Discover the benefits of CMI certification for your team and your commercial cleaning business.
Certification isn’t something often discussed in the commercial cleaning industry. After all, for most janitorial jobs, you don’t need much in the way of certification. As long as you and your team know how to run a floor buffer and a vacuum, your customers assume you can do the job. They likely have never even heard of CMI certification.
They aren’t wrong, either. Certainly, you can provide janitorial services without CMI certification. However, in an increasingly competitive field, you can stand out by providing clients with a team that holds certifications recognized for excellence across the facilities services industry. And by sharing certification requirements with your customers and prospects, they learn and appreciate the value you bring to them.
While this knowledge and expertise might benefit your clients, what does it do for your business? Or, more specifically, how does certification benefit your frontline workers?
If you’re ready to bring your cleaning organization to the next level, schedule a call with Janitorial Manager to see how our software can make your janitorial operation more successful!
CMI Certification: 7 Reasons to Invest in Training Your Team
The Cleaning Management Institute (CMI) is the educational division of ISSA. They offer multiple training tracks, including training for janitorial employees and contractors, supervisors, janitorial and maintenance sales professionals, and supply chain managers, among others.
For now, though, we’re going to focus on CMI certification for technicians and supervisors, since they are the ones out in the field day in and day out. These are the Custodial Technician Certification and the Custodial Supervisor Certification.
The technician certification breaks down into three levels: basic, advanced, and expert. The first two can be taught on-site, or your team can go through the courses independently. The expert-level certification requires a minimum of 20 hours of hands-on training. And the benefits?
1. Safer work environment. One section of the Custodial Technician Certification covers chemical safety. For so many reasons, this is a vital part of any janitorial training program. And CMI certification furthers that training by providing in-depth explorations of chemical properties and EPA guidelines for disinfectants.
2. More efficient working conditions. With CMI certification, your team will learn about proper dilution and applications of cleaning products, making their job easier. They’ll understand how to match the job with the right cleaning tools and products.
3. Great job satisfaction. Most of us enjoy the feeling of a job well done. And with certification, your team gets detailed, up-to-date information on best practices for numerous situations they may encounter on the job.
4. More versatility. Doing the same thing day after day can get boring for some people. With increased learning and skills, people on your team can change their routines and work in different areas of your commercial cleaning operation.
5. Increased confidence. Not every situation at the job site has a clear-cut procedure. With CMI certification, your team will feel confident that they have the knowledge and skills to work safely and effectively no matter what they come across.
6. Leadership skills. The Custodial Supervisor Certification helps your frontline workers develop their leadership skills, including creating a positive work environment and working with different personalities. They’ll also learn how to deal with difficult employees.
7. Career advancement. From the basic level technician certification all the way through supervisor training, CMI certification offers your frontline workers the industry knowledge they need to grow their careers.
The business benefits of certification
CMI certification is great for your team, but it’s good for your business, too. All those skills mean your team is doing higher-quality work and giving your customers a five-star experience.
Additionally, with courses such as “Advanced Disinfection,” “Advanced Cleaning of Hard Floor Surfaces,” and skills that help your business operate more efficiently, you’ll have the opportunity to expand your offerings. And, of course, more areas of expertise mean you can potentially raise your rates and increase revenue.
Plus, with greater skills and correspondingly better pay and working conditions, your employees are more likely to stick with you. That leads to increased customer satisfaction and a decrease in operating costs.
There’s really no negative to CMI certification. It’s helpful for your team, and it’s good for your business.
Take advantage of the value Janitorial Manager can bring to your cleaning operation to streamline your processes like never before. Learn more today with a discovery call and find out how to make your cleaning operation more efficient and cost effective!