An effective way of cutting business, financial costs is by outsourcing those services that your company does not specialize in such as cleaning or janitorial services. Outsourcing these services also allows you to customize the type of maintenance and how frequently it is done. The best part of outsourcing to business maintenance services is quality results that will show your business at its best.



The first thing you must decide is what type of company you are interested in. Are you seeking a national chain that can provide the latest equipment, quick, reliable service? Perhaps you are looking for a small, owner-operated company that can customize the type of maintenance that you need?

There are companies that use traditional cleaning products. Other crews use green products that will not damage the environment. Still, other organizations will stock and supply your basic janitorial needs such as toilet paper, hand sanitizer, garbage bags, and cleansers.

The prices that you can expect to pay for this type of maintenance upkeep ranges based on the services you require. Some companies that advertise on Internet bulletin boards can start as low as $10 and hour. However, not all of these organizations are insured or bonded, which protect you as a consumer and leads to piece of mind.

Other organizations, which do offer insurance can begin around $20 and go up from there. Prices also vary on the depth of maintenance that you need. Regardless of the cost per hour, using a cleaning service saves the company from having to add an employee with wages and cost of benefits. Additionally, if the maintenance crew is not up to your standards, it is easy to switch companies.

One of the most specialized types of cleaning crews today are those that offer environment friendly maintenance. It is estimated that the pollutants indoors can be as much as 100 times more concentrated than our outdoor environment. This is partly due to the types of cleaning products that are used.

Most of the classic cleaning products give off volatile organic compounds through evaporation. However, "green" is a buzz word these days and just because a company says they are green, does not mean they are eco-friendly.

When you interview perspective companies regarding their services, ask them what type of energy saving techniques they use. Ask what kind of cleaning products they use, verify that these products have natural ingredients such as eucalyptus, sage, coconut oils, or grain alcohols. You can also go verify the company through an eco-friendly or "green" association that verifies how authentic the company is.

Other green services to inquire about are their recycling techniques. You may go to the trouble of separating trash from recyclables, but does your janitorial crew? If the company supplies janitorial products, make sure that those are also eco-friendly like recycled toilet paper and paper towels.

Some green companies take the extra time to shut off any lights, copiers, or coffee makers that may have been left on by one of your employees. Choose an organization that uses eco-friendly fiber, such as micro-fiber that can be washed and air-dried more than traditional cotton fibers. Select a company that uses high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters, which remove almost 100% of particles that cause asthma and allergies.

Choosing a cleaning service is not easy, but there are so many choices that you can find one that tailors to your needs. The Internet is the best place to research and review organizations, but it ultimately comes down to interviewing the company face to face.