Top 5 Housekeeping Complaints and How to Solve Them

Do you ever pick up the phone only to find an angry customer on the other end? Maybe a trash can wasn’t emptied the night before, or the dust isn’t up to scratch. Customer complaints are inevitable for a cleaning company, but there are several things you can do to minimize the frequency. Here are some of the common complaints received by commercial cleaning companies and tips on how to resolve the problem.

1. Empty supplies. If roll towels are used, you can replace the smaller 350′ rolls with 800′ rolls with short roll access. Most 350′ roll dispensers will handle 800′ rolls without replacing the current dispenser. The same can be true for center pull towels. If you use a smaller roll, replace it with a larger roll. If you have to replace the dispensers, do it. It’s a small price to pay to keep the customer happy.

If replacing dispensers isn’t an option, make sure your employees are properly trained on how to store dispensers. When stocking hand towel dispensers (multi-fold, single-fold, C-fold towels), train employees to fill dispensers two-thirds full. Filling dispensers to the brim puts a lot of weight on the bottom towels, causing them to tear when you pull them out. If the dispenser tends to run out, you can fit a second dispenser or leave a stack on the counter.

If you run out of toilet paper, you can leave an extra roll in the back of the toilet or switch to a double roll or jumbo roll dispenser.

2. Dirty toilets. Restroom training programs that present each step of cleaning a restroom are essential. With so many steps, it can be easy for a new employee to forget an important procedure that is likely to lead to a complaint. One way to make it easier on employees is to give them color-coded microfiber cloths. For example, blue wipes for cleaning mirrors and polished stainless steel, red wipes for toilets and urinals, and yellow wipes for countertops, sinks, dispensers, partitions, and walls.

A common restroom complaint has nothing to do with cleaning procedures, but needs to be addressed by the cleaning staff. Odors often come from the floor drain because it has dried out. Simply pouring water down the drain on a weekly basis can eliminate odors.

3. Improper dust cleaning is a very common complaint. If workers are rushing to get the job done, dusting tends to be the task that gets neglected first because it’s much less noticeable than not emptying a trash can, for example.

The most effective tool for removing dust is a microfiber cloth. Microfiber cloths pick up dust instead of moving or blowing it around like feather dusters, which means dust won’t re-deposit on surfaces. Use a green microfiber cloth to remove dust. Be sure to point out areas that are commonly overlooked to employees: clutter around calculators, stacking baskets, pictures, sides of desks, and chair legs. Make sure supervisors pay special attention to these areas as they walk through the building.

4. Garbage not emptied. When training new employees, point out hidden trash cans. There should always be a specific path to follow so you don’t inadvertently miss a trash can. Typically, employees must move counterclockwise around the room, weaving back and forth through hallways and corridors. A good way to double check the job is to check the cans while vacuuming to make sure they have been emptied.

5. Lack of aspiration. Train employees to move around the office in a counterclockwise direction to ensure all areas are vacuumed. Rugs should be vacuumed and then rolled up so that the area underneath can be vacuumed.

Cleaning staff must use the correct vacuum for the job. For example, if a wide-gauge vacuum is used to vacuum tight areas such as under desks, bits of paper and paper clips are likely to get lost. The appropriate vacuum should be used for the space being vacuumed. For large, open areas, use wide track vacuums. Backpack vacuums are great for office vacuuming and detail work.

The constant training of all employees through detailed training programs is of vital importance to avoid customer complaints. When employees use the same procedures every day, they are much less likely to make mistakes. It is also important to do follow-up training. This will ensure that all employees use the proper cleaning system for the location and are reminded step-by-step of the proper procedures to use.