Top 10 Time Management Tips for Your Cleaning Business Service 

Time is money! Especially in a service business where customers pay for your timely services. But most people need help with time management. Here are ten time management tips to help the cleaning service workforce do their jobs better and faster.

1. Create daily schedules in advance

The foundation of effective time management is a well-defined schedule. Schedule jobs in advance, as far as possible. Knowing jobs upfront, at least at the start of the shift, lets the crew plan a linear route, minimizing backtracking. The time saved on travel allows them to cover more clients during the shift. 

Cleaning business software assigns jobs to crews after considering their workload and availability. It makes workday planning more effective and time-saving.

2. Include buffer time

Creating a schedule is easy. The hard part is maintaining it. Unexpected delays are the bane of even the best plans. A solution is to block time for each job based on past completion times and travel estimates. Add a buffer for the inevitable. Clients love early arrivals but detest delays.

Service managers can track work progress in real-time with cleaning service software. The software enables dynamic scheduling. If the crew finishes work early, they can zoom to the next available site. They can squeeze in an extra assignment if they do not need the buffer time. 

3. Prioritize tasks

In the cleaning business, not all tasks are equal. Some jobs need immediate attention. For instance, emergency jobs, such as a dangerous spill or a pipe burst, may need immediate attention. Premium customers may need higher priority. 

Cleaning service software offers an easy bird’s-eye view of assigned jobs and available crew members. Service managers can use such insights to allocate or reassign jobs based on priority. 

Read more: Top Cleaning Business Software Trends for 2024

4. Optimize travel time

Travel time between cleaning appointments is a big productivity drain. The longer the travel time, the lesser the revenue and the lower the number of service calls per shift.

To optimize travel time:

1. Cluster appointments by location.
2. Schedule back-to-back cleaning jobs in the same area to minimize travel distance.
3. Schedule appointments outside peak traffic hours whenever possible to avoid traffic jams.

Cleaning service software apps make identifying the most efficient route between appointments easier. The best software integrates maps and plots the best route, which need not always be the shortest. It considers factors such as road conditions, tolls, and traffic to identify the quickest or most cost-efficient route.

5. Ensure all resources are on hand

Often, timely work execution is outside the hands of the work crew. For instance, they cannot complete a task if there is a shortage of cleaning materials or the service van does not have a ladder. Such instances lead to revisits, wrecking schedules, and lengthy delays for next-in-line jobs.

Avoiding such situations requires efficient inventory management. Cleaning business software syncs scheduling with inventory management. The software assigns inventory to the work order. The cleaning crew can head to the job with their arsenal of tools, ready to tackle any mess.

The software also streamlines returns for excess tools. All in all, it contributes to seamless work execution. The crew keeps rolling, and the time saved makes everyone happy.

6. Automate administrative tasks

Cleaning businesses face two big challenges: intense competition and not enough skilled workers. As such, they must ensure everything their employees do adds value.

Automation of routine tasks frees the field crew for core work.

Cleaning service software enables automation. The software delivers digital data collection and easy reports. Automated notification on job alerts and schedule updates: keeps the crew informed.

7. Ensure seamless information access

When field crew do not have information, they waste time chasing answers from clients or managers.

But getting answers from a remote location is not easy and rarely instant, even in today’s digital age. The delays may become significant enough to disrupt schedules. 

Cleaning business software streamlines information flow. Service managers can create job cards detailing all the information the field agent needs. Field agents can access it from their mobile apps. The job cards contain everything they need: work orders, customer details, service history, manuals, and more.

8. Use forms and checklists

Many times, field agents need help with how to proceed. They waste time seeking clarifications on whether to do a thing or not or double-checking if they have done everything. 

Digital checklists list all the to-dos and enable consistent cleaning quality. Forms likewise allow service managers to structure workflows in a desired way.

Create client-specific checklists to ensure the field agents get everything. As field agents complete a task, they can mark it off the list. The spin-off benefit of checklists is that they ensure field agents focus on the most important tasks.

Cleaning business software allows service managers to create forms and checklists. Many suites offer ready-made forms as well. Cleaning crews can download these resources through their companion mobile apps. Working according to the sequence listed in the forms boosts productivity and efficiency and saves time.

9. Invest in electronic data gathering and processes

Most field crews waste time gathering and reporting data. For instance, they file a report detailing their activities at the end of the shift. Such data collection and reporting comes with the opportunity costs of servicing more clients. Preparing invoices at the end of the work is another big-time drainer. 

Cleaning service software enables electronic data collection, including images. 

Pre-defined forms enable quick and accurate data capture.  

The software also enables automated invoicing. Online invoicing tools automate the otherwise time-consuming and error-prone process. Field agents may send invoices to clients through email for faster payment processing.

10. Benchmark, analyze, and improve

Effective service managers set target times for common tasks, track crew performance, and identify gaps. If they find the crew lagging, they intervene to fix issues. Repeated lags set the stage for training interventions. 

Cleaning business software allows service managers to track job progress. The software app leverages the smartphone GPS to clarify the time the crew spends at any location. Managers can promptly intervene to set any issues right and ensure the crew keeps up with their schedules.

Paper planners and spreadsheets have become obsolete in today’s digital age. Modern cleaning businesses run smoothly with powerful cleaning business software.

ReachOut Suite, one of the top cleaning service software, simplifies everything, all from a single platform. It handles scheduling, dispatching, inventory, workflows, data collection, and invoices. Everything gets done without the crew breaking a sweat. Cleaning crews using ReachOut can optimize end-to-end field service operations. Time management gets a big boost.

Learn more about how ReachOut can boost field service management for your cleaning business. Request a free demo today!