9th February 2023

Top tips to find the best contract cleaning company for your needs

A clean workplace is essential if you want to create the best impression for customers and clients, ensure employee wellbeing and encourage maximum productivity. Recruiting a cleaning company calls for a thorough approach and a clear idea of what you’re looking for. Here, we provide some tips to follow when appointing a contract cleaner, ensuring you ask the right questions and find the best company for the job, able to meet your specific needs.

Establish your requirements
The first step is to know what you want, so walk around your premises, identifying which areas need cleaning and the services you require. Set a realistic budget and itemise your requirements so the cleaning company can understand your unique needs.

Research the market
See what cleaning companies are available in the area and the services they supply. For example, do they offer deep cleans, scheduled cleans, specialist cleans or grounds maintenance? Look at the company’s website and check out their history, case studies and references. Do they hold professional accreditations and memberships? Are there any customer reviews or feedback? Are they recommended by other customers? Always ask for references, so you can check their competence and capability

Ask about their experience in your industry
Does the company have experience working within your industry? If it’s important that they understand the specific requirements of your sector, you need to find out whether they’re suitable.

An initial consultation
It’s a good idea to have an initial consultation, during which you can talk through your requirements and expectations, and the company can introduce themselves. Let them walk around your premises, identifying priority jobs or ongoing tasks, and you can check out their approach, presentation and professionalism. and capability. Always get an initial quote and make sure they carry out a full risk assessment of your premises.

Environmentally friendly
If you’re trying to lower your carbon footprint, you should select a contract cleaning company that follows environmentally friendly processes and has the appropriate accreditation. They should be able to help with your energy-saving initiatives and manage your waste disposal and recycling.

Your impression
You’ll be inviting these people onto your premises, so it’s important you trust them and are happy to work with them. Can they ensure your premises are cleaned to a high standard? Will they fit seamlessly into your business operation without causing disruption?

Timing
Is the cleaning company flexible and reliable? Can they provide the cleaning service at a time and day that suits you, during the hours you require? You’ll need to arrange a time when there’s minimal disruption to your business and it’s a good idea to discuss the order of the cleaning routine on a room by room basis.

Cleaning staff
Do the cleaning staff know what’s expected of them? Do they wear uniforms? Are they well-presented and professional? Do they have a good attitude? Are they well-mannered and polite? Can they be trusted in your working environment? Can you trust them to secure the premises when they leave? Reliable, professional staff will ensure they meet, or exceed, your expectations and will be easily identifiable as outside contractors.

Access
Ensure cleaning staff have access to your building. If they are coming early morning or evening, you’ll need to consider how they will access your property and provide the necessary clearance, perhaps providing them with keys. Make sure security or night staff can check them in and out, and that they sign in and out to a log book.

Health & safety
Health and Safety is your responsibility, so it’s essential to make sure the company meets the latest legislative regulations and follows protocol, especially when cleaning a commercial property, populated by your employees and customers. All cleaning staff should be fully trained in health & safety to a high standard.

Insurance
It’s essential the cleaning company is fully insured, with the correct indemnities in place, including public, professional and employers’ liability. Accidents happen and if your property or equipment is damaged or lost, you need to know you’re fully protected. Likewise, you need to know your business is protected against any claims for injuries or losses.

Contract
Establish the terms of your contract, ask any questions, and make sure you’re happy with the answers before you sign anything.

Talk to Zenith

Zenith is a commercial cleaning contractor serving the Coventry and Warwickshire areas, providing a professional, flexible solution to keeping your premises clean. Known for our high standards, consistency and reliability, we can tailor our methods and equipment to suit your exact cleaning requirements. All our contract cleaning sites are assigned a dedicated area supervisor, ensuring your expectations are always met in a professional manner.

To find out more, please call us 024 7668 7167, email info@zenithcontractservices.co.uk