On-site walk through
On-site walk through
Before you can get a written formal estimate, you need to do a formal walk-through with a representative, preferably the owner or manager, of the company you will potentially hire. This walk-through serves two purposes.
1) This gives them an opportunity to inspect the job you have for them. They can see the size and the full scope of cleaning that you need to have done on a regular basis. It is essential for them to be able to know what a fair price to charge you will be.
Be wary of anyone who tries to give you an estimate without a full walk through. This mean that either they don’t know what they are doing, are very lazy (which will be reflected in their work), or they charge hourly. You will want to stay away from a janitor service that charges on a hourly basis because it is in their best interest to take longer on the job and therefore costing you more. However, on the same note, it is okay if they charge hourly for special & additional assignments you give them on an occasional basis.
2) The walk through is also a chance for you to interview them. Get to know as much as you can about their character, how the business runs, and the janitor service you are hiring.
Be sure to ask the company you are getting an estimate from to bring references (if you have not already gotten them) and a copy of their business licenses, bonding (if desired), and insurance for you to verify.
A quick note: It is a good idea to have qualified the cleaning service through their references before getting to this step so you don’t feel obligated toward them for the time they spent on the estimate. However, if you had no way of getting references before this time, DON’T forget the now!
Shortly after doing the walk-through, the janitor service should present you with a written estimate. You can compare this estimate with the others you got based on services provided, price, and over all quality of business.
Even though it can seem like there is a lot to do to find and hire the right janitor service, remember that hiring is the easy part. Dealing with sub-par service is a lot more tiresome. In the end you will be glad you took a bit more time in the beginning because you will get what you want without the hassle of having to deal with people that don’t meet your standards or don’t know what they’re doing.
Filed Under Step Five | Leave a Comment
References are a Must
Always ask for references. The best companies will give you references for other business or personal accounts they service. Talk to the references they give you. Find out how they came into contact with the janitor service business, how long they have been contracting out to them, and how satisfied they are with their work to date.
Sometimes it can be intimidating to ask for references, and once we get them to check up on them. We all want to trust our fellow business owner, however just because someone is a nice person and has a great personality doesn’t mean they’re great a running a business.
References are the only window you have to look into how this service actually performs. It also allows you to see what abilities the janitor service has to know if they will actually be able to provide the services that you need.
When checking on the references find out as much as you can. If a reference says they like the work the janitor service does, ask them why. Get as many specifics as possible.
For instance:
If they like that the janitor service went out of their way and did extra work that was not on the contract. Ask them what the service did, and when. How often did do this sort of thing?
References are a perfect place to find out how much autonomy the janitor service has. Good services will do their work, and you will hardly notice that they are there except monthly when you pay the bill. (And that they do a spectacular job.) But some services may have problems with anything “out of the ordinary” and may need to call and ask often really giving you more hassle than you bargained for. (In that case it’s almost like hiring another employee – a bad one – rather than a service.)
Filed Under Step Four | Leave a Comment
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