As a Communications Professional and Certified Broadcaster, I’ve come to realize the importance of sharing my experiences and insights; whether they relate to business, social issues, or the arts. For a long time, I’ve avoided offering critiques because I didn’t want to come across as judgmental or overly critical. However, as a journalist, I recognize that it’s my responsibility to provide honest reflections on my experiences. I will continue to review and interview, but I believe we need more transparency and thoughtful discourse in today’s media landscape.
Recently, I had an experience that compelled me to speak up. Due to an injury, I’ve needed extra help around the house, and my partner suggested we hire someone to assist with cleaning and cooking. Maintaining a clean and organized space is important to me, both for my mental health and my creativity, so I took the suggestion seriously. I reached out to my local community on Facebook, seeking small business recommendations. I wanted to support someone from my ethnic background and was led to a business by a trusted connection through my mentor.
Woman & Black Owned “A Luxury Experience”
I contacted Simone, the business owner, and after discussing my needs and pricing, she came to my home the same day to assess the job and provide an estimate. The plan was to start with a deep clean, which I expected would be thorough and address all areas. However, despite paying $600, the service I received was not what I was promised. While they did a good job with a standard cleaning, the deep cleaning I specifically requested was not completed. Areas were cleaned around instead of thoroughly, and there was no proper communication about organizing the items that were moved.
It’s hard for me to write this because I wanted to support a Black woman-owned business and had hoped for a positive experience. Unfortunately, this situation left me feeling disappointed and undervalued, especially during a challenging time in my life. It also reinforced the importance of being cautious when inviting people into my personal space.
After this experience, I did further research and found that both commercial services and other small businesses offer more affordable rates for similar work. I even discovered that a cousin of mine provides cleaning services and confirmed that the price I was charged was well beyond reasonable.
I’m sharing this experience not to complain, but to provide honest feedback in the hope that it encourages businesses to communicate clearly and deliver on their promises. As I move forward, I’ll continue to review services with the same level of integrity and transparency. And a lesson to myself about how I patronize and provide support to others in general but specifically business when I give feedback to be “nice” instead of being kind, honest, truthful and necessary to help better the outcome.
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