Team cleaning system versus a segmented system cleaning system

Written by Anthony Pasquale
Operations Manager
Boston Cleaning Company, Inc

Team cleaning? Segmented cleaning?

What is he talking about?

In the commercial cleaning industry there are two schools of thought concerning this subject. Let me give you my take on it from over 30 years of experience as an operations manager for the Boston Cleaning Company, Inc.

Team cleaning is something like this, a van will show up at around six o'clock or so at a large office complex and around five to ten cleaners will embark upon trying there best to perform intricate cleaning specifiactions that night. When the crew is done at that building they are on there way to another building or even another building after that. The theory is to do as much work as possible in one night with one crew, supposedly keeping costs low to property and facilities managers.

Hopefully the next morning the facilities will be nice and clean right?

Almost impossible and certainly not sustainable over time vs a segmented cleaning system.  Segmented cleaning lends itself to accountability of service, more pride and a better level of service when one cleaner does the same area and the same job every night. When problems start happening when a gang cleaning system is in place, everyone starts pointing fingers, because no one wants to take the blame if there is a problem in one specific area. No one does the same area every night. Animosity can set in, surely causing services to deplete.  You do not get the great service you deserve and are paying for.
This is the main reason large contracts are lost and there is so much turnover in cleaning crews.
Incentives need to be in place not dissention to create a fine running operation.

When there is a problem when segmented cleaning is in tact, we can isolate on that one cleaner and that one area easily resolving the issue.  When you have a problem with one bad apple on a baseball team you don't trade the whole team, just that one player.

A segmented cleaning system is so much more efficient cost wise and quality wise in the long run.

Please visit our website; www.bostoncleaningcompanyinc.com for more information.
We service the entire New England area.