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Showing posts from August, 2015

The Benefits Of Technology

Techy Janitors It seems like a no brainer to say that technology enhances any business’s productivity. But when it comes to the janitorial service industry, technology is not always an obvious consideration when trying to improve the service of a cleaning company for its customers. NOS For Hire Running a janitorial services company using software technology, such as the customized Facility Cleaning  International Operations System (FCIOS) can help a company in many ways. Managing client information helps companies track job performance and project needs while effectively communicating with their customers. A check on scheduling, efficiency, performance and costs with the click of a button helps to provide better customer service and satisfaction. Budgets, estimates and billing are made easier with software designed to streamline the process and enhance communication between the cleaning service and its customers. The ability to create quick and accurate real-time reports about p

10 Questions To Find the Best Commercial Cleaning Services

Why Is It So Hard to Find the Best Commercial Cleaning Services Company? Finding the best commercial cleaning services can be a real challenge among the cluttered field of choices facing Facilities Managers.  Outsourcing your facility services  can be a major time and money saver, or an exercise in futility depending on the commercial cleaning company you chose. You want a commercial cleaning service that will perform to a level that you will be happy about, yet you need a cleaning company that will work within your allocated facilities services budget. You want a company that is  proactive rather than reactive . You want a company with great people, but you also need a clear point of contact for communicating to expedite any issues. Separating Fact From Fiction As You Consider a Commercial Cleaning Service Because of the comparatively low cost of entry into the commercial cleaning business, the industry is often flooded with start ups and operators who have changed names and

Industrial Cleaning Accounts Need More From Their Cleaning Companies

Industrial cleaning accounts need more from their building services companies, but are they getting it? “Industrial cleaning requires a great deal more from a building services company and the reality is that not every company is up to the job,” said Carlos Macedo, CEO of Macedo Janitorial, a Massachusetts commercial cleaning and maintenance company. “The hard part as a Facilities Manager is finding a company that can really do the work because many cleaning companies see industrial cleaning clients as an appealing new revenue stream but they don’t grasp the complexity of the work.” With the   commercialcleaning   industry seeing so many new start ups every year, competition for customers is fierce. New revenue streams are attractive to any BSC as companies of all sizes line up for new business. These clients represent a boon to any company that can serve them. But are too many cleaning companies overreaching and taking on industrial accounts they just don’t have the knowledge and

Infection Control in Public Facilities

Everyday maintenance personnel have the unenviable task of not only cleaning and repairing the damage caused by unruly patrons, but also making paying customers in all types of facilities—from restaurants and hotels to office complexes and arenas—feel safe and comfortable in their restrooms and locker rooms. Depending on the volume of patrons—for example, nearly 3.5 million fans attended Yankee Stadium last year—these individuals are normally responsible for far more than the usual cleaning of dirt and grime. There is now an intense effort to protect users from the potential harm of germs and bacteria that can cause serious illness and tarnish the credibility of even the most luxurious sites. Surveys have recently found that  E. coli  and  streptococcus  can be found in virtually any public bathroom. This is because skin bacteria can survive for long periods on dormant surfaces, with floors and other materials offering especially ideal locations for the spread of germs and disease

Using CIMS Certification To Choose A Commercial Cleaning Company

Why Is It So Tough to Find a Great Commercial Cleaning Company? Finding the right  cleaning company or janitorial service  can be challenging in part because there are so many different providers. From the  ‘one man and a van’ operations to mid level janitorial services to large local companies, national companies and even franchise operations , the choices seem endless. If you are a Facilities Manager trying to find the right commercial cleaning company for your organization, wading through all of the choices can be overwhelming. Add to that the fact that while most of these companies want your business, not all of them are prepared to and able to service your facility in the way you need. What Exactly Is the Certified Industry Management Standard (CIMS)? There is no way to eliminate all of the work from finding the right commercial cleaning company for your facility but there are some surefire ways to make the process much, much easier. One tool you can use to weed out compa

Did you know ?

Bigger is Not Always Better The first hard drive was made by IBM in 1956. The system was as big as two refrigerators and used 50 24 inch platters that held 5MB of storage. The average smartphone has anywhere from 16 to 64 megabytes of storage. Fly Me To the Moon The first spaceflight, the apollo 11, had less processing power than a modern cell phone. “Blinking” Crazy The average computer user blinks seven times a minute which is less than half the normal rate of 20 times a minute. How Ironic The house of Bill Gates, founder and former CEO of Microsoft, was designed using a Macintosh computer.

BUSINESS CLEANING - Do You Know Who’s in Your Building at Night?

For a business to grow and make a name in society, it is important to share a strong and healthy relationship with clients.  One should work harder to meet clients requirements and provide special services to build a trust and better working relationship. Now ask a question to yourself: Do you know which  commercial cleaning company  to trust with the keys of your building? Do you know who is working in your building at night?  Especially when businesses have staff’s that are here today and gone tomorrow. A recent survey showed a combination of insufficient talent, intelligence, and the lack of reference checking resulted in 33% of bad hires. There is no doubt that most employers will make the wrong hiring decision at some point. Today businesses avoid reference checks, police background checks, and drug testings before hiring because it consumes time and effort. You’d be surprised to know that some of them are not even licensed businesses and do not offer what they advertise. There

Are Green Janitorial Services The New Norm?

What is Green Cleaning Really About? Green cleaning   is about cleaning efficiency, health and safety, and reduced environmental impacts. The most effective green cleaning programs implement efficient cleaning practices that reduce waste and chemical use. Low allergenic, non-caustic, non-toxic, and 100% biodegradable cleaning agents are an important component of any responsible green cleaning program, as is high performance, energy efficient cleaning equipment. Likewise, things like micro fiber cleaning cloths, mop heads and dusters and recycled paper products can support any   environmentally conscious cleaning plan . Of course the best green cleaning programs use safer products, efficient equipment and train their staff in best practices. And yet, even easy proactive practices like placing the proper mats at every entry point to trap dirt and other pollutants from entering the building can be a part of a green cleaning program as they reduce the need for more intensive, chemical

Six Ways to Save With Smarter Cleaning

There’s a difference between cleaning hard and cleaning smart: Both can be effective, but only one can give you a consistent level of clean while saving you time, money, and unnecessary stress. As a cleaning professional, you are continually looking for ways to increase the efficiency of your department and reduce costs. With the increase in labor costs and a continued pressure to do more with less, we realize reducing cleaning costs can be a challenge. These six steps can help you build a more comprehensive cleaning program that will help you save time and money this year. Clean in zones.  An improperly cleaned facility can be just as dirty, if not dirtier, than a facility that is not cleaned at all. Zone cleaning programs assign specific cleaning tools to certain areas of the facility to help limit cross-contamination and promote a higher level of clean. A zone cleaning program also offers cleaning professionals an easy system that takes the guesswork out of cleaning by limiting

Manage Your Growing To Do List With Commercial Handyman Services

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Do you suffer from too much to do with too little time? Has your ‘to do’ list migrated to a second page? Are you just crossing your fingers that current maintenance issues don’t snowball into an expensive, emergency repair? Ongoing maintenance in even the best-run facilities can rapidly become overwhelming. Are you so overwhelmed with putting out fires that it’s been awhile since you’ve done any preventive building maintenance? Ongoing maintenance issues can become very time consuming with appointments, site visits, estimates and follow-up. Even seemingly small projects can eat up your time and budget very quickly. More often than not, tackling maintenance issues one by one as they come up is significantly more expensive than contracting with a commercial handyman service. If your facility is making you feel busier than a one-armed paperhanger, you would likely benefit from the help of a  commercial handyman service . A Commercial Handyman Service Means Having Your Own Team of P

How Commercial Handyman Services Can Be Handy

When it comes to  facility  maintenance , every structure needs special attention to keep things running smoothly. It seems that the repairs and the various odd jobs that arise are as much a certainty in life as death and taxes! However, in many cases, a full time building maintenance service isn’t really necessary or cost effective. In these instances commercial handyman services can be a very handy resource indeed.  The qualities that define a commercial handyman services are the  on demand availability  of their expert help, thorough knowledge of building maintenance, and versatile nature. No job's too small for the professional handyman. You can’t beat the practicality and convenience of this age-old profession. Some of the benefits of engaging in commercial handyman services include: Flexibility: Jobs can be scheduled ahead of time, on demand, or worked out on a rotating schedule. Either way, you get the benefits of full time building maintenance services when and how you

The Dangers of Illegal Subcontracting

Do you know of a   janitorial   service whose prices are so low you suspect their hiring policy isn’t   squeeky-clean?   Rest assured, the facility manager who hires them is bound to pay sooner or later. Embarrassing adverse publicity, tarnished reputations, damaged business relationships, costly legal defense efforts and large civil and criminal penalties are a few of the problems faced by companies who are associated with   illegal contracting , even as an “innocent” second-party. Federal and state officials, with the support of the Obama administration, are starting to aggressively pursue companies that partake in illegal subcontracting to dodge taxes, insurance and Social Security and gain an unfair advantage in the marketplace. WHAT IS ILLEGAL SUBCONTRACTING Subcontractors are used in our industry to reduce the costs of wages, benefits and payroll taxes — a practice that is not in any way illegal. But some contractors take this practice too far — cutting corners in their co