As a business owner, you likely know how important it is to maintain your work environment.  Whether you want to ensure the health and safety of your staff or you want to make a good impression for your customers, cleaning services are an important (if not overlooked) aspect of running a business.  So, when it comes to hiring a janitorial company, what do you need to consider?  From the reputation of the company and their cost of services to references and services provided, there are many factors to think about before hiring a janitorial company.

The Janitor’s Reputation

Ultimately, when you are hiring any professional to provide a service, you likely want to consider how long that service provider has been in business and their general reputation in your community.  Sure, a start-up can provide excellent services, but it’s more difficult to verify the quality of their work.  On the other hand, hiring an established janitorial company helps you know you are working with a professional that has a satisfied customer base as well as roots in your community.

Dollars and Cents

Ideally, you want to collect bids from a variety of professional cleaning companies serving your company and business type before you make a final decision.  While you probably do not want to hire the lowest bidder, you also don’t want to be taken for a ride financially.  Getting a few bids that are based on a realistic expectation of services delivered will give you a good sense of what is a fair price to pay.  Then you can consider other factors such as the company’s reputation and references before settling on an offer.  As a rule of thumb, remember that the lowest bidder might be low-balling to try to get your business but exceptionally low prices are usually a reflection of poorer services.  Aim to get around 5 quotes, take the average and carefully consider the bids that are closest to that average.

Check References

Always….always…ALWAYS check references before hiring a janitorial company.  If you were interviewing a new employee, you’d check their references and the same should be true for potential cleaning companies.  Any reputable business will be happy to provide you a variety of recent references that can help you to confirm that you’re going to get the quality and variety of services you require at a fair price.  When speaking with the references, try to have a few questions prepared that reflect your needs.  For example, you probably want to know that services were provided on schedule and to a satisfactory level.

Products and Services

Not every business requires the same cleaning services.  Before hiring a janitorial company, create a comprehensive list of all the services you require and your ideal schedule for these services.  Make sure to negotiate carefully with your janitorial company so that you get the cleaning you need when you need it.