In case you missed it yesterday, our President, Shirley Perlinsky, was featured in The Courier and Home News newspapers. The article, written by Christina LoBrutto, is below.
Not your average cleaning lady–S&G Cleaning Services is committed to excellence
Written by
Christina LoBrutto
Editorial Intern
HILLSBOROUGH — Cleaning has been an integral part of S&G Cleaning Services owner Shirley Perlinsky’s life for as long as she can remember.The native of Brazil says her grandmother was her inspiration.
“When I was a child, growing up in a very modest neighborhood in Brazil, my grandmother lived with us,” Perlinsky writes on her company website. “Never one to sit idle and watch the world go by, it seemed as though she was always busy and that usually involved cleaning something. Whether it was the floors, the windows or the kitchen counters, no stain or speck of dirt ever escaped her attention. Cleaning was her passion and she made sure to communicate that to the younger members of the family.”
Perlinsky studied marketing and advertising in Brazil and ran a marketing research company for 10 years before moving to the United States, where she took over her mother’s cleaning company. She used her marketing background to expand the business.
“She gave me a notebook with all the clients’ names in it, and I was shocked that there was no technology in the cleaning business in this area, or at least at that moment when I was starting out,” Perlinsky said. “That’s when I used my marketing experience to grow the business to a point where I could get the money to put technology into the business. We now have five computers running the business with maid service software. Our cars are equipped with GPS tracking systems to know exactly where the crew is at any given moment.”
S&G is not your typical cleaning lady. Employees are thoroughly screened and trained with videos, manuals and hands-on instruction. They also receive bonuses for exceptional service.
Perlinsky said that the happiness of S&G employees is a core value of the business.
“We are very focused on our employees,” she said. “When you treat your employees well, they will treat their clients the same way.”
S&G also prides itself on its use of environmentally safe cleaning products.
When Hurricane Irene struck in August 2011, the offices of S&G Cleaning Services suffered major damage. As a result, the company moved to its current Hillsborough location. In addition, the storm inspired S&G to become certified in water damage cleanup, in order to help other victims of flooding.
For more than 30 years, Perlinsky said, she has dedicated her business to providing excellent cleaning services and also giving back to the community. S&G Cleaning Services is a major participant in Cleaning for Heroes, a nonprofit organization that provides free cleaning services to disabled and elderly veterans and retirees of local police and fire departments. The company is also involved with a similar group called Cleaning for a Reason, which provides cleaning services to women with cancer.
S&G’s services include home and office cleaning, window cleaning and carpet cleaning. The company serves clients throughout Somerset, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Morris and Union Counties. Perlinsky runs the business with her husband Gary.
–doreen
