Keeping your premises clean and hygienic is important in keeping visitors and employees safe and creating the best impressions with them.
Not only should regular office cleaning be carried out on an ongoing basis, but there are also other periodic requirements you will need to consider to ensure your building is safe and welcoming. These include suitable arrangements for carpet cleaning, floor treatment, window cleaning, washroom services and consumables.
If these cleaning services are sourced from multiple suppliers or some managed in-house, you may wish to consider a single source supplier as a better alternative. Having a single supplier for all these services provides the following benefits:
1. Consistent quality
Using a trusted cleaning company to deliver all services reduces the risk of poor service. If any issues do arise, these can be quickly resolved via one point of contact.
2. Increased customer value
Using a single supplier for all cleaning services may increase the value and therefore importance of your custom to the supplier – i.e. you may be classed as one of their key accounts. This means they will be likely to do everything they can to ensure you are a satisfied customer and retain your business.
3. Saved time!
Fewer suppliers to manage means reduced administration time for you and your team – for example fewer invoices for your accounts team to process and less time required from anyone involved in purchasing.
4. Reduced costs
Not only can the use of a single commercial cleaning supplier bring cost savings in terms of time saved, economies of scale mean you should also be able to secure cleaning services at competitive rates (given the total value of your requirements will be higher with a single supplier than smaller order values from multiple suppliers).
5. Improved delivery (cleaning consumables)
Having one flexible cleaning supplier that can meet all your consumable requirements (washroom, general office etc) is both convenient and cost effective. Products can be ordered and delivered quickly to your premises at a date and time that suits you. This avoids you having to pay for and store items you don’t have a short-term requirement for, safe in the knowledge you will not run out of supplies.
Questions to ask when choosing a single source cleaning supplier:
The big risk of using a single cleaning supplier is choosing the wrong supplier. If you choose this route, it is essential to invest time in fully researching potential suppliers to then be able to appoint the right one to best meet your organisation’s requirements. The following are key points to consider.
- Can they meet ALL your office cleaning requirements effectively?
Ensure they can offer the full range of cleaning services you require and establish the processes they have in place for monitoring standards / quality. - Are they experienced?
Find out how many years they have been trading, the training they provide to their cleaning operatives and what industry accreditations they have. - Are they trusted?
Take a look at the cleaning company’s social media profiles for positive and negative reviews. Ask for references from organisations that use them as a multi-service supplier. - Are they reliable?
Fully understand the arrangements they have for managing sickness and holiday cover. This is essential for ensuring you receive a seamless, uninterrupted quality cleaning service. - Are they flexible?
From time to time you will have short notice cleaning requirements such as increased frequency of cleans or changes of cleaning times which will need to be met by the supplier. In the unfortunate event of an infection outbreak, you also need to have confidence that they can respond quickly to ensure your organisation remains operational. - Are they accessible?
A local supplier is well placed to respond quickly to any issues that may arise and manage any last-minute changes you may have to your cleaning schedule. Ensuring a supplier can provide you with a key point of contact will also help you in this respect. - Are they financially secure?
You may wish to check their financial health using either a credit check company or information available at Companies House. Any record of poor financial performance could be an indication of a poorly managed business. A strong credit rating shows financial stability and a well-managed business that is likely to be operational in the long-term.
