Facility managers: what if you could streamline your workload and exceed your janitorial goals? Regardless of how large your facility is, anyone in an office or facility management position knows that cleaning and maintenance is a big part of the job. It is critical for the public-facing presentation of your company. Also, a well-cared for facility contributes to employee health and productivity.
Finding the right cleaning partner has become an even greater priority for companies during the pandemic. Not only do facility managers feel the weight of keeping everyone in their building healthy and safe, they are also facing increased pressure from customers and tenants to be as transparent as possible about cleaning practices.
Keeping up with all the daily cleaning tasks, seasonal maintenance AND the additional burden of CDC-approved disinfection protocols has led many managers to call in extra help. While hiring additional janitorial staff could be a possibility, it also comes with extra expenses in the form of wages, insurance, benefits and more.
For many managers, the answer to these increased expectations is to hire a commercial cleaning company. If you’re considering outsourcing some or all of your cleaning to a janitorial company, here are some tips on what to look for.
Find a company that offers flexible plans & values your input
You’re looking for a cleaning company that “gets” what’s important to you. Every company has its own strengths and specialities. Cleaning a small office building with a relaxed, homey atmosphere is very different then cleaning a massive data center. Some cleaning companies have no problem pivoting and adjusting their routines to different environments. Others may be a poor fit for your needs.
A key way for facility managers to streamline their workload is to find a quality commercial cleaner who will take the time in a consultation to get to know you and ask a lot of questions about your facility. This is especially important if your building has a special designation (like LEED certification) or other unique needs. Be wary if they only offer a “one-size,” basic cleaning plan or a rigid schedule.
Another question to ask is how they plan to resolve problems and handle service requests. The cleaning company you choose should have a clear action in place to respond to your concerns as quickly as possible. Whatever communication tools they use should be fully transparent and easily trackable. You can’t afford to waste time on phone calls that don’t get answered and emails that go missing.
You’re looking for a cleaning partner who can respond and adapt to the needs of your facility—don’t settle for less!
Ask about seasonal maintenance & speciality services
When you use the term “cleaning company,” most people picture the janitorial staff who come in to clean at night, when the building is empty. This is the sort of regular cleaning routine that is necessary to keep your building presentable on a day-to-day basis. But what’s easy to miss are the less frequent tasks—high dusting, deep carpet cleaning, hard floor refinishing, pressure washing, etc.
Now, you could hire a janitorial company AND a separate speciality cleaner for each of these tasks. But you’ll save a lot of time, energy and stress by hiring one company that can do all these tasks for you. These companies are often referred to as “comprehensive” commercial cleaners.
Even if you already employ daily janitorial staff, you may want to consider hiring a comprehensive commercial cleaning company to handle the deep cleaning, disinfection and other specialty tasks. This offers facility managers the benefit of not having to buy expensive equipment and train their own staff to do difficult and sometimes hazardous tasks.
Ask about same-day & emergency cleaning options
There’s nothing worse than that call at 3:00 a.m. to tell you that something has gone wrong in your building. You’re going to need help cleaning up and you can’t wait until Monday. You need help now.
Emergencies happen in every building and when disaster strikes, you want to be working with a cleaning company who will show up when you need them most. Make sure you ask about their plan for same-day requests. Do they have a guaranteed response time? Is there an after-hours phone number that won’t send you straight to voicemail?
Don’t wait until the pipe breaks or the sewer backs up to find out!
Want to learn more about what we do?
Cleansolution offers a comprehensive range of janitorial and maintenance services for every building, budget and industry. Schedule a consultation with us today and experience the Cleansolution difference!