ROYAL MAIDS SVC

This was one of the most bizarre dealings I have ever had. Ever. We hired Royal Maid service to clean our offices in Boca Raton. Sarah was very professional and pleasant to deal with. The cleaning crew that came was Shawn and Douglas. They cleaned our office two or three times, were always on time, professional, and happy to accommodate when we requested a double-rinse on floor mopping or other small detail. Bottom line, they were all a pleasure to deal with. We thought we had found (finally) a good cleaning crew for the long-haul. Then things got weird? I called Sarah and asked her if she could accommodate a client of ours who needed a move-out/move-in cleaning on two apartments in Delray Beach. Apparently, Royal Maid Service is a franchise and they are strictly limited geographically. So, Sarah would not be able to accommodate the request. She directed me to the franchisee for that region- Malcom (Delray Beach). I spoke w Malcom, who was very short-tempered on the phone. I asked if I should call at another time. He just seemed bothered to have to talk to me. He said it is fine. I explained the scope of the job and we agreed on a price and time for the work to be completed. I explained the exact condition of the apartments. They were broom-swept out, but needed a thorough bath and kitchen cleaning; all floors mopped; window sills wiped, etc. Your basic move-in/move-out cleaning. From my experience, I thought they needed an hour each. I've been a property manager for 15 years and have seen units in better shape, and in far worse shape in terms of cleanliness. The day the work was to be done, the cleaning crew called me about 2 hours after the time they were scheduled to be there. The woman I spoke with was short and irritated that I was not there. As I explained, she continually interrupted and spoke over me. Rather than get nasty back (tempting) I explained where I had hidden a key so they could access the apartments. She said she would call me back. 30 minutes later, she called and burst, "we aren't going to do this." I was shocked. I asked why. She said it would take them hours and hours to clean the units and she had only an hour total. I reminded her that I told Malcom they needed about an hour per unit based on my experience. She went on to say I was dishonest and trying to get them to work for free because the units were so disgusting? Is $50 an hour slave labour?? Not last I checked... I wish I could post pictures here. Seriously, the apartments needed cleaned, but were by no means disgusting or even close to it. So, I asked our cleaning crew if they are allowed to do side jobs. Our cleaning person said yes and gave me her number. No work has been scheduled or done yet as we haven't been able to coordinate schedules? Fast forward to today... tAn angry man showed up at my office this afternoon, all red in the face and presented me with an invoice. He did not introduce himself. I looked at the invoice and saw Royal Maid Service. I said, "OK, I will get this to the right person, thank you." Of course, I found it odd for them to present an invoice in person, but though "oh well." He demanded, "can't you write a check now?" I was really weirded out? I mean, I didn't know this person, why he was here, why he wanted a check?. So, I said, "no, sir, I'm not the person who does the book keeping or writes checks." He got really agitated and he said they no longer want to do business with us, that we tried to cheat the company. I asked if he knows Sarah (still trying to piece it together) He said his name is Glenn, and he is her partner. (I later found out it is Sarah's husband.) I asked him to what he was referring and he went on some tirade about how the owner of the company (no idea who that is) had seen these filthy apartments and how the whole thing was terribly insulting to the company?. and on and on?. A verbal blasting in the lobby of my office mid-day. I hope for their sake this is a sick man getting some help. He said we were trying to cheat them over and over. I asked what this was about? was it about the franchise in Deerfield refusing to do the job? He started saying over and over, "we won't work with people like you." When he left I called our cleaning person, Shawn. She said she had gone to them for permission to do a side job. Noble, I thought. Not only did they tell her no, but this whole drama unfolded up to and including the co-owner getting in his car, driving 20 mins to my office, and causing a scene in my office lobby. Malcom, Sarah, Glenn, and the rude cleaning crew woman from the apartment phone call all have sort-of cockney brittish accents? I don't know if they are all related or what, but my advice: avoid these people like the plague. I don't know where they learned to deal with customers, but everyone except for Sarah has been loud, demanding, talking over me when in conversation, interrupting, and raising their voices? Just not pleasant at all. PLUS- when there was a misunderstanding, nobody made a phone call to the customer (me) to resolve it. Nobody gave the customer (me) the opportunity to explain. I actually wanted to give these people MORE of my business. Shame on me, I guess. Hopefully, I can find a reliable and non-mentally-ill cleaning crew for my office and properties we manage.