Check many of the home watch websites and business cards. They will often state that the business is: Licensed – Insured – Bonded.

This is simply not true. There is no license required for a home watch service. Some businesses put the license number that belongs to one of their other businesses. Some just make it up. Some are referring to their Business Tax Receipt.

A Business Tax Receipt is just that: a receipt for paying a tax. I just paid my $22.00 to Collier County. It used to be called an Occupational License some years ago. It now states that “This document is a business tax only.”

I am a lifelong customer service professional and entrepreneur for over 30 years. I know that the client’s perception is our reality.  

When a business states that they have a license, I believe that the customer thinks they had to do something to get that license. A Realtor spends lots of time, energy, and money, on their education, tests, on-going education, and regular re-certification. So does your attorney, CPA, doctor, contractor, and most other professions. You need to pass a test to get a driver’s license. Heck, you cannot cut hair or put nail polish on someone without getting, and maintaining, a license.  

How crazy is it that people give the keys to their home to someone who is not trained, often not insured, and has no experience to watch over their homes other than living in a home of their own?

As a kid I went through a pretty intense training program before I ever took my first order at McDonald’s. At Indiana Bell, I was in training for over 3 months before I ever answered a customer call. We had continuation training and were monitored regularly. Travel school lasted over 8 weeks and, during my travel career, I invested thousands of dollars in training and got every certification that was available.

Professionals, in any industry, strive to be the best for their clients. At least they should!

This is a hot button item for me, if you could not tell by now. I do not like it when our Seasonal Residents are mislead or are not receiving the exceptional services they deserve.

It is up to the referring professional to introduce their clients to true, credentialed, professionals.  

It is up to every seasonal home owner to check the credentials of every service provider they hire.

Caveat Emptor.

Author: Diane Pisani