It’s not very often that I feel the need to write about a product or a service provider but for the second time since my wife and I arrived in Singapore (back in 2012) I feel compelled to highlight the wonderful service that we encountered at Maids R Us.
Placing maids is a difficult business – the needs of all parties need to line up to a high degree in order for the partnership to be beneficial, enduring and generally stress free. Of course getting it wrong can be horrendous and we often hear of stories through friends or colleagues or indeed the mainstream press of bad outcomes and the consequences./
So what makes Maids r us different to the plethora of agencies out there?
For starters, Graham the proprietor of Maids R Us has a deep understanding of the industry having worked in this industry placing FDWs for many many years. But, that in itself is not the only value proposition that distinguishes Graham and his team. Here are the main ones and needless to say the list is not exhaustive but based on my experiences alone!
1) They have a thorough understanding at both ends, ie, the employer and the fdw. All employers are different – some may be after gregarious maids who are great with kids and have basic but proficient abilities in say housekeeping or cooking – whilst others prefer someone who is a dab hand in the kitchen with perhaps better than average organisational skills – some are looking for basic support with little interaction with the family. Graham and his team excel at this – they understand the motivations and the requirements of their client down to a tee and where a possible match may lie. Whilst many agencies simply view the placement as a commodity business where the more fdws you place, the more revenue you earn, Graham and his team pride themselves on placing the right people at the right place.
Consequently, referrals to him are commonplace and amongst my cohort of friends and colleagues, Maids r us takes the number one spot!
2) They care about the welfare of both sides and work towards improving it conscientiously – the lives of fdws is not an easy one – fdws can be involved in assignments that involve long hours and a full if not demanding work schedule. Similarly, the employer may be very busy themselves with extensive travelling or a busy work schedule. Graham and his team are always at hand to advise and provide support and if the situation moves into deeper water are able to help by mediating where necessary. On numerous occasions I myself have approached him for advice and it’s resulted in a proactive approach that has nipped any potential problems in the bud. Whilst seated in his offices for a morning I have witnessed Graham helping to advise and fix on issues that definitely do not fall under the normal remit – and when I asked him why the extra mile he responded “it’s the decent thing to do”. This has ranged from clients like me asking him where I can buy a fedora hat in Singapore to him assisting clients with maids experiencing difficulties.
3) the service is exceptional and the pricing is fair and above all transparent. There are no hidden extras and of course if things go wrong and gentle mediation fails you have a swap within a three month period. Many agencies front end load fees on clients saddling up The Maid with extra charges increasing their loan to the agency and charging that to the client with an expectation that The Maid will repay the amount over 12 months or possibly longer. Graham and his team charges are fair to both clients and the fdw and in most cases the fdw will be receiving the benefit of their full salary pretty early on in their employment. Win win all around!
Thank you Graham for taking care of our needs over the years and we wish you continued success. Thanks for caring!
