ICS offers a Full Range of Services
All of us at ICS are eager to provide you with a wide range of services aimed at assisting you with both your direct and indirect costs. The list of services includes (clicking on the service should move them to copy on the page):
- Total Purchasing Cost Cycle Reductions
- Consolidated Programs
- On-Line Ordering
- Just-in-Time Delivery
- Real-time Usage Reporting
- Full-Line Product Support
- Product Cost Analysis
- In-Service Training
- Cleaning Equipment Programs
- Benchmark Cleaning Procedures
- Facility Management Software
Total Purchasing Cost Cycle Reductions
ICS has developed a program to focus on reducing the costs in the Total Cost Cycle. By combining some of the services listed below, we can help you to take cost out of the process of ordering, receiving and paying for your cleaning products. By combining consolidation, on-line ordering, just-in-time delivery and reporting, we can provide you with a program that:
- Reduces the indirect costs of procuring cleaning products.
- Works with any credit card program you are currently using.
- Provides real-time budget information for a single facility or for multiple facilities.
- Offers multi-year comparisons of usage.
- Minimizes the number of SKU’s in the program.
- Identifies shrinkage in any given building.
- Allows for comparisons of usage by building types.
- Separates total facility purchases from core product purchases.
- Tracks equipment parts and repair costs by facility and by machine, eliminating unnecessary repairs on older machines.
In addition, when in the program, there are additional discounts and rebates:
- 1% discount for quick pay through invoice consolidation.
- Another 1% for electronic payment through current EFT programs.
- Volume rebates based on current public contracts.
Consolidation Programs
As a full-line sanitary supply distributor, ICS can consolidate your purchases. Many of our cost-reduction services are based on using a single vendor for all of your cleaning needs. At an estimated cost of $90 to $125 to process a purchase order, regardless of amount, a consolidated program can significantly reduce the indirect costs of ordering cleaning supplies.
In addition, as your consolidated vendor, we can simplify your management concerns with real-time budget information by department and/or by building, develop just-in-time delivery programs and help coordinate procedural issues, making sure that the right combination of products are being used, such as the right color pad with the right machine with the right chemical at the recommended dilution rate.
Here is an overview list of the product categories available to you:
Air Fresheners |
Drain Openers |
Micro Fiber tools and systems |
Applicators |
Equipment – all Categories |
Mops – wet & dry systems |
Bloodbourne Supplies |
Floor Finishes / Sealers |
Paper –all Sanitary Categories |
Bowl Cleaners |
Floor Pads |
Receptacles |
Brooms & Brushes |
Green Cleaning Products |
Rest Room Systems |
Carpet Equipment and Chemicals |
Graffiti Removers |
Service and Parts |
Cleaners – all Categories |
Gym / Wood Floor Programs |
Sprayers |
Concrete Floor Care |
Hand Soaps – all Categories |
Squeegees |
Degreasers – all Categories |
Ice Melt / Rock Salt |
Sweepers |
Disinfectants |
Laundry Systems |
Vacuums |
Dispensers – all Categories |
Liners |
Wipers |
Disposable Gloves |
Matting – all Categories |
Window Cleaners |
On-line Ordering
ICS has developed a simple and easy-to-use on-line ordering system. This allows your key personnel to order when it is convenient for them, any time of the day…any day of the week.
Our on-line system allows for a flexible program that can be tailored to your requirements. Some of the key elements of the program include:
- A specific list of products with current pricing, units of measure and descriptions
- Complete management control over items ordered and number of items ordered
- For school districts, the system can be used with the MSBO P-card program
- Separate logins and passwords for each location
- Electronic management of “exceptional” orders
- On-site training of all personnel with permission to order on-line
The on-line ordering function is an important part in reducing the “total cycle cost” of procuring cleaning supplies. Our system is designed to be simple and efficient so your staff spends the least amount of time possible ordering supplies.
In addition to regular orders on a weekly or monthly basis, ICS has developed a program for electronic “anticipated” orders for major cleaning needs such as special events or preparation for seasonal / summer cleaning or “gang” cleaning tasks. This allows ICS to gather and consolidate multiple orders, adjust our inventory and have the necessary product available for delivery at a specified time.
Just-In-Time Delivery
ICS offers several variations on just-in-time delivery, from scheduled delivery days to 48-hour delivery cycles from order receipt. Just-in-time delivery can free up staff for other functions, even out cash flow through the budget year, eliminate hoarding, significantly reduce shrinkage and free up space for other more valuable uses. Whether one location or 25 locations, ICS will work with your circumstances to develop a delivery program.
Real-time Usage Reporting
“… you can’t manage what you can’t measure…”
ICS has developed a very extensive reporting program to help our clients manage their custodial purchases. Our reports provide real-time Month-to-date and Year-to-Date usage information so that you always have current information. In addition to a wide variety of existing reports, ICS can customize these reports to meet your needs. The following is a list of some of the 69 different reports currently used by many of our clients:
- Summary report by ship-to in dollars, showing purchases by facility with a total amount. Variations on this report show MTD and YTD purchases and/or Last-Year-to-Date to current Year-to-Date Purchases.
- Detail report by ship-to in dollars and quantity, showing exactly what has been shipped to each location in number of units shipped and dollars spent. This report is especially useful to building managers who have their own budget responsibilities. This report can also show budget remainder amounts against established annual budgets.
- Monthly order patterns, which show usage by month to help with Just-in-Time ordering needs.
- Core product orders and total product orders, detailing amounts ordered of approved or core product versus additional special order items such as matting or vacuums or whatever.
ICS will work with your Management Team to determine which reports you need on a monthly basis. Once the list is set up, the reports will automatically be emailed within the first four days of the new month. In addition, the ICS Account Representative is available to meet and review the reports on a monthly basis to answer any and all questions about the past period’s activity.
Full Line Product Support
ICS is a full line distributor which means we can provide you with whatever product or product category you need to clean and stock your facility, including all of the new “green cleaning” products introduced over the last several years.
Some of the key product categories include:
- All Chemical Categories
- Cleaning Equipment and Parts
- Sanitary Paper and Dispensers
- Receptacles – interior and exterior
- Custodial Hardware – all categories
- Floors pads
- Skin Care – all categories
- Plastic Liners
- Laundry Systems
- Gloves – disposable and reusable
ICS stocks thousands of products from over 160 different manufacturers in our industry. Click on this link (link to vendor section of website) to see a list of the primary companies we represent. If you don’t see what you want, go to the Contact Us button and let us know what you are looking for.
Product Cost Analysis
ICS is committed to assisting our clients in meeting their budgetary goals and objectives. One tool that can be of great value is completing Product Cost analysis on product recommendations. Identifying the Return On Investment, whether it be for cleaning equipment or the evolution to micro fiber, is a critical step in providing objective documentation of product enhancements. Some examples of Product Cost Analysis include:
- Controlled Dispensing of Roll Towels versus C-fold or Multi-fold towels
- Dispensed concentrated chemical as compared to ready-to-use quarts or aerosols
- All Cleaning Equipment applications including daily floor scrubbing without the use of any chemicals, (link to EC scrubber)
- Entryway mat rentals versus owning a higher quality of matting
- Green Chemicals versus traditional chemicals
By clicking on the “Contact Us” link and telling us what your issue is, an ICS Representative will contact you to gather the pertinent information and conduct the Cost Analysis.
In-Service Training
Now more than ever, the role of the cleaning person has greater visibility. This has happened for a variety of reasons whether because of the green movement or generally more concern about what happens in the built environment. Professional and efficient cleaning is now much more than just mopping and sweeping. What is built environment?
ICS has a long history of assisting our clients with quality training programs, whether one-on-one or in larger groups. We’ve conducted numerous sessions on-site at customer locations, in our Training Center in Waterford and/or at various Manufacturer’s Training Centers.
In-service training or skills enhancement can play an important role in helping you meet your department goals and objectives. ICS will work with you to design a program that is customized to your current needs.
In addition, ICS is working with MSBO to develop a “certification” program for school custodians. M.J. Healy, our Director of Account Services, has been invited to participate with a group in developing the curriculum for and implementing a program to recognize the skills required in our school cleaning programs.
Sample agendas for a variety on programs are available by clicking “Contact Us” and requesting the information you would like to review.
Cleaning Equipment Programs
It is a well known fact that the right machine in the right application can have a significant effect on productivity, efficiency and building appearance. At ICS, we offer a wide variety of programs to help with your equipment needs.
This all starts with having the largest equipment Service Center in Southeast Michigan. ICS is an authorized Service Center for 30 different machine manufacturers. We stock parts, of course, but more importantly we order parts daily from a wide range of vendors. Our goal is to have your machine completely repaired and back to you as quickly as possible.
While our Service Center is a key element in our equipment support system, we can offer many other programs to assist you. The programs we offer are:
- New Machine Sales – our primary vendors are Tennant / Nobles, Windsor, TomCat, U.S. Products extractors, Karcher pressure washers and ProTeam back packs.
- Used Machine Sales – when budgets are tight we can very often offer a good quality used machine to fit a specific need.
- Rentals – we have a complete inventory of rental machines when the need arises, whether an emergency clean up that needs additional units or a scheduled event to be more productive by having an extra machine or two to use.
- No-Charge Loaners – ICS pioneered the no-charge loaner program over 20 years ago. If you buy a new machine from ICS or you have established an equipment program with us, we will provide you with a no-charge loaner should your machine have to come into our Service Center for repair.
- Leasing Programs – In these days of tight capital budgets, leasing may be the best alternative to reach your efficiency goals. We can offer both local and national leasing programs with competitive rates and flexible plans. Plus you can build in a Planned Maintenance program to insure a minimum of downtime. minimum downtime.
- Equipment In-Services – We understand that you can do a lot of the basic maintenance on your machines. We have several in-service agendas for helping your staff to properly trouble shoot and repair your current fleet.
- Planned Maintenance Programs – Keeping your fleet running can be an issue. We offer a variety of Planned Maintenance Programs to insure that your machines are operating properly when you need them and that you receive the maximum Return-On-Investment in your equipment purchases.
If you would like more information on any of these programs, just click on “Contact Us” and tell us what you would like more information on. Also, feel free to visit our Service Center and see for yourself what we can do for you.
Benchmark Cleaning Procedures
A significant part of reaching your productivity and efficiency goals is consistency of performance across all members of your staff. ICS can assist you with developing and implementing a process of benchmarking your primary procedures, such as Daily Rest Room Cleaning. This process begins with a review of best practices for each task, identifying the proper tools to match the task and then creating a written Benchmark Procedure.
Once the Benchmark Procedure or Procedures are completed, ICS will further assist by helping the implementation process with all necessary in-services. This helps to insure that all staff are properly informed.
In addition, this process is a key element in implementing any kind of quality control or inspection program. Once staff have been in-serviced on the proper procedures, inspections will be more consistent over time.
Facility Management Software
ICS has access to a variety of software systems for facility management. From basic ISSA programs that show tasks and times to a full blown system from Spartan Chemical Co called CompuClean, we can assist in upgrading the documentation of what you are cleaning day in and day out.
CompuClean, for example, would allow you to identify the key information about every space in your building(s) and then use that information for critical information and reporting. ICS is very practiced in how to start the process, input the data and how to use the data going forward.
