Ten Typical Customers

[Mikey P]

The Cleaning Standard: Customer Persona Details​

1. The Safety First Parent (The Health Protector)

• The Persona: They view their carpet as a giant filter that toddlers and pets live on. They are hyper-aware of "toxic" chemicals and long dry times that grow mold.
• The Approach: Focus on high-heat sanitization and "residue-free" rinsing. Explain the science of the "flush" and guarantee that the floor is safe for immediate crawling.

2. The Investment Protector (The White-Glove Client)

• The Persona: They own high-end wool, silk, or custom-patterned fibers. To them, the carpet is expensive art on the floor. They are terrified of a "hack" damaging the fiber or backing.
• The Approach: Use slow, deliberate wand strokes. Demonstrate fiber ID testing. Groom the pile perfectly ("Wand Out" finish) and show extreme care around furniture and transitions.

3. The Busy Professional (The Frictionless Client)

• The Persona: Time is their most valuable asset. They don't want a "story," they want a high-performance result delivered with zero interruption to their day.
• The Approach: Be 100% on time. Use the most powerful equipment to ensure 2-hour dry times. Provide digital receipts and automated reminders. Be the "invisible" expert.

4. The Second-Chance Skeptic (The Industry Burn Victim)

• The Persona: They have been "burned" by a $99 bait-and-switch company. They expect you to leave the carpet crunchy, soaking wet, and smelling like a wet dog.
• The Approach: Start with an honest audit. Explain why their last experience failed (likely poor rinsing or high pH residue). Over-deliver on the "dry stroke" and show them the soil you are actually extracting.

5. The Restoration Master (The Miracle Hunter)

• The Persona: Usually a property manager or Realtor. They have a "totaled" carpet and need a professional to save them the cost of replacement.
• The Approach: This is where the "Rotary In, Wand Out" method shines. Use aggressive agitation and specialized chemistry to restore matted fibers and remove heavy traffic lanes.

6. The Guardian (The Trust Seeker)

• The Persona: They have a deep concern about the character of the person in their home. They need to know they can leave you alone with their family or valuables without a second thought.
• The Approach: Lead with PG-13 decorum. Maintain a "God is watching" work ethic even when unsupervised. Be the professional they can look straight in the eye and hand the keys to.

7. The VLM Convert (The Dry-Time Addict)

• The Persona: They fled to low-moisture "dry cleaning" because they hated reappearing spots and soggy carpets. They think steam cleaning is inherently flawed.
• The Approach: Prove that the professional, not the method, was the problem. Deliver a high-heat extraction but use air movers and a 2-for-1 dry stroke ratio to match the dry times they expect.

8. The Storyteller (The Human Connector)

• The Persona: They want to know you. They value the relationship as much as the cleaning. They will want to talk for 30 minutes before you even pull a hose.
• The Approach: Build the relationship first. Share your history and passion for the craft. They are buying "Mike" or "Dave" as much as they are buying a clean floor.

9. The Ghost Professional (The Frictionless Executive)

• The Persona: They want elite trustworthiness but zero social interaction. They want you to be a "Unicorn" that appears, performs a miracle, and disappears without a word.
• The Approach: Total professional silence and efficiency. Use your profile on TheCleaningStandard.com to let your reputation do the talking so you don't have to.

10. The Quality Connoisseur (The Bullshit Detector)

• The Persona: Highly savvy. They can tell within 60 seconds if you are a "career professional" or just a guy with a job. They despise "one-word" answers.
• The Approach: Speak with authority. Explain the "why" behind your chemistry and equipment choices. Show them that you are a student of the industry, not just a technician.

11. The Result-Only Minimalist (The "Don't Over-Explain" Client)

• The Persona: They trust your expertise but have no interest in a science lecture. If you start talking about pH drift, they will start checking their watch.
• The Approach: Read the room. Give a 30-second summary of the plan and get to work. Let the visual result of the clean floor be your only "lecture."
  
  
  
  
  Which do YOU prefer to work for?

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Very interesting list.

I'm guessing you aren't looking for critiques of the technical comments that your AI servant has come up with. I'm saying that to pre-empt the others that will take issue with high heat sanitization claims and zero residue cleaning.

OK, so since I'm going to leave that alone and just look at the types of customers, I think this will be a very interesting discussion.

I'm not sure who I would work for, but I'll tell you that I am some combination of 3, 9, and 11.

My roofer is a story teller. I make sure I have my son talk to him before a project, and my AP lady to pay his bill. Otherwise he wastes an hour of my time in the beginning and in the conclusion. I trust the guy, he doesn't need to keep reselling me each time, and I have enough friends already.

 

[jeffexe]

In my experience, there are several crossover Personas which require some adaptation

 

[they live]

Just be yourself.

 

[Brian H]

If it's ten typical customers, why are there 11 listed?

 

[BIG WOOD]

Just be yourself.

Nope!

There’s a difference in being yourself and being professional. This is a good topic because some of us need to sharpen the edges of our character. Especially in the younger years of the new guys. It doesn’t come naturally from some of the rough guys who get in this business

 

[Jim Pemberton]

In looking again at myself and how I relate to service people:

Some of it also depends on the specific need.

Example: A woman who helped care for my mother in the last weeks of her life needed her carpet cleaned. She was a member of a minority, a single mom, who had two young adult profoundly autistic sons, and was being treated for cancer. I chose the customer I recommended based on his kindness, patience, and thoughtfulness more than anything else. I paid a premium for that service, but it was worth it based on how he treated everyone involved.

If it were one of my rental properties that I'm selling? I have someone else that does good work, but has the personality of an injured warthog. He's have probably punched out her kids, and at best treated her abruptly. But he's great for empty homes.

 

[they live]

Nope!

There’s a difference in being yourself and being professional. This is a good topic because some of us need to sharpen the edges of our character. Especially in the younger years of the new guys. It doesn’t come naturally from some of the rough guys who get in this business

If you are honest and hard working you will be fine. If you are use to trying to sell to individuals then you will struggle.
Just do the job you are hired to do.
Dont be something you are not. You wont win them all over but you will win enough repeats that like you and your work.
I agree with being professional. You can be yourself and be professional at the same time.
Nobody likes being conned and a lot of people can tell when you are trying to sell them. Its annoying.

 

[KevinD]

I'm not sure who I would work for, but I'll tell you that I am some combination of 3, 9, and 11.

All 3 of those are great clients

 

[Mikey P]

Three jobs today which is odd one whole house and two spot cleanings.

The whole house has a whole new dynamic since I was here a few years ago, everything's missing off the walls and the husband....

She's friendlier than ever, but sad.

 

[FredBoyle]

3, 6, 9 , 11 constitute 95% of my customers


3 and 9 have considerable over lap



Which would reduce the list to 10



Unless this is the Spinal Tap list?

 

[Jim Pemberton]

3, 6, 9 , 11 constitute 95% of my customers


3 and 9 have considerable over lap



Which would reduce the list to 10



Unless this is the Spinal Tap list?

Since I'm pretty sure our AI lady wrote that, or most of it, that explains some duplication and hyperbole. I could see "her" be asked to make 10, and list 11.

That's just how odd AI is....

I do like the fact that it is even MORE verbose than me