Managing customer relationships effectively is one of the biggest drivers of retention, operational stability, and long‑term revenue for contract cleaning and janitorial services. While every company has its own philosophy, from highly structured tiering models to relationship‑driven approaches, the most successful leaders share a common foundation: intentional, consistent, and transparent engagement.
We spoke with three contract cleaning pros: Josh Harber, vice president of client development at CleanOffice / PorterPlus+, Jimmy Koleci, vice president of Premier Building Services, and Christian Infante, president and owner of SFM Janitorial Services, LLC.
What follows is a compilation of their best practices for organizing, prioritizing, and deepening client relationships in commercial cleaning.
1. Create a Health Score System
While some companies use tiers to break down customers by size and complexity, some prefer a universal service philosophy paired with a health‑tracking approach.
Jimmy Koleci of Premier Building Services notes that all customers are treated equally, but their CRM monitors which accounts need attention. This prevents smaller accounts from being neglected and ensures:
- Monthly touchpoints with every client.
- Alerts when communication or inspection frequency lags.
- Documentation that keeps everyone aligned.
A customer health model can work well for companies that pride themselves on consistency, have strong operational oversight, and want a simple, easy‑to‑implement framework.
2. Match Touchpoints to Customer Needs, Not Just a Calendar
Across all companies, it was noted that effective communication isn’t one‑size‑fits‑all.
New clients often get more structured onboarding. SFM Janitorial Services uses a 30/60/90-day check-in model. Once established and stable, they can move to quarterly or semiannual reviews.
The frequency of communication should reflect client expectations and the complexity of the service environment. Some customers prefer more formal check‑ins; others respond better to informal, quick updates. “We understand most people don’t want to talk about cleaning unless there are service issues,” Infante says. “We share our quality control findings with the client so at a minimum it’s documented by our team.”
Harber notes that understanding each client’s preferred style is essential: “We’ve learned that you need to understand each point of contact and meet them where they are comfortable.”
3. Create Systems to Ensure Consistent Accountability
Tracking client interactions is critical. Common practices include:
- CRM or ERP reminders and automated tasks.
- Logging every interaction.
- Shared leadership dashboards.
- Documented quality control findings
These systems allow teams to quickly identify at‑risk accounts, verify that commitments were kept, and coordinate between operations, account management, and leadership.
As SFM Janitorial Services grows, they’re moving away from ad‑hoc contact toward centralized, transparent tracking. As companies scale, structure becomes increasingly vital.
4. Separate Operations From Client Service
One trend is the benefit of separating service delivery from client relationship management. CleanOffice / PorterPlus+ uses this breakdown:
- Operations: Responsible for service delivery.
- Client Services team: Responsible for communication, relationship-building, and client experience.
This approach ensures operations leaders aren’t stretched thin between staffing, inspections, and customer meetings; that clients get a consistent, reliable point of contact; and that service issues and relationship issues are diagnosed more accurately.
5. Don’t Avoid Unresponsive Clients, Stay Proactive
Ignoring disengaged clients is dangerous. Smart strategies include:
- Documenting all findings and sending them proactively.
- Trying multiple communication methods.
- Keeping consistent check‑ins (even if the client doesn’t reciprocate).
- Getting creative with outreach to build rapport.
Fast, reliable communication often matters more than frequency. Premier Building Services trains their team to respond to emails and texts immediately, answer calls within three rings, and resolve issues rapidly. This responsiveness, rather than a complicated meeting cadence, creates client confidence and loyalty. “Speed has delivered the best ROI for us,” Koleci says.
There’s No Magic Solution, But Structure Wins
Contract cleaning companies succeed with a range of customer management philosophies, from formal tiering structures to universal monthly touchpoints. But the most effective organizations share these traits:
- Consistent communication tailored to client preferences.
- Documentation and visibility across teams.
- Proactive engagement, even with quiet clients.
- Responsiveness and speed.
- Balanced portfolios that set teams up for success.
As companies grow, structure becomes even more important. Health score systems, dashboards, and planned business reviews help maintain service quality and customer satisfaction, ensuring that no account gets overlooked and each gets the attention it deserves.