Many people ask “How Do I Find the Best Carpet Cleaning Company Near Me?” Great question. Hiring in-home service contractors like carpet cleaners can be a wonderful experience, or a nerve-racking one. To minimize the risks of hiring a poor quality carpet cleaner be sure to look for these 8 qualities.
8 Qualities to Look for in a Carpet Cleaner
Vetting service industry professionals before you invite them into your home has never been easier, thanks the Internet and Reviews.
Not only have business websites evolved to the point where quality brands can make their case, but social media can offer a unique look into what companies are actually doing.
There are several things you should look for to ensure that the carpet cleaning company you choose does great work, has fair practices, and provides great customer service.
Here are the top eight:
1. Qualifications
Guilford county carpet cleaners do not require a license to operate. This makes it twice as important that you choose a carpet cleaning company that is certified by the top carpet cleaning organizations.
The Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) is easily the most important. But there are other organization as well, such as the International Cleaning and Restoration Association (ICRA).
Choose a IICRC certified carpet cleaner who requires all technicians be IICRC certified as well. You can also find further credentials such as Master Textile Cleaner or Senior Carpet Inspector. These aren’t just fancy titles. They are proof of applied knowledge.
2. Background Checks
We almost decided to list this one first. While it isn’t necessarily as critical as industry education, it is just as crucial. A company that truly cares about you will make sure that the people they employee are trustworthy.
Character is a too-often-forgotten aspect of the service contractor world. Businesses who make this a priority are clearly more likely to have your interests at heart. After all, background checks cost money. These costs add up as you interview more technicians.
Most companies will make this known pretty clearly in their marketing. But if you aren’t sure, the ability to ask a question is always only a phone call away.
3. Technology
Equipment and products play major roles in carpet cleaning.
Like most other industries, the rate of advancements is slowly increasing. As more cleaning technologies hit the market, those who stay on the cutting edge will always be able to offer their clients the best value.
Improved technology not only increases capabilities and lowers price, but it also pushes the envelope on what can be cleaned or restored.
4. Experience
You want a company that has been in business, with technicians who have been doing it for a long time.
On the company level, longevity can serve as proof of customer satisfaction. It indicates intelligent business practices. That is to say: a company who has been in business for decades is more likely to have optimized systems in place than one who has been in business for months.
For a technician, experience adds to educate to increase efficiency. It also makes your carpet cleaner a better problem solver. And given a healthy company culture, experience should also continually develop customer service skills and ethics.
If you can find a company that has decades of experience, consider them closely. In this way, outdated marketing can sometimes help a business’s credibility. Even better though, are a long history of raving fans.
5. Testimonials
Online reviews really have changed the business world forever.
On the other side of things, when someone goes out of their way to say positive things about a business, you know that experience must have been truly excellent. You can really only earn consistent five star reviews by hitting all three things that customers are looking for.
The most successful in-home service professionals build their business on life-long customers and referrals. The only way to do that is to do a great job with a smile for a fair price. That is also how you earn authentic online reviews and other testimonials.
6. Proof
A portfolio is a high quality service professional’s best friend.
While many in-home contractors fail to document the work they do, more should. Before and after pictures can really help you develop realistic expectations and quell those fears. Perspective is everything. Nothing provides perspective like visuals.
Many of the complaints that service pros receive are the result of poor communication somewhere along the process. What they don’t realize is that they can help both parties by doing a better job showing their customer what they are getting.
Both website and active social accounts are great places for visual proof. Images are great. Videos are often even better. The best brands aren’t scared to brag about their work. If customers post the pictures, you know the brand is really doing something right.
7. Customer-centric Process
Again, the service industry is about putting yourself in your customer’s shoes.
For example:
ProTech Carpet Care is an owner/operator business. Our owner, Kevin Conrad, services clients everyday. But when we receive a call for a job that requires his Senior Carpet Inspector credentials or Master Textile Cleaner training, our other technicians are able to pick up the slack without lowering quality or service.
The best service contractors build their process around the wants and needs of their client base.
8. Transparency
Honesty is so important in businesses.
Service companies that make promises they can’t keep usually end up going out of business—and they should. Fair play is so important.
Again: Yay! Internet!
Unfair price gouging, hidden fees, and intentional misquoting is the fastest path to one-star reviews. Do some digging into the one star reviews of a service professional near you and you are all but guaranteed to find multiple complaints about just this practice.
Speaking of guarantees, true money back guarantees are a great way for service professionals to wear their quality like a badge of honor.
In the end, it is your responsibility to vet the contractors who will enter your home. Fail to do your due diligence, and the consequences could be tragic.
Build a Relationship that Lasts
Once you’ve found a carpet cleaner who has the qualities listed above, try them out.
Use them again if the first experience is a pleasant one. Continue to use them until they give you reason not to. This will allow you to develop a relationship over time that can bring you added value.
Carpet cleaners who truly care about their clients educate them in ways to protect their carpets and other flooring. In the long run, this saves you money. Your carpets will last longer, allowing you to put off potentially hefty replacement costs.
This can also mean that you need to call them less frequently. While that may seem to be against a carpet cleaner’s business model, the most qualified carpet cleaning companies also have the capability to offer you protective services such as scotchgard application.
At ProTech, we want our customers to think of us as “their carpet cleaners”.
You know? Like you have “a guy who fixes my car” or “a girl that does my hair”. We want you to think of us as “my carpet cleaners”.
And in our opinion, the best carpet cleaning companies think of it exactly the same way. This doesn’t mean that ProTech Carpet Cleaners is the only quality carpet cleaning company in Greensboro. But you can bet that all of the best ones build their model around repeat business and referrals. The only way to earn these things is by putting the wants and needs of your customers first.
If you’re looking for carpet cleaning in Greensboro or the greater Triad area, take a look at why you should choose ProTech for your next carpet cleaning or restoration. Or give us a call at (336) 202-2061. to see for yourself if we pass all of the checks. If you have a question of comment, leave it below. And please, feel free like and share this post with a friend or two who may need our services.
