We are excited to announce the addition of Mitch Hesson to the Stathakis sales team. After our Farmington Hills expansion in April of 2014, our continued growth has created the need for an experienced, customer-focused sales executive who will use our position as the leader in southeast Michigan for quality, safety and value in facility services to bring our specific value proposition to more and more customers.

Here at Stathakis, we are committed to giving our customers the best people and Mitch is an important part of that commitment. Mitch’s extensive experience in facilities services and his customer-centered philosophy make him uniquely qualified to identify, present to and bring new customers in under the Stathakis umbrella of building services and create the lasting partnerships with customers we are known for. As Mitch himself noted,

“I always approach a customer or business opportunity with honesty and integrity. It doesn’t matter what you're selling, your product or service must provide real value to the customer. It must meet an unfulfilled need or solve a problem. If it doesn’t, then I tell them and walk away. I also believe you must be passionate about the product or service you offer. Customers sense your confidence in your offer and only then will trust you with their business.”

Stathakis understands that great service must begin with great people, but finding those people that are the best fit isn’t always an easy or quick process. Director of Business Development, Brian Mamo told us,

“We went through an extensive search to find the right person. And we passed on a number of individuals who were close, but not quite right for what we really required at this time. We needed someone that would fit our brand and philosophy. That individual needed to possess a great attitude, work ethic and solid experience in this industry that would serve our existing and new customers. Mitch was a natural fit but we still ran him through the paces. He was able to show us what he is capable of and not just tell us and I think he is a great fit for our organization and we are happy to have him.”  

Before joining Stathakis, Mitch worked as a facilities services sales executive for a janitorial supply company and most recently with Cintas Corp., selling facilities services, cleaning products and services. This experience prepared him for the lofty goals and high expectations Stathakis has for their team members. Mitch has a natural talent and a passion for working with people, discovering what they need and then partnering in a targeted way to deliver. As Mitch told us,

“I really admire the Stathakis commitment to the customer. In fact, my primary goal is always to identify how Stathakis can solve a problem. Uncovering a prospects business objectives and pain points is the critical first step in matching our solutions to their needs. Engaged conversations, facility tours, and relationship building provide the passion for long-term partnerships. A good “salesperson” must first listen to the customer. Nobody wins if the customer’s real needs are not identified. Then, the right solutions need to be implemented. Each customer has unique challenges that keep them up at night. It is my job to show them how our processes can truly solve their problem.“

Likewise, with nearly 25 years of time spent working with businesses in a sales and marketing capacity, Mitch understands the pressures businesses face to cut costs, improve efficiencies and negotiate partnerships that offer real value. His drive to provide customers with real solutions customized to their individual needs makes Mitch skilled at helping us deliver the individual service we are so proud of here at Stathakis.

For his own part, Mitch has expressed excitement at working with new customers within an organization that works hard to create both a culture of and reputation for excellence. As Mitch told us,

“Chris Stathakis, CEO, has really established a clear vision for our growth. He has invested heavily in processes that help the customer. Everything is customer focused. CIMS, the vigorous certification process, gives our customers the confidence in knowing we do things right, every time. Our proprietary Quality Chex system ensures we are always exceeding our customers’ expectations. Lastly, we go to great lengths to make sure we hire the right people, and place those people at the right location performing the right duties. Because of these processes, customers see real value in the services we provide. “

But where do Mitch and his philosophy of business fit in with the Stathakis standard? Asked this very question Mitch gives us this example,

“I put my cellphone number on my business card. Sales reps I have worked with in the past have asked, ‘why would you do that, you will get nothing but customer complaints and annoying calls.’ I disagree. I feel its important to the customer to know that if they have questions, concerns, complaints, and sometimes even praise, they can contact me directly. As the salesperson, I am the first contact, the first relationship they build with the company. They put their trust in me first. I always want to keep that relationship with the customer.”

Mitch is originally from Sterling Heights, Michigan where he attended Bishop Gallagher High school later attending the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor on a baseball scholarship. Mitch now calls Rockwood home where he lives with his wife of 22 years, Jennifer. They have four children Patrick (17), Kyle (16), Claire (14), John (11) and an Aussie Shepard named Callaway that keep them busy. Mitch shared with us that outside of work, most of his time is spent at his kids’ sporting events with each of them active in a variety of sports – baseball, softball, golf, tennis, and basketball. Both for pleasure and their team travel, Mitch and Jennifer travel quite often.

Is Bigger Better When It Comes To Medical Office Cleaning?

Medical office cleaning is a good deal more complex than general commercial cleaning and thus, finding the right medical janitorial services to care for your health care facility is critical. It could be that you have multiple facilities or a very large medical complex and given that, are considering national janitorial services. Maybe you think you need more than a local commercial cleaning company can offer you. And sure, there may be certain scenarios where a national janitorial service might be the better option—like you have locations in several states and need a single, central provider. But understand this—bigger does not necessarily equal better. All the varying size and types of janitorial companies have their own advantages and disadvantages. The real question is, how do they line up with the needs of your facility or facilities?

Healthcare Cleaning Is Different

Healthcare cleaning services are very different than general office cleaning for a number of reasons. You need a healthcare cleaning company that understands the requirements of medical cleaning. You deserve to find a janitorial services company that understands the regulations and compliance issues connected to healthcare cleaning. The right local Michigan janitorial company or national cleaning company must comprehend how their work contributes to HCAHPS scores. Likewise, they must be well versed on the science behind cleaning. And any professional building maintenance company that wants to draw medical cleaning customers should have in place a detailed and observable training system for both general office cleaning, medical office cleaning, hospital cleaning and other salient training like OSHA, HIPPA, & Blood borne Pathogens. Anything less from your janitorial company could spell disaster.

Do Hospital Cleaning Services Require A National Cleaning Company?

So you might be thinking given the complexity of healthcare cleaning that a National cleaning company might be what you and your healthcare facility require. Compliance and training are not exclusive to national janitorial companies. In fact, sometimes national janitorial contractors are so large, so spread out and even so reliant on subcontracting that they come with a host of potential issues and impediments you haven’t even thought about. So maybe national janitorial company isn’t for you but you know your facility is too large and complex for a small business. There is a middle ground between giant national janitorial company and ‘Mom & Pop” operation and that is the large local Michigan janitorial company.

What’s Better When It Comes To Healthcare Cleaning Services?

First, let’s define better when it comes to janitorial services. Most Facilities Managers might consider better to be a janitorial company that:

• Has very good people that are trained to succeed and lower than average janitorial turnover.
• Has clear janitorial pricing that is simple to understand and compare cleaning quotes.
• Listens to what you need and customizes service around that.
• Works with you to assure compliance across the board.
• Utilizes quality assurance measures to create reliability through accountability.
• Makes it easy to know who your point person is when there’s a problem.
• Gets back to you quickly when an issue comes up.
• Cares about your facilities and works hard to keep your business not just get the contract.

Contracting for medical office cleaning or hospital cleaning isn’t a one-time business transaction. It is an ongoing business relationship that will determine the state of your facility and thus impact nearly every other element of business in one way or another, from your image as a reputable health care facility to the quality of healthcare providers you attract. Everything else being equal, who would you rather partner with, a monolithic national janitorial service set up in another state or a large, local Michigan neighboring business? The relationship between you, your employees, and your janitorial service is an important one. A local Michigan janitorial company has its fingers on the pulse of the local community and is better equipped to find, hire and manage the best people.

Medical Cleaning Companies: How Local And National Compare With Buying Power

When we examine several service measures across the varying provider options, we can see how they stack up. For instance, a national janitorial service will likely have significant buying power where supplies like paper goods are concerned and they may or may not pass this savings on to you the customer. A large Michigan commercial cleaning company will also benefit from considerable buying power with cleaning supplies and stock supplies. They are often more willing to pass these savings along to their customers so as to be more competitive in their pricing. A small local cleaning company will likely offer little if any buying power due to small purchases of recurring supplies.

Can Local Medical Office Cleaning Companies Offer You Flexibility & Perks?

Finding a janitorial services company with organizational flexibility and an ample menu of services can get you more individualized, responsive service and save you money and time on future repairs, maintenance and special services. It is infinitely easier to use an existing contractor you already trust to handle minor repairs or special projects. A huge, national janitorial service will likely have the ability to offer you a variety of services beyond the basics. Furthermore, they may have organizational flexibility but it can be challenging to work out how to get what you need swiftly. A large yet local Michigan janitorial service likely offers a wide assortment of both basic and more specialized services. Similarly, their smaller size allows them added creativity and innovation with regard to problem-solving-- because they simply are not hemmed in by the rules and red tape a national janitorial service must get through. The right large, local commercial cleaning company has the capacity to attune their services to fit your needs. Smaller ‘Mom & Pop’ type cleaning companies do not usually offer services outside of basic cleaning meaning you will have to contract with additional vendors for specialty maintenance services.

Can A Local Janitorial Services Company Offer You Flexible Staffing?

Staffing flexibility can be a huge bonus if you have a business, like school cleaning for instance, that has a seasonal cycle. When looking at janitorial companies and size, it is important to balance what you need with what they offer. For instance, do they have enough people to meet your changing needs? Will they be able to add staff when you need it yet find work for those team members when you no longer need the extra set of hands? With staffing flexibility, large local janitorial companies often shine. With large, qualified staff on-site, they are usually best at offering flexibility when you need more or less people servicing your facility. Typically small cleaning operations simply cannot meet variable staffing requirements. If you need to down shift services, a small cleaning company now has more people than they have work. And when you need more help, they simply don’t have the people to temporarily shift people power to meet your facility’s needs.

Local Versus National Janitorial Companies & Their Impact On The Local Economy

National janitorial companies hire cleaners here in Michigan but beyond front line employees, their jobs and dollars go somewhere else. Made in Michigan companies hire Michiganites and they keep their dollars right here in Michigan. There is no doubt that local companies benefit the local economy. Everything else being equal, working with other Michigan businesses is good for our state.

Does A National Cleaning Company Attract & Retain The Right People?

A national janitorial service will likely have a adequate set up when it comes to employee hiring and screening but like so many massive national companies, fostering loyalty with employees and creating a responsive, engaging work environment can be difficult. A mid to large size cleaning company quite often will have developed systems to find, screen and manage a great team. Like the national janitorial companies, they will offer benefits but they also have greater access to a network of local labor. And like a smaller local company, they are capable of building loyalty and attracting great people through a strong local presence and reputation.

You The Customer: How National Janitorial Services & Local Janitorial Services Stack Up

National janitorial companies can replace business as fast as they lose it. With so many areas to draw new business from it can be hard to garner the kind of service from them you really deserve. A large local Michigan janitorial services company has just one area to draw new business from and it is finite. If a local business burns through customer after customer, it is only a matter of time before they get a reputation for sub par service. With that in mind, the best Michigan commercial cleaning companies will work hard to earn your business, keep your business and safeguard their reputation. And while a smaller cleaning company will certainly value you as a customer they may not be able to deliver what larger accounts need. Likewise, when small companies handle larger customers, they often become precariously dependent on one client to keep their business above water.

Medical Janitorial Services Are A Critical Part Of Care

Like many large corporations, getting in contact with the person who handles issues and problems when they come up can be tough. And getting the responsiveness and individual service you deserve can be difficult if you don’t know who is in charge or cannot if you can’t get in contact with a human who can get you what you need. On the other hand, a large local janitorial company offers the ideal blend of personal responsiveness and operational responsiveness. You will likely know your point of contact by name and can even contact upper management when necessary going up the food chain t address an issue or concern. This responsiveness and attunement can equate to really great service. Quality healthcare cleaning is a critical part of care and thus, finding the right company to partner with is an important part of securing the future and health of your medical facility.

The Kansas City Royals just won the World Series this past week. The fan parade was so big that people trying to get home finally gave up on traffic, exited their cars and joined the parade. It was their first World Series win in 30 years, that’s not nothing. Sometimes the teams no one expects to win show up ready, put their heart into it and pull out a victory. The Royals lost the 2014 World Series. Maybe coming so close but not quite was enough to spur them on. Maybe it’s a combination of talent, hard work, timing and luck but they did it, they were better, good for them.

What do the Royals have to do with janitorial services? Well, they really cleaned up the field, ba-dum-bump. I guess the point is that sometimes the guys you expect to be the best are, and sometimes they aren’t. In the janitorial services industry, sometimes Facility Managers and owners look at national janitorial services and assume that if there were to be a 2015 World Series of Janitorial Services & Facility Maintenance, the national janitorial companies would be a shoe in. But much like baseball, the biggest franchises, the most heavily resourced, monolithic organizations don’t always have their heart in the game. And in the janitorial services business, as a service business, having your heart in the game matters.

A quick look at a number of the national janitorial companies websites can give you an indication of where their heart really lies. A quick look at the website of a large national cleaning company is filled with headlines and banners that read:

Company announces comprehensive strategy & transformation initiative to enhance shareholder value

Company to webcast investor day

Shareholder Earning’s Releases & Report

2014 Annual report to shareholders

Shareholder dividend reinvestment program 

Company names Board of Directors

Company completes the sale of a part of their business they don’t want anymore

Company rebrands division XYZ

And of course, there is a great little widget on the sidebar with NYSE stock daily trading highs and lows. For better or for worse, this is the where the heart of a national janitorial company lies. The heart wants what it wants and in this case, it’s shareholders. Now that’s not to say that a national janitorial company  won’t ever deliver good service, because that’s not true. They will, in the course of providing a return for their shareholders. In this instance, a desire for profitability and return will drive some practices that benefit the customer but don’t forget, the customer is still not the focus. And as is often the case, publicly traded companies by the very legal definition of a corporation, are beholden first to their shareholders, never to their customers, employees or communities.

What’s the point, local commercial cleaning companies are good and national janitorial companies are bad? Of course, it’s not that simple, but I will say that local janitorial services hold their customers at the center of their operations. As a large local Michigan janitorial company, Stathakis can’t build our business just anywhere. We can’t replace unhappy customers in another state or trading area. We do business here in southeastern Michigan and as such, our customers and our reputation must matter or we’d be out of customers and out of business before too long. That’s not the case with national cleaning companies, if they burn through an area because of bad service or a poorly run organization, they can shutter that division or franchise and move on to greener pastures.

Now everyone wants great service but here’s another reality, size matters. Local is great but for large facilities with complex cleaning and maintenance needs, a ‘one man and a van’ or ‘mom & pop’ janitorial company is not going to be the right solution. It is here where Stathakis, and companies like us really shine. We are big enough to offer most of the same benefits a large, national cleaning company would with the heart and soul of a smaller, locally owned company. The heart of our business is our customers, our employees and our community and it shows in everything we do. That isn’t lip service, it’s true. We grew up here in Michigan, we live here, our children live here, our neighbors and friends and we have been, and continue to be committed to contributing to the health and stability of our local communities. From providing quality, responsive janitorial services to offering our neighbors jobs, we think Michigan matters.

You won’t find shareholder or stock information on our website, so what will you find? You will see profiles of our people, we think they are pretty great. You will find information about how janitorial pricing works and how to make it work for you because we think transparent, upfront pricing is fair and helps you as a Facility Manager find the best value. You’ll find information about ISSA CIMS, or the Cleaning Industry Management Standard because we are proud of this certification and proud of being an industry leader here in Michigan and throughout the country. You’ll find guides and reports on premier building maintenance, medical cleaning services, day porters, industrial janitorial services, commercial handyman services, restroom cleaning services and school cleaning services because these are areas we serve and we know good information can help our customers and future customers.

Unlike a one-time business transaction like buying a television or a pair of shoes , your janitorial services company and you will have an ongoing business relationship based upon service. Who would you rather partner with, a big national janitorial service doing business from another state or a neighboring local Michigan company capable of meeting your needs?

If you need help finding a local Michigan janitorial services company that will deliver the facility maintenance you need with the budget you have, let us here at Stathakis help you. From day porter programs to commercial handyman services to medical office cleaning services and industrial cleaning, Stathakis is a professional facilities services company with a track record of quality service and industry best practices. Facility manager’s throughout Michigan have come to depend on us to take a little of their plate and make doing there jobs at least a little easier by doing ours.

Local Matters When It Comes to Janitorial Services

Everything else being equal, buying local matters. We often tend to think of ‘buying local’ as visiting our farmer’s markets, shopping the stores that line our main streets over big box retailers and frequenting family owned restaurants and shops. But buying local applies to our industries and service businesses too. In fact, as our state has seen in recent times of economic slump and stagnation, using our Michigan dollars to invest in our local businesses can make all of the difference in keeping our local and state economies healthy and robust. The reality is keeping valuable revenue in our state has a significant impact on every person who calls Michigan home. When we keep our business and dollars right here in our local community, there are a number of benefits from tax revenue to cleaning service jobs to economic and community stability and more. But how does this goal of buying local mesh with your business? Of course, you’d like to keep Michigan dollars firmly planted here in Michigan but as a Facility Manager you must balance a drive to do the right thing with budget, the responsibilities of your job and the health of your business. So, when it comes to finding a reliable building services company be it a Day Porter service, an office cleaning company, an industrial cleaning company or even medical office cleaning services, how can you establish if using local cleaning services in Michigan could offer you and your facility advantages over a national janitorial company? Can you do the right thing and meet both your business objectives and your desire to advance your home state of Michigan?

Partnering With Cleaning Companies in Michigan Is Good For Business
You do not need to contract with a national janitorial company to get premier building maintenance. Bigger is better in janitorial services only up to a point, and then it either levels out or can even become a hindrance to quality, responsive professional janitorial service. Large national janitorial companies have a single advantage and that is servicing businesses with locations throughout the country that require a single point of contact for janitorial services. If that isn’t something your business needs, you are quite often going to get optimal pricing, value and attentive, responsive service from cleaning services Michigan. But some of the cleaning companies in Michigan are going to be far too small for you if you run a large facility or multiple facilities. In this case, a large, local Michigan janitorial service will likely be your best bet for the best janitorial services. Whether you need medical office cleaning or you’re just looking for clean restrooms for a change, cleaning services Michigan can boil down to the idea of the big fish in a small pond adage.

With an overstuffed, national janitorial company, you and your facility are always going to be a small fish in a huge pond. Even if national janitorial companies want to deliver responsive, personalized, agile service, they simply are not set up to do it. To follow the analogy, a large national cleaning company simply has so many ponds from which to fish that it is far easier for them to replace lost business than cleaning services in Michigan. Sometimes bigger is in fact better, but when it comes to commercial cleaning and janitorial services, accountability and a sense of ownership is often missing from a national cleaning company.

The Battle Between National Janitorial Companies & Cleaning Companies in Michigan
There’s a fine line between too big and big enough. While the big, national janitorial companies come with some equally big disadvantages, size does matter. If you run a large facility or multiple facilities, the little mom & pop shops and small or newer operations are not going to be right for you. Like any other business, cleaning, clean restrooms, janitorial, commercial handyman services, office cleaning, medical cleaning and the like take a certain amount of know how and experience. Those companies that are more established and experienced will likely offer better servicing and even janitorial pricing. You need a Michigan commercial cleaning company big enough to offer all of the services you need and price breaks that only large companies can qualify for. You also need a professional janitorial service that is agile and responsive to you’re the changing needs of your facility and even your job duties as a Facility Manager.

This is where a large local Michigan janitorial company really delivers. When you get janitorial services that are both large and local, you get nearly all of the benefits of both a national janitorial company AND a Michigan commercial cleaning companies. A janitorial services company Michigan that is large, established AND local offers a number of critical advantages over one-man local operations, mom & pop operations and the colossal, impersonal national cleaning companies. How does that translate into gains for you and your facility? The best janitorial services companies in Michigan are those that have remained in business long enough to really learn and grow. These commercial cleaning companies have likely worked out many services and janitorial pricing problems that plague smaller office cleaning companies and others. With larger local Michigan cleaning companies, you get to benefit from the larger purchasing power of the big guys with the responsiveness and accountability of the local guys. The best janitorial services should have a large trained team, which can mean reduced delays or issues for you the customer.

Choose the Best Cleaning Services In Michigan & Help Your Facility & Our State
Distinct from a single business transaction like purchasing a phone or a head of lettuce, you and your cleaning services Michigan will be a part of a continuing business in the delivery of a service. Who is going to be better in an ongoing relationship, national janitorial companies or a competent, experienced Michigan janitorial service? Local Michigan commercial cleaning contractors keep cleaning service jobs, management jobs and revenue right here in Michigan. So perhaps have decided to keep your dollars local and want cleaning services in Michigan, from Michigan. How can you find the right professional janitorial service and avoid getting stuck with a subpar, unprofessional or inexperienced cleaning company? There is no shortage of commercial cleaning companies, even right here within the state. And yet, finding the gem in the pile can be challenging at best, a nightmare of choices at worst. There is a lot of variance in the level of quality and professionalism out there so how do you as a Facility Manager sharpen your discernment tools and find a great Michigan commercial cleaning company? There are a few key factors that can help determine which cleaning services in Michigan will truly meet your needs.

What to Look For to Find the Best janitorial services in Michigan
Your starting point should always be to examine your janitorial services ideas, practices and systems regarding their people. As a service business, your Michigan cleaning company is dependent upon their front line employees to deliver your services. How they find them, screen them, train them and treat them all matter. The janitorial industry is plagued with janitorial turnover so look for those Michigan cleaning companies with a lower than average janitorial turnover. Additionally, try to find an office cleaning company or industrial cleaning company that is responsive. Cleaning isn’t as black and white as many people might at first imagine, it takes communication, time, fine-tuning and systems to insure your facility maintenance and janitorial are customized to what you really need. So you need a Michigan janitorial company with procedures and systems in place to assure success. The best cleaning companies will likewise present transparent pricing that makes it possible for you to compare janitorial pricing and cleaning quotes to find the best value.

Janitorial industry certifications like the ISSA CIMS or Cleaning Services Management Standard can offer a bit of a shortcut when it comes to choosing from prospective commercial cleaning companies. The ISSA’s CIMS certification offers committed professional janitorial companies the opportunity to demonstrate adherence with best practices in their industry by meeting benchmarks and standards set by the ISSA and janitorial industry leaders. The CIMS is one of the most rigorous and difficult certifications so when you see that a company has achieved it, you know that they are serious about their business AND your business. Developing your shortlist of commercial cleaning companies from those janitorial service providers and cleaning services that have achieved the CIMS certification will assist you in eliminating many of the ‘faker’ from the bunch and give you the best chance at finding an affordable local Michigan cleaning company that will deliver value for you and your facility.

It's no accident that Brian Mamo ended up at Stathakis. In fact, as CEO Chris Stathakis tells us, “It was only a 22 year courting process to get Brian to join our team!” Chris Stathakis was one of Brian’s banking clients and had the opportunity to experience his passion and honesty first hand. This relationship ultimately led to inviting Brian to lead the Sales and Business Administration teams at Stathakis. 

So when Brian Mamo joined Stathakis five years ago, he brought with him more than twenty years of customer service expertise in the business banking world. His strength has always been in developing partnerships with clients to earn their trust, giving him the opportunity to work closely inside their businesses. Today Brian practices his problem solving philosophy at Stathakis where he is providing Building Service solutions for clients to foster healthy and clean work environments.

We sat down with Brian recently to ask him to comment on some of the changes the industry and commercial cleaning has seen over the last few years, reflect on Stathakis and his role in the company’s growth and give our Stathakis customers a chance to get to know a little more about him.

Brian was born and raised in Dearborn Heights, Michigan and now resides in Farmington Hills with his wife Laurie and their four children: Evan, Erica, Ryan and Carson. Brian graduated with a Business degree from the University of Michigan. As Director of New Business Development at Stathakis, Brian is responsible for building new client relationships, something he takes very seriously. When asked what he believes is the most critical element of bringing on a new customer, Brian said, “Solve their problems. I have always been more interested in solving client problems than selling them something. Working on the Stathakis team, I have been given the tools to do exactly that.”

Brian spreads most of his work day between his Stathakis team and prospective customers. As he tells us, “I like meeting with new customers and customers who are considering letting us help them. It is talking with people face to face that I can really find out how we can best help them. I’m always up for submitting a cleaning bid or getting a proposal out to someone, but getting face to face and really digging into what an individual Facility Manager needs? That’s our chance to turn things around for them. The more time we spend talking to the people who need us most, the better we can customize what we offer. I think that’s what makes us different.”

When asked about what kind of things are in place at Stathakis to help support Brian and his team, he told us,” I would say what is often the deciding factor between us and another janitorial company is our technology. With our proprietary QualityChex app and other programs like Salesforce, Kwantec and TEAM, we have the systems in place to deliver on our promises to the customer. Most of us in this business want to do the things we say we will, here at Stathakis, we do just that. We use technology to create reliability through accountability.”

Brian also cited Stathakis’ CIMS Certification as another huge advantage. “CIMS means we’ve already jumped through some pretty challenging hoops to prove we are pros and many of our customers and prospective customers know this. At Stathakis, we are committed to doing whatever it takes to be better, faster, more affordable, more responsive and I think that healthy competition between those companies really operating at the highest level drives everyone in our industry to get better.”

Brian tells us that he feels really passionate about helping Stathakis grow. “I love having so much responsibility for the growth of the company. Growing the company provides jobs to people and allows employees to expand their horizons in the company. Being a part of that is great.”  

When asked what he think are some of the biggest issues facing Facility Managers right now, Brian told us, “Facility Managers are faced with decreasing budgets while maintaining or increasing the cleanliness of their facilities. They spend way too much time on complaints from their employees and most of the Facility Managers I’ve spoken with would like for their cleaning companies to do an effective job caring for their facilities so as to avoid internal complaints. We asked Brian how he helps Facility Managers address their biggest issues. Brian said, “We work with them to come up with a plan that meets their budget and their needs. Then we manage that cleaning program effectively so they will not get complaints. This makes their lives easier, it’s that simple. Or for example, we had one customer that was hiring in-house cleaners. Now that’s really tough because it’s essentially doing two jobs, yours and mine. She did it for about six months and she just could not handle the call offs, turnover and the time it too to manage the staff. We won the bid, provide a great service to her and now she is free to focus on her day to day work and other important issues.”

While Brian has noticed a trend toward thinner margins and lower prices, he has witnessed many companies going back to the drawing board after contracting with the cheapest bid only to realize the value was missing. “Look, everyone wants a good deal, I think that’s human nature and the reality of business. Still, sometimes cheap is poor and there are certainly instances where paying just a little bit more gets you so much. I want to give someone a price that fits their needs but not at the expense of being able to do what I have promised. Cut the price too much and most janitorial companies will either do less or try to tack on added charges to recover their costs. I’d rather be up front about costs from the beginning than spring it on someone later.”

Stathakis has grown from a small business run out of a garage to a large building services contractor employing nearly 500 people. We probed Brian about challenges and advantages that go hand in hand with a large, professional organization like Stathakis. He had this to say, “Like any service business I’m guessing, we have to really work at finding the right people for the jobs. Many of our employees are working a second job at night. The margins are tight in our industry, labor accounts for 70% of our costs and that can keep wages low. Still, finding good people is critical and it’s where we spend a great deal of our time because the right fit means more effective service, which we then support with systems that hold all of us, from the top down, accountable. As far as advantages? Being a larger company allows us to partner with larger companies. We have the ability to hire quicker, order more equipment and quickly help our operations department get their plans in place. We couldn’t do that if we weren’t so well-resourced.”

When asked what sets Stathakis apart from other companies in the same industry, Brian responded, “We are different because of the technology we use, especially with QualityChex inspections. Our CIMS Certification is huge especially with the automotive and manufacturing industry. Our professional sales approach and our professional operations approach, Facility Managers can see we operate at a whole other level.”

When asked what advice he would give to a Facilities Manager about to embark on the search for a new cleaning company, Brian had this to say, “Ask them how they came up with their costs. How many cleaners? How many hours? Who will be supervising? Who will my contact be? Do they have an inspection program? Are they CIMS certified? How long is the contract? Is there a 30 day out clause? What chemicals do they use? What type of equipment and is it new or used? What is the cleaning program? Do they have a rag system? Any commercial cleaning company that has taken the time to professionalize how they run and conduct business will be happy to tell you and show you.”

Outside of work, Brian likes to coach and play sports with his kids. “It helps me stay in shape mentally and physically.” He looks for opportunities to spend time with his family and friends and enjoys traveling. Of course, as a graduate of the University of Michigan, he cheers for the University of Michigan and the home teams. On a final note, Brian told us, “I believe humor is still very good medicine. We as a society are getting too stressed out and every minute of every day is filled with challenges. We need to remember to have fun and keep in mind that things are probably not as important as we think.”    

While finding the right industrial and manufacturing cleaning company can consist of weeding through the good the bad and the ugly, with the right information and planning, you can find the right company at the right price. Stathakis operates right here in South Eastern Michigan delivering first-rate commercial industrial cleaning and maintenance services to our neighboring businesses. We are the largest Michigan-based janitorial service, building maintenance and painting services company, providing a single source for all your industrial and manufacturing facility services. We understand what is most important to you: compliance, safety and value.

Our business is specifically designed to address the #1 concern of today's building and facility managers by balancing high quality work with the fiscal reality of tight budgets. A professional, well-executed job paired with above-board business practices are some of the reasons that the average Stathakis customer has been with us for over 7 years - unheard of in our industry. We are CIMS-GB certified, the equivalent to ISO and other certifications, in order to offer you the best service at the best value.

If you want the best services for your plant, factory or facility delivered with value and responsiveness, please contact us and we can work with you to put together a clear, straightforward, workable plan for your individual facility. To get started putting together an effective industrial cleaning plan with Stathakis, please contact Brian Mamo toll free at 1-800-278-1884.

Does your janitorial company need to clean up their act? Are they slacking on consistency? Are you getting fuzzy math and unclear pricing on your cleaning bids? Is your janitorial service a revolving door of new hires and high janitorial turnover? Does your commercial cleaning company claim to be green and utilize green cleaning but they are more talk than action? Has your national janitorial company gotten sloppy with service and responsiveness? How can you as a Facility Manager know what you should expect from your janitorial company and when to tell your facilities services company to clean up their act!

Cleaning Up Inconsistent Service From Your Janitorial Company

When we talk to Facility managers, one of the things we hear quite a bit is that their janitorial services begin good enough but within a few months or even weeks, the service often becomes inconsistent at best poor at worst. Whether you need a hospital cleaning service, office cleaners or you just want clean restrooms; you and your facility deserve consistent service from your janitorial company. Why do so many janitorial and cleaning companies fail to deliver consistent, responsive service? Often it comes down to a lack of systems. Most of us want to do a good job but wanting to doesn’t translate into consistent action. Systems helpless guarantee reliability through accountability. And we are not just talking about a duties checklist. For great janitorial service delivery, systems should include regular inspections that help communicate and facilitate improvement between you the customer and the frontline cleaners. Systems should include an easy way for you the customer to communicate with your janitorial company in a way that gets your needs met quickly. Great systems will also take advantage of technology driven solutions like apps, like QualityChex and other real-time reporting tools.

Cleaning Up Fuzzy Math & Cloudy, Confusing Pricing From Your Commercial cleaning

Whether you are considering commercial cleaning prices or cleaning bids, commercial cleaning pricing should be transparent and clear. Shopping commercial cleaning services is hard enough without fuzzy math and cloudy pricing making it even tougher. Transparent pricing allows you to compare apples to apples to find the best value in your Michigan cleaning services. Likewise, janitorial pricing is so critical because if you don’t have a clear map of what you get for what you are buying, neither you nor your cleaning company can truly measure success. Whether you are in the market for medical cleaning, industrial cleaning, hospital cleaning or school cleaning, you deserve to know precisely what you are buying. All too often, janitorial pricing is unclear because your custodial services either are not experienced enough to understand how to accurately price their services or you are dealing with a Detroit commercial cleaning company who purposefully clouds their pricing to make it difficult for you to compare their cleaning bid with others.

Cleaning Up People Issues Within Your Building Maintenance Company

People are the single greatest asset in any service-based company. You can have all the great systems, green cleaning products, high-tech cleaning equipment but without good people, it’s essentially useless. How does your building maintenance company get very good people? First the hiring process must be stringent. The best school cleaning companies, office cleaning companies and even industrial janitorial services go beyond the minimum when it comes to employee screening, Criminal background checks, drug testing and more to make sure that the people In your facility should really be there. Whether it’s your office cleaners or your day porters, your commercial cleaning company must do everything they can to staff your facility with great people. On top of screening, your janitorial services in Michigan must put time and money into training their people. Training takes good employees and makes them truly effective. Finally, your janitorial company must provide management support and feedback to help drive continuous improvement.

Cleaning Up Green Cleaning Claims From A Professional Janitorial Service

According to some estimates, institutional cleaning uses as much as 6 billion pounds of formulated chemicals. Commercial buildings alone can churn through 4.5 billion pounds of hand towels and toilet tissue, much of the chlorine-bleached, virgin pulp variety, and over 30 billion plastic trash bags annually. But much of that is changing as facilities, facility managers and commercial cleaning companies alike look to make the kind of changes in their processes and products that really add up. Green cleaning — using products and processes that reduce the environmental and health effects of housekeeping on both the indoor and outdoor environments — is catching on with industrial cleaning, school cleaning, factory cleaning, office cleaning and medical and hospital cleaning in part because janitorial companies and their customers look to balance cost and environmental concerns. The challenge is that as facility managers clamor for green cleaning, many Facilities services company say they are green with little or no follow through in actual practices.

What kinds of things really matter when it comes to green cleaning and your janitorial company? Well, it’s the big things and the little things. Of course recyclable paper products and green cleaning chemicals are a must. But other things like the use of backpack vacuums, low moisture carpet cleaning, exact amount product dispensary and Smart cleaning measures like emptying trash receptacle without changing the plastic bag when possible, all add up. If your janitorial service has a green cleaning program, ask to see it first hand. Green cleaning claims should also be substantiated by observable training systems because for all the great products and processes, if no one knows how to use them or follow them, there might as well not be a green cleaning program at all.

Will You Get The Best Service From A Local Michigan Janitorial Company Or National Cleaning Companies?

There are certainly both good and bad National janitorial companies just as there are both good and bad local janitorial services in Michigan. Whether you are in search in Auburn Hills janitorial service or even commercial handyman services, local is a better choice for number reasons. First, it keeps janitorial jobs in Michigan. Local businesses are committed to their local communities and keep jobs and tax revenue right here In Michigan. National janitorial companies operate throughout the country meaning no matter how large your account is, it is likely going to be difficult to get the responsive, personalized service you and your facility deserve. Additionally, national janitorial services primarily focus on securing huge profit returns because the serve their shareholders first. It’s this mindset that drives everything they do, not a commitment to quality service or a great reputation within your community. Whether you are looking for Day porter service, hospital cleaning, school cleaning or general office cleaning, A large local Michigan janitorial company can secure nearly all of the benefits in national janitorial company can with the level of responsive personalized service in national janitorial company will have a difficult time executing.

Can You Clean Up With A CIMS Certified Commercial Cleaning Company In Michigan

Professional industry certification like the ISSA’s Certified Industry Management System, (CIMS), demonstrate a cleaning companies commitment to both professionalization and industry best practices. CIMS certification is held up as one of the most demanding and difficult levels of certification offered. The CIMS standard includes:

• Quality Systems: A framework to ensure effective operations & continuous improvement
• Service Delivery: Processes & systems in place to deliver consistent, quality service
• Human Resources: Best practices for managing any service industry’s greatest asset—their people
• Health, Safety, & Environmental Stewardship: Ensuring regulatory compliance, workplace safety, and health and environmental management
• Management Commitment: Establishing our Mission, Vision, and Values and ensuring that the organization's continuity is secured. 

CIMS certification offers tremendous benefits to you as a facility manager whether you are in search of healthcare cleaning services, Hospital cleaning services for any kind of building maintenance services. Even membership into professional organizations like the BSCAI show a competency and engagement that predict solid service delivery.

If you are not getting the level of service you deserve from your janitorial services, it’s time to tell them to clean up their act. From people to processes, to green cleaning and pricing, you as a Facility Manger deserve quality, responsiveness and value from your janitorial company.

The Internet Can Be A Scary Place to Find a Commercial cleaning company In Michigan

It’s a familiar scene: a facility manager needs an affordable professional, reputable and experienced Michigan janitorial service. He or she goes to the Internet in search of a couple of good prospects from which to contract with a commercial cleaning company after some pricing comparison and is instantly overwhelmed. There are so many listings saying so many things that figuring out which janitorial services in Michigan that might be right for your facility can be a nightmare. Whether you are searching for office cleaning services, a day porter service, medical office cleaning services or even healthcare cleaning services, you deserve to find a Michigan janitorial service that delivers on their promises to you.

What Matters Most In Finding Quality Janitorial Services In Michigan?

Whether you require janitorial cleaning, office cleaning, school cleaning, medical cleaning or industrial cleaning, the right commercial cleaning company in Michigan will make the process easier and the quality better. So what makes an Auburn Hills janitorial company or a Detroit area commercial cleaning company a great fit for your facility maintenance? A couple of things really matter when delivering above average janitorial service. These are: the size and scope of the company, the manner in which they price their services, the quality of the people, their management and support of their teams and the formalization of their processes.

Size & Services Matter In Your Search For Janitorial Service In Michigan

The size and scope of service of any prospective janitorial company matters. There are really little guys, the really big guys and everything in between. The smaller janitorial companies serve a purpose but if you operate a large facility, it is unlikely they have the experience, systems or formalized business processes to deal with facility maintenance on a large scale. If you have a large facility, you might even be considering national janitorial companies. A major issue with national cleaning companies is responsiveness and individualized service. Quite often what you need in a janitorial company is a provider large enough to handle your facility but small enough to offer responsive service. Then if you can find a commercial cleaning company that also offers a solid menu of commercial maintenance services, you can accomplish much of your building maintenance under one umbrella saving you both money and time.

Don’t Let Commercial Cleaning Prices Fool You

One thing that can make finding a great facilities services company such a nightmare is trying to get a straight answer on janitorial pricing and cleaning bids. Here’s the straight talk: if a professional janitorial service is offering anything less than transparent pricing, they are doing it wrong. They are either purposely obfuscating their pricing to make other cleaning bids difficult to compare or they are so inexperienced that they simply don’t understand how they should be pricing their services. Either way, janitorial companies with confusing pricing should be a giant red flag. The best companies understand what their services are really worth in the market. They know the pressure you as a Facility Manger are under to contain costs. They also want you to be happy with your janitorial service and that means having a clear plan with expectations and prices set up right from the beginning.

People Issues & Janitorial Turnover Can Be Crippling

Whether you are talking about office cleaners, clean restrooms or school cleaning, every building maintenance company relies on their people to deliver the best service. People are the key in any service business, so how is your Michigan commercial cleaning company finding, screening and managing their most important asset? Experienced janitorial services providers will always conduct basic screening like criminal background checks and drug testing. But the best commercial cleaning services in Michigan will take it even further with employment and reference verification and even personality testing to insure they employ people who are a great fit in your facility. Good people trained well and compensated fairly stay in their jobs longer and when it comes to cleaning your building, janitorial turnover matters. The reality is janitorial turnover affects both the quality of service you get from your janitorial company and the value. A steady stream of new people in and out of your facility presents security and image issues.

How Your Get Good People to Do Great Work

After your commercial cleaning services in Michigan has worked to bring on very good people, they must support them to deliver quality work. What kind of support do these employees need? First, they need training to understand how to best do their jobs. Nearly everyone wants to be successful at work but we all need a roadmap of what that looks like. Great training gives employees the capability to shine o the job. Second, cleaning employees need recognition and rewards. Cleaning can be a behind the scenes job where people only speak up when it isn’t done right. For that reason and more, a commercial cleaning service that rewards and recognizes their people helps them understand the importance of their work and feel good about their contributions. This in turn creates better service for you, significant gains in employee retention resulting in a better value for both you and your building maintenance company.

Getting Great Janitorial Service Through Accountability

So we start with very good people, give them the training and support to really excel, then we need to add systems and processes to keep everyone on track. Systems and processes make sure a janitorial company’s intentions become actions. Formalized processes, like regular inspections for instance, can push out apathy and reward and motivate people committed to very good work. If your Michigan janitorial service uses technology like apps and instant reporting to help manage your facility maintenance, than even better.

The bottom line is finding the right janitorial services in Michigan shouldn’t be a nightmare. There are no doubt endless choices out there when it comes to choosing a commercial cleaning company but rather than make it easier, so many choices can actually be overwhelming. Yet if you use a few key factors to develop your ‘short list’ of prospective janitorial companies, you can start the race a little closer to the finish line and find a Michigan commercial cleaning company that you can develop a mutually beneficial partnership with for years to come.

Janitorial and cleaning companies come in all types and sizes from the “one man and a van” operations to an oversized national janitorial giants and everything in between. As a Facility Manager of an industrial facility, finding the right cleaning company can feel next to impossible. First, there are just so many choices. Second, a prospective cleaning company can tell you anything but figuring out if they will follow through is a bit trickier. Last, industrial cleaning customers have unique needs that really need a very specific cleaning and maintenance company to fill. So you need to find the right sized industrial cleaning company with the know how to handle any number of different types of manufacturing and industrial facilities. 

Add to that the goal of growing Michigan’s local economy by keeping dollars right here in our state by working with locally owned businesses. Michigan continues to be an industrial dependent economy and when you spend your cleaning dollars with local Michigan industrial cleaning companies, you work to strengthen the overall foundation of our local economy. But is the goal of keeping this business local an achievable one?

Industrial Cleaning Is Not For Wimps

Michigan industrial cleaning services are a whole lot tougher than general office cleaning. It requires different equipment and materials and a know how of methods and the unique safety and compliance issues specific to industrial and manufacturing businesses. What kind of businesses require this higher level of cleaning? Manufacturing plants, aerospace, automotive, chemical, agriculture, energy, pharmaceuticals, food production, water treatment, transportation and the offices for these facilities. These kind of challenging settings require a janitorial company with extensive experience. Any industrial commercial cleaning company prepared to tackle your industrial cleaning must come armed with a the surface knowledge of what makes factories, plants and manufacturing hubs different and the willingness to spend time understanding your processes and compliance issues in order to offer you the cleaning and maintenance services you and your facility really need.

Experienced Industrial Cleaning Right Here in Michigan

With something as specialized s industrial and factory cleaning, you might think you need to work with a large national janitorial company in order to get the level of service and safety you need in your facility. The reality is that size does matter; the smaller janitorial companies simply are unequipped to handle large, complex industrial cleaning jobs. These smaller operations are a good fit for many businesses but just do not typically offer the structure, systems or professionalism to effectively partner with larger industrial cleaning customers.

While too small isn’t good, too big isn’t so great either. Industrial cleaning is incredibly facility specific and you need personal service and the accountability you get from knowing precisely who is responsible for your facility. Due to their overwhelming size, huge national cleaning companies can accommodate the largest accounts. The clear disadvantage to these colossal operations is the rigid structure and lack of agility that results. Moreover, the really big guys will no doubt prioritize their biggest accounts which bring them well over $1,000,000 year. If your company isn’t playing at that level, the needs of your facility may come second. So bigger isn’t always better but too small is bad too? Most Facility Managers need a Michigan industrial cleaning company big enough to offer a huge range of standard and specialized services, but small enough to be agile and responsive to the needs of your plant, factory or manufacturing center.

Large Local Michigan Industrial Cleaning Companies REALLY Shine

It is here that a large Michigan industrial cleaning company really stands apart from the overcrowded industrial janitorial market. An industrial cleaning company that is both large and local provides many unique benefits that both small Mom & Pop operations and colossal national cleaning corporations cannot. How do these advantages stack up for your industrial facility?

A large, local Michigan industrial cleaning company:

• Has been operating long enough to solve many service and pricing issues that trouble smaller cleaning operations.
• Has the accountability systems to offer great employees. They hire, screen, train and manage their people and teams to reduce turnover and deliver a higher level of service to you the customer. Smaller cleaning companies may cut corners on these vital protections.
• Already has an ample, sufficiently trained staff. This means you can get the help you need in your facility quickly.
• Can demonstrate their commitment to above board hiring practices and the professional administration of payroll, benefits, insurance and more to safeguard you and your facility from the unnecessary risk of illegal subcontracting and undocumented workers.
• Has significant purchase power on supplies and equipment that can reduce your overall cost.

Buy Local Michigan Industrial Janitorial Services Like a Pro

When choosing a Building Services Contractor, there isn’t much room for error. You need an industrial janitorial company that is big enough to offer you the tangible benefits of size but not so big that you feel like a very small fish in a very large pond. A large local Michigan industrial cleaning service can offer you the best of both. Not sure where to start? Consider CIMS certification to help you sift through the crowded industrial cleaning to find a local Michigan janitorial company worthy of your business.

We are excited to announce the addition of Bob Abraham to the Stathakis leadership team as our new Farmington Hills Branch Manager. We opened our Farmington Hills Branch in April of this year and our continued growth created a need for a hands on, senior level manager. Here at Stathakis, we are committed to giving our customers the best people and Bob is an important part of that commitment. Bob’s extensive Senior Level Management experience will help us deliver the consistent, responsive service our customers deserve and have come to expect. 

Bob has spent the better part of his career as a senior level manager in service related fields including staffing, security and janitorial. Bob has a talent and a passion for the placement of people and performance management. Likewise, he has extensive experience managing multiple teams across multiple locations, a big plus in an industry such as ours. His staffing background paired with his security expertise and specific cleaning industry work makes Bob uniquely qualified to work with you our customers and our teams to deliver the individual service we are so proud of here at Stathakis.

As Bob himself says, “My philosophy has always been to focus on putting the right people in the right places. Then we use accountability and transparency to continually improve the quality of what we deliver to our customers and honor the commitments we make to them.” 

Throughout his career, Bob has worked with clients from many different industries. This broad experience gives him a distinct edge when it comes to partnering with our customers, themselves from a variety of industries, each with their own specific challenges. Bob says, “For me, it’s kind of like a puzzle that I get to solve. You have budget requirements, we have numbers to hit, you have a need, we have people to help. The exciting part is pulling all the right elements together to make you happy, create a true win-win and a lasting partnership.” 

Bob is responsible for providing senior level leadership to our Farmington Hills operations. Bob is responsible for developing client relationships and coaching and developing our team in order to offer our customers responsive, individualized  service. As Bob says, “Among my primary objectives here at Stathakis is to honor our customer commitments and get results through accountability. In this way, we will naturally grow our brand. I can’t wait to roll my sleeves up, jump in and help CEO Chris Stathakis realize his Five-year plan for the company. If we all pull together, we can get there sooner rather than later.” Bob will also have an important role in cost controls and growing our market share in the area. Choosing Bob to lead the Farmington Hills Branch ensures a critical element of our service delivery is in place so that we can give our customers our best, day in and day out and continue to serve the Southeastern Michigan.

Bob was born and raised right here in Farmington Hills, he knows our community because it’s his community. Bob lives here along with his wife of twenty-two years Marianne and his two sons Robert and Patrick. In his free time, he coaches high school basketball giving him yet another chance to flex his people management skills on one of the toughest groups, teenagers. Bob and his wife Marianne stay connected to the local community through volunteer work with the a local program to help house the homeless. Bob also enjoys weekend trips in Northern Michigan and the occasional college football game including his alma mater, Central Michigan University.