Some carpet cleaning services might seem like a great choice on the surface, but don’t let unusually low pricing and photographs of spotless room mislead you. Many companies make promises that prove difficult for them to carry out, but as is the case with most businesses, profit is the most important consideration. You may be able to avert disaster, however, and discern just which local company has the best carpet cleaners by asking a few key questions:
“May I Have It in Writing, Please?”
The best carpet cleaners ought to be willing to guarantee services with some form of written contract. If the expectations are set up front, it better ensures that they’ll actually follow through with everything that’s been promised. It results in less corner-cutting and a mutually understood set of parameters for what’s expected.
“Are Your Techs Properly Certified?”
The best carpet cleaners will have technicians that are certified via the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC) – think of it like a degree in Carpet Cleaning. It’s assurance that the employees have received extensive hands-on training and have been tested on what they learned. In fact, if you’re looking at a carpet cleaning service that seems ridiculously cheap, this might be the hidden reason why: they’re not certified.
“Are You Properly Insured?”
This might seem of secondary importance, but think of it this way: what happens if a carpet cleaning technician falls from the landing upstairs while trying to clean the carpet in that tricky little area you never vacuum? True, you’re hiring these people to come do a job that you’re not up for doing, but they are fallible all the same. Don’t fall prey to paying an injured employees medical bills – find out if they’re insured.
“What’s Your Reputation?”
It almost doesn’t matter whether you ask the service itself, since they’re going to tell you what they want and obscure any issues. So, do some of your own research: call the Better Business Bureau, find out if there are any formally registered complaints and hunt around online for reviews and whistle-blowers. While the internet has bred a community of people that love to voice their opinions (whether warranted or not), it’s safe to assume that if you see the same complain surface repeatedly, this is a real problem.
While it might seem wise to stick with companies that specialize as commercial carpet cleaners, you may also want to check into janitorial services companies that handle a wide range of cleaning scenarios as well.
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