To The Principal, Administrators & Board of Trustees

Let CREST help you by cleaning your School’s buildings, offices,
and amenities to a high standard …

CREST offers –

• Security Licensed, owner operators (licensed to Security Guard level)
• Consistent reliable service from the same people  =  stability
• Experience with Schools and Colleges
• A detailed specification for your School
• A personalised quality assurance programme
• A very competitive price - value for money

We are proud of our portfolio of schools that we currently clean in many New Zealand cities. We have worked hard to develop our systems and we have established a reputable role in providing a high quality cleaning services to over 100 schools nationally.

Our contract cleaning services include full site management.  We take care of school hygiene and presentation requirements without the headaches of supervision or the Employment Relations issues of employing cleaners directly.

With CREST as your cleaning service provider, your school will benefit from our well-trained owner operators. The same people will take care of your school so you know them and they will understand your requirements.

Crest takes a caring and co-operative approach to our role in providing cleaning services to your school’s property maintenance programme.  Let Crest introduce your school to a better cleaning service carried out with a high degree of quality and attention to detail each time.

Benefits of Crest for Schools

Crest wishes to help our school customers. We realise that it is tough going in New Zealand’s changing economic climate, and there are immense concerns with security, theft, vandalism and concerns about the backgrounds of people that are working in contact with children.

Crest is a specialist commercial cleaning company that utilises franchised owner operators to perform cleaning services.  These people own their own small businesses, and as such they have a vested interest in making sure that their customers are happy with the services they provide.

Security

All our franchisees are holders of Security Guard licences, as per the Registrar of Private Investigators and Security Guards.  The licence involves a statutory declaration being submitted to the Registrar with confirmation of I.D. and it is the same qualification that security guards have.  The licence is submitted for renewal annually.  Our personnel also undergo a stringent interview process with Crest, which includes a credit check to confirm financial prudence and confirmation of good character from personal referees.   On site they are uniformed and carry photo I.D.

By the nature of our duties we are charged with locking and securing premises and setting alarms.  We are happy to utilise a daily checklist showing the time that each door has been secured.  We also close and lock windows, which can sometimes be left open by teachers.  We report any breakages or things out of order on a daily basis.

Contractual Relationship

Employing cleaners directly creates a management headache of having to supervise staff performance and deal with issues like absenteeism.  It also exposes the school to risk with Employment Relations issues.  Legal processes can make it extremely difficult to get rid of a worker who is not performing.  Trade union activity is also surfacing with the “Clean Start” campaign.

Crest’s cleaning services operate under a contract negotiated with the school.  As part of our proposal and quotation we prepare a detailed specification of the duties to be performed.  The specification forms the basis of the contract – it includes all cleaning, chemicals and cleaning equipment.

Crest is responsible for making sure that the cleaning service operates in accordance with the contract.  If the school is unhappy with the service, or for example with the personnel, changes can be made.  Because Crest’s personnel are self-employed, we are not bound by employment regulations, and changes can be made promptly at the school’s request. 

The contractual relationship allows the school to organise the cleaning programme in a business-like manner, and maintain a fixed cost financial control with the cleaning operating to a budget as per the contract.  We endeavour to build long-term relationships with our school customers.  Our franchisees become valuable ‘team members’ taking good care of the cleaning and hygiene and contributing to the smooth running of the school.

Customer Management

Crest’s regional managers have sound industry knowledge and provide a solutions based approach to managing the cleaning contract.  Communication is the most important part of our relationship with customers.  Our regional managers maintain a direct contact with the school, dealing professionally with any issues and providing quality assurance.  The day-to-day communication is managed by the franchisee on site – they are a small business owner who is responsible for carrying out the cleaning service.  Crest franchisees are trained to be proactive and obliging and they form effective working relationships with the school caretaker or property manager.  The franchisee co-ordinates term cleans which are planned in advance so the school is aware of the timetable and duties being undertaken.

Training

Crest’s formal training system ensures all personnel are professionally trained in ‘best practice’ techniques of cleaning and hygiene.  Our training system is based on the NZQA National Certificate in Cleaning and Caretaking.  All franchisees undertake a series of modules including an induction course, hands-on practical training and a formal assessment of the NZQA unit standards.   Crest franchisees are equipped with modern cleaning systems and are kept up-to-the-minute with industry innovations.

Compliances

 Crest’s services follow “best practise” industry compliances.  We are happy to accept and follow our customers’ specific policies including Health and Safety and Security procedures.   All Crest franchisees maintain the following compliances:

• Health & Safety policy
• Environmental Policy
• Public Liability insurance – up to $10million of cover
• Security Guard’s License as per the Registrar of Private Investigators and Security Guards.
• Use of Material Safety Data Sheets and correctly labelled bottles
• All personnel are uniformed and carry photo I.D.
• Franchise Association “Code of Practice”

We are also able to accept and follow any particular procedures that your school may require.

Green Cleaning

Green Cleaning is environmentally sustainable cleaning.  It uses eco-friendly products and processes together with trained staff to clean a building whilst minimising the effect on the environment.  Crest uses eco-friendly chemicals, which are non-toxic, so are very safe to use around children.  We also utilise Microfibre cloths and mops which are a very efficient cleaning system for glass floors and hard surfaces.

Crest partners with our customers to follow environmentally sustainable practises. A Green Cleaning programme reduces your environmental footprint while providing a healthy and hygienic school for students and teachers.

Commitment

Crest wants to give New Zealand schools our assistance by providing a reliable and competitively priced cleaning service.  Crest has well organised systems and we strive to adopt a partnership approach with each of our school customers.  We perform as directed and the school’s staff develop a confidence in our ability to look after things intelligently.

• Quality service from experienced Security Licensed owner operators (they are actually licensed as Security Guards, by the Registrar of Security Guards and Private Investigators).

• The same person takes care of your school … your staff become familiar with our personnel and a co-operative attitude is present at all times.

• Back up and support from a national company, with expert knowledge in cleaning.

• Very good value for money, accurate invoicing and good honest service.

• Reliability and trustworthy, care with locking, security and alarms.

‘‘Classrooms undergoing daily intervention with disinfecting wipes were found to have a statistically significant reduction
in student absenteeism due to illness.’’

"Improved classroom hygiene may reduce the incidence of infection and thus student absenteeism."

Kelly R. Bright, PhD, Stephanie A. Boone, MPH, PhD, and Charles P. Gerba, PhD

From a study "Occurrence of Bacteria and Viruses on Elementary Classroom Surfaces and the Potential Role of Classroom Hygiene in the Spread of
Infectious Diseases, Journal of School Nursing, 2009.

Download full study here (123kb PDF)

Benefits of Crest
• Motivated owner operators
• NZQA trained in cleaning and hygiene
• Security Licensed personnel
• Environmentally sustainable cleaning
• Easy communications – we listen,
   we care