Because these days, getting cleaning right is crucial.
We know what it’s like: You’re a smallish or midsized organization, and don’t have a need for a full-time purchasing manager. But your facility does need cleaning and restroom supplies, and salt and sand to use on the entrance areas in the winter. So you ask the office manager to order it from the same place that provides your printer paper, or ask Bob in accounting to pick up supplies one day on a Costco run.
But you could be doing so much better.
While many employees are looking forward to returning to work, at least on a part-time basis, the majority say that a ‘clean’ office is their #1 priority. Employers who can deliver a high level of cleanliness, disinfection and sanitization will see reduced turnover and increased productivity.
At the same time, the pandemic has also put increased pressure on the bottom line for many organizations. More efficient supply chain management can make a real difference.
Buying your janitorial and sanitation supplies from a company that specializes in those products can deliver on both of these. Here’s how:
1 Better selection of commercial products.
Office supplies stores generally carry a very limited range of products, sizes and brands – usually only the well-known consumer brands in smaller sizes (and with higher margins), and no options for high-volume concentrates or professional-grade equipment. Companies that specialize in janitorial/sanitation products can offer much more selection in brands and products, meaning you can choose the products that are right for your facility, often for much less cost.
2 Specialized products and equipment.
A bottle of Pine-Sol may meet all your cleaning needs at home, but offices, warehouses and retail operations need more specialized solutions: Restrooms need effective bowl cleaners, different kinds of flooring need different types of cleaners, your workshop needs the right de-icers and de-greasers in the colder months – there are all kinds of situations in which using the right product can make a huge difference in safety, efficacy, and long-term maintenance. Big box retailers just can’t provide the range of specialization required.
3 More appropriate sizes and quantities.
If you’ve got more than a handful of employees, you’ll have ongoing needs for restroom supplies, as well as cleaning products. Using a janitorial supply specialist allows you to order on a regular weekly or monthly basis, which means you can take advantage of higher-volume discounts and reduce the administrative time required for ad hoc purchases.
4 Professional advice and training.
As many people have discovered in the past 18 months, there’s a lot to know about selecting the right sanitation products – and about how to use them properly to achieve the desired effect. A janitorial supply specialist company can help you choose the right products for your facility, and help you teach your employees to use them safely and effectively. Retail suppliers just don’t have the knowledge or the resources to provide this kind of advice.
5 Reduced total cost (especially on an annualized basis).
Ad hoc buying drives costs up: Lost productivity due to empty shelves; lost working time when -employees have to ‘run to the store’ to pick up last-minute products; use of ineffectual products leads to more product usage and sub-standard results; wasted purchases of incorrect products; increased administration time for multiple purchase orders – over the course of a year, this can add up to thousands of dollars. (One study found that sending even their lowest-paid employees to the store cost almost $30 per trip.)
Additionally, buying in larger quantities on a weekly, monthly or even quarterly basis means the organization can take advantage of bulk purchasing and product consistency.
All of this adds up: Many organizations say that switching to a professional janitorial/sanitation company ends up saving them 20% in the first year, and as much as 30% in the second year as they leverage their improved processes and products.
We can help.
For more than 80 years, we’ve been helping small, mid-sized and large organizations across southern Ontario spend less while doing more when it comes to their janitorial products, sanitation and cleaning equipment. We can help your business, too. We look forward to hearing from you.
