The bigger your success, the more people depend on you: not just with their jobs and food on the table but also with their safety at work. And work safety is not just about avoiding fatal accidents while on the job but also about building and maintaining a clean and organized workspace.
Keeping your office, gym, hospital, or shop clean is paramount to everything you want to do!
Do you want happy employees?
You’ll need to keep it clean.
Looking to ensure good productivity?
A neat workspace drives both creativity and work speed up!
Aiming to increase your client base?
Regardless of how amazing your business is, a dirty floor will leave your customers second-guessing their choice and your professionalism.
Not only is cleaning your commercial space or facility extremely important, but it’s also complex work! If you’ve ever tried cleaning your whole house in one weekend while the entire family is at home, you know what we’re talking about: as soon as you get one bit done the other is already starting to be messy again. And it’s not just floors and garbage either! It’s doors and furniture, windows, kitchens and bathrooms, couches or soft and comfy chairs, daily used objects, carpets, and even air ducts!
Maintaining a space safe and clean is no picnic, especially one that is used by tenths or hundreds of people! There’s no need to worry though, because all you need to do is choose the best people to take care of this for you! And we’re about to teach you how.
Why Bother Keeping It Clean?
Let’s start at the beginning: why even bother to keep it clean? While this might sound evident to some of us, not all business owners or administrators take this aspect into account when they first set out! Granted, it’s the most glamorous topic, but the lack of a clean environment can very well turn into a hot scandal.
The Benefits of Regularly Cleaning Your Commercial Space
1. Safety.
When you think clean, you think healthy. You and your team touch the surfaces and objects around you, you drink water or coffee throughout the day, eat, go to the bathroom. All these are daily activities yet if only one is done in an infected area, that person is in danger of getting ill and no longer being able to fulfill their role! Health is the basis of everything one wants to achieve, so keeping the workspace clean should be the starting point of every plan.
Moreover, regular cleaning will help you avoid big work accidents, by constantly checking on the state of everything your employees use.
2. Happy employees lead to better business!
As a manager, you know that your employees are the driving force of the company’s success! A clean office space or work environment will allow them to better focus on the tasks at hand, perform better under pressure, and also relax and recharge during breaks.
3. Think about your clients.
Depending on your work, you will have more or less physical contact with your clients. That being said, regardless of what you do, you are bound to be visited by people in your building. The respect and professionalism with which you manage your workspace are in direct relation to how you manage your work, and they will definitely have a positive effect on your clients.
The Toll a Dirty Environment Will Have On Your Business
1. Low productivity
Research shows that chaos in the workplace leads to a considerable decrease in employee productivity. Not only are the employees hindered in their everyday tasks, but your products or services can also be negatively affected by lack of order and dirtiness. Filthy surroundings also lead to diseases, which leads to an incapacitated workforce.
2. Customer experience
As a business, you are bound to be customer-oriented. This means that the client’s experience is of utmost importance to you and one of your main tasks is to keep improving that experience as time goes by. Imagine that you’re at home, about to eat a delicious dinner and you notice your whole kitchen is messy and greasy. You know how it got that way and it’s your place, so the sight is easier to bear than if you were, say, in a restaurant. But even so, your dining experience is unlikely to be a top one. The same is true for your clients. No matter how amazing the service or product is, they simply won’t be able to enjoy it in a room with a sticky floor.
3. Reputation
Even bad publicity is good publicity, right? Well, not when it comes to filth, no. Sorry to burst that bubble, but once word gets out of the fact that your facilities are unclean, there is little you can do to salvage the situation – or your business.
Why Hiring a Professional Cleaning Service Is Considerably Better Than Doing It In-House
It’s perfectly normal to continuously look at ways to optimize your costs. That being said, your commercial cleaning company’s fees are definitely not the ones you’ll want to cut off, and here’s why:
1. Your employees can’t do it.
First of all, cleaning a commercial space is a full-time job. And your employees are neither equipped nor trained to do it.
2. Your employees don’t want to do it.
Having to do a job you’re not skilled or paid for is definitely a downer and employees who are also asked to perform cleaning duties are often less productive and less motivated to perform well for their employer.
3. Commercial cleaning services are the way to go.
A commercial cleaning company brings to the table highly trained professionals that know all the areas and objects that need to be cleaned and how to clean them. Sanitization will be carried out properly, and they will also disinfect the surfaces and items that could potentially pose a bacterial threat to your employees.
Know-how aside, they also have the right detergents and equipment to maintain your facility spotless! A commercial cleaner will work around your schedule to make sure you and your team can carry out your work without distractions.
Step 1: Understand and Define Your Cleaning Needs
The various roles within the cleaning process
As any important mission, keeping a facility clean works on the divide and conquer principle. It’s imperative to learn about all available types of cleaning services as this will enable you to better assess and decide what your company needs. Professional commercial cleaning services can be divided into:
- Janitorial services
- Floor cleaning services
- Day Porter services
Janitorial Services
Much like Batman, janitors are the unseen heroes of this operation. They work at night to ensure that everything is prepared and disinfected for the new workday. Commercial cleaning services often advertise this as the main service, given that they cover all the cleaning tasks and work around the client’s schedule to ensure top-quality services with zero intrusion in their daily activities.
What do janitors do?
- Vacuum;
- Mop floors;
- Empty trash cans;
- Dust;
- Wipe desks and other surfaces;
- Disinfect surfaces, doors, and other highly used objects;
- Clean kitchens;
- Wipe windows;
- Scrub toilets;
- Restock bathrooms with soap and toilet paper;
- Order and manage cleaning supplies.
Depending on your specific needs, most commercial cleaning services offer janitorial packages that can be adjusted to cover everything your business needs. Janitors work on a checklist basis, so make sure to discuss any special area or cleaning task you think is not generally included.
Commercial Floor Cleaning Services
Given that floors are extremely important to both safety and the first impression someone gets when entering a space, floor cleaning services can often be purchased separately. Whether your floors are hard surfaces or carpets, a commercial cleaning company will handle:
- Vacuuming;
- Mopping the floor;
- Removing stains or spilled liquids;
- Cleaning carpets;
- Disinfecting floors.
Day Porter Services
If floor cleaning services seemed like a subcategory of the janitorial services, then day porters are the extra add-ons. In facilities such as hospitals, schools, car dealerships, retail or malls, government facilities, and so on, there is an increased number of people coming and going. This inevitably creates litter, stains, and other possible accident hazards that need to be taken care of during the open hours, to keep the environment clean, appealing, and also safe.
Day porters will match your business’s requirements so feel free to communicate the challenges you face in your facility, crowded areas that need more attention, and other specific details. Like janitors, day porters also work based on a checklist and a schedule for each of their tasks.
Given that day porters will work alongside your staff and be seen by your clients or other people, they will essentially become part of your team. As such, it is important that you pick the right fit for your organization and maintain good communication throughout your time together, but more on this later.
Step 2: Consider the Financial Aspects
Hiring a professional cleaning service – financial burden or profitable investment?
Every manager’s sweet spot is money. That’s your job – we get it. However, hiring a commercial cleaning company will not only keep your employees safe and your business spotless, it will also help you avoid long-term considerable costs! Stick with us.
Evidently, deciding to employ professional commercial cleaning services will imply certain upfront costs, but you need to take into consideration a long-term balance. Here’s how a commercial cleaning company can save you money:
Prevention of long-term liabilities
Regular cleaning and maintenance leads to certain issues being spotted early on, thus reducing repair or replacement costs. Without proper management, such ‘unforeseen’ costs could amount to considerable losses for your company.
Hiring professional commercial cleaning services will increase the lifespan of:
- Carpets;
- Furniture;
- Office equipment;
- Appliances.
Moreover, your business will save the money and hassle for the following unpleasant issues:
- Plumbing problems;
- Mold;
- Leaks;
- Pest infestation;
- Any work-safety legal issues or lawsuits.
Employee productivity boost
As previously discussed, a dirty work environment leads to decreased productivity. Cluttered or dirty desks, dirty bathrooms, and/or floors will make your employees frustrated and less likely to perform. Moreover, as the situation progresses it can lead to diseases and ultimately, employees that are unavailable to work due to sick leave. All these aspects quickly translate into financial losses.
A clean workspace allows your employees to focus on the tasks at hand and promotes creativity. Commercial cleaning companies keep your workers happy and concentrated, which will no doubt show up in your productivity rates as well as your profit.
Company image
The bigger the business, the more you have to lose. And in the business world, losing reputation means losing money. As soon as a client or potential partner gets in physical contact with your business (e.g. they visit your headquarters, shops, or other facilities), every sign of filth will eat away at the profit that person might have brought in. In short, nobody wants to do business with someone who disregards basic hygiene.
Investing in the clean maintenance of your facilities is not only the responsible thing to do from an ethical and hygienic point of view, but also from a financial standpoint.
Commercial cleaners are an essential part of any put-together company, as they ensure the smooth operational flow of everyday work. Their work allows yours to take place. Commercial cleaning companies are well worth their costs.
Step 3: Choose a Professional Cleaning Company
What to pay attention to when hiring a professional cleaning service
By now you’re probably thinking ‘’turns out I really need one of these’’, and you’re right. But how do you go about getting a commercial cleaning service?
Internet is usually the first place to start your search process. The information is vast, and you also get to check out other people’s experience with a certain company, a.k.a reviews, and testimonials.
But how do you choose a commercial cleaning company?
If you’re a bit out of your comfort zone with this topic, don’t worry, we’ve got your back!
Selecting the right commercial cleaning company for your business can be tricky, but since divide and conquer works every time, here’s the strategy you should follow:
While browsing commercial cleaners offers, consider the following:
1. The company background.
The process starts with research. Before deciding on one commercial cleaner, you must first assess whether the company is reliable and efficient. For this step, you can find useful information by checking out their:
- Website;
- Reviews;
- Customer testimonials;
- Ratings.
Once you’ve found a company that you like, make sure to be extra thorough with the client feedback. The company needs to provide sufficient proof of its excellence and dependency. Once in the interview stage, ask the commercial cleaning company to provide a list of clients you can contact and ask for further details regarding their collaboration, as you need to fully trust them. After all, you’ll be handing over access to a lot of your assets to them, based on that trust.
2. The type of services they provide.
Now might be a good time to have another look at the first step — Understand and Define Your Cleaning Needs. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Does the company you’re reviewing offer the services you need?
- Do they work the hours that suit you (night time vs day time)?
- Are they located nearby?
- Do they offer green products cleaning?
- Do they have a sustainability strategy?
You’ll be able to find out the answer to most of these questions by checking out their website. That being said, if there is any information you need that is missing, feel free to email them or ask them directly during the interviewing stage (if they qualify for that).
Once you settle one or more commercial cleaning companies, it’s time to interview them. In this step, you will request and receive more crucial information that will help you decide which of them is the best fit for your business.
In the interview stage, consider the following questions:
1. Do they have employee insurance?
It’s extremely important that the people working on your premises are insured against accidents that occur during their service. If they are not, these accidents can turn into legal and financial liabilities for your business. Make sure to not only ask but also verify the proof of this insurance. A lawsuit against your company would end up costing you both money and reputation.
2. What is their expertise with your field of activity?
While offices are the standard, there are many other types of facilities that need professional commercial cleaning services. Certain businesses have industry-specific cleaning needs that the company has to be prepared for. Such is the case with:
- Medical facilities;
- Educational facilities;
- Churches and religious facilities;
- Government facilities;
- Industrial facilities and warehouses;
- Retail facilities;
- Airports;
- Gyms;
- Car dealerships.
3. What is their employee policy?
You’ll want to know more about their employees, as these are the people that will have access to your facility while nobody’s there. Can you trust them? Will they be professional and reliable?
When this topic comes up, make sure to inquire about the following:
- How do they screen their employees (background checks, legal checks)?
- What kind of training do they offer them?
- How much are they paid?
It might sound like you’re sticking your nose in other people’s business at first, but their employees will essentially be your employees too, working with your staff, in your facility, with your assets. You have the right and the obligation to your business to know these details.
4. What is their cleaning process?
At this point, you need to review if the service itself is a good fit for you. You will want to protect your employees from any harmful chemicals or unwanted smells, and you should also look into sustainability and green products.
Discuss with your potential commercial cleaner the following topics:
- What chemicals are they using?
- What machinery are they using?
- How often will they clean your facility?
- Will they be able to provide the services on your schedule?
- Will they attend to all of your cleaning needs?
5. What are your contractual rights and obligations?
Some commercial cleaning companies will have you sign a long-term contract without clear courses of action that you can take if the service is not satisfactory.
Before signing, READ THE CONTRACT THOROUGHLY and discuss any concerns you might have. The contract should give both parties a fair chance to be compensated should the other one not keep up their end of the deal. Your contract should be a safety net, not a burden.
Make sure to go over everything you will need cleaned and make your expectations clear and traceable. Good communication is paramount, so pick a commercial cleaner that is open to addressing your questions and discussing everything in detail.
Want Executive Cleaning Services to Help Keep Your Business Safe and Clean?
Executive Cleaning Services is a top commercial cleaning company that has been active since 1976. Our reputation and high standards have kept us in business for over 45 years.
At the heart of everything we do is a strive for excellence, the pride of doing a job well done. But to survive in this competitive industry, one must also commit to using the latest technology and in our case, that means both equipment and cleaning substances.
We are not a franchise, so the cost of what you are paying is fair and the quality, superior.
We never over-hype our clients. Our team is committed to delivering top-tier services and addressing any issues that might arise during the process, to ensure 100% client satisfaction.
Our reviews and testimonials are the proof of that, and we’d be more than happy to provide a list of clients for you to contact!
Executive Cleaning Services employees are screened and vetted so that our clients can work with us risk-free. We recognize the importance of checking up on each of our staff members before offering their services to our clients.
Our employees are diverse, as we believe diversity to be a paramount principle and an advantage in our team. Each member is a trained and certified professional, dedicated to keeping up our standards and the top position in the market.
Executive Cleaning Services offers:
- Janitorial Services;
- Floor Cleaning Services;
- Day Porter Services;
- COVID Cleaning services.
- Industry Specific Cleaning Services
If you are not yet convinced, feel free to follow each step in this guide to find the BEST commercial cleaner for your business. We’ll see you next week then!