The start of a new year offers a blank page of sorts and a chance to get it right.
It’s an opportunity to do it better.
For many Facility Managers, when they look at what area of their work is causing the most problems, it often comes down to their maintenance services.
This can feel like a difficult problem to solve because it’s not under your immediate control.
You rely on the cleaning company you contract with to make good on their promises.
So what is a Facilities Manager to do when their commercial cleaning company isn’t doing enough?
There is no time like now to make a positive change for your facility.
Your New Year’s resolution should start with acknowledging this:
Resolution #1
There are professional, reputable commercial cleaning companies that care about the work they do.
They also have the systems to deliver work that is responsive to your facility’s needs, consistent, and affordable.
Resolution #2
You are paying the bills for a commercial cleaning service either way.
So why not feel satisfied each month knowing the company you work with is earning it by delivering on their promises?
Resolution #3
Finding the right maintenance company isn’t impossible.
The very best commercial cleaning services won’t necessarily cost you more than you are paying now for substandard work.
In fact, many established maintenance companies understand how to work with razor-thin budgets.
Finding a Commercial Cleaning Company That is Committed to Quality Work
While this may not be easy, it isn’t impossible.
The challenge is that there are so many cleaning companies out there.
Wading through them to find the gems can feel exhausting.
In the cleaning industry, over-promising and under-delivering can be common.
Some companies will say anything to get your business, with no real intention of delivering at that level.
Other janitorial companies may genuinely want to do great work.
They simply aren’t equipped with the structure and management needed to follow through.
Great janitorial service depends on three key things.
It requires very good people.
It requires systems to keep those people on track.
And it requires strong management that implements industry best practices and continually raises the bar.
“Great janitorial service is dependent on three things: very good people, the systems to keep these people on track and management in place to keep it running smoothly and implementing industry best practices to continually raise the bar.”
To find the best Michigan commercial cleaning company, ask them to show you, not just tell you, how they get the work done.
Any great cleaning company will have systems for nearly everything.
They should be able to explain how they attract great people and how they screen them.
They should also be able to show how they train teams to deliver consistent, quality work.
The right Michigan cleaning company should offer transparent pricing and a clear work order.
They should also have processes that ensure promised work is actually delivered.
Even the best commercial cleaning companies make mistakes sometimes.
That’s why there must be a clear process for identifying and fixing issues quickly.
Catching missteps early can prevent small mistakes from turning into big problems.
I’m Not Sure I Can Afford Great Commercial Cleaning Services
Far too many Facilities Managers settle for subpar cleaning because they believe great service is outside their budget.
But very good commercial cleaning does not always correlate directly with a higher price.
Because of the wide variety of cleaning company types, pricing can vary dramatically.
Some companies undercut pricing to win your business.
Then they upcharge later or start doing less.
Other companies bid high due to optimism or a poor understanding of what is actually competitive.
This is why commercial cleaning bids can vary tremendously.
And the price often isn’t directly linked to the level of service you’ll receive.
So what can you do as a Facility Manager?
First, demand transparent pricing.
That means you know exactly what you are getting for your dollar.
It also helps you compare multiple building services quotes fairly.
Second, throw out the highest and lowest quotes.
Extremely low bids often mean the work won’t get done properly.
And high bids don’t guarantee great service either.
“What can you as a Facility Manager do? First, demand transparent pricing, that means you know precisely what you are getting for your dollar. Second, throw out the highest quotes and lowest quotes of the bunch as they are likely to be off base.”
Turn Your New Year’s Dreams Into a Reality Faster Than You Expected
So you want to find a great commercial cleaning company that you can afford.
Sounds easy, right?
Not always.
On your own, sorting through good companies, great companies, and downright horrible ones takes time.
It also takes lots of questions and due diligence.
You have to ask to see how each promise is fulfilled.
And you may have to wade through cloudy pricing to get to the truth.
That’s not easy when you already have a full plate.
A simple way to shortcut this process is to shop maintenance services from companies that have achieved industry certification.
One example is the ISSA CIMS certification.
The ISSA is a building services industry organization that offers the CIMS standard.
CIMS stands for Cleaning Industry Management Standard.
It is one of the most rigorous certifications in the industry.
By choosing a Michigan cleaning company that has achieved ISSA CIMS, you reduce your risk.
And you allow the certification process to cover a large portion of the due diligence for you.
Start the New Year Right By Finding a Better Commercial Cleaning Company
Once you realize great cleaning companies exist, that you can afford them, and there is support in finding them, everything gets easier.
There should be nothing standing in the way of you making a positive change for your facility.
Make this one positive change, and your day-to-day job becomes less stressful.
The best Michigan cleaning company will help manage your facility maintenance.
That frees you up to focus on the work that matters most.
“Once you realize that truly great cleaning companies are out there, that you can afford them and there is some help in finding them, there should be nothing standing in the way of you making a positive change for your facility.”
