Blog Posts - EXECUTIVE BUILDING MAINTENANCE

Do You Know How We Got Started?

6/30/2019

We started as a small family operation of only 2 people and have grown into a large business employing more than 100 staff in the Lower Mainland of BC.

Executive Building Maintenance is still owned and operated by the original family, who are dedicated to the growth of the business and the well-being of its employees. We are committed to making a positive impact on our community and the environment.

We are a full-service janitorial cleaning company servicing the entire Lower Mainland of British Columbia, stretching from West Vancouver to Chilliwack, offering high-quality janitorial work, specialized window cleaning, intensive carpet and floor care, pressure washing and various other cleaning requests as specified by our customers’ individual needs. At EBM, we have always strived to be recognized as an ethical and customer-centered Vancouver janitorial services company known for its commitment to excellence to its employees, customers, suppliers and external stakeholders.

We want to provide our customers with excellent quality service at an affordable price and so we developed core values that expand on this:

360° customer service
Respect and relationship with our employees
Integrity-based decisions in the provision of our services
Commitment to the environment and eco-systems
Accountability to our shareholders
Involvement in the enhancement of our communities

We have proudly been in business for over 30 years, since 1984. We are fully insured, bonded and covered by the Workers’ Compensation Board of British Columbia. We are members in good standing with the Better Business Bureau and the British Columbia Contract Cleaners’ Association.

What First Impression Does Your Business Give Off?

6/5/2019

Tips to make your place of business give off the right impression

It’s said that a person will have already made a solid impression of you within the first seven seconds of meeting, but it only a tenth of a second for people to determine traits like trustworthiness. For customers when coming into your offices or place of business, it's no different. Your customers will be consciously or subconsciously have formed an opinion on the effectiveness, reliability, and trustworthiness of your business, long before any words or actions are exchanged.

Why do first impressions matter so much in business?

The first impressions you give a customer or client will set the tone for your future business, and once a first impression is made it becomes very hard to change. For new customers, the most common first impression comes from either your web presence or your place of business. For this article, we’ll look at the more traditional side of first impressions in your office, storefront or place of business.

Appearance is king
They say to ‘never judge a book by its cover’ but much like showing up to a meeting properly groomed shows respect for your peers and your business; having a clean, organized and inviting environment shows your customers and your employees you respect them and organize your business in a professional manner. Follow these tips to make sure your business is as inviting to potential customers as possible.

Strong signage
For anyone walking past your business, this will likely be the first thing they take notice of. Good signage can capture customers interest. One of the biggest draws for people to come into a business is an interesting and creative use of storefront signs. This may include one large sign to identify the store, and then smaller signs to boost the interest level. A whopping 68 percent of customers made a purchase of products or services after a sign caught their eye. So it is important to make sure anything displaying your brand's logo or special offers are clearly displayed and consistent with your brand’s tone.

Make Cleanliness a priority
Dirty windows, stained carpets or dusty surfaces all speak to a level of care that’s simply not there. If your business is sending a message to your customers that you don’t care enough about your environment, why would you care about their needs? Many businesses make sure they have a regular window cleaning, floor maintenance, and janitorial services to ensure the all the little details are being taken care of.

Create a welcoming environment
Having a welcoming environment means your customers or potential clients feel comfortable working with your brand and it gives more chances to keep your customer’s focus on your message.

Have adequate lighting that sets the tone of your brand.
Consider playing music that's in line with your target market. It's a great subconscious indicator that someone's inside and ready to interact with customers.
Clear out the clutter, regardless of the type of business you're in, having a messy cluttered environment can be too hard for your customers to mentally digest. Streamline the experience for your customer to highlight the thing or handful of things you want them to be paying attention to.

Following these tips you should be able to look at your place of business with fresh eyes and determine what needs to change, to put your best face forward. If you feel like you need a little extra help, consider speaking us at Executive Business Maintenance. We specialize in building maintenance and janitorial tasks, reducing the stress of worrying over each first impression.

Featured Service: Window Cleaning & Pressure Washing

2/12/2019

Nothing reflects the cleanliness of a building like your windows. Come spring time, windows show the hard residue left behind from fall and winter weather. Let our professional window washers clean your building’s windows and give you a clear view from the inside and the outside. Whether ground level, skylights, low or high rise, our window washers have experience cleaning by squeegee, tucker pole or bosun chair.

We Serve Businesses of All Types & Sizes:

High-rise buildings
Multi-unit town-homes and condos
Retail stores Office buildings
Restaurants Corporate and franchise chain locations
All commercial properties

Our Method

A power washer uses a high-pressure stream of very hot water to blast away dirt and materials from outdoor surfaces. The combination of high pressure and the temperature of the water make it better at removing all those truly stuck on materials from surfaces. It’s great for removing residue like salt, mildew, and mold from outdoor patios, decks, driveways especially from the winter months. The added heat also makes it particularly good at removing things like chewing gum from sidewalks. Power washing is also exceptionally great for handling grease stains on driveways or garage floors.

Call Us Today to Consult With Our Expertise

All our cleaning staff are specially trained to focus on providing your commercial property with an unparalleled cleaning results we can be proud of. Whether you need commercial janitorial team, or a post construction clean-up crew, Executive Building Maintenance gets the job done right and on time.

Featured Service: Window Cleaning

1/29/2019

Get to know Executive Building Maintenance better and the methods we're using for our different services. From January until April, we're going to feature different kinds of services we offer. Let's start with Window cleaning, you know, because winter is almost over!

Why Regular Window Cleaning is Important

Nothing reflects the cleanliness of a building like your windows. Come spring time, windows show the hard residue left behind from fall and winter weather. Let our professional window washers clean your building’s windows and give you a clear view from the inside and the outside. Whether ground level, skylights, low or high rise, our window washers have experience cleaning by squeegee, tucker pole or bosun chair

Our Method

Whether ground level, skylights, low or high rise, our window washers have experience cleaning by squeegee, tucker pole or bosun chair.

We ensure all employees have up to date training and certification along with impeccable safety records. Our workers have years of experience in the bosun’s chair and swing-stage, we never put someone new to the trade over the wall on your building.

Call Us Today to Consult With Our Expertise

All our cleaning staff are specially trained to focus on providing your commercial property with an unparalleled cleaning results we can be proud of. Whether you need commercial janitorial team, or a post construction clean-up crew, Executive Building Maintenance gets the job done right and on time.

Stop Spreading The Germs

11/28/2018

Taken from: www.themuse.com

It’s that time again. You’re sitting at your desk, when a sneeze gusts over from the cubicle to your right. You notice a gentle hum of sniffles hanging in the office air. The undetectable cloud of germs is surely encircling you now as the hopelessness of flu season sets in. But just because your officemates are dropping like flies doesn’t mean you have to follow suit. We’ve got six helpful tips for warding off a cold or flu (and six that’ll help you get better if you do get sick).

1. Keep Your Distance

Sounds pretty basic, right? Stay away from sick people. Before paranoia sets in and you stop shaking everyone’s hands, though, keep in mind that a recent study revealed that those “silent spreaders,” or infected people who are not yet showing symptoms, are unlikely to make you sick. It’s the co-workers who are already coughing and sneezing that you’ll want to avoid.

2. Get a Flu Shot

This is a no-brainer. Flu shots have been known to help prevent not only influenza, but other illnesses as well. And not only are they becoming available at more and more locations (and even workplaces), your options are growing as well. If you typically avoid needles at all costs, try a nasal spray vaccine or the intradermal flu vaccine—administered with a needle that is 90% smaller than the one used for the traditional flu shot.

3. Avoid the Hot Spots

Consider the heavily touched items in your office: fax machines, coffee pots, elevator buttons. Many bacteria and viruses can live on surfaces for hours—if not longer—so try to avoid contact with these hot spots. Grab the coffee pot with a tissue or hit the elevator button with your elbow. And if that’s not possible (or you just don’t want to make a scene while waiting on the 11th floor with your boss), just avoid touching your face afterward and wash your hands as soon as possible.

5 Tips for Fall Facility Maintenance

10/24/2018

Taken from www.hpac.com/galleries/

Maintenance is key to adding longevity and value to your property. Before embracing the harsh winter in Canada, fall is a great time to complete an annual maintenance check for your building. Here are our top 5 tips this Fall:

1. Get the right entrance mats

An entrance mat is the first line of defense in keeping dirt out of a facility. Additionally, it helps to reduce potential slip hazards in wet conditions. Ideally, matting should start outside of entrance doors and continue inside, allowing visitors to step three times with each foot on the mat. Get a mat that does not crush, that can store dirt and water for future removal, and that reduces the possibility of dirt being tracked into your facility. Remember that 80 percent of all dirt in a facility enters from people’s feet, and the cost of removing a pound of dirt once it is in a facility is between $500 and $700. The best way to reduce cleaning costs is to prevent dirt from entering a facility

2. Inspect all exterior doors and windows

Check to ensure caulking is flexible and sealing any gaps between window/door frames and exterior walls. This ensures warm air stays inside the building and keeps water from entering. For added energy savings, check the weather stripping at all exterior door frames to ensure it is in place and serving its intended purpose.

6 lighting hacks for healthier, more productive workplaces

9/27/2018

Taken from luxreview.com/article/2016/04/6-lighting-hacks-for-healthier-more-productive-workplaces

Dark winter months are around the corner. The sheer lack of sunlight can be depressing. Every year we experience this longing for summer, craving those long, bright days when we feel energetic and in a good mood. The sad news is, we’ve again passed the longest day of 2018, but the good news is that the right artificial lighting in your workplace can help you through. Good lighting creates pleasant working conditions in a functional and atmospheric way. Satisfaction and efficiency will improve if you make sure you have enough daylight intake and a well-lit office space. Plus, your productivity will be positively affected by well-designed illumination. Artificial lighting that does not just help you see, but also meets your biological lighting needs, is the future of office lighting. Here are six lighting hacks to keep you healthy and alert through those dark winter days.

1. Create atmospheres where your ideas can develop

In companies with a high standard of interior design, productivity can increase”

We’re all attracted to light, and there isn’t any other medium that has as big an influence on our bodies and minds as light. Both daylight and artificial light play a key role in our health and wellbeing. Increasingly, companies face the question of how they can improve staff wellbeing and create a dynamic, creative and motivating environment. The design of the office space plays a vital role, as evidenced by a study from Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering. The research shows that in companies with a high standard of interior design, productivity can increase by up to 36 per cent. Who wouldn’t like to see their efficiency skyrocket? Additionally, comprehensive research from the Light Right Consortium, came to the conclusion that light increases productivity.

7 Easy Steps You Can Live Healthier in Your Office

8/29/2018

Feeling sleepy and sedentary at your office? It's time to take a few easy steps to make your life healthier at the office.

1. Limit your sitting time

On average, North Americans sit about 8-9 hours a day, compare that to how much you sleep at night. Then calculate all the hours only to find a very unhealthy balance of physical activities. Try trading the traditional office chair for a standing desk. If you're not ready to stand for that long, try an ergonomic chair that requires you to sit with good posture.

2. Breaks from starting at the monitor too long

This one needs a discipline to do, taking a break from your monitor is not only healthy for your eyes, but also for your mental and for your brain. We recommend adding greens all around your working area so you can switch your eyes to look at those plants and avoid restraining your eyes.

Look outside the windows and stretch your body to avoid tensions in your shoulder, back and neck. Another great idea is walking around while answering phone call meetings that don't require you a computer.

3. Take enough liquid and plan your meals

Taking enough liquid throughout the day can easily be achieved by putting a large water bottle filled with water next to you. Avoid eating junk food and plan your meal. Planning your meal or preparing your meal ahead of time can help avoiding an unhealthy food choices. Keep healthy snacks in your desk and/or encourage your office to sign-up for healthier snack options at the vending machine.

First aid stain treatment for your carpet

7/12/2018

Maintaining the carpet at your office can be a nightmare. While you can hire us to keep your carpets clean and sanitary, there are a few first aid steps you can encourage your workers to do if anything spills. We do believe that regular carpet cleaning from our experts will prolong the life of your rugs and carpets, significantly longer than just vacuuming.

Take a prompt action to prevent staining. Depending on what spills, there are different solutions for each stains. You will need some clean white absorbent cloth or tissue and the four basic solutions listed below. (Please check that your carpet is colourfast and safe to clean, by testing all solutions in an inconspicuous area before application).

Tackle stains as follow:

1. Coffee, tea or Liquid food

Dry the liquid excess using an absorbent cloth or tissue. Make a solution of one tablespoon white vinegar, one tablespoon liquid hand dishwashing detergent and two cups (473 milliliters) of warm water. Sponge any remaining stain alternately with a little rubbing alcohol and small amounts of warm water. Blot it dry after each time you wet it. Moisten the stained areas with three percent hydrogen peroxide. Let the hydrogen peroxide stand for about an hour. Blot and repeat as necessary. Pile a bunch of paper towels over the area when the stain is finally gone. Weigh down the paper towels with something heavy, like a stack of books. This will absorb all the moisture in about an hour.

What Distinguishes Us from The Others

6/14/2018

Finding a company that does what they say they will do, is easy. Finding a trust-worthy company that will do a mile or two more than what they say they will do, is the challenge. In this blog post, we'd like to highlight how we approach our business and how we're different than the others!

Environmental Commitment

Executive Building Maintenance is based on ethical practices and customer-focused solutions. The very nature of our business allows us to impact our stakeholders in a positive way through our environmental commitment. It is no longer sufficient for Executive Building Maintenance to simply comply with environmental laws and standards. As an ethical organization, we are proactive in our commitment to the environment through our choice of suppliers and through our self-imposed, continuous pursuit of practices that eliminate or reduce the use (and disposal) of hazardous materials. We take steps to minimize our own waste production.

Our Certifications

We have attained these certifications over the years and we keep making sure that we exceed our customers' expectations. We thrive to make our facility better and better to ensure the health of our workers, customers and everyone involved.

We are members in good standing with the following organizations: