Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Cleanliness: It's Next To Godliness

Someone once said that "cleanliness is next to Godliness." Whoever said that clearly didn’t have a dictionary. Open up a dictionary to “G” and you will find “Godliness” is much closer to “goggles.” On the other hand a trip through the “C” section will show that “cleanliness” is dangerously close to “cleavage.”

But this is all semantics. For the purpose of this discussion, “cleanliness” is right next to “professionalism.”

Have you ever had a service person working in your home who leaves a complete mess for YOU to clean up? That’s the sign of unprofessionalism, disrespect, lack of consideration for the client, or all of the above.

When a service person enters your house, shoes should be removed under normal circumstances, and then brought to the work area if needed. The work area should have a drop sheet or some form of protection for the floor (in some cases, protection of the floor from entrance door to work area should be installed).

Once a service is rendered, the work area should be cleaned properly. One of my mottos has always been “leave a place as clean as or cleaner than you found it.” Cleanliness is a part of the service that is rendered. You shouldn’t accept any less from a professional who walks through your door. Providing a clean service shows at the very least, compassion for you.

Cleanliness also comes in a written form. Understanding the service call that was executed is very important. Make sure you spend a couple of moments to question any aspect of the service call and read the DETAILED charges made for the job.

Since I introduced a somewhat biblical term in the beginning, here’s another thought to ponder. “Homeowner, help thyself.” It is important to know of any maintenance that you can do to avoid any service calls in the future. As a client you should not be used as a cash cow for the service person to rely on future business. Remember, a good service person is there not only to solve your problem and improve your quality of life, but also to help you save money. As a service professional, THAT IS WHERE I COME IN!!!

Speak to your service person about what you can do to maintain your structure and don’t be shy about asking the proper way you should do it (perhaps maybe this is where goggles actually comes in, but that’s a story for another day).

Your home is your castle. If you treat it that way, so should any service professional who walks through your door. Their job is to make your home a better place and solve the problems that need to be solved professionally, cleanly and promptly. In other words, less time with me . . . around your drain.