What Do Your Employees Know About Your House Cleaning Company?

When you own a business, your employees are out there representing your company. But just how much do they really know about your house cleaning business and why does it matter?

Too many business owners are so busy that they just want to get new employees up and running, which means they don't spend much time telling them a whole lot about their business. But your employees are responsible for a large percentage of customer interaction, whether it's cleaning their home or answering your phones. Doesn't it make sense to give them as much information about your company as possible so they feel a part of the team and can answer all your customers' questions?

What if a customer asks if your employee can remove a stain on the carpet while they are at the home cleaning? Do they know how to respond? Your employee might say something like, "Oh, I don't know how to do that, sorry..." What if your company actually offers carpet spotting and carpet cleaning services? You probably just lost an up-sale because the employee wasn't aware. Had she known, she could have said, "Sure! We have a carpet cleaning division in our company. All I have to do is call the office and we can get a carpet technician scheduled to come out and take care of it." Then when you talk to the customer you can find out if there are any other spots that need cleaning or if their carpets need cleaning.

Start by hiring the right employees. You may find someone who claims to have lots of cleaning experience, but if your instincts are telling you that they have an abrasive personality, do yourself a favor and pass. You're better off hiring someone that people enjoy being around. You can train them on how to clean, but it's not so easy to train them on how to have a sunny disposition!

When training your employees, spend time talking about company policies and the extra services you provide. Let them know what is special about your cleaning business because they need to know what distinguishes you from your competition and how to reinforce that with your customers. Also spend time training them on how to interact with customers. Tell your employees that it is everyone's responsibility to create a pleasant customer experience every time they interact with a customer. Every employee's customer service is critical to retaining loyal customers and growing the business.

Be sure to reward your employees for the right behavior with customers. Make it a point in meetings or in your newsletter to thank an employee for doing the right thing or exceeding expectations with customer service.

Engaging your employees in learning more about your cleaning business and teaching them how to interact with your customers will make a huge difference in retaining customers and increasing your customer base. Make it a priority today!