Value: £350,000
No. of Staff: 52
Our association with the West Bromwich Building Society dates back to June 2006 when we were invited to a Supplier Presentation Meeting, where details were provided on the forthcoming National Contract Cleaning Tender.
At this stage we clean were by far the smallest cleaning contractor invited to Tender for this significant opportunity, however as Directors we firmly believed that our organisation was ideally positioned to provide the ‘West Brom’ with the flexible approach required to dovetail and manage what had previously been a very disjointed and fragmented cleaning operation across its entire building estate.
The cleaning operation at this time was delivered via several different National and Regional Cleaning Contractors, directly employed Cleaning Staff, a raft of independent Window Cleaning operators and cleaning supplies predominantly sourced and procured by Branch Management Staff from local retail outlets.
In order to provide the West Brom Procurement Team with a meaningful and workable proposal we clean surveyed extensively the Branch Network establishing Locality, Branch Staff Numbers and their specific needs, Branch Layout and Floor Types plus Washroom Requirements. Our principal suggestion following this site survey investigation was that all branches as a minimum required at least 1 cleaning hour per day in order that a reliable and consistent level of cleaning could be provided over the long term.
In addition, several surveys were conducted of the Principal Office to evaluate how the ‘quality of cleaning’ on site could be improved to meet the ‘Executive’ aspirations for this facility whilst remaining within realistic budgetary constraints. As a result the following were suggested for effective enhancement of the Principal Office Cleaning Regime:
- Improved Profile and Recognition of Principal Office Site Cleaning Manager
- Increased Staff Numbers and Hours
- Improved Pay Rates
- Full Corporate Uniform and Branding
- Planned Scheduled Carpet Cleaning Maintenance Programme
- A Proactive Window Cleaning Schedule
Following post Tender Evaluation Meetings including a ‘West Brom’ Delegate visit to our Head Office facility in Rubery we established that whilst our Proposal was not the most commercially competitive, our methodology and commitment to consolidating the ‘West Brom’ Cleaning Operation was considered to be the most comprehensive and workable solution.
Our ‘West Brom’ Start
Whilst most Contract Awards would result in a clear commencement date and specified contract period the ‘West Brom’ Procurement Team wished to evaluate our credentials to deliver the entire contract by placing short term non contractual branch starts with we clean where the incumbent contractor was seriously failing. These starts in October 2006 included:
- Merry Hill Centre
- Harborne
- Handsworth
- Colmore Row
- Swindon
- Redditch
- Mortgage Centre (Dudley)
The professional implementation and on-going management of these contracts met fully with the expectations of the original Contract Cleaning Tender which required improved Cleaning Standards, Health & Safety Management and Corporate Image.
In October 2007 we clean were awarded all of the remaining subcontracted Branches plus the Principal Office Facility including the 321 Training Centre and Commercial Centre at Dartmouth Square.
The outcome of this consolidation was:
- Standardised Branch Cleaning Specification
- On-going Cleaning Management & Auditing
- Complete compliance with COSHH
- Obligations to Duty of Care
- Significant Reduction in Window Cleaning Contractors
- Standardisation of Washroom Consumables
TUPE
The remaining Branches of the ‘West Brom’ that were cleaned by ‘directly employed’ staff transferred across to we clean in August 2009 following a very lengthy consultation period with the Building Society Human Resource Department to ensure full and considerate compliance with TUPE.
A number of these transferring cleaning staff had worked directly for the ‘West Brom’ over 20 plus years and the handling of this particular process had to be compassionate and totally professional. Again, we clean fully met the expectations of the ‘West Brom’ in this matter and the transferring Cleaning Team quickly integrated themselves into the we clean company ethos and its passion for cleaning. Other than two Cleaning Operatives who have now taken retirement within the past two years; Sheila Fell (Smethwick West) and Brenda Burrows (Cape Hill), all transferring cleaning staff remain employees of we clean.
Working Together
Our ability to be flexible and work in partnership with our clients was demonstrated in October 2009 when the Senior Management of the West Bromwich Building Society approached us with a view to providing immediate cost savings across the entire cleaning contract despite the fact that the original Tender Agreement initiated in July 2006 had 18 months left to run.
As a Company we fully understood the significant Economic Pressure the Financial Services Industry was under and the ‘West Brom’ had been particularly affected by the meltdown within this market sector.
As Directors we took a long term view of our relationship with the ‘West Brom’ and having invested significant management time to consolidate and uniform the cleaning service delivery to the Building Society we appreciated that moving forward the contract would be far more manageable and generate natural economies / efficiencies within our business.
As a result we clean provided the ‘West Brom’ with an immediate cost down of 11% on the Cleaning Contract generating a £30,000 per year saving to the Building Society and in return we were awarded a two year extension to the contract length providing stability and security for our Management and Cleaning Team.
We believe this was a ‘real win-win’ supply partnership solution and we are delighted that since the difficult days of 2009 the ‘West Brom’ has re-emerged as a leading mutual Building Society within the Financial Services Industry.
we clean & the ‘West Brom’
Our partnership approach and desire to work with organisations like the West Bromwich Building Society has allowed us to perfect our management systems so that they dovetail completely with our client needs.
During the past decade we clean has developed a very ‘flat management structure’ for the effective day to day operation of the West Bromwich Building Society Cleaning Contract.
The Directors of we clean have adopted a very ‘Hands On’ role in overseeing the on-going management of the cleaning contract developing a close working relationship with the on site Corporate Facilities Team based at Head Office, whilst holding formal quarterly review meetings with the Facilities Manager to ensure complete conformity to service expectations of the contract.
Our Contract Management Team has been in place since the inception of the Contract and they have the day to day responsibility of ensuring that their respective Branches within their geographical remits are fully staffed and cleaned to an exceptionally high standard that not only reflects well on the ‘West Brom’ but also we clean in what are very visible High Street facilities.
Core to the successful delivery of our services is the short communication lines between the Directors of the Business and the two Key Operational Managers Jane Shields (Head Office & Support Functions Manager) and Tammy Reynolds (Cleaning Support Manager).
The commitment of our entire Management Team to meet fully the service expectations of the ‘West Brom’ is reflected in our analysis of Cleaning Input Hours missed over a twelve month period April 2019 – March 2020 across the Branch Network.
To support the daily Contract Management function we clean have also developed with the West Bromwich Building Society a centralised ‘Help Desk’ facility whereby all activity relating to the account is recorded by our Office Administrator Amanda Headland who has forged an excellent communication platform with Kim Wyton in Corporate Facilities.
- Target Hours = 12415
- Actual Hours Worked = 12335
- % Compliance = 99.2%
All communications are recorded and action plans established detailing what, how and when cleaning issues or requests are resolved, please refer to the ‘Communications Log’ (within supporting documentation) of typical activity between the two organisations.
In addition, the Contract is supported by our dedicated Training Manager Duncan Thomson who ensures that all current legislation is adhered too and that training platforms are relevant and workable within our Cleaning Teams.
The Cleaning Staff at the ‘West Brom’ Head Office were instrumental in we clean achieving accreditation to Investors in People (IIP) where they relayed their positive individual experiences in working within our organisation and how they had personally developed their own skills sets during their period of employment.
All supplies and materials to meet the day to day running of all locations is managed by Gary Gallier and his team who operate a centralised warehouse and logistics function from the Company Head Office facility in Rubery ensuring that cleaning materials and washroom consumable supplies are received by our Cleaning Teams in a timely fashion.
We are incredibly proud to have built a 12-year relationship with the West Bromwich Building Society and we continue to provide daily cleaning services to this prestigious financial organisation.