What To Expect During a Janitorial Proposal

You have decided that maybe it is time to see what else is out there in the way of janitorial services. Maybe you are unhappy with your current service. Or you are a brand new company that is looking for your first janitorial service. Whether it is office cleaning, restroom service, or floor care and maintenance, you will need to go out for bids or proposals.

No matter your circumstances, there are certain things that you should be looking for when you go out for bids. Through client surveys, we have listed the most common items.

1. Are they insured?

The insurance we are talking about is commercial general liability insurance. Any company proposing a bid for services at your facility should provide you with a copy of their cgl binder. This will have the amounts of coverage as well as the insurance agency that sold the policy and the company underwriting the policy. All of this can be easily verified with a single phone call to the agency listed on the binder.

CGL insurance covers any damage that occurs to your facility or personnel. Whether it is a workmanship issue or deliberate damage done by the vendor's personnel. You don't want to let anyone do work at your facility without this coverage. If damages occur, and the vendor does not have the appropriate insurance, you are very likely to have no way to recoup your losses. Sure, you can sue the vendor, but chances are if they do not have coverage, then they will not have assets to claim to cover your losses.

2. References

Any established, reputable company will be able to provide you with local references. Since this may be the first time you have heard of a vendor, the only way you have to check their local reputation is through their references.

If the company proposing a bid gives you out of state references, then what good will they be to you? Does it really matter to you that this company's clients in another state are happy with them? You will be dealing with the local company. If a vendor does not have local references, or their references give bad reviews, you definitely do not want to use that company.

3. What type of training do they give their personnel?

Anyone and everyone thinks they know how to clean, but will it be up to your standards? Are there written or online programs that deal with general cleaning procedures, heavy lifting, hazardous materials, and bloodborne pathogens? An established, reputable company will have procedures in place for any situation.

4. How are customer service issues resolved?

Unfortunately, most companies do not adhere to the standard we set at Alliance Maintenance. We have 24 hour resolution to cleaning issues. We also provide 24 hour availibility if you have a problem or concern. Our phones are answered by company personnel not an answering service. All contact information is provided in the packet.

5. Quality of Presentation

Does the bid look professional? We all like to put our best foot forward, but what if you receive a bid that is handwritten? Do you really want to trust this service? Proposals should be typed on company letterhead. A single page bid, simply handed over or faxed in does not show seriousness about their service or their consideration of your company and time. A professional proposal should stand out with quality and content.

6. Price, Scope, and Frequency

Price is the first thing everyone is concerned with. Is the price easy to find? Is there an explanation of what will be provided for the price? This is called the scope.

The scope of the bid will break down each service provided. Also, services that costs extra should be explained upfront, both in the proposal and by the representative. Nobody likes "gray" areas. Once the proposal is received, you should get an immediate feel that it is a good proposal. If you feel that time and effort were lacking in the bid, it would probably be best to exclude it.

In closing, going out for bids does not have to be a hassle. You should have a feel for what reputable companies provide and how to spot non-reputable ones. By looking over the above mentioned items with any vendor or proposal, you should be able to weed out the bad vendors. This will save you many headaches and heartaches down the road.

If you would like to receive a free, no obligation bid for your facility, please contact us at http://www.allianceofeasttexas.com/ or call us at 903-291-8169. We would be honored to provide a proposal for your company.