work quality of the maids

[x9200]

We have a part time maid. She is in our place once a week to clean floors etc up and dust furniture off plus some ironing. This is our 3rd maid in 3 years time with the following history:
1st one regularly damaged different things starting from the iron and ending with furniture, fridge and so on (scratches etc).
2nd resigned after first time as I told her that she also should clean up gecko sh*t from the floor - as a local custom required she simply did not showed up next time and when I called the agent he told me that according to her we were too demanding.
The last one is with us already like two years (I learnt the lesson) but it is simply impossibleto teach her how to do the job right. It seems impossible to get a simple message through: work such way to have it cleaned. It is beyond any perception. It is (and it was in the first case) like programming a robot - take tissue paper, use this and this, that many times... with the exception that conditional steps don't work so you may forget a statement like this: IF the table is still dirty THEN repeat cleaning procedure. For example we struggle already for some time to teach her not to iron cloths that are stained. She was told like 5x already and still do it. And I am talking about STAINS not some dots hidden under the armpit. Not only she irons such cloths she also folds them such to make the stains not visible What is here also funny that she was told dozens of times - take your time, you do not need to finish it up all today, better do it slower and right. No f**g way.
Yet another thing, a side effect of this robot programming is that everything takes at least twice as long as we would do it by ourselves - again, no IF, no checking conditions so all cm2 has to be methodically processed whether is clean or not. What I managed with the current one after these two years of training is to teach her to send me a text message if she is going to be late (by 30 min or more) or can not show up at all. Wasn't easy.

I am asking the subject question and telling this stories because I read in this forum so many times how wonderful the maids are and that everybody is more than delighted with the quality of their job.
So basically I am curious whether this is us or the local reality...

[revhappy]

I bet you are a software engineer!

[bluenose]

See if you are so good....why have a maid? Maybe she is just a bit smarter than you eh? She continues to take your money and do the same thing

[x9200]

See if you are so good....why have a maid?

Difficult one, huh? And no, I am not a software engineer

[road.not.taken]

I think when you employ a maid (or anyone) you have to first accept that they will do things completely differently and maybe even less efficiently than you. I think I could mop the floor better, but I want to spend my time differently, so I have to accept that 'it's good enough'. This is hard for a lot of people. I would never stand over a maid and instruct them on how to do any one task. It would be demeaning to the both of us. If the end result is satisfactory then, I'm happy (and within reason, I don't care how she got there).

Our maid is fantastic but there are things she does that are complete head-scratchers. Ninety percent of what she does is helpful, useful, on target, the other 10 percent can be frustrating but not when balanced with the good.

It sounds to me like you've got more bad than good ~ and that you are predisposed to feel this way. Case in point: you dribble gravy on your shirt, you throw that shirt in a hamper and you are surprised that your maid washes, dries it and irons it? She doesn't know you dribbled gravy on a shirt, all she knows is 'this load of laundry needs to be cleaned'.

I'd give her a chance to improve her job performance, explain that unless she can do this, this and this ~ you'll have to hire someone new. In the meantime, I'd lighten up. Yes, it may take her twice as long to do something, but oh well ~ that's just part of the deal. Things get broken, things get damaged ~ yep, they sure do whether you have a maid or not. Don't focus on that stuff, look at the overall picture.

[x9200]

R.n.t., maybe you got a bit wrong impression, but actually I do follow what you said, and I do not get pissed off because some things get broken from time to time. I understand it and have no problem with this whatsoever - the 1st maid damaged like 12 different things within 2 months and then lied she did not do it. I also try to explain the "rationale" of all my requests including why I think is not good to iron stained things and hide the stain this way so you discover it only the time you want this particular piece of garment to be used. I also do not expect they will do it as good as I do but what frustrates me most is that I can not implement anyhow this "work to get the things clean" factor. It is always "work to show I work" what is pretty typical of SG unfortunately. And again, I am not talking about cleaning it to the level I would do it by myself but some bigger calliber things like big sticky chunk of dirt that did not disappear after a single sweep of the mop.
With the current one I think she does a bare minimum but not damages anything (extensively) so it is more like 50-50, just at the edge of acceptance.

[road.not.taken]

Then I would give her a chance to make it right, and if that doesn't work, then I'd get someone new. Good help is hard t find, but not impossible.

[carteki]

the 1st maid damaged like 12 different things within 2 months and then lied she did not do it.

And you haven't "not disclosed" things that you've done from your boss which they may or may not have discovered later? I know I have.

I actually have more of a problem with housemates than the maid. I think that one of the housemates hoped that I would think that the maid did it and not him.

As with life, it is the luck of the draw. And you try and try again. It reminds me of my aunt who had a gardner who was fired for using their compost heap to grow weed. His replacement was arrested for murder / theft / tried to break into their place (it was long time ago). Needless to say the previous individual got his job back - they knew what they were getting!

All I can suggest is that you try and find a maid you already know when her employers leave SG

[gravida]

the 1st maid damaged like 12 different things within 2 months and then lied she did not do it.

And you haven't "not disclosed" things that you've done from your boss which they may or may not have discovered later?

It may be surprising for you but there are people out here who will rather jump down the bridge than 'not disclose' the information to the boss (or whoever it would be - family member, friend or a stranger, you may damage somebody's else property by accident).
So, should I interpret that you are the one of those who will run away if they hit somebody's car in the car park etc.? Lovely.

[x9200]

the 1st maid damaged like 12 different things within 2 months and then lied she did not do it.

And you haven't "not disclosed" things that you've done from your boss which they may or may not have discovered later? I know I have.

No, as a matter of fact I have not. Either this is an accident and "my boss" will understand this or this is a fault arising from my stupidity/negligence etc and than I accept responsibility. Is it that strange? She and all the other maids were told right from the start that if something gets broken they should not be afraid to tell me about this as such things happen and it will be much worse if I discover it by myself. The said maid was actually given a 2nd chance but I rather tolerate bad cleaner than a liar. The current one whatever bad I may say about her cleaning quality fortunately has no problem here.

[Sparkss]

the 1st maid damaged like 12 different things within 2 months and then lied she did not do it.

And you haven't "not disclosed" things that you've done from your boss which they may or may not have discovered later? I know I have.

No, as a matter of fact I have not. Either this is an accident and "my boss" will understand this or this is a fault arising from my stupidity/negligence etc and than I accept responsibility. Is it that strange?

No, not strange at all. Most professionals are that way. Another way to look at is it that I would rather my boss find out from me, being open about it, than to find out later from someone else and get caught trying to cover it up.

[fatmouse76]

Hi x9200, I wonder which agency you got your maid from. I have employed one from the classifieds. Did my reference checks then employed her. I must say that I am happy.

I dont have too high expectations as long as the house is clean and my ironing is done well, I am fine with it.

[missis]

Get someone else. Everyone makes the odd mistake but this story seems extreme. Don't pay for something you are not happy with. You wouldn't accept bad service anywhere else so why in your own home?

[observer]

Indeed, get someone else. The good thing about part time maids, is that there is little to no obligation to retain the same person. In my own experience, we've gone through at least 5 or 6 maids in the last 2 years or so (I don't even remember). Don't even get me started on the horror stories. Fortunately we like the current one.

We have a good relationship with her, we let her do her job with the freedom she likes and she exceeds our expectations every week. We treat her well with kindness, generosity and respect and this has proven to be a very strong motivator and it shows in her work. Oh and we give her the flexibility to come in at whatever time she wants through the day. As long as the work gets done. In return, she does more than what the agency agreed for, more than even what we expected of her and not a single complaint from her.

So I don't think it's you. You just have to try a few and eventually I'm sure you'll find a good one you can work with.

[LindaJ]

I have sent a email to this Friend agency couple of days ago and there has been no reply so far. Any other recommendations? I have found some other companies posted earlier - A team, Cleaning svc etc but no contact details. Guess I have to google for them.