About the Facility
This Regional Specialty Center is an extension of a Larger Hospital System, functioning as an outpatient care center. Spanning 156,000 square feet, it features diverse spaces, including patient-facing clinics, a 24/7 dispatch center, a data center, and specialized areas.
Challenges Leading to Outsourcing Janitorial Services
The facility had been maintained by the hospital’s Environmental Services (EVS) department. However, staffing challenges prompted the specialty center to transition the EVS back to the hospital, requiring janitorial services for the specialty center to be outsourced.
Why Harvard? Key Differentiators
Harvard was one of the three finalists in the RFP process, competing alongside a vendor already servicing numerous facilities within the clients’ network. Harvard Maintenance was awarded the janitorial contract for the the Specialty Center after a competitive bidding process. Several factors influenced this decision:
- Communication and Support: Harvard’s proposal stood out for its clear communication and high level of local support, both before and during the transition. Harvard’s local leadership played a crucial role in ensuring a smooth, well-coordinated transition with open lines of communication.
- Account Management Structure: Harvard assigned a highly experienced and proactive Area Manager and Night Supervisor, ensuring the same level of attention and excellence was maintained beyond the initial transition. Their ongoing engagement, clear and consistent communication, and proactive approach have resulted in the client continuing to experience operational consistency and long-term success.
- HarvardBlueprint: Harvard’s detailed transition plan was a key differentiator. Without an existing SOP, Harvard worked with the team to create a step-by-step transition process to ensure the facility’s needs were met without disruption. This level of assurance and guidance proved essential, as the transition from in-house services to outsourced cleaning happened in less than 10 business days.
- Reputation in Healthcare: Harvard’s reputation in healthcare was a significant factor. With the specialty center serving sensitive areas like emergency dispatch and patient-facing clinics, a provider with expertise in maintaining healthcare environments at high standards was needed.
- Union Transition: With the transition from in-house hospital staff to outsourced services, Harvard easily navigated the union complexities. Ensuring the process was smooth and justified, they worked to address potential union pushback, keeping the facility’s requirements at the forefront.
Implementation and Immediate Impact
Prior to Harvard’s janitorial team coming on board, Harvard’s Special Services team conducted a deep clean of the facility, addressing areas that were not maintained to the desired level. Services included carpet cleaning, high dusting, hard surface floor maintenance, and resolving hard water issues. This comprehensive cleaning established a high standard, allowing Harvard to maintain the building at optimal quality. The facility staff noticed an immediate improvement in cleanliness and maintenance.
As Harvard worked through the transition, issues arose but were easily navigated.
One particular challenge was the discovery of a chemo mixing room that required specialized cleaning protocols. Harvard quickly developed and implemented a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for cleaning this sterile environment, ensuring that staff followed stringent processes for scrubbing in and out to maintain safety standards.
Ease of Doing Business
“Harvard’s strong communication and proactive approach relieved much of our stress as property managers. Their on-the-ground presence ensured issues were addressed, often before we noticed. With Harvard, you get the full package—they truly practice what they preach.”
– Facility Manager
Harvard’s responsiveness and proactive approach to addressing issues before they escalated relieved much of the stress associated with facility management. At Harvard, our teams prioritize transparent communication with tenants and property management, creating a strong partnership built on trust.
A Partnership Built to Last
Harvard’s partnership with the regional healthcare specialty center exemplifies the company’s commitment to delivering exceptional service. Their proactive communication, detailed transition plan, and expertise in healthcare environments resulted in a smooth outsourcing experience that not only met but exceeded the facility’s expectations. As a result, Harvard has become a trusted partner, opening the door for future collaborations within the healthcare system’s broader portfolio as leadership reassesses the cleaning services across its entire portfolio due to the superior level of service and heightened level of cleanliness Harvard has provided at its Specialty Center location.
“One of my employees has terrible dust mite allergies. She was in my office and commented about how her allergies have been “so much better” since the “new cleaning crew started.” That’s huge! Over and over, people’s lives are improving because of the Harvard team’s hard work! Thank you!”
– Supervisor, Specialty Care