Once a commercial cleaning contract is in place, it’s easy to simply let it run. The cleaners arrive, the invoices are paid and, unless something goes noticeably wrong, reviewing the contract can quickly fall down the priority list.
But businesses change, teams grow, working patterns change and buildings can become busier. When businesses evolve, the cleaning service that worked two years ago might not necessarily be the right fit today. So, how do you know whether your commercial cleaning contract is still delivering what your business needs?
1. Are your cleaning standards consistent?
Consistency is one of the simplest measures of a good commercial cleaning service. You shouldn’t have an excellent clean one week and noticeably different standards the next. Consider whether you’re regularly seeing:
- Missed areas
- Overflowing bins
- Poorly maintained washrooms
- Inconsistent floor cleaning
- Complaints from employees
- Different standards depending on who is working
Occasional issues can happen, but what matters is whether they become a pattern, and how quickly they’re addressed.
2. How much time are you spending managing the cleaning?
Your cleaning contractor is there to take responsibility for cleaning your premises. If your facilities manager, office manager or another member of your team is constantly checking standards, reporting problems or chasing responses, the true cost of your cleaning contract is increasing. A good commercial cleaning company should reduce your workload, not add to it.
3. Is communication proactive?
When was the last time you heard from your cleaning provider when there wasn’t a problem? Good contract management shouldn’t only happen when something goes wrong. There should be clear communication, regular quality checks and opportunities to discuss whether anything within your business has changed.
You should also know who to contact when you need something and feel confident that it will be dealt with.
4. Are you getting good value, or just a good price?
Price matters to every business, but the cheapest commercial cleaning quote doesn’t necessarily provide the best value. When reviewing your contract, look beyond the monthly figure and consider:
- Reliability
- Cleaning standards
- Staff training
- Quality control
- Account management
- Communication
- Flexibility
- Problem solving
If a cheaper contract requires hours of your team’s time to manage, the saving can quickly disappear.
5. Has your workplace changed?
Think about your business when your current cleaning contract was first agreed – does it look the same today? Perhaps you’ve:
- Taken on more employees
- Expanded into additional space
- Changed working patterns
- Increased customer footfall
- Introduced hybrid working
- Added meeting or communal areas
- Changed how particular spaces are used
Your cleaning schedule should evolve with your workplace. A regular review can identify areas that need more attention, and sometimes areas that no longer require the same cleaning frequency.
6. Is your cleaning provider investing in their people?
Commercial cleaning is a people business. Products, equipment and processes matter, but ultimately, it’s the people carrying out the work who determine the standard of service you receive. Training shouldn’t end after someone’s first day.
At NJ Cleaning, this is one of the reasons we’re developing the NJ Cleaning Academy which is a dedicated training facility for new and existing members of our team. It will allow us to provide practical training, refresher sessions, product and equipment knowledge and assessments, helping us maintain consistent standards as our business continues to grow.
7. When did you last review your contract?
You don’t need to wait until something goes badly wrong to review your commercial cleaning arrangements. In fact, asking a few simple questions now can help prevent problems later:
- Are we happy with the standard?
- Are issues dealt with quickly?
- Do we have good communication?
- Does the cleaning schedule still reflect how we use our premises?
- Are we getting genuine value from our contract?
If the answer to all five is yes, that’s exactly how it should be, but if you’ve hesitated over a few of them, it might be worth taking a closer look.
NJ Cleaning is a Wigan-based, family-run commercial cleaning company supporting businesses and organisations across Wigan and the wider Northwest. We focus on reliable service, consistent standards, strong communication and building long-term relationships with our clients.
If you’re reviewing your current cleaning arrangements or would simply like to understand what a different approach could look like, we’d be happy to have a conversation.