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International Janitorial Cleaning Services Association

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  • 06 Aug 2021 4:40 PM | Anonymous member

    After having recently updated my annual credentials with a 2021 Green Cleaning Certification, I fully understand that this is just a baseline step towards a bigger goal. Now, I can position my team to successfully obtain and/or update their individual green cleaning certifications. Simultaneously, we can expand our discussions with potential partners regarding green cleaning services.

    Once our team members are collectively certified/recertified then we can reassess our procedures, products and equipment to better serve clients. A collaborative effort on this will further empower the team to be vested in the value of the vision.

    In closing, my immediate next step is to obtain my 2021 Masters Green Certification. This will enable me to expand my expertise in the cleaning industry with potentially newer insights and techniques to further differentiate the company from competitors.

  • 06 Aug 2021 3:47 PM | Anonymous member

    Education and action are two thoughts that should come to mind when discussing the topic of natural green products versus the use of some everyday cleaning chemicals. As an industry we need to continue to educate our clients, employees, and communities on the importance of everyone taking collective actions to ensure that all of us can experience an improvement with better health and safety outcomes regarding our environment.

    The usage of some everyday cleaning chemicals has collectively resulted in the following threats to human health: cancer, dementia, respiratory problems, skin and eye irritation, etc. In addition, the highly flammable and nonbiodegradable characteristics of so many products have accelerated the decline of our environment.

    The other side of this issue is the every increasing popularity of natural green products. Even the government has allocated additional funding in the form of grants to influence more businesses to transition into a green/eco-friendly way of operating. The green products significantly reduces the health risks of employees who are cleaning with pride and dedication week in and week out. Usage of green products throughout the hallways, offices, isles, bathrooms, boardrooms, and waiting rooms across the world is providing so many children, women, and men with better air quality experiences. 

    While those of us in the cleaning world are more aware of the benefits and dangers of certain cleaning products, not everyone is fully aware or convinced of the sense of urgency needed to create safer outcomes. For starters, there is a strong need to encourage users of certain cleaning chemicals to always wear protective equipment to guard against their individual toxins. Secondly, educating others on safer alternatives is a proactive next step. 

    In closing, continuous education and action are the two most proactive steps that can be taken to drive more participation in the use of safer cleaning products.  

  • 06 Aug 2021 8:45 AM | Anonymous member

    As all of you empowered members of IJCSA already know, becoming green certified is a very exciting opportunity for cleaning companies. Even though successfully and fully completing the certification process does require planning, implementation, and constant monitoring (of success), it results in positive outcomes for all parties involved and impacted: your company, your customers, your customers' customers and employees, and the environment.

    As an owner of a green certified cleaning company, you have positioned your team to attract additional business in a segment that continues to grow. Your team should become increasingly empowered in knowing that they aren't just performing cleaning duties, but they are performing cleaning duties that will maximize improving the environment. Not to mention that the company is a part of a selective group that has shown its dedication in obtaining the proper credentials to best serve those business environments that are especially sensitive to needing green cleaning environments.

    Your customers (along with their employees and customers) benefit in multiple ways also. For one, they can now offer work environments that are truly safer and healthier for everyone that steps foot on their premises. Two, their marketing departments can promote this differentiator to its consumers to attract more business, especially among the more health-conscience audience. Third, your customers' employees can take more pride in knowing that their employer is invested in everyone's health and safety rather than only caring about improving profitability. 

    Finally, as time moves on, the environment continues to decline. In order for the environment to be more conducive for all of us to safely dwell upon it, it will take for all of us to do our part in preserving it. The chemicals, dirt, pollution, and other contributors to a declining environment must all be diminished if we expect to have the future generations of our families to experience safer and healthier outcomes.

  • 06 Aug 2021 6:48 AM | Anonymous member

    Implementing a green cleaning program within one's cleaning business consists of the tried and true three-phases method: prepare, launch, and expansion. During the preparation phase, owners must take the following steps: 1) Generate an awareness to their entire staff that green cleaning is an important part of the company's growth strategy moving forward. 2) Ensure that staff members and management obtain green cleaning certification. 3) Assess company's needs to acquire green products and equipment. 4) Identify one client (new or existing) that is interested in the green cleaning initiative. 5)Develop marketing plan for future targeting of more existing and new customers that can/will buy into the green cleaning initiative (after the launch phase is successfully completed). 5) Modify internal cleaning procedures to account for green-specific procedures to be followed. 

    During the launch phase, owners will ensure that the team formally provides green cleaning services to one specific client to ensure that the new procedures and practices are mastered and meets client's consistent satisfaction, prior to launching the green service out to multiple clients. This stage is critical to the company's focus on looking for their weaknesses that will need to be addressed. It's also the perfect barometer for assessing how your team is adjusting to this shift in cleaning practices. Make sure to address all issues during this phase prior to proceeding to the next phase.

    During the expansion phase, it's now time to take on additional green cleaning clients in a gradual manner. Remember, your team is still adjusting to this new transition. It's very important to partner with your clients on the development of performance metrics that will serve as an agreed upon determination of success.  

     

  • 03 Aug 2021 8:29 PM | Deleted user

    Looking For A Certified Green Cleaning company, well look no further. Apply The Pressure LLC is IJCSA Green Cleaning Certified who is ready to serve you! As a green cleaning company. we will strive to use safe products that will not put the customer or environment at risk chemical exposure or toxicity. Secondly, we aim to provide better air quality. Many green cleaning products have pleasant natural essentials oils sent than a harsh strong aroma. Lastly, we will clean to make a purer environment because the green cleaning product helps reduce pollution to waterways, air and minimizes impact on ozone depletion and global climate change.

    For a healthy, clean workplace or home, call Apply The Pressure LLC TODAY!! Where quality service and customer satisfaction are our top priority!

    Frances Kelly 

    Apply The Pressure

  • 03 Aug 2021 8:05 PM | Deleted user

    Cleaning is essential to protecting our health in our place of work, schools and homes. Household cleaning products, including soap, polishes, and grooming supplies, often contain harmful chemicals. Some cleaning supplies can even be flammable or corrosive. Fortunately, a person can limit his/her exposure to those risks. Read all labels and follow instructions when using cleaning products. It could save your life. On the other hand, green cleaning products would help prevent this type of exposure.

    For instance all-purpose cleaners usually contain detergents, grease-cutting agents, solvents and/or disinfectants. The specific chemicals in these ingredients include ammonia, sodium hypochlorite, trisodium phosphate etc. Depending on the ingredients used, all-purpose cleaners can irritate the skin, eyes, nose and throat. They can be highly poisonous to both humans and animals if swallowed.

    Today, many cleaning products can irritate the skin, eyes, throat, breathing and even cause headaches and other health problems, such cancer. Some products releases dangerous chemicals, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) while other harmful chemicals include ammonia and bleach. Examples of VOCs are phosphorus, nitrogen, and ammonia compounds. VOCs can also lead to algal bloom that poisons drinking waters or lakes for swimming.

    In addition, VOCs and other chemicals released when using cleaning supplies contribute to chronic respiratory problems, allergic reactions and headaches. Studies are underway to assess how these chemicals affect people who have asthma and other respiratory illnesses. 

    When mixing the contents of certain cleaners, you can trigger dangerous chemical reactions, such as the combination of ammonia and bleach. Mixing them produces toxic fumes that, when inhaled, cause coughing; difficulty breathing; and irritation of the throat, eyes and nose.

    Green cleaning products minimizes exposure to toxic chemicals, reduces incidence of asthma attacks caused by dust and chemical allergens and improves indoor air quality by reducing airborne dust and chemical gases.

    For more information please reference the  IJCSA Green Cleaning Directory below.

    International Janitorial Cleaning Services Association - Green Cleaning Services (ijcsa.org)

    Frances Kelly 

    Apply The Pressure LLC

  • 03 Aug 2021 7:04 PM | Anonymous member

    If you look close enough you see us everywhere, at schools, at hospitals, at gyms, at airports, at malls, at hotels, at stadiums, at churches. Janitorial teams are not only essential, we are priceless. Having the responsibility to keep businesses, their employees and customers in a safe, healthy, and clean environment impacts the well being of so many people. 

    Imagine how many people would have slipped and fell had you not mopped up those numerous spills. Imagine how many customers those businesses would have lost as repeat customers if the bathroom wasn't as clean as it was when they used it. Imagine how many more people would have gotten sick had we not disinfected all of those areas. Imagine how much more trash and litter would have been on the ground had we not consistently emptied those trash cans.

    If we look close enough and reflect long enough, it should not take long to be reminded of the true worth of a janitorial team. Evidence of our dominant impact is all around us and those that we serve are living healthier, safer, and cleaner lives because of it. Everyone, these are just a few simple reminders as to just how valuable you are. If you ever forget, just click on this link https://www.ijcsa.org/Janitorial-Service-Directory-Find-A-Janitorial-Service-JanitorialServicesand look at the list of names in our directory who have joined the mission to get better at pursuing greatness. Keep up the great work!


  • 03 Aug 2021 10:25 AM | Anonymous member

    They say that knowledge is power and what you don't know can certainly hurt you. Such is the case regarding bloodborne pathogens. In the cleaning business it is so natural to prioritize customer service, obtaining new contracts, finding the best employees, however, there is another priority that tops all of them, safety. The safety of our employees, the clients' staff, and their customers is the single most important obligation of every cleaning business. We have an obligation to promote awareness, protective measures, and accident procedures in the handling of the threat and occurrences of bloodborne pathogens.

    Employees should maintain a daily awareness that the threat of bloodborne pathogens exist and should be mindful of the symptoms that they bring about. At least bi-annual or maybe even quarterly trainings may have to be implemented to establish a business culture that takes the OSHA requirements seriously. Proactively reminding the team periodically of what bloodborne pathogens are and the impact they have on one's health and safety is an industry best practice.

    Protective measures can be communicated in a manner that is easy to remember and easy to execute. Some ideas include: Dos and Don'ts List, "What If Scenarios",etc. In addition, that all employees are educated on the contents of the company's OSHA Exposure Control Plan aimed at addressing accidents involving employees coming in contact with bloodborne pathogens. In closing, factoring in all of these steps can position any cleaning business to function with the power of proactively handling both the prevention and accidents with bloodborne pathogens.



      


  • 02 Aug 2021 4:43 PM | Anonymous member

    Customer service , at the highest level, is the continuous process of consistently doing three things: obtaining, cultivating, then protecting the satisfaction of each customer. Statistics show that across all industries, over 90% of customers are loss due to dissatisfaction with customer service. In the commercial cleaning industry specifically, a little less than 60% of customers say they switched to another commercial cleaning company due to lack of being satisfied. These facts help make it very clear as to why the proactive members of IJCSA embrace the value of keeping its customers happy by pursuing certifications that drive excellent outcomes.https://www.ijcsa.org/Find-A-Cleaning-Service-Janitorial-Service

    First, to obtain the privilege of providing customer service, every cleaning business should ensure that it hires employees that truly value customer service themselves as individuals. Customer service always starts with the people that will be providing it. Yes, it's critical to hire experienced cleaning professionals, but it's even more important to hire employees who naturally desire to serve the customer with excellence. We cannot "sell" customer service capabilities to new and existing customers until we first have the "right people onboard" to help us execute properly. We should never hire an employee (to do a customer service oriented job) if he/she does not value customer service.

    Second, in "cultivating" customer service, it's important that we empower our employees by having processes and an operations manual that gives a clear understanding of what customer service should look like through all phases of interactions with the customer (conducting the estimate, sales, cleaning, auditing the cleaning performance, listening to employees' ideas on improving the customer experience, reporting problems/issues, etc.). This will ensure that the customer receives the same quality of service EVERY time (or at least almost every time). Whether we have 5 employees or 100 employees it is critical that every cleaning business has someone internally who consistently audits (evaluates) the team's cleanings. It's best to catch an issue while conducting your own assessment rather than to have the customer find it first (if your resources allow it).

    Finally, the aspect off customer service that "protects" or ensures customer happiness consists of us (as owners) checking in with the customer at a frequency that is mutually agreed upon (i.e. weekly, monthly, etc.). Showing a proactive, consistent dialogue with the customer makes it much easier to address mistakes/dissatisfaction (by us or our employees) because a true relationship and partnership with the customer would truly exist. Speaking of which, the way mistakes/issues are handled with the customer will define the ultimate memory the customer will have of us. Taking ownership of the issue, retraining the team (on corrective actions needed to address the issue), then putting an audit measure in place to review future inspections (that the issue is truly resolved) are all necessary for the "protecting" of a quality customer service experience that we desire to provide.   

  • 02 Aug 2021 9:32 AM | Deleted user

    The daily activity of most cleaning companies is tasked with keeping a space clean and infection free, in this regard it is important for anyone who undertakes this task to be conversant with the importance of  maintaining safety especially when it involves Bloodborne Pathogens or body fluids.

    it  is particularly essential to have properly trained and certified IJCSA Bloodborne Pathogen Certification staff when they have an higher exposure to  blood and or body fluids in places such as medical facilities, Dental offices and others. An employer needs to have trained staff  who can handle  potentially  infectious blood or body fluid pathogens and the correct protocol after an exposure. This will also go a long way to convince your clients that you know what you are about and can be trusted.

    Since exposure to bloodborne pathogens are very fatal in most instances, it is imperative for an employer and its staff to be properly trained and equipped themselves with the knowledge of its management, treatment and disposal of contaminated materials.

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