Executive Housekeeping Today- August 2008 - (Page 31) ent people. The true meaning of clean will only be realized when we take time to understand the customer’s paradigm of clean. I recently read some articles that discussed the definition of clean, and there seemed to be many more definitions of what cleaning is not, than what cleaning really is. Much is in the mind of the beholder and sitting down with a customer may be time consuming; however, such discussions help to clarify the meaning of clean for all parties. • Over promise and under deliver: Once you have a clear understanding of the cleaning expectations, strive not to make promises, rather strive to exceed expectations. For example, an institution recently had some cleaning work performed by a cleaning service. The cleaning company promised that all would be cleaned on time and up to the cleaning specifications. Regrettably, the company failed in both areas; the area was not cleaned on time and it was not clean. The manager over-promised the services that his company could provide, and underdelivered in quality of service. It you want to see a customer smile, over-perform! • Train the staff to exceed expectations: Training is critical and should provide theory, proper application, and real-world evaluation on the job site. Too often, people are hired to clean and are put out on the job with minimum training, and sometimes the training is provided by a fellow employee who may not know all of the techniques and processes involved in cleaning. Cleaning is a science that needs to be taught, and it cannot be taught by osmosis. There is no doubt that a manager cannot over-train employees with cleaning processes and techniques. • Provide clear procedures and rationale behind those procedures: The more that our staff knows about cleaning procedures and the reason for the procedures, the greater the probability of success. The best approach is to communicate the who, what, when, where, and how, to ensure there is a clear understanding of cleaning procedures and operations. • Carefully analyze the nature of complaints and identify the process that broke down: This takes time on the manager’s part, yet it can reap rich rewards. Meet individually with all parties involved. Discuss the complaint and the nature of the complaint in a non-defensive manner. We are all in the same battle—the battle to defeat dirt—we are not in (continued on next page) Convention Program 2008/Executive Housekeeping Today 3 http://www.advap.com
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