Cutting costs is one of the simplest ways to increase profits, but some costs are necessary, and cutting them altogether is not an option. Office maintenance is one of those things. After all, it’s not like you can stop maintaining a clean and safe workspace.
Figuring out how to save money on essential services (such as janitorial services) usually requires you optimize them rather than cut them. And optimizing any service usually requires you take a really close look at how it’s done, and make it more efficient.
Here at MOM, we and our our franchisees know a thing or two about making a cleaning program as efficient as possible. So whether you’re managing your cleaning program in-house or outsourcing it to a partner like us, you can get more out of it by implementing any of the strategies below.
Automate Your Cleaning
Take a page from the book of modern technology: automate your cleaning procedures. For example, sweeping an entire office, especially one with multiple floors, can be time consuming, or require several staff members to complete. Using a back pack vacuum, however, can allow a single person to complete the entire process in a much shorter period of time.
Similarly, take the task of mopping a large area, such as a building lobby or a shopping mall corridor. This can be a relatively time- and labour-intensive undertaking; and as the mop and water become soiled, dirt and other contaminants are simply being spread around. The process is both ineffective and unsanitary.
On the other hand, if the same floor is cleaned with an automatic scrubber, the task can completed in as little as 15-30 minutes, and soiled water isn’t just spread around. Not only will you save costs by requiring a smaller workforce to cover more ground, but the cleaning method is, itself, more effective.
Select New Technologies and Equipment
Automation isn’t the only way you can use technology to optimize your cleaning program. You should also consider the efficiency of your machinery, the availability of parts and attachments, potential repair costs, and available warranty policies. All of these factors affect what you have to invest in your cleaning program, as well as labor and productivity costs. After all, an efficient, reliable machine will help you get the job done in less time, and save you money on any potential maintenance or repair needs.
Train Your Workers
Equally as important as procuring the best and most efficient cleaning equipment is ensuring that you have the best and most efficient workers operating it. Making sure that your janitorial staff are properly trained upon hiring and kept current on best practices and new technologies is the best way to get the most out of their work. An investment in your workforce is an investment in your business.
Workloading
Every thing takes time, and a big part of optimizing your office maintenance is time management. Workloading your cleaning program allows you to optimize its efficiency by analyzing and logging the amount of time it takes to complete a given cleaning task, and then developing a streamlined cleaning schedule. This makes for a cleaning program that is more effective, and costs less to maintain.
Promote Safety!
Cost-cutting isn’t always about equipment or productivity. It can also be as simple as implementing proper safety measures. A safe work environment prevents injuries, which keeps down HR costs, worker compensation claims, and insurance premiums. And it can be as easy as mandating proper footwear and eye-protection, or using eco- or green-cleaning products.
Business as Usual
Whether you’re managing your cleaning program internally or entrusting it to company like MOM, a streamlined cleaning program will not only reduce your operating costs, but yield better results. And optimizing your office maintenance processes is similar to optimizing any business process: you embrace technology, properly train your staff, understand how they do their job, and ensure their safety. In other words, you think about it the same way you think about your business.
