Case Study

Notting Hill Genesis, a prominent social housing charity, stands as one of the largest housing associations in South England. Owning around 64,000 properties and accommodating approximately 170,000 individuals, it was formed in 2018 through the merger of two housing associations. This charity serves as a vital community pillar, catering to the needs of countless residents in Greater London, the home counties, and East Anglia.

Samsic commenced providing cleaning, security, and feminine hygiene services to Notting Hill Genesis offices in October 2020, a period marked by the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the years, Samsic has continuously adapted and tailored its services to meet the evolving needs of Notting Hill Genesis.

The Challenge

At the introduction of the contract, the services required from Samsic were specifically tailored to mitigate the threat of COVID-19 for Notting Hill Genesis’ employees. Despite a limited workforce and quieter office spaces, frequent cleaning of touchpoints and communal areas was imperative to instil a sense of safety. Balancing this requirement with cost-effectiveness was challenging, given Notting Hill Genesis’ need to vigilantly manage expenditures as a charity during the pandemic.

Adapting services to the fluctuating needs of the business, especially the transition of all employees back to the offices in 2022 as the pandemic threat diminished, presented a welcomed challenge. Although demand for cleaning surged due to more Notting Hill Genesis employees returning to work, adjustments were made, and the number of sites reduced from 5 to 3 in the height of the pandemic, making the remaining office spaces busier.

Given the evolving scenario and the relatively small facilities management team at the time, Notting Hill Genesis initiated a contract review with Samsic to align the services with their new requirements.

The Solution

To reassess the needs of Notting Hill Genesis office spaces, an evaluation meeting was organised, led by Samsic and Notting Hill Genesis management.

To strike a balance between cleanliness standards and operational efficiency, part-time cleaners were integrated into the contract. Samsic then streamlined the cleaning team’s processes, assigning specific areas and roles to enhance efficiency and minimise distractions to the Notting Hill Genesis employees. Each Samsic team member became specialist to a designated area, with specific kitchen, washroom, and office cleaning operatives.

Training has played a pivotal role in evolving the service for Notting Hill Genesis, particularly during contractual changes. Samsic ensured ‘back to basic’ training was conducted both throughout COVID-19 pandemic, and when introducing the part-time workforce, with training also adhering to British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc) standards. Samsic also utilise our own Learning Management System, which provides free learning resources on anything from cleaning, security, office skills, and mental health support resources.

To motivate the team and assist with implementing the changes, toolbox talks were introduced as commonplace for all Samsic facilities management teams at Notting Hill Genesis. Toolbox talks, allowed an open discussion around workplace topics, inspire discussion and education within the team, and management uses the platform to confirm quality standards and processes to retain a high level of service.

Leveraging the ECAT Electronic Audit Compliance Tool, Samsic managed operations accurately and provided transparency to Notting Hill Genesis. ECAT allows us to provide real-time, accurate, consistent, and comparable performance data. All audits are supported by photos and are time-stamped to evidence areas of improvement and ensure accountability.

As Notting Hill Genesis’ office spaces witnessed increased demand, Samsic adapted its services accordingly, making the transition seamless for Notting Hill Genesis’ returning staff. By proactively training and enhancing their teams, Samsic effectively responded to the heightened service demand, strengthening the relationship and service with the client.