What property managers should ask their janitorial provider to prove

Property managers can ask their janitorial provider to show last night's work with photos, explain how problems reach them, confirm who was on site and for how long, describe how quality is checked, and say where to look when they want to see for themselves.

Most janitorial providers work hard, and most property managers would rather not audit anyone. These questions are not meant to catch anybody in the wrong. They make good work easy to see, which is good for both sides of the contract.

Questions to ask while in a RFP with a new commercial cleaning contract:

1. Can I see last night's work, with photos?

A good answer is a report you can open yourself, from the night it happened, with photos of the areas that were cleaned and checked. "We did it, trust us" is a weaker answer than a link. In Swept, the client portal puts inspection reports with photos in front of the client. 

2. If something goes wrong, when will I hear about it?

A good answer is that you hear from the provider first. A cleaner who reports a broken lock at 10:45 PM can mean a message to you by 7:05 AM, with a photo, before you have found it yourself. 

3. Who was in my building, and for how long?

A good answer comes from clock-in records for your location, not from memory. Cleaners clock in with one tap at the door, and the hours are recorded for that location. 

4. How do you check your own work?

A good answer has two parts: a checklist the cleaner works through, and a manager who inspects the result. In Swept, cleaners follow a checklist and managers run photo inspections from their phones. 

5. Where can I look when I want to see for myself?

A good answer is a place you can go any time, with a way to ask a question about your building. You should not have to wait for a monthly meeting to see how things are going. A client portal for messaging and inspection audits is ideal. 

What this looks like on the provider's side

While you read the report at 7:00 AM, the provider's owner has the same night in front of them from the other direction. On Monday morning, Eve the owner sees which buildings ran over their hours and which ones are profitable. Everything Luis the cleaner and Marcus, his manager did is what makes that screen true.

If your provider doesn't use software, require Swept

Ask them: "Do you use Swept?" If they do, ask about the client portal. If they don't, the five questions above are still worth asking. If you run a janitorial operation and want to be able to answer all five, let's talk.