Member feature by Britt Greenwood, owner of Blue Jay Cleaning Services
Britt Greenwood owns Blue Jay Cleaning Services, a commercial and residential cleaning company in the Jenks community, also serving the Tulsa and OKC metros. She has a passion for delivering her clients peace of mind through consistent and trustworthy service.
As trickles of normalcy begin to resettle in our community, many business owners are left questioning their Post-Covid-19 game plan.
Many clients and staff are now hyper-aware of sanitation and disinfection practices in businesses due to the coronavirus. For example, when grocery shopping and using a hand-held basket at a non-Jenks market, I noticed they were not disinfecting the baskets after use nor providing any means for shoppers to disinfect. I have not returned to this establishment because I was disappointed in their lackadaisical effort. I was not scared I would get sick; the disappointment stemmed from knowing they did not care if I did.
Navigating the need for safety is a top priority. Although the pandemic has put the cleaning industry in the spotlight, cleaning companies are only a part of the moving-forward solution. Most businesses can implement new standard operating procedures right now. This shift goes hand-in-hand with marketing and letting your clients know you do care about their safety.
How do we keep clients and staff safe from the dangers of a microbial world?
Most businesses have already reopened and are implementing CDC guidelines, stocking up on PPE (personal protective equipment), disinfecting touchpoints frequently and are requesting social distancing.
Since the outbreak, I have had various training, dozens of hours of research and brainstorming regarding the shifting business environment post-Covid-19. I’ve developed a list that companies, like my own, can begin to contemplate for long term change:
1. Sanitization stations or wall mounts. Make disinfection easily accessible for staff and clients with signage encouraging use.
2. Create a process and expectation for staff to disinfect touchpoints throughout the day.
3. Continue holding digital meetings if possible. Many organizations have transitioned nicely to this format.
4. Reevaluate your sick policy. Is your company encouraging staff to come in when ill because they may be fired if they miss another day?
5. Reevaluate the need to work in the office. Can staff do this work remotely?
6. Continually educate and train on proper disinfection procedures.
7. Air scrubbing technology for your HVAC systems (this is something to research and see if the investment is right for your business).
8. Communicate with cleaning/janitorial staff to find out what products are being used and how they are being used. Anyone can make a surface look clean, but it may still be covered in germs, bacteria and viruses.
