Imagine, for a moment, that you’re trying to decide between two different movie theaters. They are showing the same movies, at the same time, for the same price. These are nearly identical movie theaters, and the only difference is; Movie Theater 1 has an entire janitorial team, while Movie Theater 2 only employs a part-time janitor.
How would you decide between the two theaters?
At first, this might seem like a strange hypothetical scenario, but once you think about it for a minute, you’d probably choose Movie Theater 1 every single time. Even if all of the services offered are identical in every way, the cleaner, more hygienic option will almost always win in the end.
Even if the situation is a little far-fetched, this example is a perfect demonstration of the power of a clean business. People, particularly customers, will notice many details about your workplace as soon as they walk in. Whether they realize it or not, they are already forming judgments about the business based on the appearance of the building. Now, with the added concern of the recent pandemic still looming over many companies, cleanliness is more important than ever before.
This article isn’t meant to call anyone out or make anyone feel bad for the cleanliness of their building but instead, highlight the areas of concern when it comes to industrial cleaning. As industry leaders in the cleaning world for 30+ years, we know what we’re talking about here at LACOSTA, and we wanted to share a bit of our knowledge with everyone. After all, a cleaner workplace benefits the entire world, not just your specific company!
We’ll go over three of the most common ways dirt and grime can bring your workplace down so that we can also provide you with solutions to these problems. Sometimes, all it takes is a little more attention to detail and a bit of elbow grease!
Health and Safety
Even before the pandemic, an unclean workplace could be hazardous to those inside of it. Now, after we’ve all experienced the threat of Covid-19, it is even more important to keep your workplace clean. This is arguably the most common way that shoddy cleaning tactics can hurt your business, both literally and figuratively!
If your cleaning team is cutting corners or rushing through their work, they could be unwittingly creating the perfect conditions for other types of germs, mold, and bacteria to grow. Similarly, large amounts of gathered dust can decrease air quality within a space and even worsen people’s allergies! All in all, lackluster cleaning practices can lead to severe problems if they get out of control.
Naturally, having an unclean environment isn’t very safe for customers, but it’s even worse for your own employees! A dirty work environment will inevitably lead to more sick days taken and more hours of work lost, simply because an area of your building wasn’t fully clean and disinfected.
How To Fix It:
One solution to an unclean environment is training your existing janitorial team members to ensure they have the knowledge and experience necessary to keep your space hygienic. However, you might also want to turn to a professional cleaning service, such as LACOSTA. With professionals, you get the added benefits of industrial cleaning equipment, better knowledge of cleaning solutions and services, and greater attention to detail.
Tools, Technology, and Time
The health of your customers and employees should be enough motivation to fix your cleaning problem, but if not, perhaps the cost of your tools and technology might help! Often, cleaning teams that aren’t professionally trained can leave behind crucial areas that need cleaning, namely, your tech. From copy machines and phones to computers and the office microwave, all the technology in your workplace needs to be regularly cleaned alongside the rest of the space.
Remember, this isn’t like cleaning your home; multiple people use these tools every day. As such, they tend to wear out faster and have a shorter lifespan than most other appliances and technologies. That lifespan shrinks even further when they are not properly cleaned and maintained.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to draft up specific cleaning plans for all of your tech, but if your tools aren’t getting regularly checked, cleaned, and tuned up, you might be losing out on some money in the future. The longer this technology lasts, the more money you can save your business, so it’s genuinely in your best interest to stay on top of these duties.
How To Fix It:
First, invest in the proper cleaning products for the job, as technology and tools generally need more specific care than your typical cleaning solutions can provide. Provide training or hold a meeting to detail why cleaning your technology is necessary and set new expectations for your cleaning crew.
Professionalism
Finally, and perhaps most obviously, a dirty business simply screams of unprofessionalism. In the business world, where appearances and customer service are two of the most crucial factors in a successful company, there is no excuse for having a dirty workspace. Going back to our earlier example using the two movie theaters, it’s a straightforward but wildly important aspect of your business that must be addressed.
If you or your business is unable to handle the cleaning on your own, outsource your work! Cleaning companies, like LACOSTA, are all over the United States and can offer a multitude of services. If you’re concerned with sustainability, you can hire teams with green cleaning capabilities. Need a quick turnaround on a job? Some companies offer 24 hour service so that your business can benefit!
How To Fix It:
In the long run, you should consider finding a consistent cleaning partner that can provide high-quality cleaning services beyond just an immediate need. Cleaning isn’t a problem that goes away with time; it’s consistent. If you take the time to find a top-notch cleaning company, you can rest assured your cleaning insufficiencies will be at an end!
LACOSTA
Though you might not think about it all the time, cleaning is a constant need for any business. That’s why at LACOSTA, we’ve offered industry-leading cleaning and managed labor solutions for over 30 years! We know what it takes to keep any space clean, and with our expertise, you’ll notice the difference almost immediately.
Reach out today to learn more about a cleaning partnership with LACOSTA, or read more on our blog!