The United Kingdom's commercial cleaning industry has experienced remarkable growth in recent years, reflecting the increasing emphasis on hygiene and cleanliness in workplaces. With businesses prioritising a safe and sanitary environment, the demand for professional cleaning services has soared, leading to a dynamic and thriving industry. Growing Awareness and Standards The heightened awareness of the importance of cleanliness, especially in the wake of global health concerns, has significantly contributed to the expansion of the commercial cleaning sector. Businesses across various industries now recognise the role of a clean and well-maintained workspace in promoting employee well-being, productivity, and customer satisfaction. Moreover, stringent [...]
What is in a name?
Remember the days….the rush to grab business names beginning with ‘A’ so your Yellow Pages listing would be front and foremost? The number of companies starting with AAA was rife through the 80’s! Ahhh, simple times. Now, it’s all about search engines, key words and second-guessing the target audience’s criteria when looking for (in my case) a cleaning company. Everything is digital and content is king as they say, never moreso than now, when competition is high, information is easily accessed and it takes more than a couple of “A’s” to stand out from the crowd. I try to cover all the bases and ensure our online content is varied, interesting, attention-grabbing, relevant and more importantly, accurate and based on fact. Blogs, web updates, case [...]
Giving Back to the Community
As a service provider to business and the general public, I’m often asked about the range of cleaning and property management we offer and I am more than happy to advise on the realm of services and sectors in which we work as both, a domestic and commercial cleaning company. However, it always makes me think about the unpromoted aspect of what my team and I do; the ways we go over and above the expectations of a normal working day and those factors which have, not only become the norm for us, but the area from which we derive most job satisfaction, and are actually, a very important part of our service offering. Our strongest USP is not something we actively advertise but is a given to all our clients and particularly those in the domestic and social [...]
At APM we are different.
Our clients recognise us for not only our hard work but our dedication, commitment, flexibility and responsiveness; that is why APM’s contracts extend from social care to construction, healthcare to facilities management and housing to blue light services. But why and how are we different from our competitors? Approach Recruitment Training Adaptability Read the APM story: In 2005 I bought a domestic cleaning franchise. The franchisor went bust. I was making profit, so I rebranded to APM Cleaning & Repair, transferred my staff and started to diversify into new sectors, growing the business. I learned to diversify and pivot. I flipped the business to commercial cleaning in 2019 and learned how to bid for work via formal tender, [...]
The Recruitment Process: Balancing the Win/Lose
Most people in business are familiar with the minefield of rules, regulations and hoops to be jumped through which is recruitment in current times. The process is so fraught with multi-party stress and is the ultimate in time-consuming, unpaid work, so I am already begrudging of the time before the first interviewee has walked through the doors at APM. Whatsmore, keeping the process completely PC and adhering to the ever-changing rules of employment law, whilst aiming to delve deep to gain an insight of character requires the skills of a practiced negotiator - I am thinking SAS Who Dares Wins levels. It is a challenge. That is why, I am also determined to employ well, train well, look after my team and retain staff for as long as is physically possible, [...]
Don’t undervalue the worth of the UK cleaning industry
When thinking about priorities and key departments within any business, functions key to the business’ operation are at the forefront; finance, HR, sales, all typically covered by organisational teams and personnel. Where does the cleaning function feature on your list? To me and my team at APM, it is our world, our business and our passion, but to a lot of organisations, cleaning is fairly low down on their list of priorities. However, do not underestimate the importance of a regular commercial cleaning contract, or one-off deep-cleans, whether your business trades in office premises, social care environments, commercial building sites, municipal buildings or you are a landlord, responsible for multiple facilities. The value the in employing a [...]
More about Builders Cleans
APM Cleaning & Repair Ltd has been providing professional cleaning and facilities management services across numerous sectors in the North of England since 2005. Recognised for our end-to-end project management skills, robust systems, the high-quality of our work, reliability, professionalism and our relentless drive for innovation and improvement, APM has established a reputation within the construction industry for working alongside some of the most recognised names in the country. With the support of an award-winning leadership team, APM’s Managing Director, Samantha Read won North-East Service Industries Entrepreneur of the Year at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards 2021; her entrepreneurial skills, transferred across every division of the [...]
Successfully Hiring Prison Leavers & Ex-offenders
Having successfully hired prison leavers and ex-offenders through The Recruitment Junction, for several years, it was a great pleasure to speak about my experiences recently at an event organised by Beverley Brooks, presenting my thoughts to other business owners, considering doing the same. Some people have questioned ‘why?’ and my response is always the same, ‘why not?’ At APM our core values lead everything we do and being able to recognise that ‘helping those less fortunate than ourselves’, goes way beyond saying the words. People find themselves in situations due to all sorts of reasons and who’s to say that you and I won’t be there one day and hope that someone will give us too, that opportunity to prove that second chances are just that and can be [...]
APM Cleaning & Repair Bucks the National Trend
The hire of Richie Quayle by north-east cleaning company APM demonstrates their commitment to an ongoing expansion across the UK. APM Cleaning & Repair Ltd. is a professional cleaning business, covering both the domestic and commercial sectors with particular strengths within the construction and social care sectors. Established in 2005 by North-East Service Industries Entrepreneur of the Year 2021, Samantha Read, the company has experienced 40% growth in the last year, defying the odds and certainly bucking the national trend. Adding to the award-winning leadership team, Richie Quayle is well respected within the food and drink sector, having vast experience in restaurant management and service. He brings to APM a wealth of industry knowledge, joining [...]
Public Speaking
Thanks to Beverley Brooks of The Recruitment Junction for inviting me to present at the “Hiring Prison Leavers and Ex-Offenders across the North East” event last night. In partnership and hosted by Adderstone and their CEO Ian Baggett, the evening provided a forum to introduce North-East businesses to the possibility of employing an ex-offender in their area, a service which offers valuable hope and rehabilitation to prison leavers. APM have successfully employed team members through The Recruitment Junction and I was therefore delighted to be able to share my story with the north-east audience. Those who know me, know I am very comfortable talking, and public speaking is a fantastic opportunity to engage, relate and pass on invaluable knowledge. I personally [...]