Time and time again, we see it happening — you read up a customer review and it seems the job was nearly flawless: the contractor was punctual, polite, and got the job done. But the review is only four stars, not five. Why?
The contractor did not clean the job site.
This happens a lot more than it should, so let’s look at why it’s so important.
Cleaning the job site makes for a safer work environment
Everyone’s safety is also at stake here, especially if we’re talking about a bigger project that involves lots of workers on site.
It might seem like a monumental task to keep things neat and tidy while working (even more when working with a large team), so here’s the trick:
You don’t have to.
Instead, set up different times during work hours (twice a day is usually good) to organize things. That way, you won’t have that much cleaning to do in the end.
When working with a team, it’s important to let them know about this, and instruct them into following your rules for cleaning and organizing — for example, that certain tools should always be left on the same place. You don’t want people tripping over wires and potentially hurting themselves in the process.
To sum it all up:
- A clean job site is a safer job site
- Instruct workers to keep things neat
- Have proper places for tool storage
- Set up trash cans or rent a dumpster for the site
Customers hate it when you leave a mess behind
Go to any review aggregator for contractors and you’ll quickly find customers complaining about the mess someone left behind once the job was finished.
And they’re absolutely right.
Leaving a mess behind is not acceptable for any kind of home improvement service and customers will always be rightfully disappointed when it happens.
This is even more concerning during bigger projects, where the mess could spread to their living quarters. Imagine a potentially dangerous tool or some debris being left behind and someone in the client’s home getting hurt because of it?
But even if no one gets hurt, the client still has the right to be pissed off. Say you’ve done the job, you say it’s finished and you walk away demanding payment, but you’ve left a mess for them to clean? It’s a terrible thing to do.
So, we’re back to reason #1. Account for the time it takes to clean the job site on every service you provide, big or small. It’s not just a matter of looks — people can get hurt by neglecting this.
It could cost you the perfect review
Getting clients to leave reviews is highly encouraged — people will immediately see your business is trustworthy when they see you’ve delivered many times before.
Yet, thousands of times, not cleaning the job site costs professionals that one point away from an otherwise flawless review.
Why do so many professionals make this mistake?
Because they don’t account for it. They see the act of cleaning the job site as an afterthought — something they may or may not do, depending on the time and disposition they have left.
So account for it. On every job, the time it takes to clean the site should be on the schedule, and you should get help if you need to. But always account for it.
Every client that sees you account for cleaning will most likely become loyal (remember, many professionals don’t do this), and every potential client reading up reviews will see you deliver from start to finish.
Want to grow your business and start receiving leads for jobs that will make you money today! Sign up with homeyou
Comments