FMJ.CO.UK CLEANING FOCUS
DECEMBER/JANUARY 2021 33
“In the longer term, FM industry
insights suggest that corporate clients
will look to review and rationalise
property portfolios to adapt to an
increase in agile working, with many
employees working more from home.
This indicates that there could be
changes in the delivery of day-to-day
cleaning at client sites in the long term,
as they review their use of space.”
Dominic Ponniah, CEO Cleanology
reports that his organisation is: “Already
seeing clients requesting four-day per
week cleaning, with whole companies
working from home at least one-day per
week. O ice space is being reconfigured
to have less desks, with more space
around them, and the introduction of
more collaborative meeting space. The
old o ices where people were crammed
in like sardines will become a thing of
the past.”
CLEANING CONTRACTORS
Jim Melvin, a Director at the
Cleaning and Support Services
Association (CSSA) and Deputy
Chair at the British Cleaning
Council commented on the
uncertainty the pandemic
has created among cleaning
contractors. He warned
that the Coronavirus has
changed the contract
cleaning market
significantly.
“A great many buildings
and businesses remain
closed and many sta
are furloughed. When
clients have returned,
they are at significantly
reduced sta levels,
which by definition
reduces the service.
Clients are changing
their requirements on
an almost daily basis and members are
needing to be agile and flexible enough to
reflect that.”
Mark Hazelwood, Managing Director
and Co-founder of Clenetix, a specialist
so ware vendor for the cleaning
industry agrees: “It’s undeniable that
with buildings at limited occupancy, and
so many closed, that cleaning services
aren’t focusing on investing in strategic
technologies right now. Understandably,
the goal for many is simply to keep
operating in this incredibly fluid and
challenging environment.”
But he adds, with the growing use of
technology to provide evidence that
cleaners have turned up: “Now we can
show, not only that they have been
present, but how o en, in exactly which
locations, and the robust cleaning
methodologies that have been used to
ensure the ongoing cleanliness, hygiene
and safety of di erent areas within the
workplace.”
Ponniah of Cleanology, argues
that, “managing a large workforce
with rapidly changing scenarios
is always a challenge. In terms of
clients, we have seen a reduction
in requirement for daily cleaning
services, and also faced challenges
in collecting payments from
clients, and managing client expectations
around contractual obligations.
“Overall, we have seen a reduction in
daily cleaning (less hours per day, and in
some cases, less days per week), coupled
with a steady – but not enormous –
demand for deep cleans and fogging, prior
to reoccupation of premises.”
It’s undeniable that with buildings at limited occupancy, and so many
closed, that cleaning services aren’t focusing on investing in strategic
technologies right now. Understandably, the goal for many is simply to keep
operating in this incredibly fl uid and challenging environment.”