What Makes a Good Janitorial Service?

Workspace cleanliness and hygiene directly impact the well-being and productivity of employees. That’s why businesses need janitorial services they can rely on. We’ve taken a close look at the challenges facility managers often face when choosing a commercial cleaning program. Now, we’re sweeping them up with some rules of thumb for finding the best janitorial service your market offers.

Industry challenges and pitfalls

Facility managers encounter a range of challenges within the commercial cleaning landscape, each of which crucially impacts workplace efficiency, health, and morale. Recognizing and addressing these pitfalls can make ruling out suboptimal services simple, saving countless headaches down the line.

• Unresponsive services and schedule adherence: Unresponsive or inconsistent janitorial services can disrupt daily operations, which can mean untidy workspaces, pests, and distracted employees.
• Risks of inadequate staff screening: Hiring cleaners without proper vetting can pose several risks, including potential misconduct or insufficient cleaning skills.
• Language barriers and communication issues: In any partnership, communication and clarity are paramount. Choosing a janitorial staff unfamiliar with your spoken language often results in avoidable complexities. It can even lead to a decline in cleaning quality when special instructions are too frequently misunderstood.
• Lack of specialized contractors: Janitorial services that resort to generalist staffing often fall short in service quality for specialty tasks like carpet cleaning, window washing, and floor maintenance. In some case, this can mean mediocre cleaning; in others, it can mean costly damages.
• Unclear pricing structures: Ambiguity in pricing can create confusion and distrust. It’s essential for janitorial services to offer clear, transparent pricing to allow businesses to budget accurately and build a trustful relationship.

Understanding these challenges and knowing what to look for in a commercial cleaning service can significantly impact both efficiency and satisfaction in your business environment.

What to look for in a good janitorial program

Keeping the challenges we’ve unpacked in mind, facility managers can start to see where a good janitorial service stands out. The key features to look for include punctuality, thorough staff screening, effective communication, access to specialized contractors, and transparent pricing.

• Consistency and punctuality: Consistent and precise schedules ensure all cleaning tasks are fulfilled without disrupting any daily operations.
• Staff screening: Rigorous background checks and thorough staff screening ensure that the cleaning personnel are not only competent and skilled but also trustworthy and ethical. This leads to a more secure workplace, peace of mind for both management and employees, and a higher standard of cleaning.
• Accessible communication: Avoiding language barriers between your business and your janitorial staff leads to better execution of cleaning tasks in terms of customization and special instructions. This can mean higher cleaning quality for some facilities and more harmonious partnerships overall.
• Specialized contractors: Access to specialized contractors for specific cleaning tasks. Every aspect of cleaning is handled by someone with expertise and experience using the best tools and resources for the job.
• Transparent pricing: Straightforward pricing minimizes unnecessary ambiguity that could lead to financial uncertainties for partners. This transparency builds a foundation of trust and reliability between businesses and the cleaning service.

The vital role of customer service

At the heart of an outstanding janitorial service lies an unyielding commitment to customer service. This commitment extends far beyond the primary task of maintaining cleanliness; it encompasses understanding and resolving each client’s unique cleaning needs.

A dedicated account manager is crucial to exceptional customer service. They act as your direct line of communication with your janitorial team, expediting your requests and resolving any issues clearly and promptly.

The best janitorial services also offer round-the-clock assistance for any immediate cleaning needs or emergencies. A broken breakroom freezer right before a key client meeting or an after-hours plumbing leak can have costly consequences if not addressed quickly. A janitorial team offering 24/7 support can tackle these scenarios on the fly. That’s more than a convenience; it’s partnership.

Elevate your workspace with Wingfoot

When it comes to choosing a reliable janitorial program, most organizations can’t afford to compromise on quality. In the commercial cleaning sector, Wingfoot Services stands out, offering punctual, highly vetted, accessible, specialized, and fully transparent services to every one of our many happy clients. After all, we’ve been doing this for over 40 years, and we know that facility managers and office administrators don’t need more ambiguity or messes in their busy days. If our unparalleled cleanliness and client satisfaction can help your employees and business thrive, we’d love to connect with you.