Getting The Most Out Of Your Janitorial Services Company
Hiring a janitorial services company can be a huge boon for your business, especially in the midst of the current pandemic. But we should not forget that janitorial services also come with a price tag and it is vital that you understand how to get the most out of your janitorial service provider to ensure the greatest return on your investment. Here are a few tips that will help you and your provider deliver the most bang for your buck:
Get An Accurate Janitorial Services Estimate
Often times when hiring a janitorial service for your place of business, cost becomes a primary factor in determining which provider you choose. It is important to keep in mind that low pricing is not really what ensures a healthy ROI. When vetting commercial cleaning companies you will likely receive a variety of quotes from different providers, and business owners often assume that all the quotes they receive reflect the same level of service.
The reality is if you do not take the time to clearly define your organizational needs you are leaving it up to the service provider to determine the level of service they will provide. Having a clear understanding of what you expect from your janitorial services company and ensuring that they understand your needs and expectations will go a long way toward getting more accurate quotes.
You should know how much space will need to be serviced, how much traffic that space receives, what services you require to maintain the space, and how often it will need to be cleaned. This information is important to your janitorial services provider because different facilities require different cleaning programs, different equipment, larger crews, and potentially more specialized cleaning and/or security protocols. All of these things are taken into consideration when providing an estimated cost for services.
How You Can Reduce Janitorial Services Costs
Consider Your Space
If we consider janitorial services costs on a cost per square foot basis we can find ways to reduce the cost overall. Obviously, the fewer square feet that need to be cleaned the lower the total cost. Of course, you do not want your janitorial services provider to only clean half of your office, but you may find that some areas of your facility require less frequent cleaning. Perhaps your 10,000 sq/ft facility houses 5,000 sq/ft of storage space, 2,500 sq/ft, of office space, and 2,500 sq/ft of common area. Your storage area likely does not need daily cleaning and if it does, it may be a task that can be managed by in-house staff, the same may be true for private office space. On the other hand, common areas and public-facing spaces do require more frequent and thorough cleaning.
Offer Employees A Work-From-Home Incentive
Believe it or not, the amount of traffic in your facility can impact the cost of cleaning. A break room that services 15 employees is much easier to clean than one that services 50 employees. Allowing employees to work from home when possible reduces the amount of daily traffic in your facility and the amount of time required to clean it. For instance, if your office building houses 35 private offices, that takes a relatively large cleaning crew several hours to properly clean. If half of your office staff works from home, you have effectively cut your cleaning requirements in half.
Consider The Frequency Of Cleaning
As was stated earlier, some areas in your facility require daily cleaning and disinfecting. Lobbies, entryways, breakrooms, kitchens, bathrooms, and shared office spaces, just to name a few. These are the areas that you want your janitorial services provider to focus on. Other areas such as storage areas, stockrooms, and private offices may only need to be professionally cleaned once a week, or every other week.
Getting What You Paid For
Just as providing an accurate quote requires you to clearly communicate your needs and expectations, meeting your needs over time requires that you communicate effectively with your janitorial services provider. Organizational needs change over time and if you do not communicate these changes effectively, your service provider will have no incentive or reason to change the services they are providing.
Any reputable janitorial services company wants to retain your business. It is far less expensive for them to maintain an existing client account than to acquire a new one. They want to meet and exceed your expectations. That is why when needs or expectations change you should communicate those changes clearly to your provider.
This is true even when your needs have not changed, but your expectations are not being met. You should always reach out to your point of contact with the janitorial services company with any and all concerns. If you hired a reputable provider, they will bend over backward to ensure your expectations are met.
