Monthly Archives: August 2016

Boston’s Best Commercial Cleaning started on one dream. We wanted to have a cleaning company that provided a better way of life and opportunity not only for ourselves but also for our employees. Just like every dream, it took a strong set of values to make it happen.

• Perseverance
• Commitment
• Loyalty

We knew that if we were to grow the business and continually succeed, we needed to stay in the present moment to attend to our clients, always look ahead to discover where we want to go, and remember where we came from, to recognize our strength in gratitude.

Our Business Is Strong Because Our Foundation Is Strong

Our business is strong because our every business action is rooted in our values system foundation. It’s what formed the business, it’s what drives the business, and it sets us apart from all the competition out there. We succeed because we put our whole hearts into what we do. Holding to our values system ensures we will always work toward actively uplifting our employees and meeting the unique needs of our clients.

Perseverance Supports and Drives Our Workday

When we started, we worked really long hours, made mistakes, pushed ourselves hard, and deeply felt the growing pains every business feels. We use the same perseverance it took to get through those times to navigate our business every day. Our work is never just a paycheck for us. We’re invested, and one way you see that is in our round-the-clock service. We know that whether it’s noon, or 3 AM, if a critical issue comes up for our customers, we want to be there, and we know how to do that.

Commitment Makes Our Employees Stronger

Commitment plays a core role in our story. It’s the thread that holds everything together. Just as our employees give so much of themselves to us, we’re committed to them by providing healthy, above-standard wages, literacy classes, professional growth opportunities, health benefits and retirement options. We host gatherings and functions that include family to make their work with us more than just a job.

Commitment Ensures We Meet Our Clients’ Needs

Further, by tailoring our services to client requirements, we’re committed to you. We have staff whose only job is to attend to our customer needs, so you always receive the same excellent service that began our journey together. We want more than just a contract and a check for our service. We want your trust, and for you to take comfort in knowing that our priorities are driven by what you need.

Loyalty Keeps Us Focused On Priorities – Our Employees and Our Clients

Because we always remember that where we come from got us to where we are, this loyalty keeps us focused on what’s important. We built this dream from strength of character, but couldn’t have succeeded without our employees and our customers. Everyone helps this dream continue. We got here with continued gratitude and respect for the people that support us everyday. You make the dream complete.

With turnover rates ranging anywhere from 75% to near 400% for commercial services, the issue demands attention, and its consequences are far more harmful to your property and business than you think.

YOUR CLEANING COMPANY’S EMPLOYEE TURNOVER AFFECTS YOUR IMAGE

Today’s the day an important corporate client is coming to the office for an annual meeting. You’ve got one chance to make a great impression, and today, your cleaning service had another rotation in cleaners that were not brief on the account cleanings specifications at all! Today the hallway carpet got missed, and the common areas are sloppy, all because the new cleaner wasn’t sure which areas needed to be covered today!

Your company image is your brand. Consistency in your cleanliness and presentation is vital to how your clients, tenants or guests perceive you and your standards.

YOUR CLEANING COMPANY EMPLOYEE TURNOVER AFFECTS YOUR PROFITS

Your cleaning company’s employee turnover takes away from your profits. Maybe your cleaning service having employee turnover takes more time out of your day to handle issues related to the inconsistent service you just received.

Employee turnover steals from your profits by stealing from your time:

• Time taken to find a new cleaning company

• Time taken on the phone tackling complaints

• Time taken to explain new staff changes to your condo owners

• Time taken to re-hash the cleaning requirement contract

• Time taken from your employee’s regular workload to handle these unplanned issues for you

The CLEANING COMPANY EMPLOYEE RETENTION OFFERS BETTER QUALITY CONTROL

Turnover often arises from low employee morale, and low pay. Knowing this, we offer our employees exceptional opportunities for professional growth, quality of life, job satisfaction, and financial security. In return, our employees are rewarded for their efforts, and love coming to work. We give them:

• Generous, above-standard pay

• Internal growth within our company

• Personal development & literacy classes

• Company-wide family inclusion events and outings

But how does this provide quality control to our customers? We’ve learned from experience that by retaining our employees longer than other cleaning companies, we can provide more consistent service that our clients can depend upon.

Although our 24/7 service, and dedicated client needs staff allow us to track and maintain our quality, our greatest value is in the quality work of our cleaners. We know we’ve locked onto a great quality control system because we see its rewards everywhere:

• In our client retention rates

• In employee retention rates

• In the respect and appreciation our clients give our cleaners

• In the relationships our cleaners build with our clients

In fact, one hotel and condo property provides our cleaners free lunches everyday as a “thank you” for their loyalty and dedicated service. We maintain their strong business image, our loyalty supports their profits, and they know they can depend on us. Our clients rave about our service, and that’s our greatest indicator that we have a powerfully effective system. It reflects in our clients’ success, and ours too.

Boston’s Best Cleaning Company always aims to be the #1 cleaning service out there, and we are for one reason: We proactively serve for our clients. Understanding our clients’ needs, our cleaners use all of their skills to help our clients in any way they can. Our best successes have been in reputation support, industry knowledge, and needs-based attention. This is proof that our goal is to serve as continual advocates for you in your business.

WE VALUE THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR IMAGE

More than just a cleaning service, Boston’s Best is a property manager’s closest ally, always mindful of how the job we do reflects upon you. We know that your image is important in upholding your reputation, and running your business smoothly. Every day that we maintain your property, your image is our priority.

WE CATER TO YOUR INDUSTRY

We have several years’ experience working with property management and condo associations, so we’ve grown to understand the challenges in meeting the requirements of condo boards and tenants. Any inconsistencies or poor overall service reflects negatively on you, and that makes your job more difficult. We know that your property’s unit turnaround is timeline-dependent, and that tenants and condo owners rely on cleanliness of common areas and amenities to feel good about where they live. We come in each day knowing exactly where your priorities lie, and remain flexible to accommodate any time-sensitive needs you may have on a day-to-day basis, as they happen.

WE MAKE YOUR JOB EASIER

Whether you’re maintaining properties, keeping up common areas, or getting units ready for renting or owning on time, your job can often feel like a juggling act. Having to micro-manage the cleaning staff to meet your quality standards is an unwanted distraction. For that reason, we know you need a cleaning company who’s looking out for your best interests. We’re always thinking ahead about our role in making your job easier because we:

• Maintain consistency.
• Maintain high service standards, and exercise quality control.
• Add value whenever possible with specialty add-on services aimed to save you time:
  • Property common area cleaning
  • Apartment turnover cleaning
  • Sidewalk snow shoveling
  • Specialty floor stripping, waxing, buffing, scrubbing, carpet cleaning & more
  • Office cleaning services
  • Porter services
  • Trash removal
• Offer an extra set of eyes to notice building details and areas requiring maintenance.

WE PROVIDE ROUND-THE-CLOCK QUALITY CONTROL

Most cleaning companies have a manager that shows up every once in awhile to see that the work is being done right. We believe quality control deserves far more attention than that. Boston’s Best managers frequently visit our clients onsite to inspect service for cleanliness, review cleaner performance, but we continue our service where other cleaning companies leave off. When the other cleaning companies are punching out and going home, we’re setting our phones on stand-by, still ready for your call. Should you have an issue, anytime, any day, we’re there, offering real-time issue resolution 24/7.

When it comes to service, we believe you deserve more than just a cleaner. You deserve a company that can be a proactive advocate for your business. Our list of long-standing clients boast that our above-and-beyond approach to our work makes us stand out against the other cleaning companies. It showcases our dedication, and that makes us the best in our business.

The use of disinfectants leads to a catch-22 situation.

Cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting agents are necessary in many situations to kill or eradicate microbes that may cause infectious diseases as well as allergens and irritants that may trigger avoidable reactions. However, these products may also have unfortunate, and potentially harmful, side effects for tenants, pets, and the environment.

The chemicals in these products may make their way into the environment—air, water, and soil, eventually causing problems for our waterways and wildlife.

Safer, Greener Products Have Less Impact on the Environment

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates and approves sanitizers and disinfectants in the United States. Currently, sanitizing or disinfecting agents such as sodium hypochlorite (bleach) or quaternary (quat) are the base ingredients of most EPA-registered sanitizers and disinfectants.

Certainly, these EPA-registered disinfectants are effective. However, alternative products are available that are just as effective; yet produce fewer residues or emissions, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs); and have less impact on the environment.

The EPA, through the Safer Choice program, has set in motion measures to bring green-certified disinfectants to the market. The EPA will enlist the help of states and the rollout should begin later this year.

Available Options:

Disinfectants that Fulfill the Safer Choice Screening Process – The EPA’s Safer Choice program has a screening process that if fulfilled by a product signifies that the product has reduced impact on a user and the environment, while possessing requisite potency for disinfection.

The active ingredients used in the production of these disinfectants include citric acid, acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide et cetera.

These products are now in use in schools, medical, apartments, and other facilities.

Ozone or Steam Vapor

This option is entirely free of chemicals. Temperature is the primary factor that influences the germ-killing ability of steam vapor. The system should heat water to at least 250 degrees Fahrenheit for it to be effective.

For better protection, it may be necessary to apply a disinfectant after using steam.

Spray-and-vac Systems

Typically, manufactures of these systems advice against use of the systems without cleaning solutions or disinfectants. However, independent laboratory tests show that the systems are effective even without accompanying use of chemicals.

Still, applying a disinfectant after using a spray-and-vac system may be necessary for better protection of the health of occupants.

Best Practice Disinfection Tips

1. Endeavor to use sanitizers and disinfectants only when necessary. The misuse and overuse of disinfectants is a growing public health and environmental concern. Research indicates that the use of common disinfectant products create microbes that can mutate into superbugs. Superbugs are forms or strains of microbes that are more resistant to certain disinfectants and antibiotics.
2. Clean the surface to remove soils before using disinfectants or disinfectant alternatives. Even when using “one-step” disinfectant-cleaners, ensure that you pre-clean heavily soiled areas.
3. Be certain that the disinfectant is appropriate. EPA-registered disinfectants are not effective on all types of germs and bacteria. Therefore, when it is necessary to use a disinfectant, make certain that the kill claim listed on the label indicates that the product can kill the type of microbe that there is concern about. For example, if there is concern about swine flu (H1N1), the product you choose should indicate that it is able to kill the H1N1 virus.

Usage Tips for Standard Disinfectants:

• Use disinfectants with pH value closer to seven (more neutral). These more neutral disinfectants reduce the risk of eye and skin irritation if they come in contact the skin of users.
• Ensure you read and follow all instructions on the product label.
• Do not use a disinfectant with higher concentration than is recommended. The use of a disinfectant with higher-than-recommended concentration would result in increased product waste and associated cost as well as increased adverse environmental impact.

In a building, foot traffic is highest in particular locations including: entrances, stairwells, halls, bathrooms, elevators, exits, and so on. While thinking of how many locations have high volumes of traffic can be daunting, it is important to know that Boston’s Best knows how to handle it. In a building, all locations that are necessary to use are busiest. If a person comes through the door with dirty shoes, these are the locations in which the trail will be left. Our company is aware of methods to combat this issue of spreading dirt, while still providing a speedy and high quality performance.

Prevention

One of the best ways to clean is to prevent the dirt in the first place. We prevent people from tracking dirt around the building by diligently vacuuming the carpets, dusting, and mopping – but we also prevent the spread of dirt by placing mats down to avoid the contact with the floor in the first place. Floors do not become nearly as worn out, and never look dirty. This keeps the place looking wonderful and clean at all times. Tenants, old and new, will notice the regularity of cleanliness and be highly impressed.

Timing

As we always hear, timing is everything! Our company is aware of a building’s schedule, and carefully plans cleanings around this. To us, the most opportune moments for cleaning are those convenient for tenants – such as when traffic has died down or areas are no longer in use for the day. When cleaning, areas will be carefully blocked off in order to avoid any injury or struggle for tenants. Safety is a prime concern for us, both with air quality and in general. No wet spots or wires will be unattended at any point! If cleaning blocks a route, we will ensure that tenants can easily get to their destination another way.

Staff

We never skim on our staff. Our team is fully loaded and ready to go when we arrive. Due to our ability to staff well, cleaning is performed in an appropriate amount of time at the highest level of excellence.

Frequency

At Boston’s Best, we know that cleaning needs to happen often, not on occasion. There are certain times where traffic may be higher, and additional cleaning may be necessary. We are aware of this, and work hard to ensure we stay in the now with the needs of our clients.

Surface Type

What we are cleaning is important! Our employees know the varying steps necessary for different surfaces. Cleaning is never one size fits all.

Consistency

Our company cares about consistently providing an excellent cleaning performance. Our services are never rushed, and we never miss a thing! We pay careful attention to detail in order to provide the highest quality service each and every time we clean.

No matter big or small, your business spends a great deal of money on janitorial work… But are you getting what you pay for?

There are six core aspects of Key Performance Indicators that can be told to you by your current janitorial staff or company. This information is generally kept for records as it is – so asking for the information is not putting anyone out of their way. If the company does not keep track of this information for any reason, you can request the information for a small fee. It is unlikely this will be necessary.

Let’s dive into the six Key Performance Indicators:

1. Financial – Analyzing budget is important. How much employees are getting paid by a commercial cleaning company helps explain the company’s compassion for their employees. For instance, here at Boston’s Best, our employees are paid fairly and are given benefits such as financial literacy training. Expenses for labor, equipment, and chemical should compare reasonably with your expense.
2. Safety – When it comes to safety, a cleaning company wants to know what’s causing accidents. If the floors are too slippery, preventative action must be taken to ensure it does not happen again. Seeing how issues were resolved is significant.
3. Janitorial Staff – Cleaning companies need to familiarize themselves with your facility, or facilities. As floors change, so do the procedures to care for the floor. Finding out how much time is spent training employees to understand what is necessary can help make sense of a company’s qualifications. How often are employees being retrained if their performance was subpar? How long do employees typically work for the company? Don’t be afraid to get a feel for the company and see how their employees feel about working for the cleaning service. A satisfied employee very well may mean a satisfied customer! This leads right into the next aspect…
4. Client Satisfaction – Most cleaning services ask their clients to fill out a survey regarding the quality of the work received. If surveys often requested a particular service be improved or added, how was this desire accommodated or fulfilled? How personalized is the service received by the cleaning company? This helps see how the cleaning company meets the needs of its clients – as it always should meet those needs!
5. Quality of Service – Cleaning companies, ourselves included, inspect work thoroughly and keep a detailed inspection. Areas in need of more attention or improvement are marked. Areas of excellent performance are noted as well. Is this information matching your opinion of work performed? How is the cleaning service taking action to fix what it had not perfected? If the company is diligent, inspections will be regular and honest. If only quality audits, reports can be given on a three-month or six-month basis.

While companies won’t always give out the full story, most are willing to be honest. After finding out this information, examine what aspects are most necessary for you and go from there!

Renovations or construction need to be performed quickly. Many contractors are necessary to complete the job, and trying to keep track of everything can be stressful. When making repairs to an office building, there is no time to waste. When hiring a general contractor, most of the hard work is out of your hands – except for managing the operation. Here are a few tips to keep things clear and on track!

Tip 1: Schedule

By formatting a set schedule, beyond just a deadline, tasks are more likely to become completed in a timely manner. Not to mention, as the property owner, stress will be relieved with every daily box that can be checked off. If you know what is supposed to be done, you can tell when the work is getting behind (or with luck, ahead!). By working with the contractor to make this schedule, expectations can be reasonable and all parties can agree on the information.

Tip 2: Cost Estimation

Make sure to get a detailed estimation for the project. Every aspect and fine detail should be explained in order to avoid surprise costs and make a higher likelihood of accuracy. Compare contractors and see what seems like the best option and most valuable for your money. Also, communicate with the contractor and express particular materials you would prefer, if such an emotion exists. Get everyone on the same page.

Tip 3: Contractor Reputation

How well have previous employers enjoyed the contractor’s services? Now it is easier than ever to check this – simply by looking online. Nearly every business on the planet has a rating through a variety of sites. Also feel free to ask the contractor for references before hiring. Are the employees professional? Will they be swearing on the job? Make sure the standards of the contractor meet yours.

Tip 4: Insurance

Contractors should have insurance – accurate, updated insurance. Ask to see this before beginning a project to ensure that nothing is accidentally forgotten about (such as an expired policy). If anything goes wrong in the process, such as accident or injury, you want to make sure your money is not at stake. The insurance makes it easy for you to know any mistakes are not your responsibility.

Tip 5: Make a Contract

A major mistake is to forget about making a contract. Without one, a contractor may not be liable for any poor work done. Not to mention, this opens the door for the contractor to ask for more than was originally requested. Make sure all aspects of the project are written out. Do not assume that nothing could go wrong with the obvious – if the contractor is to buy the materials, make sure that is marked down. No matter who the contractor is, friend or family, a contact is absolutely in your best interest in order to avoid issue or miscommunication.

Americans spend nearly all of their time indoors. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) estimate Americans spend 40 hours a week in office buildings. Due to this fact, the cleanliness of indoor environments is vital – especially in the winter months. As a property owner, it is important knowing tenants are safe in their own home or office. By hiring a commercial cleaning company, this is no longer a concern. With Boston’s Best Commercial Cleaning, it can be automatically assumed that all employees are concerned about air quality. Essential target locations receive the attention necessary, without being accidentally looked over. One of the most polluting aspects of a building can be the carpet. Carpeting may seem clean, however if an area of higher traffic and use, dirt can end up trapped in areas unseen. Attention and diligence are carefully taken with carpets through our services. Cleaners will also be thorough and attentive in regards to the other main causes of indoor pollutants.

Entrance and Exit

Areas of highest traffic are points of entry and exit. People have to be able to come and go, and because of this, germs and dirt can begin to build and spread if untreated. If left alone, pollutants from these areas can spread across and through an entire building. Here at Boston’s Best, we know not to ignore these locations. Entry and exit points require aggressive cleaning. A “clean appearance” is simply not enough. We want to ensure that all of those living and working in the locations we clean are breathing clear, sanitary air. No health issues should be arising from breathing indoors!

Snow, Slush, and Salt

Snow, slush, and salt create a layer of moisture as people go through entrances and exits. These locations need soil-removal mats in order to avoid mucky shoes from meeting the carpet. Our employees know that these mats help, but also know that professional tools must be utilized to clean thoroughly enough to completely eradicate these winter-specific disaster areas. Cleaning requires a multi-step system, especially in those pesky entrances and exits.

Daily Cleaning

Cleaning needs to happen daily – and preferably more than once. Entrances and exits need to be monitored and maintained. Hardwood and tile floors need constant attention. If ignored, hardwood and tile floors can become unsafe and slippery.

By creating a schedule and routine, there is a strategy to combat winter air pollutants. Our cleaners know the most opportune and beneficial moments to regularly clean key locations. Our company utilizes professional, high-quality equipment in order to perform the most thorough cleaning. Work is consistent and effective.

Deep Clean

Our company provides deep cleanings with accurate, professional equipment. Our tools are carefully tested to ensure cleanings of the highest quality. All equipment is up-to-date, and working just as hard as the employees to improve the air quality in every building cleaned.