CONTRACT CLEANING PAINT A PRETTY PICTURE


Maintaining service levels and managing customer expectations in an industry with a traditionally high staff turnover can be challenge, but it’s one that every service provider needs to meet if they want to


be successful. Lisa Sheppard, Director of Development for contract cleaning specialists, Facilicom UK, thinks that as well as improving pay and conditions, clear communications are the key.


There have been concerted efforts to improve the general impression of, and conditions in, the cleaning industry. These include paying the Living Wage and the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s campaign to improve the rights of cleaners – both initiatives that we strongly support.


However, despite these good intentions the industry still suffers from turnover levels vastly in excess of other sectors; some statistics have shown annual turnover to be as high as 70%. This means higher recruitment and training costs, and potential difficulties in meeting clients’ requirements. To overcome these issues – alongside efforts to improve colleagues’ length of service – companies need to be adaptable in their approach to training and working.


CLEAR COMMUNICATIONS They say ‘a picture paints a thousand words’ and that’s useful advice when communicating with team members from a variety of backgrounds – especially those for whom English isn’t their first language – and who work for a number of different clients. It can be hard to keep track of where you are with each job, even if you’ve been doing it for a while. This, of course, should not detract from the fact that most clients need our employees to be able to speak English, certainly from a health and safety view point.


We take a ‘Theme and Task’ approach; a concept designed to leave clients with a cleaner building whilst managing costs as work is only carried out as necessary and time isn’t wasted. Using the concept, we clearly set out the daily, weekly and periodic cleaning tasks according to coloured visual themes, so we know that any of our operatives can carry out the required tasks.


The ‘theme charts’ tie in with our log books which are kept on all our clients’ sites. A Facilicom operative can start work, sign into the log book and easily see what week/day it is, which then translates to a particular cleaning function defined in the theme charts, which are kept on their trolleys and in the cupboards.


This means that when we have new starters we know they will be able to start working seamlessly without impacting the client, subject to any security restrictions. It also means we can offer a continuity of service in the event of an operative being ill or otherwise unable to attend the client’s premises. A colleague can simply take over from where they left off.


32 | Tomorrow’s Cleaning


Theme-chart A Daily cleaning activities


Office areas / Common areas 1


2 3 4 Facilicom 5


Before starting: change into your uniform and correct PPE, sign in and check the comments book.


6


Check your equipment and materials.


First look and think, only clean what’s necessary.


Place the correct signage. Empty all waste bins and replace dirty bin liners. Pay attention to the wall surfaces around the bins.


7 8 9 10


Dust furniture and damp wipe any marks and spillages.


11


Spot vacuum upholstered furniture.


12


Clean/Sanitise telephone handsets.


Spot clean front doors, walls and vision panels in doors.


Spot vacuum carpets and remove large pieces of waste.


Hard floor surfaces: Sweep and mop any marks and spillages.


Look and think: Make sure that everything is bright and clean.


Toilets, washrooms and showers 1


2 3


4


5


Check your equipment and materials.


6


Place the correct signage. Flush toilets and urinals.


Spray inside toilets and urinals.


7 8 9


Empty waste bins and replace with clean bin liners.


10


Damp wipe outside the soap and towel dispen- sers.


11


Damp wipe, dry and polish all mirrors leaving smear free.


12


Spot clean doors, walls, partitions, kick plates and handles.


13


Wash and disinfect hand basins inside and under the basin, pay extra attention to the taps.


14


Wash and disinfect both sides of the urinals, toilet bowls and seats.


15


Damp wipe/disinfect the splash backs behind the toilets and urinals.


Check and replenish toilet paper, towels, soap, etc.


Sweep and mop hard floor surfaces.


Look and think: Make sure that everything is bright and clean.


An example of Facilicom UK’s ‘theme charts’.


This approach not only helps the operatives, but also benefits the clients as they know exactly what work should be carried out when, so are confident they are getting the service they pay for. Managing expectations in this way reduces any debate about service levels and saves management time.


VALUABLE PICTURE By communicating clearly and establishing a situation where everyone knows where they are, contracts are likely to run much more smoothly and encourage repeat business. That’s a picture that everyone wants to see.


www.facilicom.co.uk twitter.com/TomoCleaning


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