Crystal Clear Pricing Is A Must For Any Successful Partnership
So often janitorial bids are confusing and difficult to understand when in reality cleaning prices should always be crystal clear and easy to compare.
We know that finding the right janitorial company to partner with can be a difficult task, especially given how many companies there are here in Michigan from which to choose.
Not only is it a crowded janitorial marketplace, there are so many different level providers and so many other factors to consider when trying to decide what company will be the best long-term fit for your facility.
What Makes Up A Janitorial Bid?
No matter how much we would all love if effective commercial cleaning and janitorial services were easy to find, effective and affordable, that just isn’t the case.
Deciding upon your next cleaning company doesn’t have to be a shot in the dark if you are armed with good information.
Every service industry, janitorial companies included, must account for hard costs like insurance, taxes, labor, benefits, cleaning supplies and more.
As with any service business, the largest hard cost is labor, especially considering changes to minimum wage here in Michigan.
Aside from this, you also have your facility’s needs to consider—budgetary requirements, building traffic, and maintenance needs among many other things.
To provide the most accurate information about the cost of cleaning your facility, your prospective janitorial company needs details like square footage, number of restrooms, floor type and any other data that helps them build an accurate quote.
Site visits are also an important component of accurate janitorial bids.
Too Low & Value Falls Apart
In an era of ever-tightening budgets, we are all looking for ways to trim costs.
Still, keep in mind when negotiating that there must be a balance between reducing cost to you and making sure your prospective company is still turning a healthy profit.
Go too low and your commercial cleaning company simply won’t be able to do the work you need.
Janitorial companies have hard costs—labor hours, equipment, administration, supplies—and must net a reasonable profit margin.
Without that, they won’t be in business for long.
When reviewing prices for your commercial cleaning company, you must consider what it costs them AND what it costs you and find a healthy balance.
Don’t Use Price As Your Only Gauge
If you are using lowest price as the sole basis for choosing a Plymouth janitorial company, you are unlikely to like the results.
Getting a low-cost company that doesn’t do the work promised isn’t a good deal at any price.
Your facility’s needs must be met consistently, not occasionally.
While price will always factor into your decision, it should never be the only factor.
Beware The Very High & Very Low Prices
There is an important distinction between price and value.
If you are receiving poor or inconsistent service at a rock-bottom price, you may like the cost but you are not getting what you need.
It’s essentially paying to have your facility not cleaned!
On the flip side, high prices are not a guarantee of better service.
All too often janitorial quotes do not reflect the reality of what your facility needs, what value actually is or what you will really end up paying.
Low prices can be a tactic to secure your contract only to hit you with hidden fees later.
High prices are often the result of inexperienced bidding.
As a Facility Manager, you should look for a company offering a reasonable, clear price that fits your budget.
You deserve transparent pricing to make the best decision for your facility.
Why The Cheapest Price Is Not Likely The Best Value
Cheap prices are tempting, especially if budgets are tight.
Unfortunately, very low prices are often red flags for illegal hiring, subcontracting, low quality service and pricing games.
Facility Managers often convince themselves that tight budgets force them to partner with bottom-tier cleaning companies.
Never settle for a company that cannot provide consistent quality regardless of price.
The best cleaning companies understand budget constraints and will work to create custom solutions that still meet your needs.
By using industry-proven practices like Smart Cleaning and Team Cleaning, you can streamline services to include only essential tasks and remove unnecessary expensive services.
Some Janitorial Companies Understand How To Do More With Less
Experienced janitorial companies know which services can be cut and which cannot.
Cutting services arbitrarily will trigger complaints and operational disruptions.
Cuts must be smart, strategic and planned.
For example, maybe the conference room only needs cleaning once or twice a week, while restrooms need daily attention.
The right commercial cleaning company will work with you to determine priorities without reducing service quality.
To implement Smart Cleaning effectively, your cleaning provider must thoroughly understand your facility.
This requires a complete walkthrough and collaborative planning.
Smart Cleaning done correctly gives you consistent service without exceeding your janitorial budget.
Don’t Settle For Overpriced Services That Don’t Deliver — You Can Do Better
It is always a balancing act between reasonable price and reasonable service.
You don’t want to overpay, but you also don’t want to jump at the cheapest bid and regret it later.
The goal is value—the point where price and quality meet to give you the most for your janitorial budget.
Here at Stathakis, we deliver janitorial and building maintenance services to Southeastern Michigan including Genesee, Livingston, Washtenaw, Monroe, Wayne, Macomb and St. Clair County.
We provide professional office cleaning services to Detroit, Ann Arbor, Farmington Hills, Dearborn, Farmington, Livonia, Plymouth, Downriver, Royal Oak, Southfield, Troy, Auburn Hills, Novi and more.
