Cleaning performance you can count on

Originally published in C&M – June 2012

Reliability issues should be a crucial consideration when purchasing new cleaning equipment – because if your machines let you down, the consequences can be far reaching, as Ricky Smith, Truvox International’s UK Field Sales Manager, explains.

When things run smoothly the world is a happier place – but when they don’t it can be incredibly frustrating. While intermittent mobile phone reception is annoying, it is only a minor irritation if you can’t send a text right at that very moment. Road works may hold you up for a few minutes longer than a normal journey, but you will still get to your destination, albeit a little later than expected. However, other glitches in day-to-day activities can have far greater consequences, especially in the contract cleaning sector.

Any disruption to cleaning services – such as the breakdown of machinery – has the potential to cause huge problems. Clients rely on their contract cleaning providers to be fast, efficient and eminently reliable – and any deviation from this will result in a severe decline in customer confidence and satisfaction. Hospitals, schools, retail outlets, restaurants, warehouses – all these and more depend on cleaning that is delivered on time, every time – so reliable equipment and machinery is a must.

Before purchasing any cleaning equipment it’s a good idea to do some research. Ask prospective suppliers to provide you with details of existing users and contact them personally to talk to them about their experiences of the machinery in question. Feedback from actual users on reliability, running costs, the types of cleaning tasks they perform, and the locations where the machinery is used, should prove invaluable and could help you avoid making costly mistakes early on in the purchasing process.

Once you have focused on a number of models that look to be of interest, compare their warranty periods in terms of length and the type of cover offered. Does the supplier provide an on-site repair service or are machines required to be taken away and serviced? Cleaning contractors have a duty to provide their customers with unbroken service, so if the worst happens and a machine does break down, they need to have the assurance that machines can be repaired and ensure the smooth running of the contract.

Another important factor is the longevity of related consumables – how long are belts, filters, pads and brushes expected to last? Performance will also depend on the type of cleaning required and the individual site; for example, ‘standard’ office cleaning will be less of a strain on machinery and parts than an industrial site which has substances like sawdust or oil to contend with. Making sure you always have enough replacement parts in store is another way to ensure that your customers are never let down.

Your clients depend on you, and in order to achieve the high standards expected, you need to depend on your machinery. The phrase ‘a bad workman always blames his tools’ is not one you want your customers to relate to you – so make sure you can rely on the equipment you buy.

www.truvox.com