by Brianna Crandall — August 21, 2015—The Professional Retail Store Maintenance Association (PRSM), the authority on retail, multi-site facilities management, recently launched a new Janitorial Workload Tool (log-in required) to help define the necessary requirements for different levels of cleaning. This information defines an appropriate scope of work for Request for Proposals (RFP), calculating budget dollars for janitorial services and benchmarking a retailer’s current level of “clean.”
This tool was developed by the PRSM Benchmarking Committee in collaboration with Simon Institute and Michigan State University. The different levels of clean, based on academic research information and institution standards, allow retailers and suppliers to have concise conversations about cleaning requirements without ambiguity or subjectivity, says PRSM.
The tool is comprised of an interactive spreadsheet that asks information about the store and the desired level of clean. The tool then calculates the number of full-time staff required to accomplish the tasks. The tool bases the staff requirements on factors including but not limited to cleaning schedules, store type and productivity rate.
“Janitorial maintenance budgets often suffer due to the difficulty in quantifying the day-to-day necessities and how it will affect brand standards,” said Patricia Dameron, executive director, PRSM. “The Janitorial Workload Tool assists retailers by detailing which specific duties are necessary to maintain brand standards while justifying the cost of their janitorial budget.”
The tool also includes an easy “how-to” guide, cleaning task lists, an explanation of the different levels, and an evaluation form for retailers to gauge their current levels of cleanliness.
“This tool will enable retailers and multi-site facilities managers to understand where the company currently stands in terms of cleanliness and provides a roadmap for the facility managers to take the next steps to get to their desired level of cleanliness,” added Dameron.
