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6 Questions to Ask When Hiring a Commercial Cleaning Company for Your Business
Written By Guest Blogger, Betty White, Moving Offices of San Diego
Hiring a commercial cleaning company for your business is an essential process because when you find a reliable one, your partnership can last for decades. Many companies will say nearly anything to get you as a client, so you should ask them at least these six questions to ensure they’re the right choice for you. These questions will help you decide if a company can provide you with extraordinary service at an affordable price. After evaluating the given answers, you can determine whether it is the right value for your money.
How Many Years Have You Been in this Business?
This is the first and crucial question to ask. Everybody has to begin somewhere, but your business shouldn’t be treated as a training ground for someone who just started their practice. Experience and reputation matter, and more experience means more expertise and better service. There are many reasons why commercial cleaning and disinfecting are important for your business. An ideal commercial cleaning company for your business needs to:
- Have both enthusiasm and a solid track record of their success
- Have experience working with businesses similar to yours
- Offer you references from the previous clients
- Be able to apply their knowledge and customize the service just for your type of business
Which Areas Do You Cover?
If possible, you should hire a company with a nationwide presence, and that operates in many markets. A commercial cleaning company that services multiple facilities across the United States is a better choice than a small local company with only a few employees and handles a dozen businesses. Broad coverage of areas across many states is a direct indicator of success. That’s why you should ask about their locations and places that they cover before hiring them.
If a friend from Cincinnati or Cleveland recommends you a company that offers service in Columbus as well, that’s already a good sign. Having many locations means delivering quality services for many different businesses and gaining more experience and expertise. For example, a company present in San Francisco, but also in San Antonio and New York, as well as in the states between, probably has many good references and partnerships gained over the years. They can promise a quality standard that each customer wants, no matter which city in the USA their operations base is.
Ask About Employee Screening and Training
A reputable commercial cleaning company should screen their employees for drug use and ensure they do not have a criminal record. Each employee needs to go through personality testing. Moreover, each team member should verify previous employment and have their references checked. There are no shortcuts when screening employees, and that’s how they make sure to maintain a good reputation.
When finding the right applicant for the job is done, each individual should be trained on how to deliver a good service.
Beyond the basic training, training sessions can contain some special bits of knowledge about different businesses. Cleaning an office is not the same and as cleaning a medical facility. That’s why you should ask for experts in your business niche.
What Motivates Your Team, and What Is Your Employee Turnover Percentage?
Careful choosing, screening, and employee training are not enough for a commercial cleaning provider to succeed. They also need to manage and motivate their team continuously. Each employee needs to feel important and valuable to the company. Companies often offer some incentives, so their employees can continue to work motivated.
An excellent commercial cleaning company for your business should have continuity with their loyal employees. Even though the employee turnover percentage in these businesses tends to be high, commercial cleaning companies must find a way to keep good people and a quality workforce, which can eventually lower the turnover rate. You can ask them directly: What is your company doing to keep the turnover numbers as low as possible?
Do You Have Insurance, and What Kind of Quality Control Checks Do You Have?
Check if a prospective commercial cleaning company has insurance. General liability insurance can protect you as a customer. They can also have more insurance policies, and you can ask to see their insurance certificates.
Regular inspections ensure quality control in commercial cleaning businesses. Some commercial cleaning companies, as well as businesses that deal with facility services management, also use new, smart technologies as an advantage in their job. They use not only reports and stats but also different apps and specialized software to adjust their services and handle potential issues quickly.
Can the Commercial Cleaning Company for Your Business Offer You the Same Cleaners Continuously?
It’s understandable that you don’t want new people in your facility each time. Long-term cleaners understand your space and your requirements, giving you optimal results. Of course, your regular cleaner will sometimes be on vacation or medical leave, but a company should send an adequate substitute to deliver the same performance and quality of cleaning. Nobody likes a parade of new faces in their space, so better discuss this matter on time and avoid an unpleasant surprise later.
Imagine this scenario: You are new in the city since you just moved your base of operations, and you want to start working regularly as soon as possible. When you have your inventory transferred to a new space, there is still a lot to do until you can continue to work. There is a mess from unpacking, furnishing, and decorating the space that needs to be cleaned. Scheduling an excellent commercial cleaning as soon as you can will allow you to continue your job. After moving your business to a new location, maintaining everything tidy and clean is your priority. Think about yours, your employees’ and your clients’ wellbeing and health.
Final Thoughts
Hiring a commercial cleaning company for your business may seem like a challenging task, but it isn’t as difficult as it looks when you ask the right questions. Remember to ask about all types of services they offer, their prices, and how available their schedule is. Cleaning and disinfecting are imperative during the cold and flu season, so be sure to regularly schedule cleaning sessions. Have these questions in mind, and you will have no problem selecting the best partner for your business.