Keeping offices and workstations clean and hygienic has always been an important aspect of day to day life for businesses around the world, and that importance has only been made more evident since Covid-19 hit. Now, more than ever, business owners need to prioritise hygiene and cleanliness, so what steps do you need to take to make sure you’re making the best choices for your business?
In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the most important aspects of choosing a cleaning service for your business, and how to narrow down your choices.
Deciding What You Need
From deep cleaning and decontamination to simple waste collection and dusting, every business has different requirements when it comes to cleaning services. For some businesses, it can be a simple job that your employees can take on, or that you may even hire a full-time employee to deal with. However, in many other cases hiring a specialist company is required. Particularly when your business deals with public health or has any specialist hygiene requirements.
The most important thing to consider when hiring a Cleaning Service is what you need. If you need a deep clean or decontamination clean after a Covid outbreak, specialist companies like PHS Interclean offer the services you need. Of course, there are hundreds of other companies offering similar services, and we’ll discuss how to decide between them in the next point, but the important thing to take away from this point is that you need to know what services you need in order to choose the right company for you.
Read the Reviews
So, you’ve decided what services you need, and shortlisted your candidate companies, the next step is to check reviews to make sure they are all well respected and are worth contacting.
We’ve all used reviews when buying products for ourselves, so why shouldn’t that diligence apply to the companies we go into business with as well? Most companies will have reviews published on their own sites, which are inevitably biased, the best place to look for impartial reviews are independent aggregate sites such as Trustpilot, Google Reviews, or Reviews.io, all of these can give you a better idea of the kind of company you’re dealing with and whether they are worth pursuing.
Always be on the lookout for reviews about services not rendered, or contract misunderstandings, as those tend to be issues that repeat if left unchecked.
Compare Quotes
Once you’ve decided that the companies on your shortlist are all worth contacting, you need to gather quotes and start comparing them. Comparing quotes can be incredibly complicated, and is rarely as simple as just looking at the prices. You also need to consider the value for money of the services they’re offering, as well as elements such as the schedule they can work on, how much flexibility you have with your plan with them for recurring services, and even fundamentals like how easy they are to work with. In a lot of cases it’s worth paying slightly more to get a company that communicates well, can work to your schedule, and are willing to work with you on a deal that suits both parties. Take the time to compare all aspects of your quotes to really find the right deal for your business.
Understand Your Contract
The final part of the process of choosing the right Cleaning Service for your business is understanding your contract. This is one of the most important things you can do in any aspect of business and choosing a cleaning service is no exception.
Understanding your contract is what protects you against any potential issues that could arise in a partnership down the line, and should never be underestimated. Clauses that cover aspects such as who is responsible in specific cases of work not being done to a high standard, and where responsibility lies for approvals are all very important, as well as clauses covering topics such as Force Majeure, termination processes, and dispute resolution. Learning what all of these clauses cover, even on a basic level is vitally important.
If you are unsure about any element of your contract you should always have it checked by a lawyer to protect you from any potential issues later.
Choosing a Cleaning Service can be an unexpectedly difficult task for a lot of businesses, but by following the steps in this guide you will be able to find the perfect company for your business and avoid any potential pitfalls that may arise.
Interesting Related Article: “How Office Cleaning Companies Have Improved Their Services To Meet Pandemic Concerns“