Web Design VernonWhat a house cleaner's website needs so people let you in the door
A person hiring a cleaner is handing a stranger the run of their home while they're out. They ask four things, in this order.
- Who are you?
- Can I trust you?
- What will it cost?
- What if I need to cancel?
I tried six Vernon cleaning firms. Three had a website I could read. The other three live on directories and job boards, where the customer sees a star rating and no one's face. That is your opening. Of the three that have a site, two answer the first three questions, and only one answers the fourth.
1. Who are you?
Two of the three put a person on the page. One opens with "Hi, I'm" and the owner's name. The other says "since 2010" and tells the founder's story.
A cleaner sells trust, and trust needs a face. Put your name and a photo on the home page, and say how long you've been cleaning in Vernon and where you've cleaned. Two of the three name the towns they serve: Vernon, Armstrong, Coldstream, Lake Country, Enderby. A person in Lake Country checks before they call.
2. Can I trust you?
This is the question that decides whether the customer picks up the phone.
- Insured. Two of the three say so. One says "Insured, bonded, WorkSafeBC covered". Say whether you carry insurance in plain words.
- WorkSafeBC. Only one of the three says it's covered. If you have employees and you're registered, say so: a customer whose cleaner is hurt in their house wants to know.
- Background checks. Two of the three say staff are vetted or background-checked. That's the line a person looks for when a stranger will be alone in their house.
- Reviews. Two of the three show customer reviews on the page.
- Pets and children. One says "Gentle around kids and pets". It's a worry that a lot of people have, and only one of three answers it.
There's no BC licence for house cleaning that I found, so don't say "licensed". "Insured" and "background-checked" are the claims that mean something.
3. What will it cost?
Cleaning is bought on price. Two of the three show an hourly rate: "$50 an hour, supplies included" and "$45–$50/hr". The third quotes after a visit.
Show the rate. It sorts out the customers who can't afford you before they phone, and it makes the ones who can afford you feel safe.
Next to the rate, say what it covers:
- Are supplies included? One of the three says so. A customer wondering whether to buy their own won't ask.
- One time or recurring? Two of the three say you can have either. Say it on the home page: weekly, every two weeks, or once.
- Move-in and move-out cleaning. One of the three has a page for it. It is the most common one-off job, and the person searching for it has a deadline.
- Vacation rentals. All three clean them. In the Okanagan that's a steady second trade, and a host searching "Airbnb cleaning Vernon" finds the firm with a page of its own.
4. What if I need to cancel?
One of the three answers it with a question on its FAQ: "What is your cancellation or rescheduling policy?" Another has a refund-policy page.
Write it in two sentences and put it near the quote button: how much notice, and what happens if they give less.
The promise nobody makes
None of the three offers a guarantee. Not one says "if you're not happy, we'll come back and clean it again."
The first booking is a bet. The customer doesn't know how you'll leave their kitchen. A re-clean promise makes the bet safe:
> If something's missed, tell us within 24 hours and we'll come back and fix it, free.
Only offer it if you'll stand behind it. If you will, it's the line that puts you ahead of every cleaner I read.
Where this goes on your site
Your name and photo, the hourly rate and the phone number sit at the top of the home page. The Quote button sits beside them. Insured, background-checked and your re-clean promise come straight after.
Want it done? Text me your business name at 778 808 5385. I'll look at your site and tell you what I'd change, and the rebuild is free. Here's a site I made up for a different kind of business, so you can see the layout.
