Act One

12 QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE CHOOSING A CARPET CLEANING COMPANY FOR YOUR FACILITY

When considering a company to clean the carpets or upholstery at your facility, most of us know we should ask ‘How much will the job cost?’ Of course, our politeness prevents us from asking what we REALLY want to ask:

“If we hire your company to clean our carpets, will your staff show up late, looking like something the cat dragged in, be rude to our people, do a half-baked job, leave the carpets wet for 3 days, shrink the upholstery so bad that the couch in the Director’s office will be reduced to a loveseat, mysteriously turn the blue carpet a light purple, leave ‘mystery spots’ in the main lobby and bill extra for items we didn’t order, thus making everyone in my office look at me sideways and whisper my name as a candidate for transfer to the new branch office in Outer Siberia?”

In order to go beyond price alone and get a better handle on job quality, try asking the following questions instead. The answers may make the job of choosing a contractor more clear and straightforward.

1. How long have you been in business? (You don’t want to be his first client – there’s too steep a learning curve)

2. Describe your typical customer. (If your facility is large, but the contractor usually handles small, single-family houses, the job may be too large for him. The vast majority of carpet cleaners specialize in residential work and many dislike commercial carpet and upholstery cleaning)

3. Is your primary business carpet and upholstery cleaning, or is it a sideline to your main line of work? (Many janitorial companies offer carpet cleaning, but it comprises a small percentage of their total revenue. As a result, they have little incentive to stay current and educate their staff about the latest improvements in technology, equipment and techniques. In some cases, they regularly use outdated equipment and operators who are unskilled in carpet cleaning. They offer convenience, but not necessarily the best quality or long-term savings. It is possible to damage expensive carpeting permanently by not understanding proper chemical use, for example.)

4. Can I see a list of references? (This should be an easy request, and the types of facilities should show similar properties to yours, or close enough for you to be comfortable with)

5. What methods do you use to clean carpet? (Ideally, you want someone who is not ‘married’ to only one method, someone who can intelligently discuss which method is best for your particular facility or use more than one if that’s appropriate. If he only uses one method, which one do you think he will recommend?)

6. Who actually does the cleaning? (Smaller owner-operators usually do all the work by themselves or with a helper, but that may not make sense if your facility is larger, since it may slow down the total job time too much. However, on a small office or building that can be completed in one day, it may be a good way to receive personal attention)

7. Does your staff have uniforms? (An indication of company maturity and good business manners/security policy)

8. Is your company certified by the IICRC in carpet cleaning/upholstery cleaning? (The IICRC – Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification – is an organization that certifies individual technicians and firms in the carpet cleaning industry. These certifications are only awarded after their technicians attend 2-day schools held in various cities and pass final exams. Only companies that have programs to have all their technicians certified and have met other insurance and business requirements have the right to call themselves certified firms)

9. Is your company able to write up a recommended schedule of service, including full cleanings periodically and high-use traffic area interim cleanings to keep the overall appearance of the facility on a high level despite continuous use? (If he’s willing to do this, it’s a good sign. Buildings need regular attention to the high traffic areas, not just occasional heavy duty cleaning wall to wall. He should be willing to complete a floor plan that shows recommendations on frequency of service, based on traffic and your expectations/ prestige level desired. If it’s a new idea to him, that’s not good)

10. Does your company have general liability insurance? Do you have care, custody and control coverage or is that excluded from coverage on your policy? (He should be able to provide a current certificate of insurance easily, and ideally, they should have coverage for your company’s personal property under their care, custody or control. For example, if they move a piece of expensive furniture to clean and they break it, some policies exclude that damage and others include it. They should have the inclusive type and be able to explain it clearly. If you have to explain it to him, it’s not a good sign)

11. Does your company have worker’s compensation insurance (Again, the answer should be yes, and he should be able to fax/mail certificates fairly quickly to prove it. If you don’t retain these certificates on hand, it may cost your company in increased insurance premiums on your own policy)

12. If we have a rush situation, can we call you for immediate service? (Most companies will say yes, but notice the attitude or how they say it. Emergencies do come up; the last thing you need is a contractor who’s ambivalent about showing up when you really need fast service. While emergency or quick response work will cost extra, it’s reasonable to do business with a company large enough to handle last minute requests. If the contractor is truly unavailable, he should have a network of fellow contractors set up to handle your needs – quickly and effectively)

By spending some time with each company representative and asking the above questions, you should get some sense of what their company is like and how they operate. Personal ‘chemistry’, while it can’t be reduced to a science, also is helpful in deciding which vendor to use. All other factors being equal, you are better off with an experienced company dedicated to providing top quality service to similar clients in similar properties using an adequate number of certified, trained staff with new equipment and modern technology to clean your entire facility, both in scheduled, planned maintenance and whenever you need them in a hurry! Don’t settle for less!