This interview is with Mr Danny Steele, Director, SM Cleaning | London Commercial Cleaning.
To start, for readers meeting you on Featured, how do you describe your role as Director and the scope of commercial cleaning services your local teams deliver across London?
As Director of SM Cleaning & Support Services, I take a very hands-on approach to the business. I am actively involved in our day-to-day operations, working closely with both our clients and our teams to ensure we consistently deliver the highest standards.
What we pride ourselves on is quality, clear communication, and accountability. Those are the foundations of everything we do, and they set us apart in a competitive London market.
Across London, our local teams deliver a full range of commercial cleaning and specialist services, all carried out in-house. This includes:
- window cleaning
- daily commercial cleaning
- pressure washing
- rope access works
- builders cleans
- floor cleaning
- carpet cleaning
By keeping everything in-house, we maintain full control over quality and service delivery, ensuring our clients receive a consistent, reliable service every time.
Looking back, what key moments shaped your approach to service management and building teams that hit consistent standards?
One of the key moments that shaped my approach was when we transitioned from being purely a window cleaning company into a full-service provider delivering everything in-house.
That shift changed everything for us. It gave us full control over service delivery, management standards, and ultimately the quality our clients receive. We were no longer relying on third parties, which meant we could take complete ownership from start to finish.
It also allowed us to build a proper management structure, with clear accountability at every level. Everyone knows their role, what is expected of them, and the standards they need to meet.
Alongside that, we have always placed a strong focus on clear and honest communication, backed up by consistent reporting. Clients want transparency, and by providing that, it builds trust and long-term relationships.
That combination of control, structure, and communication is what has enabled us to deliver consistent standards across all of our sites.
Building on that, what convinced you to choose an all in-house, no-subcontractor model for your operation?
What convinced us was the opportunity we saw in the London market. Too many companies outsource large parts of their service delivery, which often leads to inconsistency, lack of control, and blurred accountability.
We wanted to be different. From early on, we made a conscious decision to bring services in-house and build a true self-delivered model.
That allows us to offer our clients a genuine one-stop service provider, with a single point of contact and full accountability across everything we do. There is no passing of responsibility between subcontractors, no gaps in communication, and no compromise on standards.
It also means we can train our teams properly, instill our values, and maintain consistency across every site. In our industry, that level of control is what makes the difference between an average service and a reliable, high-quality one.
To make that model work day to day, how do you hire and onboard cleaners for that “take responsibility” mindset you value?
It starts with hiring for attitude, not just experience. We look for people who take pride in their work and are willing to take responsibility.
Our onboarding is hands-on and structured. We show new starters exactly what good looks like and set clear expectations around quality, communication, and accountability from day one.
We then back that up with strong supervision and regular audits to keep standards consistent. It is about building a culture where doing things properly is the norm, not the exception.
Once teams are in place, what single practice in your quality system has most improved week-to-week consistency?
The biggest improvement has come from consistent auditing and reporting.
Having a structured system where sites are checked regularly, with clear reporting and feedback, keeps everyone accountable and focused on standards week in and week out. It is not a one-off check; it is a routine.
It also allows us to pick up issues early, act quickly, and keep communication clear with both our teams and our clients.
That consistency in auditing and reporting is what drives consistent performance across all sites.
On sustainability, how do you evaluate and standardize cleaning products and methods so they’re both effective and genuinely eco-conscious?
For us, sustainability has to work in the real world, not just on paper.
We evaluate products based on three criteria: performance, environmental impact, and safety for our teams and clients. There is no point in using an eco-friendly product if it does not meet the required standards.
We work closely with our suppliers to select approved products. Once something is signed off, we standardize it across the business. That means implementing the same methods, the same dilution ratios, and the same processes on every site.
Training is key as well. Our teams are shown how to use products correctly to avoid overuse and waste, which is where much of the environmental impact comes from.
By controlling what we use, how we use it, and how it is monitored on site, we can ensure our approach is both effective and genuinely environmentally responsible.
Turning to client onboarding, what does your first-90-days playbook look like from discovery to site setup to service stabilization?
Our first 90 days are all about setting the standard early and ensuring there are no surprises.
It starts with a detailed discovery phase, during which we understand the site, client expectations, pain points, and agree on clear KPIs and scope. We make sure everything is documented properly from day one.
From there, we move into mobilization. This includes site setup, onboarding staff, uniforms, equipment, RAMS, and establishing our reporting systems so the client has full visibility from the start.
Once the service begins, the focus is on stabilization. We increase management presence, carry out regular audits, and maintain close communication with the client to ensure everything is running as it should.
By the end of the 90 days, the service should be consistent, the team fully embedded, and the client confident that everything is under control.
When things go off-plan, how does your local-team structure enable faster recovery within the first 24 hours?
When things go off plan, speed and visibility are everything.
We operate with a 24-hour helpdesk, so issues are picked up immediately and are not left unresolved. From there, our local managers take ownership, attend the site when needed, and provide real-time updates with photos so we can see exactly what is happening on the ground.
Because our teams are local and structured properly, we can react quickly, deploy additional support if required, and resolve issues within the first 24 hours.
It comes back to accountability. Everyone knows who is responsible, and there is no delay in action or communication. That is what allows us to recover quickly and maintain client confidence.
For facilities leaders choosing a provider, what due-diligence step most reliably verifies a promise of consistent standards without subcontractors?
The most reliable step is to ask for proof of delivery, not just promises.
That means reviewing real audit reports, site inspections, and live reporting from existing contracts, not polished case studies. Ask to see how standards are measured week to week and how issues are tracked and resolved.
I would also recommend visiting a live site and speaking directly to the on-site team. That will quickly show whether the service is truly self-delivered or reliant on subcontractors.
Finally, look at the structure behind the service: who manages it, how often they are on site, and how accountability is set up. If that is clear and consistent, the standards will be too.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise. Is there anything else you'd like to add?
For me, it always comes back to doing the basics properly and doing them consistently.
In this industry, there are no shortcuts. Standards are built through strong teams, clear processes, and honest communication with clients. If you get those right, the results follow.
We have built our business on being accountable, being present, and taking ownership of the service we deliver. That is what gives clients confidence and creates long-term partnerships.