Thursday, August 6, 2009

Office Cleaning Services - The Options You Have to Maintain Cleanliness

Maintaining the cleanliness of an office is essential to attract patrons. While a lot of people think of this endeavor as more of a problem because there is no ample time to do the chores required, one may always get help through the so-called office cleaning services. These services are versatile thus ensuring that every aspect and room in the area is properly addressed.

Office cleaning services are classified under a more general term known as building cleaning and maintenance services. It may be done on a daily or weekly basis or depending upon the schedule a company sets with the service provider. Among a list of popular services include janitorial services, repair and facilities maintenance. Such services are extended in a wide array of establishments ranging from laboratories, warehouses, restaurants and factories to hospitals, schools and other forms of commercial environments.

Floor cleaning services

This is one of the most popular services listed under office cleaning. Although one may think that clients do not look directly into the floor's surface once he enters the room, a company will always create a good impression with a shiny and well-polished floor. A lot of cleaning companies offer services for all types of surfaces including vinyl, ceramic, hardwood, cement, tile, terra cotta, marble, slate and no-wax floors. Such services are vital for the longevity of office floors. This means that even if a company has to shell out some cash for hiring such work from a tradesman, more savings is assured later on.

The most common types of floor office cleaning services include high-speed polishing, waxing and sealing, grinding and honing. This list does not only guarantee establishments to have shiny floors. It also protects while it buffs floors at the same time remove scratches, adhesive and epoxy on the surfaces.

Window cleaning

Windows are very important attractions in a building. This being said, one should always take some time to hire professional help in window cleaning. Such an endeavor is functional and aesthetical at the same time. It gives companies a better look of the world outside while it makes prospects visualize the room's set-up. A clean window reflects the cleanliness of the whole organization.

Other cleaning services for the office

Aside from floor and window cleaning, there are yet other types of office cleaning services. Restroom cleaning and disinfecting are popular choices. Trash gathering and collection as well as recycling and removal are also important parts of the list. Extend things further to stair and elevator cleaning, surface dusting, foyer cleaning and stripping and refinishing.

Systemization Secrets to Strengthen Your Business

If you have been in business for any length of time, you have probably heard about systems. So, what is a system and why should you incorporate systems into your business? In this series of articles, I will be focusing on what systems are, give examples, and list some key things to know when incorporating systems into your business.

First thing to note is that there are a lot of statistics about "Franchises" and what I refer to as "Mom and Pop" establishments. I have heard everything from Franchises outlasting Mom and Pop businesses twice as many times; to stats that state that 95% of Franchises survive versus 5% of Mom and Pop. Regardless of which statistic you believe in, the final analysis is this: Franchises outlast, outperform and outpace most Mom and Pop establishments.

The main core difference is yes; systems. Systems not only make a difference in how duties and tasks are performed, but in some ways change the culture and how people think in the organization. Systems also add a level of transparency to the organization as key indicators of business success are tracked and reported. One big advantage in system based organizations is that company performance is not based on that superstar you have working that seems to be way ahead of others, it is based on ordinary people achieving extraordinary things with ordinary effort.

To illustrate this, let's look at an example using a kitchen chef that is preparing a lunch special.

Mom and Pop: Joe Chef is a highly experienced chef which has been learning from multiple chefs in his long career. Today he is preparing a pasta dish. Joe fills a pot with water, throws in some salt and waits for it to boil. He cuts carrots, potatoes and other veggies and puts them aside. In a skillet he starts sautéing some chicken and grabs a pinch of this, a pinch of that and so on. He has prepared this dish before and keeps adding ingredients until it tastes the way he likes it. He then adds the vegetables. Once the water boils, Joe throws in a handful of noodles, again, by feel. He tests the noodles after some time to check if they are to his liking. Once all is completed he puts it all together, puts aside any extra and sends the plate to the customer. Oh yes, lets not forget the tasting to make sure it is up to his standards. So what is wrong with this? Well nothing if you have a handful of customers and you take pride of each meal being slightly different than the previous one and if the food costs are a secondary concern.

Franchise (systemized kitchen): Amanda has been working for this restaurant for just under a year. Amanda fills a pot to the pre-selected line (pan clearly marked) and puts it on the stove at a preset temperature (reference chart at stove). Once the water is boiling she adds the noodles and presses a timer. She knows the noodles will be perfect once it goes off. In a pre-heated skillet Amanda puts in a pre-weighted and sized piece of chicken and pours on the flavor package (pre-prepared selection of spices), adds the container of pre cut and prepared vegetables, covers the skillet and presses the timer. Once all is completed she puts it all together, and sends the plate to the customer.

So what is the big difference? Amanda does not have to continuously check on the progress of the meal that is now being prepared. She can work on more meals while waiting for the timer. In addition, a junior chef can do all the prep-work ahead of time during slow times, thereby decreasing costs.

These two scenarios illustrate some key systemization points. First, ordinary performers (Amanda) produce quality results. Second, the quality is consistent because the variables are controlled (with statements such as the fill line at the pot). Third (and finally), having all ingredients prepared in advance (like the spice mix and weighted portions) frees up the biggest resource, time, which allows other tasks to be completed. So on final analysis, a systemized business is a more efficient business; results are more consistent and as an owner more focus can be spend on growing the business instead of managing day to day operations.

How to Recession Proof Your Business

In the wake of the demise of giants such as Woolworths, Setanta and MFI, many businesses are shuddering and even more afraid to take risks or spend money investing in their business. However understandable this might be in the current economy, it is important that you take steps to learn how to recession proof your business.

There are three principles I would like to share for those of you who want to know how to recession proof your business. Firstly you have to dare to review the foundations on which your business grows to check that they are strong so that whatever has been built on those foundations stands a chance of surviving the economic downturn. For example what are the values on which your business is built? Are those values tangible to your prospects? People want value for money and if they do not feel they are getting it they will not listen to you.

The second principle involved in learning how to recession proof your business is that you must take a scientific and systematic approach to your business. For example it has been researched and documented that 20% of prospective customers do not buy in the first year. So what systems do you have in place for those who take longer to become clients? Marketing experts like Chet Holmes and Jay Abrahams do not teach scientific and systematic principles that are necessary for success for no good reason. if you adopt a scientific approach to your business you will avoid many of the mistakes that have cost others dearly.

A third principle you must take on board in order to know how to recession proof your business beyond the basic values stated above is to determine and utilise the business skills of others that you need to in order to thrive rather than just survive. It's extremely difficult, if not impossible, to build and sustain a profitable business (either online or offline) unless you reach out and harness the skills of a wide range of people.

One person doesn't have all necessary skills to do everything that is required to build and grow a successful business. Nobody has the monopoly on business success. It's a simple formula-the more high quality business connections you have, the easier it becomes to get things done and make money.

Many become tense at this point thinking this means more money to pay up front with no guarantee of better results. However if you want to know how to recession proof your business the smart way then working with others on a profit share basis will take the stress of upfront costs away and is risk free.

I had the privilege to work with Tony Adams after he left Arsenal and became manager of Wycombe Wanderers. If people like Tony have taken this on board then there is a vital clue left which separates those who thrive from those who survive.