The big question – Should You Hire Your Own Cleaning Resource?

Posted by Glenn Cleaning, August 11, 2018

For many businesses there comes a time when they wonder if they should perhaps manage their cleaning requirements in-house, rather than outsourcing to a cleaning company – the rationalism being that you control the time and costs being spent on cleaning. After all, you can decide what to pay your cleaning staff, and manage their schedule.

But here’s the big question – do you know best?

Just as you wouldn’t ask a plumber to build your house, you also have to ask yourself if you understand the cleaning demands your premises require.

The basics may be obvious; the desks, the staff room and toilets. But what about the windows or the carpets? And are you aware of the types of chemicals you would need to buy?

Cutting the Costs

Sometimes, what looks on paper like a smart business decision turns out in real life to be a misadventure. This is usually because it doesn’t take into account the experience and specialist expertise of the professional cleaning operation.

One of the core reasons many businesses opt for in-house cleaners is to save costs. This often comes at times of change or when a business is looking to reduce its outgoings. And while this is completely reasonable, what businesses do not realise is the consequences that can occur when their in-house resource does not have the correct experience or training to carry out corporate cleaning.

At Glenn, our cleaners are fully aware of the rules governing health and safety in public and commercial environments. And our continuous training programme keeps them up-to-date with the latest technical developments in cleaning – the new products and equipment which ensure that the standard of our service to our clients is second to none.

Of course, to maintain this degree of expertise requires considerable on-going investment. It is the hidden cost of excellence, if you like – and if you haven’t factored it in to your in-house cleaning plan, then you should consider how you will keep your cleaning resource up to date so your standard of cleanliness isn’t compromised.

Crisis Control

Another reason a business may look to go in-house is because they can manage the cleaning schedule of their employees; dictating which areas need to be focused on, and creating a routine that feels befitting for the company.

While this element of control is understandable in many sensitive industries, it can also be the downfall of a business and provide detrimental effects to the company.

From using the wrong cleaning chemicals, not following health & safety policies, to missing large areas which then become a health hazard.

To many business owners cleaning practices may seem obvious, but there is method in the madness. In our experience, not following a routine or thinking about the needs of the business and its customers can have an unwanted impact on operations and reputation.

Of course, it’s always cheaper to prevent a crisis from occurring than it is to put it right after the event. It is in the nature of things to go wrong. And because our cleaners are professionally trained to the highest standard, they are able to anticipate an issue in the making and to address it before it becomes a costly problem.

More Time Equals More Money

In the short-term hiring an in-house cleaning resource might save money, and when budgets are tight and profits low, it can be a knee-jerk reaction to start chipping away at the ‘non-essential’.

But when cleaning staff are brought onboard as employees, they still require guidance from managers, and a schedule to ensure that every area of the business meets health and safety standards. This can eat into the time of the business. Not only adding an extra workload to another person’s responsibilities but ultimately costing the business more money. After all, who’s going to be the one to manage these new employees and ensure all their duties are carried out to the standards required?

As we all know, time is money in business, and is your time best applied to creating a cleaning process for your new hires, or thinking of new ways to increase your profits?

Limited Ability

When seeking in-house cleaners, businesses spend a significant amount with recruitment agencies to find the best talent on the market. And while it’s possible to find these individuals, the fact is no one individual can do everything.

You could end up with spotless bathrooms, while your windows become opaque with dirt and your lawns vanish under a tsunami of weeds.

The likely outcome is that you’ll have to out-source certain specialised tasks from a variety of suppliers – and far from saving you money, your in-house solution will end up costing you more than if you’d retained a full-service cleaning company.

At Glenn, we can provide all of the expert services that the modern business could possibly require – regular maintenance and deep cleaning, carpets and flooring, upholstery, windows, grounds and gardens. And because we offer them all under one roof, you will benefit from economies of scale that will keep your costs down to a very manageable level.

We’ll provide you with a team of highly-trained experts who will actually save you money by giving you exactly what you need, to a standard that is exemplary within our industry.