If you're an office manager, executive assistant, or facilities director in Des Moines, you already know: a clean office isn't just about appearances—it's about your reputation.

When leadership walks through and notices dirty restrooms, when clients comment on dusty lobbies, when employees complain about overflowing trash—guess who gets blamed? Not the cleaning company. You do.

After 25+ years providing office cleaning services in the Des Moines metro area, we've heard the same frustrations from office managers over and over. Here are the 7 red flags that your cleaning company is failing you—and what you can do about it.

Red Flag #1: The Quality Started Strong, Then Disappeared

The Pattern: The first month was great. Your new cleaning company seemed perfect—detail-oriented, responsive, professional. You finally felt like you could stop worrying about office cleanliness.

Then month three hits. You start noticing things. The breakroom counters have crumbs. The bathroom mirrors have spots. Trash cans aren't being emptied regularly. The quality has quietly slipped.

Why This Happens: Many cleaning companies use their best crews to win new accounts, then rotate them to other clients once you're locked in. Without quality control systems, there's no accountability when standards drop.

The Rodan Solution: At Rodan Cleaning, every account is graded monthly by our internal auditor. These reports are shared directly with you, so you can see exactly what we're measuring and how we're performing. If quality slips, you know about it before it becomes a problem—and so do we.

This is what we mean by audit-verified quality. It's not just a marketing phrase; it's a documented system that prevents the quality creep that plagues most commercial cleaning companies.

Red Flag #2: You Can't Get Anyone on the Phone When There's a Problem

The Pattern: It's Tuesday morning. Your client meeting is in two hours. The conference room wasn't cleaned last night. You call the cleaning company and get voicemail. You email and get an auto-reply. You're left scrambling to clean it yourself or apologize to your clients.

Why This Happens: Larger cleaning companies often have layers of management, call centers, and "customer service representatives" who can't actually solve problems. Small companies might just be one person who's too overwhelmed to respond quickly.

The Rodan Solution: When you work with Rodan Cleaning, you get direct access to ownership. You're not calling a 1-800 number and hoping someone eventually responds. You have the owner's cell phone number. Problems get solved immediately because you're talking to decision-makers, not gatekeepers.

Red Flag #3: They Don't Show Up (Or Show Up Late Consistently)

The Pattern: Your cleaning company was supposed to clean Monday night. Tuesday morning, you arrive to find nothing was done. Or they show up late consistently, which means employees are working around cleaners during business hours—creating disruption and awkwardness.

Why This Happens: High turnover, poor scheduling, and lack of crew accountability mean no-shows become routine. Many cleaning companies simply don't have the systems or culture to ensure reliability.

The Rodan Solution: Our cleaners average 2+ years of tenure—virtually unheard of in the cleaning industry. We have multiple cleaners who've worked six nights a week for over two years without missing a single shift.

Why? Because we treat our employees well, pay above-average wages, and empower them to take pride in their work. When cleaners are happy and respected, they show up. When they show up, your office gets cleaned. Simple as that.

Red Flag #4: You're Constantly Having to Follow Up on Missed Details

The Pattern: The trash gets emptied, but the breakroom sink is never wiped down. Floors get mopped, but baseboards are ignored. You find yourself sending weekly emails listing the same issues over and over: "Please remember to restock toilet paper," "The front entrance needs attention," "Conference room wasn't cleaned again."

Why This Happens: Without proper training and clear standards, cleaners either don't know what's expected or don't have accountability for the details.

The Rodan Solution: Every Rodan cleaner is trained through our Cleaning University—our proprietary training program that teaches them to clean to The Rodan Standard. They learn what details matter in office environments, from the obvious tasks to the often-overlooked ones.

More importantly, they know they're going to be audited. When cleaners know their work will be inspected and measured, details stop getting missed.

Red Flag #5: They Quote Low, Then Add Surprise Charges

The Pattern: The initial quote seemed reasonable—even competitive. Then the invoices start arriving with surprise charges: "Supply fees," "special cleaning surcharges," "equipment rental costs." The price creeps up month after month until you're paying far more than you budgeted.

Why This Happens: Some companies intentionally lowball quotes to win contracts, then make up the difference through fees and upcharges. Others simply don't have clear pricing structures.

The Rodan Solution: Our proposals are straightforward: clear scope, clear frequency, clear pricing. No confusing contracts, no hidden fees, no surprises. We tell you exactly what we'll do, when we'll do it, and what it costs. That's it.

If your needs change and additional services are required, we discuss it with you first. You'll never get an invoice that makes you say, "What's this charge for?"

Red Flag #6: The Crew Changes Constantly

The Pattern: You never see the same cleaners twice. Every week it's different faces, which means every week you have to re-explain where supplies are kept, which rooms need special attention, and what your office's specific needs are. Nothing ever feels consistent.

Why This Happens: The cleaning industry has notoriously high turnover—often 200-400% annually. Companies that don't invest in their employees end up in a constant cycle of hiring, training, and replacing.

The Rodan Solution: Remember those cleaners who haven't missed a shift in two years? That consistency means they know your office inside and out. They know your preferences, your space, your needs. They take ownership of their accounts because they've been with us long enough to care about the results.

This is only possible because we've created a workplace culture that makes cleaners want to stay. We pay above-average wages, treat our team with respect, and give them the flexibility and autonomy to do their jobs well.

Red Flag #7: When You Address Issues, Nothing Changes

The Pattern: You've complained. You've sent emails. You've had phone calls. The cleaning company apologizes profusely and promises improvement. For a week, things get better. Then it's back to the same problems. Nothing fundamentally changes.

Why This Happens: Without systems for accountability and quality control, improvement is temporary at best. There's no structure ensuring that changes actually stick.

The Rodan Solution: When issues arise with Rodan Cleaning (and in any long-term service relationship, issues occasionally arise), our audit system catches them early. Our monthly quality reports create accountability not just for our crews but for our management.

More importantly, because you have direct access to ownership, feedback actually reaches decision-makers who can implement real solutions—not just temporary fixes.

What Does "Audit-Verified Quality" Actually Mean?

We use the phrase "audit-verified quality" throughout our marketing, but what does it actually mean for office managers?

Here's the specific system:

1. Monthly Grading: An internal auditor visits every account monthly and grades it against The Rodan Standard checklist
2. Documented Results: The audit creates a formal report with specific scores in each category
3. Shared Transparency: You receive these reports, so you can see exactly how we're performing
4. Accountability: Our crews know they're being audited, which maintains consistency
5. Continuous Improvement: When audits reveal opportunities for improvement, we address them systematically

This isn't subjective. It's measurable. It's consistent. And it's why so many of our commercial cleaning clients have stayed with us for 20+ years.

The Office Manager's Dilemma: Switching Feels Like Too Much Work

We get it. Even when your current cleaning company is frustrating, switching vendors feels overwhelming. You have to:

• Research new companies
• Get quotes
• Onboard a new team
• Re-explain everything about your office
• Hope they're actually better

So you tolerate the inconsistency, the missed details, the lack of communication. You work around them instead of relying on them.

But here's what that's actually costing you:

Time: Hours spent following up, checking work, and managing a vendor who should be managing themselves

Reputation: When leadership notices cleanliness issues, it reflects on your ability to manage the office

Stress: The constant low-level anxiety of not knowing if your cleaning will get done

Energy: Mental load of having to think about cleaning instead of focusing on your real job

Making the Switch to Reliable Office Cleaning

At Rodan Cleaning, we've helped dozens of office managers in Des Moines, Urbandale, and Waukee make the switch from unreliable cleaning companies. Here's how we make it easy:

Step 1: Free Cleaning Assessment We meet with you at your office, listen to your specific needs and frustrations, and walk the facility. We're not just looking at square footage—we're understanding what matters most to you.

Step 2: Custom Cleaning Plan We create a straightforward proposal with clear scope, frequency, and audit standards. No confusing contracts, no surprises. Just clarity about what we'll do and what it costs.

Step 3: Audit-Verified Clean Our trained team shows up on time, cleans to The Rodan Standard, and provides monthly quality reports. You never have to chase us down because we're accountable from day one.

What Our Office Cleaning Clients Say

We've been providing office cleaning in Des Moines since 1998. Many of our clients have been with us for over 20 years—which simply doesn't happen in the cleaning industry unless you're consistently delivering results.

Why do they stay? Because they're not managing their cleaning company anymore. The cleaning company is managing itself.

That's what reliable office cleaning should feel like: one less thing to worry about, not one more thing to babysit.

Ready for Office Cleaning That Actually Works?

If you're tired of the seven red flags, if you're ready for audit-verified quality and direct access to ownership, if you want an office cleaning company that makes your job easier instead of harder, let's talk.

Schedule your free cleaning assessment by calling 515-276-1618 or contacting us online.

We also provide specialized cleaning for medical facilities, financial institutions, schools and universities, and construction sites throughout the Des Moines metropolitan area.