How to Handle Cleaning Service Issues in Your Workplace

A clean and well-maintained office is required not only to make a good impression on the visitors but also to ensure your staff’s safety from germs and allergens. Regular cleanliness helps maintain hygiene and eliminate germs. When your office cleaning service is not up to the mark, it can impact both your reputation and employees’ productivity.

If you’re facing challenges with your cleaning service, it’s crucial to address the issue promptly and effectively. This article explains all you can do when your office cleaning service isn’t meeting expectations.

Hiring In-house Cleaners Vs. Outsourcing Office Cleaning Professionals

Most businesses that face inefficiency problems with cleaners have hired in-house teams. They end up spending a lot of money, resources, and time on training and managing cleaners to achieve only mediocre results.

The reason?

These cleaners or janitors are not trained for complex commercial cleaning. The best they can do is perform basic cleaning, which may not be sufficient to keep up with the high-traffic and hygiene maintenance challenges in a busy commercial facility.

Outsourcing professional office cleaners is the wise choice for many reasons, such as:

• They are trained and equipped to perform deep cleaning, handling complex tasks like carpet cleaning, window washing, and deep sanitization like a pro. 
• They carry commercial-grade tools and equipment, such as powerful vacuums, floor scrubbers, and specialized cleaning solutions for different surfaces and contaminants.
• They are trained to focus on your safety by using non-toxic products and carefully handling chemicals, promoting a healthy and hygienic workspace.
• A professional cleaning company can develop cleaning plans and schedules tailored to your specific needs and goals. 
• They generally have broad knowledge and skills to handle diverse cleaning needs, including specialized cleaning for commercial premises.

How to handle inefficiency in Office Cleaning?

Here’s everything you can (try to) do when your in-house or hired office cleaners are not meeting expectations:

1. Assess the Situation Correctly

Before taking any action, it’s important to understand the exact issue. Are the problems related to a particular area in your office, or are they associated with the cleaning team? Common cases may include:

Inconsistent cleaning: Missed or delayed sessions, resulting in inefficiency.

Untrained cleaners: Janitors not equipped or skilled to meet the desired results.

Subpar cleaning quality: Dust in corners, unemptied trash bins, or smelling restrooms.

Lack of attention to detail: Overlooked areas like cobwebs on the ceiling, light fixtures, or under furniture.

Unprofessionalism: Staff arriving late, lack of professionalism, or bad communication.

List all the issues you’re facing to pin down the problems.

2. Communicate Your Concerns With the Cleaner

Effective communication is the key to resolving inefficiency issues in the cleaning service. When addressing your issues:

• Be specific about the problem or exact issues, like “the dust bins are not emptied daily” or “the carpets are not vacuumed properly,” rather than general statements like “the office doesn’t look clean.”
• Show evidence: Use photos or videos to prove your point and highlight specific problems.
• Maintain professionalism: Maintain a conversational tone, aiming to assess the problem and find a solution, rather than placing blame.
  

If the problem is related to your cleaners or their lack of expertise, it may be time to look for alternatives. However, if cleaners are willing to do better or put in more effort, it seems harmful to give them another chance.

3. Request a Follow-Up Inspection

After your cleaners have agreed to improve their services according to your instructions, keep a close eye on their work and request a follow-up inspection and assessment to ensure that they have implemented the changes.

Check if the problems identified in the previous step have been addressed.

Offer on-the-spot feedback and instructions to direct the cleaning staff.

Advise them to maintain high standards and follow instructions moving forward.

A follow-up inspection ensures that the cleaners incorporate the revised cleaning plan and that the changes meet your expectations.

4. Look for Alternatives

If your existing cleaners are unwilling to improve their services or fail to meet expectations even after implementing changes, it might be time to switch cleaners.

If you decide to hire another cleaning services provider, take your time to research and find a reputable cleaning company that specializes in your particular area or property type.

When choosing a commercial cleaner in Sydney, businesses generally consider factors like their experience, team strength, track record, market reputation, certifications, and cleaning cost.

Ask around, seek references from your friends or family, conduct research, and ask for free quotes.

Before finalising a cleaner, seek feedback from their existing clients or read online reviews to learn about the company’s expertise, performance, team behavior, ethics, etc.

Check out their website for details about their cleaning services. See if they are a registered provider or have necessary certifications and insurance for cleaners.

Always request a free onsite estimate or opt for a trial period to evaluate their performance and effectiveness before committing long-term.

A thorough cleaner selection process and ensuring professionalism can help boost your experience.

5. Implement Internal Measures to Maintain Cleanliness

There’s only so much cleaners can do. You can boost cleanliness and hygiene in your office space by simply implementing these basic measures:

Establish a cleaning schedule and guidelines: Create a checklist and plan for daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning tasks.

Oversee cleanliness or assign a dedicated manager to evaluate daily cleaning. With Clean Group, you get a dedicated manager with each team.

Encourage your staff, including cleaners, to take responsibility for their work and maintain a clean workspace.

These measures can help reduce inefficiencies and ensure a consistently clean and safe work environment.

Conclusion

A clean office is synonymous with a productive and safe workplace environment. If your cleaning service isn’t meeting expectations, it’s important to find and address the issue promptly and effectively to avoid long-term challenges.

By assessing the situation to determine the exact problem, communicating concerns clearly, and making appropriate changes in your cleaning plan, you can ensure that your cleaning service meets your business requirements and goals.

If you’re completely dissatisfied with your current office cleaning service and do not expect it to get better, consider reaching out to Clean Group. Our professional team can help you with a tailored commercial cleaning plan to provide high-quality services personalised to your specific needs, ensuring a pristine and hygienic workplace environment.

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