Using Building Service Contractors (BSCs) Versus In-House Cleaning

Use a Building Service Contractor (BSC) or Clean In-House?

In-House Cleaning May Afford a Facility the Following Five Benefits:

1. Vested Interest
2. Security
3. Staff Consistency
4. Pay and Benefits
5. Value-Added Service

1. Vested Interest

With a “vested interest” in a building, there is a sense of ownership as it relates to job duties of the in-house cleaner.  Others know where to go and who to talk to if their expectations aren’t being met.

2. Security

Security of a building and the cleaner’s familiarity with the building are important.  Cleaners are generally able to identify certain things (or people) as being “out of place” and know who and how to alert security personnel.

3. Staff Consistency

The same people doing the same duties at the same place at the same time in the same way, may build a sense of continuity and order in the property owner or manager’s mind.  Changes in staff, cleaning times and procedures may result in confusion and concern among building occupants.  In-house cleaners may provide a sense of reassurance to those building occupants that the work will occur “as usual”.

4. Pay and Benefits

Often, when functions are outsourced, in-house employees may become concerned about their own benefits and pay offered by the in-house company.  If the outsourced employees have lesser benefits, what will eventually happen to the benefits of the in-house employees?  If the outsourced employees are paid less, will in-house pay be adversely affected?

5. Value Added Service

Dedicated in-house cleaners who know their institution and its expectations, are more likely to provide the level of service that an institution expects “as a normal course of events”, rather than handling each task as an “exception”.

Using Building Service Contractor Cleaners

Contract Cleaning Has So Many Advantages Over In-House Cleaning That it’s Almost Unfair

A good contract cleaning business with reasonable expertise in the type of building being cleaned, can do it far cheaper, far better while eliminating human resource headaches and liabilities with regards to its cleaning staff.  Why is this?

Here are Five Reasons:

1. Specialization and Motivation
2. Agent of Change With Additional Resources
3. Specialized Back-Up Support
4. Market Discipline
5. Client is (Partially) Out of the Employment Business

1. Specialization and Motivation

Since the Business Service Contractor’s (BSC’s) business is focused exclusively on cleaning buildings well and efficiently, they perform far better and cheaper than in-house operations.  Specialization means that the contractor does a better job using more highly qualified people.  Some specialized expertise that is difficult for an in-house operation to gain includes:

• Labor estimation and work loading
• Knowledge of the latest methods, equipment and supplies
• Sophisticated employee training and motivational programs
• Well-trained supervisors
• Quality-control programs, including measures on quality and client satisfaction
• Safety programs

The career path of a person within a BSC cleaning business likely starts near “the ground floor” with more motivation to “work their way up” versus an in-house employee that has already moved up as high as he/she can or is content with where he/she’s at on the company ladder and is just putting in his/her time.

2. Agent of Change With Additional Resources

The BSC cleaner can bring in seasoned team members to re-engineer and revamp a cleaning program as an outside “agent of change”.  Not only does the in-house operation lack these resources, but psychologically it is much harder to change your own program.  In addition to continuously evaluating new products, cleaning practices, and environmental policies, larger BSC cleaners also have buying power for supplies and equipment that their clients may lack.

3. Specialized Back-Up Support

The BSC’s on-site manager reports to both the client and a cleaning industry savvy regional manager of the BSC.  This improved oversight and direction is supplemented by back-up resources – such as safety audits, training staff and ultimately ownership of the BSC.  Also, The BSC readily handles staff shortages due to vacations, illness, etc. without a loss of performance and quality outcomes.

4. Market Discipline

The contractor is subject to market discipline.  Wages and benefits of in-house operation are usually driven up by higher-paid employees of the client; whereas, wages paid by the BSC to its staff are subject to the discipline of the marketplace, (i.e., local market rates for cleaners’ wages) to remain competitively priced to its customers.  Also, if the client enters into a performance contract that guarantees fixed pricing (for given specifications), the BSC must control its costs and improve productivity to ensure the company earns a profit.  Without profits, the BSC goes out of business.

5. Client is (Partially) Out of the Employment Business

Using BSC cleaners reduces administrative headaches, such as:

• Workers compensation costs
• EEOC claims
• Wrongful dismissal and sexual harassment claims
• Staff turnover and related costs of recruiting, pre-employment checks, training, and additional administration

The Case for Outsourcing a Building’s Cleaning to a Quality Building Service Contractor is Overwhelming.

Contact us to discuss your situation.