The By: Mike Jenkins Value Of Constant improvement is made easier by gathering and tracking information. Merriam-Webster defines benchmarking as, “The study of a competitor’s product or business prac-tices in order to improve the performance of one’s own company.” Benchmarking is identifying a scope of com-parison to discover who is best at something, whether it is in your company, your industry or the world. Benchmarking surpasses guesswork and repu-tation by providing numerical data. Garrett explains this is incorporated “to confirm service delivery methods and cost competitive-ness, while both sharing and gaining access to new technologies and innovations.” Benchmarking M Mike Jenkins is president of CleanTelligent, a web-based quality control soft-ware company, and is well-known as a consultant for cleaning companies look-ing to win new accounts, retain more clients and increase productivity. He can be reached at Michael. Jenkins@CleanTelligent. com. To learn more, visit www.CleanTelligent.com or call (877) 272-4648. Image courtesy of Spartan Chemical Company Inc. Why You Should Benchmark In the cleaning industry, there is a standard of clean, a set of requirements against which build-ing service contractors (BSCs) can compare themselves and their services. This standard helps you focus on your strengths and weaknesses to determine neces-sary improvements and stay competitive. John Garrett, executive vice president of Able Services, says: “Internally, we benchmark against clients within similar market segments, be it corporate headquarters, manufacturing, et al. Through these means, best practices are shared across the organization as part of our focus on continuous improvement.” Able also benchmarks with various outside industry organizations like ISSA, International Facility Management Association (IFMA), Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), Building Service Contractors Association International (BSCAI), U.S. Green Building Council (USBGC) and Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM). for more info Visit www.cmmonline.com and type in search keyword: Management . For more information on related products, visit www.cmmonline.com , select SUPPLIER SEARCH from the main navigation bar, and enter keyword: Benchmarking Software . Quantifying cleaning data can help you deliver more consistent and desirable results. 18 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® • June 2011
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