With dozens of robot vacuum cleaner models on the market and millions sold each year, it is no surprise that they have become one of the top holiday gifts. Chances are that you or someone you know has received one.

The iRobot Roomba seems to have started it all when they hit the market in 2002 and they have continued to improve features year after year. Since then, competitors have entered the marketplace, such as the Eufy BoostIQ RoboVac, Shark IQ, Ecovacs Deebot, Samsung PowerBot, and Neato Botvac.

Right about now, someone is asking themselves if they can use their new domestic robot to clean their office. The short answer is … probably not. While they seem to be getting better, robot vacuums are designed for light use. In fact, a recent lab test by Consumer Reports showed that the suction of a high-end robot vacuum picked up less than half the volume of dust collected by a manually operated upright vacuum cleaner.

A house has a small number of occupants, a relatively consistent floorplan, an easily controllable environment, light-duty cleaning requirements, and consistent floor and carpet surfaces, making it more suitable for automated assistance. Retail, commercial, and office spaces tend to have a much higher number of occupants, shifting layouts, closed doors, heavier floor traffic, and varying floor and carpet surfaces, which are all problematic for robot vacuum cleaners.

There are other barriers to domestic robot use in a business environment — loose electric cords, varying floor surfaces, multiple obstacles, limited battery life, and much larger floor areas. Some robots have been known to spread gooey messes from room to room or temporarily get lost by losing their navigation signal when operating too far from the charging base.

Professional decision-making often comes into play, especially with spot cleaning, such as removing gum from carpets or lifting black marks from hard surfaces. Automated floor cleaners lack the capacity for adapting to environments.

“Nothing can replace the decision-making capabilities of a professional cleaning crew. Robot vacuum cleaners cannot spot clean, move light objects, or open office doors. Additionally, our staff is trained to look beyond the tasks at hand and identify potential safety hazards or preventative maintenance issues,” said John Salido, Janitorial Division Manager at CAM Property Services.

CAM BUILDING SERVICES

You should also be aware that if your building houses a government organization, there may be rules within the building lease or collective bargaining agreement which prohibits the use of robotic cleaning devices.

If still inclined to give it a try, be prepared for a less than satisfying result when attempting to use a robot vacuum cleaner to clean your office.

For those interested in a more fulfilling office floor and carpet cleaning experience, professional building maintenance and cleaning services are the way to go. Contact CAM Property Services, a leader in professional property maintenance throughout California for commercial, industrial, multi-family, and institutional properties. Contact Us

The eyes and ears of a dedicated service partner can make the difference between complete safety and potential hazard. When it comes to multifamily property management, it’s critical to contract with a team that provides an abundance of services — in all the necessary places — throughout your property.

Southern California-based CAM Property Services adeptly identifies problem areas and provides site audit reports detailing conditions that could pose a safety risk.

When a company provides multiple services, its employees tend to be more attuned to safety concerns on a larger scale. Empowering them to file a site audit report encourages proactive awareness and results in safer conditions.

Day porters and janitors can be great sources of information regarding multifamily interiors and exteriors. These team members maintain clean, safe environments while also being on the lookout for unsafe situations. Reporting or repairing flooring issues can prevent trip-and-fall injuries. Trash chutes with damaged parts can lead to injury or fire safety violations.

Parking lot sweepers, landscapers, steam cleaners, and handymen are all excellent sources for recognizing safety issues. Property supervisors, account managers, and their crews work in unison for the benefit of property owners and managers. They often recognize and report issues such as illegally dumped items, homeless activity, broken doors and locks, fire lane obstructions, worn painted curb zones, and structural damage.

Besides site audit reports, these teams also have access to a network of professionals to assess and remediate safety concerns. Some situations may require a professional assessment by a safety inspector, engineer, ADA CASp inspector, or even an aerial drone inspection. Quick action can make the difference in averting a tragedy.

Contracting an array of multifamily property services from a single company is beneficial in so many ways. Tenants experience a higher standard of cleanliness and maintenance. A consistent presence easily notices changes in property conditions, thereby identifying abnormalities. Team members share information with property managers, forming a cohesive perspective. And watchful eyes imbued with the power to speak up, can alert property managers about potential safety issues before they become a problem.

The stakes are high with multifamily properties. Reports of tragedies are usually followed with an accounting of unsafe conditions that were ignored or went unreported. Using a professional team to meet all your property needs can lead to both improved tenant satisfaction and retention, safer conditions, and more value for your property.

After an unusually cold and wet Winter, Spring has finally sprung here in Southern California. And you know what that means — it’s time for Spring Cleaning.

If you own and/or manage multifamily, retail or office property, this task can seem like a daunting undertaking. Fortunately, the Property Pros at CAM Property Services are here to help lighten your load with everything from repairs and enhancements to cleaning and landscaping.

JANITORIAL

Let’s start with the most straightforward way we can help achieve your Spring Cleaning goals. No matter the challenge, our Janitorial Pros will make your property truly sparkle. From general facility cleaning to floor and window care, you’ll be hard-pressed to find another team with as much experience and versatility to make your tenants happy. Our team communicates with you using state-of-the-art technology to get the job done efficiently and effectively.

DAY PORTER SERVICES

This Winter brought a barrage of storms to SoCal, resulting in potential harm to your property. Pooled water on rooftops and parking lots, can lead to bigger problems if left unattended and unreported. Fortunately, our perceptive and highly trained Day Porters can identify and report these issues before they become major headaches to their supervisor. Your mind will be at ease knowing a true professional is acting as your ‘eyes and ears’ keeping your property in tip-top shape.

PARKING LOT SWEEPING

Our Parking Lot Pros not only remove cigarette butts, paper, glass, bags, and all types of debris that create hazards and eyesores, we also know how to assess and extend the life of your asphalt. Compromised asphalt from recent storms will show ‘alligatoring’ and dangerous potholes can damage tires opening your property to liability claims. Water is abrasive and will remove and fade the striping of your parking lot and curblines. The Property Pros can help repair water damage by filling cracks and potholes to restriping the lot to full asphalt removal and replacement.

STORMWATER MANAGEMENT

April showers may bring May flowers, but they can also bring unwanted debris into your stormwater system. Fortunately, stormwater management is one of the many services our Property Pros excel at. We can help with compliance, design, and construction of your system to treat stormwater and handle anything that washes in.

LANDSCAPING

Speaking of May flowers, what about landscaping? Our Property Pros are experts when it comes to plant and flower selection, cultivation, irrigation design, and repair, resulting in landscaping that really wows. We also specialize in maintaining and selecting the right plants for the right season, so your property is always in bloom. And with all the recent rains expect to see weeds in your landscape, which can be prevented with application of pre-emergent herbicides.

As you can see, when it comes to Spring Cleaning, CAM is the right call to spruce up your property. Just let us fix all of the above!

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The first impression you project to your tenants and their customers is an important factor in the success of your operation. For 32 years, CAM Property Services has provided clients with high-quality workmanship and specialized offerings to improve the value and attractiveness of commercial, retail, and government buildings.

Here are the Top 5 ways property managers can benefit when they contract building services from CAM Property Services:

Make Your Property Shine

From Class A offices and retail centers to universities and government facilities, CAM Property Services keeps buildings and businesses sparkling. Hiring a professional cleaning service to assist with your cleaning needs can improve your professional image. There is nothing more embarrassing than having customers or tenants view a business as unprofessional and messy. CAM uses the latest techniques, tools, materials, and green-certified cleaning solutions to ensure your business delivers a great first impression. Additional cleaning services include full-service janitorial programs, window cleaning, day porter, post-construction cleanup, and expert floor care. Big or small, we can do it all.

Expertise and Quality of Service

Every business operates differently, in fact, some facilities take it upon themselves to sweep and scrub. While this is certainly viable for smaller locations, medium and large-sized enterprises require more attention, care, and expertise. Not all commercial cleaning companies are equal in the level of service they perform. The range of services offered by CAM covers every need, from regular cleaning to restoration and remediation.

Hygienic Work Environment

Because of the high-volume of traffic that an office sees on any given day, it’s no surprise that they’re also a breeding ground for germs and bacteria to grow and spread among employees. Aside from the health concerns a dirty workspace creates, it can also pose potential dangers for accidents and personal injury to employees. Commercial workspaces benefit from industrial level cleaning, specialty services such as high/low dusting, heavy vacuuming, and industrial strength cleaning solutions. Additionally, professional industrial cleaning staff are trained in the most effective ways to clean an office, removing any potential health and safety concerns.

Higher Productivity and Employee Retention

A messy, unsanitary office stifles productivity. Employees become distracted, more irritable, and less motivated to get things done. Even worse, an unclean workplace tends to cause added sick days as germs are more easily spread. Conversely, hiring competent office cleaning services can result in fewer sick days and higher productivity. If a company fails to keep its workplace clean, employees may leave and find another job with a better sanitation regimen. Hiring cleaning services for your occupants is just as important as hiring them for your visitors.

Prevent Larger Problems

One of the most important jobs of a facility manager is to address small issues before they become big problems. Timely cleanups can prevent rodent infestations, accidents, or other hazards. Regular professional maintenance generally prevents these calamities from occurring. Cleaning services will maintain important aspects of your business so you can avoid problems that may become unmanageable.

Is it time for your business to hire a professional building cleaning service? Call the property professionals at CAM Property Services to discuss your specific cleaning needs.

The trend to use contract labor for municipality needs is on the rise as local governments rely more on outsourced contract work to provide basic services once fulfilled by city and county workers. This offers clear advantages as private companies adapt more easily to fluctuations in demand and regulatory changes, while providing services by workers with specialized property skills.

During the pandemic slowdown, facilities were able to get by with limited staffing and deferred maintenance. As the general public begins to congregate in greater numbers, city governments, county departments, business improvement districts (BIDs), and even schools are turning to commercial property services companies for assistance with primary property needs.

CAM Property Services, a California-based company, recently secured a contract to provide “janitorial services in three City of Pasadena parking lots.” Contracted services include daily cleaning of parking lots including use of a sweeper truck, picking up trash, emptying public trash cans, and pulling weeds in tree wells. While this is not their first municipal contract, it represents a shift toward more basic services than previous contracts covered.

As cities face difficulties in meeting their standard labor needs, they are outsourcing tasks that have traditionally been handled internally. They are finding mid-sized companies that provide a variety of services are in the best position to meet these needs.

Service companies also tend to provide staff with a higher degree of skill and expertise in a particular service. They often come with specialized equipment and experience across multiple asset classes, therefore can provide a higher level of professional service than a general laborer might.

Janitorial, day porter, facility repair, parking lot maintenance, sweeping, landscaping, and power washing are some of the services now being outsourced on a regular basis as municipalities turn to property service providers to fill the void left by unfilled job vacancies.

On the other side of this equation, property service providers can also face labor shortages and tend to lean toward servicing entities with which they have a prior relationship or wish to establish a new, long-term business arrangement.

Picking up government contract work is no easy task for companies either. The process requires strict adherence to bidding guidelines. Financial transparency, substantive liability coverage, human resources adaptability, and proven operational proficiency are a few of the hurdles required just to qualify and submit a bid for government contracts. Besides the significant amount of work that goes into bidding these jobs, the minimum performance qualifications present a high bar that many service companies are unable to meet, thereby excluding those companies from submitting a bid.

If you are a government entity, you may wish to establish a relationship with a property service company before the need becomes dire. Working out the nuances of bid contract work and building rapport is better achieved under normal circumstances.

As every sector readjusts to post-pandemic conditions, many of these variances may become the norm. Municipalities will adjust their labor needs and processes, the benefits of outsourced property services will be realized, and the labor force will take on a different form. A shift in the way you contract business today will help keep your “supply chain” of property services steady to meet future needs.

In many cases, the way in which office spaces are used is going to change. The timeframe for workers returning to office buildings remains fluid and ultimately comes down to individual company decisions. In general, the schedule to return to offices en masse is likely to mirror the overall reopening of the statewide economy. The behavioral changes influenced by COVID-19 also remain uncertain. However, it is clear that health and safety concerns will take center stage at the workplace.

Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) experts have begun re-examining the modern office workspace in the light of the pandemic and changing views on shared workspaces.

Returning To The Office Is Inevitable For Many Workers

Prior to the pandemic, offices were considered essential to raising productivity, fostering culture, and attracting talent. Securing prime office real estate was competitive in metropolitan cities. In recent years, many of those workplaces focused on collaborative, group environments. Office space requirements per employee witnessed a 20% decline. The upward trend in efficiencies was due to open floor plans with break-out rooms and other common amenities. Leaders in the technology and banking industries configured spaces to provide 65-70 sq. ft. per employee – a stark contrast from the recommended 100-120 sq. ft. per employee used by the architectural community for decades.

Did we squeeze in too many people too quickly? Based on a survey conducted by McKinsey, 80 percent of respondents confirmed they enjoyed working from home, while 41% believed they were more productive.

The COVID-19 outbreak has informed leaders that a good percentage of staff can work from home and deliver efficient results. This has raised questions regarding whether there is a need to maintain offices as before. It may also be suggested that businesses enlist new strategies to make offices more humane, productive, and safe.

EHS professionals say there are indications of what the future of office spaces should look like.

Enhanced Cleaning, Disinfection, and Elimination Measures

Employees will rightfully be expecting enhanced cleaning programs as they return to work. Frequent and effective disinfecting of public areas, such as receptions, pantries, dining areas, cafés, copy rooms, wellness rooms, and high-touch surfaces will have to be considered. An after-hours cleaning program, that attacks common areas with antimicrobial treatments to prevent germs and bacteria from circulating through touch, air, and water, is also fundamental.

Ease Office Congestion

Retrofit – Workstation enclosures and space delineation has become essential. It is important to understand how collaborative spaces need to meet current safety norms. Workstations should be set up with appropriate distance between them, while rules regarding the use of common area furniture will address maintaining proper social distances. Hygienic products for employees, such as hand sanitizers, antibacterial soaps, gloves, masks, and disinfectant wipes will become standard office supplies.

Reconfigure – It is crucial to ensure social and physical distancing by introducing new elements to the office. The introduction of plexiglass, panels, dividers, and wall enclosures will be key to re-purposing interior and exterior space for maximum occupancy. Traditionally, construction materials and fabrics were never considered amenities, however, post-pandemic they will have a spotlight. Offices built with construction materials that are antimicrobial, such as metallic and some laminate surfaces, as well as treated fabrics that can withstand strong cleaning treatments, will become more commonplace.

Re-invent – Other workplace amenities aided by technology will take on a prominent role. The inclusion of touchless dispensers, faucets, trash receptacles, paper towels, smart thermostats, and motion sensors will not only help reduce physical touch but prove to be cost saving at an imperative time. Think adaptability instead of permanence. Fluid instead of fixed.

Hospital Grade Elements

Eliminating pathogens being passed through droplets, physical proximity, and airborne transmissions will need to be targeted in design. The inclusion of quarantine rooms, oxygen supplies, and mask stations in office spaces have now reached beyond the realm of sci-fi and into reality.

HVAC Considerations

Airflow, air quality, and filtration will be held to a higher standard. Office buildings may require major re-engineering to avoid virus exposure. Floor or zone based segmentation of the air distribution system will be the norm in future building designs. High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters are likely to become a standard feature. Air changes per hour may have to be increased to ensure higher levels of air purity.

Investing in Physical Safety

Having undergone a long period of restricted movement, the behavior of employees will change, and they will require more physical and mental space, not to mention personal safety.

Despite these changes, we will always need workspaces that foster collaboration, innovation, creativity, and a sense of belonging. There will always be a desire for amenities like artfully designed meeting spaces, eating areas, or physical activity centers like gyms.

The experts at CAM Property Services are here to assist you in making your workspace pandemic resilient. While every organization varies with regard to privacy policies and shared spaces, returning to work will clearly be changed in many ways. Our clients have access to a wide variety of property management services and solutions informed by our in-house EHS subject matter expertise to address their evolving needs.

About The Author: Pranav Heryani is an EHS & Sustainability Specialist. Among the next generation of environmental professionals, his projects have encompassed both local and international efforts toward green initiatives with practical sustainability for the commercial sector.

As customers re-enter public buildings in greater numbers, we need to ensure that they are comfortable in urban spaces and allowed to move about safely. Innovative solutions are crucial to support the well-being of customers.

Our responsibility to property managers is to ensure their assets are pandemic resilient while simultaneously delivering positive impacts on business operations, thus factoring in Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) in decision-making. Our cost-effective strategies are focused on increasing revenue, improving productivity and mitigating risk at a time when it has never been more imperative.

Businesses across California are getting back into shape, proactive landlords and property managers are creating designated safe shopping zones while working collaboratively with us at CAM Property Services. We are constantly updating our service offerings with the latest and safest technologies.

It was not long ago that hardly anyone gave a second thought entering the bustling lobby of a large building or stepping on an escalator. Today, our world has changed, and the way businesses and consumers interact with commercial spaces has been altered. Building owners are making public safety a top concern, establishing safeguards for people to move through buildings with confidence.

For example, escalators are indispensable to today’s urban lifestyle, commonly found in places such as shopping centers, theaters, sports arenas, transit stations, and airports. They are used and touched daily by scores of customers to prevent accidental falls. Unfortunately, worn and gouged rubber escalator handrails can host bacteria and viruses, thus posing a direct threat to human health. It has become common that escalator riders are using handrails progressively less, which has posed increased risks and liabilities.

“If you don’t think the handrail is clean, you don’t want to hold it. Not holding the escalator handrail, however, is not a great option as it increases the risk of injury from loss of balance” says Hanna Inget, head of new services and solutions at KONE, an escalator and elevator provider.

People aren’t the only passengers on escalators. Handrails are often an express lane for germs due to constant contact with unclean hands. Researchers have found traces of blood, mucus, urine, and feces on handrails, not to mention harmful bacteria and viruses. Cleaning escalator handrails has been an ineffective and time-consuming process, until now.

CAM Property Services has added an innovative new escalator handrail disinfection technology to their facility services. It renews and disinfects escalator handrails, providing increased safety and peace of mind for customers who typically hold handrails for balance. The process requires no additional power source, no escalator downtime, and can expertly clean and condition the dirtiest of escalator handrails.

The handrail cleaning system is a non-motorized, safe and simple system to remove dirt, bacteria, and 99.9% of pathogens from moving handrails. A patented cleaning formula is applied to microfiber pads, proven effective in independent studies, attached to molded pad holders on a mobile dolly system, which cleans the moving handrails from “bead to bead” without interrupting operations.

The cleaning and conditioning solutions are biodegradable and have been developed over years.

A mix of silicones helps restore and even protect the rubberized handrail material, extending its useful lifespan. The engineered design uses the power of the escalator to facilitate the cleaning action as it restores and disinfects one rail at a time.

As we ease out of lockdown and re-enter public urban buildings, such as shopping centers, we need to feel comfortable in populated settings. From disinfecting handrails to people flow planning, innovative solutions will not only support well-being but allow your property to adapt and thrive in this new era where EHS is at the forefront.

At CAM Property Services we continue to find new ways to support our clients and their customers. Our suite of anti-virus property management services includes electrostatic fogging, aerial drone inspections, customized plexiglass barriers, and visual cues.

CAM Property Services is adapting holistic and analytical approaches to facility management and cleaning standards. Combining our diverse array of property management services, EHS subject matter expertise and observational methodologies, we are able to yield highly targeted science-based solutions for any asset class with the industry’s best services.

About The Author: Pranav Heryani is an EHS & Sustainability Specialist. Among the next generation of environmental professionals, his projects have encompassed both local and international efforts toward green initiatives with practical sustainability for the commercial sector.

Although they are commercial properties, multifamily facilities fall into a unique category with regard to upkeep. Unlike most commercial properties for business use, these properties are occupied continuously. Multifamily maintenance requires a wider range of skills and resident diplomacy, whether a high-rise apartment building, sprawling garden style community, condominiums, or townhouse community.

Multifamily properties typically have more paying tenants to keep satisfied. The demands on common areas and amenities also tend to be higher. The lifestyles of the occupants tend to follow less rigid patterns of behavior, whereas business tenants more closely follow a uniform code of behavior.

Working with a property services company that has a cooperative team across multiple disciplines will save busy property managers time, money, and frustration. Imagine the convenience of contacting just one point-person for nearly all property needs such as landscaping, janitorial, power washing, garbage area cleanup, trash chute repair, virus disinfecting, ADA compliance, and parking garage sweeping.

General maintenance is the first concern for servicing multifamily properties. As property occupants are staying home more and paying attention to sanitizing and cleaning procedures these days, a more professional standard of cleaning is demanded. Janitorial services are less behind-the-scenes than they may have been in the past.

Pristine common areas are the first key to making tenants happy. Indoor cleaning may require extra attention on frequent touch point and high traffic areas. Community rooms and fitness centers require additional sanitization. Expert carpet cleaning and floor care can extend the life of your asset. Day porter services also provide a higher level of concierge service.

Common areas are the most visible and important to keep clean. Lobbies, entryways, elevators, stairwells, parking garages, and walkways that are not maintained can become eyesores and liability hazards. A company that properly repairs and maintains trash chutes and garbage collection areas can reduce odors, disease, and safety hazards from properties.

Professional landscaping provides a great first impression for prospective residents and visitors and can add value. Exterior maintenance also covers a lot of ground and includes services such as hard surface steam cleaning, parking lot sweeping, and underground parking maintenance, to name a few. Although these areas may be lower profile, they are equally important to maintain.

Perimeter inspections, aerial drone video inspections, hauling large illegally dumped items, graffiti removal, alleyway cleanup, and handyman services should also be offered by a full-service company.

Hiring a good team that recognizes preventative maintenance issues is also valuable. The more skills a facility services team brings, the more qualified they are to identify and report potential problems. They can prevent small abnormalities from escalating into large, full-blown problems that create headaches and unwanted expenses.

This is the type of depth you should look for when hiring a company for multifamily maintenance. A strong team can save property managers considerable time and expense in the long run. Your property will provide an enhanced living experience and tenants will be routinely happier.

If you are an owner or manager of multifamily real estate in California, you should call upon CAM Property Services. From now on all your multifamily property needs could be handled with a phone call to just one company. They are a premier provider, trusted by many of the top residential property companies in the state since 1987.

Call 800-576-3050 to get started today.