Part 3: The Emotional Labor of Hiring Home Service Providers
Depending on the type of work you need done, you might work with a service pro on a regular or semi-regular basis. Having home help is part of a lifestyle where you prioritize your time to outsource the things that you don’t have time for or don’t want to do, but want the peace of mind in knowing that it’s something that is going to get done with little to no work on your part, other than scheduling and communication.
Today and in this 3-part series on The Emotional Labor of Hiring Home Service Providers, I would like to bring awareness to some of the things that you might experience in the process of searching for a house cleaner, landscaper, plumber, handy person, and so on. Perhaps, you might feel less alone in your efforts. Think of this series as a guide to help you navigate through the entire process of hiring someone. In this 3-part series:
Part 1: The Interview
Part 2: The First Impression
Part 3: (read below) The Long Term Relationship
PART 3: THE LONG TERM RELATIONSHIP
In this phase, you’re building and maintaining a long term relationship with a service pro. These are the building blocks of what a long term relationship looks like on a professional level.
Maintenance vs. One Off Jobs
So the first job is done and now you’re asking yourself, is this something that I can fit into my budget on a regular basis? House cleaning and yard maintenance are the most common tasks that people outsource more frequently. Some other service pros such as nanny’s, organizers, etc. might be a regular outsource for you too. Types of maintenance frequencies you might consider:
Weekly: weekly visits might cost a little less per visit since more tasks can be spread out throughout the month and not everything needs to be done at each visit. The convenience of having a pristine yard or the dishes and floors cleaned weekly is very convenient.
B-Weekly or Monthly: the cost difference between these two visits might be similar and the same amount of work for the service pro. The more frequent you have visits, the more you’ll pay in a month overall, the but the less cost per visit. So you’ll want to ask yourself if you want one big overhaul each visit or consistent work done each week.
Quarterly, Twice Yearly, or Yearly: this is a more budget friendly option and can help you do the deeper cleaning / maintenance tasks that buildup.
Scheduling
Most service pro’s are very flexible on scheduling as long as you communicate in advance.
Recurring Appointments: most service pro’s can book you on a recurring basis and don’t require a long term contract, where you can cancel at anytime. The benefit of this is that your appointment is reserved and hands free, unless you need to make a schedule adjustment or cancel an appointment.
Cancellation Fees: it is common business practice to have a cancellation fee window, where a fee or the cost of the appointment will be charged. Remember, time is not refundable and a service pro likely doesn’t have a waitlist they can call to fill your appointment at a moments notice.
Ongoing Communication
The nuts and bolds of a strong long term relationship includes good communication. Just like I spoke about in part 2 of this series, regarding advocating for yourself and speaking up when there are touchpoints of communication that need to be had, the same goes for an ongoing relationship with a service pro.
It never feels good to give or receive feedback that can be perceived as negative or ‘wrong’. But you can make this a more pleasant experience.
Inquire, but never assume: assume the best in people. We are all humans trying to do and be our best, usually. Ask questions, state the facts, and hold back from statements that hold assumptions about the situation as to why the occurrence happened.
Seek to resolve: what is the outcome that you’re looking for in giving this feedback? We all have bad days, but it’s important to come from a lens of giving feedback that is productive and helps a service pro learn and grow through an experience.
Know when it’s time to move on: so you’ve communicated and the work is consistently not aligning with what your expectations are? Just as all relationships work, sometimes we grow together and learn together. And other times we grow apart.
Tipping & Extras
Tipping in the home service industry isn’t always standard practice or expected. But it’s always nice if you do! We find that our team at The Tidy People in Portland is much more inclined to have a pleasant experience with a customer when they tip even the smallest amount. A little appreciation goes a long way!
Tipping: while it’s standard to tip 10% - 20% in the restaurant industry, this type of tip on top of a service bill can make your overall bill much higher and this isn’t expected. Do what you can: anywhere from as little as $5 to upwards to $50 per person per visit is a range we’ve seen at The Tidy People. This will depend on the size of the job and specifics.
Gifts: we’ve received everything from fresh garden veggies or fruit from a clients yard, to dibs on a donation pile that’s going to be brought to the Goodwill. It feels good to be thought of!
Notes: If you can’t tip, even a little note of appreciation is nice!
All in all, relationships with humans — whether or not they’re personal or professional, are complex. They require ample amounts of empathy, compassion, and communication. No matter who you hire in the service industry, you’re working with people. Keep this into account when working with others — we’re all just humans working to earn a living to take care of ourselves + those we love.
