Making your customer’s day with daytime cleaning

LONDON - April 20, 2015 - PRLog -- Traditionally office cleaning tends to occur outside of working hours, when staff have gone home, which can mean this essential service goes largely unnoticed and not fully appreciated. Commercial organisations invest in cleaning to create the right impression and to help their staff feel more comfortable and motivate them to higher levels of efficiency. Many are now seeing the benefit of daytime cleaning in helping to demonstrate these goals.

Responsive service

There are many advantages to consider with daytime office cleaning. Firstly, when cleaning takes place during office hours this ensures a fast, responsive service. If there are any spills in the office these can be cleaned up straight away, and cleaning operatives will be able to make sure that washrooms and staff canteen areas are sparkling throughout the whole day, thus improving hygiene standards.

It is widely accepted that the working environment has a direct impact on productivity. A regularly cleaned environment sends the right message to staff, letting them know they are valued and that their comfort and welfare is a priority.

Coughs and sneezes may spread diseases, but so do germ infested keyboards, phones, door handles, toilet flushing mechanisms and kitchen surfaces. It’s important to keep these frequently touched areas regularly cleaned to avoid bacteria spreading. Daytime cleaning helps to minimise the spread of germs between office workers.

Emergency requirements

Being on hand during the day means that cleaning staff can be there when you need them most, to deal with any eventuality. Emergencies such as leaks and flooding or broken glass can cause further damage if left unresolved, posing serious health and safety issues and leading to accidents and injuries if not dealt with quickly and correctly. A cleaning company that is prepared to go above and beyond the minimum contracted requirement will be at hand to reduce the impact of these emergencies.

Visibility

Daytime cleaning tends to result in fewer complaints and higher satisfaction ratings, as organisations see the work being done. It’s easy to take the work for granted when an office is gleaming at the start of each day, having been cleaned the night before. Cleaning during the day may destroy the illusion that this daily act is miraculous but people tend to be more appreciative of cleaning standards and management’s investment in a high-quality cleaning service, when they see it being delivered.

Cleaning with confidence

Daytime cleaning is also beneficial to the morale of the cleaning team as being able to work more closely with the company will help them better understand customer requirements and encourage them to be more productive. Staff feel more valued and respected when they come into contact with the customer, rather than working alone during unsocial hours.

Unmotivated cleaners are more likely to underperform, and result in a high turnover in staff, leading to an inconsistent and unreliable service.

Savings on energy costs

Companies will save on utility bills as the cleaning operatives will be at the premises during core office working hours. This will also help towards making organisations more environmentally friendly as there will no longer be the need to light or heat the office during the night. According to the Carbon Trust, lighting an office overnight wastes enough energy to heal water for 1,000 cups of tea.

Health and safety

Rigorous health and safety systems should be in place to ensure cleaners and staff are not put at risk, whether cleaning is taken at day or night. Chemical-free cleaning should be encouraged when people are in close proximity. Use of pure water systems, microfibre cloths and diamond encrusted pads all help to reduce or even eliminate the need for chemical cleaning agents. Where cleaning products are required, chemical free ranges provide the same level of results as those with chemicals.

Security

Security is essential within any working environment. Contract cleaners need to be vetted in the same way as any other staff working within a premises.
While some organisations settle for Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, these are useless if the ID in question is fake, because fictitious people will not appear on criminal records. People who don’t exist will pass the check – and give you a false sense of security.

Premium cleaning companies, such as Julius Rutherfoord, use stringent vetting procedures including facial recognition techniques and passport and identity document scanning technology, similar to that used by Customs personnel at international airports are available. This technology enables imposters and fake passports or ID documents to be identified in seconds, and guarantees a 100% legal workforce.

Time and attendance systems can help ensure only the right personnel enter the premises. Employees log in using either a biometric system which reads their fingerprint, or with a short phone call, from a dedicated line within the premises that is linked automatically to a time and attendance system. There are several ways to check who's making the call - voice identification software, caller ID to check where they're calling from, and a unique pin code they must enter. These systems provides extra security and also guarantees that organisations get the exact level of service they have paid for.

Careful planning and management

When daytime cleaning is undertaken, cleaning procedures will need to be carefully organised around the needs of a busy working environment. The area that needs to be cleaned should be carefully researched and audited before any cleaning is undertaken, to make sure the right techniques are used and that tasks are scheduled at appropriate times. Tailored training will be required for the cleaning workforce, including customer-facing skills. Looking presentable is also critical.

Environmental, quality and occupational health and safety management systems used by the contract cleaner should be independently assessed. This commitment gives organisations confidence in the quality and reliability of the cleaning.

Whatever time of day cleaning is undertaken, it should always be tailored to the needs of the client. The importance of trained individuals and careful planning and management is crucial, so that clients get the quality cleaning they deserve.