As a business owner right now, you probably have more than your share of worries. Although providing a clean, safe workplace for your employees is important, you may not have the time to take on this responsibility.
Having a commercial office cleaning company handle these tasks can be a lifesaver. But you don’t want to rush and choose the wrong company for the job. It makes sense to take your time and find a professional, trustworthy office cleaning company. Read on to discover 11 mistakes you should avoid when hiring commercial cleaners.
Contents
- 1. Choosing the Cheapest Service Around
- 2. Failing to Check References
- 3. Hiring a Company Without Liability Insurance
- 4. Not Checking Certifications
- 5. Getting a Loose Quote
- 6. Failing to Communicate
- 7. Signing an Iron-Clad Contract
- 8. Hiring a Company With Temporary Staff
- 9. Forgetting to Ask About Quality Control
- 10. Not Knowing the Company’s Specialization
- 11. Rushing to Choose a Cleaning Service
- Choosing the Right Office Cleaning Company
1. Choosing the Cheapest Service Around
It’s important to choose a cleaning service that’s within your budget. But be sure to focus on more than the price. If you choose the cheapest service, you may not get the results you’re looking for. A professional service offers excellent service for a fair price.
Inexperienced companies may charge less but often have inadequate insurance or lack well-trained staff. Be sure to look at the company’s qualifications, specializations, and references. It’s good to compare prices, but don’t make a decision based solely on cost.
2. Failing to Check References
You should always do your research before hiring a cleaning company. Take the time to check out their references before making a decision. If possible, call previous customers and see how they liked the company’s cleaning services. Most people who receive poor service are more than willing to relay their experiences.
Look for online ratings and reviews as well. You want to know about the company’s experience, reliability, and quality of service. If the company has several bad reviews, steer clear, and find another cleaning service. Some companies have reviews and testimonials on their website. Take a look at their website but be sure to read outside reviews as well.
Hiring the wrong cleaning service can put your business and your employees at risk. It makes sense to take your time to investigate multiple references and reviews.
3. Hiring a Company Without Liability Insurance
Never hire a company that doesn’t carry liability insurance. Although they may charge a cheaper rate, accidents happen.
One accident or mishap on your property can result in a lawsuit against your business. An uninsured cleaning company may not be financially stable or able to pay for broken items or damage to your property. That leaves you or your insurance paying the bill for their negligence. Most reputable cleaning companies carry multiple types of insurance, including liability coverage.
It’s in your best interest to hire an experienced company that can offer proof of insurance coverage. This information may be available on their website. If not, don’t hesitate to ask.
4. Not Checking Certifications
A professional cleaning company should be willing to provide proof of insurance, licensure, and certifications. If they can’t provide this information or it’s not on their website, keep looking.
Their cleaning staff may be in your business after-hours or during times when your employees aren’t present. You don’t want a company without the proper credentials to have access to your valuable business equipment, electronics, and more. You want to feel sure you’ve chosen a cleaning service that’s reliable and trustworthy. Knowing you have service you can count on brings peace of mind and allows you to focus on running your business.
5. Getting a Loose Quote
Be wary of a company that will give you a quote without seeing your offices first. Many “fly-by-night” companies will offer a low quote for their services but don’t have the equipment or staff to fulfill their promise.
A quote that seems too good to be true may not include the hidden charges. A professional cleaning service will assess your needs and inspect your workspace before offering a quote for their services.
6. Failing to Communicate
Now more than ever, you need a cleaning company you can trust. Having a clean, sanitized workplace is necessary for keeping your employees and anyone who visits your business safe.
You must be able to communicate with your cleaning service about what you want and the quality of the service you receive. You should be able to reach them and discuss any issues you have with their services. If they are hard to reach, rude, or uncommunicative, you should look for another service.
7. Signing an Iron-Clad Contract
Before you know the quality of the services you’ll receive, you should avoid signing a long-term contract. You could end up with less than adequate cleaning and poor customer service.
There may be a penalty for breaking the contract even if they do a terrible job cleaning your workspaces. A professional company may have you sign a contract, but it should be flexible. If you aren’t satisfied with your services, the company management should be willing to talk with you and work to improve any issues.
Flexibility and a willingness to communicate are good signs of professionalism for a cleaning service.
8. Hiring a Company With Temporary Staff
Be sure to ask who will be cleaning your offices. Some cleaning companies have high turnover rates and may employ untrained, temporary staff. You’re much better off with a company that has a full-time staff that provides great service every time they clean. Over time, you get to know the cleaning staff and can feel secure with them coming in and out of your business when you’re not around.
Some benefits of a permanent cleaning team include:
- Getting to know the cleaning staff
- Consistent high standards of service
- Better security and peace of mind
- Concern for a job well done
You don’t want a revolving door of new cleaning staff each week. Choose an established company with a permanent staff of satisfied employees.
9. Forgetting to Ask About Quality Control
Most commercial companies will claim to offer high-quality service, but that’s not always the case. A good sign of professional service includes a willingness to communicate. They should return phone calls or emails and respond to any complaints in a prompt manner. They should be friendly and willing to accommodate special cleaning needs or requests whenever possible.
A quality cleaning service cares about results and has a system in place to check on the service you receive. Excellent customer service often translates to superior cleaning.
Quality processes may include:
- A cleaning checklist for their employees
- A supervisor who checks on quality of service
- Methods to ensure customer satisfaction
- Initial site inspection
- Quality training for their cleaning staff
Taking the time to be sure you’re hiring the best will pay off with excellent cleaning services for your business.
10. Not Knowing the Company’s Specialization
If you’re looking for cleaning services for your office space, you want a company with specialization in this area. Some companies specialize in hotel cleaning, restaurant cleaning, or other areas. You want to find a company whose niche fits your cleaning needs. Some larger companies may have more than one specialty area. They may have the equipment and personnel to handle multiple specialties. But be wary of a small cleaning service who claims they can do it all.
An inexperienced company may be underinsured and understaffed. This leaves your business at risk and vulnerable in case of an accident or mishap at your business.
11. Rushing to Choose a Cleaning Service
Many companies are choosing to go with commercial cleaners. In these uncertain times, having a clean workplace for customers, employees, or clients is a major concern for business owners. You may be in a hurry to choose a cleaning company so you can get on with running your business. But choosing the right cleaning service is important.
A clean and sanitized workplace can help prevent the spread of Covid-19 and help keep your employees and visitors safe and healthy. A cleaning team has access to your building, expensive electronics, and your business equipment when you’re not around.
For all these reasons, it’s worth your effort to take your time to choose the best service for your cleaning needs.
Choosing the Right Office Cleaning Company
You may need an office cleaning company fast. But don’t hire the wrong business out of desperation. Many cleaning companies today are under-qualified and overpriced. Rushing to hire someone can result in less than satisfactory results, causing you to have to fire someone and start the process over again.
It’s better to take the time to research and hire an experienced cleaning company that will do the job right the first time. Regular cleanings will keep your office spaces clean and looking great. Take your time and find a commercial cleaning service that fits the needs of your business. If you need cleaning services in NYC, we’d love to talk with you. Contact us today for more information.