It happens to everyone on the job. You finish cleaning a room then step back to look at it with a critical eye. It looks flawless, you conclude. A minute later, someone comes along behind you and notices the cobweb on the corner or the streak on the mirror. Somehow, the detail eluded you only seconds ago. Thank goodness for double-checking, you think.
Double-checking is a vital part of every appointment. "It's one of the most important things we do, and it's really easy to skip," Lisa Martin says. "But at least one double check before we leave can change the way the client feels about the appointment."
Double-checking communicates an important message to the client, Mike vouches. "It tells them that the room is important and that we take pride in what we do. It's always good to add in a note to a client that you have double checked a particular area," Mike adds. "It tells the client their value."
Besides valuing the customer, double-checking is an important skill for Team Leaders for other reasons. Mike notes that double-checking tells the team that the appointment is valuable. In addition, he finds that it motivates the team to do its best, because each member knows his or her work will be assessed.
A Team Leader's attitude about double-checking can set the tone and the priorities of the entire team. "The Team Leader is ultimately responsible for the work that goes on during appointments," Chandler Easley explains. "Re-checking is...a way to reinforce your credibility as a leader to the crews. Though we work as a team, it is important for the crew members to recognize that you take your role as TL seriously and are holding each member accountable for his or her work."
Double-checking also serves as a valuable learning opportunity for team members mastering a new task or for team leaders in training. Chandler finds it a valuable instructional exercise: "Re-checking can be a useful tool for helping to train crew members in new areas. This might be handy when you have a little more time and flexibility. Walking through a re-check with a trainee can help reinforce for the crew member the places that need extra attention in the kitchen and dusting areas they are learning."
She adds that double-checking duties can be delegated to make use of team members' particular talents, which benefits the entire team. "It is important to be aware of the individual strengths of each crew member. Knowing that one person has a sharp eye for kitchens, it would be helpful to you to have that person look over the kitchen, giving you the confidence that that area is in good hands."
Mike is quick to note that double-checking is not about faultfinding. "We double check not as a way to catch someone making a mistake, but as a way of teaching and encouraging," he says. "We're not perfect. We strive to do our very best, but it's always good to know someone is going to go behind you to back up your work."
What are the most important items to double check? Floors, areas prone to cobwebs, countertops, sinks, tubs and high visuals such as mirrors are at the top of the list, along with remembering to straighten and replace items in the room.
Lisa's advice for a thorough double check? First of all, the more pairs of eyes checking work, the better. Also, one needs to make a very detailed assessment of each room. "It takes someone to stand in the room and get an overall impression of how the room looks. Does it feel finished? Does it have a sense of crispness and cleanness?"
Chandler adds that in double-checking, one should also keep in mind the client's priorities in a room: "This is an area where it's important to know your client...Keep in mind those things that the client is particular about."
Double-checking is one small thing that makes a Team Leader's job infinitely easier. "Once everything has been double checked, you can feel good about the appointment," Mike explains. "It's an insurance policy for your peace of mind."
In the end, it's all about teamwork. "We back each other up," Lisa says. "It's a great part of how we work as a team. We count on each other for that."
