5 Easy Ways to Know You’ll Get Good Service

What does good service mean to you? Is it as simple as getting what you need from the company you hire? Is it politeness, or going the extra mile?

Once upon a time, being “in service” was simply a job description.

You didn’t used to go out and find a cleaning company. If you could afford a cleaner, you usually employed them privately. Thousands of home owners of all stripes employed their own staff, most of whom worked in conditions that could — at best — be described as drudgery. Little to no pay. Long hours. And few rights of any kind.

Downton Abbey this was not.

Almost half of the UK’s population was classed as “in service” until around the 1930’s, when things began to change.

And the service industry — thankfully so different to the shape it was in even early last century — has recently undergone another sea change.

The amount of normal people drowning in work and other commitments is on the up. Outsourcing cleaning, gardening, and other chores is on the rise once again, as people try and squeeze more time out of their week.

That’s good news for the industry, of course. More customers — fantastic! But it’s good news for the customer too — it’s a consumer’s market. With so many options in front of you though, is there a way you can tell when you’re going to get good or bad service?

1) Accountability — know who you’re hiring.
This is pretty simple in theory, but I know I’ve fallen afoul of companies like this in my time. If you don’t know where the company is coming from (I mean this literally — get their address and all the details you can!) you can be left with results you’re not happy with and no way to resolve the issue.

2) Value — get your money’s worth.
Do you feel like you paid a reasonable rate? Check the market. Compare prices. Why is this company doing the same thing for so much cheaper? Are they skimping on something, or are they just better value?

3) Courtesy — service with a smile.
The “service” part of service is included in what you’re paying for. Are you being treated with courtesy and respect? Are your wishes being followed? Rudeness, or a company that’s not responding quickly and correctly to initial enquiries, should be ringing your warning bells right away.

4) Safety — yours and your wallet’s.
Any company you use needs to have insurance and offer some guarantee of their work. Check out their past jobs if you’re still wondering if you’ll be safe handing your money over to them.

5) Quality — never feel like you’re left wanting.
On the most basic level, you’ve employed someone to do a job for you. Have they done it well? Don’t let it quietly slide by if they haven’t. Make sure you know what your options are if you’re unhappy with the work you’ve had done.

So is service, like beauty, in the eye of the beholder?

I don’t think so. I believe there are certain things that define truly good service.

And when you’re hiring someone in the future, you should make sure you’re always getting it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rune Sovndahl, co-founder of Fantastic Services, has built his domestic services business from scratch to a point where they serve 230,000 domestic clients in London, the South East and the North West. With a £28m turnover, it is easily the largest domestic cleaning company in London, yet the company has been self-financed since the outset. As well as the UK, Fantastic Services is already established as a leading cleaning company in Australia and USA.