When it comes to securing effective, responsive, consistent service from your commercial cleaning company, there is ONE predictor of success you can look at that will reliably determine whether or not you will get what you need for your facility.
- It’s not whether your office cleaning services have the most state-of-the-art cleaning equipment.
- It’s not predicated upon whether your janitorial company offers a green cleaning program.
- It isn’t whether your industrial cleaning services are using technology to your benefit with apps and software to assure quality.
- It doesn’t hinge upon janitorial inspections.
These things are all great and can even make service even more effective, even more responsive and even more consistent. But the single greatest factor in effective service from your cleaning company or facility services company is the people and their people processes.
No matter what kind of commercial cleaning you need for your facility, be it:
- School cleaning services
- Medical cleaning
- Detroit janitorial services
- Industrial janitorial services
- Handyman services
- Commercial office cleaning services
- Medical office cleaning
- Hospital housekeeping
- Michigan school cleaning services
- Premier building maintenance
- Green cleaning
- Housekeeping services
- Commercial floor cleaning
- Day porter services
- National janitorial company
- Restroom sanitation services
- Post construction cleaning
- Facility maintenance
From interviewing to screening to hiring to training to managing and rewarding, the way your janitorial company sees their people makes all the difference.
Let's face it, commercial cleaning isn't really about who has the latest mop or most efficient green cleaning program. Success in the janitorial services industry depends completely on the quality of the team. A building services company’s frontline employees are the face of the janitorial company and responsible for delivering on an office cleaning company’s promises.
So what should you be looking for from your Michigan Janitorial Services Company?
Your medical cleaning or school cleaning company should have a comprehensive hiring process that they can show you, not just tell you.
To begin with, all prospective employees should go through a thorough interview and testing process, including drug screening and criminal background checks.
Your prospective janitorial services company should never hire undocumented workers or take part in illegal subcontracting .
The better Detroit area cleaning companies will even do personality testing in order to find people who are a good fit for both cleaning and customer service. Likewise the better Southeastern Michigan commercial janitorial services complete reference checking and employment verification.
The reality is that the more work a janitorial services company does upfront in vetting prospective employees, the less janitorial turnover they will have which directly impacts your janitorial service and janitorial value.
How does janitorial turnover affect you and your facility?
- It diminishes the value of your commercial cleaning.
- It can cause poor overall quality work.
- It can result in recurrent, unfinished work.
- Janitorial turnover erodes the relationship built between cleaners and customers.
- Too many new people often means damaged equipment and material waste.
- A sea of new faces can result in real and perceived security issues.
- Too much janitorial turnover can lead to a poor reputation that affects employee recruitment.
- Creates significant costs for your janitorial company that are likely passed on to you.
Hiring Processes Are Important, But That’s Not Where It Ends
To provide consistent, effective, individualized service, your janitorial contractor must have a formal training program.
Training should include:
- Restroom Cleaning
- Blood Borne Pathogen training
- Hazcom Communications
- Interior Office Cleaning
- OSHA & other Safety training
- Green Cleaning
Once an employee has been trained, they must be managed. Good people need accountability structures that create reliability and consistency.
The best janitorial contractors also use competitive pay, benefits and employee recognition programs to retain strong employees.
Is Your Prospective Facility Services Company Invested In Finding & Keeping Good People?
Ask your contractor to show you how they find and retain employees.
The janitorial contractors that invest in their People Processes will gladly demonstrate their hiring, screening and training systems.
Strong people processes aren’t a guarantee of great service, but they are the closest predictor you can get.
