Why We Can't Guarantee an Exact Arrival Time (And How We Make It Work Anyway) | DayMaker Cleaning Co.
"Can you arrive at exactly 10:30? I have a meeting at 11."
We get this request. And I totally understand why people want a precise arrival time.
But here's the reality: we can't guarantee exact arrival times down to the minute. And that's actually a good thing for you.
Let me explain why.
We Don't Leave Until Your House Is Done
Most cleaning companies operate on strict time blocks. They arrive at 10:00, work until 11:30, and leave—whether your house is fully cleaned or not.
We don't do that.
We arrive when we arrive, and we don't leave until your home is actually finished. If something takes longer than expected, we stay. You don't get a half-done job because we need to rush to the next appointment.
But that means our schedule has some natural flex built in. If the 9:00 appointment takes a bit longer, we might arrive at your 10:30 appointment at 10:45 instead.
You're getting quality over punctuality. And honestly? That's the trade-off that makes sense.
Our Arrival Window System
Here's how it actually works:
We give you a 30-minute arrival window. If your appointment is scheduled for 10:30, we might arrive anywhere between 10:00 and 11:00.
Most of the time, we're pretty close to the scheduled time. But we build in that buffer so we're not rushing through the previous home just to hit your exact minute.
When we leave your previous appointment, you get an "on our way" text. That means we'll be at your door within 15 minutes.
So while we can't say "we'll arrive at exactly 10:30," you're not sitting around wondering when we'll show up. You get a heads-up when we're close.
Why This Matters (And Why Most Companies Don't Do It)
Strict time blocks are easier for scheduling. Companies can pack more jobs into a day. They can give you exact times.
But they achieve that by rushing. By leaving jobs half-done when the clock runs out. By sacrificing quality for schedule efficiency.
We'd rather give you a finished home than perfect punctuality.
Our three-person teams are fast—most Saint John homes are done in under 2 hours. But some days, the previous house needs extra attention. Or traffic is heavier than expected. Or someone spilled an entire gallon of milk right before we arrived (yes, this happens).
When that occurs, we don't cut corners. We finish the job properly. And that means the next appointment might start 15-20 minutes later than scheduled.
When Exact Timing Really Matters
We get it—sometimes you genuinely need us there at a specific time.
If you have a hard deadline, let us know when booking. We'll do our absolute best to accommodate. We might schedule you as the first appointment of the day when timing is most predictable, or we'll build in extra buffer.
But if you just generally prefer mornings or afternoons, the 30-minute window system works great. You're not tied to your house all day, but you're also not getting rushed, incomplete work.
The "On Our Way" Text Changes Everything
Here's what our clients tell us makes the biggest difference: the notification when we're actually coming.
You don't need to sit around starting at 10:00 wondering if we'll show up at 10:05 or 10:55. You go about your morning. When you get the "on our way" text, you know we'll be there in 15 minutes.
Most people aren't even home during cleaning anyway. You're at work. You're running errands. The exact arrival minute doesn't actually matter—you just need to know we showed up and got it done.
The Bottom Line
We can't guarantee arrival down to the exact minute because we don't leave houses half-cleaned to stay on a rigid schedule.
What we can guarantee:
A 30-minute arrival window around your scheduled time
"On our way" notification when we're 15 minutes out
We arrive on time the vast majority of appointments
We don't leave until your home is actually finished
Would you rather have a company that arrives at exactly 10:00 but rushes through and leaves at 11:30 regardless of quality?
Or a company that might arrive at 10:15 but stays until everything is done right?
We chose the second option. And our clients consistently tell us that's the right call.
We give you a 30-minute arrival window and an "on our way" text when we're 15 minutes out. You get flexibility without uncertainty and a fully finished home every time.
