Are They Providing You With A Professional Quote?
A detailed list of services provided, frequencies of service and monthly pricing is a professional quote. A bid price without that information about services is NOT. If they are unable to communicate what they will provide how can they guarantee they'll provide it? You're better off continuing your search for a professional and reliable commercial cleaning contractor.

If they have provided a quote, do those specifications coordinate with the services you requested? With your facility? If so…GREAT! They were paying attention. However if your quote includes areas that don’t apply to your office building-ie cleaning locker rooms when your site has no locker or dressing areas then you have to wonder how much they really noticed during their walk thru and how much they will notice while actually cleaning and supervising?

What are their payment and cancellation terms?
Not all janitorial services work on contract -that’s fine but they should offer a service agreement. Most professional office cleaning services work on a 30 day notice policy in the event of cancellation of service. This protects you from having a cleaning service ‘walk off the job’. In turn it protects the jobs of the cleaning service employees and allows their staff time to find a new source of income should their jobs come to an end. Cleaning companies who care about both their clients and their staff provide 30 day notice clause.

How did they quote your cleaning rates? Cleaning companies that are used to doing business with businesses understand that companies handle accounts payable on a monthly basis. Therefore if they are familiar with commercial business they will quote your job in terms of monthly billing. Cleaning companies that provide ‘weekly’ or ‘per cleaning’ rates most likely don’t have a lot of experience dealing with commercial businesses.

Are They Established?
This question often leaves consumers under the impression that 'large' cleaning contractors are the desired choice. That's not necessarily the case. Even small mom and pop operations can be established in the sense that they have established procedures and already have a plan in action to handle situations that often times arise in cleaning buildings. Cleaning business owners who ‘have a plan’ are less likely to have staff that ‘flies by the seat of their pants’ and will generally provide more consistent service to their customers.
During the bid walk thru ask questions about the janitorial company's policies.
--How to they handle complaints?
--Do they keep MSDS's on file at your site? OSHA holds YOU responsible!
--Will they use their own equipment and supplies? Pro’s have their own.
--Who will be in your building each night? Are background checks performed?
--Do they have a training program or procedures in place?

So then is bigger better?
On the contrary, smaller to medium sized cleaning companies that are locally owned and operated and who still have owner involvement in daily operations are where you are most likely to find a service that cares about and gives back to their community. Cleaning providers with nightly owner involvement tend to be more concerned about their reputation in your community and more conscientious with duties performed.
Because they are local it also means they are easier to contact and generally have fewer ‘channels’ to go thru when you need a simple question answered.
Michael Underwood, owner of Louisville based Century Cleaning Service, Kentucky’s largest independently owned cleaning service provides insightful information about the benefits of using locally owned and operated, privately owned cleaning service companies in his article ‘National Disasters’

Do they belong to any industry organizations or have certifications?
With the resources available to cleaning service providers today there are networking opportunities and information sharing groups that were not so easily accessed in the days of past. Look for a company that is serious about always staying up to date with the latest advances in products and cleaning industry trends.

Maybe I’ll just go with the lowest bid…
Remember you get what you pay for in the service industry. Companies with ridiculously low pricing not only have a higher employee turnover they are also the companies that sometimes ‘just quit coming back’.
Too many times customers who choose a cleaning contractor based on price alone find themselves going back out for bid in three to six months. Look for a company that focuses on value instead of price and is willing to be your partner in building services and chances are you will end up with less stress and a cleaner office.

Author- Christy Caley, Christy Caley is a 23 year veteran in the cleaning industry and provides advertising and consulting services to cleaning companies thru involvements with www.CleanPeers.com  and http://www.internationalclnrs.com