Delays happen in every cleaning business. Traffic, a previous job that overran, a key that would not turn, a customer who wanted a quick chat. What customers remember is not usually the delay itself. It is whether anyone told them.
A customer waiting at home who hears nothing starts to worry, then gets annoyed, then rings your office. A customer who gets a message saying “your cleaner is running about 20 minutes late” usually just carries on with their morning. That small difference has a big effect on trust.
How the Running Late feature works
In the ProCleanerUK staff app, every job card has a Running Late button. When a cleaner is held up, they:
- Tap Running Late on the job
- Choose roughly how long the delay will be, such as 15 or 30 minutes
- Add a short message if they want, such as “stuck in traffic”
That is it. It takes a few seconds, even from the car at a red light (once safely parked, of course).
Who gets told: you choose
Different businesses handle delays differently, so you decide where the alert goes:
- Straight to the customer: the customer gets an automatic email and, if you use SMS, a text with the expected delay and any message. Ideal for domestic customers who are waiting at home.
- To your office only: if you switch this on, running late alerts from staff go to your admins instead of the customer. Your team can then decide what to do, such as calling the customer personally, sending someone else or rescheduling. Many commercial cleaning companies prefer this, so communication with clients always comes from the office.
You can also choose to be notified internally whenever a cleaner uses the button, so you always know what is happening across your team.
Why it builds trust
- Customers feel respected: being told about a delay shows you value their time.
- Fewer phone calls: customers do not need to chase you, and your office is not interrupted.
- Consistent messages: every customer gets a clear, professional message, not a rushed text from a cleaner’s personal phone.
- Your reputation is protected: a delay handled well rarely becomes a bad review. A delay ignored often does.
Live tracking makes it even better
Running Late works hand in hand with live arrival tracking. When a cleaner starts their journey in the app, the customer can see them on a map in their customer app with an estimated arrival time. Between the map and the running late alert, customers almost never need to ring and ask “where is my cleaner?”
Catching delays the cleaner does not report
Not every delay gets reported. If a job has not started 15 minutes after its scheduled time, ProCleanerUK alerts you automatically, so you can find out what is happening and contact the customer before they contact you. Read more in our guide to the cleaner tracking app.
Using delays to improve your schedule
If the same cleaner or the same route keeps running late, it is usually a scheduling problem, not a people problem. Look at whether job durations are realistic, whether there is enough travel time between jobs and whether the route order makes sense. The route planner works out the best order for each day, with estimated arrival times based on travel and job length. Fix the schedule and the delays usually disappear.
Best practice for handling delays
- Tell customers early: a heads-up 30 minutes before is far better than an apology 30 minutes after.
- Be honest about timings: say 30 minutes if it might be 30, not 10.
- Offer options for long delays: if a cleaner will be very late, offer to reschedule rather than squeezing in a rushed clean.
- Follow up: if a delay caused real inconvenience, a quick apology from the office goes a long way.
- Train your team to use it: make it part of your standards, so every cleaner knows to tap Running Late as soon as they know.
What a good running late message looks like
Whether the alert goes straight to the customer or your office sends it, the best messages are short, honest and specific. For example: “Hi Mrs Jones, Sarah from Bright Cleans is running about 20 minutes late due to traffic. She expects to arrive around 10.20am. Sorry for the delay.” It tells the customer who, how late, why and when, and nothing more is needed.
Why it matters for commercial clients too
For offices, delays can mean cleaners arriving after staff, or a building left unlocked longer than planned. Office managers want to know, but they usually want to hear from your office rather than individual cleaners. Sending alerts to your admins first lets you decide whether to inform the client, send another cleaner or adjust the visit, keeping communication professional and consistent.
Setting it up
Running Late is part of the staff app in every plan. In your staff job settings, decide whether alerts go to customers or only to your admins, and whether you want internal notifications. Make sure your email and SMS settings are set up, so customer messages come from your business. If you use your own email domain, customers will recognise the sender straight away. See our guide to sending emails from your own domain.
For more on building trust, read building your online reputation and the silent killer of customer trust.
Try it with your team
Start your 28-day free trial and give your cleaners the Running Late button this week, or book a free demo and we will show you how it works with live tracking.
FAQs
Does the customer get told automatically?
Yes, if you choose. The customer can receive an email and text with the expected delay. Alternatively, you can send running late alerts to your office only.
Can I stop cleaners contacting customers directly?
Yes. Switch on the setting that sends running late alerts to admins instead of customers, and your office handles all customer communication.
What if a cleaner forgets to report a delay?
If a job has not started 15 minutes after its scheduled time, you get an alert anyway.
Can customers see where their cleaner is?
Yes. Once the cleaner starts their journey, the customer can see them on a map in the customer app with an estimated arrival time.
Is it difficult for cleaners to use?
No. It is one button on the job card, a delay time and an optional message. It takes a few seconds.