Has the service and communication from your janitorial services provider dropped off over the last few months?

It’s an all too common issue, and one you can avoid if you know how to recognize the signs.

 As time goes on, service quality in many industries tends to taper off.

The burden of the vendor is to ensure that there is a definitive level that they will not allow the service quality to go below.

When that does happen, the cost and time-resource investment can be extremely expensive.

However, continuing with a janitorial services provider that is providing a low-quality level of service and communication can ultimately cost you more in the long run, especially when employee complaints begin to build up.

Poor Service Quality

One of the first signs that it is time to replace your janitorial services provider is poor service quality. This is typically a catalyst for other issues.

Signs:

• Trash receptacles are not emptied for more than a single night.
• Restroom supplies not stocked or refilled on a regular basis.
• Accumulation of dirt, dust, and debris in areas ‘off the path’ such as under desks, on shelves, or along window sills.

While an occasional missed task may be understandable and forgivable. over time these continuous failures can lead to health issues with your occupants, a decline in the public perception of your building, and even a loss of business and productivity.

Know the tell-tale signs that the vendor relationship is going to struggle:

• You see new faces on a regular basis, indicating the vendor has a high turnover ratio, leading to inexperienced service personnel that needs to be trained, inefficient clean times, and a likely negative impact on employee satisfaction.
• You notice their equipment is old, shabby, or obviously outdated. Poorly maintained janitorial equipment can lead to health hazards in your office, waste resources, and function inefficiently, translating into more wasted time and more unnecessary expense.

Poor Communication

Communication is the cornerstone of any partnership, including the one with your janitorial services provider. Not having solid communication can result in disrupted business operations, especially when a provider is not responding to requests in a timely fashion.

Signs:

• Vendor response times to service requests become increasingly longer.
• Multiple contact attempts are needed to get a response.
• Account managers fail to follow up on service performanceandnbsp;and work requests.

A quality janitorial services vendor will invest the time and resources necessary to help ensure open and rapid communication with their clients.andnbsp; A vendor who isn’t willing to invest in resources to aid communication is unlikely to be fully vested in their customer’s success.

Below are early indicators of probable communication issues:

• A vendor that uses a free email address for their business (Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo).
• The vendor does not assign you a dedicated account manager.
• You are not given a primary point of contact and a means to contact them in the event of an emergency, or to handle service delivery failures.

Recurring Problems and Complaints

Recurring problems, as well as customer, student, and employee complaints, will quickly arise as a result of poor communication, and low-quality service and response times.

Signs:

• The custodial staff is inconsistent in their service delivery and quality.
• They lack the knowledge, ability, or willingness to accept further responsibility outside of general cleaning duties.
• The vendor management refuses to accept responsibility for poor service delivery and regularly points the finger at workers, or worse, the customer.

Confrontational professional relationships are expensiveandnbsp;and draining on employee morale, customer satisfaction, and an organization’s bottom line.

Early signs that this will be a problem are often relatively easy to ascertain in the form of negative online reviews from former customers and employees.

Professional Tips

• Do your research before contracting a new janitorial vendor.
• Meet with the management and the crew chief to ensure there is cohesion and a commitment to your businesses goals.
• Request and follow up on references from the vendor.
• Request and verify certifications and ongoing employee education.
• Request monthly, easy-out service contracts, and request bids for sliding-scale payments that adjust according to your businesses requirements.

In the event an issue does arise:

• Contact the management of your custodial provider and request a meeting to review the service agreement, as well as your concerns.
• Convey, in writing, the steps that will be taken by both parties to resolve the issue, with definitive guidelines as to what constitutes a breach.
• Allow the vendor an opportunity to correct the issue, but do not allow your service or the vendors’ response times to decline past a hard line, or your business will be the one to suffer.

Takeaway

Low-quality, poorly performing janitorial services could potentially be costing your school or business thousands of dollars a year in lost productivity and waste.

This will typically manifest early on in decreased communication and response time, resulting in constant complaints from your customers and employees, which translates into lost revenue, and inefficient use of management time-resources.

Learn to recognize the signs, early on, to avoid the costly hassle of high vendor turnover.

TAKE ACTION

Do you recognize the signs that it’s time for a new janitorial service? 

Vanguard Cleaning Systems of Minnesota can help you consider all your needs and options before you make a move. Download our free guide, “8 Steps to Hiring a Commercial Cleaning Company”