A reader asks: "I read about figuring productivity but still am confused. What is the formula and what do I include?"

As we took a closer look at the account we have been able to identify several areas that are impacting productivity (2,200 SF/Hour) in a negative way. Unnecessary labor is being expended on areas that really should be far easier to maintain. An example is that ceramic tile does not require floor finish in most cases and that it should certainly not be used in rest rooms. Once the floor finish is removed from the ceramic tiles, the grout lines should be cleaned, patched where necessary and sealed with a penetrating seal that will cause most soils to stay on top for easy removal with the appropriate mopping system and detergency.

Ceramic tiles are usually more expensive to install but can pay for the investment over the life of the building due to low maintenance which should be simply sweeping and mopping. If a clean mop and solution is used consistently, the need for scrubbing should be radically reduced or eliminated. Use of the correct textured microfiber mopping system will increase the cleaning factor by many times when compared to a traditional mopping system since the microfiber can get into the grout line far better than a string mop which tends to clean only the surface. Using clean water and clean mops is absolutely necessary to prevent the "ring around the collar" effect. All of these suggestions, when combined, can eliminate the need for rework resulting in less labor hours and thereby increased productivity.

We will continue this analysis in a future article.

Your comments and questions are important. I hope to hear from you soon. Until then, keep it clean...

Mickey Crowe has been involved in the industry for over 35 years. He is a trainer, speaker and consultant. You can reach Mickey at 678-314-2171 or CTCG50@comcast.net.


posted on 4/10/2015