6 Questions You Must Ask Before Hiring A Commercial Janitorial Service Company
Cleanliness is next to godliness. Even if you’re not into religion, the importance of cleanliness should never be underestimated. Cleaner surroundings don’t just mean you’re an organized person. Living in a cleaner environment also helps improve your mood.
Yes, cleanliness is important, but a lot of factors come into play. The stakes rise considerably when you’re talking about businesses. Just about any business you can think of, big or small, relies on visual appeal to market itself. Cleanliness may also be a factor in why customers choose your
business over your competitors.
You can do all the cleaning yourself. But do you really have the time? You have a business to run. You have expenses to calculate. You have shareholders to convince. On top of all that, you have a family you should spend time with. When you consider all these factors, regularly cleaning your business becomes a hassle. Thankfully, commercial janitorial services exist.
But there are multiple janitorial services to choose from. How do you shortlist the one that fits your budget and needs? And the most important of them all, how would you know their expertise? When doubts like these crop up, there’s only one solution: ask the cleaning company themselves.
This article highlights six questions you should ask your cleaning company before you hire them. Yes, you can ask as many questions as you want. But these are the six most important ones you should ask.
1. How long have you been in this business?
2. How do you manage your team?
3. Is your cleaning company insured?
4. Do you perform background checks on your employees?
5. Is your company CIMS certified?
6. What kind of products do you use?
We’ll discuss each of these six questions in detail.
How long have you been in this business?
You don’t want your business to be a training ground for newbies. Experience, just like in any other industry/business, is important for cleaning companies as well. Cleaning companies that have been in the game for a while know the ins and outs of the industry. They are well prepared for challenges that may arise during cleaning, either in the products used or among the staff.
How do you manage your team?
A janitor’s job may not be attractive, but it is an important one. Just like other jobs, janitors need to be managed regularly. Manage here means to
- Motivate them
- Offer incentives when deserved
- Hold them accountable for their mistakes
- Explain their role at the place of business
Is your cleaning company insured?
To err is human. Mistakes happen. But some mistakes can be expensive. This is why you should make sure the cleaning company you’re about to hire is insured.
Ask whether the cleaning company has the following types of insurance. They will come in handy when you suffer any kind of damage after you hire them.
1. General Liability Insurance: Offers protection against bodily harm and property damage caused by the cleaning company.
2. Workers Compensation Insurance: Offers protection for cleaning company employees who are either injured or lose their lives in a place of business.
3. Automobile Liability Insurance: Offers protection against injury to persons and property caused by vehicles from the cleaning company.
4. Umbrella Policies: Covers all of the above with the inclusion of certain lawsuits.
Do you perform background checks on your employees?
When you hire a cleaning company, you will be permitting strangers into your business who are not clients or employees. You know nothing about the person other than the fact that they work for a cleaning company. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the cleaning company to conduct rigorous background checks as part of their hiring process. There’s no point in hiring a janitor who has anger issues or has trouble following or respecting rules.
Is your company CIMS certified?
CIMS stands for Cleaning Industry Management Standard. The certification is awarded to cleaning service companies that follow certain policies and procedures. It is also among the most difficult certifications to get. If a company is CIMS certified, you can expect high-quality work with an
emphasis on professionalism.
What kind of products do you use?
The quality of the products a company uses is an important thing to consider as well. Cleaning products that contain harsh chemicals may cause undesirable effects for those in the establishment. With the increase in the number of green products, look for companies that use eco-friendly options in their cleaning routines. Some companies carry Green Cleaning certifications as well.
Final Thoughts
Maintaining the cleanliness of a business is as important and difficult as running it. Hiring a commercial cleaning company takes this pressure off of you. Make sure to include these six in your list of questions to be asked to choose the right cleaning company.
