When buying products or services, we love to compare prices and get the cheapest option. Should the same be applied when hiring a cleaning company?
In reality, most people consider cleaning as a commodity. However, since not all services provided by cleaning companies are identical, is deciding based on price the best way to choose a cleaning service?
We believe there are more important factors to consider than the price alone.
Discover what makes In-Tec different
What makes a good cleaning company?
There are plenty of great cleaning companies operating today and you will have plenty to choose from. We believe that in shortlisting those companies you want to work with requires you to go deeper in your analysis.
The analysis that you need to make in selecting a cleaning company should be around these two things; what is promised and how is the company acting on the promise.
Along with that, there are 3 traits that we typically recommend looking out for in a cleaning company; Accountability, Transparency, and Traceability.
Accountability - is the company willing to be accountable?
As cleaning is a service delivered on a scheduled basis and the company delivering this service should be accountable at all times. Unfortunately, there are many cleaning companies that say they are accountable but have no systems to ensure this is part of the service delivery. In shortlisting, ask any prospective cleaning company for proof of the system in place. If possible, ask for proof of the system currently being implemented at an existing client’s site.
Transparency - is the company willing to be transparent in service delivery?
Most cleaning is done after hours, so you need to know and expect it to be done at a certain standard. We suggest to ask for service standards and to find out how the company is able to meet those expectations. Today, it should be easy for a cleaning company to use digital tools to track the cleaning and provide the client with updates and proof the service has been delivered. Ask for proof of the system used to be transparent – both in demonstration mode and if possible, in place at a current site.
Read this case study on how we helped Strathlink solve their cleaning issue
Traceability – is the company willing to have everything traceable?
As mentioned above if a company cannot be transparent in the service delivered then it is not possible to deliver a traceable service. Traceability in today’s world is needed more than ever, especially due to COVID-19. Every organization dealing with COVID-19 needs to know the cleaning company supplying the service is both transparent as well as traceable. If the cleaning company is transparent and accountable, you can ask for proof of the system in place. A current example of this being delivered at a current site is a plus point.
Looking beyond price to value.
Commercial cleaning is a value-based service. Most customers looking for commercial cleaning are looking for one they can rely on consistently in an ongoing manner and not once-off.
We believe that these 3 traits will help you in selecting the right company to work with. Companies that are able to provide value on the proposal and are able to deliver what they promised.
