Dedication and attention to detail are vital to providing the very best of cleaning services. ISS Facility Services believes that the high level of professionalism and determination to do a good job shown by every member of its staff at the Scotland office of a high profile financial institution were key to its win in the ‘offices below 15,000 square metres’ category of the 2007 Golden Service Awards.
“We’re hugely proud of our team here,” said Jane Freeman, the account manager responsible for the site in Cumbernauld, Scotland. “We’ve got a site manager, Ann Irvine, who’s 100% dedicated to the site.”
Freeman continued: “Ann’s been there for over eight years and she’s built up a team of cleaners who take real pride in the quality of the work they do. It’s a 24 hour site, with staff on the premises day and night. That means the cleaning staff have to work round the client’s staff. It’s vital to maintain good relationships at all times. Our staff are polite and efficient.
“They are also friendly, something which is enormously important when you are doing your cleaning job while people are still working,” said Freeman. “That’s made even more important by the frequent presence of temporary staff at the site. Our cleaners are used to getting to know new people every day. Every one of the people we have working on cleaning on this contract puts in a level of effort which goes beyond what is required by their jobs. They are always prepared to put in that little bit extra. They always make sure they’ve done an excellent job every time. Make no mistake, these are prestige offices and they have to be immaculate at all times.”
Jane Freeman also praised Ann Irvine’s management skills: “The paperwork is spot on at all times - you could not fault it. Staff are kept up to date with all new developments, particularly on health and safety. Ann makes sure that all our staff updates are implemented speedily and efficiently. It’s one reason why the site has a fantastic health and safety record.”
This financial institution opened its London offices in the 1970s. Based primarily in Canary Wharf, it currently has more than 5000 staff in London. “They are a very demanding but ideal client,” said Freeman. “They insist on the highest standards and they recognise that we are dedicated to giving them the best possible service.” The offices always look immaculate, but there’s more to it than that. “This is an office which is highly dependent on information technology,” continued Jane Freeman. “That means that there’s a lot of equipment which has to be kept in the cleanest possible surroundings. All of it generates dust and it has to be cleaned by people whose awareness of health and safety requirements is always up to date.”
ISS Facility Services is part of ISS, one of the world’s largest facility service providers with over 43,500 employees in the UK. Founded in Denmark in 1901, the company has been operating in Britain since 1968.
“We hand pick our staff, making sure that we hire the most efficient, enthusiastic and reliable people,” concluded Jane Freeman. “Although we are a big company, our service is tailored to each individual client. The work we do here is designed to meet their very precise needs. We avoid a one size fits all approach.”
Kimberly-Clark Professional’s Graham Landi said: “The Golden Service Awards are all about recognising the effort that people put in throughout the cleaning sector. We’re very pleased to have been able to recognise the dedication of the ISS team. They’re an excellent example of the hard work and high levels of service achieved daily in the cleaning sector.”
For any questions email: gsa@suzannehowe.com or call: 08000 192 422.