Janitorial Service – How to Get the Best Janitorial Company
Are you someone who wants to hire a janitorial service to clean your office on a regular basis. Clean offices, workplaces, hospital and other commercial buildings instill a sense of freshness and uplifts the mood of employees that often results in better performance. You might have made efforts to hire the right kind of commercial janitorial services but without much success. But we won’t jump to share with you the tips and tricks of hiring a good janitorial service. Instead, we will take a comprehensive route so that you can understand the process of hiring a janitorial company.
Key Takeaways
- What is janitorial service?
- Difference Between Janitorial Services and Cleaning Services
- Benefits of Hiring a Janitorial Service
- How To Choose The Right Janitorial Service
- Warning Signs of Hiring a Janitorial Service
- Question to Ask When Hiring a Janitorial Service
- Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Janitorial Service – Meaning and Definition
Janitorial services are commercial cleaning services that are responsible for cleaning your office, residences and hospital premises on a regular basis. They sweep your floors, clean your washrooms, cleans your sinks, wash your toilets, dust your rooms and throw the garbage out. Such companies have trained janitors to perform these tasks.
Mostly janitorial services work in large set ups like hospitals, factories, educational institutions and office complexes.
Difference Between Janitorial Services and Cleaning Services
There is no need to get confused between commercial janitorial services and cleaning services. Many people think they are synonymous that is not true. Here we are talking about differences between Janitorial services and cleaning services.
Janitorial Service
A janitorial service provides cleaning and maintenance services to residential and business properties. Major things that are included in janitorial services are as follows.
- They clean bathrooms and floors.
- They clean windows as well.
- They provide soaps and toilet papers.
- They remove trash and garbage.
- They are also entitled with the task of cleaning pantry.
Commercial Cleaning Service
After discussing janitorial services, let’s discuss what is commercial cleaning service. A commercial cleaning service covers a lot more services. Contrary to janitorial services, that are performed on daily basis, commercial cleaning is done once or twice a year. Here are the top services performed under the commercial cleaning services.
- Offices and residences hire them for deep carpet cleaning.
- They are also called for grout cleaning.
- Commercial cleaning services are also hired for stripping, waxing and cleaning the hard floor.
- Pressure washing is also a service that commercial cleaning services performs.
- They also performs services like upholstery and furniture cleaning.
- They also wash windows.
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Responsibilities of a Janitorial Service
As you are hiring a a janitorial service, you might have questions like what are the roles and responsibilities of a janitorial service. What does a janitorial service provider do? Here, we are providing what are the services a good janitorial company can offer to you.
Surface Cleaning
Surface cleaning is one of the most essential parts of janitorial services. While cleaning surfaces, janitors do dusting, wiping and cleaning of furniture in your office area.
Cleaning Floors
Floor cleaning is also an important janitorial duty. Floor cleaning includes different tasks like sweeping, moping and wiping of floors. Sometimes the services also include waxing, buffing or carpet cleaning, if the situation demands so.
Removing Trash
No premise is called clean unless there is an effective mechanism for trash removal. A janitorial service dumps trash and replace new trash bags. It also helps with recycling if the organization has a recycling system.
Cleaning Washrooms
Washrooms should be cleaned on a regular basis. Good offices want their washrooms cleaned and sanitized. Janitors clean washrooms, sinks, and mirrors. Besides, they provide them with toilet paper, hand wash and other supplies.
Window Cleaning
The role of janitorial services is extensive and cleaning windows is one among them. Whether it is glass windows or wooden windows, janitors clean and sanitize them.
Dusting
Dusting is an important janitorial service. Dust may be found gathered under furniture, on surfaces and vents. Most janitorial services are equipped with modern equipment including vacuum cleaners to collect dust. As some employees may be allergic to dust, companies are particular about the dust removal.
Cobweb Removal
If the spaces are not cleaned for few days, spiders may form cobwebs. Removal of cobweb is also a major responsibility of a janitorial service.
Disinfecting and Sanitation
In the aftermath of Covid-19 disinfecting and sanitation has emerged as most in demand services worldwide. Janitorial services are entrusted with the task of disinfecting and sanitizing the common touch surfaces of the offices and premises.
Cleaning Lights
Light fittings are more prone to gather dust and it’s the task of a janitorial service to clean them regularly. As most light fittings are wall mounted and on ceilings, janitorial services have equipment to reach them safely and clean them perfectly.
Carpet Cleaning
Most offices are carpeted these days. Depending on the contract, janitorial services are also given the task to clean and vacuum them as per the contract.
Hospital Cleaning
Cleaning hospitals is a highly skilled job as safety and security of the medical equipment are concerned. Good janitorial services are also needed to remove pathogens from hospitals.
Maintaining Supplies
Maintaining supplies are also a major task of janitorial services. You should make sure that they are providing quality supplies.
Benefits of Hiring a Janitorial Service
Cleanliness is only next to god says a proverb. And every word is worth it. Have you seen squeaky clean floors and washrooms on your visit to some office and wondered how they maintain such a cleanliness. It is work of some experienced janitorial service hired by that office. Want to know the benefits of janitorial service. Find them below.
Adds Beauty To Your Office
A properly cleaned office appears better. It brings a positive vibe to the office. Employees love it, customers praise it and those visiting it for the first time remember it. Inadvertently, a clean office boosts your business.
They Offer Expertise
Some people love to do cleaning on their own. It is good and viable if the business is small. But when it grows and becomes medium and big sized, you can’t do it on your own. You need more people to clean it. The benefit of hiring a janitorial service is that they have people for every task. They have specialized machines to do the cleaning efficiently. They know what chemicals to use and with what effectiveness.
Boosts Productivity
As we have said earlier, cleanliness brings positive vibes to your office, it also boosts productivity. Employee work in a more focused way when their workplace is clean. It also reduces the likelihood of getting sick or injured. More presence at office means more productivity. It also reduced attrition rate. So investing in a janitorial service is worth it.
Giving You More Time
As there is a professional janitorial company carrying out the janitorial work for you, it creates more time for you to take strategic business decisions. A little investment gives you much resources in the form of time.
How To Choose The Right Janitorial Service
There is no dearth of janitorial services around, all making the tall claims of providing the best in class services. It makes the selection of the right janitorial service a bit difficult. Here we are providing tips to to help you select the right service.
Experience is Important
Be it janitorial or any other field, experience is important. You should go for a service provider that has extensive experience across industries. You should know which industries this prospective janitorial company has served. If they are working in an industry that is similar to yours, then it is better.
Seek Recommendations
As you are operating a business, you might be in contact with several other businesses in your area. You should seek referrals from these business owners. Some businesses might connect you to a janitorial company that might serve your goals to satisfaction.
Know their Supplies
Supplies and cleaning materials are essential parts of a janitorial service. You should know what kind of supplies they are offering. Are they offering standard material or substandard materials that might affect your health and damage your workplace. You should always go for supplies that are efficient and eco-friendly.
Check their Insurance
Most janitorial services are equipped with best materials and equipment so that they can perform the task without doing any harm to inmates. Despite that accident happens. The likelihood of damaging property and injuring someone can’t be completely overruled. In such a situation, they need to have an adequate medical insurance, so that things can be compensated. Check if the commercial janitorial company you are involving is adequately covered with insurance. Because you don’t know when things can go awry.
Customer Service
Customer service is an essential part of any kind of service based company and janitorial companies are no exception. There would be times when you need to contact them on an urgent basis. Here a good customer service can help you connect to them fast. Check what kind of customer services they are providing.
Pricing
When hiring a janitorial service, you should also take pricing into consideration. You should check whether the pricing fits into your budget. If the prices offers value for money? There are times when services are good but prices are exorbitant.
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Warning Signs of Hiring a Janitorial Service
As you are going to hire a janitorial service and pay for it, you must be very much concerned about it. While hiring a janitorial service, you may come across several warning signs that indicate a problem. But ignoring them could land you in trouble. Here are the top red flags you shouldn’t ignore while hiring a commercial janitorial company.
No or Little Focus on Quality
Most good companies have a great focus on quality assurance. They keep reinventing their services to serve satisfactorily to their customers. If your service provider doesn’t have such provisions like improvement in services and quality assurance, you should better leave this company and look for another.
Unreasonable Pricing
Pricing is an important consideration while hiring a janitorial service. You should ask from your prospective janitorial service about their pricing structure and all the inclusions and exclusions. If the company under consider fails to provide a reasonable pricing structure and remains vague on it, you should smell a rat here.
Unbelievably Cheap
If some professional janitorial service agrees to offer you quality services at unbelievable prices, it is your time to see a red flag. Companies need to pay for a good supplies and staff. So if someone agrees to offer good services on a pittance then it is your turn to ignore it. Most of these companies lowers the prices for customer acquisition without any intention to serve them better. Beware of these janitorial companies.
Dirty Reviews
Customers these days are very vocal. They don’t hesitate calling spade-a-space if the services are not up to the mark. Several such reviews are available on review and social media websites. If your prospective janitorial company has also been reviewed badly then it is wise to not consider it.
Non Accreditation
As you are hiring a service for janitorial purpose, you should look for a janitorial company which is accredited or licensed. If a company is accredited then you can rest assured that it meets certain quality standards because agencies asks janitorial companies to meet certain minimum standards. It also means that its personnel has gone some janitorial training. If it is not license, it should be avoided.
Lack of Contract
You need to sign a contract with your company. The contract entails several terms and conditions that both parties agree upon. If your prospective company is not willing to sign a contract then they might be looking forward to change it at a later stage. If they hesitate to provide a contract then you should start looking for another company.
Behavior
As you are looking forward to hire a commercial janitorial company, you must be expecting professional behavior from them. If your prospective janitorial service provider is not showing professional behavior then it is a warning sign.
Question to Ask When Hiring a Janitorial Service
As you are spending good money hiring a janitorial service to your premise, you might have expectations of getting nothing but the best. At least a company that can do justice with the role. You might have plans to meet them in person. Here is brief list of questions should you ask while interviewing a janitorial company.
What is your pricing structure?
You should know what prices you will pay for the products and services the prospective janitorial service will offer to you. This gives you a fair estimate about the budget.
How many years of experience you have in this business?
As you are hiring a janitorial service, you might be looking forward to offer this responsibility to some experience hands. New setups with no experience to handle the task won’t do justice to the role. Janitorial companies with a decade of experience or more are considered dependable.
What cleanliness standards you follow?
As this janitorial company will be cleaning your premises on a regular basis, you should know the standards it would be following in terms of safety and cleanliness. You should know how would they remove germs without affecting people around.
How trained your staff is?
Janitorial services don’t require high qualification but their staff should be trained enough to carry out the task. Ask them if the staff has got necessary training. Do they offer any training to their staff to provide them with new skills.
Can you provide contact details of some existing customer?
You should also ask your prospective janitorial service whether they would be able to provide contact details of some existing customers so that you can check if the company’s existing customers are satisfied with the work. Good janitorial companies are very transparent about it.
Conclusion
Hiring a good janitorial service is a little difficult. You have to take several things into account. You have to understand your needs and select a company that fulfills it within your budget. You should assess the company on various counts before taking a final call.
Janitorial Service – Frequently Asked Questions
Who is a Janitor?
Janitor is a person who is responsible for cleaning a building or office premise. He cleans residential buildings, offices, hospital, schools and other kinds of office spaces. Sometime the role also involves doing minor repair work and maintaining gardens.
Is there any difference between a janitor and a housekeeper?
When you compare them by roles, they do the same work of cleaning. But the premises where they work are different. A housekeeper works in a small or big house while a janitor works in a commercial space or a large space.
Why should I hire a janitorial service?
Janitorial services have expertise in cleaning offices and large commercial compounds that gives your office space a professional look.
Do clients need to provide cleaning supplies?
No. Good janitorial services have supplies of their own. They decide where to source supplies from. However you can monitor whether or not they are using good supplies.
What is the mean salary of a janitor?
As per the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual wage for janitors is $ 33,960 while mean hourly wage is $ 16.33. The state wise wages may vary.
What is the market size of janitorial services in the US?
As per the recent data available, the market size of janitorial services in the US was $92.0bn in 2023.
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