Growing up on a tobacco farm, Dennis Thompson understood the meaning of hard work from an early age. "There were eight of us kids," he recalls. "Sometimes, I think my parents had so many of us so that they'd have help on the farm. I can't say that I blame them. It was hard work!"

Dennis carried his ethic of hard work into his life as an adult, always believing it would pay off, but after years in different sales jobs with large territories, he was burned out and ready for something new.

"I would spend hours in the car covering my territory," he remembers. "I had very little time for family. I came home late one Thursday night and told my wife I just couldn't do it anymore." Soon after that, when the opportunity to run a cleaning business came along, Dennis jumped on it. "The experience I gained from all of that hard work paid off," he explains. "I was thrilled to get started on a new adventure, and to begin my dream of owning my own company,"

Dennis operates Maid for You cleaning services with offices around Hampton Roads. He says doing things that are good for the customer is the secret to his success. "We listen," he insists. "If it's important to our customers, then it's important to us."



Dennis says his hands-on approach allows for more flexibility in what Maid For You can offer customers "We are independently owned, not a franchise, so we are flexible, not only in scheduling, but in the type of cleaning we do," he explains. "We've been in business since 1983, so we must be doing something right," he adds with a smile.

Though Dennis is primarily in a management role- overseeing day to day operations, dealing with a fleet of cars to ensure his team has reliable transportation, and helping manage staff- he is never afraid of getting his hands dirty- literally. "There were times when we were first getting started when I would have to jump in and help clean houses," he remembers. "If a team was falling behind schedule, I would step in to offer an extra set of hands. It's teamwork."

Dennis believes teamwork is responsible for the company's success, and that he has the best team in the business.




Wendy Burch- the office manager at the Suffolk location- has been with the company for eleven years. "I love interacting with people," she says with laughs. "No one day is the same as the next. It keeps it interesting."

Wendy ensures the hands on approach that Dennis expects from his team, by staying on top of customer needs and expectations. "I meet with the customer to better understand what they are looking for, and then I make sure we are providing them a great experience," she explains. "I don't just give a quote; I listen carefully and explain our methods of cleaning." Wendy also provides a thorough walk-through of each room with the client, making sure every request is addressed. "We want to ensure the client is happy when we are done so they will want us to come back," she states.

Maid For You performs a deep cleaning every visit, so clients can expect more than a surface cleaning. The team cleans a room left to right, top to bottom- a formula that saves time and ensures the most efficient job. "By the time the house is complete, the only thing that should be left to do is the front room floor, so there is no backtracking," Dennis explains.

Teams of two also use a wet-dry system, rotating through rooms together, eliminating any chance of contaminating a space that is already clean. Maid For You will also tailor-make a cleaning plan for a client and honor all reasonable requests. "Just ask," Dennis says. "We will do it if we are able, and if it doesn't put the staff at risk of harm."

Dennis remembers helping one elderly couple who, during a routine visit, had a simple but unusual request. "They asked one of our cleaners if she could knock some cobwebs down on the front porch," he recalls. "Even though we don't do exterior cleaning, it was a fairly simple task that brightened the clients' day. We were happy to do it."

 Waverly resident Frank Rose appreciates the professionalism and friendliness he has experienced with Maid For You. "Wendy is great!" he says enthusiastically. "She returns my calls immediately and honors my request for a cleaning within a few days." Frank has been using the company for over seven years. "I'm not on a regular cleaning schedule, and they are ok with that," he explains. "They know my needs and have never pressured me to do any more than the couple of cleanings that I request each year. Since that first time Wendy came out and listened to what I needed, I have never considered using any other company. She took time to listen to me, and the teams has always done a really great job."

Maid For You has three locations: Virginia Beach, Suffolk and Williamsburg, with a large service area as far north as Mechanicsville and as far south as Moyock. Many of the staff have been with the company for years- something of which Dennis is proud. He also provides employees the best benefits that can be offered, including shorter work days than at most other cleaning companies. "I think the small turnover in our staff speaks for itself," he says. "A team that is happy with their job is more dedicated and efficient. I'm happy that they are happy."

It has taken time and patience to build the business, but Dennis believes in giving one hundred percent.

"If you are not going to do it right, then why do it at all?" he asks. "I don't want our team to give a cleaning is that merely "alright.' I want to give an exceptional cleaning each and every time."