My Janitorial Company Did Not Show Up To Clean

The garbage didn’t get emptied and the floors are still dirty. You have to open in 30 minutes. You are upset. You should be. Missed nights of cleaning is one of the most common complaints across the the industry. The commercial cleaning crew just didn’t show up and they expect you to be okay with that. Why is this such a common problem?

There are potentially several reasons for an office not getting cleaned. One simple reason could be a confusion about changes in schedules or days that have been added. A phone call and a review of the schedule with the crew can usually resolve this immediately.

Unfortunately, there are other reasons that are less innocent. It seems that more and more people are taking less and less personal responsibility and pride in their work. They don’t see what they do as important and so give it less attention and priority. We have seen this attitude permeate every demographic and frankly it is as frustrating and discouraging for owners of commercial cleaning companies as it is for clients. Whether it is carelessness, lack of planning, ignorance or something more, there are some things that can be done.

First, when we bring new people in to start cleaning, one of the first things we address is, ‘What If?’ What if your car breaks down? What if a kid gets sick? What if you are in an accident? We tell people that they need to plan and prepare from the beginning for the ‘what if’s’ in life. As a person who has your life interrupted from time to time, you obviously feel for people who have similar problems. However, you are also a client and the bottom line is you are paying for your cleaning service to be done on a regular schedule. You paid for it and you want it done. This is reasonable. You want your service provider to have a backup plan for the ‘What if’s’ that will inevitably come up.

Second, we also talk to our crews and clients about communication. It is amazing what a simple phone call can solve. When clients are aware of the situation and can participate in the resolution process, an easy and acceptable solution can usually be worked out. When the commercial cleaning company is informed, often they can also provide solutions. Open communication is the key to success.

Here’s the thing. You want your building cleaned on a regular schedule and if something comes up you expect the janitorial cleaning company or the crew to have a plan to resolve the missed clean. What you don’t want is surprises. What you don’t want is excuses.

Our goal as service providers should be to have a predetermined plan that everyone agrees to. This will eliminate the surprises and give you the service you want.