As a business owner or manager, your office space or showroom gives off the first impression to prospective customers about your business. If your business space teeters on the side of filthy rather than pristine, you stand a good chance of losing valuable business. Plus, an unkempt office can be demoralizing for employees. By maintaining the cleanliness of your business, you impress customers and clients and help boost the spirits of employees.
To keep your business as clean and impressive as possible, a cleaning service is a must. Most companies hire janitorial services rather than an individual, full-time janitor to maintain their premises. Janitorial services can vary, from maid services to full-scale commercial cleaning companies. Of the plentiful options of services, how do you select which janitorial service is best for your company? The following handful of key considerations will help you choose the best cleaning service to regularly maintain the physical cleanliness of your business.
Look for Insured Companies
When searching for the right cleaning service for your business, look for companies with janitorial bonding and general liability insurance. Insurance protects the service from a host of unfavorable possibilities, including property damage, bodily injury, damaged furniture or property and lawsuits.
Most janitorial services are performed after normal business hours. Due to the late-night scheduling, janitorial bonds protect the clients from unethical activities, such as theft of belongings or valuable equipment. Janitorial bonds are simply another form of insurance, known commonly as surety bonds.
Schedule a Visit
Once you’ve selected a handful of options, narrow your choices with a walk thru. Janitorial companies often price their services based on the square footage of the business areas requiring cleaning. However, not all spaces are alike. An office cluttered with cubicles will require a different level of cleaning than a company’s upscale lobby or an executive’s office.
Check References
Get references to back up the company’s claims. Not all janitorial services are identical. Small, startup companies have little knowledge of the industry. Certain cleaning companies are more experienced in residential cleaning as opposed to large-scale commercial cleaning. Even office and commercial cleaning require differing experience levels. Experts recommend choosing a janitorial service that can be backed up with years of professional experience. Quality cleaning companies are more than willing to provide the contact information of satisfied customers. Check these references before you take the next step.
Evaluate Communication
Make sure that the cleaning company’s management is accessible and communicative. When an emergency strikes, you’ll need to contact the janitorial service immediately. In determining the janitorial service that is best for your business, make sure that emergency calls will be answered by your account manager, not an answering service. Direct contact with the cleaning service’s management is preferred, so emergency situations can be treated within hours, not days.
Also evaluate your potential account manager’s responsiveness to complaints. Closed-off or defensive responses should raise a red flag. You’ll want to work with an account manager who is immediately responsive to and compliant with any problems that arise.
Notice how happy cleaning employees are within the company. Are the cleaners friendly and approachable while they are cleaning your business space? A company that treats their employees with consideration is likely to turn out happy employees. In turn, you’re likely to benefit from better work results and less staff turnover—preventing you from having to search for a new vendor.
Consider Pricing
The cost of cleaning varies from company to company. Investigate certain important elements of pricing, using these questions that you may wish to ask a potential cleaning service:
- Are costs billed monthly or hourly?
- Are supplies, chemicals and equipment included in each bill?
- What methods of payment do you accept?
- Are price hikes a possibility?
- Is a contract involved? If so, is it a month-to-month contract or a year-long contract?
- Is a trial period an option? A trial is an effective gauge to determine the level of performance before signing a contract and is a great way to opt out in the event you are dissatisfied with the work.
You often get what you pay for. A cost-effective janitorial service may not always be the best option.
Investigate Quality Control Methods
Most cleaning is done under little or no supervision, as cleaning occurs on the client’s premises. Find out about the level of quality control in the cleaning company in consideration. Is a cleaning checklist a part of the regular routine? Cleaning employees who handle their tasks well understand what is needed of them in each client’s location.
Random or scheduled inspections should be a key element for the janitorial service. Inspections keep cleaning employees on top of their work. Inspections are also an effective way to evaluate the cleaning methods used, discover areas of improvement, and assess the overall state of the cleaned site.
Regular communication with your account manager is necessary to allow for feedback, whether in the form of minor complaints or larger issues. Determine whether the potential janitorial service provides monthly satisfaction surveys or a walk thru of your facility on a quarterly basis.
When you’re looking for a reputable janitorial service to clean your business, look no further than ServiceMaster Contract Cleaning Services. As a trusted cleaning company servicing the Orange City and Sioux Center communities, ServiceMaster Contract Cleaning Services offers dependable and thorough janitorial services. Choose from daily, weekly or monthly cleaning services. The company’s technicians are trained to utilize advanced cleaning equipment to remove dust, bacteria, dirt and VOCs from business spaces. ServiceMaster Contract Cleaning Services professionals work with you to develop the most optimum cleaning plan for your business. Specialists will even discuss what cleaning products and methods you are comfortable with using to cleanse your business space. ServiceMaster Contract Cleaning Services provides janitorial services for a wide range of businesses, from government buildings and schools to healthcare facilities and offices.