How to Manage Cleaners - A Guide for Property Managers

You have your operation set up. Reservations are coming in. You have a PMS in place, and you are killing it at marketing on all major booking platforms. But somehow, the cleaning and housekeeping are still lacking. You’re struggling.

Well, not anymore. Here’s your guide on how to manage cleaners efficiently, effectively, and without all the stress.

Step 1: Understand the process and the work

This is crucial: all property managers must understand the housekeeping process and how a vacation rental is meant to be cleaned and taken care of. It is not the same as a residential home and not like a hotel room, either.

Knowing what must be done, how it should be done, and the time and tools it takes is the first step to a successful operation.

Also, having a manager that knows what they are talking about helps the team. When they understand that for some people, a cleaning job is just a job and not a career, that it is demanding and it requires experience, they will have a better approach and appreciation to their team.

Maybe that’ll be adjusting schedules, accommodating requests from cleaners, and even pitching in when the team is short-staffed. People want to work for people like this. So being one of them is step one.

Step 2: Have systems and processes in place

When you have a smaller portfolio, it seems simple to manage turnover cleanings between guests’ checking in and out. Maybe up to four or five properties and you’ll do fine calling cleaners and booking them accordingly.

Once your business starts to grow, it’ll be harder to track who is doing what and how long it should take. Suddenly, timesheets and spreadsheets are a mess and you’re missing records on them. You have a cancellation and struggle to find a new cleaner to come by.

Before you know it, you’ll be doing the cleanings yourself and having to manage another task on your daily schedule.

Having systems and processes in place will ensure you’ll never find yourself in this scenario.

Your first thought might be to hire an operations manager, but software can solve many of the needs for a fraction of the cost. Booking, tracking, time management, work orders, and billing can all be made on several platforms out there. Save yourself the time and stress and find one.

Step 3: Use the right tools in your favor

Technology is here working for you. It’s meant to be a tool to make your life easier, so why not take advantage of that? Once you have a team you can count on, are growing your portfolio, and need to have a process in place, it’s time to find the right tool for that.

TIDY offers features such as automatic booking, tracking assets and issues, maintenance recommendations and more, all customizable per property. That means you can set your preferences based on each rental, including the cleaners you want doing the turnovers and specific to-do lists per cleaning.

If you’re ready to supercharge your rental management process with software, talk to us now.

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