After 18 years of completing construction final cleans and hundreds if not thousands of projects, I could safely say that I have learned a thing or two about the industry. I have overseen projects ranging from two thousand square feet to one million square feet. Each Job has its own uniqueness and challenge.
Apartment complexes, Retail, Medical, warehouse, commercial, residential, high rise, single- story, Public schools, you name it we have done it! Regardless of the job type, scope or size one thing remains the same this is still a people business. Many in this industry forget this critical fact. Below are a few keys to making sure the job is done well and that relationship is established.
COMMUNICATION:
It is vitally important that good communication is established from the onset of any project to the finish. This includes but not limited to establishing start dates and finish dates, expectations, issues that come up during the project, and building a rapport with superintendents, foreman, and project managers.
When we are on a job site not only are we looking to provide quality service but working also to build a relationship that is built on trust and mutual respect for each other’s positions. This is not only to acquire “repeat” business but to establish trust. I cannot tell you how many times I have been called in to replace a cleaning company mid-project because of the simple lack of communication.
Superintendents want to know that they can communicate their desires and those desires are fulfilled. Communication also entails educating and problem-solving so the job can be done right and ultimately the customer walks away happy.
Over the course of 18 years doing this, there have been times that communication was not always easy. Some people are hard to work with some are hard to please. There have been times that a cleaner has made a mistake or accidentally put a hole in sheetrock or used a wrong product on a particular surface.
I remember one particular project that a cleaner used a dull razor blade on all the glass while cleaning it and ruined about 15 panes of glass. That was not an easy dialogue! However, the honest communication always pays greater dividends in the end. Which leads me to key number two.
INTEGRITY:
I have heard it said that integrity is doing the right thing when no one is looking. How true that is. Having integrity in any business dealing is of the highest importance. I stumbled into construction cleaning by acquiring a lady’s business that was struggling to stay afloat. When I acquired her business I also took some of her employees not knowing what I was getting.
It was the fall and I was working on a large upscale condominium project downtown Tacoma when one morning I came in to meet with the superintendent on that site. He told me that sometime in the middle of the night someone burglarized the site and ripped out of the walls almost all the copper piping.
At the time I was ignorant to the fact that copper was selling for a good price and thought nothing of one of my own doing that atrocity. After a few days, I later learned that in fact, it was one of my own employees. I was confronted with the fear of admitting it was an employee of mine.
Swallowing my fear I sat down and told the superintendent I had learned it was an employee of mine. He was extremely gracious kept my company on the project and we figured out how to resolve it. I continued to work for that superintendent for many years following.
At that moment I just as easily could have kept that to myself since no one was suspecting the cleaning company of doing it. I learned a valuable lesson that day. Integrity is worth more than dollars.
PNW Commercial Cleaning and Janitorial Services – Call Cleanstart today or fill out the online contact form for a FREE quote! 253-921-2593
SERVITUDE:
Let’s face it commercial cleaning is not a glamorous career. When I started the company in my mid-twenties I was constantly confronted with my own pride in the career choice I chose. It wasn’t until years later that I began to see my purpose in this industry.
Ultimately, the purpose of any commercial cleaning company should be to serve others and provide them with quality work. Now, when I approach a construction clean it is my goal to see how I can serve the construction team and make their job easier. Servitude is more of an issue of the heart than anything else.
Being a servant on a construction site does not stroke the ego yet it plays a valuable contribution to ensuring the project is completed and is looking good for the customer. A team is comprised of all parts doing their job to make it successful. When deciding who you want to work with on a construction site, it is my hope that you will consider working with a company that excels in these areas.
Cleanstart – PNW Commercial Cleaning and Janitorial Services
Cleanstart services the following PNW areas, but not limited to Auburn, Bellevue, Bremerton, Factoria, Fife, Gig Harbor, Lakewood, Olympia, Puyallup, Renton, Seattle, Tacoma, Tukwila, King County, Kitsap County, Pierce County, and Thurston County.
5013 Pacific Hwy E unit 16 Fife, WA 98424 • Phone: 253.921.2593 • Email:cferling@thecleanstart.com