Maintenance and Cleaning Services

ABM Industries Inc. Awc Facility Solutions Bhd Belx Co., Ltd. Biken Techno Corporation CATS, INC. Cofreth Sa Connaught Plc Elyo Societe Anonyme Erinaceous Group Goodwill Group, Incorporated (the) Guardian Group Plc Hairmax International, Inc. Hakuseisha Co., Ltd.

Harima B.stem Corporation Impel SA Innovis Holding Ltd Iss AS Iss AS ISS International Service Systems, Inc. Japan Maintenance Co., Ltd. Lassila & Tikanoja OY Lo's Enviro-Pro Holdings Ltd Mears Group Plc Mitie Group Plc Mystar Engineering Corp. Nippon Kanzai Co., Ltd.

NOVATEC Nu-swift Plc Prodef SA Ratin A/S Sanix Incorporated Serco Group Plc Servi Systems Oy Sira Business Services Plc Sotetsu Kigyo Co., Ltd. Tempo Services Limited Tokyo Biso Kogyo Corporation Tokyu Community Corp.

Guide to Maintenance and Cleaning Services

Selecting the best building maintenance crew for your business
By Mary Beth Doyle

Unless you plan on having your office assistant take out the trash or your accountant do up the day’s dishes, it’s quite obvious your business needs building maintenance and cleaning services to keep operations running smoothly and employees happy. But how do you choose from the wide array of maintenance companies out there?

Whether you choose a professional building cleaning service that can also handle property maintenance or you opt for mom-and-pop office cleaning services that just deal with basic janitorial cleaning services, there are several things you’ll want to keep in mind:

1. Understand how employees for the cleaning services are hired and trained;
2. Make sure the maintenance companies you are considering comply with OSHA standards and follow environmentally friendly practices;
3. Verify what you expect in return for your cleaning fee and negotiate what you will pay for the service.

Action Steps

The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find a property maintenance company you can trust Remember, the property maintenance crew you hire will have access to important aspects of your business, from documents to machinery--even employees. Therefore, you may want to choose a commercial cleaning company that has been prescreened and is insured and bonded in case of any property damage that may occur while on the job.

I recommend:  CleaningProposal.com takes the guesswork out of finding a quality maintenance services company by prescreening the various janitorial cleaning services featured on their site. You just answer a few basic questions to determine your needs, and the site will send you a quote. Large, full-service maintenance companies, such as ServiceMaster Clean, are another good bet.

Search for 'green' industrial cleaning services Following environmentally friendly practices in your business is no longer a 'nice' thing to do--it's a necessity. This holds true in your maintenance services as well.

I recommend:  Do a search for green maintenance companies in your area on the National Green Pages. Or just mention to your current or potential commercial cleaning company that you would like to switch to environmentally friendly products. Find environmentally friendly cleaning supplies and equipment at Clean All Company.

Explore the range of services offered by cleaning companies Before getting a quote from janitorial companies, determine your needs. Take into consideration the size of your company and how often you need housekeeping services. Also determine if you need a maintenance service that is available on call.

I recommend:  USI Building Services, Inc. provides a wide range of services, including general cleaning, pest control, parking lot maintenance, and more. Delta Building Services Corp. can staff a doorperson and concierge as well as provide janitorial and maintenance services.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• Be sure to get plenty of quotes and ask for prices on service packages. Even if you don't think you need or want a particular service, you may consider it if the price is right.
• Prices will depend on the cost of living in your area, but a midsize to large office should expect to pay about 5 to 10 cents per square foot for nightly janitorial service. Basic cleaning service once or twice a week for a small office can be as low as $100 a month.