What to Look for When Choosing a Cleaning Company
The decision to hire or change your cleaning company can be a difficult one. There are so many companies providing a similar service, for a variety of prices, that it can be difficult to decide on any one company. Here is a list of things you should look out for when making this decision.
1. Will the company provide one appointed cleaner?
A sign of a good company is that they will appoint one cleaner, or team of cleaners, to carry out your job. That person will be there for the long-term and you will be familiar with their face and their work. The benefits in this are that your cleaner will thoroughly understand your site and will be able to carry out their tasks regularly and efficiently. If the company changes their staff at your site regularly and does not have continuity in the cleaners they employ, it reduces their ability to clean your site well on a regular basis. Furthermore, it may indicate issues within the company itself.
2. Does the company have a supervisor that will carry out inspections?
Regular supervision and inspections are crucial for maintain a high standard of cleanliness. The supervisor will point out any areas that are missed, as well as potential performance issues that the cleaner may be experiencing, such as using the wrong type of product on certain surfaces. Inspection reports should be carried out on an agreed basis and should be made available to you upon request.
3. Is the price reasonable, fair, and non-exploitative?
While the price should not be exorbitant, the company must still pay for their cleaners, tax, superannuation, materials and overheads. Unfortunately, the cleaning industry is one where competition is so high that some companies choose unethical ways of payment for their staff. One of these problems is sham contracting. When choosing your company, ask questions in regards to the way they pay their staff, and for a price breakdown of their quote. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
4. Are the materials they use commercial-graded, hygienic, checked and changed regularly?
Your cleaning company should not be using household detergents that you would find at a supermarket. They should have access to commercial-graded products that are labelled and stored correctly with relevant MSDS’s. These items should look clean at the beginning of each shift, with cloths, sponges and mops changed regularly. Additionally, cloths used to clean desks should not be used to clean kitchens or toilets. Ask the company about their policies in this area and what they do to ensure cross-contamination does not occur.