Whether one owns a business or owns a home, cleaning is always an issue that needs to be done and produces few volunteers to carry out the tasks. Smart management chooses to outsource the menial, thankless, daily tasks that seem to take forever. The problem is who can be trusted to protect valuables as much as expected while doing a job worthy of the service bill? The big question here is really whether to go with a franchise or a local company to handle the job. Both have advantages and disadvantages.

For many, a house cleaning service is a top priority. In the case of a company, a dirty or clean workplace is reflected in the brand. No one likes a messy office, no matter what product is being sold. Even auto repair shops and gas stations try to offer a clean window display. Potential clients may choose to work with your competitor instead of you simply due to lack of cleanliness (which translates to lack of organization). In this case, a franchise may be the best bet. They are generally reliable and do an excellent job. However, to get this excellent service, one will pay a lot for it. These cleaning service companies want a fixed schedule and a fixed price. In other words, they want to get paid every month without fail. Many will even require a contract, too. As with most things in life, you get what you pay for and in this case it will be a clean office that will reflect well on your company.

For homeowners, cleanliness is a reflection of you, but to a lesser extent than with a business. People expect that a successful business needs to be able to afford to clean. For homeowners, friends and family offer grace and understanding to a messy home, but only up to a point. After that, gossip and accusations begin. If a cleaning service is needed, then who to hire becomes a question of how important your image is to the world. If it’s exceptionally important and you can’t do it yourself, hiring a franchise to do the job may be the best solution. The maids will reliably show up on time and clean everything. However, most homeowners do not have a weekly or bi-weekly cleaning fee in their budget and there will be some weeks when they do not wish to have any service at all. For those, a local cleaning service may be a better option. Their prices are generally more affordable and they usually want a schedule but not a contract. They are also willing to cancel appointments more easily, and will often send the same cleaners to your home, so special instructions are more likely to be followed.

Choosing between a franchise and a local cleaning service company is a difficult choice. Franchises offer reliability, while local businesses offer flexibility. When it comes to cost, franchises are typically more expensive and require a contract, but when weighing the hidden costs of having a reputation for being filthy, it may not cost as much as originally thought. The bottom line is that it’s about weighing the costs against how important a clean reputation is to you. For businesses, it should be extremely important and for homeowners, more about personal preference.