So, what new year’s resolutions have you made within your business for the coming year? We started 2021 resolving to finally become a truly paperless office (we started in 2019!); with dreams of less clutter, freeing up of desk space and less cleaning! Minimising waste and contributing to a sustainable future felt like a good direction for APM to take, and when we reviewed our ISO 9001 systems, we realised just how much our procedures had already evolved. Re-thinking our in-house systems across all departments however, it was still encouraging to establish additional areas in which we could save on paper use, especially within the role of our new Contract Manager, who shall now work, day to day, with a drastic reduction in printed correspondence. Does anyone … [Read more...] about Paper-free…anyone?
News
We’ve had a busy start to the year at APM Cleaning, which called for a re-assessment of our company staffing. Those who work with us know that I am immensely proud of our team and believe that a continual program of training and improvement is essential for motivation and progression through the company. With this in mind, congratulations to Renata, who has been with APM for 14 years, and has recently been promoted to Domestic Contract Manager. Other members of our team have also started the year positively, progressing with their NVQ II in Cleaning and Support Services and it’s also time for one group of staff to undergo their H&S & CSCS cards–vital, especially in these times, as the environment in which we work changes so rapidly. With these … [Read more...] about Team Players at APM
As everyone celebrates 2020 being behind us, work continues as normal for the APM team with a few changes set into place as we learn from not only the global pandemic but the ongoing learning curve that is, being in business. Towards the end of last year we were extremely busy, not least of all undertaking the vitally important Covid Cleans which allow businesses to operate with greater peace of mind, under the current restrictions. These were prioritised and unfortunately meant that we missed submitting a couple of construction bids–disappointing but fixable! One of our priorities for the early part of this year is once again staffing up to ensure we are covering all bases, making sure each aspect of the business we value so greatly, is managed efficiently & … [Read more...] about 2021: Looking forward as a team
From bid writing to due diligence meets; the process is reasonably long and very time consuming, however, the wins are worth it and the learning curve, in our experience, is a valuable, albeit bumpy one! At APM we recently took references for a new bid writer, all of which came back as exceptional; said person having a very distinguished career at senior management levels. However, for us, the testimonials proved worthless, as in this case, the writing was substandard, late and ultimately cost us a contract. * You do however, ‘live and learn’ and we have since moved on to an exceptionally good, dedicated bid writer…worth their weight, for the quantity and quality of work produced, coupled with experience which could make the difference in securing a new … [Read more...] about How do you find the tender process?
Even if your building has been empty, a period of inactivity doesn’t equate to a clean office. Any temporary shutdown or reduced operation including simple aspects such as the reduction of daily water use, can lead to potential hazards for returning staff. Factor in the current presence of Covid 19 and it’s probably time to call the professionals. Commercial cleaning is a serious business; now more than ever, with the threat of Covid hanging over every business owner’s head; it is time to dot the i’s and cross the t’s of your office cleaning policy. Proud of our team of professionals, APM’s commitment to staff training is only matched by the company’s exceptional track record of over 15 years. Experienced in Covid 19 cleans, all of our team hold … [Read more...] about Is your business returning to the office?
As a start-up business in 2005, the much-lamented labour of cold calling, coupled with an enormous amount of hard physical work, was key to building a strong foundation of clients; placing APM on the road to a successful future. The forming and nurturing of relationships, always has been and remains today, the key to our success and we remain ever proud of the recommendations and word-of-mouth referrals from our existing customer base. Within the industry, it is notoriously difficult to not only win, but retain commercial contracts. At APM however we believe in strong customer relations, not only in winning tenders but building those relationships through a trusted, long and continued working relationship, built on reliability and performance. We are … [Read more...] about Building our business relationships
Advice published from the World Health Organisation (WHO) specifies that those who can work from home should continue to do so for the foreseeable future to help limit the spread of COVID-19 and allow for easier social distancing for those who can’t work from home. New guidance has been published from the Government to help get Britain back to work safely, but that’s going to be no easy task. Practical guidelines published in May 2020 to make workplaces as safe as possible and give people confidence to go back to work during coronavirus pandemic involve the re-design of office and retail spaces. Developed in consultation with 250 businesses, unions, industry leaders as well as devolved administrations, up to an extra £14 million has been made available for the … [Read more...] about How can we better redesign offices and premises in the wake of COVID-19?
The business of cleaning is often one overlooked as a largely unskilled job done by an unskilled workforce, which couldn’t be further from the truth. There are approximately 1.63 million workers in the cleaning sector, making up around five per cent of the UK workforce. Cleaning provides a vital service for the nation, ensuring that our workplaces, hospitals, transport and public spaces are clean and safe to use. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, cleaners have become essential key workers putting themselves in the frontline of the fight to help keep hospitals, Extra Care facilities, factories and warehouses open. Managing Director of APM Cleaning and author of cleaning manual series The Business of Cleaning; Samantha Read is keen to acknowledge and … [Read more...] about Ask The Experts: The Do’s and Don’ts of Disinfecting
As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting clients with infection control, we are launching a limited number of hygiene tests. Companies can book this service following a successful infection control assessment. This service is open to small businesses (under 50 employees) based in and around Team Valley, Gateshead. We offer commercial and domestic cleaning services to customers across the north of the country. Cleaning office blocks, Extra Care facilities for local authorities, Social housing communal areas, lobbies and stairways is what we do day in, day out, but in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, we’ve seen an increase in queries and concerns from our customers about how to keep themselves and their staff safe. Testimonials Karbon … [Read more...] about APM Cleaning to offer COVID-19 Hygiene Tests