Hiring a Commercial Cleaning Service for the New Year
It is a brand new year and the perfect time to consider hiring a commercial cleaning service. While this seems like a pretty straightforward task, there are certain steps you should take to ensure you get the most bang for your buck. After all, your organization is unique and has specific commercial cleaning needs.
Not All Commercial Cleaning Services Are Created Equal
Commercial cleaning companies come in all shapes and sizes and not every commercial cleaning company is suited for every business. It is important that you as a business owner ask the right questions of prospective cleaning companies to ensure you find a good fit. Here are seven key questions to ask all cleaning companies that you are considering for hire.
What Cleaning Services Do They Offer?
Let’s face it if the company you are considering does not provide all of the services that you require, they are not a good fit. For instance, if your business requires parking lot sweeping services or warehouse cleaning services, you may find that many commercial cleaning services fall short in these areas.
Likewise, it is important to consider other essential cleaning services like floor care, window cleaning, and restroom cleaning. These are the areas that your customers will see and you want to make a positive impression.
How Much Do They Charge For Their Services?
As a business owner, you are always mindful of your bottom line. Because of this, the cost of commercial cleaning services is an important consideration. While we tend to gravitate toward the lowest-cost option, it is important to remember that value is not necessarily synonymous with cheap.
A professional cleaning service will want to visit your facility to provide a realistic estimate. This is a good time to point out any special needs or areas that require more attention. Onsite evaluations are valuable because they allow you to better understand what factors are being considered when preparing your estimate.
If you are working with a tight budget, the onsite evaluation can be a great time to seek advice with regard to which services are most important and which can be easily managed in-house.
Do They Offer Flexible Scheduling?
This is a very important consideration. For many businesses, commercial cleaning must be done outside of normal business hours. If this is the case for your business you need to ensure that the provider you are considering can meet your scheduling needs.
In conjunction with the scheduling options, it is important to know what type of security protocols the company employs, whether or not they have effective employee screening practices, and whether there we be management staff accompanying the off-hours cleaning crews.
Is The Company Bonded And Insured?
The answer to this question is a potential game-changer. If the commercial cleaning service you are considering is not bonded and insured, you should thank them for their time and send them on their way. You do not want to be responsible for damages or injury that occurs due to a contract employee’s negligence.
This is very important, so do not be afraid to ask for verification of insurance policies before signing on the dotted line. Any reputable company will be very well insured and will be proud to show you their coverage details.
Does The Company Have Their Own Equipment?
A professional commercial cleaning company should have modern, well-maintained equipment to meet all of your facility’s cleaning needs. Even if your facility requires unusual or unique cleaning services, your commercial cleaning provider should have the equipment and supplies required to get the job done.
If your building or facility has large areas of hard flooring, it is important that you ensure that prospective providers have high-quality equipment and the experience to properly care for your flooring. The last thing that you want is to see your cleaning crew dragging in rented stripping, waxing, or polishing machines.
What About Quality Control?
Do not be afraid to ask about quality control policies and practices when interviewing commercial cleaning service providers. Well-managed commercial cleaning companies understand the importance of regular training, procedural cleaning practices, and effective quality control measures.
Ask about procedures for training staff, evaluating performance, onsite inspection, and managerial oversight. You want to ensure that your facility is cleaned thoroughly every time and you want a cleaning company that strives for the same.
What Do Their Other Clients Say?
One of the best ways to vet prospective providers is to ask for references. If they are a regional provider it is quite possible that they service other businesses in your area. This makes it easy for you to reach out to existing customers to get reviews and insights as to how well the cleaning company performs.
While this step can be time-consuming, it is a great way to evaluate a commercial cleaner’s quality of work and determine if they work well with the companies they serve.
In Conclusion
When hiring a commercial cleaning service for your building, office, or facility it is important that you make an informed decision. Take the time to ask questions, verify documents, and reach out to current and past clients. Place more importance on quality and value rather than price and convenience. You want to build a solid, longstanding working relationship that will undoubtedly save you money in the long run.