Services & Maintenance: Choosing Janitorial Service Providers

Guest Blog from Dennis Jarrett, Stratus Building Solutions, C.E.O.

The facility management industry is inundated with a variety of outsourced janitorial service issues, and yet as one of its core responsibilities, this department must keep its premises clean, hygienic, and safe. With the recent outbreaks of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), influenza, and other mortally dangerous virus scares, airports, medical centers, and government offices have come into the line of fire. If facility professionals choose to outsource their janitorial duties, it is vitally important for them to hire competent janitorial firms that use the best tools and procedures to combat these and other more commonplace challenges.

Systems and procedures must be adhered to on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis, depending on personnel and visitor usage. Every part of the facility must be touched and subsequently sanitized at least monthly. Examples of needed daily maintenance include rest rooms, lobbies, and other high traffic areas.

A thorough review of all details of the work schedule is required to avoid any issues after the service has commenced. Weekly or periodic inspections for quality are essential to insure the agreed upon frequency is being performed. Regular communication is critical for quality assurance and control.

In the following posts, we will examine specific ideas to consider when choosing your own facility maintenance crew.  Originally posted in the March 2004 Today's Facility Manager, the major considerations stay the same.