Service Provider Help!

[The_Barrs_Reef]

Hey R2R couple questions for everyone!
Life has got crazy with long hours with my company, kids and a newborn baby.
So I’m looking to have a company come out maybe a couple times a month to help me keep everything in order and make sure everything stays in top notch . So my question is what do you expect from a service provider, ie bi weekly water changes, water testing when they come out?
What all should I expect, and what should I make sure they do prior to picking a company to go with, and what to be werry about I will still check behind them as I’m a perfectionist but time just didn’t allow it right now with everything going on temporarily.
Thanks in advance!

(120 gallon set up)

 

[dank reefer]

If they have a store front, Id look and see how they keep their store tanks first. I know that a store is different than a home aquarium, but is they take pride in the store tanks, then they should also take pride taking care of there customer tanks. I would also reach out to any fellow hobbyist around your area and hear what they have to say about who they use to maintenance their tanks.

And the main thing I would look for is someone that will be blunt honest with you, and not give you any fluff.

 

[wtac]

Having worked in this industry, I'll give you my experience and tips. Ill tell you right now that the December holiday seasons are the busiest time for us and those with a family, it strains relationships on so many levels. Present clients want extra care and new additions for their holiday gatherings and will call you back the first moment that something is off. I've been called from Christmas dinner, middle of NYE party, just getting to bed after a NYE night, the middle of one of my sons birthdays (both in late December) to pull out a dead fish, a coral fell upside down, the system is making a funny noise, etc, etc, etc.

To be honest, now is not the right time to hand over the care of your system. Just get a list of potential companies and in the new year I would start calling around...just bear with it for now. I'm sure that you have 10s of $K in equipment, livestock and time put into where it is now so lets protect that "investment".

Understanding that you are busy, take the time in interviewing the providers and firstly, get a feel for a personality and goal oriented match. Then discuss respective expectations, work list and responsibility as well as liability should things go awry. Get references for those with a similar system set-up. Have a conversation with the referenced person. Before Covid, I would have potential clients meet with my client to talk about what its like having such a system and what its was like working with me as I have nothing to hide.

HTH

 

[Snoopy 67]

No idea about Texas but in NY once a month was the offered schedule. Anything else was not the norm.
You tell the provider what you expect from them when they come so they can estimate the cost.