Office Cleaning: An expense or an investment?

You have just received two proposals for the cleaning of your office. You notice a slight price difference between what you believe to be two comparable proposals. Your first reaction is to check if there are any special clauses explaining the difference and are tempted to choose the cheaper one, believing that both companies have the same perspective (experience and expertise) in assessing your needs. But what if there was indeed a difference, a difference that cannot be explained by price alone? To address this possibility, we must ask ourselves why do we clean? What are the pillars of cleaning?

Firstly, we clean to improve health, but what does that give you? Using the latest technology? A high-performance tool or a cleaning solution used in hospitals? Okay, but that remains insufficient. And how do we translate cleaning to improve health into a financial model? Why not talk about absenteeism? Did you know that people are absent an average of 7.7 days per year due to illness? In a company with 20 employees ($20/hour), this translates into annual costs of $25,000! There is more to cleaning than cost. Professional cleaning techniques, high-performance tools, and effective cleaning products help eliminate health risks in your workplace and save you money by reducing absenteeism.

Secondly, we clean to preserve, protect, and extend the assets of businesses. Companies spend a fortune replacing flooring, buying new furniture, acquiring new equipment, decorating, renovating, or building a new building. What would happen if an incomplete cleaning procedure, an inappropriate tool, or a damaging cleaning product harmed these investments? Have you ever seen abrasive powder, a corrosive product, or a worn-out tool in your janitor’s closet? A professional floor maintenance program should:

• Prevent the entry of debris into your location;
• Remove debris and dirt on a daily basis;
• Maintain the surface at an appropriate level (carpet, vinyl, ceramic, etc.);
• Restore the surface to its original appearance. Here again, how do we translate a professional maintenance program into financial terms? For example, a professional maintenance program can double the useful life of a carpet, which will result in significant savings to your maintenance budget.

Thirdly, a cleaning maintenance program will contribute to improving your image. As customers, we quickly form an opinion of a business based on the appearance of the premises, whether it is a retail store, car dealership, professional office, or medical center. Are you aware of the impact of the appearance of your business place? Did you know that 94% of people would avoid doing business with a company if they found dirty toilets there? What goes through a customer’s mind when they enter a poorly maintained shopping center, see dust rolling on the floor in a waiting room, or have to rinse their utensils in a restaurant? Most will not return! How many sales are you losing because of the neglected appearance of your business? Could your cleaning program be responsible?

Finally, a professional maintenance program influences the safety of the premises and its occupants. The use of color-coded microfiber will not only minimize the risks of cross-contamination but also ensure that the cloth used in the toilet will not also be used on your phone or in your microwave! A good cleaning maintenance program contributes to improving a work environment, reduces the risks of falls, and relies on appropriate techniques and protections for your office.

With all these advantages, it is easier to understand that cleaning is far from being a cost. It is rather a profitable investment: an investment in the health of people, an investment in the assets of businesses, an investment in the image of companies, and an investment in the safety of occupants. Do not try to save a few dollars on your cleaning budget by neglecting these significant savings. A professional maintenance program will provide dividends to your company in many chapters.