Mobilisation Series Part 3: Lionheart Trust
In the third part of our mobilisation case study series, we are exploring the successful mobilisation of cleaning services for the Lionheart Trust. We currently service 9 of their schools across Leicester, including 8 secondary schools and 1 primary school, with a contract value of £4.8 million.
The contract officially began in September 2023, at the same time as another big contract with Spencers Academies Trust (read more about that here). This meant that our teams had to manage both large-scale mobilisations at once.
Tackling Challenges with Expertise
Mobilising the Lionheart Trust was also challenging because they were previously using a mix of different cleaning providers: some schools managed cleaning in-house (with their own staff), while others used outside companies. This meant we had to coordinate and replace several different cleaning setups, which made the transition more complex.
Furthermore, transferring staff to CleanTEC was complicated because important information about the existing cleaning staff only arrived two days before the schools closed for summer.
Despite the tight timeline, we managed to meet with all staff, explain the changes, and collect the necessary documents to make the transition smooth.
However, on our first day of service, we faced more challenges. Some of the information we received about staff was incorrect, and there were unexpected staff shortages. For example, at one school, only 4 out of the 18 expected cleaners showed up.
Because we were prepared, we quickly sent in mobile support teams and recruited additional staff to ensure cleaning standards were maintained.
Building Stability
As Leicester was a new operational area for us, we hired an Area Manager specifically for this contract. When this didn’t work out as planned, we quickly reassigned the responsibilities among our existing Area Managers to keep things running smoothly. Recruiting staff in Leicester proved challenging, but our team managed to successfully fill the roles using social media, local community networks, and job centre support.
A Delivering Results
Our commitment to thorough training and continuous support has delivered impressive results. Initial audits across the Trust showed an average score of 89.17%, which we have now improved to 94.7%. Staffing levels have also stabilised significantly, reducing from a 50% shortage at the start of the contract.
The successful mobilisation of the Lionheart Trust is a testament to our team’s resilience, adaptability, and commitment to excellence. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Trust and delivering outstanding cleaning services that enhance the learning environment for students and staff.
