Preferred Building Services

“Follow through” is the motto on which Preferred Building Services has thrived during its 25 years in existence. “We do exactly what we say we are going to do, regardless of any factors that might get in the way,” says Pete Dellanini, executive vice president for Preferred Building Services. “All you have in this business is your name and reputation.” Since 1991, the company has been a top provider of building maintenance and janitorial services throughout the state of California. Located in San Francisco, Preferred Building Services provides a multitude of services, including — but not limited to — daily janitorial, window cleaning, complete carpet care, upholstery cleaning, chemical and pressure washing, marble and granite restoration, construction clean-up and special event services.

Founded by Pete’s father, Greg Dellanini, and Robert Squeri, Preferred Building Services has been and remains a family business. It’s that family atmosphere the Dellanini feels sets his company apart from the competition. With practical experience as an asset, Preferred Building Services does not look at volume as a measure of success, but rather the quality of its performance and the relationships the company builds with its clients. “We’re a smaller, family- owned and -operated outfit and what really makes us stand out is the dedication and personal commitment of all of our employees,” says Pete. “We consider our employees members of our family and that really creates a great atmosphere within the company.”

Experience in the industry

Prior to starting Preferred Building Services, Greg and Robert had built a foundation in the industry through their own respective businesses. Squeri ran a small janitorial team for ten years called Coit Building Maintenance and before that he spent five years at one of the largest privately owned janitorial firms in the nation.

Greg began his extensive career early on in a family janitorial business owned by his father, Angelo Victor Dellanini. In 1978, he started his own successful janitorial and carpet cleaning company called West Bay Building Maintenance Inc. Greg and Robert’s companies would later merge to broaden their services and strengthen their product.

In regards to relationships, Preferred Building Services also maintains a solid network of subcontractors to utilize when needed. While the company possesses the capability to self-perform all maintenance and janitorial services, for the convenience of all parties involved, Preferred Building Services works with subcontractors based on the scope and location of the job.

 A green company

As a company that remains on top of industry trends and utilizes the latest technology, Preferred Building Services implements green cleaning solutions for all of its clients. All of Preferred Building Services’ custodians are trained in all aspects of green cleaning solutions and the company uses all Green Seal (GS)- and Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI)-rated cleaning chemicals, environmentally conscious practices and equipment designed to minimize the operation’s carbon footprint. To earn the GS or CRI rating, a product must meet environmental standards for the category as demonstrated by rigorous evaluation and testing.

In addition to the bottom line, Preferred Building Services measures company success based on feedback it receives from clientele. “When you do a $250,000 restoration job on the exterior of an office building and the owners make a special trip to see the work that you’ve done for them and they end up patting you on the back and taking you out to lunch, that’s an immeasurable measure of success,” Pete explains. “Again, it’s all about the relationships you establish.”

Over the next few years, Preferred Building Services is looking to increase its annual revenue by approximately 10 percent each year. “That would be the ultimate goal,” says Pete. “With the national minimum wage potentially being raised, to stay slightly ahead of inflation would keep us content for a while.”

With the effects of inflation already beginning to take hold, Preferred Building Services has been fortunate enough to create a win-win situation for all parties involved. By proving significant value to its customers, the company has been able adjust to inflation and not lose a single client. “We recently had two major corporations that we work for realize that we had to slightly adjust and they didn’t even bat an eye,” says Pete. “We did some slight negotiating and came to an agreement and all parties were happy. They didn’t even bid the job out.”

As a company that prides itself on integrity, the company will remain loyal to its clients and employees, who play a significant role in Preferred Building Services’ status as a household name in the building maintenance and janitorial industry.