Commercial Window Cleaning: 5 Questions to Ask When Hiring a Pro

Clean windows are an important part of the maintenance plan for any commercial building. From a customer’s perspective, windows that shine make a building more inviting. From an employee’s perspective, a building that is clean and welcoming with lots of natural light creates a more positive work environment.

If you’re looking to outsource commercial window cleaning, onboarding the right contractor is important. As of 2023, there were 36,272 window-washing businesses in the U.S., so you certainly have plenty of choices. Choosing the right window cleaning partner is important, so based on the thousands of commercial customers we’ve served in our four decades of service at Fish Window Cleaning©, here are five key questions you should ask when recruiting the right window cleaning company.

1. How Does a Commercial Window Cleaning Service Work?

A key question to ask is what’s involved with the window cleaning service. If you haven’t outsourced this work before, you should understand what the process is so you can be prepared. If you have used a window cleaning company in the past, don’t assume everyone works the same way; ask a new service provider how they work.

In addition, not all companies will include the same package of services in their work. For example, at Fish Window Cleaning, we include an inspection overview as we clean so we can alert you to any issues that we feel deserve attention. Not all companies will do that, so be sure to ask about the entire experience – what’s included and what’s not.

Finally, when a company has experience with commercial customers, you learn how to minimize the impact on daily operations. Fish Window Cleaning has been in this business for more than 40 years, and our commercial services are focused on buildings up toto three stories, so our collective experience is very focused when it comes to our commercial services.

2. Should I Be on a Regular Schedule?

Commercial window washing professionals usually put clients on a regular window cleaning schedule because it ensures the windows always look their best. The frequency of that schedule depends on factors that range from personal preference to seasonal issues (i.e., pollen) to high-traffic areas. When you interview a company for your window cleaning, ask them how they determine the schedule.

Part of this question also includes billing and payment. Find out how you will be invoiced, the payment terms, and the payment options. Keep in mind that commercial window cleaning is a claimable business expense so your invoices will be part of your tax records.

3. What Additional Services Can You Provide?

Some commercial window cleaning companies may offer additional services that can be helpful to your overall building maintenance. If you choose a regular cleaning schedule, these services can also be part of that package, so it’s good to know in advance what’s available.

For example, Fish Window Cleaners provides the following services in addition to interior and exterior window cleaning:

• • Sill and screen cleaning
• • Mirror and ceiling fan cleaning
• • Skylight and chandelier cleaning
• • Awning cleaning (including mold removal)
• • Gutter cleaning

When we work with commercial clients, we propose a schedule that covers the additional services, which often have different frequency needs.

A further option we have is a national accounts program which provides a nationwide service. There is a single point of contact for national accounts, which makes the service easy to negotiate at a national level. We are pleased to work with new facilities maintenance companies as well.

4. Can You Provide Key Paperwork?

You should always ask for some key paperwork details from any contractor who’s going to perform services on your property. For window cleaning, we recommend asking for:

• • Proof of company insurance
• • Bonded employees
• • References
• • Additional safety measures or certifications

If a window cleaning company cannot provide the above items, that should be a red flag on hiring them. These are standard best practices in the industry, and while safety training may not be legally required, responsible companies are going ahead and investing in safety programs because it just makes sense to do that.

5. What About Emergency Situations?

Emergencies in the commercial window cleaning business can crop up for any number of reasons. Your building may be the target of graffiti or vandalism, which can impact the windows, or a storm or other weather event may cause damage or leave behind dirt and debris that needs to be addressed before the regular visit. You may also be preparing for a major business event where you want to look your best or decide to put the building on the market and want it looking as good as possible to appeal to possible buyers.

In addition to your regular cleaning schedule, ask the window cleaning company how they provide emergency cleaning services. You want to know how the process works when you discover an emergent window cleaning need and how it will be handled and invoiced.

Working with Fish Window Cleaners

Fish Window Cleaners provides free estimates for commercial window washing and additional services as well as a satisfaction guarantee on all services. This is certainly not a requirement across our industry but it’s something we choose to offer as a way for commercial customers to know we’re transparent about our service and committed to providing a great result when we become your window cleaning company.

A Trusted Partner

Fish Window Cleaning has been in business for more than 40 years. In that time, our business has evolved and grown, much like any business with a strong history. There are some aspects of running a business that are strengthened by experience, including:

• • Understanding the value of consistency in service provision and communications
• • Respecting what it takes to build good relationships
• • Providing good service – with every transaction

Our mission is to be seen as the best and most respected window cleaning company in the world. That’s not a small statement, and we know that it takes all 270+ of our franchise owners to be on the same page in delivering corporate values. Today, we are the world’s largest window cleaning company, with a presence across 45 states. We take that role seriously.

Contact Fish Window Cleaners Today

Fish Window Cleaning provides free estimates for your commercial window cleaning requirements. Talk with us today to get the information you need to make a good choice for your window cleaning services.