Finding a reliable commercial cleaning company can be a challenge.  A quick Google search for “Commercial Cleaning Companies” yields a hodgepodge of results.  Many the search engine results are not actually cleaning companies.  For example, some are simply marketing companies posing as cleaning companies.  Examples are Vanguard, Executive Cleaning Services, and Jensen Brothers.  These companies do not provide cleaning services – they simply gather your information and find a subcontractor.  Other search engine results will be things like Yelp, Bark, Home Advisor, etc.  So, it can be a challenge to simply find a REAL commercial cleaning service. But, once you…

As with every industry, 2020 proved to be an interesting year for companies in the janitorial industry. In this article, we will share some things we learned in 2020, and what you might expect from the industry in 2021. 1. There is an important difference between cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting Before COVID, these terms were used interchangeably. However, we quickly discovered these terms are quite different. The EPA makes a clear distinction between these terms: Cleaning is done with water, a cleaning product, and scrubbing. Cleaning does not kill bacteria, viruses, or fungi, which are generally referred to as “germs.”…

The decision to outsource business and operations tasks is typically motivated by a desire to focus on core business functions. Each organization must first decide which functions are core to their business, and which tasks would be best performed by an outsourced vendor. This decision is unique to every organization. It is also not uncommon to develop a hybrid outsourcing approach to certain services. For example, a company might employ an attorney to handle certain items, but outsource more specialized legal services. Likewise, IT functions are also typically handled in this way. Daily functions are generally handled by an internal…

Let’s get this out there: commercial janitorial work is not complex.  As such, it would stand to reason that purchasing commercial janitorial services would be very simple: call a few vendors, ask for “quotes”, and pick the least expensive.  Simple, right?  Well, maybe not.  In this article, we discuss janitorial production rates and their impact on setting your janitorial budget. The 800-Pound Gorilla: Labor Costs As mentioned in previous posts, the cost of direct labor, or wages, accounts for 75-80% of most janitorial budgets.  Furthermore, by adding in the cost of labor related items like payroll taxes, benefits, uniforms, and…

By now you have probably heard just about everything there is to hear about COVID-19.  It is a subject that is difficult to avoid.  Since the outbreak, the gathering of information surrounding what you should do to keep your facility safe has been a bit like drinking from the proverbial fire hose!  The commercial cleaning industry has tried very hard to stay in front of this issue, but the facts seem to be a bit of a moving target.  To make matters worse, there has been an influx of market participants making unrealistic claims or simply profiting at the expense…

There are a variety of reasons why you may find it necessary to make a change in custodial vendors. Unfortunately, the most common reason for change tends to be poor performance.  One of the questions that I am asked most often during the sales process is: “How long will it take your company to get started cleaning our facility?”  The short answer is: 30 days. During this 30-day period your new cleaning vendor will be performing two very important start-up processes.   Process #1 – Building the Team There is a common misconception that companies in our industry have a…

As I write this, information is changing minute-by-minute.  For very good reasons, there is a sea of data surrounding proper cleaning and disinfecting protocols during this crisis.  The purpose of this document is to provide some very practical information for the present and future. Differences Between Cleaning & Disinfecting In a few words – cleaning removes germs, disinfecting kills germs Cleaning works by using a detergent and water to physically remove germs from surfaces. This process does not necessarily kill germs, but by removing them, it lowers their numbers and the risk of spreading infection. Disinfecting works by using chemicals…