Worried your building is not being cleaned?
<p>Vinod Sejpal is Head of Finance at <a href="http://www.beechwoodps.co.uk/%E2%80%8E">Beechwood Property Services</a></p>
Cleaning and gardening are the two most contentious services that constantly get challenged for delivery of service. Gardening, work becomes ‘visible’ once the gardens have been mowed and the trees and shrubs pruned. The same cannot be said for cleaning and sweeping. It only takes a pair of muddy shoes to mark a clean and polished floor or a gush of wind that blows sand and litter on grounds that have been swept.
Cleaning contractors are constantly up against complaints for not cleaning to an acceptable standard although cleaning services have been performed with great care. Property managers, are first in the firing line, dealing with complaints from angry residents, known to switch managing agents for apparent non-performance of duties assigned to contractors. It is through no fault of the managing agent that contracted services are at times not visible as accidental incidents can mar the quality of service.
In these types of situations, aforesaid disputes can easily be resolved if attendance can be proven. Therefore, the onus of proving that services have been rendered will rest upon the contractor. And with modern technology, the cleaning industry now has affordable access to remote log in and log out time records for their employees.
Various software applications are available that integrate contracted hours to actual hours worked using a web based application to monitor staff attendance. In its simplest form, staff are required to remotely log in/log out by text messaging a numeric code that is read off a small code box positioned on site. The numeric codes are constantly changing to identify the log in and log out times. The code box and the employee’s mobile phone are synchronized and as the numeric code can only be read on site, there is no risk of logging a dummy attendance. The numeric codes are deciphered and converted to time on a web based application. Attendance reports can be downloaded and printed to prove actual attendance. The attendance reports are highly credible and will prove to be an invaluable document in cases where disputes are referred to LVT.
Property managing agents in particular will take relief from the availability of such a report that inarguably strengthens their evidence.
The fact that attendance can now be proven is not an end all and be all of a complaint, however it does eliminate any doubts about attendance. Hence, complaints can be narrowed down to the duties performed by the individual employee. To say the least, the fact that contracted hours have been proven as delivered is at least a major assurance for both property managers and residents.
Vinod Sejpal is Head of Finance at Beechwood Property Services
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