Find out where to get your infection control certification and learn how to use it to win more bids.
There’s a problem in the janitorial industry. You can take an intensive COVID-19 Disinfection & Safety Course from an industry leader like Building Service Contractors Association International (BSCAI) or the seven-hour Bloodborne Pathogens training from the OSHA Training Institute Education Centers. Meanwhile, your competition can take a 30-minute infection control certification course from Dr. Van Helsing down the street, and as far as most clients know, there’s no difference.
Unless they ask, clients won’t realize that this “certification” just required them to watch a video and sign a paper. Nor will they know that “Doctor” Van Helsing is a fictional character from the book “Dracula.” And yet, these are the types of credentials that can suck the blood out of customers and legitimate businesses alike.
And certainly, it’s not always the fault of the cleaning business that these certifications aren’t necessarily above board. Licensing requirements vary from state to state, and there’s little oversight in determining what makes a certification course acceptable or not. So, where does this leave you? You have to figure out which infection control certification courses can actually help you do your job, and then you need to determine the best way to position those in your marketing and bids, so you stand out.
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How to find certification courses worth your time and money
Before we get into using an infection control certification in your marketing and bidding, let’s take a quick look at how to find a course that’s worth your time and money.
An easy place to start looking for any certification courses is within your janitorial association.
The Cleaning Management Institute (the educational division of ISSA) offers a wealth of industry-leading certifications from specialty training programs to supervisor certifications. In fact, they offer an infection control certification with their GBAC STAR Service Accreditation.
For more niche providers, APPA offers courses specifically for those working within educational facilities, while the BSCAI has educational opportunities for cleaning and facilities management contractors. And don’t forget that you can also explore courses from OSHA.
If you still aren’t sure, look at the course material and who is offering the certification. Does it seem like you could truly learn something? You’d be surprised how much you can find out with just a little bit of digging.
Winning bids with your infection control certification
Okay, so what are you going to do once you have a valid infection control certification? How is your bid going to stand out among the many? Here are a few ways you can take advantage of this certification.
1. Show off your certification. Some of these infection control certification courses require a LOT of work, so be proud and show off your accomplishments! Here’s what that looks like on the website footer for Oswald Building Services of Exton, PA.
2. Get specific. Going back to the idea that “certification” doesn’t mean much to clients if they don’t know what it is, be open about the details. Whether on your website or in your marketing material, or as part of your bid, add a sentence or two about why your certification is preferable. Looking again at Oswald Building Services, they also have a blog post that describes the certification.
3. Link to the certification. Here’s an example from CCS Facility Services, based in Denver, CO. They point out that “hundreds of our frontline staff and supervisors are certified as GBAC Trained Technicians, representing cutting-edge education and training in bio-risk cleaning response and preparedness.” That’s in addition to their status as the first company in the world to earn the GBAC STAR Service Accreditation. Obviously, you can’t list yourself as the first, but you can be clear about your commitment to keeping clients safe and link to the proof!
4. Include additional certifications. Your infection control certification may not be the only certification you hold. Don’t be shy about listing other important certifications. For example, here’s how Micron Disinfection in Redondo Beach, CA lists their state licensing along with their GBAC certification. But not only do they offer the list of licenses they hold, they follow tip #2 above and explain why these licenses matter to potential clients.
5. Add video to your marketing arsenal. Not everyone wants to click through and read about the classes and certification courses. WellNest, in Falls Church, VA, handles that by including a short video that explains what it means to be a GBAC-trained technician and to be certified through the Academy of Cleaning Excellence as an Accredited Infection Prevention Expert.
Putting it all together
While most of this material is on your website or included on your social channels, you can add a summary to the cover letter section of your bids and proposals. Again, though, be specific about what these certifications mean.
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