5 Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring Janitor Service

As a business you need to portray a positive image to your clients and by hiring a competent firm offering janitor services and supplies, you will be well on your way to achieving this goal. Many business owners however just take to the nearest business directory and go for the flashiest adverts for janitor services. As we shall presently see, this can be the beginning of an unmitigated disaster for such a business. The contract for janitor services should be treated with care and requisite consideration before it is signed. In order to help you avoid some of the regrettable pitfalls other less circumspect business owners have fallen foul of, we have compiled this detailed guide to the most common mistakes you must take care to avoid before procuring janitor services from a Singapore cleaning company. You can treat the guide as a handy reference to ensure you get the best services as true value for your money.

1. Going for the Lowest Priced Offer
Never let the price tag of janitorial services be your only or the most important factor in deciding which offer to go for. In all likelihood, low priced janitorial services will not meet your standards. The company is likely to pay their workers peanuts and unmotivated workers are only likely to do sloppy work. They may also use substandard cleaning equipment and chemicals. If you do not want your floors cracked, carpets torn and your fixtures broken, look for a company that offers adequate guarantees and with a pedigree for quality. Companies which charge a pittance are also likely not insured. In effect, if some accident happens while their janitors are working in your premises and someone is hurt or equipment damaged, you will be left to foot the ensuing bill. In this sense, a cheap janitor service is certain to become an even more expensive one in the long run. A company which charges very low fees may also not be in a place to reimburse the monies in case of damage to property or if you find the services not at par with your expectations much later.

2. Failing to do a Background Check
Before engaging any company offering janitor services, business owners and homeowners are advised to carry out due diligence to ensure they are dealing with a reputable firm. It is customary for reputable Singapore companies offering services such as janitorial work to offer testimonials and references from at least a couple of clients they are serving or have served in the past. If any of the testimonials provided are from clients the company is no longer working with, do not accept anything that is older than a year. Call each of the references offered and inquire about the nature of the services offered. Ensure that there was or is complete satisfaction with the services offered. Just as well, take care to ensure that the clients offered for reference purposes have similar needs to yours in terms of the size of their premises as well as the cleaning requirements.

3. Not Knowing What you Want
Before even searching for prospective firms offering janitor services, you need to establish your requirements downs to the last detail. While a professionally run janitor services firm will carry out a preliminary study to establish the needs and requirements of each client, the task of establishing what needs to be done is the client’s to begin with. There are two specific parameters a prospective client should use in establishing their requirements. These are the extent of the cleaning and the frequency of it. In determining the extent of the cleaning, it is not enough to know how many rooms or hallways need cleaning. As a savvy client, you should also have these expressed in square feet or meters. By detailing your requirements precisely, you will be well positioned to negotiate a fair price for the services offered. Moreover, you can later use your criteria to establish the performance of the janitor service firm as you ascertain if you are getting value for money.

4. Failing to Secure Confidential Documents
No matter how professional or trustworthy the cleaning firm offering services to your firm is, there is no need to leave anything to chance. Do not commit the all too common mistake of leaving valuable documents lying about. The cleaners need to have a regular schedule and during those hours, your employees must be made aware that all crucial operational documents must be kept under lock and key in lockers and steel cabinets. Just as well, all computers and other electronic gadgetry must be switched off and secured as necessary. Unscrupulous competitors have been known to use janitors to access trade secrets of their business rivals. Such scenarios may sound far fetched when depicted in movies and television shows but there is no need to let yourself and your business become victims. It is also perfectly in order to restrict access by janitors to certain areas of your business premises. You may also find it necessary to have your own employee to supervise janitors as they work.




5. Failure to Check Terms of Service
All professional firms offering janitor services in Singapore have very detailed service terms, policies and conditions by which they operate. Some of these may not be fully outlined in the service contract you end up signing. For avoidance of doubt, make sure that the terms of the service are explained in detail before you commit pen to paper. Try to establish if there are any conflicts to your own business policies and philosophy of your business. In these days when environmental consciousness is top most in many companies’ corporate philosophy it is important to understand if the janitor services will be offered will meet your company’s ecological standards. It is here too where you should make appropriate inquiries about reimbursements in case the cleaning services fail to meet your expectations or your corporate standards.

Your quest for the best janitor services possible should be guided by a set of clear principles. From experience, knowing what not to do is often more important than the list of do’s. The five mistakes that you should avoid as you hire a janitor service were compiled with careful consideration of the reasons why many businesses fail to get good value for money once they retain the services of a cleaning firm. Keep the recommendations the nest time you hire a janitor services firm and you will not have to suffer regret.