Maintaining a clean and sanitary office is essential to promoting productivity and professionalism in the workplace. That’s why savvy business owners hire a commercial cleaning company to keep everything tidy and sanitized. Unfortunately, not every janitorial service has the same standard of excellence, and if you hire the wrong crew, you may find yourself paying monthly cleaning bills while your office is still a mess. If that’s the case, it may be time to cancel your janitorial contract and go in a new direction. Here are eight signs it’s time to switch your janitorial service provider.

1. Your Workers Aren’t Productive

One of the biggest signs that it’s time to cancel your janitorial contract is that a dirty office is hampering productivity. If trash cans are consistently overflowing or the toilets are frequently backed up, it will likely impact your staff’s ability to concentrate and complete goals on time.

Sometimes it’s a more serious safety issue. For example, if you operate a warehouse where floors are not cleaned regularly, your employees may have to spend extra time to navigate around messes or risk a workplace accident. While occasional issues are bound to occur, if the lack of cleanliness is a consistent distraction, it may be time to switch your janitorial service provider. Ultimately it is the cleaning crew’s job to be proactive and prevent disruptions in the workplace, so if they aren’t up to the task, it’s time to look for a more efficient crew.

2. Clients Complain

Your reputation is everything, and you never want to be known as a business that doesn’t care about proper hygiene. So if you receive complaints from clients or outside business partners about the cleanliness of your space, it’s time to cancel your janitorial contract. 

The point of paying a cleaning crew is to give you the peace of mind of knowing that your office will be immaculate when important parties come to visit. So if they neglect this pivotal responsibility, it’s time to look for a new provider. If any other service provider made mistakes to the point that clients complained, you’d be quick to consider dropping their contract. So if you receive frequent comments about the cleanliness of your common areas, entryways, or restrooms, it’s time to switch your janitorial service provider.

3. You Notice Foul Odors

Foul odors are a major red flag that your office space isn’t as clean as it should be. That smell could be the overflowing kitchen trash in the break room, or it could be mold or another more serious health hazard.

Your cleaning crew isn’t only responsible for eliminating unsightly messes, but they’re also responsible for sanitizing and deodorizing the space. If your cleaning crew is not equipped to neutralize mold or they do not follow directions to remove trash to the dumpster or loading dock, you likely are not getting the full value of your contract. Bad smells can indicate larger sanitation problems, meaning it’s time to switch your janitorial service provider.

4. You Do Most of the Cleaning

Another major sign that it’s time to cancel your janitorial contract is that you find yourself or your staff consistently contributing to cleaning the office. While it’s always respectful to pick up after yourselves and not create unnecessary work for the cleaning crew, if you have to go above and beyond to keep the office at an acceptable level of cleanliness, something is wrong. 

For instance, you should dispose of your trash and recyclables in the proper receptacles. But if you find yourself constantly taking out the trash to prevent it from overflowing—when you pay a cleaning staff to do so—it may be time to switch your janitorial service provider. 

Even if you don’t hire cleaners every day—some companies choose once per week to save on costs—you still should not have an unreasonable amount of cleaning to do on your own.

5. Lack of Communication

Lack of communication is another red flag that may be time for a switch, especially if it seriously impacts the job performance of the crew. It’s important to be honest and upfront about what you expect out of a janitorial service provider, and transparent communication should be at the top of your janitorial service hiring checklist.

Not all companies offer the same services, so it’s essential to understand what’s included in your contract. For instance, one company may be willing to clean the toilets but won’t replace and restock paper towels and toilet tissue. As long as they are clear about what they offer and there is an understanding, you shouldn’t have many issues. 

The problem arises when there is a lack of communication or an unwillingness to articulate concerns. This is especially true if you have an overnight cleaning crew and aren’t typically available to speak to them face-to-face. If there’s a disagreement or misunderstanding regarding expectations, you should always reach out first and see if you can resolve the issue amicably. But if there is a consistent lack of communication and unwillingness to compromise, it’s time to switch your janitorial service provider.

6. Employees are Getting Sick

If you notice your employees regularly getting sick, this could be related to the cleanliness of your office and yet another sign to cancel your janitorial contract. Consistent allergic reactions or asthma attacks may be caused by dust and allergens being kicked up into the air from dirty carpets. Also, a lack of sanitation can make it easier for viruses to spread or mold and mildew to grow. 

If you notice an abnormal amount of absences, coupled with complaints from your team about the cleanliness of the office, you may want to investigate. The health and safety of your employees are pressing concerns for any business owner. So if a lack of hygiene and sanitation is causing your staff to become ill, you should seriously consider switching your janitorial service provider.

7. Difficult Areas are Skipped

Laziness or incompetence is a major issue that can impact the cleanliness of your office. It’s one thing to do the bare minimum and keep high-traffic areas well-maintained. But a quality cleaning crew should also go the extra mile and take care of hard-to-reach areas, including high shelf and ceiling fixtures, windows, vents, pipes, and anything more than 10 to 15 feet off the ground. 

Even though they may be out of sight and out of mind for most of your employees, these remote areas are often some of the dustiest places in the building, presenting sanitation issues to the entire office. So you should switch your janitorial service provider if your building has high fixtures and your current crew doesn’t have the equipment or training to clean them properly.

8. Complaints Aren’t Addressed

Finally, you should immediately switch your janitorial service provider if you are voicing concerns that aren’t addressed. For instance, if you specifically request a snowy and slushy entryway to be prioritized, your cleaning crew should be eager to adjust their routine. It may be time to cancel your janitorial contract if you feel your complaints fall on deaf ears. Ultimately it is their job to keep you satisfied and maintain a consistent level of cleanliness in the building. If they fail to do so repeatedly, it’s time to switch your janitorial service provider.

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Seattle Commercial Cleaners has more than a decade of experience with mobilizing skilled technicians to tackle the toughest cleaning jobs. We service the greater Seattle metro area and Portland, OR with a range of professional cleaning services for buildings of all sizes. Contact us today for a customized quote for your property.