More commercial facilities and office buildings are exploring and transitioning to Day Cleaning, and PMI is at the forefront of this movement in the market. As the phrase indicates, Day Cleaning is an approach through which cleaning staff perform the majority of their tasks during the day, as opposed to at night when buildings are closed. The cost and energy savings associated with day cleaning can be quite extensive.

Steve Spencer is a facilities specialist in cleaning and interior maintenance for State Farm Insurance Company and a nationally recognized consultant and author with more than 30 years of experience in the industry. In an article for CM/ Cleaning & Maintenance Management magazine, Spencer wrote, "We began transitioning to Day Cleaning in 2000, and the cumulative savings for us as the end user have been in the millions per year, but there have also been savings for the cleaning contractors."

Day Cleaning can create cost savings in a number of ways but the largest cost savings is in energy. By having most routine tasks performed while buildings are open, facilities can avoid keeping the lights and heating/cooling systems on past normal hours of operation. According to CM Management magazine, some larger facilities have saved as much as $100,000 per year.

Bill Garland is joint managing director of Daniels Associates, Inc. - a leading cleaning and building operations consulting company - and was an early advocate for Day Cleaning. According to Bill, "Day cleaning results in significant energy savings, with almost all properties showing a savings in the 10 to 15% range."

Day Cleaning staff typically begin their workdays just before most building occupant employees arrive and can accomplish cleaning in areas like lobbies, restrooms, hallways and even some offices. During regular hours, one male and one female worker can restock and touch up restrooms when they are not in use. Also, workers can clean entry glass, entryways and break rooms and be available to address special circumstances as they arise. Additional crews can arrive after lunch to clean dining and food preparation areas and, by establishing a cooperative system through which occupant employees place trash cans outside their offices or cubicle walls, crews can empty trash without interrupting employees.

The transition to Day Cleaning is a major change, but any associated challenges can usually be minimized through research, planning, organization and communication with building occupants. Obviously, every facility is different in terms of design, schedules and the resulting needs, so PMI tailors Day Cleaning programs to fit individual needs.

Synchronized Cleaning presents another opportunity for increased energy savings. PMI has implemented Synchronized Cleaning in about six buildings with more to come online soon. This engineered approach allows PMI to design all cleaning tasks to be as efficient as possible and to customize that design for individual buildings. Crews work systematically to complete tasks so that lights can be turned off earlier than normal. There is also an element of Synchronized Cleaning that facilitates improved water conservation.

"Synchronized cleaning is one example of an operations practice we adopted as a result of our work with the Industry Peer Group, and we are offering it exclusively in the market," says PMI President Michael Diamond. "By offering clients the options of Day Cleaning and Synchronized Cleaning, PMI is adding value to its services, providing compelling opportunities for cost savings and increased energy efficiency."

PMI Peer Group Helps Guide the Business

By Susan Minichiello

PMI hosted the annual meeting of its Industry Peer Group from July 29 through July 31, 2008. The group consists of veteran cleaning and maintenance industry professionals, all of whom are members of the Building Service Contractors Association International (BSCAI). PMI President Michael Diamond says this peer group acts like a Board of Directors for the company.

"We got involved with this group to share knowledge and gain the advice and experience of seasoned professionals from around the country," said Diamond. "This is a powerful and well-respected group: Among this year's meeting attendees, we had BSCAI's current president, immediate past president and the president from 2005."

On the first day of the gathering, PMI vice presidents and directors took the visiting peer group members on building tours of The Learning Corridor, TRUMPF, Konover and New Alliance (Crown).

Day two consisted of a series of meetings and interviews. Some members began the day focusing on sales. A meeting led by Vice President of Sales Tim Whitlock covered a variety of issues - from growing the sales department itself to telemarketing and pricing strategies. Simultaneously, PMI Director of Operations Frank Cepero moderated an operations forum that featured discussions on productivity enhancements and tracking, labor and financial management, immigration, training and safety programs and techniques for staff motivation and recognition. A CEO lunch addressed strategic planning, coaching, leadership and time management.

On the final day, discussions centered on compensation, position profiles, management structure, motivational techniques and PMI's organizational chart. Visiting operations directors conducted interviews with key PMI operations personnel.

The annual meeting wrapped with a dinner at The Brew House in Norwalk, CT to which all PMI and United Services team members were invited. Everyone celebrated the knowledge gained and the friendships enhanced over the course of the three days with an eye on PMI's current and future success.

"Our goals were to educate our team with industry knowledge from non-competing sectors of the country and to get a well-informed outside perspective," said Diamond. "By reviewing our service delivery plans and structure with this group, we identified areas for improvement and can make sure we are being as efficient and effective as possible."