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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Cleaner issues

5 replies

Estapesta · 09/10/2018 19:45

I hired a cleaner through a lovely lady who owns a cleaning company. At first she sent a young girl who was brilliant, she then left and has been replaced by the business owner's sister.

The sister is good but moves my things around and smells so strongly of cigarettes that it lingers around in every room afterwards. I'd like the lady who owns the business to do our cleaning as opposed to her sister but don't want to offend.

How do I tackle this? Would it be better to go with a different cleaning company altogether?

OP posts:
BackforGood · 10/10/2018 00:26

I think you have to put your big girl pants on and be honest.
After all, the smell is offending you. You aren't getting the service you are paying for, and you can politely say to the company owner that you were delighted with the first cleaner, but do not want the current cleaner again as the small of cigarette smoke offends you and lingers even after she has left a room.

If it were just the moving things, you could have a word with the cleaner, but, one of the advantages of using an agency is that you don't have to "manage" the cleaner individually, that is what the agency owner / manager is being paid for.

DanglyEarOrnaments · 10/10/2018 08:58

Hi cleaning business owner here.

I think the owner of the business would welcome the feedback and the chance to rectify the issue for you.

You could just mention that you would prefer a different cleaner who is a non-smoker as you are sensitive to the smell (we have had this request on occasion so not a strange request.

If you wanted to help the owner out you could also let her know about the current cleaner not moving things enough. The feedback will be of huge benefit to her and although you would like a different cleaner she can manage this issue for her other clients by providing a bit more training to that person. The cleaner would also benefit from additional training so it is a kind thing to do to mention this as it will enable her to be more successful in her job for the future.

I don't think you can ask for the owner to clean for you as likely that is not her job any more. All of the cleaning business owners I know can only act as a cleaner in their business for as long as it takes to start off and establish the business and then they need to get into the office and focus on the running of the business and the growth and health of the business which is in everyone's best interests. If your out cleaning you are not looking after your staff or your clients properly OR taking care of essential legalities and it's a devil of a job to find time to do quotes and process new clients onto your systems etc. This is where customer service can fail, it's a full time job and cleaning should be left to the actual cleaning staff where possible.

Whenever I've had to go out and cover cleaning in my business for a time (ie if we've lost a full-time member of staff suddenly so no chance to hire and train in time, I will jump in) it's a huge problem as I drop a lot of balls within the business which affects everyone negatively.

But although I wouldn't ask the owner to clean for you, i would ask for a new cleaner and give the honest reasons why which will benefit all parties in the long run. I wouldn't ask for anyone specific as it may not be possible to schedule that younger cleaner again but it's definitely worth telling the owner that she was a great match for you, then she knows which staff have the attributes that suit you best.

We find clients all have different 'favourites' amongst our staff. Fortunately they usually favour their own regular cleaner and think she's the best (we're not usually sure why, just glad of this!). It's funny because when their own cleaner goes on holiday they find fault with the cover cleaner, even though that cleaner is someone else's favourite and they may find fault the other way about when THAT cleaner covers THEIR regular cleaner. Grin

It's a known 'thing' in this industry but I digress, I suppose the useful part of this reply that I'm trying to convey, is that the more feedback you can give the owner the more she can evaluate who is the best match for you on her staff.

Good luck.

Estapesta · 10/10/2018 19:22

Thanks for the responses.

The lady who owns the business actually does most of the cleaning in this case. She also seems to do the best job of the cleaning when she's had to come in and cover.

I will just be honest and hopefully, it will be ok.

OP posts:
DanglyEarOrnaments · 10/10/2018 21:14

Oh I see it sounds a newish business.

Maybe if she new the truth she will take over and clean for you again or maybe she has another person she knows could match you better.

In any case it will be for the best if you do tell the truth in a nice way so she can decide what to do in both yours and the business's best interests. I think all can be resolved here with a good manager and it sounds like she is.

If on the other hand, you do not get good customer service, then just take your business to another company.

DanglyEarOrnaments · 11/10/2018 08:37

*knew

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