If you’re ready to hire a cleaning service but don’t know where to start, then this step-by-step guide will explain everything you need to consider throughout the process.
How to hire a cleaning service is a matter of understanding the needs of your facility. Some places may be rarely used or easily cleaned yourself, but you need to identify the places that require consistent professional cleaning to keep up with your business’s demands. Once you know where those are, finding the right janitorial service becomes much easier.
Of course, when choosing a company, it is not all about which services they offer. You will need to consider their reputation with clients, reliability, and professionalism. No business can afford to waste precious resources on a cleaning service that doesn’t deliver.
Step 1: Hire a Cleaning Service Responsive to Your Specific Needs
This should really be step zero. If a cleaning service can’t meet the needs of your building, they will not work for you in the long run.
Every cleaning job is different. Perhaps you require a company that restocks restrooms daily or you need a company who can clean your second-floor exterior windows. If you operate a restaurant, you may want a company with expertise in food service.
Make a list of why you are hiring janitorial services. During your first call with a new company, run through your list. If you sense hesitation or hear a firm no, you will likely want to keep searching. Knowing your requirements leads you to the cleaning service with the specializations you need.
Step 2: Let Your Network Know You’re Hiring Janitorial Services
No matter what type of service you’re seeking, checking in with your network is always a great place to start. Your network of colleagues, business partners, suppliers, and service providers is the home of reputable knowledge that can save you time and trouble.
Find out who they use to clean their facilities. Choose people from your network with sound judgment, then ask the right questions:
- Is this cleaning service reliable, professional, and consistent? Have they ever had to cancel last-minute?
- Does the company carry liability insurance?
- Do their professionals bring their own equipment?
- If you’ve ever requested a change to your services, how easily could they accommodate you?
Speaking with your network may also help you realize which cleaning services can be bundled. For example, if you learn that a similar business calls the same company to pressure wash their sidewalks and arrange weekly janitorial services, you may be able to hire them once for multiple jobs around your facility.
Step 3: Vetting Potential Cleaning Services
This step involves checking the information you’ve received from your network online. While your network will provide information you can trust, it never hurts to go straight to the company’s website to review what they have to offer. How to hire a cleaning service confidently involves knowing as much as possible about the cleaning businesses you’re looking at. You can tell a lot about a company by their online presentation. Things to watch out for include:
- A comprehensive selection of specialized services.
- A well-organized website that explains in detail what the company does and its philosophy of doing business.
- The types of industries the company serves.
- Where the company’s located and whether they work from more than one location.
You’ll also want to take note of how effective the website is. If you find that the information presented is sparse or poorly expressed, this might not be the company you want to hire.
Don’t neglect a visit to the website’s blog when hiring janitorial services. This is where you’ll get a look at items like expertise and connectedness to other facets of the industry like suppliers of cleaning products and equipment.
Also, check consumer review sites like Angi or read Google reviews to gain a sense of the company’s reputation within your community. The one with the most five-star reviews isn’t always the best, but this should help you catch any recurring problems or complaints.
Step 4: The Interview—Hiring Janitorial Services is About Asking Questions
Asking the right questions is key to obtaining the quality of service you want from a cleaning company. The more questions you ask, the more informed you’ll be.
Understanding the extent of the services you’ll be paying for and clarifying your expectations of the company you’re interviewing is how to hire a cleaning service the smart way. This approach avoids unpleasant misunderstandings and unwelcome surprises.
Ask questions like:
- Can we go through your proposal together so I can get a handle on it?
- Can you share your references with me?
- The team lead for the facility would like to meet with you. When are you available for that?
- Are your cleaners full-time?
- What specialized skills do your cleaners have?
Make sure you feel comfortable with the company before proceeding.
Step 5: Don’t Settle on One or Two Bids
Hiring janitorial services is a big deal. It’s a large financial commitment, so you need to be sure you’re getting the right company for the job. Price point is important, but the quality and appropriateness of the work you get for the contract price matters just as much.
Settling for one or two bids deprives you of the bigger picture. Be thorough in your search, and try to obtain proposals from several different companies who offer the services you require.
Your trusted network advisors will have pointed you toward favorable pricing, high standards, reliability, and specialized services that answer your facility’s unique requirements. From this cluster of potential, how to hire a cleaning service involves working down your “wish list” first, examining pricing models from there.
Step 6: Ask for a Walkthrough
One of the best tips for hiring janitorial services is to ask potential companies to walk through your premises with you. This is done not only for the sake of demonstrating the scale of the job but for hearing what the contractor has to say. Their comments can be illuminating and can make or break a proposal.
During the walkthrough, it will become apparent to you whether the company has a solid plan for cleaning your facility. Only when your potential cleaning company can get a clear picture of the work and the needs of the facility can they genuinely offer a solid proposal, so this step is one of the most crucial in our guide.
Professional Cleaning When You Need It
Seattle Commercial Cleaners believes that every client deserves the best we have to offer. This step-by-step guide on how to hire a cleaning service is based on our extensive experience with clients in a wide array of industries.
If you’re looking to hire janitorial services in Seattle, WA, Portland, OR, or any of the surrounding areas, give us a call. We are happy to discuss the unique needs of your facility and determine if our knowledgeable, insured professionals can provide a good fit.
Reach out anytime at (206) 755-2949 or through our online contact form. We look forward to meeting with you.