You"ve Got Maid

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

LOW PRICE MAID SERVICE

If you need maid service in Orlando, Florida or Charleston, South Carolina, and you promise price is not the only reason you called us, please consider You've Got Maids. You’ve Got Maids stands for professionalism, integrity and clean, healthy homes.

Click here to visit You've Got MAIDS website.

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Windermere Maid Service Review with Pictures!


Here’s a first for maid service feedback… At least it’s a first for the maid service franchise You’ve Got MAIDS. A very special maid service Client in Windermere, Florida just sent pictures with her feedback! I LOVE IT!!

Frank,

Please thank the team for a job well done this week. I really noticed the extra attention paid especially with the laundry, kitchen, and bathroom. The team was awesome. Two small items just need addressed--the dishwasher loading and the trash bags. First, I have included a picture of what the dishwasher looked like when we came home. I understand that the maids are on a tight time schedule but we would rather there be dishes left for us to clean than the dishwasher be stuffed and us reload and rewash everything. Last, please have the maids use the white kitchen bags on the floor of the pantry instead of the lawn and leaf bags in the garage. Other than that, we were thoroughly impressed with watching out for the cats and changing the sheets even though we didn't out a set out. We're so busy that it is hard to remember to put a set out so we really enjoyed that extra effort of getting a clean set from the closet to use.

Thanks again,

Dr. Condoleezza Rice

(Name changed to protect the innocent).

This is an example of great feedback for You've Got MAIDS of Orlando. Dr. Condoleezza Rice is a happy Client who gives the good with the bad. This feedback will be shared with the maid supervisor assigned to Dr. Condoleezza Rice's account, & she will in turn share it with her team.

Mistakes are OK if you learn from them and You've Got MAIDS of Orlando is a maid service franchise dedicated to learning from history.

You've Got Maids of Windermere, Florida (407.737.7773) specializing in; Altamonte Springs maid service, Avalon maid service, Baldwin Park maid service, Bay Hills maid service, Belle Isle maid service, Casselberry maid service, College Park maid service, Conway maid service, Dr. Phillips maid service, Eagle Creek maid service, Eastwood maid service, Gotha maid service, Heathrow maid service, Hunter's Creek maid service, Independence maid service, Islesworth maid service, Keene's Point maid service, Lake Bryan maid service, Lake Mary maid service, Lake Nona maid service, Longwood maid service, Maitland maid service, Meadow Woods maid service, Metro West maid service, Moss Park maid service, Orlando maid service, Oviedo maid service, Stoneybrook East maid service, Stoneybrook West maid service, Tuscawilla maid service, Vista Lakes maid service, Wekiva maid service, Windermere maid service, Winter Garden maid service, Winter Park maid service, & Winter Springs maid service.

Monday, April 28, 2008

ACRES OF DIAMONDS │ Opportunity Wears Overalls

This post is one of a series devoted to the study of Russell Conwell's speech, Acres of Diamonds. - Ed.
Opportunity comes in a business suit, farmer overalls, or kakis & a monogrammed golf shirt. One thing is for certain. Opportunity always comes dressed in work clothes.
Russell Conwell believed in hard work. Conwell believed in finding opportunity in your surroundings. His Acres Of Diamonds story used diamonds to represent opportunity. Raw diamonds don’t look anything like the finished product. They look like a common rock. Ali Hafed flushed his life down the drain by search for diamonds everywhere except his own farm. Turns out he had Acres of Diamonds at his feet all along.
Ali Hafed was looking for the easy way; no different than trying to build wealth by purchasing more lottery tickets. If he really wanted to find diamonds, wouldn’t it have made more sense to search the land he already owned? Sure it would, but that would have required both intellectual and physical work. Ali Hafed wanted it the easy way. Ali Hafed wanted it fast.
What are the raw diamonds you are looking for? I have identified my diamonds. My diamond mine is You’ve Got MAIDS. We have a small diamond mine in Charleston, SC and a very large diamond mine in Orlando, FL. I could continue to mine these prospects and open other branches, or I could allow others to join You’ve Got MAIDS. We will teach these new franchise partners everything we have learned, and keep them updated to everything we will learn from this moment on. We will help our franchise partners to succeed with their diamond mines because we only succeed when they do.
If you are qualified to own your own franchised business, and are searching for a franchise opportunity that is a perfect fit for you, consider joining a professional maid service franchise on the ground floor. Consider You’ve Got MAIDS.

Saturday, April 26, 2008

ACRES OF DIAMONDS │ PERCEPTION IS REALITY

Each one of us are either imprisoned or enriched by our perception of the world. That is what I believe, and that is what Russell Conwell, is trying to teach in his Acres of Diamonds speech. Conwell gave that speech over 6,000 times. This was before YouTube, CNN, Fox News & Oprah.

Acres of Diamonds is a story about a wealthy Mesopotamian farmer who had it all, but abandoned everything to get fabulously rich. One moment he was affluent, but the next moment he was poor. He became poor the moment he allowed the get rich quick dream of finding diamonds in far distant lands to take root in his mind. He ended up losing everything. His family, his farm, his life. Life is not without irony. Years later it was discovered that his farm, the one he abandoned to discover diamonds would go on to become one of the world’s richest diamond mines. It was under his feet all along.
Acres of Diamonds, is all about perspective. What do you see in the mirror? What is your self image? Are you thankful for what you have? Do you see opportunities at your feet, or do they only exist for you in some distant place? Is the grass always greener?
When you count your blessings, you begin to see yourself as someone of value. You start to see all the opportunities around you. You don’t abandon what you have, instead you build on it.
You’ve Got MAIDS
is a housecleaning franchise that takes Conwell’s message to heart. We are in the business of improving the lives of our Clients by taking care of their home cleaning chores. This is a simple business, but it is not easy. We work very hard, day in day out (except for weekends and holidays) to improve our processes and people to better serve our house cleaning Clients.
If you need professional maid service, please consider You've Got Maids. You’ve Got Maids stands for professionalism, integrity and clean, healthy homes.
Click here to visit You've Got MAIDS website.
This post is one of a series devoted to the study of Russell Conwell's speech, Acres of Diamonds. - Ed.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Sluggish Economy | Good Time To Start A Business


Heleigh Bostwick writes, it may seem counterintuitive, but starting a business during a recession can reap some big rewards. In fact, studies indicate that more people are taking the entrepreneurial plunge despite the economic slowdown. Less competition for customers and lower marketing costs can make a sluggish economy one of the best times to start your business. Click here for complete details.

Bostwick did not mention maid services, home cleaning companies, or housekeeping franchise opportunities. In my humble estimation these are first rate opportunities in a sluggish economy because of the low economic barrier of entry.

Bostwick list 10 businesses that can thrive in tough times.

#1 Debt Collection

#9 Pawn Broker

I personally take issue with both of these businesses. I understand that in a free market economy there is a place for these parasitic businesses, but the thought of owning and operating one thoroughly depresses me.

In nature we have vultures and they serve a purpose. Nevertheless I despise those creatures.

#9 Pawn Broker - Pawn shops don’t always prey on the poor, but they seem to be in abundance in poor neighborhoods. Pawnbrokers don’t always traffic stolen goods, but they do sometimes. Pawnshops are now highly regulated, but it would not be my cup of tea.

#1 Debt Collection - People that are owed money deserve to get it & Debt Collectors provide this service. I just don’t think I could be very passionate about being a debt collector.

Bottom line is that I would not like to be in a business that gets excited when someone else is in pain. Funeral Homes only succeed when someone dies. Consider the death of someone that was close to you. You grieved, yet someone privately rejoiced because that death meant more revenue.

Maid Service franchises, like You’ve Got MAIDS of Charleston and You’ve Got MAIDS of Orlando, are honest businesses. We provide a simple service to busy people who don’t really want to clean toilets. The majority of our Clients are recurring weekly or every other week maid service Clients, so if we do a good job they are happy. A well run maid service franchise is immensely scalable.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Acres of Diamonds & A Maid Service (continued)

This post is one of a series devoted to the study of Russell Conwell's speech, Acres of Diamonds. - Ed.

(continued) …Ali Hafed sold his farm. Ali Hafed left his family with a neighbor, and went forth to find diamonds.

Ali Hafed wandered for years in search of diamonds. He spent all of the money. He never found a diamond. Note even one. In the end he had lost contact with his family, was homeless, ragged and penniless in a far distant land. Ali Hafed could not resist the temptation to take his life. So he did. His family never heard from him again…

There is more to the story. Let’s visit the man whom the Ali Hafed had sold his estate to (let’s call him Barack Obama). Barack Obama was walking his donkey across a steam on his estate; saw a black stone that reflected light in a special way. Barack Obama picked it up, cleaned it off, took it home and put it on his mantle. It was a fine stone and it was his after all. He used it as a paperweight.

Sometime later that old traveling Priest, Father Ratzinger, passed through again. Barack Obama invited the Father Ratzinger to rest overnight just like the original farmer, Ali Hafed, had done years before. Father Ratzinger once again gratefully accepted. As soon as Father Ratzinger entered Barack Obama’s home he saw that black rock on the mantle.

Father Ratzinger shouted “that’s the biggest diamond I have ever seen!” Barack Obama replied, “no, that is just a black rock. Nonsense...has Ali Hafed returned?” replied Father Ratzinger. Barack Obama told Father Ratzinger that no one has heard from Ali Hafed for years. Father Ratzinger asked Barack Obama to take him to where he found that black rock. There were black rocks all over Barack Obama’s stream bed. Diamonds as far as the eye could see.

If Ali Hafed had stayed put and dug in his own yard, instead of years wasted in distant lands, he would have found diamonds…Acres of Diamonds.

What are your diamonds? What may you be overlooking?

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Acres of Diamonds & a Maid Service

This post is one of a series devoted to the study of Russell Conwell's speech, Acres of Diamonds. - Ed.

Recently I was rereading Russell Conwell’s book, Acres of Diamonds. It has been twenty five years since I first turned the pages, and I do not recall it being so insightful. Required readings have a way of dulling a subject. The world hasn’t really changed since then, but my perspective surely has.
Conwell writes of Ali Hafed, a wealthy farmer. This man had orchards, vineyards, and gardens. He was a happy, contented man. He was contented because he was wealthy, and wealthy because he was contented.
A traveling Priest, Father Joseph Ratzinger, was passing through & the contented Ali Hafed invites him to spend the night. Father Ratzinger agrees and that night over dinner, he tells Ali Hafed stories of how some men were becoming incredibly wealthy by finding diamonds. Father Ratzinger tells that if Ali Hafed had a diamond the size of his thumb he could buy his own country and be King! Ali Hafeds children would be Princes & Princesses! The Priest goes on to tell where some people have found diamonds.
The wealthy farmer, Ali Hafed, listened intently about those diamonds, how much they were worth, and went to bed that night a poor man. He had not lost anything, but he was poor because he was discontented, and discontented because he feared he was poor. Father Ratzinger story goes on to change Ali Hafeds life in a bad way.
How many of us allow the words of a stranger affect our perspective of the world? How many strangers have we invited into our homes only to discover that person planted a seed of discontent in our souls? TV wasn't around when Russell Conwell walked the earth, but I imagine Conwell would allow TV to be substitued as a type of Father Ratzinger.

We invite TV into our homes and open our minds to whatever it spews out. Modern advertising is based on the principal of enticing people to be dissatisfied with what they have and to yearn for something else.
We need to be vigilant about what we let into our minds.
(to be continued)

Monday, April 21, 2008

Tradd Street, Charleston, SC │You’ve Got MAIDS

The Historic Charleston Foundation was founded in 1947 to preserve and protect the integrity of Charleston's architectural, historical and cultural heritage. To visit with the Historic Charleston Foundation Click Here.

Each fall they offer tours of parts of the city. It’s called the FESTIVAL OF HOUSES AND GARDENS. Ticket holders explore the interiors and gardens of some of the finest private residences in America during the 61st Annual Festival of Houses and Gardens March 13 - April 12, 2008. Daily tours feature the interiors and gardens of nearly 150 historic private houses in 12 colonial and antebellum neighborhoods during the peak of the city's blooming season. Festival tours provide guests with the rare opportunity to glimpse beyond the facades of these magnificent properties. Enjoy the ambience of the centuries-old city, visiting the private interiors and gardens of eight to ten historic properties each day.

Information and tickets can be obtained by calling 843-722-3405 or tickets may be ordered after Nov. 1, 2007. To be included on our mailing list, please fill out a request for a brochure.

One of the tours is the Tradd Street Tour. Tradd Street stretches from the Ashley to the Cooper Rivers. Tradd Street is one of the original carriage ways laid out in the 1680 "Grand Model" of Charles Town, and it reputedly carries the name of the first male child born in the English settlement. Today, this neighborhood contains the greatest concentration of early 18th century houses in the city many of which were once home to seafaring merchants, royal office holders and gentry.

Our quality control manager accompanied a team of You’ve Got MAIDS housecleaners to a house cleaning job on Tradd Street last week. We never clean and tell, but our manager felt inspired to walk Tradd while out maids turned into scrubbing bubbles. She snapped off a couple of pictures of Tradd Street pictures, before returning to our Clients home to inspect our maids work.

If you need maid service in Charleston, South Carolina, and you need professional maid service, please consider You've Got Maids. You’ve Got Maids stands for professionalism, integrity and clean, healthy homes.

















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You've Got MAIDS Housecleaning Service Gift Certificates are great for last minute "no I did NOT forget" occasions! Maid service gift certificates are currently available for homes and businesses in Ashborough East, Ashborough, Belle Hall, Charleston, Charleston National, Daniel Island, Dunes West, East of Cooper, Folly Beach, Goose Creek, Hamlin, Hannahan, Ion, Isle of Palms, James Island, Johns Island, Kiawah Island, Kings Grant, Ladson, Long Point, Mount Pleasant, Park West, Rivertowne, Seabrook Island, Shadowmoss Plantation, Snee Farm, South of Broad, Sullivans Island, Wescostt Plantation, West of Ashley, & Wild Dunes.

Give the most thoughtful Christmas gift of all, and surprise a special someone with how much you care.  FREE maid service is always appreciated.  Best of all we take care of everything.  It's our pleasure to pamper your precious person.

 

You've Got MAIDS of Charleston 
is locally owned and operated.
280 Seven Farms Dr; Suite A
Daniel Island, SC 29492
(843) 805-7000

charleston@youvegotmaids.com  

www.youvegotmaids.com


About You've Got MAIDS

You've Got MAIDS, based in Orlando, Florida, is  a residential cleaning franchise serving people on-the-go.  Currently, You've Got MAIDS  has offices in the US SOUTHEAST and are poised for dramatic national franchise growth in 2009.

Friday, April 18, 2008

EMPLOYER KICKS MAID IN MOUTH

MAID WIRE – Breaking News. A maid employer repeatedly attacked her maid, and the big news was it wasn’t Naomi Campbell. A homeowner repeatedly punched her maid. The maid was wacked with a wooden Spatula and kicked in the mouth.

The victim maid is Sri Utami. The villain is housewife Chan Geok Joo. My only wish is that Jackie Chan would give Mrs. Chan Geok Joo of Singapore some of her own medicine. If you ever move to the United States Mrs. Joo, get used to cleaning your own toilets because you just maid our NO SOUP FOR YOU List!
To Sri Utami the victim maid. Here is a job offer if you can earn a work visa. You will need to learn English, but you will be safe at You’ve Got MAIDS.
Click here to read the rest of the story.
If you need maid service in Orlando, Florida or Charleston, South Carolina, and you promise not to kick our maids in the mouth, please consider You've Got Maids. You’ve Got Maids stands for professionalism, integrity and clean, healthy homes.

Click here to visit You've Got MAIDS website.

NO SOUP FOR YOU LIST

Thursday, April 17, 2008

RANDY PAUSCH ADVICE ON TIME MANAGEMENT

RANDY PAUSCH ADVICE ON TIME MANAGEMENT

Here's a link to a truly inspirational man, Randy Pausch. The following lecture is on Time Management. Here are three points I feel are relevant to prospective maid service Clients.
  1. Time is all we have, and you may find one day that you have less than you thought.
  2. Turn money into time. Exchange money for time at every opportunity because you do not have enough time.
  3. Time is a problem. Throw money at this problem.


Wednesday, April 16, 2008

INTEGRITY GETS MAID SERVICE FIRED

Today we were fired by Wendy in Winter Park, Florida. We had cleaned her home just three times. Quality of service was not the issue. The issue for Wendy was that on the third (last) cleaning we sent another team leader to her home.

The first two cleans were supervised by Team Leader A. Team Leader A had to be fired for severe integrity issues. We replaced Team Leader A with Team Leader B for Winter Park Wendys account. Team Leader B is a model maid with no criminal background. She is not as charismatic as Team Leader A, but she does a pretty good job cleaning.

If we had turned a blind eye to the obvious, Wendy of Winter Park would not have fired us. Not today at least. Sometimes doing the right thing gets you fired. I guess that is the price for integrity.

Now Wendy has hired an independent maid so she can have the same maid every week. The independent maid she is hiring should not be our x-employee because that woman is filing for unemployment. She also has a no compete contract with us. Wouldn’t it be ironic if Wendy ended up hiring the same person we fired to protect Wendy?

Dear Wendy,

Thank you for your feedback today. I’m sorry to be losing your account, but I want you to know our company is here for the long haul. Whether 2 weeks, 2 months or 2 years, if you are ever in the market for a maid service with integrity please give us another chance.

Sending the same team leader to our Clients is very important to us, and it is the hardest part of this maid service business. Sometimes maids quit. Sometimes maids need to be let go. Sometimes the man in the maids life comes out of prison and you can see the maids character deteriorate by the week. Sometimes a maid fails a random drug screening. Sometimes you learn the maid is operating under an alias and she has prior felony conviction for selling cocaine, selling cocaine in a school zone, possessing drug paraphernalia, grand theft auto, petty theft, grand theft and prostitution/solicitation.

Recently we needed to fire a maid that worked in your home the first two cleanings (3/14 & 3/21). She did not quit. We noticed a shift in her behavior, and decided to investigate. The results of what we discovered made this maid uninsurable. This maid acted without integrity so we had to fire her immediately.

Now we are being fired by you, for firing someone you would not want in your home. I accept that. What else can I do? I just want you to know that we will continue to be vigilant. We will continue to protect our Clients from nefarious characters who would seek to do harm.

Best regards,

Frank

MOVE OUT CLEAN LANDLORD GUARANTEE



Please click here to visit our new web site.


Tuesday, April 15, 2008

CLEAN HOME GATEWAY TO CLEAN CONSCIOUS?

We talk to people everyday who are calling for maid service because they are looking for change. Change in their homes. Change in their hearts.

When do we know that we need change? In this fast paced world we are traveling thru, it is easy to have one day slide into the next. This process continues until you stop and reflect. Perhaps you initiated that break, or perhaps an external force stops you in your tracks. Either way it is a blessing, as it is nearly impossible to reflect on your life while you are racing from work, to school, to whatever.
Push the pause button on your life. What’s working? What’s not? Sometimes failure is the catalyst to this self evaluation. Identify the failure in your heart. What debris do you find there? Do you lie? Do you slander? Do you act with anger? Have you acted maliciously? All of this rubbish must be cleaned out of your heart. Cleaning your home is a natural progression.
Be ruthless in cleaning out your heart & your home. Get rid of the clutter. Remove the rubble, and do so often.
The wise among us gather their old rubble and build a spiritual wall. This wall is meant to defend against future attacks. This wall is meant to expose our past failure instead of hiding them. By seeing where we have been, we are reminded what to avoid.
If your home was impervious to dirt and dust, you would never need a top to bottom, spring cleaning. If you never sinned, if you never failed, you would never need to build a wall to protect yourself.
The condition of your home is a reflection of the state of your heart. What does your homes condition say about you?

Monday, April 14, 2008

Cutie Casting Call - Florida Childrens Hospital

One of our favorite Clients is asking for a favor. Her son is requesting your online vote for the Second Annual Florida Children’s Hospital Cutie Casting Call!

Here is a link to the photos from the Florida Children’s Hospital Cutie Casting Call web site (9th row down, boy in the middle). Please go through all the beautiful children and cast your vote (as long as it’s the one circled above)! The child who receives the highest number of online votes will be selected as the 2008 People’s Choice Cutie.

Click here to learn who said, Vote early, vote often.

British Airways Follows You've Got MAIDS Initiative

Naomi Campbell has been banned for life from British Airways

On February 27th our executive team placed Naomi Campbell on You’ve Got MAIDS Official NO SOUP FOR YOU List, for past discourtesies to her maids. We feel the way you treat your maid is a test of character. Click here to reference all articles on Naomi Campbell.

Now British Airways has followed You’ve Got MAIDS policy position and banned Naomi Campbell for life from British Airways. This may be a bit harsh. Even the Soup Nazi put time limits on his No Soup For You decrees. For example, Elaine Marie Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus from the cast of Seinfeld) received a one year suspension from purchasing soup.

You’ve Got MAIDS applauds British Airways for putting its staff before abusive & disruptive Customers.
If you need a maid service in Windermere, Florida dial 407.737.7773. You've Got MAIDS stands for professionalism, integrity and clean, healthy homes.

Click here to visit You've Got MAIDS website.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

You’ve Got MAIDS Franchise update.

Charleston, SC - We opened You’ve Got MAIDS with the intention of franchising. In effect we have treated this business as a Petri dish testing our theories on how to run America’s Finest Maid Service. Every advancement has been paid for with blood, sweat, & tears. We have taken meticulous notes and have built a successful road map for our future franchise partners to follow.

Twelve months ago we decided to test our premise that one central office could effectively and efficiently manage multiple offices. Eight months ago we began to test our theory by operating two office separated by
390 miles. Sure we could have opened an offices 10 or 20 miles away, but 390 miles seemed more challenging. The results have been nothing less than spectacular.

I have no doubt that we could continue to scale our business coast to coast. We would continue to grow by strategically placing offices throughout the country and continue with our current operational blue print. In addition, based on what we have learned, I have a high degree of certainty that offices 3, 4, 5, & 6 will be operationally easier to run now that we have our game plan worked out. But this brings me back to our original intention…to create a franchisable brand that would promote goodwill and add value to the lives of our Franchise Partners, their employees and their Clients.

Creating a brand is harder than it looks. I liken this experience to working in a swamp. You wake up each day overwhelmed and go to bed exhausted from fighting alligators & snakes. It’s easy to forget the reason you entered the swamp in the first place...you waded in to drain that swamp.
Our primary intention for enter the maid business was not to clean homes. Clean homes and happy Clients are a byproducts of our mission, but they aren’t why we waded into the maid business. We waded in to build a brand that would become our vehicle to teach men and women across this nation the benefits of joining a franchisee centered brand. We have done all of this for the benefit of Franchise Partners who we have yet to meet.

Our UFOC is done. Our Web Site is being retooled. Our journey begins now.

Friday, April 11, 2008

NATIONAL MAID SERVICE FRANCHISE

So you are considering franchising and cleaning up is on your agenda. The national maid franchises have worked out the bugs for their franchise partners. Which one is right for you is a question only you can answer. Do your due diligence.
If you are nervous about getting into business join the club. Fear is the number one barrier of entry into the ranks of the self employed. There is safety in a regular pay check, and that will be gone once you are the bottom line. Or will it? One man’s safety net is another man’s shackles. Who do you see in your mirror?
Is a national maid franchise right for you? Look around your house, explore your closets and investigate your fridge. Do you value brand names? If so franchising should make good sense to you.

National maid service franchises create processes to follow so you don’t need to reinvent the wheel. National maid service franchises provide you with marketing know-how, on-going management training & innovation. National maid service franchises offer you the ability to join a team instead of being all alone.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

MAID SERVICE DONE DIRT CHEAP IN HAWAII

This post is one of a series devoted to independent maids gone bad. - Ed.

Click here to read the Honolulu Advertiser reporting of yet another elderly couple being taken advantage of by their independent maid. This 42 year old, independent, uninsured maid has had previous run-ins with the law. A good multi-state criminal background check would most likely have uncovered that she has a prior conviction.
This thieving maid stands accused of cashing 62 forged checks and stealing more than $25,000 from her thrifty customers! She was booked on 62 counts of second-degree forgery, first-degree theft and second-degree identity theft. I hope she did a good job cleaning the toilets.
These senior citizen maid service consumers most likely told the 42 year old, independent, I ain’t payin' no stinkin' taxes, uninsured maid that they were on a fixed income. They most likely went with her because she was a low priced maid. Don’t people ever learn?
As children we learned the folly of poor economic decisions creating dire consequences. Think of the three little pigs’ choice of building materials.
When some Senior Citizens call our offices for a house cleaning estimate the first thing they tell us is they are on a fixed income. I can empathize with them, but if their number one criterion for selecting a housekeeping service is price, they could be negotiating themselves into a potentially dangerous situation. “Cheap” is the price of admission to a maid service underworld of nefarious characters. You always get what you pay for, just like the three little pigs.
If you need a maid service in
Charleston, South Carolina dial 843.805.7000. You've Got MAIDS stands for professionalism, integrity and clean, healthy homes.
Click here to visit You've Got MAIDS website.

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

SUMMERVILLE MAID SERVICE FRANCHISE │MAID SERVICE FRANCHISE SUMMERVILLE

SUMMERVILLE MAID SERVICE FRANCHISE MAID SERVICE FRANCHISE SUMMERVILLE

SUMMERVILLE, South Carolina (You've Got MAIDS) – You’ve Got MAIDS is currently serving the Charleston area. The territory that covers Summerville, Ladson & Goose Creek, SC may be available to the right person.

Maid service franchises are a first-rate selection for the entrepreneurs who have the aptitude to get the best out of their staff. Regardless of whether the economy is up or down, homeowners consistently have a need for residential cleaning services. How's that for job security?

Do you want to be in business for yourself, but not by yourself? Consider the residential maid service franchise, You’ve Got MAIDS. Nights and weekends off, holiday with your family, and less upfront investment. Less ongoing rent. Less stress.
If you are interested in learning more click here to email our franchise department.
This website and the franchise sales information on this site do not constitute an offer to sell a franchise. The offer of a franchise can only be made through the delivery of a franchise offering circular. Certain states require that we register the franchise offering circular in those states. The communications on this website are not directed by us to the residents of any of those states. Moreover, we will not offer or sell franchises in those states until we have registered the franchise (or obtained an applicable exemption from registration) and delivered the franchise offering circular to the prospective franchisee in compliance with applicable law.

KISSIMMEE MAID SERVICE FRANCHISE │MAID SERVICE FRANCHISE KISSIMMEE


KISSIMMEE, Florida (You've Got MAIDS) – You’ve Got MAIDS has been servicing the Orlando area for years. The territory that covers Kissimmee & most of Saint Cloud, FL may be available to the right person.

Maid service franchises are a first-rate selection for the entrepreneurs who have the aptitude to get the best out of their staff. Regardless of whether the economy is up or down, homeowners consistently have a need for residential cleaning services. How's that for job security?
Do you want to be in business for yourself, but not by yourself? Consider the residential maid service franchise, You’ve Got MAIDS. Nights and weekends off, holiday with your family, and less upfront investment. Less ongoing rent. Less stress.
If you are interested in learning more click here to email our franchise department.
This website and the franchise sales information on this site do not constitute an offer to sell a franchise. The offer of a franchise can only be made through the delivery of a franchise offering circular. Certain states require that we register the franchise offering circular in those states. The communications on this website are not directed by us to the residents of any of those states. Moreover, we will not offer or sell franchises in those states until we have registered the franchise (or obtained an applicable exemption from registration) and delivered the franchise offering circular to the prospective franchisee in compliance with applicable law.

LAKE MARY MAID SERVICE FRANCHISE │MAID SERVICE FRANCHISE LAKE MARY


LAKE MARY MAID SERVICE FRANCHISE MAID SERVICE FRANCHISE LAKE MARY

LAKE MARY, Florida (You've Got MAIDS) – You’ve Got MAIDS has been servicing the Orlando area for years. The territory that covers Lake Mary, Longwood, Deltona & Wekiva may be available to the right person.

Maid service franchises are an first-rate selection for the entrepreneurs who have the aptitude to get the best out of their staff. Regardless of whether the economy is up or down, homeowners consistently have a need for residential cleaning services. How's that for job security?
Do you want to be in business for yourself, but not by yourself?
Consider the residential maid service franchise, You’ve Got MAIDS. Nights and weekends off, holiday with your family, and less upfront investment. Less ongoing rent. Less stress.
If you are interested in learning more click here to email our franchise department.

This website and the franchise sales information on this site do not constitute an offer to sell a franchise. The offer of a franchise can only be made through the delivery of a franchise offering circular. Certain states require that we register the franchise offering circular in those states. The communications on this website are not directed by us to the residents of any of those states.
Moreover, we will not offer or sell franchises in those states until we have registered the franchise (or obtained an applicable exemption from registration) and delivered the franchise offering circular to the prospective franchisee in compliance with applicable law.

“M” is for MAID SERVICE M U R D E R │ DISCOUNTED HOUSEKEEPING

This post is one of a series devoted to independent maids gone bad. - Ed.

Chapel Hill, NC (Maid Service Review) Chatham County prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against former housekeeper, Barbara Clark (aka Barbara Clark Enterprises). This independent housekeeper attacked her Client Margaret Murta, 92, her roommate Mary Corcoran, 82, and their neighbor, Rebecca Fisher, 77, with pepper spray and a cane-like object during a dispute over money. Mrs. Murta and Mrs. Corcoran died from their injuries.

Mrs. Murta & Mrs. Corcoran must have known there would be trouble because they asked their neighbor, Mrs. Fisher to witness the discussion with the self employed housekeeper.
If a background check had been performed on this housekeeper gone bad the victims would have learned that:

  • Barbara Clark Enterprises was not a real business; therefore it was an illegal operation. Illegal maid services laugh at our laws. They don’t pay taxes, insurances, workers compensation, and they save a ton of money not running background checks. But they are cheap.
  • Barbara Clark was under a court order to stay away from elderly people. Read this again.
  • In 2001, Clark was convicted of misdemeanor larceny and obtaining property by false pretense in connection with the theft of checks from customer.
  • In 2006, Clark was arrested on a charge that she had taken, forged and cashed checks for more than $12,000 from a former client of her Barbara's Enterprises cleaning service.

The Chatham County Sheriff Authorities initially thought a burglar attacked the three women. The Sheriff reported it was a very ugly scene, and that there were injuries around the arms and heads of the victims. Luckily Mrs. Fisher, who was left for dead, survived.

The Sheriff found the following in the independent maids’ car:

  • A list of ways to camouflage the taste of anti-freeze.
  • A notebook in Clark's purse that listed Mrs. Murta's drug allergies and an envelope with notes inside that read "put a bag or something over her face" and "put in her closet under clothes".
  • Another handwritten note, "hit over head or use stun gun, put in closet or bathroom in shower, or closet under clothes."

Click here to read the cheap, independent maids arrest warrant.
Click here to link to the Charlotte Observers recent update on the murdering maid.
Click here to view a local news organizations coverage on cheap, independent, murdering maid.

We have to be so careful about who we let in our homes. Price should not be the number one criteria, neither should quality. Safety comes first. Does your professional maid service do background screening on its employees? This should be the first question from a prospective Client, but I can tell you it is often last if at all.

Cheap sells. To be cheap the Barbara Clarks of the maid service underworld avoid paying income taxes, sales taxes, insurance, & workers compensation insurance. To be cheap they never run background checks or drug screenings. To be cheap they operate out of their car. To be cheap they use a disposable, untraceable cell phone…when the complaints start to rack up they just get a new phone. Phones are replaceable, just like the Customers that will always flock to a cheap maid service.

Cheap is also the price of admission to a slippery slope. If your cheap cleaning company is already breaking the law by not paying payroll taxes or income taxes, what else are they capable off? They have already proven they have no integrity.

We always get what we pay for, but in this case the victims did not deserve what they got.

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

“M” is for MAID SERVICE M _ _ D E R │ DISCOUNTED HOUSEKEEPING

This post is one of a series devoted to independent maids gone bad. - Ed.


Chapel Hill, NC (Maid Service Review) A so called maid service in North Carolina’s Research Triangle was really just a repeat criminal offender who preyed on the elderly. Barbara Turrentine Clark, 41, of 275 Toomer Loop Road in Pittsboro, NC is a woman with a past. She would not have been qualified to work at You’ve Got MAIDS or other similar professional maid service so she did what any enterprising felon would do and created Barbara Clark Enterprises.
Barbra Clark put Barbara Clark Enterprises on business cards. She put it on housekeeping flyer's. She put those house cleaning flyer's on doors, mailboxes and on the cork-board at upscale Galloway Ridge at Fearrington retirement community. Most likely she worked for less money than the real cleaning companies. Real cleaning companies do background checks, pay for liability insurance, fidelity bonding, and workers compensation insurance.
Barbara Clark Enterprises was a good name for Barbara Clarkspseudo-cleaning company. Any bank would allow Barbara Clark to cash checks maid out to Barbara Clark Enterprises. It’s the oldest conman trick in the world.
Barbra Clark's came with referrals, and flew under the radar of both the Secretary of State and the Better Business Bureau.

  • Referral: Scott C., employed Clark as a housekeeper for 10 years, and he referred her housekeeping services to friends. I thought of her almost like family, he said.
  • Better Business Bureau: If one went to the Better Business Bureau and did a search for Barbara Clark Enterprises your investigation would come up empty. You might have felt safe that there were no complaints, and because Barbara Clark Enterprises worked for less money than real maid services you hired her. Truth is there were no complaints because Barbara Clark Enterprises was not a real business. So much for the Better Business Bureau.
  • Secretary of State: If you did a corporation search on North Carolina’s Department of the Secretary of State’s web site you would learn that the State of NC had no idea who Barbara Clark Enterprises was.

Again, no news is good news, and she was cheaper than those real maid services listed in the Yellow Pages so you hired her. You probably patted yourself on the back for making a good economic decision. Barbara Clark was all smiles when you invited her into your home. Hard to imagine her coming at you with pepper spray and a blunt instrument.
Tomorrow I will post the rest of this tragic story. Click here to continue.

Monday, April 07, 2008

MAID SERVICE GROWING PAINS

As a company, You’ve Got MAIDS is growing. This is good, and this is bad. It is good because the only way for a business to succeed is to grow. It’s bad because growth is taxing, hence the phrase growing pains.
We hired a mature woman to work in our office; let’s call her Norma Jean. Norma Jean taught us more in three weeks than we expected.
First, don’t hire someone who has had six jobs in the past 12 months. Of course we knew this. Everyone knows it. Not a ground breaking strategy. But we did it anyway. After a three week career with You’ve Got MAIDS, Norma Jean gave notice that she needed to drop down to two days a week so she could pursue another opportunity. She was truly perplexed that we didn’t think that was a particularly good deal.
Second, set iron clad procedures for variance approval. Norma Jean went off the map a couple of times and bid out a few recurring residential maid service jobs that are not very profitable. Closing rates don’t amount to a hill of beans if you are discounting deeply to make a sale. We explained it to her that we partner with our maids so it is important to set a fair price on each and every job. This is the best way we can think of to take exceptional care of our Customers…by setting a price that is fair to the maids.
Third, we need to delegate more. Again, not rocket science. Norma Jean taught us that we should have hired someone like her a year ago.
Conclusion
The only way to avoid growing pains is to avoid growth. Unfortunately, each maid service business must grow or it will die. Remember that the Norma Jeans of this world don’t change. Our Norma Jean was the same person on day 21, as the woman we hired on day 1. We were naive to think she would work out long term.
We have chosen to grow, therefore I have sentenced our maid service franchise to ongoing headaches. I wonder if Sam's Club sells extra big bottles of Excedrin?

Sunday, April 06, 2008

BOONE HALL PLANTATION │ Mount Pleasant, SC MAID SERVICE


BOONE HALL PLANTATION │ Mount Pleasant, SC MAID SERVICE

MT PLEASANT, SOUTH CAROLINA (MAID SERVICE REVIEW) Boone Hall Plantation is a must visit while you are in Charleston, South Carolina for the 2008 Spoleto Festival. Boone Hall Plantation is one of the oldest working antebellum cotton plantation located in the Old South. Boone Hall Plantation is located in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, just a few minutes across the Cooper River from historic downtown Charleston.

Boone Hall Plantation can trace its roots back to 1681. Today it is open for tours, weddings and special events. Hollywood has noticed Boone Hall Plantation as well. Recently The Notebook was filmed on the grounds.

Boone Hall Plantation works hard to invent reasons for people to come see its beautiful Avenue of the Oaks. Here’s a schedule of events for 2008:


  • Lowcountry Oyster Festival January 27, 2008

  • St. Andrews Episcopal Easter Service March 23, 2008

  • Beer & Wine Festival April 11, 2008

  • Lowcountry Strawberry Festival April 19-20, 2008

  • Charleston Symphony Starlight Pops Concert May 3, 2008

  • Marmon Club Car Show May 18, 2008

  • Beach Music Festival Aug. 23-24, 2008

  • Southern National Barbecue Championship and
    Bluegrass Festival Aug. 31-Sept. 1, 2008

  • Scottish Games Sept. 20, 2008

  • Taste Of Charleston Oct. 12, 2008

  • Fall Festival-Pumpkin Patch-Fright Nights Oct. 13-31, 2008*

  • Living History Field Trip Day For Schools Nov. 7, 2008

  • Battle Of Secessionville Nov. 8-9, 2008

  • Carolina Open Car Classic Dec. 6-7, 2008*

  • Wine Under the Oaks Dec. 14, 2008



To learn more about Boone Hall Plantation click here.



To learn more about Spoleto Festival USA click here.

If you need a maid service in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina dial 843.805.7000. You've Got MAIDS stands for professionalism, integrity and clean, healthy homes.

Click here to visit You've Got MAIDS website.

Saturday, April 05, 2008

SUPERMODEL NAOMI ARRESTED FOR SPITTING AT COP


Naomi Campbell is on Americas Finest Maid Service's NO SOUP FOR YOU List, for past discourtesies to her maids. We feel the way you treat your maid is a test of character.
Click here to read how Naomi Campbell beat the snot out of her maid.
Most recently Supermodel Naomi Campbell is in trouble yet again. This time she's been arrested at the Heathrow airport for allegedly spitting at a police officer.
Campbell was on board a British Airways flight to the US when she was escorted off the plane by policemen and the alleged assault happened.
Click here for the rest of the story.
So long as you don't share Naomi Campbells propensity to batter the maids give us a call. If you need maid service in Orlando, FL dial 407.737.7773. You’ve Got Maids stands for professionalism, integrity and clean, healthy homes.
Click here to visit You've Got MAIDS website.

Friday, April 04, 2008

ASSUME THE BEST IN YOUR MAID SERVICE



Please click here to visit our new web site.


Thursday, April 03, 2008

MOUNT PLEASANT MAID SERVICE│COOPER RIVER BRIDGE RUN

MOUNT PLEASANT MAID SERVICE│COOPER RIVER BRIDGE RUN

MOUNT PLEASANT, SOUTH CAROLINA (MAID SERVICE REVIEW) The Cooper River Bridge Run will be held this Saturday. The Cooper River Bridge run begins in Mt. Pleasant and ends down on Meeting Street in Charleston.
One of the purposes of the Cooper River Bridge Run is to promote healthier lifestyles. One of the purposes of the professional maid service, You’ve Got MAIDS, is to promote goodwill through house cleaning.
If you need maid service in Mount Pleasant, SC dial 843.805.7000.
You’ve Got Maids stands for professionalism, integrity and clean, healthy homes.

Click here to sign up for the Cooper River Bridge Run.

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You've Got MAIDS of Charleston, SC (843.805.7000) provides maid service in the following communities: Ashborough East MAID SERVICE, Ashborough MAID SERVICE, Belle Hall MAID SERVICE, Charleston MAID SERVICE, Charleston National MAID SERVICE, Daniel Island MAID SERVICE, Dunes West MAID SERVICE, East of Cooper MAID SERVICE, Folly Beach MAID SERVICE, Goose Creek MAID SERVICE, Hamlin MAID SERVICE, Hannahan MAID SERVICE, Ion MAID SERVICE, Isle of Palms MAID SERVICE, James Island MAID SERVICE, Johns Island MAID SERVICE, Kiawah Island MAID SERVICE, Kings Grant MAID SERVICE, Ladson MAID SERVICE, Long Point MAID SERVICE, Mount Pleasant MAID SERVICE, Park West MAID SERVICE, Rivertowne MAID SERVICE, Seabrook Island MAID SERVICE, Shadowmoss Plantation MAID SERVICE, Snee Farm MAID SERVICE, South of Broad MAID SERVICE, Sullivans Island MAID SERVICE, Summerville, MAID SERVICE, Wescostt Plantation MAID SERVICE, West of Ashley MAID SERVICE, Wild Dunes MAID SERVICE.
You've Got Maids of Orlando, Florida (407.737.7773) specializing in; Altamonte Springs maid service, Avalon maid service, Baldwin Park maid service, Bay Hills maid service, Belle Isle maid service, Casselberry maid service, College Park maid service, Conway maid service, Dr. Phillips maid service, Eagle Creek maid service, Eastwood maid service, Gotha maid service, Heathrow maid service, Hunter's Creek maid service, Independence maid service, Islesworth maid service, Keene's Point maid service, Lake Bryan maid service, Lake Mary maid service, Lake Nona maid service, Longwood maid service, Maitland maid service, Meadow Woods maid service, Metro West maid service, Moss Park maid service, Orlando maid service, Oviedo maid service, Stoneybrook East maid service, Stoneybrook West maid service, Tuscawilla maid service, Vista Lakes maid service, Wekiva maid service, Windermere maid service, Winter Garden maid service, Winter Park maid service, & Winter Springs maid service.

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

ORLANDO MAID SERVICE│WHY SPRING CLEANS COST MORE


ORLANDO MAID SERVICE│WHY SPRING CLEANS COST MORE

ORLANDO, FLORIDA (MAIDS WIRE) Why do SPRING CLEANS cost more? Simple, initial spring cleans take longer, and time is money.
There is the whole old dirt versus new dirt thing. You’ve Got MAIDS first cleaning visit is a top to bottom spring cleaning unless the Client insists on something less. Before we can begin regular, recurring, scheduled cleanings of a home we need to get it ship shape…and that takes requires extra effort and more time.
It takes longer to clean baseboards that haven’t been cleaned in 6 months to a year, or perhaps since the Clinton Administration. Once our maids hand wash your baseboards it is easier for us to keep them clean, week in week out. Easier takes less time, and less times is less money.
If you live in one of our service areas call a You’ve Got MAIDS office to get an estimate. Maid Service estimates used to be at the subjective whim of the salesmen dispatched to your living room. What can you afford to pay was a biggest part of the formula. This is how many maid services still come up with your price.
To make estimating more objective You’ve Got MAIDS has invested in custom, cutting edge housecleaning estimating technology. So long as the Clients provide an accurate assessment of their homes condition, we hit the mark more often than not.
At the end of the objective, over the phone home cleaning evaluation, we give an estimate of the number of maid hours required for your Spring Clean, Move In Clean, or Move Out Clean. Once we know how long it should take to do the dirty work, arriving at a price is straight forward. The prospective Client either accepts or rejects our offer to provide maid service. No pressure. No obligation. This is pretty simple stuff.
We don’t charge extra for drive time, and we don’t round up to the nearest half hour like some cleaning companies. Charging to the minute for spring cleans seems fair to both the Client and the maids. Our time starts when we arrive at the house.
Don’t worry…it’s a cleaning visit. We don’t move in!! We work in teams of 2 or more and use tried and tested efficient cleaning methods to get the job done.
If you need maid service in Orlando, FL dial 407.737.7773. You’ve Got Maids stands for professionalism, integrity and clean, healthy homes.

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

MIDDLETON PLACE │ CHARLESTON MAID SERVICE

MIDDLETON PLACE is a must visit while you are in Charleston, South Carolina for the 2008 Spoleto Festival. Middleton Place is a carefully preserved 18th-century plantation that has survived revolution, & the Civil War. It was the home of four important generations of Middletons, beginning with Henry Middleton, President of the First Continental Congress; Arthur, a signer of the Declaration of Independence; Henry, Governor of South Carolina and an American Minister to Russia; and Williams, a signer of the Ordinance of Secession.
Visitors are invited to tour the Gardens, the House Museum, and the Plantation Stable yards. Middleton Place, located on historic Ashley River Road (Highway 61), just 14 miles northwest of Charleston, South Carolina. In 1776 it took a day to travel from downtown Charleston to Middleton Place, today it takes about 10 minutes (15 if you include Hardee’s drive thru).

Since the local Charleston You’ve Got MAIDS professional maid service is Licensed, bonded & insured so you don’t need to oversee the cleaning if you have better things to do. In the time it takes for you to tour MIDDLETON PLACE the local Charleston You’ve Got MAIDS maid service could clean your home from top to bottom.
To learn more about Middleton Place plantation click here.
To learn more about Spoleto Festival USA click here.
If you need a maid service in Charleston, South Carolina dial 843.805.7000. You've Got MAIDS stands for professionalism, integrity and clean, healthy homes.
Click here to visit You've Got MAIDS website.