Integrity Is the Cornerstone of All Great Businesses

Alison Palmer • Dec 25, 2016

Integrity is Important to the Success of Any Business When you run a business, found it on integrity.  Whether you run a Fortune 500 company or a Mom and Pop venture, base all your decisions and practices on that cornerstone.  By integrity,  I mean treat your clients, stockholders and employees  transparently, fairly and honestly. Establish policies and […] The post Integrity Is the Cornerstone of All Great Businesses appeared first on Custom Maid.

Integrity is Important to the Success of Any Business

When you run a business, found it on integrity.  Whether you run a Fortune 500 company or a Mom and Pop venture, base all your decisions and practices on that cornerstone.  By integrity,  I mean treat your clients, stockholders and employees  transparently, fairly and honestly.

Establish policies and procedures from the beginning to assure that all your clients  receive the very best, honest, caring service.  When you operate honestly,  that will help you retain clients who will refer you to others.  Ask for referrals.  You will  grow your business through these referrals.   Common wisdom says that the average satisfied customer will tell three friends about the business.  On the other hand, they will tell 37 people if  they become dissatisfied.  Integrity and honesty represent the foundation of a great business.

The Employer-Employee Relationship Must Also Be Based On Integrity

A business owner searches for great employees and then does everything possible to keep them happy and productive  for years.  In my business we hire actual employees (who receive a W-2), not independent contractors (who receive 1099s).  Why?  We cover our employees with workers comp insurance in case they sustain an injury on the job. Workers comp insurance cannot cover independent contractors.  We thoroughly train our employees. Independent contractors cannot be trained, per IRS regulation.  (See the Washington Post article from September 10, 2014 for more details on the difference between employees and contractors.) ( https://housecleaningbycustommaid.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=2392&action=edit )

Clients Are Better Served by Employees Than Contractors

When a client hires a company that uses independent contractors, that cleaner does not follow any type of standard procedure. They receive no information on the  final product that is expected. If the client has a complaint about the job that was done, she will probably get a voice mail recording with a promise to get back to her.  But when a client hires a company that uses employees, the company will quickly  handle the situation by phone.

One reason you might be tempted to hire an independent contractor is because the price is usually very low. That company is nothing more than a referral agency.  They do not pay payroll taxes, insurance or any other employee related costs.  Price is not everything.  Think twice about how your housecleaner is being treated by his/her employer.  If the cleaner is classified as an independent contractor, then YOU could be liable to contribute to their FICA taxes in the future.  If they sustain an injury in your home, your homeowner’s insurance will have to pay for medical expenses and lost income.

Custom Maid Operates With Integrity

At Custom Maid, we classify our entire staff as employees.   A senior employee trains a new hire for at least four weeks.  We make sure they know what final outcome we expect. We also maintain quality control checks on a periodic basis. There is a bonus system in place to reward great performance and attendance.  Our employees may choose to participate in our Simple IRA which is a small business version of a 401(k).  It allows the employee to participate in the  profits of the business.

When you decide to hire a housecleaning service, we would be honored if you would give Custom Maid a call at 499-8568.  We look forward to the opportunity to serve you and your family.

Request an Estimate

Editor’s Note:  We originally published this article in September 2014.  We have edited it for freshness, accuracy and comprehensiveness.

 

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