Do You Know Who Is Cleaning Your Office?

This is the fifth post in a series on “Critical questions to ask your Janitorial Service Provider”.

It is said that people meeting for the first time make subconscious evaluations and judgments about the other person in less than .3 milliseconds and that the accuracy of those determinations is accurate about 3 out of 4 times. As technologically adept as we are, and sometimes isolated because of it, we are social beings. We trust our ‘gut’ to tell us what is the next choice or next decision to make. If, as some have suggested, our greatest fear is the unknown we can eliminate or reduce that fear simply by having a face to face with those who are actually going to provide the service for us. If your potential janitorial service provider is unwilling or hesitant to introduce you to the people who are going to be in the building every night I would be highly concerned.

Validate Your Gut

It is also a good idea to ask for background checks, especially if your business maintains sensitive information either of a personal (medical) or financial nature. Keep in mind this is your business and you have every right to ask for enough information to make you feel comfortable. Security is always an issue and one major topic should always be the alarm and door security. Many times key pads are worn and locks get sticky. Having this conversation with the crew and demonstrating, in person, any unique characteristics before they start will save everyone needless stress and frustration.

Clues

Once you have overcome your ‘gut check’ and the background check hurdles there are some additional things you should look for. One thing to look for is whether they are taking notes and asking questions during your initial meeting. These are indicators that the crew is engaged and paying attention to the specific needs of your facility. Something else to look for is, do they have ID badges and uniforms that clearly identify them as being legitimate and authorized to be in the building? Professional appearance goes a long way toward building confidence.

No Barriers

In some cases the crew who is maintaining your building may speak little or no English. Don’t let this become a barrier to hiring a company or their crews. While it is important to verify whether an individual is legally qualified to work and operate a business in the United States, language is not a criteria. However, communicating concerns and issues to the crew can be a real issue. Ask the janitorial service provider you are considering hiring whether they have a system that allows for information to be transmitted to the crew in a timely manner. If you are not satisfied that your concerns will be quickly and accurately communicated to the technicians cleaning your building it is unlikely you will have a good working relationship over the long haul.

One last thing, this is your building and your office space to work in everyday. When you choose a crew you are comfortable with, the experience will be long lasting and productive. You are the client. You have the right to feel comfortable with the cleaning company and the technicians servicing your building. Trust your gut.