Let's talk Turnovers! Best Cleaning Models for your STR Business?

[Lauren Pitts]

STR arbitrage business owner here! Turnovers/Cleanings are the biggest pain point in my business. Consistent attention to detail is rare. I have found many cleaners that do an excellent job sometimes. But few that do excellent work all of the time. I have gone through many cleaners in the past 3 years. Some attrition is a result of disruptions from the pandemic and some are gone due to quality issues.

I believe that I have pretty solid systems to make things efficient for my cleaners: 

• - well-organized supply closets with printed shelf labels and cubbies. 
• - detailed bilingual checklists with staging photos. 
• - 3 sets of all linens, enough for 3 turnovers to be completed without needing to wash. 
• - laundry handled separately by a wash-and-fold delivery service. My cleaners simply bag the dirty and place the clean in the supply closets. 
• - shared google doc where I put cleaning notes, reminders, updates, and feedback for all turnovers. Cleaners/Cleaning Company managers can open it any time to see last cleanings tip, as well as today's notes. I try to have this completed the day before a turnover but I could improve on this as I often have it is done the morning of a cleaning.

Yet with all of these things in place and more, I still get inconsistent results from my cleaners. I do not believe many of them use the checklists I have had great cleaners before, don't get me wrong. But if I am going to scale my business cannot rely on an exceptional person. It needs to be consistent with an average person.

Post-pandemic it seems much harder to find good cleaners than before and it seems guests are especially critical. So I am now stepping back and rethinking this aspect of the business entirely. Perhaps there are different business models out there for handling Turnovers that will better achieve consistent cleaning standards. 

Below are the Turnover/Cleaning Models that I can think of. I am curious if any of you have other approaches! And what your thoughts are on the best way to handle this? 

1. Sub-contract/Pay-Per-Service a cleaning company
Hire a cleaning company that has multiple teams of cleaners.
Advantages: They can almost always cover a cleaning because they have so much staff. They can often push their staff to the highest standards because they are fully employing them (especially the one’s that offer benefits).
Drawback: Some owners do not ensure quality control. Cleaners are often inconsistent. Often there will be mistakes and oversights. Typically, you will receive less communication from cleaners on damage, supply inventory levels, and problems within the property. They often go really fast (to serve as many clients per day as possible) and with that there is less opportunity for your feedback/oversight before they leave the unit(if they send you pictures) because they leave the property so fast.

2. Sub-contract/Pay-Per-Service an individual cleaner
Hire an individual person as a cleaner. That person cleans themselves and may have 1 or 2 helpers at times.
Benefits: If you can find a good one, they can be very consistently good. They value each client because you are their direct boss. They will often be very communicative of issues they see (damage, inventory low, problems, etc). You will normally be able to check/approve the cleaning before they depart.
Drawbacks: They can’t always provide coverage, especially if you have multiple listings that require turnovers on the same day or get last-minute bookings, or they are prioritizing their other clients. They often don’t do holidays.

3. Hire (part-time/full-time) cleaner
You directly employ a cleaner. (I have not done this one. So I am speculating on these advantages and drawbacks. I am curious those who have what your experience and thoughts are)
Advantages: You can select who you hire, how they are trained/on-boarded. They may have greater attention to detail, communication, and duty to you as their actual direct W-2 employer.
Drawbacks: Must navigate the accounting and legal requirements of becoming an employer. Once you hire, it may be less easy to get rid of them if they are not performing well.

4. Hire (part-time/full-time) manager & Sub-contract a cleaning company
You directly hire an operations manager, in addition to a cleaning team. (I have not done this one but I think this is the best option. I am speculating on these advantages and drawbacks. I am curious those who have what your experience and thoughts are)
Advantage: You can ensure quality control by having the manager check behind the cleaning team and fix any cleaning issues before the guests arrive. They can also help manage other functions as laundry service, guest support, or any other aspect of operations. So you could eliminate another service provider. Free your time to focus on growing and managing the business. Allow your business to grow faster.
Drawbacks: Expensive. You must either have the scale to generate enough cashlfow to pay a cleaner and a manager, or you be willing to take on debt to hire the staff needed to grow and expand. You also have to manage the manager.

If I have left something out, please share. If you have tips on how to improve the advantages or drawbacks to any of these Cleaning Models please share your tips!!