In offices spaces around the world, one thing is constant - complaints. While many of us are faced with these issues, complaint control can be considered an art if handled correctly. A frequent source of complaints stem from the work that is conducted by outside contractors, such as janitorial services. Effective communication with those in your office space and your contractor can save you valuable time and reduce tension. In order to best handle these situations, it is important to first examine how to handle complaints from office workers; secondly, to review how a manager can best communicate with contractors; and finally, what those contractors should be equipped to do for quick remedy of the situation.

Handling Cube or Office Space Complaints
You do not realize how important something is until it is done incorrectly. Many times small misses by a cleaning company can result in big complaints from office workers. It is important to remember that many people spend more time in the day at work than away from it and it is necessary to keep this space as clean as possible. An unemptied trash can, excess dust or dingy floor in the break room can have a negative effect on a worker's day.

One of the most efficient methods of handling office complaints is to log them. This allows the office manager to track complaints by multiple factors. Logging complaints helps managers determine patterns in the workspace. These patterns can emerge through frequent problem locations, specific departments of caution, or repeat complainers about office conditions. A permanent office log can provide employees with an opportunity to register their concerns, and the manager gains a detailed description of the office conditions for discussion with the cleaning service.

Once the problems have been addressed with the cleaning service, check back with the worker to make sure they are pleased with the results. Your follow up will be appreciated and workers will view you as more proactive to their needs.

Maximizing Complaint Correction With Contractor
If a problem is continuously occurring, it is likely that a problem exists in communication with the cleaning company. First you should make sure the work requested was included in the original bid. It could be as simple as an omitted task from the bid, or the scheduled maintenance is not as often as desired. If the original bid does not include the task you are requesting, notify the contractor of the change.They should be able to easily change the schedule of maintenance to correct the problem.

If an omission is not the case, contact your contractor immediately. The earlier you can notify your service, the earlier they can correct the problem. When you contact the service, make sure the task is clear. If the problem is large enough, invite the contractor to the work space to walk through the problems in person to ensure the request is understood. Most contractors will gladly join you and discuss whatever needs you have.They are professionals and should be able to remedy the problem quickly. Early notification and consistent communication of needs are your best ally in answering complaints quickly and with ease.

Early correction of complaints can be helped when selecting a cleaning contractor. When examining bids for your office space, verify the training methods and organization of the company. Proper training and scheduling should minimize any mistakes. Also remember that overtime is indicator that something has been done incorrectly in the building. Tasks should be planned accordingly and it is important that you have the best quality of service possihle.

The Contractor's Response
A quality contractor should be immediately responsive to your needs. If the correct task tracking and logs are being completed each day, a contractor should be able to quickly identify where the problem is and repair it. Contractors should also be able to track chemical solutions daily to know whether changes in product have caused an unnecessary problem.

Most importantly, a contractor should be open to communication with you. At ServiceMaster Clean, we focus on your needs, both in your office space and your relationship with us. Our customer service experts are dedicated to providing you with prompt, effective responses to your questions and requests. On-site job logs provide ongoing documentation of your requests and our response to those requests. We also are excited to offer ServiceLink.com, an online maintenance log for you to review the work in your building from anywhere! ServiceMaster Clean experts also offer regular inspections to provide both our company and employees constant feedback on the quality of our work, and we conduct ongoing employee training to ensure you are receiving the most up-to-date, highest quality of cleaning possible.

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