As homeowners, we dread seeing our furniture dirty. It ruins its appeal and makes our apartment inconvenient to live in. When we notice any of these, cleaning it as soon as possible becomes our only concern. Unfortunately, we get occupied with other activities and have no time to keep them clean. So what do we do instead of watching our recliner sofa covers get dirtier? We phone a cleaning service provider.
While this may seem like an easy thing to do, choosing the right cleaning service for the job is a major challenge. With so many companies in the business, it becomes difficult to make a choice. And the wrong cleaning service will only do more damage than good.
To reduce the chances of hiring a cleaning service that might ruin your perfect sofa covers. Here are some qualities to look out for in hiring a reliable furniture cleaning service provider.
1. High level of experience
A reliable cleaning service has a positive track record with multiple reviews as proof. While the number of years they’ve spent in the furniture cleaning industry is an important criterion for measuring their experience level, it shouldn’t be the only factor to consider. Do some research and evaluate the quality of their results based on recommendations and positive feedback from their previous and recurring clients.
2. Accreditations and Affiliations
If you’re looking for more reasons to trust a cleaning company, look out for accreditations or their affiliations with other companies. This shows that their hard work is recognized outside the four walls of the company.
3. Quick response time
One of the many reasons why you’d want to hire a cleaning service is to get your furniture in the best condition as quickly as possible. So, when hiring one, you should consider the amount of time they take to respond and get the work done. You don’t want your furniture looking unkempt or repulsive for a really long time.
4. Cleaning technology in use
Quality cleaning services tend to use some of the latest technology to clean your furniture. It enhances productivity and gets the job done way better than you’d expect. When you notice a cleaning service still uses old technology or traditional means, it’s a sign that they might not offer the quality service you desire. So make inquiries about what equipment they plan to use in getting your furniture clean again.
5. Qualified cleaners
Even with the best technology, having unprofessional cleaners on the team will have a negative impact on the quality of services the company offers. So, pay attention to their attitude towards work and how they respond to your demands. If you have an issue with the way you’re being attended to, you should back out immediately. However, sometimes issues happen, so do not hesitate to ask for supervisors’ help or leave feedback for the employer to be aware of the issue. Remember that quality service values its customers.
6. Several cleaning methods
A professional cleaning service doesn’t limit their cleaning to just one method; they always have various approaches to handling your dirty furniture. Some methods might only work for certain materials or problems but might not adequately take care of the whole situation. When hiring a cleaning service, ensure that you’re going for the one that has various options for you to pick from or one that will recommend the best approach, rather than convincing you that the only method they know works perfectly.
7. Standard of customer service
Professional cleaning services usually have one of the best customer services. They care about customer satisfaction, and wouldn’t risk tarnishing the reputation of their company. Upon the first contact with the customer service, you can tell that your furniture is in good hands. The good thing about cleaning services with good customer service is that you get answers to all your questions and a helping hand when things go wrong.
8. Transparency
On some occasions, cleaning service providers request pay that is way more than the quote they initially provided without reason. This is an obvious sign that they’re unreliable. Be sure to stay away from companies that make changes in the prices of their services without properly explaining their reasons for doing so. Companies that do so are most likely to offer subpar services.
9. Terms of service
Be sure to read through the terms of service, so you don’t get charged for a fee you had no budget for. Check out what their terms of service are like before making any decisions. This way, you’re fully aware of any extra fee such as a cancellation fee, as rescheduling cleaners at the last minute could cost them their wages.
10. Staff – Employees or Contract Workers?
You need to find out if their staff work fully under the company or if they just contract workers. Why? It’s because of the quality of their services. Unlike contract workers, employees have been trained to care for your furniture in ways that contract workers haven’t. The company also has important data on employees and can monitor how they deliver. Contract workers on the other hand care less about the company’s reputation and will only make decisions that benefit them, like outsourcing the job.
Ways to getting Reliable Furniture Cleaning Service Providers
There are two major ways to get yourself a furniture cleaning service provider that is up to the task and reliable enough to handle your furniture with care:
1. Company reviews
Company reviews usually include honest feedback from clients that have had their furniture cleaned by the company. Read reviews before you put a call through. You should evaluate to see if the positive reviews outweigh the negative ones before proceeding to make inquiries or hiring, depending on how much information you’ve collected.
2. Referrals
Reach out to your family and friends who have recently had their furniture cleaned. Have them tell you what their experience with the company they recommended was like. You can also get their contact info from the referee – this might earn you a discount on some occasions.