When you have the wrong janitorial partner, the risks can pile up as quickly as trash in the breakroom. From health and hygiene issues to compliance and regulatory threats, to employee morale, an unreliable cleaning service can cost you more than you may think.
When it comes to outsourced janitorial services, many companies are lulled into complacency when they find themselves putting up with sloppy and inconsistent cleaning processes. After all, why go to the trouble of switching to another company when things could be just as bad, if not worse than what you are experiencing?
But when it comes to janitorial service, small problems have a way of compounding – and are usually a sign of bigger problems to come. Recurring oversights or work that seems like it has been done with more speed than diligence are signs that you and your janitorial vendor are not working with the same goals. And it’s not going to get better. The best you can hope for is that it won’t get worse or lead to serious mishap. Meanwhile, the time you save by not replacing them? It comes with a price.
Below are some of the most – Ka-ching! – common consequences.
Wasted Time
The janitorial services industry has notoriously high turnover. Why? Many companies fail to pay employees livable wages based on local standards of the cost of living, leaving employees with no choice but to take multiple jobs and suffering from burnout while janitorial companies struggle to keep a trained and motivated workforce. You’ll spend way too much time explaining the same things to a new crew and worrying about mistakes, oversights, and a facility that is far from clean.
Mistakes, Oversights & A Facility that Is Far from Clean
Shoddy work can lead to expensive compliance issues, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry, medical manufacturing, and food processing industry. Failing to meet required levels of cleanliness can lead to expensive fines.
Health & Safety Risks
An unkempt work environment is an unsafe environment. A diligent and high-quality janitorial team is worth its weight in bundles of currency, which is what you’ll need with a janitorial vendor that does things halfway. The risk of slip and fall injuries, mishaps, and more can be incalculably high. And since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, standards of hygiene carry heightened risk as well – a change that is likely permanent even as many facilities rely on janitorial providers without the diligence, training or processes to clear the bar.
A Tarnished Image
“Never judge a book by its cover” is a nice sentiment, but research shows that first impressions matter – a lot. Maintaining a clean and well-kept facility is central to the impression you leave with guests, executives, auditors and other visitors. You only get one chance at making a good first impression and re-dos can be expensive.
If any of this feels familiar, you’ve got the wrong janitorial partner. But unlike efforts to get a poor janitorial service to shape up, finding the right partner is easy if you know where to look.
The Right Janitorial Partner for Reliable Service You Don’t Have to Think About
When assessing what you really need in a janitorial partner, aim to get it all. Are you looking for cleaning and upkeep? Or a partner who can provide a one-stop solution for all of your needs including electrical, security and building maintenance?
Look for a partner that provides onsite managers, a living wage for employees, and a well-trained workforce with low turnover. Consistency, professionalism and expertise will save you time, money and worry in the process of maintaining a clean and safe work environment year-round.
At Allegiance, our employees are well compensated and provided with benefits. We base our rates on local of cost of living to ensure that workers are paid a living wage. As a result, our turnover rates are some of the lowest in the industry, enabling us to fully train – and keep – our team members.
For every client we serve, we visit facilities well in advance to ensure that we have a thorough understanding of the job before developing a detailed maintenance plan. Because that’s what it takes to deliver on a promise of providing more than just high-quality cleaning services: we deliver productivity, confidence and a janitorial program aligned with your KPIs.
