3.2 Million People in The Janitorial Business – Who Should You Hire?
When looking to hire a janitorial cleaning company what should you look for? With the growing rate of 3.2 million people working in the cleaning service industry in the United States (statista.com/cleaningsrviceindustryus) it is important to ask yourself what kind of cleaning companies you should be looking for. The first question you may need to ask yourself is “What services should the cleaning company offer monthly?” The typical list of responsibilities that a company will offer are as follows: empty waste baskets, dust all furniture, clean and mop floors, sanitize drinking fountains, sanitize restrooms and stock bathrooms with necessary supplies (i.e. trash bags, soap, toilet paper). Most cleaning service companies now offer programs called Green Cleaning for anyone interested in mor e eco-friendly services.
Decide if you will need a daily, weekly or monthly cleaning crew. A small cleaning crew is expected to cost as little as $250 per month for a small office and around $3,000 a month for daily cleaning crews in larger offices. Simply put: you can expect to pay $50-$75 per visit for the cleaning of a 5-10 person office. An alternative and cost effective option for smaller businesses is to hire a self- employed janitor as these services are generally completed by one or more people and cut out a third of the estimated cost.
In addition, it is important to look into liability insurance and who will pay for any potential cleaning mishaps. Consider what would happen if anything is broken or stolen and whether or not you would be covered. Ask if the cleaners are employees or contractors (1099 workers). If they are contractors, they do not need to provide liability insurance they must simply provide a business license.
It is encouraged to ask the crew to provide a written checklist of the tasks to be performed. This is extremely important. Every company has different standards for what a basic service consists of. Compare these specific lists when looking into different companies. If you can insure you are on the same page as your potential janitorial staff you are far more likely to be satisfied with the outcome after each visit. Lastly ask what the companies policy is if you are unsatisfied with the cleaning. Some cleaning services offer a percent off of your next service if you are displeased. A cleaning company who is accepting of your expectations initially will lead to a far more satisfying experience.