10 Tips for Proper Behavior When Cleaning Around Home Owners

It is certainly important that your cleaning technicians are well-trained when it comes to cleaning homes. After all, that is the reason your cleaning business was hired. But have you given much thought to how your cleaners communicate with and work around the homeowner when they are present during the cleaning?

How they interact with clients has an impact on your business image and reputation. Teaching customer relations skills is necessary if you want your employees to understand and respect the customers' home, personal space, and privacy.

Learn Proper Behavior Around Home Owners

Cleaning technicians must understand proper behavior when cleaning around homeowners.

Prepare your cleaners to quietly move about the home as they perform their cleaning tasks. Teach them to positively and properly engage anyone who may be present during the cleaning. By being proactive in teaching customer relations, you may avoid some unpleasant phone calls from upset customers.

TOP 10 Behavior Tips When Cleaning Around Home Owners:

1. Learn and Remember Names, Including the Children and Pets: Even if they haven't learned yours in five years. Addressing your customers by their name builds rapport; a kind of simple fellowship that can pay big dividends when problems pop up.
   
   
2. Grow Thick Skin: People are going to complain, and complain they will! If the homeowner points out a crumb or dust bunny that was missed during vacuuming after you've just busted your butt cleaning up an unnecessary mess they caused, just smile, nod and say, "Thanks; I'll take care of it right away!"
   
   
3. Don't Use Cell Phones or Customer Telephones: There should be no receiving or making personal phone calls or texting during working hours. Phones should be placed on vibrate and only business-related calls should be taken. There's something about a cleaning technician talking on their cell phone that really bugs people. If you must use your cell phone to contact your team leader, move to a private area so not to disturb the homeowner. Only in the case of an emergency should a customer's phone be used.
   
   
4. No Smoking: There will be no smoking while cleaning the customers' home, including outside or in your vehicle. There is nothing worse than having to smell residual smoke odors on a cleaner, working around the homeowners, their friends, children, or even other co-workers.
   
   
5. No Eating While Working: Eating is only allowed while on a break and not inside the home. Don't be chewing gum or sucking on a piece of candy while talking to the homeowner; it's just not appropriate. And as tempting as it may be, never, ever eat cookies or candy left out, unless it is offered.
   
   
6. Playing Music: You may have a no-music policy in your company, but if you do allow employees to play music, make sure they keep the volume low and only use one earbud. Doing any job while wearing a headset or earbuds can be dangerous - you can't hear someone coming up behind you, you can't hear motor sound changes on the vacuum, home alarm, and so on. Also, turn it off when working within close proximity of anyone in the home.
   
   
7. Never Moan and Groan: Even if someone tracks in mud on your just-vacuumed carpet or newly mopped floor. We all have our moments; just don't do it in front of anyone, ever. People don't want to hear it - they have their own problems. Exude enthusiasm while on the job, it can be infectious.
   
   
8. Don't Use Crude or Profane Language: A four-letter expletive every other breath, will offend even fellow swearers. This holds true for “dirty” jokes also. Foul language is unacceptable in the customers' home, period. Whether you are speaking to a co-worker, or are engaged with a homeowner who is spewing out the “f-word,” profanity is offending to some, so don't use it. 
   
   
9. Noise! Make as Little as Possible: Cleaning noise really irritates people. They hate clanging, banging, squeaking wheels, etc. Homeowners may not say anything, but inside they're seething. Whistling and singing, believe it or not, are included here too.
   
   
10. Be Polite and Use Common Courtesy: Look people in the eye and say "Hello" and smile when meeting someone at the home. If someone is home and watching TV, working, etc. be polite and don't interrupt. If you must, say "Excuse me, may I interrupt you while I complete my cleaning tasks?"  Understand that you have tasks to complete and have a schedule to meet, but never be too busy to say “hello, please, thank you, or sorry.”

It is more important than ever to make sure your cleaning technicians have their name badges on, wear clean uniforms or dress appropriately (no open-toe shoes, torn jeans, tight-fitting clothing, strong perfumes/colognes, etc), practice personal hygiene, and are instructed on how to interact with the homeowners, children, or their visitors.

You may also want to consider investing in newer, quieter cleaning equipment. Battery-operated and super quiet equipment available today have much lower decibel outputs then older, motor-driven equipment and will certainly pay big dividends when cleaning around noise-sensitive environments. The homeowner will thank you for not waking up napping children.

Cleaning technician/homeowner/children interaction can be a deciding factor on how your customers view your cleaning business and image, and by following the simple rules of engagement and proper behavior; you and your cleaners can avoid conflict and unnecessary disruptions to the homeowner.