Are you looking to hire professional cleaners?
From clean desks to mopped floors, keeping your business clean is essential for productivity. The best way to manage this is by hiring dedicated professional cleaning services. But not all cleaning companies are the same, and it can be hard to choose the right one.
Don’t worry, we’re here to help! Read on to learn some questions that you need to ask a company before hiring.
Table of Contents
1. How Many Years of Experience Do You Have?
Every company starts somewhere, but you might not want to be the testing run for a new-fledged company. Experienced companies are better at what they do, it’s a fact. Enthusiasm counts for something, but it’s not a replacement.
Look for a janitorial company that has enthusiasm, as well as a successful track record. After all, past success is often an indicator of future success. You should look for a company with at least 2-3 years’ experience. It’s even better if they’re experienced in your industry.
2. Are You Insured?
Any professional janitorial services you hire should have insurance. They also need to assure you that you’re protected too. The main policies to check for are:
- workers’ compensation
- a general liability coverage
- automobile liability
- an umbrella policy
Make sure to check and see proof that the company you’re thinking of hiring has them all. They shouldn’t have an issue showing you and be more than willing to put your mind at ease.
3. Are you CIMS Certified?
When it comes to what to ask professional cleaners, this is one of the most important questions. It stands for Certified Industry Management Standard.
CIMS certification ensures that they have a record of following best industry practices. It also proves they’ve shown to deliver consistent, effective, responsive cleaning.
It’s a way to prove they have a steadfast commitment to meeting the highest standards. Standards that are set by the very best in the cleaning industry.
CIMS is one of the toughest, more rigorous levels of certification a cleaning company can get. It’s about the closest thing you’ll get to a guarantee when you hire their service.
4. What is Your Employee Screening Process?
Another tip for what to ask business cleaners is how they screen their employees. They should screen their prospective employees for drug use and criminal history.
The stand-out cleaning companies will search for people who are the right fit. They’ll often do this with personality testing, reference, and previous work checks. It’s their goal to build a great team for their clients.
Watch out for any answers that seem like the company cuts corners with screening. This could put you, your employees, your reputation, and your business in danger.
5. Will the Same Cleaning Team Clean My Business?
It can be disruptive to have a stream of new people coming in and out all the time. Also, long-term cleaning teams will come to understand the needs of your facility. Their cleaning will be more responsive to any specific requirements.
Most of the best professional cleaners have staff called “floaters”. They’re highly trained and will step in when your regular cleaner is ill or on vacation. Most of the time though, you should have a regular team to meet your cleaning needs.
6. What’s Your Employee Turnover?
The lower-paid service industry is notorious for high staff turnover. But the best service comes from regular cleaning teams who know client businesses. Not a constant influx of new people every five minutes.
Search for a janitorial company that is keeping their turnover lower. You’ll find a dramatic increase in the quality and value of the service they provide. A good cleaning company will find ways to keep their best staff on their books.
7. What Kind of Training Do You Give Employees?
When it comes to what to ask professional janitors, you want to check what training they have. They need to make sure their staff has the knowledge and tools to deliver what you and your facility need.
Comprehensive training should ensure cleaners deliver a consistent, great service to clients. Beyond the basic training, it should cover any industry requirements. For schools, medical or industrial cleaning, staff should know the protocol.
8. What Are Your Quality Control Protocols?
A cleaning company must assure reliability through employee accountability. The gold standard when it comes to controlling quality is inspections.
Janitorial inspections fill the gap between the cleaning company and the facility’s manager. The best office cleaning companies will make liberal use of these inspections. They will be honest, open, and have nothing to hide.
They also will use apps, software, and reporting to communicate the inspection results. It will be fast and efficient, and if there are any issues they’ll get the right people in to fix it and adjust your service.
9. How Green is Your Cleaning Program?
Green cleaning focuses on a few key factors that include:
- environmental responsibility
- sustainability
- safety
- health
A basic green practice would be the correct chemical storage, labeling, and disposal. Every cleaning company should be green clean, but it’ll surprise you how many don’t even do the basics.
Other policies might include reusing trash liners if they’re not broken or soiled. Not only does this save money, but it also limits the amount of plastic waste at your facility. Some more policies could be:
- recycling more
- supplying toilet paper and hand towels made from recycled material
- using microfiber rags and not disposable towels
Check to see if they’re using HEPA filter vacuum cleaners or other equipment. They’re designed to reduce air pollution indoors. Your cleaning company should seek to reduce noise pollution, lower energy usage, and reduce the number of waste cleaning products used.
Hiring Professional Cleaning Services Made Easy
So, there you have it! Now you know these questions to ask, you’ll be sure to get the professional cleaning services you need.
Make sure your chosen cleaning company is CIMS certified and has the right insurance. You want to be sure you’re hiring a professional company that will look after your facilities. They should vet their staff well and focus on improving your workplace as well as keeping it clean.
If you found this article helpful, check out our other blog posts today!
