CONTRACT CLEANING The specialist subject


David Saville, Managing Director of Principle Cleaning Services’ Vertical Division, shares his thoughts on the value of specialists in cleaning.


The challenges for cleaning companies in the commercial sector are as great now as they have ever been. The battle to achieve an edge in best productivity has been fought over the past 30 years and, with TUPE now part of the day-to- day, productivity in cleaning tender submissions is less of a differentiator than it was.


The fight to differentiate and gain the edge over competitors in tenders, and in the general marketplace, has intensified even further and now other issues are on the table, brought about by a changing commercial landscape following Brexit, the Ukraine invasion by Russia and the resulting economic instability.


Companies are now competing to employ and retain the best staff, to innovate with new and environmentally friendly equipment and to produce reliable and consistent data from ever more complicated IT backup systems and apps.


Being sustainable and providing social value is also a big issue for all service companies, and there is a drive to compete in all of these areas so that on occasions, the actual cleaning – the service we are employed to provide – almost becomes a back story.


Despite all of this, it is still possible to gain a competitive edge through the cleaning service although it is a given that companies must deliver all of the above, particularly around staff suitability, training, supervision and employing a well- paid, motivated team.


One of the most effective ways to do this is to employ specialist people and to ensure they have buy-in to the culture being created. This can be done by using subcontractors but, inevitably, this can result in a distancing and a loss of control, even if the management responsibilities remain.


In an ideal world, best value can be achieved by a directly employed workforce. This does involve investment and an element of risk but, as with anything which is owned and nurtured, it can bring greater reward and create stability, promote inclusion, and provide a real path for staff and a greater sense of meaning and significance in their work.


There are a number of areas in the cleaning world where companies can look to specialise and diversify. Many service providers have sought to outsource this service over a long period, but there are benefits in bringing it in-house in terms of having greater control and rewards.


Window and high-level cleaning requires a lot of planning, expertise in management, and significant investment in training, equipment, insurance and transport logistics. It is simple to outsource. However, this area offers opportunity for growth, and helps attract new clients and stabilise current service agreements.


Having the ability to work at height safely can be a differentiator and can lead to additional work, particularly


36 | TOMORROW'S CLEANING


around the abseil side of the business, and add-ons can also be built around installation, inspections and servicing of roof level anchors, or even taking over the management of Building Maintenance Unit (BMU) service providers.


Specialist cleaning is another market which is untapped by many companies, for some of the same reasons that window cleaning has not been an area of focus. However, the same applies. With sensible and shrewd recruitment, the right level of investment in management, staff and equipment, a high-end specialist cleaning team can bring huge benefit to a cleaning company by offering reliable expertise to supplement their core services.


Arguably, providing specialist cleaning services in-house is simpler, as the safety risk is reduced without the work at height element, but the approach is similar. Hard work, a strong customer service ethic and the ability to think outside the box and solve problems on the spot are all part of the culture needed. Training in the various disciplines is relatively straightforward and then it's a case of building on the training and gaining experience, before diversifying again into new disciplines – a perfect breeding ground to enable teams to develop in their careers, and for companies to be able to offer more services and greater value to their clients.


Some of the specialist services which we provide are already carried out as a matter of routine. Hard floor cleaning is a vital and rewarding service, which all companies provide at some level, but highly trained staff with knowledge of the different surfaces such as Marble, Granite, Terrazzo and York Stone, can soon become vital members of the team. Knowing in-house the various restoration and cleaning requirements, as well as the implications of slip testing and how, when and where to carry this out, are useful skills to have.


Like hard floors, carpet cleaning has been with us for a long time, and many cleaning companies have specialists who have built up experience through years of problem solving and advising clients on how to keep their carpets clean.


Data centre cleaning, like window cleaning, may seem intimidating to some companies because of the potential risk, but the cleaning process is reasonably straightforward. If the basic investment and disciplines can be applied, this is an interesting and rewarding sector to be involved with. IT cleaning can be put in a similar bracket, as this involves a similar approach where an eye for detail and the ability to work slowly and methodically is needed.


Emergency response can be another lucrative part of any business for obvious reasons, but it is vital to ensure that this service is provided by trained specialists who know what they are doing. Planning is essential for any task but the nature of emergency response is that planning might take place before the emergency and then dynamic planning and risk assessment must take place in a short space of time.


twitter.com/TomoCleaning


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56