Freezing temperatures? Heavy rainfall? Scorching heatwave? In the UK we’re renowned for our changeable and often unpredictable weather, and as the seasons change, so do commercial property maintenance requirements.
In the autumn and winter months, the cold and wet weather can present challenges both inside a building and around external areas. Planning ahead and being prepared for the impact of frost or heavy rain is important, but the nature of the UK weather means these challenges can change quickly, so a flexible approach to commercial cleaning and facilities management is needed.
We’ve considered some of the seasonal challenges that commercial buildings face and how these can be managed effectively.
Keeping receptions and foyers clean
First impressions count! The entrance is the first thing that building users and visitors will see, and a dirty or messy reception area could give potential clients or customers the wrong impression. If an employer doesn’t look after their space, it could suggest that the business is poorly managed, or call into question the organisation’s wider values.
As it gets wetter and colder outside, mud, leaves and grit are more likely to be brought inside the building, so it might be necessary to adjust the focus and the frequency of cleaning within the immediate entrance points of a building to accommodate this.
Not only will this keep the entrance looking tidy, ensuring floors in high footfall areas are kept clean and dry will also improve safety and reduce the likelihood of slips and falls.
Ensuring offices are dust and germ-free
During the winter months, with more germs and viruses around, businesses can struggle as employees fall ill and need to take sick leave. Ensuring that offices and communal areas are kept clean and sanitised will not only reduce staff absence due to illness, but a clean, bright office has also been proven to improve employee productivity and wellbeing.
Even as we navigate Covid-19 rules around working from home – working from the office – working from home, committing to regular office cleans that include keeping furniture free from dust and carpets free from stains will avoid having to replace damaged furniture or carpets, ultimately saving money in the long term.
Cleaning external windows and guttering
Leaves, sticks and other debris can build up in gutters over time, causing them to clog up. The additional weight prevents proper drainage and puts strain on the roofing, potentially leading to water damage inside the building or even causing the gutters to fall apart.
The maintenance of external façades and windows may need to be adjusted in the winter months too; for example, there may be certain facades that need to be cleaned more frequently because they are closer to the road, or more exposed to the elements than the others.
Adapting to our clients’ needs
At the Tudor Group, we find that adapting our services to suit the needs of the environment and focusing effort where it’s most required, rather than taking a ‘one size fits all’ approach, results in a more effective solution for our customers.
Fabien Caqueret, Tudor Group Managing Director, explains: “Agreeing and working to an output-orientated specification means understanding our clients’ desired outcome and then working as required to achieve that. We believe that it’s a smarter way of working – it’s about allocating resources where they are best required.
“Whereas an input specification might require the floor to be vacuumed once a day, an output specification – that the floors need to be clean and free from debris at all times – means that we determine how many times to vacuum the floor.
“We take pride in developing good working relationships with all our clients and by working in this way, we can tailor our service to suit a building’s exact requirements and deliver a much more effective end result.”
Maintaining the interior and exterior cleaning of a commercial building through the winter months will help to protect what for most businesses is one of their biggest assets. Putting measures in place that will help to prevent damage from harsh conditions such as icy and very wet weather, will save time and money in the long term and help the business look more attractive to staff, visitors, and potential customers. Win, win!
If you have an office cleaning or maintenance requirement you would like to discuss, please get in touch on 0161 789 3550 or at sales@tudorcc.com.
