Founded in 1983, Team Clean, Inc. is a commercial, janitorial services company in Philadelphia. Due mainly to the service focus and vision of its founder/president/CEO—Donna L. Allie, PhD.—the company enjoyed huge growth during its first two decades. By 1999, it was the fourth-largest, woman-owned business in Philadelphia, and the Wharton Small Business Development Center identified it as one of the fastest-growing, small businesses in that metropolitan area.
Donna obtained her BA in Sociology but was unable to fulfil the dream of working in her chosen field. As a single mother who needed to provide for her child and herself, Donna discovered the potential of cleaning houses on Philadelphia’s Main Line by answering newspaper advertisements for that service. She then developed the business by hiring and training women and sending them in pairs to clean houses. With a strong emphasis on quality and reliability, Team Clean’s reputation grew and, in 1985, the company signed its first contract for commercial cleaning.
As an inspiring and engaging leader, the social mission of the company is front and center in Donna’s vision. Upon meeting her, one gets the impression that she will never forget how difficult her early days were, and she wants to do everything she can to help others overcome obstacles and realize their dreams.
Once, after a long shift cleaning a stadium, Donna gave a ride to an employee who carried a bag, which she assumed was leftover garbage. When Donna told the employee to leave the bag in the dumpster, the employee said that it wasn’t trash—she was taking it home for her family. Perhaps the ever-present reminder that one person’s trash is another person’s treasure is the main reason why Donna keeps her focus on quality and reliability of service. As driving forces which support the realization of that vision, they were the words that enabled the corporate picture.
Team Clean is a member of ISSA – The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association.
Team Clean is a Certified as a women’s business enterprise by WBENC – the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council.
Team Clean is a Certified as a minority enterprise by the National Minority Supplier Development Council.
Over the last two decades, both Team Clean and founder Donna Allie have received numerous awards recognizing the business achievements as well as community involvement.
In December 2016, Donna was honored by the Philadelphia Business Journal as a “Change Driver” as part of the 2016 Most Admired CEO Awards. She had previously been one of the inaugural recipients of the Most Admired CEO Awards in 2014. The Philadelphia Business Journal has also recognized Donna with other significant awards, selecting her as one of the inaugural Minority Business Leaders in 2009, and as one of the region’s Women of Distinction in conjunction with the National Association of Women Business Owners in 2008.
Donna received an Honorary Doctorate in Philosophy in 2013 from Harcum College when she was the featured commencement speaker. She was honored with the Ernst & Young Social Entrepreneur Award in 2013. Also in 2013, Donna was honored with the Brighter Futures Award for hiring and mentoring employees with intellectual disabilities, presented during the 21st annual MyCity, MyPlace Brighter Futures Awards celebration which was sponsored by the Philadelphia Dept. of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services.
The Main Line Chamber of Commerce honored Donna with the Helena Devereux Woman of the Year Award in 2012. Donna was the recipient of the Breaking the Glass Ceiling Spectrum Award from the Philadelphia chapter of the American Red Cross in 2010. Also in 2010, Smart CEO Magazine honored Donna as one of the recipients of the inaugural Brava Award for Women in Business.
In 2009, The Cradle of Liberty Council, Boy Scouts of America honored Donna with the Whitney M. Young Service Award. She has been recognized twice as one of Philadelphia’s Most Influential African American Leaders by the Philadelphia Tribune, the nation’s oldest African-American newspaper organization. In 2007, Donna was honored by the Philadelphia Phillies (Major League Baseball) with the inaugural Most Valuable Diverse Business Partner Award during ceremonies on Jackie Robinson Day at Citizens Bank Park.
The Business Center at New Covenant Campus honored Donna in 2006 with their Harriet Tubman Trailblazer Award. Also, that year, Donna received the 62nd National Freedom Day Association’s Community Service Award, the City of Philadelphia’s Supply, Service, and Equipment Award, and the Main Line Martin Luther King Jr. Association’s Business Leadership Award.
In 2001, Donna was selected by the U. S. Small Business Administration as the District Minority Small Business Person of the Year. Donna was named one of Pennsylvania’s 50 Best Women in Business in 1997. In 1995, she received the Business Acumen Award from the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women. Donna was honored in 1994 by the African American Chamber of Commerce with the Entrepreneurial Spirit Award.
Team Clean was honored with the Smart CEO Corporate Culture Award in 2015.
In 2014, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett recognized Team Clean with the Governor’s ImPAct Award as one of 50 outstanding Pennsylvania companies creating jobs, developing ideas, reaching new markets and making positive contributions in local communities.
Team Clean received the Urban League of Philadelphia Spirit of Innovation Award in 2011. In 2010, Team Clean was selected by Inc. Magazine to their fourth annual Inc. 5000, an exclusive ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. Also In 2010, Team Clean was presented with the 2010 Minority Enterprise Development Week Award at the 26th Annual Minority Enterprise Development Week awards reception.
Team Clean received the Special Recognition Award for Excellence of Service from the Pennsylvania Convention Center in 1997. Beginning in 1996, Team Clean has often been selected as one of Philadelphia’s 100 Fastest Growing Small Businesses as selected by the Philadelphia Business Journal and the Wharton Small Business Development Center.
Team Clean ownership and management is directly involved in the day-to-day operations of the company, making it easier to resolve issues and initiate new programs and processes rapidly—without the usual delays experienced by large firms.
To underscore this direct involvement of ownership and management, all sales, operations, and quality assurance functions reside in house. These functions are spearheaded by the president, Donna Allie, and her talented, support staff.
Because Team Clean is committed to providing quality services with quick response, each facility is operated by a project manager whose number-one priority is to provide the best possible service to the facility. Our knowledge and experience, augmented with an intense desire to build a quality company with an outstanding reputation, is the bedrock upon which our success is measured.
Team Clean’s organizational structure is designed to provide customers with maximum value, consistent high-quality service, and to make optimum use of our management talent. Team Clean employs specially trained and supervised teams dedicated to each of the five specialized market segments:
Team Clean places a great emphasis on on-site leadership (project managers) and team-based performance, complemented with a regional operations manager. The project manager at each client location performs multiple tasks daily to ensure compliance with the client’s scope of work. Moreover, this individual plays a valuable role in establishing (and maintaining) good client relations, which creates and fosters a bond dedicated to achieving mutual objectives.
The operations manager ensures that we are meeting your needs, while maintaining Team Clean quality standards. This manager is required to have excellent technical knowledge and strong team leadership skills. The operations manager performs monthly inspections and is a critical liaison between service employees, Team Clean management, and the facility manager.
At Team Clean, we understand that quality service is achieved by exceeding our client’s expectations every day.
Our goal is total customer satisfaction and continuous improvement. To do this, we must clearly define what you expect from us, develop specific cleanliness standards by which our employees will perform and measure the results. These standards will be clear, concise, and measurable in order to allow us to track our performance against your service requirements.
Regular inspections are a vital part of quality control and are designed around your requirements. We jointly establish parameters for each cleaning area during our initial service installation. An evaluation of the condition of the facility, along with baseline quality objectives, are specified at the outset. These objectives become the benchmark for all future inspections for each individual area.
Receive a complimentary price quote for cleaning services that will fit your needs and your budget
All of us at Team Clean are dedicated to delivering impeccable service to our customers at all times. You can reach us in three ways: By phone, at 267-514-8326 – By e-mail, at info@team-clean.com, or through our website. Our goal is responsive, reliable service at your call.
Team Clean’s headquarters at the Philadelphia Navy Yard are open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
