Wander

How Wander Maintains Luxury-Grade Cleaning and Maintenance Across Every Market

Joanna Pascal profile pictureJoanna PascalMay 15, 2025

Why Local Talent Is Key to the Wander Experience

At Wander, every stay is expected to be luxurious, clean, and consistent. To make that possible, we don’t rely on outsourced, variable vendors. Instead, we invest in recruiting, training, and managing elite local cleaning and maintenance crews in each market.

While other operators face growing pains when expanding, Wander has developed a replicable system to maintain brand standards in every region. Our process includes localized recruiting, in-person onboarding, photo-based audits, and national quality assurance.

This isn’t outsourcing. It’s operational excellence delivered locally.

How Wander Sources and Trains High-Caliber Local Crews

Smart Sourcing

We start with highly targeted recruiting:

  • Facebook Groups, Yelp, Thumbtack, Turno, TaskRabbit

  • Trusted referrals from existing vendors

  • A three-candidate minimum per market

If the homeowner has an existing crew, we often retain them after passing our evaluation.

Interview Process

Our contractor interviews are carefully designed to evaluate more than just cleaning experience. We assess professionalism, communication skills, and the ability to integrate seamlessly into our systems and expectations. Each candidate is interviewed by a member of the onboarding team and assessed across multiple areas:

  • Operational Readiness: Can the crew manage fluctuating turnover schedules, holidays, and quick turnarounds without sacrificing quality?

  • Technical Capability: Are they able to use tech/AI tools?

  • Professional Standards: How do they document services, communicate updates, and handle accountability?

  • Service Customization: Do they understand what deep cleaning entails versus routine service? Can they manage pet fees, special instructions, or linen handling according to our SOP?

We also review their previous client portfolio, pricing models, and responsiveness. The goal is to ensure they’re not just available, but the right cultural and operational fit.

Onsite Test Clean

Before approval, crews must complete an on-site evaluation:

  • Full deep clean with checklist

  • Linen steaming and closet setup

  • Branded items placement

  • Real-time evaluation by a Wander Project Manager

Only those who meet the standard move forward.

Structured Onboarding

Our onboarding SOP ensures full vendor alignment:

  • Welcome message + Slack access

  • In-person training during setup

  • Platform access (WOS)

  • Lockbox and cleaner closet codes

  • SOP walkthroughs and documentation compliance

This structured training creates consistency from day one.

Quality Control Doesn’t End at Onboarding

Photo Review & Guest Feedback

Every cleaning ends with a photo submission reviewed by our internal team. Vendors are also rated based on guest feedback, scored out of 10.

High-scoring teams are rewarded with incentives and additional homes.

Regular Evaluations

  • 30-day post-onboarding check-in

  • 60-day formal performance review by the Property Manager

  • Open feedback loops via Slack

This system ensures ongoing improvement, not just compliance.

Maintenance: The Other Half of Consistent Hospitality

Wander integrates cleaning with preventative maintenance. Every property receives:

Weekly Inspector Visits

  • Timed before guest arrivals

  • Adds a second layer of review to complement post-stay cleanings

  • Uses a 100+ item Preventive Maintenance Outline

The checklist includes HVAC, batteries, grills, locks, balconies, and more. This keeps homes guest-ready and protects long-term asset value.

Seasonal Services

  • Winterization: outdoor plumbing, pool closure, HVAC checks

  • Summerization: landscaping, window prep, and AC inspections

Emergency Preparedness

  • 24/7 concierge and contractor availability

  • Licensed vendors in every market

  • Fast dispatch for urgent issues

  • Collaborative proposals for non-urgent fixes

Reinforcing the Standard: National QA + Incentives

We reinforce quality across our portfolio through:

  • Cross-home vendor audits

  • Recognition and bonuses for 10/10 crews

  • Rolling out background checks for added peace of mind

This creates a culture of pride, ownership, and high performance.

The Result:
Hotel-Grade Quality. Vacation Home Warmth.

Wander delivers a luxury-standard experience no matter where the home is located. Our structured approach to local sourcing, in-person training, preventative care, and continuous quality control ensures every Wander property is clean, safe, and guest-ready.

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