But Do You Do Windows?

Business is finally bouncing back and everyone in the office is hustling to bring in new clients. Who has time to vacuum and take out the trash? And it's tiring to rush around before a client comes over to make sure the office looks respectable. It may be time to hire a cleaning service.

But before dialing the first service you come across on Google, there are some things to consider. After all, these people will be in your office after hours with no one else around. What should you look for? What should you expect from a cleaning service and what should they expect from you? We turned to two industry veterans: Nancy Kennedy, president and founder of Right Way Cleaning, LLC in Lebanon and Jason Thibodeau, owner of D&J Professional Image Janitorial Service in Concord.

Kennedy has 30 years of cleaning experience and founded her company 10 years ago. With 17 employees and an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, it provides commercial, construction and residential cleaning services. Thibodeau and his wife Debra started D&J Professional Image Janitorial Service 15 years ago. The company has 14 employees, about 50 commercial clients and provides eco-friendly cleaning services.

Typical services include dusting flat surfaces; cleaning fingerprints and spills; emptying the trash; vacuuming; cleaning and disinfecting bathrooms, break rooms and kitchens; cleaning entryway glass; and mopping floors, Thibodeau says. However, both Thibodeau and Kennedy agree a good cleaning service will take on special requests.

Before calling a cleaning service, know what your budget is and what services you want, Kennedy says. Also know what services you're willing to cut if your budget can't accommodate all of them, she says. "Get different estimates and don't necessarily go with the lowest bid as you may be sacrificing quality. Don't just take a price over the phone. Meet with them to do a site walk and get a written estimate," Kennedy says.

Thibodeau and Kennedy recommend getting proof the cleaning company has insurance, including workman's compensation, general liability and bonding. As most companies have sensitive information and cleaners are there after hours, Thibodeau says most cleaners will sign a confidentiality agreement. Kennedy says companies should ask cleaners whether they have inspectors or crew leaders overseeing the work. Thibodeau says it is important that a cleaning service has a quality control program, adding he checks in with clients to ensure things are done correctly.

Kennedy also recommends asking a cleaning company about its safety record, billing cycle and whether it brings its own cleaning equipment and supplies or if it expects clients to supply them. Ask for at least three references with businesses similar to your own, Kennedy says. Ask references how long the cleaners have worked for them, the type of services provided, and whether the cleaning service is consistent and satisfactory. Once you've hired a cleaning service, making sure there is open communication is important.

"Cleaning services can be phantoms. You never see them," Thibodeau says. "How do you communicate with someone you don't see? A good cleaning service will initiate that communication. If a customer has a special request, they should feel they are able to send an e-mail or call and it will be taken care of. All of my clients have my cell phone."

Kennedy agrees communication is important. "If something is not right, don't wait. Call, e-mail, or fax and let [the service] know as soon as possible. Be sure to give them notice if there is a change in schedule or a new task that needs to be done, or if the locks are changed," she says.

There are other things customers can do to make sure cleaning services can work efficiently. Kennedy says during the winter, keep walkways and driveways clear of ice and snow as cleaners carry in a lot of equipment.

Also make sure any trash you expect to be taken away is in trash cans or marked as trash and not just set beside a trash can. Kennedy says, "I train people not to take things out unless it's marked trash."

Finally, make sure floors and surfaces you want cleaned are free of clutter, as cleaning services train staff not to move papers on a desk. "The more open an area is, the better we can clean," Thibodeau says. "We'll pick up phones or tape dispensers to clean, but we won't move personal papers."