The office where you conduct business needs cleaning each day but this is a significant task and usually outsourced to various London service providers. There are so many to choose from and how do you know which one will be right for you? What can you expect from the one you choose? Here are a few areas of consideration that can help you answer these questions.
Estimators should listen to your sanitation needs. Then, they should be able to effectively translate those needs into a service agreement. Your business area is unique in comparison to others. There will be areas that are common to all but the estimator should be able to propose a cost and rough plan of how to handle some special area you need cleaned.
What is the experience level of the service provider? It is more difficult to prepare customized estimations when a company’s client experience is limited. When a provider has clientele in a wide variety of industries, it is better prepared to handle the special sanitation needs of each type.
Does the contractor provide service within the requirements of COSHH? COSHH stands for Control of Substances Hazardous to Health and it is statutory for your place of employment to comply with its standards. One of the objectives of COSHH is to protect workers from hazardous chemicals in the workplace. You want the service provider to use sanitizing solvents and detergents that do not present a health threat to your staff.
Are contractor employees properly trained? You should ask this question and the service provider’s answer should include specific details as to how they were trained. For example, are they trained in the proper care and shampooing of carpet? Have they been educated on the hazards of mixing certain chemical cleaners? Do they know what chemicals should not be used on certain surfaces? Lack of training can be costly for you in terms of health expenses and property damage.
Have service providers been trained in basic security measures? These people will be the ones at your facility after hours. They should know what measures to take in order to protect your property. They should also be familiar with how to detect when something or someone looks out of place.
Are they insured? In spite of all the protective measures employers take, accidents still happen. Providers should have public liability insurance. Are cleaners supervised? Supervisors should never be at the contractor’s main location only reachable by telephone. They should be out in the field and roaming the various sites they are responsible for.
Are there stand-ins available? Just like any other employee, cleaners get sick and have personal emergencies too. The cleaning company should be able to provide qualified stand-in cleaners who can be productive immediately.
Does the company have a system for time tracking and resource management? In order for a cleaning company to be able to provide stand-ins, it needs to have an effective method of tracking its employees, their schedules, and where they are at during any given time. An accurate tracking method is also critical for client billing. It is best if the cleaning company uses a computerized system for tracking.