Tag Archives: PA

ATTENTION Property Managers! Here is Why You Should Outsource Your Cleaning

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Office managers, property managers, facilities managers all manage a property to some degree, and with that comes a ton of responsibility. It could be an office building, warehouse, or even a whole corporate complex. With anything, cleaning should be your top priority, and it’s ok to admit if this slips to the back of this giant list of things to do. Unfortunately, it is a more frequent occurrence than you’d expect. But, to face the harsh truth, nobody is going to want to occupy spaces that aren’t cleaned professionally or on a regular basis.


You want your space to look as good as possible so you can rent out the space as quickly as possible. You don’t or shouldn’t have to rely on tenants to do all the necessary cleaning for you. Below, are reasons why you need to keep your property cleaned and maintained.


Reputation


In today’s day in age, everybody uses the internet. This can be really good or really bad due to the sole fact that negative reviews tend to spread a whole lot faster than positive ones. You don’t want to make cleanliness the reason for a negative review. Nobody should have to clean a property to feel comfortable when they first arrive or to forget about who rented the property previously. If that is a common theme, then others will gain knowledge of this and will more than likely hurt your business.


Professionally Cleaned


There is a big difference when you compare the cleaning done by a professional service vs. getting an employee to do it. An employee will most likely take longer as well as miss some spots since they aren’t trained or in most cases hired to clean. It is difficult to expect tenants and their employees to completely clean up after themselves. Trust us! It will not happen mainly because of the differing views of what people view as “clean”. Try to avoid your tenants from being sour towards you right off the bat.


Save You Money!


Believe it or not, this will save you money AND time in the long run! This will help keep your property in the best shape possible, and the ability to rent out the property for years to come. If you keep your property in top shape with cleanliness, it will take longer to age and fewer problems to deal with. By keeping up with floors, furniture, office space, kitchens, bathrooms etc. you will decrease the likelihood of deterioration that would otherwise need repair costing you MONEY. So, not only will your property be in great shape, it will also increase your reputation.



Best Communication Techniques To Follow For a Growing Cleaning Company

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In running a geographically distributed workforce, as most cleaning companies do, client communication is the best way for us to learn and keep a solid relationship. It is important to have both internal AND external communication as there are high-level risks and rewards associated. Below, we will go over the top means of communication so that way you can keep your cleaning business growing.



Strong Customer Service


As your company grows and obtains more and more clientele, it is all the more likely more people will want to get a hold of you. Most small startup companies’ sales reps are probably going to be the owner who provides all of their personal phone/email information. Eventually you will need to have this job delegated. It is important to follow these three steps: Hire a professional and dedicated customer service employee, tailor your experience to your client base, and live and die by what your standards are and what you want them to be dating back from the very beginning.


Reach Out ALWAYS

It is also important to make it a habit to reach out to clients on a routine basis via phone call, email, or text. They can be random check-ins or planned, but the whole idea of this is to keep building that relationship as well as to obtain as much information as you can to see if your services meet their needs. This is a simple yet great way to build that trust and rapport. It shows that you are a proactive company and actually care even when there is not a specific issue occurring. This doesn’t mean there will never be any problems to face, but when this does happen, the conversations will be much easier to have and easier to resolve.


Onboarding/Training


One way to avoid high turnover within your company is to put together a planned experience for new employees. This should include:

-A walkthrough and training of any systems your company uses
-A detailed overview of what your standards as a company are
-Training for on-site communication
-A how-to on when issues arise how to handle them and who to bring them to.


Many companies believe or not fail to execute even these simplest things. Taking the time to invest in these tasks will help ensure you and the business that these employees will develop a sense of trust and feeling like they belong. If done properly, this will prevent high turnover rates and long-term employee retention.




It will be a challenge as your company grows to live up to the standards and expectations you set, but as long as you live by the promises you make both internally and externally, who wouldn’t want to be a part of the business you are building. More clients mean more employees which means a bigger target market, and with this comes more opportunity for communication mishaps. Prioritizing communication is something that can and will guarantee higher returns.

How Often Should I Clean My Floors?

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Throughout the years, we have received a lot of questions about how often floors should be cleaned in an office or facility setting. To answer this, there are several key factors to take into consideration that are going to affect the frequency of this. Hopefully by reading this it will help give you pointers for you determine an ideal frequency to have your floors cleaned.


Factors to Determine Frequency


Traffic
The frequency is largely dependent on how much traffic there is in each area of your office or facility. The most common used areas in your office are:
-Entryways and exits-Primary hallways -Main stairwells
These areas are going to need more frequent cleaning. You do not want clients or even potential clients to walk through a dirty office when they stop by to visit. With that, your office employees and team members do not want to walk through a dirty office with messy or beat-up floors. There are also going to be lower traffic areas that do not need to be touched as often, but the areas with the most frequency will dictate how often you will want to get your floors cleaned.


Activity
There may be areas that get a lot of activity but not a lot of foot traffic. Think of areas like kitchens or conference rooms. These areas will have people sitting in them but not necessarily a lot of walking around. These areas while not a lot of foot traffic are still prone to having scuff marks say from chairs, spilled beverages or food. This is what is called a high level of personnel activity that is going to lead to more frequent cleanings versus areas that do not have as much use.


Floor Mats/Matting
A determining factor that is also going to determine how often to sweep/clean your floors is the number of floor mats or “runners” located throughout the facility. Floor mats tend to keep floors relatively clean which will then reduce the cleaning work and frequency of the cleaning. You will typically find these located toward the front entryway and around the office with areas that have access to the outside as a place to wipe your feet when entering the office or facility. This lessens the chance of people entering tracking mud and dirt throughout the entire office.


Sealed/Unsealed Flooring
Knowing what your floors are made out of will help you also determine the frequency of having your floors cleaned. As an example, sealed floors offer far greater protection against things such as spills, scuffs, scratches etc. When you have unsealed floors, the floors will be much for susceptible to these types of damage that could lead to permanent damage over time. These types of floors will need to be maintained much more frequently versus sealed flooring.


As you can see, there are multiple different determining factors that come into play when trying to figure out how often you should have your floors maintained. There will be areas with much more frequency than other spaces, areas with more activity, and even the types of flooring. It is recommended to maintain your floors on a weekly basis and figure out what frequency works best for your office/facility. We get it, you simply don’t have the time to constantly maintain all of this on top of the other thousand tasks you need to worry about. This is why maintaining your floors professionally will behoove you in the long run with saving you both money and time!

Types of Services Offered By Janitorial Companies

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It seems like a pretty simple question and answer don’t you think? Well, that’s because it is, but this post will help you better understand some terminology used in the industry. You may come to realize that janitorial companies may be able to provide more services than you ever would consider.


As you look around the industry you will notice many companies refer to themselves as “building service contractors”, “commercial janitorial services”, “custodial services”, or even just “commercial cleaning services”. To put it simply, there is not much of a difference at all with these “labels” if you will. Mainly, it depends on who is asking for the services. For example, schools ask for “custodial services”, medical facilities ask for “housekeeping services”, commercial office buildings may ask for “cleaning services” or even “janitorial services” for manufacturing plants and warehouses. These are all interchangeable terms for the most part.

Services

Daily Service – Anything that involves ongoing, daily, routine care of the facility. These tasks are broken into four primary categories and usually outlined in the scope of work on the proposal document:

  • Trash removal
  • Routine floor care
  • Dusting and wiping surfaces
  • Restroom/breakroom services – this includes everything listed above, in addition to replenishing consumable products (toilet paper, paper towels, hand soap, etc.)

Day Porter Service – This is most common with facilities that have a large number of daily users of the building. This includes employees, visitors, students, patients, etc. A Day Porter cleans and keeps things “tidy” in high use areas throughout the day. These spaces can be lobbies, common areas, restrooms or breakrooms, kitchens, cafeterias, outside areas.


Disinfecting Service – This has always been an important offering of janitorial companies with disinfecting high touch areas/surfaces to reduce the spread of viruses. It just so happens that COVID-19 has pushed this into the forefront of everyone’s minds.


Hard Surface Floor Restoration – Periodically, restoration services will be needed to protect and maintain certain floor surfaces. Some hard surface floors that need maintenance include but not limited to vinyl composite tile (VCT), ceramic tile, wood, concrete, terrazzo. Some of the terminology used for these restoration services are “strip and wax”, “recoating” or “deep scrubbing”.


Carpet Restoration – Just like hard surface flooring above, carpeted flooring surfaces also require periodic work. I know what you may be thinking right off the bat. No, carpet shampooing is NOT what is performed by commercial cleaning companies. Instead, carpets are normally cleaned through processes such as encapsulation, bonnet cleaning or even dry carpet cleaning.


Window Cleaning – For the most part, the cleaning of entryway doors and interior glass (office partitions, etc.) is all part of the daily services. However, the cleaning of exterior windows (inside and outside) are usually listed as a separate service. There is a specific deionizing cleaning system that eliminates water spots when it comes to exterior windows.


In conclusion, when you are in your search to outsource your cleaning services, make certain you are inquiring about a detailed list of service offerings as well as coming up with a plan for scheduling these project-based services.

Helpful Tips For Disinfecting Your Office

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As offices start to reopen in the midst of Covid-19, we all must do our part in slowing its spread. This all starts with safe and informed cleaning practices. Cleanliness has always been important to maintaining good health, job performance, and the satisfaction of employees in the office. Today, there is a more particular emphasis to this, showing that the transmission of disease in the workplace through surface contact is a real threat. In some more extreme cases, it can shut down an entire operation.


This blog will provide helpful tips for disinfecting your office. Following these tips and guidelines will help ensure you keep your business running smoothly, and more importantly your employees safe.


How and When to Clean
“Cleaning” is essentially referring to the use of detergent or soap mixed with water to remove germs from surfaces. This will reduce the risk of spreading infectious diseases. Yes, cleaning removes dirt, grime and debris as well as reducing germs, but it does not necessarily kill the germs.


Cleaning should take priority for everyday office use. Per the CDC guidelines, it is recommended for daily cleaning even when there are no potential instances of infection. Hight touch surfaces, which we will go more in depth below, should be cleaned regularly. If an office co-worker is sick, you may want to add a time to disinfect these surfaces as well.


Disinfect High Touch Surface Areas


Bacteria and viruses alike can live on surfaces on a number of different materials. For example, Covid can live on plastic for as long as 3 days! With this, comes a high risk of spreading infection on high touch surfaces by employees. If there is a sick employee, it is important to disinfect these high touch surface areas throughout the day:


-Doorknobs

-Desk, tables, and countertops

-Computer monitors, mice and keyboards

-Shared office equipment (fax machines, printers, phones)

-Light switches

-Elevator buttons

-Faucet handles and toilets

-Breakroom equipment (vending machines, coffee makers, etc.)


Maintain a Safe Office Space


Safe habits are essential in preventing the spread of Covid-19 or any disease for that matter. To keep the office running without exposure – or to limit exposure at the very least – make sure you remember 2 things: isolating and reacting to instances of illness. Below are a couple ways to maintain a safe and germ-free work space.


Hand washing is and will continue to be the best way to prevent the contraction and/or spread of germs. Regularly communicate what the best practices are to employees. As needed, employees should be washing their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.


It is also important to keep cleaning supplies and disinfecting wipes available. It is crucial to react quickly to sickness. Always maintain a log of your cleaning supplies so you have them properly stocked at all times. What has been seen more and more, and is a great idea as well is to install hand sanitizer stations in convenient locations along with disinfecting wipes to encourage their use.

The Top 3 Things To Look For In A Janitorial Company

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It can be a challenging task now more than ever to find a reliable commercial cleaning company. Sure, you can go on your Google machine and search for “commercial cleaning near me” or “janitorial services near me”, but what exactly are you getting yourself into when you do that? Whether it be Yelp, Bark, Home Advisor, etc., some (not all) are simply marketing companies that pose as a commercial cleaner, and what exactly do they do? Some examples are Vanguard, Executive Cleaning Services and Jensen Brothers that simply gather your information and subcontract the work. All you want to do is find a REAL cleaning service without all the additional hassle, and unfortunately can be more tough than need be.


However, once you do find a REAL commercial cleaning company, your work is only halfway done since there is a slew of companies in the cleaning market. Are you starting to weigh the idea about outsourcing your cleaning? Click here for more information. Are you currently outsourcing your cleaning and think it may be time for a change? Click here to find out more. So, the million-dollar question, how can you find a commercial cleaning company that can give you the best and most consistent results? Read on for the top 3 things to look for during your search.


Problem Solving – I’m sure at one point in time or another you have heard the common phrases such as “We have been in business for over 30 years”, “customer service is our #1 priority”, “we use the latest technology”, or “our core values are x,y,z”. Who cares? The one thing you are looking for is for your problems to be solved so you have one less thing to worry about on your busy plate. It is super important for a commercial cleaning company or anyone for that matter to understand your problems and provide swift solutions to them! This involves reducing the number of distractions caused by janitorial issues, and having the peace of mind knowing that your facility will be properly staffed each and every day while bringing solutions to you without even having to ask.


Local Presence – In other words, it can be challenging at times to find a service that can provide consistency. To put it simply, janitorial work is not overly complicated to the point where it requires years of experience or all of this extensive training to go along with it. Sweeping, mopping, dusting, emptying trash, cleaning the restrooms, kitchens, etc. doesn’t sound super overwhelming right? What it all boils down to, is the adequate oversight. This mainly stems from the management level (i.e., field managers) that are relatively close to your facility. This is very important when you bring in a cleaning service since it A.) reduces risk and B.) it builds TRUST! A good cleaning company will always be looking to improve their work, encouraging their teams while coaching them!


Industry Leadership – As mentioned at the beginning of this post, there is a slew of commercial cleaning companies in this market that can easily blend into the crowd. Look for a company that goes above and beyond. For example, they are heavily involved in the local community, they genuinely care about the industry and providing the necessary services for your own well-being first, they are involved in the industry through association memberships along with learning and spreading helpful information.


Let’s face it, the internet today is FILLED with anything you can possibly think of. This ultimately can be and is a very good tool with seemingly anything you desire right at your fingertips. However, with a tool such as this providing such ease in our lives it can also be layered with fraudsters and an extra layer of caution with office/facilities managers alike. By learning these few items listed above, this will be able to help lead a decision maker in the right direction to eventually make the correct decision for their company.

Don’t Let Dirty Windows Obstruct Your View!

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All facilities, offices, buildings have one thing in common: windows. There comes a great deal of importance to clean windows with your business, but when exactly is it time to have them cleaned? What are the advantages of having clean windows? Clean windows are a win-win situation for all offices and facilities alike and is crucial for maintaining not only the cleanliness of your facility, but simply creates a healthier and happier environment.
In this post, we will discuss the importance of window cleaning with numerous advantages of having clean windows along with how often you should invest in getting your windows cleaned!


Extends the Life of Windows

– Windows, especially external can take on a lot of contaminants (think bird poop, pollen, etc.) and regularly cleaning your windows can help maintain removing these. – I am sure we all can attest to this one, but dirt, debris, dust LOVE to stick/cling to windows. Over time this can cause permanent damage and ultimately will require a full window replacement sooner rather than later.


Clear Visibility

– Clean windows with visibility are just more attractive to put it simply. Whether you manage an office, retail store, of any other type of commercial facility, your results to attract happy customers wanting to spend money or even employees working with a more positive mindset. – With glass clear of any and all fingerprints it helps engage potential customers and passer biers as they feel more invited into your business.


Eliminates Pests

– Are you constantly seeing webs in the corners of windows? Yeah, it can be a real downer! It can be pretty horrifying realizing that they come from spiders or even a worse cause. – Regular window cleaning will eliminate pests by getting into every nook and cranny, ultimately forcing them to move on.


Reduces Infection Risk

– As mentioned in our last post, germs are spread through high touch surfaces, and glass doors, windows or any glass surfaces are not exempt from this. Regularly cleaning these surfaces will ultimately help prevent the spread of viruses, colds or other illnesses. – Clean windows are beneficial in a way where it helps prevent the development of mold and mildew. Stale windows allow for the growth of bacteria, which leads the way to rust and other discoloration.


How Often Should My Windows Be Cleaned?

With all of this being said, you may be asking yourself how often do my windows need to be cleaned? Well, there are many factors that need to be taken into consideration when discussing windows. Factors such as, exterior quality of the windows with other materials that can be affected by the climate of your specific area.


The ideal window cleaning schedule can vary depending on your office, building size and location, internal and external conditions. The best approach to this would be to develop some sort of regular detailed cleaning schedule. This comprehensive plan will help you determine how often your windows need to be cleaned and how this can save you MONEY and TIME.
If you can keep a regular schedule, you will have a set of windows free of all dust, dirt, etc. and windows you can be proud of!

Allow BCS Facilities Group to work with you to come up with the perfect window cleaning schedule!

FAQs With BCS

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Purchasing a janitorial service can come with a high degree of risk. Here at BCS Facilities Group, we strive to help build YOUR trust while reducing as much risk as possible. Below is a compiled list of the most frequently asked questions received during the purchasing process. If you are unable to find an answer to your questions, please do not hesitate to contact us here.


Service

How much notice do you need to get started?

Typically, we require at least 3 weeks to launch our services in order to properly staff your facility so we can accommodate your needs as efficiently as possible.
What types of services do you provide?

While we specialize in daily/weekly janitorial services, we are well versed in carpet cleaning, tile maintenance, window washing, as well as disinfection services.
Do you supply all of the equipment?

This will vary on a case-by-case basis. We leave this up to you and what is preferred by you. We are fully capable of providing all equipment and cleaning products for the cleaning of your facility.

Personnel

Who will I contact if there is a problem?

Your account holder. BCS prides itself that you will NEVER have to worry about who to contact as your point of contact will never change from day 1.
What happens if we don’t like one of your employees?

If there is an issue with one of our employees cleaning your facility, we will make certain to make the necessary changes where need be in staffing your facility. We at BCS pride ourselves on providing the best customer service in the industry.
How many people will you have in my facility?

The answer to this varies by each facility after the initial and final walkthroughs are completed. Once we have a good outlay of your facility and have a clear understanding of the desired services, we will inform you of how we will staff your facility and an estimate of how long the process will take.


Company

How long have you been in business?

BCS Facilities Group was founded in 1987 and since then has been perfecting the science of facilities maintenance.


Are you local/regional?

Yes. We are a local family owned and operated commercial cleaning company based out of Newtown, Pennsylvania servicing Eastern PA, New Jersey and Delaware. BCS is in what we like to call the “Goldilocks zone” of janitorial cleaning companies
How is your company different from all of the others?

Probably one of the most important questions ever asked. We are not just a janitorial service. It goes deeper than that here at BCS. Our main priority is building your trust, reduce risk, give you peace of mind. We take care of your business so you don’t have to! We view ourselves as an extension of your staff and a partner that will provide you a place that you can be proud of.