Meet Bee Line, The Company Bringing Medical-Grade Cleaning Practices To Every Corner Of CRE

With increased emphasis on safety and sanitation since the onset of the pandemic, commercial cleaning services have become essential components of a healthy and thriving building. 

Attention to cleanliness can also signify a company’s commitment to safety and professionalism. It is no secret that when employees feel happy and comfortable in their work environment, they are more likely to perform to a higher standard.

Jamie Henry, CEO of Bee Line, a Chicago-based commercial cleaning company, has witnessed firsthand the impact that a properly cleaned and cared-for building can have on an enterprise, its employees and its customers. She said Bee Line abides by medical-grade cleaning standards for every project it works on — going above and beyond industry standards. 

“[Medical-grade cleaning] is so critical for us and our clients,” she said. “When customers contract with Bee Line, it means our cleaners that are actually disinfecting their facilities are trained to a completely different level of quality than a typical janitorial firm.”

Henry said that each of Bee Line’s janitorial managers holds certifications such as the Certificate of Mastery in Infection Prevention, or CMIP, issued by the Association for the Health Care Environment. This specialized certification requires the certificate holder to possess an in-depth knowledge of microbiology, infection prevention and safety precautions. 

Once its janitorial managers achieve their certifications, they train their assigned team of cleaning professionals, resulting in the highest-level, medical-grade cleaning practices, she said. 

“This specialization evolved with our first medical clients in the early 2000s,” Henry said. “At that time, we saw the very early stages of off-site clinics doing more intensive procedures outside of hospitals, so the importance of these clinics having the same level of cleaning as the hospitals started coming to light.”

Though healthcare is a major component of its practice, it isn't the only sector Bee Line works in, Henry said. Since the early 2000s, Bee Line has expanded its offerings to industrial facilities, educational institutions, laboratories, offices, and professional sports and entertainment facilities. 

For its healthcare clients, Bee Line is rolling out a Signature Care program, which will implement hospitality-level finishing touches, such as folded toilet paper or desktop cards, after a space has been cleaned, Henry said. 

“This level of rigor and attention to detail makes sense for any kind of space,” she said. “Humans are in all spaces, so whether it's a school where we're trying to keep kids safe or a retail space where you have the public going in and out, this level of cleaning can and should be applied to any commercial space.”

To ensure that each of its cleaners is trained to handle the rigor that comes with adhering to these standards, the firm has invested in the creation of its own medical training center, Henry said.  

This facility features replicas of exam rooms, operating rooms and restrooms. Here, cleaners perform mock cleaning simulations to test their knowledge of application techniques and sanitation procedures. They also learn how to properly use personal protective equipment, which is key to making sure a space has been effectively sanitized and disinfected.

Bee Line's managers receive training at this dedicated training center, while its front-line employees are trained directly on-site to ensure they are fully equipped for the specific needs of each facility, Henry said. 

“This was a big investment for us but really is proof to our clients that we want to provide the best service possible,” she said. “Training is at the core of everything we do. We’re committed to ongoing education and excellence. Continuous training remains a cornerstone of our commitment to the highest standards in medical-grade cleaning.”

Henry added that through the firm's new software program called Bee Line IQ Powered by Virtual Manager, Bee Line aims to make the cleaning process even more streamlined.

In traditional janitorial work, cleaning professionals would head out to a job site where there would be a sheet of paper waiting for them with all of the duties they needed to complete for the duration of the project. This old-school method can sometimes lead to certain cleaning duties getting lost in the shuffle or even lost in translation, Henry said. 

“This way of doing business can get messy and easily out of date,” she said. “Instructions may also not be in their native language, so what Bee Line IQ does is that it allows every cleaner to have their own handheld tablet updated daily with their specific duties of what they're doing in that building.”

How the program works is straightforward: When Bee Line’s cleaning professionals clock into work, they grab their tablet and the scope of work is electronically available to them in their language. As they move throughout the building, they electronically check off their tasks in real time once they are complete, tracking how long it takes them to finish each task, Henry said. 

Once a task is complete, the cleaners can also upload photos if they see issues with the space that require the client’s immediate attention, such as a leaky faucet. 

“There’s no more room for misinterpretation of the scope of work we’re doing at that particular project site,” Henry said.

Bee Line IQ is in its pilot phase, but Henry said the client feedback on the platform has been positive. 

“It also provides a heightened sense of security, too,” she said. “We have some high-profile clients, and so this platform also acts as a time stamp: If there’s an issue where security has to get involved, we can go back and see where our cleaners were inside that building at that point in time.”

Henry said that in the age of modern technology, this program caters to the needs and expectations of clients who want visibility into their properties. 

“Having a technology platform is going to be really important in bringing cleaning to the next level,” she said. “Clients want to understand where our cleaners are, what they're doing, and if we can provide proof that they're doing what we've been contracted to do. All of those things come into play.”

This article was produced in collaboration between Studio B and Bee Line. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.

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