Systems Matter with AJ Davis | Custodial Operations, Training & Floor Care

In this episode of the Facility Focus Podcast, I sit down with AJ Davis, a custodial operations leader and facilities consultant based in Oregon. He oversees custodial operations across 24-plus sites and a 46-member team for Greater Albany Public Schools and runs AJD Consulting LLC, helping facilities and janitorial companies build leaner, cleaner operations.

A must-listen for facility managers, building service contractors, and cleaning company owners who want to know what separates an average operation from a great one and why AJ's answer always comes back to systems.

In this episode, we cover:

00:00 - From a Job with Benefits to 24 Sites & 46 Staff

02:24 - What Running a District Really Looks Like: "Exhausting"

04:15 - Training from Scratch: Even How to Tie a Trash Bag

05:48 - Call-Offs & the Staffing Partner That Keeps Buildings Covered

06:23 - Why Onboarding Is the Game-Changer (the 50-Page Playbook)

08:06 - The #1 Onboarding Mistake: No System

09:28 - Borrowing MTSS from the Classroom for Custodial Training

11:26 - Inventory, Restocking & Hunting for Better Prices

13:36 - Building Trust and Getting Ahead of the Glove Shortage

15:33 - Accountability Without Micromanaging

17:29 - "Why Are You Sorry?" Leading Time-Off with Compassion

19:07 - Professional Development: Why Once-a-Year Training Is a Joke

20:00 - Equipment That Pays for Itself: Square Scrub & the Clarke Boost

22:14 - The Tennant iMop and Where NOT to Use It

23:29 - From 5 Carpet Machines to 25: Selling the "Why"

24:29 - The Machine Everyone Neglects: Auto-Scrubber Maintenance

26:42 - Floor Care: Polished Concrete, VCT & the Asbestos-Tile Problem

28:35 - A Hospital Trick for Dust: TrapEze

30:17 - The Never-Strip Debate & Prep That Makes or Breaks a Floor

32:52 - Summer Scrub-and-Recoats vs. In-Between Buffing

34:30 - Walking Into the Budget Meeting: Leading with the "Why"

36:45 - The Annual Equipment Overhaul: Asset Tags & Etching

37:38 - Keeping a Team Motivated (Costco Pizza Included)

39:35 - Advice for New Custodial Leaders: "Breathe"

40:13 - The Power of Staying Positive

41:40 - Rapid Fire: Milwaukee, Wet Vacs & Coffee

44:57 - What He Notices Walking Into Any Building

About the Guest:

AJD Consulting LLC: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ajd-consulting-llc/

Andrew Davis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-davis-49255583/

Presented by: New Standard Cleaning New Standard Cleaning provides commercial janitorial services to the Chicagoland area, specializing in after-hours cleaning programs for facilities across a wide range of industries. Their mission is to safeguard health and elevate the image of every space through customized cleaning programs and consistent service.

Learn more: www.newstandardcleaning.com

Connect with us: https://www.linkedin.com/company/facility-focus-podcast