Some Cleaning Companies use Independent Contractors as cleaners. We tried having employees, and that didn’t work. Compensation was a problem. Paying an hourly wage while driving around, or having workers who were slower because they were “on the clock” got to be a constant battle. The most important part is that taxes, and insurance are a very heavy burden on a small business.
What we do is set people up in a business. They get a Business License, insurance, and a bond. They are a business that gets paid for performance. If they do a good job, they retain the client. If the job they do isn’t so good, they lose the client, and we don’t refer them more. They maintain their own equipment, and supplies.
There is a fine line of distinction between employees and contractors. We don’t tell the contractors what to do, but we do have a standard of excellence.
The contractors are also free to take on other clients. That is a problem some times, but what has worked out well for us is that our contractors refer people back to the company. Our contractors have a support system with us that they want to keep.
There is also a security in dealing with the client. It is very hard to keep a number of things together on your own. Advertising, bookkeeping, client relations, and public relations are a full time job that having an office can help with.
