Tag: commercial cleaning services

How to Clean Away Fear and Lean Into Your Values During COVID-19
COVID-19 has rocked my world no more or less than any other business or individual I know. We are all in a time where our hope and optimism are being challenged, where visions of growth are put on hold, and uncertainty makes us question what we hold most dear.

As I reflect on exactly what COVID-19 means for my family, Clean Club Calgary, our clients, and the small business community, my thoughts turn to our values and how we can help. How we, as a business, can be there for our team and customers beyond our residential and commercial cleaning services. Suddenly, COVID-19 became a way for me to further tap into my values. With this, COVID-19 became:
- Compassion for ourselves and others
- Offer to help
- Visualize life after the pandemic
- Incorporate fun every day
- Drink wine
- 1% fear
- 99% love
COMPASSION FOR OURSELVES AND OTHERS

Without having compassion for ourselves as we face difficult decisions and for those who are impacted by our decisions, COVID-19 will win. With compassion, it won’t. The one thing that we are all seeing is the beauty of human connection and compassion this pandemic is bringing out in people.
Compassion for self and others

I myself had to lay off staff for a multitude of reasons in March and not one of them was a performance-based decision. However, it is still important that I connect with them. Once a week via Zoom, we connect and chat about how they’re doing okay with the EI process and their own mental health, understanding that this is (hopefully) temporary. We all understand the position we are now all in and share in our compassion for each other.

OFFER TO HELP

Clean Club Calgary has been deemed an essential business and is continuing to serve Calgarians with professional cleaning and sanitation services. One way we have identified that we can further help a number of our elderly clients (beyond our specific Coronoavirus sanitation procedures) is by bringing key essential items to them when we come for their cleaning. This way, they do not have to worry about going out for groceries or other items. While we are not offering this for all our clients, we are constantly looking for ways to support those who may be at higher risk.

We are here to help!

VISUALIZE LIFE AFTER THE PANDEMIC

A number of colleagues of mine in the cleaning industry simply closed their doors once this pandemic hit. This breaks my heart as, in talking with them, it’s clear that it was primarily a fear-based decision (rightfully so). To keep my mind out of the fearful zone while staying realistic in my hope, I wrote myself a letter highlighting what I want my life to be after this pandemic. This includes what Clean Club Calgary will look like. With so much out of my control, this specific task helps me stay focused on what I can control; specifically, my thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. Yes, some days are really hard; others, not so much, but I have people I need to be there for today, tomorrow, AND months down the road. By visualizing life after the pandemic, I’m able to stay in the optimistic zone as I take the very next steps to work with the day-to-day realities as they present themselves.

Day dream a little!

INCORPORATE FUN EVERYDAY

This is key for remaining focused on hope.“Fun” doesn’t have to be huge. For me, fun is the conversations I have with my husband, or a loving touch and a warm smile. We also play card games every day. To keep things interesting, we have started a fun way of tracking who “wins.” This helps us remain lighthearted after days that are full of heartache.

I also think it’s key to bring fun into all business conversations these days. For instance, on zoom calls with my team, we all share in a gratitude moment. This is important as it allows us to remember that we are grateful to be together, serving our customers in a time of need.

Have fun and play some cards!

DRINK WINE

Always – drink wine! But in all seriousness, this really means that you should keep consistent with the things you did before the pandemic that helped your mental state. For me, a glass of wine a day has always been a comfort and continues to be throughout this time. For others, this could be as simple as keeping up with your medication or going for a walk. Whatever your “drink wine” is, continue to do it with even more purpose and intention for self-care.

Enjoy a glass of wine!

1% FEAR

We are inundated with fear from the moment we wake up to the time we go to sleep. However, we cannot operate on fear for long before we crash and burn. Recognize that fear is a normal emotion to have right now, but it should not be all-consuming. Limit your news and social media, look for those voices who are being a light in the dark, and focus on filling your fear with love for your team and your customers.

99% LOVE

Love, life, and business? Yes. More than anything, this pandemic has taught me the importance of operating with love, both in my personal life and in business. It’s important I take a moment and infuse all actions with compassion in connecting with other business owners, my team and customers. Even as we make hard decisions and have rough conversations, coming from a place of love and compassion will help us all get through COVID-19 a little less worse for wear.

At the end of the day, there’s not one person or business who will walk away unscathed by this pandemic. While there may not be much that we can control throughout COVID-19, we can control how we choose to act. It’s a matter of leaning into our values, showing compassion for everyone, and building community through safe distances and clean spaces.

How has COVID-19 made you look at your values and actions differently? Connect with me today – I would love to hear how you and your team are connecting through COVID-19.
April 15, 2020
5 Ways to Keep it Clean While Building A Team
It’s true; a team really is only as good as its weakest link. As I’m sure you know from running your own business, the “weak link” is often impacted by how a company cares for its people. While I take many cleaning industry employer horror stories with a grain of salt, there are small truths in a number of these tales. What we aim to do at Clean Club Calgary is build our team of individuals, providing them with a career to take pride in and clients who respect and appreciate their work. Ultimately, we care for our people, which, in turn, provides our clients with cleaners who care about their quality of work.
So, how can we support our team to ensure that:
- They have all the proper tools, mindset, and proactive attitude, and
- Our clients feel cared for while having their cleaning expectations met?
The simple answer is we EMPOWER our staff. This ensures clients receive more than a cleaning, but an overall higher quality of life. It all starts with how we work with our cleaning teams.

TRUST IS OUR ESSENTIAL CLEANING TOOL

Trusting my team is easy as I truly believe that people put in 100% effort. I trust that my team is cleaning to the best of their abilities, with the right tools to do so. That said, I also know that we are all humans and have hiccups happen from time to time. What’s important is that we all remain committed to doing our best, implement processes if this trust is broken, and continually empower each other to be accountable for our work.

As my team has grown, I’ve been able to further empower them in their roles by taking ownership of how they provide a higher client quality of life. This builds my trust in them even more while encouraging them to further improve the quality for our clients. Sending a cleaning team to you with my trust is the most essential tool I can provide.
PROVIDE INSTANT FEEDBACK

This is one of the kindest things an employer or client can do. If there is an issue, it does not do well to let it fester. Feedback must be instant as it allows us to go back to a client and fix things right away. Whether the feedback comes from you – the client – or a senior cleaning member, instant, proactive feedback goes a long way. Internally, we have a systemized approach for providing effective feedback ensuring:
- The team member understands the hiccup in order to not make it again,
- The issue is dealt with and proactively managed as soon as possible,
- There is a clear path forward to correcting the hiccup, and
- Clients are kept in the loop on all feedback communication and how issues are solved.
OUR TEAM ARE ALSO OUR CUSTOMERS

“Treat your employees as your customers” – sure, we hear this a lot, but is it being put into practice? For some companies, their employees are as replaceable as the cleaning cloths they use. However, our people know that they are irreplaceable and respected as a Clean Club Calgary cleaning team member. Our staff are long-term, loyal people, here to build real relationships with each other and our clients. It’s important that we take care of them.
This starts by making sure vacation requests are approved in a timely manner, a great benefits package and Group matching RRSP are offered, and a few other personalized bonuses and perks. We also have a solid cancellation policy in place with our clients to ensure that our team, who is eager to provide a quality clean, can work.

APPRECIATION GOES A LONG WAY

Cleaning is not a glamorous job. We all know this. There truly is nothing wonderful about scrubbing a toilet. However, knowing that we are making a difference in the lives of our customers is a huge motivator for us to show up ready, willing, and able to work.

Sharing positive feedback and acknowledging the effort our team puts into their cleaning is so important. And not just with the specific individual who received the praise. It’s important that when members of our team receive feedback the whole Clean Club Calgary team is made aware. We do this through Facebook’s corporate communication tool, Workplace. Our team shares files, pictures, group conversations of support; are able to ask and answer each other’s questions; often offer new cleaning tips and techniques; and so much more. This has helped to cultivate a deep fellowship feeling, supporting our team in communicating and connecting further. The trust between team members has grown since we’ve started using this system as it also allows them to provide their own shout-outs to their cleaning teammates. Ultimately, this support and appreciation shows up in the quality clean our clients receive.

REPEATING ONESELF ISN’T A BAD THING

As a leader, I believe that I have a full-time career in learning. While I’ve learned so many lessons, the biggest one is that repetition is the God of Learning. Everyone learns differently and expecting all members of my team to learn the same is wishful thinking. Rather, repetition has become my biggest asset in supporting my team. I’ve learned that I must repeat myself, in different ways, to ensure everyone understands our clients’ expectations. Particularly with my multi-nationality team, I have become quite savvy at navigating the cultural differences in how things are said so there is clarity for all.

While we have full customer profiles on file that outline all cleaning requirements, details, and preferences, there are still questions from team members that come back simply because each person learns differently. It is my job to make sure that your cleaning team understands what your definition of clean and quality of life are. Repeating myself ensures that you receive the service you expect.

Being able to build a team of individuals is one of the greatest things about running a business. It is something I am committed to working on as a company centred on “TEAM” for being essential to our – and your – success. It’s how we’ll continue to provide you the quality of clean you deserve, whether in your home, small office, or commercial studio.

The bonus of knowing your cleaners care? You’ll spot it in the details! Contact us today to connect with a cleaning team who cleans with care.
October 17, 2019
The Sparkling Details in the Simplest of Cleaning Tools
I love sharing information about the cleaning industry. Even more, I love talking about cleaning tools and products. In this love, my firm belief with Clean Club Calgary is that we must provide every member of our team the proper tools to succeed at our job. This is as important as the actual cleaning itself! This is the only way we can provide clients with a quality clean.

This month, I wanted to share the ten tools that are our absolute essentials for ensuring our clients receive a clean that improves their quality of life in their home, office, or even post-construction project.

THE ESSENTIAL CLEANING TOOL CHECKLIST

1. Glass Cloth

A multifunctional tool, we never go anywhere without it. A true lifesaver for cleaning all kinds of surfaces that always adds the extra oomph and sparkle to any clean. Extremely gentle on glass, it allows us to clean sensitive, commonly scratched surfaces without doing damage. It dries quickly, is reusable, easy to wash, and highly durable. We wouldn’t dream of cleaning without one to buff and shine all surfaces, including glass cook tops, mirrors, windows, and appliances.

Curious about this cloth for your own use? Click here to learn more.

2. Microfiber Cloth

Cleaning without a microfiber cloth is like putting on makeup without foundation or shaving without any shave gel. You can do it…but not very well. Using this material cloth is crucial for a great clean. Similar to the glass cloth with its lightweight and ability to gently clean all surfaces, there is one main difference between them. The microfiber cloth is meant to handle HEAVY DUTY cleaning. Our team uses these cloths to wash down bathtubs, sinks, and even floors. When done, we buff them up with the glass cloth.

3. Mop

There is no way we would ever start cleaning without a quality mop. Even more important is that it has to be a mop with Velcro on the bottom. This allows us to remove the original mop pad and replace it with a microfiber cloth on the bottom to act as the mop. Why do this?

First, the germs!

Spray mops and thick pads just push the dirt around, similar to traditional string mops. Using the microfiber cloth allows us to remove it, wash the cloth thoroughly, and then start using it again. Goodbye germs, hello super shine!

Second, water control

You have better control of the water and moisture level you’re putting on the floor. This allows for a clean that sustains your floors, rather than shortens their lifeline due to too much water.

Third, floors and walls

We don’t just mop floors. We dust and wash the walls clean. Particularly useful in post-renovation or commercial construction cleanings, the base mop tool (handle and Velcro bottom) allow for changing between dry cloths that allow for safe dusting and gentle microfiber cloths to wash the walls. The final result are streak-free walls, almost as if we’ve “painted” them clean.

4. Vacuum Cleaner

A central vacuum is the absolute best vacuum you could have. If serviced properly, the suction and deep clean is so much better than any big-name brand canister vacuum. However, it’s easy to forget to change the main canister, which impacts its cleaning ability. Simply put, this is a cleaning tool that is often not maintained as it should be. If you can’t remember the last time you checked the canister, perhaps have a look. Chances are, you’ll discover your central vac is a much better one than you thought.

Not sure where or how to have it serviced? Connect with the folks at A Vacuum Store and Service. They are affordable, friendly, and know everything there is to know about vacuums!

All that said, we will always arrive with a quality vacuum as not every house has a vacuum of their own. We always tell our clients though that the vacuum goes from client house to client house. This gives our clients the option as to whether they want to invest in their own vacuum or use the vacuum we have.

5. Scraper

A small blade in a plastic holder: doesn’t seem like much, but there is nothing quite as satisfying as scraping off gunk without scratching the surface behind it. One of my favourite things to use the scraper for in residential cleaning is removing burnt food off cook tops and grime from porcelain.

However, the scraper really shines when it comes to post-renovation and commercial cleans. It easily removes stickers off of mirrors/windows/appliances and strips paint splatters off floor tiles without scratching a single thing. Spic and span, but not scratched – just the way any renovation should end.

6. Squeegee

“Squeaky clean” is definitely a squeegee clean. Excellent for using on huge mirrors and windows, especially for those that dust bunnies are attracted to, the squeegee helps bring a streak free shine.

For homeowners with furry pets, the rubber part of the squeegee is to become your new best friend. If you find fur continually embedded in your couch or carpet, drag the rubber part over the surface to easily pull up and collect the fur.
7. Dish brush

There’s nothing quite as effective for cleaning tiny, hard to get to places than a regular handheld dish brush. Not just for cleaning dishes, this brush easily scrubs those tiny dark areas a sponge or cloth can’t get to. Areas we most often use it include:
- Drains and their rims to get a little extra sparkle
- Grout to make the light-coloured grout gleam and remove any dust bits off of dark grout
- Vents and ceilings fans for removing built up dust and grime, and
- Toilets for removing those accidental splatters around the flush knob.
8. Sponge

When grime and soap scum are all about and “scrub, scrub, scrub” is what we must do, there’s no better tool than a sponge. For us, the best is a flat, double sided sponge, with one side abrasive, the other not. The key to using it successfully is never starting with the abrasive side. It is quite rough and could potentially scratch a surface and this is not okay. Don’t worry, this wears out after a few rinses. From there, this tool is excellent on most surfaces!

9. Dish soap

Next to the glass cloth, dish soap is the cleaning tool we use most. Yes, regular dish soap gives the real clean feeling. Not fancy cleaning sprays, not the world’s best mop, not even the coolest foaming and scrubbing gel. Basic, pure dish soap is what leaves a true quality clean. From floors, walls, and every other surface, this is our go-to, indispensable cleaning product.

10. Essential Oils

New to Clean Club Calgary this year, we’ve started to enhance our client cleans through essential oils. A little touch of scented oil mixed with diluted dish soap in a spray bottle goes a long way for transforming a room from seeing it’s clean to experiencing the clean.

I am always amazed at how a little water, oil, and soap can transform the smell and add just a little something special. Plus, many oils have different cleaning properties, such as antibacterial or antimicrobial, allowing for a deep clean and not just a great smelling clean.

Personally, some of my go-to favourites are sage, lemon, lavender, and lemongrass.

This cleaning tool checklist ensures we are able to meet our end goal: to enhance the customer’s quality of life. Experience tells us that this comes from the small details, including showing up when we say we will, with the right supplies, and the right attitude. We are proud of what we do, and these tools allow us to support clients by giving them the time and freedom they deserve.

Do you have a favourite cleaning tool you’d like to share? Curious about how our cleaning team can support you? Give us a call today and let’s have a chat!
September 19, 2019
Why Buy Local Beyond the Weekend Market

Last month, I attended a Calgary Chamber event and was struck by what another business owner said about locally vs nationally-run businesses. Specifically, she spoke about buying local services, such as through a locally-owned and operated cab company versus a bigger national chain. This made so much sense to me that I immediately wanted to explore this idea further and answer:

What does “shopping local” mean for Calgary’s businesses and why is this important to Clean Club Calgary’s clients?

REFRAMING WHAT IS LOCAL

Typically, when we hear local, words like “market,” “produce,” and “artisan” pop to mind. But, what about local services and those entrepreneurs building service-based businesses, such as the local cab company? After all, locally-owned, service-based companies become as much the core of a community as the people, parks and pubs do.

When a service company “makes something local,” they’re making relationships on top of their service. With Clean Club Calgary, focusing on the relationships with our clients, the community, and our individual team members is what makes us a local business (that…and our business licence, of course). Supporting people is what we’re most proud of in addition to a sparkling clean for an enhanced quality of life.

Locally-owned and operated independent businesses contain a lot of heart and soul. It’s this heart and soul that makes real impact on the communities they serve. An example of this is that in using local cleaning services, you can now focus on growing your own small business rather than cleaning your office, or enjoy more time with your family rather than scrubbing the household’s main toilet.

Once we expand our idea of what “local” means, a number of benefits become clear.

LOCAL ALLOWS FOR FLEXIBILITY WITH THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY

Every community has individual needs. Large multi-national corporations, while they may provide good service, excellent prices, and service offerings up the wazoo, ultimately, are not as flexible to the specific needs of a community. Local businesses typically have the owner directly involved, able to listen and make real change to their company’s services based on your feedback.

In addition, should mistakes happen – because everyone is human – the owner is there, able to connect, support, and resolve challenges as they happen. More importantly, they are then able to implement change to ensure the same hiccups do not happen again. With less red tape and levels to go through, local businesses are able to more easily adapt based on direct communication.

SHOPPING LOCAL SEES MONEY REINVESTED BACK INTO THE LOCAL ECONOMY

When you hire a local service company, you are helping to stimulate the local economy. Studies have shown that when you buy from a locally-owned business versus a larger national chain, more of your money goes back to the local economy.

For instance, you allow the local business owner to pay her employees, who, in turn, put this money back into the local economy. Specifically, at Clean Club Calgary, a number of our team call Calgary their new home. Our clients are directly supporting these individuals in building their quality of life as they settle in the great YYC.

And, with 97.8% – ALMOST 98 PERCENT! – of businesses in Canada qualifying as a small business (less than 100 employees), and employing nearly 54% of Canadians, supporting local businesses is crucial to stimulating your city’s economy.

SUPPORTING LOCAL SEES MORE BUSINESSES INVESTING BACK INTO YOUR COMMUNITY

Local businesses are more likely to directly invest back into your community, such as by contributing to and supporting local non-profits and groups that are important to you/the city. Plain and simple, local business owners tend to be more invested in the long-term future of the community and the individuals who reside there.

For instance, at Clean Club Calgary we donate our time and cleaning services to people undergoing cancer treatment (providing two free cleanings of three hours each). This allows us to support individuals as they move through a challenging time in their life without having to worry about cleaning their home. By investing in these individuals, they, in turn, can focus on their recovery.

In addition, even if you are supporting a company that is local but is part of a larger franchise, the franchiser does not always keep the money in the local economy because of ownership, licencing fees, and so on. If you are wanting your money to go back into your local economy, I encourage you to look into where franchise fees go if you are deciding between a local company and a larger, national franchise.

LOCAL BUSINESSES FOCUS ON THE LOCAL GOOD AND LONG-TERM COMMUNITY HEALTH

The truth is that I purposely started a business focused on cleaning because I saw the immediate impact it can have on a space. At Clean Club Calgary, we are grateful that we can support other local businesses with how they present their company through our commercial cleaning services. We are also grateful to the residents who trust us with their home cleaning to improve the quality of their lives. We believe in the power of clean and the lasting impact it can have on the larger community.

Business owners work hard and have agreements not only with their customers, but with their employees, to ensure long-term sustainability. This focus on serving the team goes a long way for building local organizations full of individuals who truly want the best for their community. For me, ensuring my team members have their full-time hours while providing excellence in service is what keeps me up at night. These people trust me to support their livelihood just as much as our clients trust us to support their quality of life through cleaning. This is something that most business owners I’ve spoken with feel similarly about, particularly within Calgary’s significant small business community. With this entrepreneurial drive at our core, along with the benefits that come to a city that supports local business, investing in each other is crucial for our city’s growth and economic sustainability.

Ultimately, this Chamber event inspired me to understand how Calgary businesses can work together for the betterment of our city. At Clean Club Calgary, our promise is to serve Calgary, invest in our people, and commit to creating more opportunities for improved and sustainable quality of life.

Share your thoughts about buying local with us! We want to know how we can have more impact on the communities, businesses, and families that we serve.

August 15, 2019