Elite Environmental Services Builds Relationships for the Long Term
Thursday, April 9th, 2015
In business for 23 years, Elite Environmental Services has several customers who have been with the firm for 10 to15 years and one customer who has been there from the beginning. Long-term relationships are what the business is all about.
"We always say the promises we make are the promises we keep," said Elite Environmental Services CEO Sandra Austin.
"And while we are not perfect, we respond quickly to any issues that may come up."
Elite Environmental Services was founded in 1992 by Joseph Hoyle to provide a variety of cleaning services on a recurring contract basis, as well as one-time projects. Services include carpet cleaning, tile floor maintenance, grout cleaning, pressure washing, post-construction cleaning, environmental consulting and other value-added services. Austin succeeded Hoyle as chief executive officer in July 2012. Hoyle passed away in August 2013, and Austin is in the process of purchasing the company. The company has about 160 employees and serves the Middle Georgia region.
Using technology to enhance relationships
About three years ago, Austin and other team members from Elite Environmental attended the annual ISSA show, which is the trade association for the worldwide cleaning industry. They made the decision to invest in new technologies that they saw demonstrated there, believing they could provide a customer service that no one else was providing at that time.
"We have software that enables us to provide a monthly quality inspection report. Our customers get a copy and have input," Austin said.
"We also have a work order system that customers can use to create work orders. Both systems make us more transparent and responsive to our customers and easier to work with."
Growing and renewing
Business so far in 2015 has been good, according to Austin. Special projects, particularly carpet cleaning and post-construction cleaning, have been in demand. The firm is also renewing a high volume of contracts, which is typical for the first quarter of the year.
"While we have been slower than last year, which was booming at this time, we've seen good demand and expect to see a pick-up in the summer," Austin said.
Elite Environmental is also a proponent of green cleaning. Green cleaning is a level of cleaning that protects health without negatively impacting the environment. The full protocol for green cleaning is not yet fully developed, but the company is moving in that direction as rapidly as the chemical and equipment technology allow.
"With the transition to green cleaning, we are as concerned about providing a healthy workplace as we are a clean workplace," Austin said.
"A healthy workplace helps lower employee absenteeism, which can translate into an improved bottom line."
More information on Elite Environmental Services is available at www.eliteinc.net.
