When you’re searching for a commercial cleaning company to assume or take over the responsibilities of keeping your office or business clean and hygienic, it can feel like quite a daunting process.
With so many cleaning companies to choose from, it’s important to consider everything you’re looking for in a commercial cleaners and which company you research most closely matches those goals and aspirations.
We’ve compiled a list of some of the factors it’s recommended you consider to help you take steps on making an informed decision and beginning a new rewarding partnership with the perfect cleaning company.
1. The Professional Cleaning Services on Offer
When you are considering hiring a commercial cleaning company, it will likely be because you have a particular service you need to help your business grow and flourish.
Not all cleaning companies offer the same services, so initial research should be around whether the cleaning company you’re looking at can give you the help you directly require.
If you only need one service or special one-off cleaning, all you’ll have to do is find a commercial cleaning company that offers that specific service. If you need multiple services, heading to a bigger company with more on offer will help you to address all your needs in one go.
For example, at Cresswell, we offer a range of cleaning services including:
- Floor cleaning services
- Matting solutions
- Confidential waste management
- Daily office cleaning
- Pest control
- Keyholder service
- Pressure washing
- Window cleaning
You will often find on commercial cleaning company websites that there will be a decent range of broad, general services that will feature regularly as well as more specific services that can help to address the direct needs and problems of your office.
2. Sectors Serviced by the Cleaning Company
Of course, having an intimate knowledge of which cleaning company offers the right services for you will mean nothing in the long run if they don’t offer their services to the industry or sector you’re working in.
There are a wide range of commercial industries in the UK so first take note of what sector your business falls under and search for that industry in relation to cleaning companies. You can do this via Google or by searching directly on the cleaning company websites.
Bigger companies will offer a broader range of sectors which can also help to translate into a reflection of the experience and success the cleaning company has had in the industry which can also be a positive affecting factor in your decision.
Our list of sectors we offer cleaning services to includes:
- Car dealerships
- Medical facilities
- Hotels and restaurants
- Schools
- Professional practices – such as law firms and architect offices
- Gyms
The diversity on offer in a cleaning company will make it easier to find one that suits your needs.
You should also consider the specialist services and expertise of the commercial cleaning company during your search. Different sectors have different pressure points and understanding how the commercial cleaning team will approach your business will be a handy factor in your decision.
Commercial cleaners in the medical sector for example should have a strong built up knowledge of disinfection and sterilisation protocols while services for commercial kitchens should demonstrate a solid knowledge of the numerous ways food waste can be disposed of to promote kitchen health and protect the environment.
3. Cleaning Technologies and Innovations
As someone looking for commercial cleaning services to help your business become a better version of itself, you should only be looking for the best of the best.
Year after year, there are new trends, technologies, and innovations that revolutionise the cleaning industry, helping commercial cleaners to improve and develop their cleaning standards and protocols and find new and modern ways to distribute and carry out their cleaning processes.
Hiring a cleaning company that is a practiser and a forerunner of new cleaning innovations will show they value progression and make it easier for you to see which companies will be able to benefit your company and help you move forward as well.
A lot of cleaning innovations will be behind-the-scenes such as using AI to optimise work management so that cleaning teams can complete work more effectively and efficiently. Research which companies are turning the latest technologies to their advantage, whether through calling for a conversation or checking out their website.
This will help you to get a better idea of how the commercial cleaning company works and give you a clearer picture of how those processes can fit within your own business schedule.
Here at Cresswell’s, we are always trying to move forward, trialling robotic vacuums to assist our cleaning teams with their heavy and chaotic workloads. We also make use of state-of-the-art cleaning tools and equipment such as:
- Steam cleaners
- Pressure washers
- Fogging machines
Research the different machinery and tools used by commercial cleaning companies in your area and consider the purpose of each in streamlining cleaning operations. After all, an efficient service will keep your offices clean with as little stress as possible.
4. Shared Cleaning Values
As you undergo research into commercial cleaning companies, consider the values you have as part of your own company. List the qualities you aspire to in your business. These can include responsibility, efficiency, reliability, expertise, and a customer-forward approach.
Now look for companies that share these values. The more values and goals they have in common with you, the more likely it is that you will be able to forge a strong partnership based on trust as you will be safe in the knowledge that their company believes in your ideals.
An easy way to find out the values of a commercial cleaning company is to read their about page or check out their customer reviews. The first will let you know the promises the company is putting out while the second will show you whether those promises are stuck to.
If other customers are happy with their services and laud them for their values as a company, you will be able to garner a better idea of whether they will be a good fit for you.
Sustainability Cleaning Values
A big value that customers are often looking for in cleaning companies in recent times is a focus on sustainable cleaning.
Sustainability in cleaning can take on many forms including:
- Solar PV panels to save energy
- Eco-friendly commercial cleaning products
- Window cleaning and steam cleaning equipment that saves water
- Energy efficient air conditioning and ventilation systems
- Electric fleets of vehicles
These green cleaning practises help to lower the carbon footprint of the cleaning company and will have a positive eco-friendly impact on your own business by helping you to reduce your own carbon emissions.
Aside from preserving natural resources and protecting the environment, green cleaning can also have a huge benefit on the health of your co-workers, reducing the amount of harmful chemicals in the workplace and avoiding triggering allergies or other health conditions.
This helps to once more emphasise a cleaning company’s personal dedication to putting your staff and clients first, an important value in any business.
You can research the sustainable values of a cleaning company via their website or by getting in touch with them. Communication will help greatly in giving you a clearer picture as to how all their sustainable goals and practises coming together.
5. Effective Cleaning Contracts
You’re likely to have a busy and hectic work schedule in your day-to-day life so finding a commercial cleaning company that can slot in neatly around your business responsibilities is important.
During your research, you can contact potential cleaning companies in your area for more information on the kinds of contracts they offer for their services. A number of commercial cleaners will offer tailored contracts that fit your needs and working hours.
Make sure to communicate your schedule clearly so you can receive all the necessary information. For example, here at Cresswell’s, we put our clients at the centre of all of our contracts, allowing them to communicate the frequency with which they require our cleaning services and the hours that are best for them so we don’t interrupt the working day.
You also need to take into account the budget you have set aside for cleaning services. Your research should involve finding out what each cleaning company you’re looking at offers for the prices you can afford.
Some cleaning companies may offer fewer services for your budget so make sure to be thorough so that you can get everything you need from your future partnership.
6. Legal Research
The trustworthiness of the commercial cleaning companies you’re choosing from should be of paramount importance. If they don’t have the right insurance or accreditation, this may be a sign that they will not provide a reliable or effective service for your company.
Some things to look out for during your research are whether they’ve made a note on their website of the accreditations and certificates their business holds, including:
- ISO 45001 – Health and Safety
- ISO 9001 – Quality
- ISO 14001 – Environment
- COSHH Regulations – Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (covers chemical safety)
The COSHH regulations and laws help to prove that the commercial cleaning company handles chemicals safely and uses non-toxic or low-toxic alternatives where possible.
Safe storage and disposal measures and protective gear can also help to provide peace of mind that you and your employees are safe while cleaning processes are being carried out. You will be able to find out more about how the cleaning company adheres to the strict regulations by getting in touch with them.
On the insurance side, cleaning companies have a lot of legal requirements including professional indemnity insurance and employer’s liability insurance.
As someone looking to hire a commercial cleaning company though, the one you’ll need to be concerned with is the public liability insurance. This means that if one of our cleaning team members accidentally breaks or damages something on your property or our work causes an accident, you will be fully covered for the loss.
Cresswell’s is dedicated to providing the best cleaning care to our clients with a wide range of services and values that can be easily found on our website. Choosing Cresswells for your commercial cleaning needs comes with a promise that the needs of you and your business will always be put first. Our cleaning processes are designed to guarantee your health and protection during the working day.
You can find out more about how a commercial cleaning business can help your company by reading our list of benefits for hiring a professional cleaning service and you can get in touch for your free quote today.