How do you choose a new cleaning company in Watford or London

Let’s be honest, there are hundreds of cleaning companies in London, and nearly as many in Watford and the surrounding areas. All will claim to offer a great cleaning service, with the promise of good communication, vetted cleaning staff, the best materials... But are they all the same…?

Well, no, they’re not. ABSOLUTELY NOT! In the same way that a supermarket value toilet paper gives you a completely different experience than a cushioned, quilted 3-ply… Yes, they're still both there to do the same thing, BUT...

You can base your decision on which cleaning company to pick on a HUGE number of things…

WEBSITE How good is the cleaning company website…? Is it up to date, informative, fun even… Does it answer your immediate questions and/or concerns that you may have had with previous cleaners…? Is the want for a phone number, email or quick enquiry form easy for you to find…? Is there a cleaning blog and info on what the cleaning company are up to…? Does it look like care has been given to the content, images and layout. Or do you really like ‘stock’ cleaning pictures? Is it up-to-date or been left dormant along with other processes they may once have had?

GUT FEELING How good was the communication with the cleaning company in reality…? What was your first impression like? Was the answer to any email enquiry prompt, polite, informative and well written…? What did they sound like on the phone…? How was the answer to what other tasks this cleaning company conduct, and whether they really want you, and feel propelled to do all they can to serve you brilliantly…?

THE CLEANING TEAM THEMSELVES! WHO ARE THEY? How long have the cleaners worked for this company? What is their staff turnover like? Will I always see new people, and how did the cleaning company find the cleaners to start with? Are they vetted, checked out, trained, insured... and are they paid properly and motivated brillinatly to help you... so I don’t find them sitting in a cupboard hiding? What kind of diversity policy does the company have and what checks are done to ensure every single cleaner that attends your premises is legal, vetted and can be trusted absolutely?

SUPERVISION & MONITORING Is any cleaner just left to their own devices? Are they supervised, monitored, motivated? Any cleaner tasked with a commercial cleaning task should be checked. And if brilliant, just visited to aid motivation and morale. They shouldn’t ever just be left alone for weeks and months on end. They should be helped and encouraged, with any and all positive feedback relayed the moment it’s received. Cleaning can be a pretty thankless task at times, but it doesn’t need to be. All cleaning staff deserve to be PROPERLY looked after, always. Do the cleaning company you have do that?

HOLIDAY/SICKNESS/ABSENCE COVER A tricky problem for all cleaning companies. So, what will they do if your cleaner can’t attend? Either with notice due to holiday, or without notice due to sickness. Will you forever be chasing the cleaning company you so loved on appointment for answers as to why you arrived in the morning to a building that looks exactly as it did yesterday because no cleaner turned up? What plans do they make for this, if any? What promises can be made? Do they make the problem of covering staff holidays YOUR problem?

PRICE Although the price should NEVER be the only factor a cleaning customer considers when choosing new cleaners (see toilet paper note), it has to play a part. Did the cleaning company you chose to contact provide a detailed quotation, without pressure or obligation…? Did they breakdown how they came to the figures they did? Are they a proper cleaning company employing professional cleaners directly, and with all the benefits an employee is entitled to? Are their staff legal, vetted, trained, properly paid and motivated brilliantly to want to help you? And importantly, is the price charged FAIR…? Value toilet paper is CHEAP for a reason. Quilted, velvet paper infused with Aloe Vera ‘may’ be a touch overboard, but it’s better, absolutely no doubt. And do you want ‘cheap’, really…? Does a ‘cheap’ cleaning price mean the staff (or company) will be of the highest standard, and will be honest, trustworthy and reliable? The cleaners, and cleaning company may be in your premises out of hours… how comfortable with ‘cheap’ may you be then?

HEALTH & SAFETY What practices do the cleaning company have  when looking after their staff overall well-being, and their actions and behaviour when on YOUR premises? Are the cleaners trained, careful and safe, with quality equipment ensuring safe cleaning working practices? Does the cleaning company have a Health & Safety Policy, insurances, in-house AND independent staff training, and are they independently, and strictly audited for their health and safety practices EVERY year with SafeContractor or SMAS…? What processes do the cleaners have if they don’t feel safe, or feel inadequately trained in any cleaning task?

INSURANCES What cover does the cleaning company have and for what? The claim of a million pounds of cover may appear wonderful, but is it enough? Is One Million in fact the absolute MINIMUM level of cover provided by all insurance company’s? Larger customers of cleaning companies may ask for a greater cover. TWO million, three…? FIVE MILLION. It’s more expensive, obviously, but may be necessary to allow the ability to serve larger customers with more bespoke needs for insurance and security. What level of cover does the company you like have, and why?

CLEANING PRODUCTS (COSHH) What cleaning products will be used in the act of cleaning for you every day? Are they regulated, safe, stored properly… have the cleaning staff been trained properly how to clean effectively and safely using them? Is there COSHH reports that all cleaners have read and understood? Signed to confirm they respect the equipment and chemicals, and are these reports available for you to see?

WASHROOM SERVICE & JANITORIAL SUPPLIES Does the cleaning company have the ability to provide complete washroom controls and hygiene standards? Can they provide you with female sanitary units to save you having to continue to use sub-standard third-party hygiene providers? Can they help you with janitorial and paper products for your use, and use by your own staff to save you time? Can these be invoiced and detailed separately so you know what’s what? Should a commercial cleaning company know all the rules regarding hygiene and safe working practice?

REFERENCES & REVIEWS Can you ask for accurate, honest and up-to-date references? Will the cleaning company provide you with names and contact points for their EXISTING customers so they can be checked out? So, you know, you can ask stuff about them that you may find difficult doing with the cleaners themselves? How are their references or Google reviews? Are they legitimate and honest?

CONTRACTS & NOTICE PERIODS How long will you be tied in? How do you leave if you choose to? Is the contract term FAIR? Do you like a cleaning company that has a hidden ‘rolling’ element, so after one year, the contract for another whole year starts all over again, possibly without you knowing? Were you given the chance to negotiate a contract/notice term, if only in the short-term whist you gain confidence that your chosen provider of cleaners was the right one?

ADMINISTRATION & COMMUNICATION What if you need something… Copy of a contract, a reference, lost an invoice, need a statement, have a new alarm, new locks, a leak, a runaway rabbit…want to report or advise something, ask something, check something… IS ANYBODY THERE… HELLO!

COMPLAINTS How often do they get them? What do they do with them? What promises can they make that they’ll do all they can NOT to receive them from you, but will confirm how they’ll be dealt with if they do? Will they shout and scream, deny all wrong-doing and just blame you? Or will they be adult, like a proper company should be?

HOW FAR DO THEY GO, AND WHAT AREAS DO THEY COVER? In Watford alone, there are over TEN major commercial cleaning areas. From Clarendon Road, leading from Watford Junction to the town centre, Croxley Business Park, containing the most extraordinarily diverse businesses, Imperial Way and Colonial Way with carpenters, sign-fitters and retail showrooms, and businesses along Station Road in Watford and all along the St. Albans Road. Does the cleaning company have existing customers in ALL of these? And can then easily adapt to welcoming you with open arms to their schedule?

It's a lot to take in. All of this. Which cleaning company, in Watford or London, do I choose. Well, this article wasn’t taken from a newspaper, publication or website. WE WROTE IT! Because we feel you should know what to ask. What to check. Who are these people that may take keys to our building for the purpose of professional contract cleaning?

We wrote it because we know that you can ask us ANY of the questions above. You can ask us to verify any of the answers we give you. And we will, we promise, serve you brilliantly, and passionately welcome you to The Callver Cleaning Co. Test us…