Case Study: Blue Cross Blue Shield Enhances Facility Cleanliness

The Budd Group Helps Blue Cross Blue Shield Solve Janitorial Challenges

The Problem

Blue Cross Blue Shield’s Chattanooga facility faced several challenges that made janitorial services difficult to manage effectively. The building’s size, coupled with extensive carpeting, required frequent cleaning that had to be performed in a cost-efficient way. Also, as the facility’s lights automatically shut off at 7 p.m., this left a narrow window for cleaning crews to operate. On top of these limitations, previous service providers struggled with staffing, resulting in lapses in reliability and service quality.

“We have a large facility with a lot of carpet, and getting that done in an affordable manner was an issue,” said Whitney Walker, Building Operations and Sustainability Analyst, Blue Cross Blue Shield. “Our lights also go off at 7 p.m., which makes it difficult to work around staff schedules.”

Blue Cross Blue Shield’s Chattanooga facility faced several challenges that made janitorial services difficult to manage effectively.

Our Solution

The Budd Group took a proactive and innovative approach to overcome these issues. Robotic vacuums were introduced to handle the large, carpeted areas during the late afternoon hours, allowing essential cleaning tasks to be completed despite the facility’s lighting restrictions.

“The robotic vacuums have helped quite a bit,” Walker said. “They handle the aisleways and general areas really well and free up people to work on other cleaning tasks.”

The Budd Group management took a hands-on role, with leaders personally visiting the site to ensure the highest standards were met. They also adopted a proactive communications strategy, meeting with Blue Cross Blue Shield staff ahead of changes to anticipate cleaning needs and prevent issues before they occurred.

In addition, The Budd Group strengthened staffing practices by quickly addressing performance concerns and replacing underperforming employees with higher-quality team members to ensure consistent results.

“Management is phenomenal,” Walker said. “They are very responsive and want to get to the bottom of any issues that arise quickly.”

The Results

Key benefits delivered:

Greater efficiency with robotics: Large areas are cleaned more consistently without additional staffing requirements.
Higher service responsiveness: When issues arise, management acts quickly to resolve problems.
Improved staffing quality: Lower employee turnover rates have led to stronger on-site performance and cleaner facilities.
Proactive problem prevention: Regular communication ensures potential issues are addressed before they become complaints.