The commercial office cleaning marketplace is a crowded one and often Facility Managers struggle to separate the subpar scammers from the industry professionals because if you don’t know what you are looking for, it can be hard to spot the differences. All too often by the time you can tell that your “professional” cleaning service isn’t up to par, the damage has already been done. Fortunately for you, there are a couple of quick tips that can help discern effective, professional office cleaning services from those companies just looking to make a quick buck.
It's all about people. The backbone of any service based industry is its frontline staff. No matter how good the intentions of your prospective office cleaning service are, it all comes down to how well trained and how well managed their frontline cleaning staff are. Where quality, accountability and efficiency are concerned, you must have very good people. A good starting place for working with any new commercial office cleaning company is to look at what systems they have in place to train and manage their office cleaners. Any professional cleaning service worth its salt will be able to provide detailed and demonstrable examples of how their systems work to assure well trained and well managed cleaning staff that will excel in your facility. Systems and processes help assure reliability through accountability.
The best professional office cleaners have the best office cleaning equipment. Our understanding of the science behind cleaning and disinfection is constantly evolving and so too must the tools. Subpar service providers often have outdated equipment that can do more harm than good and while simple mopping might have been a suitable cleaning solution in the 20th century, the science behind what really works to keep a building clean and healthy has changed drastically. In fact, the CDC created an outline on how bucket and mop cleaning needs to be done to effectively clean surfaces for any given room. The EPA also keeps an up-to-date list on all the effective chemical cleaners and disinfectants as well as their proper storage procedures. If your prospective cleaning service provider isn’t using List N disinfectants, uses poor or outdated cleaning techniques and isn’t using industry appropriate cleaning technology it is time to move on. In today’s day and age, especially with ongoing threats from covid-19, we need to know that office cleaning and office disinfection services are on top of their game.
Experience and attention to detail is a key differentiator between office cleaning service providers. Companies with experience know the little tricks and efficiencies that can help provide a seamless service at a reasonable price. After all, it is called being an industry professional for a reason - you need to have industry experience to service an office building. It’s high traffic and busy environment presents unique challenges for office cleaning service providers. Disinfection often proves to be more difficult as a result of the many touch points and heavy foot traffic as well and cleaners need to be careful not to disrupt the normal flow of work. Attention to detail is what gives a service continuity and professionalism. Little things can pile up quickly, especially in a busy office building, so a company that takes the extra step to solve problems before they get out of hand can make all the difference.
Not only is green cleaning good for the environment, it is good for your staff. Using non-hazardous chemicals reduces risks associated with storing cleaning agents on site and provides a safer workspace for your employees and for your patrons. CIMS and CIMS-GB certified cleaning companies are also able to work with you to earn LEED points to your building eco-friendly goals. More often than not, office cleaning services that provide a certified and reputable green cleaning service have gone above and beyond industry standard to provide an exceptional, and environmentally sound cleaning program.
The commercial office cleaner with the plan is the one you want to go with. Nothing great ever comes from poorly thought through work, especially in a building which you want to try to minimize disruption and downtime in. Having a solid cleaning plan based on regular building functions, timings and needs is the only way to provide consistent service that meets requirements of the building and you as the Facility Manager. Regular professional cleaning is supposed to create a more welcoming, clean and safe environment - something that vacuuming during an important meeting will most certainly not do. When in doubt, the janitorial office services provider that comes to you with a plan is going to be a good decision.
Here at Stathakis, we combine state-of-the-art innovations in office cleaning and care with proven training and industry practices to assure your building looks its best and provides a safe and healthy workplace for your employees and customers. If you need office cleaning services, or for more information on how you can get office disinfection services, contact us at #800-278-1884.