Guest Blog: Gina

What is your scheduling method? 

Software integration via iCal or API for PM systems is highly preferred. I recommend Resort Cleaning which I pay for and do not charge clients for this. If they’re receiving arrivals/departures via text or Google calendar and clean more than 2-3 properties already, there’s a high chance something will get missed. You also want to find out if they can manage same day cleans with advance notice as well as same day cleans booked with same day arrival. 

Do you have a checklist?

Amazingly, many cleaning companies don’t have an in-depth STR turn checklist. I would be concerned if they can’t send one the same day of your request. Most owners already have their own checklist. See how many of your tasks match theirs and identify where you may need to offer more guidance as you build your relationship. Your turnover checklist should include, at minimum, departure inspection for damage/excessive cleaning and extra charges, low supply reporting, laundry, actual cleaning tasks for each room, stocking consumables and staging to listing requirements. 

How do you handle callbacks and guest complaints? 

If you inspect your own units and find non-compliance of checklist and listing standards, call the cleaner back to fix them. Learning from their mistakes and/or adhering to host-specific tasks is key 5-star reviews and requires open communication. 

For guest complaints, a quick, easy protocol should be in place. Here’s ours: 

Guest reports issue with photo > Host determines severity and responds with photos/proof to dispute OR contacts cleaner for resolution with guest photo/issue > Cleaner responds with resolution > Host gets permission to enter > We show up and problem is solved

Pricing

Here is a typical range of standard departure clean rates for in-building condos up to luxury new builds. Per-Stay offsite laundry, providing consumables and other host-specific requirements are not included. 

1 Bedroom Sleeps 2-6 = $85 to $100

2 Bedroom Sleeps 4-8 = $115 to $130

3 Bedroom Sleeps 6-12 = $175 to $260

4 Bedroom Sleeps 8-12 = $225 to $300

How many staff and homes do you have? 

You don’t want to set cleaners up to crash and burn by onboarding too many homes with too many cleans all at once. This happens quite often in our industry when a cleaning company owner says yes to whatever owners want to offer them. They take on your properties, get in a groove, impress you, over-work their team members which affects their home life, neglect other clients which strains those relationships and all the sudden there’s a heap of undue stress on everyone because details get missed and reviews will undoubtedly suffer.

The key is to ask how many new cleans they can FULLY COMPLETE on Sundays and Mondays (typical departure days) and THEN follow up with how many staff and homes they currently service. Give that a think and then ask when they could have these homes onboarded by. 

What will you need from me? 

I promise that this one question will demand loyalty from day one. It shows your cleaner not only that you care about them as a partner, but it also shows that you care deeply about your home and guests. If you treat your cleaners like ‘the help’, they’ll act like it. If you treat them like pros and allow them a voice, they’ll act like pros and communicate very well with you (or they should anyway). 

Here are some of my common responses: 

• Notify us of any last minute inquiries or bookings ASAP via call/text; we can get this done, but let’s set expectations for the guests together in case there are any challenges keeping us from a 4pm ready-by
• Keep us stocked with enough laundry and supplies for 3 turns
• Reviews. We love feedback directly from your public guest reviews so we can share them with the team and/or improve on our services
• Be considerate of any extra cleaning or expenses we suggest even if they can’t be charged to guests