CAPABILITIES

Nichols Has More to Offer

Our strong commitment to providing you with the knowledge,
innovation and excellence you need to be successful results in a
wide array of outstanding programs and services like:

  • Operational Excellence
  • NETWORK (Services for multiple or nationwide locations)
  • Janitorial and Packaging Training and Support
  • Vendor Managed Inventory
  • e-Business Solutions (On-line Ordering, Electronic Invoicing, EDI)
  • Packaging and Janitorial Equipment Sales and Service
  • Custodial Staffing Strategy and Assessment
  • Environmental Support
  • On-Staff, Industry-Specific Technical Support
  • Continuous Quality Improvement (NQS, Lean and Business Reviews)
  • Plus other customized programs that are relevant to your success

VENDOR MANAGED INVENTORY

Vendor Managed Inventories:

  • Allow your management and team to focus on their tasks at hand while Nichols ensures enough supplies are available for them to do their job.
  • Puts the responsibility of keeping minimum and maximum inventory levels on to the supplier.

When you purchase cleaning and packaging supplies at Nichols we will create a VMI schedule that works for your operation. Contact us at [email protected].

E-BUSINESS SOLUTIONS

Online Ordering

  • Order on your time schedule – 24 hours a day
  • Order sheets make simple ordering for repeat items
  • Track purchases and item usage history online – no waiting
  • Makes product selections easy and accurate with descriptions and images
  • Creates paperless orders and acknowledgements preserving environmental and supply resources
  • Multiple people ordering and need one approval? We’ve got it.

Nichols online ordering is designed to streamline ordering and approval procedures and expedite orders with Nichols.

Check out the online catalog and request a login. For questions or more information about online ordering you may also email [email protected].

Electronic Invoicing

As part of Nichols commitment to quality service, electronic invoicing is available. Invoices and statements may be delivered via email or fax.

  • Ensures that all invoices and statements are delivered in a timely manner
  • Creates lean operations (more efficient)
  • Conserves environmental resources

Questions can be directed to [email protected].

EDI/Punch Out

If you have an Electronic Data Interchange system Nichols can simplify your business with this smooth and easy ordering system.

  • Electronic Purchasing
  • Direct Invoicing

link to york

CUSTODIAL EFFECTIVENESS

Managers responsible for cleaning services are commonly asked to reduce the cost of custodial supplies and operations, or justify budgets and staffing levels. Ask yourself, “How efficient is our cleaning staff?” Nichols assists by:

  • Conducting an assessment of your cleaning program, make recommendations, assist you in establishing goals
  • Standard Operating Procedures: we can help write or revise them
  • Implementation of Lean Practices
  • Establish a training plan and provide the education and training every staff needs
  • Gathering building inventory data for your custodial staffing needs
  • Using computer software programs to reach compliance with APPA and ISSA industry standards
  • Providing reports allowing managers to effectively:
    • Determine required custodial staffing levels
    • Create efficient schedules for custodial operations
    • Determine cost and budget requirements
    • Identify the actual level of cleanliness achieved by the cleaning organization.

Depending on the level of service, additional fees may be required.  For more information about how we can help with your custodial staffing, contact us at [email protected]

PACKAGING EFFECTIVENESS

Managers responsible for production lines and shipping services are often evaluated on efficiency and damage control. Whether you are introducing a new product or have a need to take a look at your current packaging process Nichols can assist by:

  • Conducting an evaluation of your current processes, make recommendations to enhance and reduce the amount of packaging
  • Package design, prototype and testing
  • Standard Operating Procedures: we can help write or revise them
  • Implementation of Lean Practices
  • Training
  • Document cost savings
  • Provide environmental information/life-cycle analysis

Depending on the level of service, additional fees may be required. For more information about how we can help you improve your packaging and shipping processes, contact us at [email protected]

SUSTAINABILITY

Clean and Healthy Buildings: Nichols program is more than just products. It is a holistic approach to clean, healthy and productive facilities with less impact on the environment. It is about providing equitable solutions and sustainable answers to our customers. Nichols retains a sustainability specialist and is LEED EB O+M Gold certified. Our sustainability focused programming can help your business identify areas for increased savings and environmental stewardship.
The Nichols Clean and Healthy program includes:

  • Building Assessments
  • Environmentally Preferable, Sustainable Cleaning Products
  • Recycling Assistance
  • Custodial and Building Occupant Training
  • Environmental Stewardship Teams
  • Green Cleaning Policies and Strategies to meet LEED EBOM Standards (which also meets the requirements for the Green Housekeeping credit for new construction)
  • Assistance to take your team to a new level by seeking Green Seal (GS-42) or ISSA’s Cleaning Industry Management Standard for Green Buildings (CIMS-GB)
  • Establishing metrics and assist with tracking
  • Marketing: we can help write and tell your story

Safe Shipment of Your Product: For many years Nichols has provided innovation solutions to help customers reduce the amount of packaging they utilize while still ensuring it arrives safely without damage. Nichols assists by:

  • Current packaging assessment and asking a lot of questions
  • Understanding your process and needs
  • Make recommendations
  • Testing possible solutions
  • Provide environmental information on products/Life-cycle analysis of products
  • Document the cost savings
  • Training

Nichols has resources to provide: packaging engineers and a sustainability expert.
When it comes to sustainability Nichols walks the talk, we have our own internal experience to share with you when it comes to being more efficient. See our own sustainability results here.
To begin your journey to green cleaning or evaluate how you can be more sustainable when it comes to your packaging, email Nichols at [email protected].

See what Nichols has been doing to be a more sustainable company.

EQUIPMENT SERVICE

Nichols has an Equipment Service Center that works on a full-range of custodial and packaging equipment. We have well over 25 years of experience and our factory certified technicians either travel to your facility or work on your repairs in our service centers in three of our eight locations: Grand Rapids, Waterford and Bowling Green, OH. We stock more than 2,000 service parts along with a variety of typical replacement parts like bags, belts and brushes for custodial equipment. (Read More)