If you oversee janitorial services for your facility, you'reprobably handling numerous other responsibilities as well. Even if everysituation is unique, it’s likely that you’re under frequent pressure to findways to cut costs. In today’s competitive business environment, managingexpenses carefully is crucial.
For janitorial programs, as with other services,cost-cutting often risks a dip in service quality. The main challenge forfacility managers is finding a balance between maintaining a clean, welcomingenvironment and keeping budgets in line. There’s a saying in construction: “Youcan have it affordable, fast, or high-quality—choose two.” This often holdstrue for the cleaning industry as well.
But is it possible to save money without loweringcleanliness standards? Here are two key approaches that may help.
1. Rethink the Scope of Cleaning Tasks
Labor is responsible for about 60% of costs in janitorialservices. To cut expenses, one effective approach is reducing labor hours byrethinking your cleaning scope. Often, a cleaning routine is followed withoutconsidering if it's truly needed. For instance, some offices or rooms may notsee much daily use and could be cleaned once a week instead of every day.
Go over your facility’s cleaning needs, room by room. Whichtasks truly need to be performed daily? How frequently does garbage needemptying? Could you reserve daily vacuuming for common areas and cut back onoffice space? Consulting with an experienced cleaning provider can helpidentify areas where your cleaning can be streamlined without compromising onappearance and hygiene.
2. Separate Project-Based Work from Monthly Charges
Many companies end up overpaying on their janitorialcontracts due to additional project work like floor buffing, waxing, or windowwashing. These are essential for maintaining a clean facility, but somecontracts include a fixed amount of project work each year, which is thendivided into monthly charges. Often, these projects aren’t required asfrequently as stated or they might even get skipped, meaning you’re paying forservices you may not need at those intervals.
A better approach is to negotiate a per-service rate forthese specific tasks and schedule them only when needed. This can lead tonoticeable savings throughout the year.
By reconsidering the scope of routine tasks and separatingproject work from fixed monthly costs, you can reduce expenses withoutimpacting the quality of your janitorial services.
Partnering with an experienced cleaning contractor can helpyou implement these strategies effectively, ensuring your facility stays cleanand welcoming while keeping your budget in check.
