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***Print "Selecting Janitorial Contractor" Checklist in pdf format***

 

  • “Green” your workplace
    • Best Plants to Improve Indoor Air Quality
    Best plants to improve indoor air quality: Effective in removing formaldehyde, benzene, and carbon monoxide from the air that you breath. Best Plants to Improve Indoor Air Quality View more presentations or Upload your own. &n... Read More

    LEED Certification
    As the green movement gained traction in the late 1990's, an organization evolved to regulate and certify buildings that adhered to green principles in design, construction and maintenence. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design... Read More

    Recycling
    Recycling has become much more common in the past few decades due to the growing landfills around the world.  By sorting, saving, reusing and re-processing office and manufacturing waste, you can play a role in ensuring that the environment is c... Read More

    Purify with Plants
    Plants and trees are responsible for the popularity of the term "green”.  Every good green program should incorporate indoor plants.  The benefits of indoor plants are endless. Not only do they improve the atmosphere and make a busine... Read More

    Green Products
    What makes a product green?  This is the question that industry and government has been trying to answer for the last 30 years. Green has typically been used to describe products that have reduced, limited or zero negative impact on the environ... Read More

    Conserve Energy
    Companies and individuals waste energy every day just by not paying attention.  Most commercial facilities are powered by natural gas and electricity.  Depending on where you live, electricity is generated by coal, oil, nuclear power, wind ... Read More

  • Cleaning & Maintenance Tips
    • How to Clean Carpet
    Watch a simple, easy-to-follow instructional video on how to clean carpet using the #1 recommended method by carpet manufacturers and carpet maintenance experts.       Related Content Article: Carpet Cleaning Carpet Clean... Read More

    Window Cleaning
    The single most important key to window cleaning is the squeegee.  A properly maintained squeegee in the right hands will provide a streak-free finish every time.  Inexperienced window cleaners use paper towels, cleaning cloths and even n... Read More

    Carpet Cleaning
    Carpet maintenance is a challenge, to say the least, for most facility managers.  The most common mistake leading to shortened carpet life is lack of regular and interim maintenance.  Once a carpet begins to "look dirty" it is often too lat... Read More

    Tile Floor Care
    Many types of tile exist in commercial buildings.  The most commonly used and inexpensive tile floor is vinyl composite tile or vct.  Sheet vinyl is similar to vct but is installed in sheets instead of individual tiles.  Ceramic or por... Read More

  • Cut your Operational Costs!
    • Supply Cost
    The first step to analyzing internal supply cost is to determine what items contribute to customer satisfaction (internal and external).  For example: Do your internal customers (staff) really care if the paper towels in the rest room are brown... Read More

    Contract Services
    When operating a commercial facility, it is essential to find the proper balance between what you can do effectively yourself vs. what services can be outsourced. Outsourcing has several advantages. (1) Outsourcing allows you to focus on your... Read More

    Energy Savings
    One of the easiest ways to reduce operational costs is by cutting the gas and electric bill.  A simple awareness of your surroundings and some common sense can go a long way toward shrinking the bill.  Let’s talk about some of the s... Read More

  • Impact of Workplace Cleaning?
    • Indoor Air Quality
     In the 1970’s as a result of fossil fuel shortages, many changes were made in the design and construction of buildings.  One of the biggest changes was the “air-tightening” of buildings to eliminate drafts and to reduce h... Read More

    Productivity
    Today’s workforce is influenced by much more than just a paycheck.  Once the pay rate meets the basic needs of the employee, other factors become much more important.  Teams want to know that they are appreciated.  Simple reward... Read More

    Workplace Absenteeism
    Most employers will agree that absenteeism is costly.  Lost work time can result in project setbacks, disgruntled and demotivated co-workers and scheduling nightmares.  According to the Soap and Detergent Association (SDA), lost p... Read More

    Safety
    The US has a governing body called the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that regulates safety in the workplace.  OSHA's mission is “to assure the safety and health of America's workers by setting and enforcing standards... Read More

  • Selecting a Janitorial Provider
    • Reference Checks
    It may sound simple, but checking the references of a potential janitorial contractor will provide valuable information that can impact your organization for a long time.  Here are a few tips for performing reference checks on potential cleaning... Read More

    Checklist
    At the top of the "Educational Info." page is a printable checklist to help you in selecting a service provider.... Read More

    Safety Record
    The safety record of a janitorial contractor under consideration to care for your facility should be an important factor.  The safety record can have a huge impact on your organization, not to mention the contractor and their costs.  A... Read More

    Customer Retention
    When selecting a cleaning contractor, you want to know if they are capable of providing quality service over a long period of time.  It is important to know how long a contractor has been in business and how well they take care of their current ... Read More

    Cleaning Products
    Several manufacturers produce safe, high-quality products for the cleaning industry.  These manufacturers include Johnson-Diversey, Spartan, Butchers, Hillyard and 3M.  They all produce high quality general purpose cleaners, glass cleaners,... Read More

    Training
    Training is essential to any successful organization.  When selecting a janitorial contractor, a good training program should be expected.  As a Facility Manager, you want to ensure that the people being placed in your facility have been ... Read More

    Employee Retention/Turnover
    The average Employee Turnover Rate for the Contract Cleaning industry is an overwhelming 150%!  This is an incredibly high number, but it speaks to the difficulty in hiring and retaining quality janitorial staff.  Employee turnover can be b... Read More

    Employee Screening
    Employee screening is always important, but it is essential in the cleaning industry.  The standards should be set high.  After all, you are entrusting your facility to an individual or team after normal work hours.  The... Read More

    Insurance
    Facility Managers know how important it is to have a quality insurance provider and proper coverage.  Inadequate coverage can result in disaster.  It is just as important to make sure all contractors working in your facility have quality in... Read More