Choosing a Commercial Cleaner

10 Questions to Ask Your Commercial Cleaners

Whether you’re thinking of switching from your current cleaning service or you’ve never worked with one before, choosing the right company can feel like a big decision. Taking the time to weigh your options and make the right choice can have huge benefits in the long run, including:

  • A better first impression for your business
  • Improved employee productivity
  • A healthier work environment
  • Fewer distractions and less stress for you

It’s all about asking the right questions. When you have one or two commercial cleaners you’re considering, ask them these 10 questions:

1. Do you offer all the cleaning services I need?

bank building portlandDo you need janitorial services, carpet cleaning, and window cleaning? Do you generate a lot of paper recycling you need someone to manage?

Make sure any company you’re considering does everything you need.

(You don’t want to hire 3 different companies when you could hire just one!)

It’s worth double checking each cleaning company’s answers with the services page of their website too.

2. What kind of cleaning products & supplies do you use?

This is a good question to ask, just to make sure the person you’re talking to is knowledgeable about the cleaning process.

It’s especially important if sustainability matters to you. In Portland and the surrounding areas, many businesspeople feel strongly about their impact on the environment. If that sounds like you, it’s worth finding a commercial cleaning service with the same philosophy.

At Cascade Building Services, we always use environmentally safe products without harmful toxins or unpleasant odors.

3. Can you clean at night or on weekends?

Part of the reason for hiring a commercial cleaner is to free up more time and energy for you to focus on business. You can’t do that if your cleaning company is constantly showing up during business hours.

At Cascade Building Services we work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Our clients simply tell us the most convenient time for them, and that’s when we show up.

industrial area portland swan island

Photo: ienjoysushi

4. How long have you been in business?

There’s nothing wrong with being a young business — everyone has to start somewhere — but there’s a lot less risk for you when you choose a cleaning company who has a long history of doing quality work.

We’ve been serving the Portland area for more than 50 years. We’ve handled nearly every type of cleaning job out there and we have many good reviews from great clients to back it up… which leads to the next question:

5. Can you provide me with references?

Unless you’re the company’s first client, they should be able to put you in contact with at least one or two clients they’ve worked with in the past (or that they still work with!).

It never hurts to ask for references, even if you don’t actually call all of them. You might learn some valuable information that makes your decision easier.

It’s also a good idea to check each company’s online reviews on Google, Yelp, and their own website.

6. Will your employees clean my facility?

Some companies use day laborers instead of hiring their own employees. There’s not necessarily anything wrong with that, but it’s always nice to know when a company has loyal employees.

One benefit of choosing a company who hires its own employees? At Cascade Building Services, we have a professional staff of employees who wear uniforms and I.D. badges. Many of our employees have worked with us for over a decade! We perform a background check on everyone we hire and provide ongoing training.

janitorial services employee traning

Photo: Sean Mulgrew

7. Do you work with other businesses in my industry?

Does the cleaning company have experience with businesses like yours? Can they handle the ins and outs of cleaning a space like yours?

If they have worked with clients in your industry, can they tell you which business(es)?

8. Will you have an ongoing contact person?

It’s important to have the name and number of a single person you know you can always contact — whether that’s the owner, an employee, or a customer service representative whose job is to make sure you’re getting the service you need.

There’s nothing more frustrating than sealing the deal with a salesperson and then having to climb your way through a phone tree once you’re actually working together.

9. Are they responsive and quick to get back to you?

This is more of a question to ask yourself. Does the company instill confidence that they’ll do what they say they’ll do? Do you trust them? Is it clear that getting back to you and answering your questions are top priorities?

If you answered yes, yes, and yes, that’s a good sign!

phone businessman

10. Can you give me a free quote or estimate?

Free quotes are a sign that a company is not only legitimate but believes in the work they’re doing. It’s also a sign that they respect their clients’ time and money.

My advice is that if a company won’t provide you with a free quote before you start working together, start looking for someone else.

Ready to get started? We’d love to give you a free quote.

Get a free quote from Cascade Building Services, or give us a call at (503) 691-0776 if you have questions.

Your Checklist

Want all these questions in one place? You can print this page and use this checklist of all 10 questions to ask you cleaners:

Cleaning Company Questions Checklist

Name of Cleaning Company: ______________________________________

  • ❑ They offer all the cleaning services you need.
  • ❑ They use safe (and possibly environmentally friendly) cleaning products.
  • ❑ They can clean at a time that’s convenient for you.
  • ❑ They’re experienced with a history of success.
  • ❑ They can provide you with references.
  • ❑ Their own employees will clean your facility (no day laborers).
  • ❑ They have experience working with businesses in your industry.
  • ❑ You will have an ongoing contact person.
  • ❑ They’re responsive and quick to get back to you.
  • ❑ They can provide you with a no-obligation quote or estimate free of charge.

Notes:

 

 

 

 

Is there a problem with your office cleaning service-

Is there a problem with your office cleaning service?

Choosing a commercial office cleaning service is just the beginning. Once you’ve picked a janitorial service or commercial cleaner, how do you know they’re doing a good job? And what if you’re worried that there’s a problem with how your office is being cleaned?

If any of those questions have run through your mind, keep reading. I’ll help you to make sure your office cleaning service is doing a good job. The more confident you are in their work, the more time you’ll be able to focus on your own business.

Know What You’re Paying For

Review your office cleaning contract

What is your office cleaning service supposed to clean? And how often should they be cleaning your office? No, those aren’t trick questions. You’d be surprised how many people just assume that their office cleaners will be cleaning “everything” and how many don’t know their office cleaners’ schedule.

Unless you know exactly what you’re paying for, how can you know if your office cleaning service is doing a good job?

You can’t.

That’s why it’s so important, before you sign any office cleaning contract, to read through it and understand exactly what is being cleaned, and how often.

Questions that should be answered include:

  • Who will be cleaning my office? What are their qualifications and experience?
  • How often will my office be cleaned? What happens if an appointment is missed?
  • What will be cleaned? What tools, cleaning supplies, and equipment will be used?
  • What won’t be cleaned?

If your cleaning contract doesn’t include answers to those questions, ask your cleaning company for clarification. Once you know the answers to these questions, you’ll be in a much better position to evaluate your office cleaning service’s work.

Check their Work

After your cleaners visit, take the time to review their work. Does it match what’s laid out in your contract? Were some areas missed? Were others given a cursory clean rather than a thorough scrub? Are you finding other problems with their work?

Don’t jump to conclusions and assume that your cleaners are doing a bad job. It may just be a case of confusion. It may take only a call to your cleaning company to clear things up. Explain the problems you’re seeing and how you think they should be resolved. If things aren’t clear, take and email pictures.

A great office cleaning company will work with you to make sure things are being cleaned the way you want. That’s what we do at Cascade Building Services. We’ll work to train our janitorial and office cleaning teams to clean your office according to your specifications.

Are You and Your Employees Satisfied?

Ask your office cleaners questions

Don’t make it a one-person job. As an office manager or business owner, you’ve got too much to do already. It’s not entirely your responsibility to make sure your cleaners are doing a great job.

Ask your co-workers and employees about the cleanliness of the office. Are they satisfied? If not, what could be better? Do they have any specific problems with the cleaning service?

An email survey can be used collect answers anonymously. This will save you time and make it easy for your employees and co-workers to provide their feedback. Take what you learn from their answers and work with your cleaning service to clear up any miscommunications or other issues.

If you’ve never used them before, try Survey Monkey for making free surveys you can share. What a great service! And they’re based out of the Portland area, just like us!

Tips for Choosing a Reliable Janitorial and Office Cleaning Service

If you are having problems that you just can’t solve, it may be time for a change. But searching for a reliable janitorial and office cleaning service can be challenging– especially if you’ve already had a negative experience in the past.

When prospective clients come to us at Cascade Building Services, we do our best to help them make the best choice– even if it’s not us.

We’re honest and up-front about the services we provide, as well as any limitations we may have. We encourage potential clients to fully explain what they’re looking for and do our best to provide an office cleaning package that fits their needs.

If you’re comparing a few office cleaning services and aren’t sure what to do next, here are a few tips that can help you make the right choice:

  • Ask for references. Make sure they’re from similar businesses with similar needs. If you’re a small office, your needs are very different from bigger organizations. Find out if they’re satisfied with the work being done and what, if anything could be done better.
  • Look at online reviews. In addition to references, check out online reviews on sites like Yelp, Angie’s List, and other review sites. At Cascade Building Services, we’re especially proud of our Google+ reviews!
  • Learn about how they work. Ask questions about office cleaning equipment and supplies. What brands do they use? Are they environmentally friendly?
  • Speak with the cleaners themselves. Find out more about them and start building a relationship with the people who will be doing the work. What can you do to make their job easier? Are they available to answer questions?

 

 

 

Looking for a New Office Cleaning Service?

Are you looking for a new cleaning service for your office, hospital, bank, winery, or school? Cascade Building Services is proud to serve these and other industries throughout the Portland area for over 50 years!

Our client’s satisfaction is our top priority. We’ll work with you and go the extra mile to make sure your workplace is cleaned just the way you like it. If you’re not happy with your current cleaning service, let us know. Or give us a call at (503) 691-0776. We’d love to come out, take a look at your space and provide you with a free, no-obligation quote!

Photo Credits: Dan Moyle

darrenAbout the author Darren

Darren is the owner of Cascade Building Services. He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree at Lewis and Clark University. He used to work in sales for General Mills. In his spare time, you can find him in the great outdoors camping and boating.

clean-workplace-boost-productivity

Can a Cleaner Workplace Boost Productivity?

Well-run organizations are always looking for ways to get the most out of their employees. Unsurprisingly, encouraging productivity can make employees excited about their work.

The best way to do this? Keep your office clean.

In this month’s post we’ll outline how keeping a clean office helps with productivity. We’ll also highlight tools you can use to keep your organization clean and tidy.

 

5 Ways Cleanliness Can Boost Productivity

Every company runs their office differently. Some are more professional, while others are a little more progressive and casual. While both methods can work great, the one thru-line in any productive office is a clean, well organized workplace.

Cleanliness…

1. Improves Health

Any time an employee is out of the office sick, productivity is down. Cleaning regularly limits germs and bacteria and greatly reduces the likelihood that your employees will get sick. It will also help out your employees suffering from allergies, as regular cleanings reduces the amount of dust and allergens in the air.

Keep productivity high by keeping sick days down!

2. Keeps Employees Focused

In order for an office to be running on all cylinders, everyone must be focused on their work. If your team is surrounded by disorganization and clutter, you are putting them at a severe disadvantage.

Not only will a cluttered workspace force you to spend extra time looking for items you need, it will cause distractions as you’ll be constantly trying to make sense of your surroundings.

Messy or disorganized resources will cause:

  • Finding files in filing cabinets more difficult, turning an easy task into a long process.
  • Printer or copy machines to have issues and not last as long since unkempt machines are liable to break.
  • Collaboration to be more difficult, as cluttered conference rooms and shared work spaces will make it harder to find a place to work.

3. Encourages a Stronger Company Culture

Do you want to keep employees happy and make them feel as if they are part of a family? Do you want the best candidates to be excited about working for you?

It all starts with your office. Presenting yourself as an innovative, professional organization is hard if it is not clean, tidy, and beautiful. A clean office will also boost moral and keep your employees happy.

While a lot of businesses focus on stand-up desks and amenities like free coffee, likely the thing your employees (and potential employees) care most about is feeling comfortable in their workspace. If they can’t, it will be hard to keep them on and motivate them to push your company forward.

You want your employees to be proud of where they work. Start by providing a good office for them to thrive in.

4. Reduces Stress

Disorganization and clutter will stress you out. If your employees are stressed, it will be hard for them to focus on what they should actually be doing. It will also mean having to take more breaks to cool off.

If employees have to fight over who is taking out the trash, it may lead to resentment and frustration, causing workplace tension with other employees. Even just being surrounded by clutter can cause you to feel uneasy, limiting concentration.

Don’t put your employees’ mental health at risk by stressing them out.

5. Prevents Accidents

Accidents are unavoidable. That does not mean you shouldn’t try to limit their possibility.

Messy offices where spills are allowed to sit for days and messes are regularly left alone increases the likelihood someone will slip and fall, injuring themselves.

Not only is this dangerous for the employees, if they end up suffering an injury it will cause them to miss time. Even further, this will cost you company resources to pay for any medical expenses or lawsuits that pop up as a result.

No one wants to work in an environment where they are worried about injury.

 

4 Tips to Help Keep Your Workplace Clean

While it seems easy to just keep your office clean and organized, it’s often a lot more difficult to actually execute. We’ve found that there are a couple organizational tools that will greatly increase your chances of keeping your office clean.

1. Schedule Cleaning Days

Encouraging your employees to take responsibility for their personal area will go a long way towards keeping a tidy office.

We recommend scheduling a 15-minute block once a week where employees are encouraged to clean their own personal work areas. This could include:

  • Wiping down the surface of their desk
  • Organizing any files in their area
  • Dusting and cleaning their keyboard
  • Wiping down and de-cluttering any common areas they regularly use

Make sure to supply them with consumer cleaners like wet wipes, dusters, and air spray.

Not only will this go a long way in making your office clean and decluttered, it will also make employees accountable for their space and encourage them not be as messy in the first place.

2. Speak to Employees Who Have Dirty Desks

Every office has someone (or several someones) who are is a little messier than the rest.

While we discourage shaming anyone, don’t be afraid to remind your employees in private about the importance of a clean work environment. They likely don’t even know they are being messy, and this will help them realize their habits could be affecting others.

3. Encourage Employees to Keep Track of Food

Refrigerators are a hot spot for unclean offices! With so many people bringing in different food, items are bound to be left in the fridge.

We recommend instituting a rule where any unmarked food is thrown away one day a week. This will force people to declare their food, and prevent a situation where something goes bad and starts to stink.

4. Hire a Janitorial Service To Keep Things Clean

While employees themselves are a big part of keeping an office well kept, even more important is having a reliable Portland area janitorial service to keep your office clean and sanitary.

While employees can keep their own area clean and be responsible for organization, you need a trusted, professional service to keep your office in the best possible condition for your employees to be at their best.

A commercial janitorial services company will do the heavy lifting necessary to keep a well run organization firing on all cylinders, including

They’ll make sure your office is sanitary and pristine so your business can run smoothly and be the best it can be.

 

Hire a Janitorial Services Company That’s Served the Community for Over 5 Decades

Cascade Building Services has been cleaning office and commercial spaces in the Portland area for over 50 years. Nobody know office cleaning and janitorial services like we do. Offering service 24 hours a day, 365 days per year, we’re sure to have a solution that will work for your business.

We can help promote a productive and clean culture for your business. Contact us today to learn more about what we can do for you.