Protecting Your Client Base: Preventing Cleaning Techs from Taking Off with Your Clients
Sarah Gander 
What happens when a cleaning tech takes off with your clients?
As a cleaning business owner, one of your greatest assets is your client base. However, the unfortunate reality is that almost all service based businesses will have this happen from time to time.
In the House Cleaning Industry, cleaning technicians (real w-2’s, not 1099’s) may attempt to take advantage of their position by stealing your clients.
In this blog, we'll discuss what happens when a cleaning tech takes off with your clients, the impact it can have on your business, and proactive steps you can take to prevent it from happening.
What Happens When a Cleaning Tech Takes Off with Your Clients?
1. Loss of Long-Term Revenue on at least 5 years’ worth of income, this is how long the average client stays with their cleaning company.
* Losing a significant number of clients to a former cleaning tech can result in a substantial loss of revenue for your business. And in some instances, could almost bankrupt you.
* It can take time and resources to rebuild your client base and regain the trust of your customers.
2. Damage to Reputation:
* Client theft can damage your business's reputation and erode trust with your remaining clients.
* Negative word-of-mouth and online reviews can further harm your business's credibility and hinder your ability to attract new clients.
3. Legal and Financial Consequences:
* Depending on the circumstances, you may pursue legal action against the former cleaning tech for breach of contract or theft of intellectual property.
* Legal proceedings can be costly and time-consuming, adding further strain to your business.
Preventing Cleaning Techs from Taking Off with Your Clients:
1. Implement Non-Compete Agreements:
* Require all cleaning techs to sign a non-compete agreement that prohibits them from soliciting your clients or working for competitors for a specified period after leaving your employment. Institute a finder’s FEE for such instances.
2. Build Strong Client Relationships:
* Focus on building strong relationships with your clients based on trust, reliability, and exceptional service.
* Regular communication and feedback can help you identify and address any concerns before they escalate.
* If you are still small, do random house checks, it shows that you are still in business and looking things over.
* It also shows the cleaning tech you are involved with your cleaning business
* If you are a larger operation, then send a lead tech/trainer or office staff person to go and do random house checks. These are no “Quality Control” checks but a visibility to everyone that you are looking either directly or indirectly at what is going on with your business. And these do not have to be done all the time. Maybe once a quarter.
3. Provide Clear Boundaries of what is allowed between all parties involved:
* Make all new clients sign paperwork that “if” they decide they can’t live without the cleaning tech that you are offering, then it gives you the right to charge them a “finder’s fee.” Ours is 2500.00 per incident.
* Providing exceptional service and value can make it less likely for clients to consider switching to a competitor.
4. Monitor and Manage Client Relationships:
* Keep track of client preferences, schedules, and feedback to ensure their needs are met consistently.
* Address any issues promptly and professionally to maintain client satisfaction.
Preventing cleaning techs from taking off with your clients requires a combination of proactive measures and strong client relationships. By implementing Do Not Purge, Finder’s Fee agreements that are listed in your Welcome Paperwork, making them sign said paperwork will help to eliminate some of the potential purging that could happen with your Cleaning Business.
You can hear this episode of CBL (Cleaning Business Life) podcast here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/215...
Shannon can be reached at https://kleanfreaksuniversity.com/
You can listen to her at https://cleaningbusinesslife.buzzsprout.com
You can watch her on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIjMz_-9YyiFvNVIgb61iYg
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Categories: : Business Growth, Business Mindset, Cleaning Business, Cleaning Business Coaching, Entrepreneurial Journey, Entrepreneurial Success, Klean Freaks University