The name – What else would a 24 year United States Navy veteran name his cleaning business? Used in all branches of the service, the term “Squared Away” is commonly used to describe anything that is clean, in order, ship shape, on time, smart in appearance, working correctly, straight, properly stowed or secured. The actual origin of the term came from old tall ship nautical jargon. It applied to yards held rigidly perpendicular to their masts and parallel to the deck. This was rarely the best trim of the yards for efficiency but made a pretty sight for inspections and in harbor.
The motto – “The Higher Standard” While motto’s are typically intended to be creative and catchy, ours was born of purpose. As we were discussing starting a cleaning business and what we would do to make it a success, the word “standard” seemed to come out in every other sentence. Our motto was staring us right in the face every time we talked, we just didn’t know it yet. One day we simply asked the question, “What is our company all about?” There was only one answer to that question. It became our motto, “The Higher Standard”.
Our company was founded on some very basic, proven principles of leadership and core values. We consider building personal relationships with our clients one of the most important steps in our path to success. Our business vision of account longevity depends on it. Contracts are nice, but relationships and performance keep us in business.
Some companies offer lower pricing in exchange for long term contracts to guarantee continued revenue. Our pricing is the same regardless of length of service. We keep it simple and believe in indefinite agreements vice contracts. We walk your facility along with you and advise you on a level of service that meets your needs. We’ll give you a detailed agreement in writing and then we go to work. That’s it. The most important factor in Squared Away’s business plan is your continued satisfaction with the service we are providing.
Our team – SAC has a mentorship / leadership philosophy second to none in the cleaning industry. Doing this type of work is not just “common labor” as referred to by many in this industry. Our team members are skilled, trained and they know what they are doing. More importantly, they are the reputation and face of the company in front of our clientele. Their continuous development, quality of life and gratification in doing the best job possible while getting paid better than they could anywhere else is our key success. We believe in opportunity for anyone willing to give 100% on the job but we don’t hire just anyone. In order to become an SAC employee, candidates must make it through a careful interview and referral process and must pass mandatory drug testing and criminal background checks. There is a high expectation therefor we DO NOT start our people at minimum wage. Our people are compensated well above the industry average from day one.
Service value – SAC strives to offer the best service value available. Shopping for cleaning services can be a confusing and time consuming task. Cleaning is one service where you can’t count on the lowest price being the best choice and you often “get what you pay for”. Our goal is not to give you the lowest price, but the best “value” possible. Our “Daily Upkeep” service is normally equivalent to our competitor’s “Deep Clean” service. By employing smart practices, using the best cleaning methods available, and keeping things simple, we have become very efficient at what we do. This enables our people to accomplish a large amount of quality work in a short period of time.
Giving back, always – SAC is active in the community, a proud supporter of the Armed Forces and stands strong with worthwhile charitable causes. Five percent of all business revenue goes directly to the Wounded Warrior Project. Squared Away also only buys materials and equipment from local small businesses and vendors to help promote business growth in Virginia Beach and in the Hampton Roads region.
ECO friendly – SAC uses 100% environmentally safe cleaning products and equipment wherever possible to include HEPA Certified vacuums. In many instances, we use only water and steam cleaning tools to kill bacteria and sanitize.