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Facility Support Client/contractor communication team

     Facility Support maintains a team of experienced industry professionals, available to both our contractors and facility managers, in an effort to help commercial cleaning industry contractors fine tune their operation and grow their janitorial or construction cleaning business to it’s maximum potential.  Contractors, as well as clients, have mandatory requirements to be met and they are easily addressed through communication and documentation.

     This website is an effort to share some of what we have learned over the years.  The links on the left, cover some of the industry basics and we will be adding more shortly.  We have included a cleaning industry bid and proposal calculating software program here.  This is the program we use and it was included for two reasons.  First…. It offers substantial clarity to bidding and understanding a job.  Secondly, when people use it, not only will it dramatically help them, but we may make enough money to cover the expense of this site!

Why is this website here?

Author - Thomas Anthony

Founder—Facility Support client/contractor communication team

     How to start, operate, grow or expand office, commercial or construction cleaning businesses seem to be the most popular topics on the internet.  I have been involved with business development in excess of thirty years and have partnered with a good number of commercial cleaning industry professionals for about the last ten.  Recently I received an e-mail from a colleague suggesting I create a website offering helpful tips to people in the commercial cleaning industry.  He sent me a list of very popular search engine requests and it amazed me.  Here’s just a few entries off the long list he sent me:  "starting & marketing a cleaning business", "sample flyers for a cleaning business", "office cleaning inspection sheet", "cleaning business clipart", "i want to start my own business cleaning small offices", "how can i start my own cleaning business", "grow office cleaning business", "free cleaning business layouts", "construction cleaning businesses", "how to sucessfully operate a cleaning business" and the list went on.

     He then went on to suggest I surf the internet and find out what’s currently available to people looking for real answers to real problems.  This industry amazes me and that’s why I have stayed with it for as long as I have.  I have addressed various service industries with business development efforts, but the commercial cleaning industry is the most challenging, and also the most rewarding, that I have found to date.  It is unquestionably the most adversarial service industry I have ever worked in and that’s a shame because it’s so easily correctable if everyone would just settle down.  It’s really all about clarity in communication.  First be clear on the scope of work and the client’s expectations.  Then be clear with the client that the contractor is working with the intent of making a profit.  Once both the client and the contractor understand each other's positions, document them clearly with an agreed  upon price.  Now that the negotiations are complete, both the client and the contractor should have only one goal in the effort.  That goal is to accomplish an acceptable level of service consistently, and in an uneventful manner.

     I went online and searched some of the phrases he sent me.  Some of the consulting/business development sites on the internet seemed to be offering good help and some were just “smoke and mirrors” offers similar to some of the service companies I have run across.  Many of the software and cd options seemed pricey, but maybe that’s just because I’m getting older.  There seemed to be a lot of organizations with support help areas that are probably helpful.  I came away from the whole experience a little overwhelmed and slightly confused, so I understand what’s he’s talking about.

     Now that I understand what he’s suggesting, I will try to make time to add to this site regularly.  I enjoy working with the people in this industry because so many of them have worked incredibly hard most of their lives and now they just want to take the next step in their chosen profession.  I can truly understand that and it’s definitely attainable!  I hope some of what’s offered here helps.

     Always remember keeping it simple is the key.  Write it down, return and review it and never let the line of communication be broken.  Most contractors don’t realize this, but finding an honest, consistent commercial cleaning contractor is every bit as difficult as finding a good account.  If your company cannot, or will not, consistently accomplish the picture you painted for your client on day one, please don’t quit your day job.  I hope this site will help you accomplish your goals and I also hope it can address a few of the how to start, operate, grow or expand office, commercial janitorial or construction cleaning businesses questions being asked online.

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