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 … [Read more...] about What is in a name?
News
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 … [Read more...] about Giving Back to the Community
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, … [Read more...] about At APM we are different.
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, … [Read more...] about The Recruitment Process: Balancing the Win/Lose
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 … [Read more...] about Don’t undervalue the worth of the UK cleaning industry
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 … [Read more...] about More about Builders Cleans
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 … [Read more...] about APM Cleaning & Repair Bucks the National Trend
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 … [Read more...] about Public Speaking
We often talk of the industries APM operates within and the specific training and qualifications we undertake, as a company which allows us to work efficiently, effectively and knowledgeably within each given sector. As we all know, training is not a one-time thing and ongoing learning is required to accommodate changing policies, circumstances and industry laws. At APM we are never complacent and aways strive to stay up to date within our sectors of operation. Kaizen (Continuous Improvement) is at the core of all our business activity, whereby we all work together proactively to achieve regular, incremental improvements, within the 5 key elements of: Teamwork Personal Discipline Improved Morale Quality Circles Suggestions for … [Read more...] about Using challenges to identify training needs
They are the pillars we live our lives by; key traits which make us who we are, but in business, how do you identify? What are your core values and are they recognised and respected? At APM Cleaning & Repair, we proudly shout about our hard-working ethos, which is carried down through everything we do and everyone we employ. We work hard in our daily tasks but we also work hard to ensure each and every client is satisfied with the job we do, which in turn, gives us immense job satisfaction. Our approachability is also key; we are open and honest and expect the same from our clients, so we can enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship and a respect based on trust. In our industry, adaptability is vital; we recognise that circumstances change, plans are … [Read more...] about What are your core values?