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We have all experienced buying something that started out at one low price and quickly ballooned to something else.
Sometimes basics are called “extras.” Other times, a product or service seems fairly priced, but hidden charges far exceed the norm.
Maybe you bought a reasonably priced airline ticket, only to be surprised by a $50-per-bag charge for your family’s four bags.
What started out as a good deal can quickly become a bad deal once the seller looks for ways to recoup an artificially low price.
This kind of “marketing” isn’t good for anyone but the seller. As a buyer, you’re cheated out of making a decision with all the information.
And as a competitor trying to price services fairly and transparently, you’re at a disadvantage.
In the cleaning industry, prices continue to be at all-time lows. Some Michigan cleaning services offer concrete ways to get better pricing .
But many facility managers start out feeling like they’re getting a great value, only to find that their cleaning service is recovering the low price in other ways.
The old adage “if it seems too good to be true, it probably is” still holds water.
Many facility managers end up paying for things they thought were included in the monthly contract.
When they complain about service issues, the contractor suddenly comes up with a billable “solution.” Over time, the facility manager gets further and further away from what they believed was good value.
Some examples of this include high dusting or wall spotting.
We also see cases where floor care is built into the monthly contract, but the cleaning company still invoices for that same service outside the monthly bill. That effectively means billing twice for the same work.
Now, there are situations where wall spotting becomes wall washing and should warrant an extra charge.
The same goes for floors. For example, if a newly refinished floor is damaged by chairs, tables, or boxes being dragged across it, a top scrub and recoat may be necessary sooner than expected.
In cases like that, an extra charge can make sense. But many cleaning services in Michigan are getting more liberal with “extra” charges.
Some companies are using what looks a lot like bait and switch. Others may be trying to compete and truly think they can deliver at that price, only to realize weeks later that it’s impossible.
Whatever your situation, there are a few things you can do to protect yourself from being overcharged, get consistency from your cleaning service , and still get a good return on your cleaning dollar:
1) Read the Contract
Make sure your cleaning contract includes a cleaning specification that outlines the services the company will deliver, along with clear frequencies.
If they are going to dust, the contract should specify that dusting happens at least weekly.
If special services are included (floor refinishing, carpet cleaning, window washing), the contract should also specify:
- How often those services are performed
- Which areas are covered
- Approximate square footage
This helps prevent confusion later, especially if only certain areas are included at a special frequency.
Example: Clean carpets throughout the building (approximately 85,000 sq ft) one time per year, and clean traffic areas (approximately 15,000 sq ft) four times per year.
2) Make Sure the Contract and Monthly Invoicing Match
Some customers tell us their previous cleaning company wasn’t specific in their invoicing. Several services were lumped into a single total without explanation.
That kind of billing creates risk. If individual line items aren’t clear, a cleaning company can later claim a service was not included, or justify extra invoices with vague explanations.
Make sure monthly cleaning is listed as its own line item on the invoice and either matches the contract amount exactly or clearly references the contract.
We have even seen new clients who weren’t sure how much they were really paying for cleaning because invoices had become such a mess. When that happens, the vendor has effectively taken control of your facilities budget, and you may be overpaying.
3) When Your Building or Services Change, Amend the Original Contract
It’s easy to add services or square footage and simply tell the cleaning company to “add it to the monthly amount.”
But without proper documentation, confusion will almost always show up later around what is and isn’t included.
The most important thing you can do to ensure you are paying a fair price is to make sure every contract detail is properly documented.
If any promises are made, they must be in writing. Otherwise, you should expect to be billed in addition to your normal contract.
If your contractor does not want to document the services they provide, it may be time to look elsewhere for a new Michigan cleaning service.
The same goes for invoicing. You have a right to a detailed invoice and to know exactly what you’re paying for every month.
At Stathakis, we refer to these practices as transparency in doing business. We are always willing to explain our services in detail so every customer feels confident they’re getting real value.
