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How to Tell a Genuine Cleaning Company from a Fake One

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How to Tell a Genuine Cleaning Company from a Fake One

It’s the rare person who embarks on the search for a cleaning company with excitement and patience. Cleaning companies provide convenience, and chances are good you really need that convenience – in fact, you probably needed it yesterday. However, rushing to the first cleaning company you find can set you up for dozens of headaches and expenses in the future. You need to be able to discern when you’re talking to a team who is passionate about keeping your business clean and comfortable and a team who just wants to add your payments to their book.

Most every cleaning company you investigate (and you should investigate more than one) will do everything possible to appear trustworthy, pleasant, and willing to go the extra mile. You need to get around the facade and understand just what is going on. You can do that by asking the right questions and doing research. In today’s blog, we have questions you can ask to get factual information on whether or not a cleaning company will be a good fit for you. Read on!

How long have you been in the commercial cleaning business?

This is the most basic question you can use to assess a business’s quality. In the best case, you’ll be able to go with a cleaning company that has established itself with a good reputation in your community. You want the company that everyone says is a no-brainer because it is consistently excellent. If there’s no obvious king of quality for you to investigate, make sure you ask every prospective cleaner how long they’ve been in business to get a baseline. You don’t want your expensive facility to be a training ground for an enthusiastic but inexperienced company, and you don’t want your facility to suffer under a declining, sloppy company.

How many businesses do you serve that are like mine?

Different businesses require different types of cleaning, and you want a company whose specialists are comfortable with yours. For instance, if you have a medical facility, you will want cleaners who know what it takes to keep a medical facility up to code. On the other hand, if you run a high tech company with big computer server rooms, you’ll want cleaners who know how to clean without damaging your expensive equipment. Even the differences between an office and a store can require unique cleaners. Again, you can’t afford to have your business be a learning ground for a cleaning company. You can’t afford the complications and damages that are inevitable despite good intentions and high enthusiasm.

Do you have insurance?

You’re going to have cleaners visiting your facility and spending time cleaning it, which means you absolutely cannot go without protection. If a cleaner gets hurt, damages your property, backs into a light pole, or runs into some other trouble, you need to have defenses or you can end up paying for damages or being sued. The good news is, there are insurance policies to cover every vulnerability, and a great cleaning company will have them all. They include the following:

  • Workers’ Compensation Insurance

    • This insurance covers cleaners in the case of job-related accidents that disable, injure, or kill them. It not only covers cleaners while they’re working in your facility; it should also cover them when they’re driving to your facility. Do not hire a cleaning company without at least $1,000,000 of workers’ compensation insurance.
  • General Liability Insurance

    • This insurance protects your assets (facility, equipment, etc.) from any damages inflicted by your cleaning company. These damages have to happen because of alleged wrongdoing or negligence on the part of the cleaner. Like Workers’ Compensation Insurance, your chosen commercial cleaning company should have at least $1,000,000 in coverage. You can ask to check their certificate!
  • Automobile Liability Insurance

    • Because cleaners will be driving to your facility and likely using your parking lot, any accidents that happen should be covered by your cleaning company’s Automobile Liability Insurance. Both your assets and their fleet vehicles are covered generally covered under these policies.
  • Umbrella Policies

    • Life is messy, and sometimes, things happen beyond what General, Worker’s Compensation, and Automobile insurance can cover. These can be court proceedings or catastrophic situations caused by your cleaning company. Your cleaners should always have Umbrella Policies to cover situations that come out of left field. It isn’t gratuitous; it’s required because it can pay large legal judgments and cover legal defense costs.

What are your screening methods for employees?

Cleaners generally have more access to your facilities than your own employees do. You need them to be trustworthy, excellent individuals. Any cleaning company that takes short cuts when selecting employees puts your facility at risk. At the very minimum, a cleaner should do background and drug use tests on prospective employees. A great cleaning company will take it a step further and ensure that the people they hire are great fits. They will carefully check references and verify previous employment to ensure you have great people accessing your facility.

Clean USA is proud to stand out among Illinois’s commercial cleaning companies. Experts at carpet and upholstery cleaning, we also offer premium janitorial services. We understand how crucial clean, healthy, safe facilities are for your business’s success, and we are honored to contribute. We will always treat your facility with the highest care and do everything we can to ensure you’re getting what you need. Contact us to get started today!

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