This year has started with a mixture of good and bad news for us all. While the rollout of the vaccine means some potential good news on the horizon, the lockdown restrictions are still currently in place for the foreseeable future.
Our year has started in a similar fashion. While the restrictions have made the job trickier, our team has been pulling through and keeping a positive outlook.
With this in mind, we wanted to provide an update on how our year has kicked off, covering the positives and the challenges we have faced so far.
Operational improvements
If there is one thing the last 12 months has called for, it is being ready to react and change processes. With various new laws, regulations and working practices introduced, it is important to remain flexible and on top of new guidelines.
Our focus for the business over the last 12 months has been safety. Whether this is safety for our employees, or for clients. You will be familiar with the new services we are providing that help make businesses and homes safer against disease, but there are additional measures we are also taking.
PPE and safety precautions have been introduced across the board within CleanTEC. Whether it is wearing masks/snoods and gloves in homes, using 24hr sanitiser or working around client schedules to limit interaction, we are taking all the measures necessary to deliver our outstanding service safely. We even have sanitisation stations set up on our commercial jobs to ensure anyone entering or leaving the site is protected.
We have streamlined the teams on each project to reduce the number of people visiting homes and commercial properties. This allows us to still deliver the same great service, but with a reduced amount of footfall. It also means we can utilise our staff in the best way possible to help as many clients as possible. Our aim is to feel comfortable that our staff are safe on any given project, and that their presence is always welcome and appreciated by clients.
Combating the winter months
Another important factor we take into consideration for our staff is the weather. While we are no strangers to some pretty cold weather here in Scotland, this winter has been an exception. With almost two weeks of snow, and more in some of the outer-lying regions, we have had to work hard to maintain our traditional services.
Our window cleaning service is always popular during the winter months, and this year has been no exception. We have managed to find some ways to combat the ice and snow underfoot, one of which has been investing in new ‘Reach & Wash’ technology. This will allow us to clean windows up to 60 feet from ground level without having to climb a ladder. The heated water tank also ensures the water won’t freeze over in the cold conditions. That being said we will always prefer to clean windows traditionally when we can.
This is just an example of the innovative measures we have taken to continue our excellent customer service, even on the coldest days. It’s fantastic to see the business managing to continue on and help, in spite of the multiple challenges we face.
Rolling up our sleeves
It goes without saying that none of the achievements we have had over the last few months would have been possible without the continued hard work of the team. They have managed to power through uncertainty and tough weather to continue delivering on our promise of excellent results and customer service.
I have been lucky enough to work closely with the team throughout winter. Due to the recent increased demand for window cleaning, I dusted off the old gear and went out to the front lines.
For me personally, I have had a blast working closer than ever with the team and occasionally getting to say hello to some of our friendly clients. It has been a busy and challenging period, and everyone appreciates a helping hand to get the job done (although I am yet to find out how much the team appreciated my 6am pep talks).
We are in an excellent rhythm now where everyone can pull together to get the job done. It is only by building such a strong and cohesive team that we can rest assured that our high standards will be met. And if that means some extra motivation from myself, I am glad to join the team and help where I can.
We are currently looking to grow our window cleaning team with both temporary and full-time employees. Email us a copy of your CV and we’ll get in touch!
Difficulties and slowdowns
While we are excited by our ability to overcome the challenges of the weather and restrictions, some missions are even too tough for us. We have noticed a slowdown in recent months across a number of our commercial clients, due mostly to the tight government regulations.
One of the primary sectors we worked in was holiday lets, which allowed the team to get involved in a variety of projects. With the current travel restrictions in place, it has seen this industry close. Our first concern lies with the business owners and the clients we have partnered with. As a business owner myself, I feel for any industry that is struggling and hope that everyone can manage to hold on through the closures and reap the rewards upon reopening.
We have done everything we can to continue providing our services where possible, and have maintained strong relationships with clients that are closed for the time being. The team is prepared and energised for reopening as we are expecting a real boom.
We have been taking this time to research and perfect our offering. We are reaching out to prospective clients and ensuring they are also ready for the impending rush of visitors to their establishments. If you are a holiday let or business owner, we recommend using this quiet period to prepare your establishment for reopening. Get in touch with our team to find out how we can help!
Positive news on the horizon
I’ll end on a more positive note with the news of an addition to the CleanTEC team. Lesley Ross will be joining us from early March to help with growth and business development going forward. Lesley is my wife, and I am extremely excited to be bringing her on board. This is something we knew might happen eventually but the challenges we have faced in the past 12 months have made us realise now is the time.
Next month’s blog will be a full introduction and chat with Lesley to explore how she will be helping us and our clients. Watch this space…
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Are you interested in joining our window cleaning team? Or are you a residential home or business owner looking to find out more information about our services?
Give us a call or drop us an email for more information. Our friendly team are always happy to chat and answer any questions you may have >>
0131 665 6230
info@cleanteccleaningservices.co.uk