Choosing the best cleaning company to manage your business needs can be a significant and sometimes onerous decision. Gone are the days when a cleaner is simply a janitorial or regular cleaning service solely focused on keeping a business building in shape. Nowadays, a cleaning company will handle a myriad of tasks which can include maintenance and fire safety. Bearing that in mind, there are a few essential considerations to choosing the right cleaning company that we've listed below.

What Type of Cleaning Services Fulfil Your Business Need?

First, it's essential to know what you want and why before looking for a company to fulfil your cleaning needs. If you don't know your requirements, how will you know if a company's offer aligns with your requirements? Then, when it's all too overwhelming, it's time to employ professionals to make everything manageable. It's no secret that you and your business are busy. Companies are often driven by efficiency and profitability, meaning it costs time and money to hire and fire, so hiring right the first time makes everything easier.

Perhaps you're a business with a commercial kitchen, canteens or other food preparation area. Each space like this must adhere to stringent government hygiene legislation, so regular kitchen deep cleaning is important. Or perhaps commercial cleaning services are what you need. If so, you will need a trained team to hit the ground running and come fully equipped with professional cleaning supplies. Of course, correct times must be considered for minimal business disruption, whether that be as a one-off, regular weekly or bi-weekly cleaning or daily. Of course, any cleaning service is incomplete without a ventilation system cleaning to ensure a safe work environment. A clean and healthy ventilation system increases airflow, improves staff health, reduces allergies, and prevents fires and pests from impacting the building; plus, there are regulations for this, too, for both regular times and post-covid.

These are just a few services reputable cleaning companies can offer, so pinpointing what you need and why is the first step to making the right choice before deciding who to interview.

What Must Be Included?

Various service inclusions may or may not come as a standard inclusion - this is entirely dependent on the company you are considering. However, a professional commercial cleaning company usually supplies quality cleaning products and the tools their team needs to complete their job to the expected standard. Thoroughly trained and experienced staff and team members to handle the job properly will also be a vital addition. This may seem obvious, and you may assume that all of this is a given, but there is no guarantee unless you ask the question - always ask potential cleaning company candidates if they guarantee their work and staff. Team turnover is an important consideration, too, as high turnover can conceal other issues at the company and drive up costs. This also means that you cannot guarantee consistency in the team provided and the work delivered in your business. Perhaps they also use technology or other cutting-edge equipment or testing to provide a fuller service to customers - whatever you need. It's easy to hire the right company for the job when you ask these questions. Whittling down the list in this way will allow you to rest assured that your chosen company will provide the best possible service every time.

Do You Need Specialist Help or Additional Services?

These days cleaning companies really can do it all when it comes to building maintenance and safety services. Specialist cleaning companies, such as London-based Grease Gone, can help with various building safety measures that usually are under heavy government regulation. These include:

• ATP testing services to assess the level of cleanliness of any space or area. A specialised reading device is used by a professional to measure the growth of microorganisms on any surface. It does so by detecting Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) levels. The report provided after the service is excellent to have on hand in case of government inspection.
• Fire Damper testing is another essential. These devices are located in ventilation ductwork, designed to stop fire and smoke from spreading. With such a vital and life-saving function, regular testing is even more critical and should be part of any building's overall fire prevention maintenance regime. A proficient checkup includes identification, testing, cleaning, maintenance, and reporting findings and the testing carried out.
• Facilities Management is the organisation of a physical workplace. It can include the building, any equipment used, maintaining a functional and safe ventilation system, keeping a commercial kitchen up to par, or all of the above. This service is suitable for every building, workplace, or public space. Whatever you need, a good cleaning company can provide it to a high standard, which saves time, money and stress in the long run.

Having a single trusted company cover these alongside cleaning means both services can work together, and there is never an area missed that needs attention. Cohesion and consistency are essential ingredients in seamless building maintenance.

Define Clear Expectations Upfront

When you seek to hire a professional cleaning company, communication is really so important. It's not just about convenience and peace of mind. Trust and reliability are both key. As with any other, the way to start this relationship is to clearly communicate and determine needs and services they can fulfil while also uncovering those extra pieces of the puzzle that will make your day-to-day run smoother. The only way both sides can understand and deliver is to be clear and define expectations. This leaves everyone involved content in knowing what needs to be done and what to expect. This clarity also leaves less room for error or the disappointment of unmet requests or expectations.

Make Your Choice

Once you have determined your needs and spoken to and interviewed potential candidates, it's time to choose who best aligns with your needs. When you ask the right questions and know precisely what you need, this process will run much smoother and be stress-free for all involved.