8 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Janitorial Company

You’re at work, and the trash can is overflowing—again? Then you go to the bathroom and realize it hasn’t been cleaned in days. You sulk back to your desk, unable to focus on work.

Does that sound familiar? If it does, then it’s time to start looking for the right janitorial company to swoop in and save the day.

There are many complicated variables involved in finding a professional cleaning company and things you should know about cleaning and disinfecting your commercial facility. Not only do you have to find one that has the specific services your company needs, but you want to trust them around important items. It’s made even more difficult when many cleaning companies will say anything to get your business.

To narrow down the options, let’s look at what to ask before hiring a janitorial company. This will help you separate the less impressive from the winners.

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   How Do You Screen Your Employees?

You wouldn’t let any stranger go through your home, and the same goes for your commercial space. The right janitorial service company should, at minimum, be screening applicants to verify they don’t have a criminal history. They should also be checking for drug use.

The janitorial company that goes above and beyond will find candidates that are a great fit. They’ll go through previous employers, check references and meet them in person to make sure they’re the right fit.

If the company you’re talking to seems to be taking shortcuts when screening their employees, consider that a red flag. It puts you, your employees, and the facility at risk.

2. Do All of Your Employees Go Through a Training Program?

Speaking of employees, you want the cleaning company to give them the tools necessary to deliver great services. This requires comprehensive training that helps the cleaners consistently impress the clients. This goes beyond basic training, as there as specialized jobs that the company should equip at least some of them for.

This includes industrial cleaning, medical cleaning, or even school cleaning. The commercial cleaning company you talk to should provide their employees with training geared toward your facility.

3. Are You Insured?

You don’t want to deal with the headache of an uninsured or poorly insured cleaning company. Not only should they be covered, but they should ensure that you are protected as well. Generally, there are four types of coverage.

You have general liability, automobile liability, workers compensation, and an umbrella policy. Ask the janitorial company to verify coverage before booking a service.

4. How Many Years Have You Been in Business?

Finding a janitorial company with experience is an important element in going with the right service.

Although every company indeed has to start somewhere, you don’t want your business to be the training ground for a brand new cleaning service. Be sure to ask how many years a janitorial company has been in business. You can also find more information by reading reviews about their services.

The ideal company will also have plenty of experience working with businesses that are similar to yours. This way, they know what to look out for and provide training to their employees.

5. Do You Have a Quality Assurance Process?

As nice as it is to hire an enthusiastic and friendly service, you want to ensure that the job is done right. Be sure to find out how the cleaning company proactively manages the quality of their employee’s work.

This can be through a janitorial software application to an app that communicates information gathered from janitorial inspections. Janitorial inspections are the gold standard for quality control in the cleaning industry. They bridge the gap between a cleaning company and the facility manager.

If there are any issues, the right commercial cleaning company will address them immediately and effectively.

6. What’s Your Employee Turnover Rate?

Part of the appeal of hiring the right company is the peace of mind you get from getting the same cleaners every time. This provides a consistent quality of service, and they’ll get to know your specific needs while minimizing any issues.

This is when you look for companies that have a low turnover percentage. It tends to be quite high in lower-paid service jobs, but great housekeeping services have put systems in place that keep good employees around. Find out what your prospective company is doing to keep its turnover rate low.

7. Do You Provide a Contract?

Certain companies might want to sign a contract, and others might not want to be tied to anything so that there’s more flexibility with their needs. If you do want to sign a contract, this can give you the protection you need.

Just be sure to get all of your questions answered before you commit. This includes knowing what happens when an error occurs, if there’s satisfaction guaranteed, or what their refund policy is if the work is low quality.

8. What Are Your Rates?

The janitorial business is competitive, and many companies will put in a low bid to convince you to go with them. Although you don’t want to pay an excessive amount of money, don’t go with a company that is way too low. If they seem like a great service, find out why they charge so little.

Be sure to understand the kind of packages a company offers, the number of employees coming in, the list of services, and how long it will take.

Hiring the Best Janitorial Company

You want a working space that is organized, clean and sanitary. Not only will this make all the employees happy, but it’ll make your business efficient. Everything is where it needs to be and sparkling clean.

To get the best service, you’ll want to hire the right janitorial company.

This might seem like an overwhelming task but look for all of the most highly reviewed in your area. Then you can give them a call and ask these eight questions. You’ll be sure to find the right company after hearing their answers.

Looking for more informative articles like this? Then be sure to check out the business section of our blog!