Janitorial Jobs Include Workloading
Maybe you are just starting out in the commercial cleaning services industry and are looking for janitorial jobs. Or perhaps you have been in the industry for a bit and are seeking janitorial supervisor jobs. Either way, if you are in the janitorial profession, at some point, you will need to know about workloading.
What is Workloading & Why It is Important for Janitorial Jobs
At its most basic, workloading means figuring out your costs before submitting a quote to a potential client. When janitors guesstimate what these costs will be, the costs often end up being far more than was quoted, so the company loses money. If janitorial jobs continue to be underbid, well, you can figure out what the outcomes could be. Conversely, if your quotes continue to be declined by clients because they are too high, you will not get the work, another unfavorable outcome. However, you can avoid these scenarios if you become proficient at workloading. Your bids for janitorial cleaning jobs will be right on the money.
With this in mind, let’s take a closer look at the essential considerations of accurate workloading.
Square footage to be cleaned. This is the first step in creating an accurate quote. It is important to note that this is not the square footage of the facility, but rather, the square footage of the area you are responsible for cleaning. This is an important distinction as the whole facility could be hundreds of square feet. This needs to be clarified from the start as this is where the under or overbidding can start. If you bid on office space but forget to add all the floors in hallways, you will underbid the job. If your quote is based on the entire facility, your quote will be too high if you are only asked to clean the office space. This is why it is vital to be clear on the exact space your client wants you to clean—and be sure it is written on your quote.
Types of space. The kind of space you are quoting is also essential to know. On average, it takes fewer people/time to clean an office space than an industrial space, which may require clean room cleaning expertise.
Specific duties. Here you will want to work with the client to create a detailed, itemized, written list of every task the client expects from you and your crew. And we mean detailed. Will you be mopping floors and vacuuming carpets only, or will you dust everything from shelving to windowsills? If this is your first janitorial job, you may wonder, “Can’t I just write down ‘clean the office’”? The answer is no. Definitions of clean vary as much as what is included. Think about the above example and how much more work it takes to remove, dust, and replace items on all shelving units compared to cleaning desktops.
Frequency. Are you agreeing to clean the space daily, weekly, monthly, or on another schedule? Remember, if you are cleaning monthly, more dirt will be built up than if you are cleaning the same area and surfaces weekly. Build that time into the quote.
Surfaces. What materials are the surfaces to be cleaned? Porous counters are harder to clean than sleek marble. Mopping a vinyl tile floor will take far less time than stripping and refinishing a wooden floor. Speaking of flooring, does the customer prefer high-gloss finishes that can be more labor intensive to maintain (as is unsealed grout)?
Labor. Labor is historically the highest cost in any janitorial cleaning job. Your average hourly rate should reflect the going rate for your area. You will need to determine the average time each task in the agreed-upon scope of work will take your team to complete. Don’t forget to include the travel time to and from the worksite.
Cleaning supplies. While not as hefty a cost as labor, cleaning products can add up quickly if you supply them. If a client insists on using specific products, say green cleaning products only or a particular brand, be sure to check the pricing with your supplier, including asking about any expected price increases during the duration of the contract.
Janitorial Jobs Hiring Near Me Now
Are you looking for a janitorial job or janitorial supervisor job where you can grow personally and professionally while working with a great team? Servicon is the leading commercial cleaning services company serving LA County, Orange County, Ventura County, Antelope Valley, San Bernardino, and other areas of Southern California. And we are hiring!
Discover what it’s like to work for Servicon from these employees, then learn more about our career opportunities. We look forward to hearing from you!