Archive for July, 2009
July 28th, 2009 | 
Author: Contract Cleaners A Guide For Businesses. Part 3
In this third part I will be looking at the remaining questions you should be asking of the commercial cleaning companies tendering for your cleaning contract.
Will the cleaning be supervised and how often?
If the contract only requires 1 2 cleaners then inspections should be carried out weekly. Once the contract has been up and running for some time and the cleaners have settled into a good routine then it may be possible to visit only monthly. Contact between the supervising individual and you the client is entirely dependant upon your wishes If the clean is going well then the majority of clients do not want to be bothered with even courtesy calls to see if they are satisfied. Decisions on this are entirely up to you the client.
If the clean requires 3 or more cleaners then a supervisor should be on site at all times cleaning is taking place. If it is 3 5 cleaners then normally one of the cleaners will be acting as the supervisor. Numbers in excess of 6 will normally have a specialist supervisor in place. Having 3 or more cleaners on a site without direct supervision is rarely successful.
Can the company provide a full cleaning survey
This would entail the cleaning company doing a thorough survey of your premises noting all your cleaning needs. This will then be presented as a written report or in the form of a spreadsheet. Either way it will detail all the cleaning that could be done and the frequency and possibly the method especially if it involves the use of specialised equipment. It is then up to you the client to decide which elements you actually want incorporated into the cleaning contract. This protects both sides from any unfair complaints.
Too often when a cleaning company is called in they are shown around the building quite quickly with only the barest of outlines as to what exactly the client requires. The client knows that they want their premises clean and tidy but some of the specifics of that can easily go unmentioned. It is not until some little time has passed that someone complains that the cleaners are not doing something. Something that was not ever mentioned but assumed would be done. A classic example is the dust and fluff that accumulates behind workstations cluttered with computer cables. These may not even be normally very visible. The person perhaps changes a piece of hardware and pulls out the table to find all this fluff amongst the cables and then complains that the cleaners have not been doing there job!
The idea of the survey is to put the clients unspoken expectations into a practical reality. That is if they want certain jobs carried out they must appreciate that they take additional time and must be paid for accordingly. It helps to crystallise what the client actually wants and is prepared to pay for so there can be no complaints further down the line.
About the writer:
David Andrew Smith has been working for many years in the cleaning industry and is the owner of http://www.wesparkle.co.uk general cleaners and specialists in the care and maintenance of natural stone such as marble granite and limestone
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Conditions Are Right For Buying The Higher Priced Home YouVe Always Wanted
Higher interest rates and home prices in the past have kept home owners from purchasing larger homes. The current real estate market conditions however are encouraging for many home owners who want to buy up to higher priced homes with more to offer.
If you are considering trading up for a larger and more expensive home conditions for doing so couldnt get much better. Interest rates are the lowest theyve been in two decades and home prices in many regions are the most affordable theyve been in years.
You should consider a few factors before reaching a decision to trade up:
- Can you afford higher mortgage payments and property taxes?
- Is your credit record solid enough to qualify for the probable higher monthly mortgage payments?
- Do you plan to stay in your new home long enough to recoup your investment?
Obviously youll need to sell your current home before getting serious about trading up to a new one. A healthy real estate market indicates that youll have little trouble selling your existing home. The national Association of Realtors reported in August that sales of existing singlefamily homes are rising steadily especially among firsttime buyers. Affordable home prices and low interest rates could make the starter home you purchase several years ago particularly attractive.
If you can afford the upfront cost you may want to consider switching the fixedrate mortgage on your old house for an adjustable rate on a new one. This could allow you to trade up without increasing your monthly payments.
The type of mortgage you choose also depends on how long you plan to stay in your new home. A good mortgage lender can advise you on whether a fixedrate is an advantage is youre planning on staying for more than 10 years. A fixedrate may be better for long term owners who dont want to worry about rising mortgage payments.
Trading up may not be worth the move if youre planning on living in the new home for only a couple of years. You might have to stay three to five years for your house to appreciate enough to recoup the closing costs.
Conditions for a moveup havent been this good in many years and you may not want to wait much longer to consider it. An experienced real estate broker can help you decide if buying a new house now is a good investment for you.
About the writer:
W. Troy Swezey is the author of CONDITIONS ARE RIGHT FOR BUYING THE HIGHER PRICED HOME YOUVE ALWAYS WANTED.” As a Realtor at Century 21 Paul Associates he has helped many individuals with their real estate needs. Visit his web site to download his free ebook REAL ESTATE SECRETS EXPOSED. http://www.TroyIsMyRealtor.com or mail to: TroyC21usa.net
Comparing Credit Cards
Like any merchandise you need to compare credit cards too before you actually decide on which one to go for. The selection of a credit card should not be based just on what is good since there is nothing like a good credit card. Neither should it be based on the recommendations from a friend. The credit card that fulfils your needs is the one which is good for you. Something which fulfils someone elses need would not necessarily be good for you since everyone has their own needs. Moreover do not get bowled over by all the offers being run by a particular credit card. A lot of them are just selling tactics and might not meet your requirements (and you cant keep changing credit cards each fortnight).
So the first step is to evaluate why you need a credit card. List down all your requirements and classify them as primary secondary and tertiary needs. Next search for the credit cards that fulfill most of your primary needs. Compile this information in the form of a list or a document. Now check these credit cards for what secondary needs they fulfill additionally. By this time you should have shortlisted 23 of credit cards (or maybe just one). Finally use your tertiary requirements to solve the tiebreaker.
The following are the things that you should consider when comparing credit cards:
1. The APR: There is a short term as well as a long term APR. Short term APR is a marketing and sales tactic and is used to lure new customers into signingup for the credit card. This APR is offered for a short term just after you signup for a credit card. So you should really be looking at the long term APR.
2. Additional benefits: These could be in terms of discounts at a particular store where you shop a lot or discounted car rentals or air fares etc. Again based on your requirements these may or may not be of your interest
3. Annual fees: Of course this is your outgo on credit card services and whether you use your credit card once in a year or 1000 times you will always have to pay this fee. So it is a very important factor indeed.
4. Credit limit: For heavy spenders this is a very important feature. Again check your requirements before basing your selection on this feature.
5. Rewards program: Some credit cards offer very attractive rewards program. These are the points you earn for spending on your credit card. Once you have enough points you can barter them for goods or service and even frequent flyer miles.
6. Interest free period: If you are going to overspend on your credit card the interest free period might be of particular interest to you.
7. Cash withdrawal fee/charges: These are the charges you pay when you withdraw cash on your credit card. So if you intend to use such a service this will be of interest to you.
8. Forex conversion rate/fees: For people traveling overseas a lot foreign currency conversion rates will make a lot of sense. Some companies dont charge a fee but have ridiculous conversion rates which compensates for the fee.
There could be a lot of different offers and you might be enticed to go for them. However the key is not to get lured by such offers and to stick to your requirements when making a selection.
About the writer:
Rudy Hadisentosa: CCN.com is a free online credit cards review and application website. We offer credit cards selection from visa master cards discover american express and many others. We have quite some categories and hundreds of credit cards selection to fit your need. Apply for a credit card at CCN.com.