When it comes time to hire someone to keep your office clean, there are many things to consider. Don't let just anyone come into your business. It is important to hire an office cleaning company that has the appropriate systems in place so you know just who you are trusting with your company's work space.
Does the janitor service carry workman's compensation and general liability insurance? It is not a legal requirement in Texas for employers to carry workman's comp and many cleaning companies do not. Should an accident occur, this puts the liability on your plate. Also, limits on coverage should be one million for both policies or at minimum $500,000. Another good policy for the company to have is a "non-company owned vehicle" rider. This covers you if there is an incident in the cleaning staff's vehicle on the way to your location. A surety bond is good as well, but many are not aware that it only pays out if there is a conviction of a crime which rarely happens in this industry.
Who is going to be doing the cleaning in your office? Does the cleaning company have their own staff to do the job or will they be using sub-contractors? Many cleaning services use sub-contractors to save money. In this case, they are not responsible for payroll taxes since they are not an actual employee. The Texas Workforce Commission and the IRS agree that anyone cleaning an office associated with your company should be an employee. And, any liability insurance that the cleaning company carries will not cover these sub-contractors again leaving you at risk.
What extra services will you get from the janitorial company? Lumping services like floor care and products such as hand towels toilet tissue etc. can work against you. Ask for separate pricing on an as needed basis for these items. This gives you more control of your spending and will keep your monthly cost lower. It may seem like a better deal up front, but many janitorial services will charge you and then neglect to perform these services during the routine cleanings when no one notices. Buy your own soap, trash can liners etc. Buy purchasing your own supplies you will avoid paying the extra fee for the convenience of handling it for you.
Does the cleaning company do inspections? Find out of inspections are done and how often you can expect them. You should let them know that you will be expecting a visit from a supervisor at least once a month to discuss service and results of onsite inspections. Of the companies who advertise that they do inspections, many of them never follow through. Inspections should not be optional and if they fail to occur odds are that the cleaning company will not be doing quality work when servicing your office.
What is the pay scale of the cleaning staff? Minimum wage is commonly paid in the janitor services industry. But, we all know that you get what you pay for and many times when workers are paid at a minimum level, their work will also be at a minimum level and the turnover rate will likely be high. Another thing to ask about is if the cleaning company provides healthcare benefits to their full time employees. A good majority of commercial cleaning companies do not, but you can bet if you find one that does it's a good sign. If a company cares that much about their employees odds are they will also care a great deal about the job they do.
By simply asking a few questions up front, you can prevent dissatisfaction with the office cleaning service and problems that may occur in the long run. Protecting yourself and your business is a must when hiring a cleaning company to come into your office space.
Does the janitor service carry workman's compensation and general liability insurance? It is not a legal requirement in Texas for employers to carry workman's comp and many cleaning companies do not. Should an accident occur, this puts the liability on your plate. Also, limits on coverage should be one million for both policies or at minimum $500,000. Another good policy for the company to have is a "non-company owned vehicle" rider. This covers you if there is an incident in the cleaning staff's vehicle on the way to your location. A surety bond is good as well, but many are not aware that it only pays out if there is a conviction of a crime which rarely happens in this industry.
Who is going to be doing the cleaning in your office? Does the cleaning company have their own staff to do the job or will they be using sub-contractors? Many cleaning services use sub-contractors to save money. In this case, they are not responsible for payroll taxes since they are not an actual employee. The Texas Workforce Commission and the IRS agree that anyone cleaning an office associated with your company should be an employee. And, any liability insurance that the cleaning company carries will not cover these sub-contractors again leaving you at risk.
What extra services will you get from the janitorial company? Lumping services like floor care and products such as hand towels toilet tissue etc. can work against you. Ask for separate pricing on an as needed basis for these items. This gives you more control of your spending and will keep your monthly cost lower. It may seem like a better deal up front, but many janitorial services will charge you and then neglect to perform these services during the routine cleanings when no one notices. Buy your own soap, trash can liners etc. Buy purchasing your own supplies you will avoid paying the extra fee for the convenience of handling it for you.
Does the cleaning company do inspections? Find out of inspections are done and how often you can expect them. You should let them know that you will be expecting a visit from a supervisor at least once a month to discuss service and results of onsite inspections. Of the companies who advertise that they do inspections, many of them never follow through. Inspections should not be optional and if they fail to occur odds are that the cleaning company will not be doing quality work when servicing your office.
What is the pay scale of the cleaning staff? Minimum wage is commonly paid in the janitor services industry. But, we all know that you get what you pay for and many times when workers are paid at a minimum level, their work will also be at a minimum level and the turnover rate will likely be high. Another thing to ask about is if the cleaning company provides healthcare benefits to their full time employees. A good majority of commercial cleaning companies do not, but you can bet if you find one that does it's a good sign. If a company cares that much about their employees odds are they will also care a great deal about the job they do.
By simply asking a few questions up front, you can prevent dissatisfaction with the office cleaning service and problems that may occur in the long run. Protecting yourself and your business is a must when hiring a cleaning company to come into your office space.
About the Author:
Learn more about Office Cleaning Service San Antonio. Stop by 1st Call Cleaning's site where you can find out all about Janitorial Cleaning Service in San Antonio and what it can do for you.
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