Quality control in cleaning services : case: Uusi Era Siivous Palvelu

Abstract

Quality control is a phenomenon that has come to play a significant role in the cleaning industry today. Cleaning companies and customers alike are now more than ever, well informed of how important it is to maintain a healthy working environment and the structural well being of the facility. The need for a clean environment both indoors and outdoors is constantly and continuously being emphasized by the need to improve cleaning methods and services. The aim of this research was to find out how cleaning companies can effectively implement quality control procedures in the cleaning service. The thesis highlights the importance of quality control in cleaning, and has been designed to bring together the concept of quality and how quality control procedures can be applied in the cleaning service. The nature of the research is qualitative and the approach used was through an interview with the company’s CEO, questionnaires to 8 workers, a 5 month company data entry complaints log, 15 customer survey analysis, and a 5 month working hands on practical experience of the cleaning work in the company. The paper is divided into three parts: The theoretical part is based on published literature and introduces quality and its concepts whilst the later examines a case study of Uusi Era Siivous Palvelu (cleaning company) and the methods it employs to ensure quality control procedures are adhered to. Finally, conclusions examine and offer alternate solutions and future trends in monitoring effective quality control procedures in the industry. The findings can be adapted by any cleaning company and also used by scholars as well as customers to further their knowledge in understanding what quality control procedures are and what to expect in the overall cleaning quality service.