh boy, go shopping and a little shoppy shop right. So, um, getting feedback and then test your checklist and we find it based on real world use. Now I'm going to stop everybody right here. You can at some point by the time this is airing, um go, I'm going to put a google drive link.

Speaker 2: 33:56

Look I'm getting my pen ready. I know you're getting ready to say something.

Speaker 1: 34:00

A really basic general cleaning list that you can download for yourself. You can copy and paste it, slap your logo on it. You can also go right to my website and that's made hyphen brokercom and you click on cleaning packages and you can't print those out, but you can see what is offered in the cleaning package. At some point I might even hook this up to a funnel, but for now, just for time constraints, I will have the checklist that. It's just a basic, generic checklist for you to have for free, my gift to you, so that you can kind of make your own checklist, in case you're running around trying to figure out what I'm going to put on my checklist. Right, it's intimidating, right, don't?

Speaker 2: 34:41

know, you know, copy paste, put it over into your Canva, and there you go, Right and make it pretty you want to make it pretty, you know, Definitely.

Speaker 1: 34:50

And then what else are there so common pitfalls that you can have with your checklist? That I have seen and I am guilty of this myself is over-complicating and overthinking the checklist by offering too many unnecessary tasks. Again, I reference back to McDonald's. I've looked at some of the things some of these cleaning business owners have done and it's just like, well, I'm a really detailed cleaner, I'm like, but you're not getting paid to be a detailed cleaner again paying for, yeah, exactly, um, and that's great for maybe the solo cleaner right um, that you know.

Speaker 2: 35:32

But whenever you start becoming a company with employees, there are protocols and again checklists that you've got to adhere to, and whenever it's the consistency like that, they get faster and faster and faster and everybody's happy. The client will be happy and you'll be happy because you'll see your bank statement starting to generate some good money here.

Speaker 1: 36:07

Yeah, laugh all the way to the bank. Ladies and gentlemen, love it, I do. I think having a checklist, whether digital or hard copy, is super important. It gives you standards in place and it's the first step for adding a system into your cleaning business. So if you're brand new from scratch and you don't know what to do, and you've gotten your license and your insurance and now you're trying to figure out quickbooks and you're like well, I want to eventually hire, you're going to have to have a cleaning checklist to communicate what needs to get done. That way, when you give them the list and then something happens, a deficiency, you can say didn't you refer to your list? And they'll either say, oh, I didn't read it, or like, I'm guilty, I skim a lot of information in a short amount of time. Sometimes when you're skimming, you miss things, so there's that too. So just consider having a checklist, a checklist that works for every job, and we give you examples. Anything else, miss Jamie, that you would like to add? No?

Speaker 2: 37:10

I was just just to tell everybody I do end up giving tests, and it's not a test, it's just whenever the time is right. Once you complete the, you know the first, I do 20 hours of training and that's it. Either you're going to make it or not, but at the end of it I like to. If this is speed cleaning for the pros, right, this is, I mean, this is literally what it is, and there's a test, a workbook that comes with it at the end, and I purchased that as well Um, and then that's whenever they get their, their raise after, after their training. And then um, of course, with uh, grace Reynolds, she offers a um, even more detailed package, uh, for well, she gives you all the, you know, and that's another test that we do so that they're not just spraying stuff.

Speaker 1: 38:14

That is an 83 question test. I know I've taken it and if you miss one, you have to take it all over again.

Speaker 2: 38:21

Right, it's not as easy as you think it is.

Speaker 1: 38:27

So when I go to renew I'm hoping I don't have to retake that test. I think it's a one time.

Speaker 2: 38:32

That test was something else, but I learned a lot. I learned the backstory of, and that's really whenever you become a professional house cleaner, because you're not just spraying, say, citric acid-based cleaner on marble Right To go to the chapel, I don't know.

Speaker 1: 38:55

And Grace, if you're out there, we love you. Yes, absolutely.

Speaker 2: 38:59

Yes, and, and so all of my, all of my cleaning tax have all, they've all had to take the test. It's on their file and, again, that's a system in place for validation.

Speaker 1: 39:16

That is a system that you need to work on first Before you take on 50 clients and you don't have enough cleaning techs. You need to have this system, having this checklist, having a validation process for your cleaning techs, so that you are successful. You don't want to crash. No one likes trial by fire. No one wants to crash and burn. I live, um, not too far from an airport and we've had four crashes in the last couple weeks and they're small planes, but it's just like you know, because they fly over my house, I'm like, oh my gosh, I hope that they don't, you know, fall in my house. But yeah, you just systems in place, right?

Speaker 2: 39:51

right, uh, it's yep, just like an oiled machine. And once it starts going, you know that's one of the steps that is important. Otherwise you're going to have a lost technician and they're going to bleed out. You're going to end up paying that client for their house cleaning because they're just in there, lost, and that's the last thing you want. You don't want to send a technician in and they're just lost. Or or you know, you know, that this house takes, you know, two hours to clean and they're in there for five.

Speaker 1: 40:33

Yeah right there's something going on that didn't click with them in their training. Most of the time when you know it's going to take two hours, you usually give them a half hour more is the common protocol for that. So they should be hypothetically able to do it in two and a half hours. If they can't, then it's going to take a couple of tries, depending on your investment and where they are in your cycle. So make sure that's important. But if they are in a house that takes two hours, that you've cleaned yourself or your lead is cleaned and they're still taking five hours, there's something going on in that house that you need to be made aware of. Whether it's they're messing around, watching TV I love Lucy eating popcorn, making chocolates off the chocolate machine I don't know, but there's. It shouldn't take someone five hours if the house is a two hour house, no no, and you might need to check on them Right.

Speaker 1: 41:22

Surprise check, make sure they're okay, right, make sure they're okay, or they might just need a surprise visit. But this is this is what the basics are for your cleaning checklist. Again, it will be in the show notes. You just have to click the link to get it, and I look forward to your questions. Jamie, it was good to see you. Yes, bye, bye.