5 Creative Ways to Use QR Codes in Professional Cleaning

Stand out from the competition by discovering 5 creative ways to use QR codes in your commercial cleaning business.

It’s not hard to find QR codes if you look around a little. They’re on food packaging, restaurant signs, seed packets for plants, flyers for festivals and events, marathon announcements, and so much more. We’ve even written about QR codes here on our blog. So if you’re trying to market your business, there’s no shortage of creative ways to use QR codes. 

But outside of marketing, is there any benefit to using these computer-generated codes? What can QR codes do to help your commercial cleaning business operate more effectively? Let’s start with a quick review.

What are QR codes?

QR codes are the more advanced versions of bar codes. They are patterns usually in a square shape, though they are sometimes circular, that many smartphone cameras can read and direct you to a website, video, map, or other information. 

For commercial cleaners and their customers, QR codes like those we use in our Scan4Clean program can provide information on when a room was last cleaned or allow the public to rate a room’s cleanliness. They can help your team, as well, since these codes may also act as a checklist. Then anyone on your team knows what to do in any room they enter. 

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Learn how QR Codes from Janitorial Manager can increase client retention and even attract new customers! Schedule a free discovery call and find out how.

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5 Creative ways to use QR codes for your commercial cleaning operations

Again, there are numerous creative ways to use QR codes for marketing purposes. They’re usually black and white, but they can be multi-colored or colored in specific patterns to match your company’s colors. You can often add a small business logo in the center of the codes, as well. 

In fact, they’re easy enough to make that there’s no reason not to give them a try. Here’s one from The QR Code Generator that didn’t require anything more than entering a website address and selecting from five automatically-generated codes. You don’t even need to sign in for this.

Making them is also easy, and it is equally easy to use them in your commercial cleaning operations. Here are some creative ways to use QR codes to help your cleaning business run more effectively. 

1. Use QR Codes for Cleaning Checklists: With programs like Janitorial Manager’s Scan4Clean, your team is fully prepared with task checklists for each room they enter. 

2. Equipment Maintenance: One of the creative ways to use QR codes in your business is to have them link directly to a maintenance checklist for your equipment. Add a QR code sticker to any of the tools or equipment in your possession, so that your team knows exactly how to service equipment. This will prevent equipment neglect and can increase it’s overall lifespan.

3. Instructions for Using Cleaning Solutions: Unless you have an automatic dosing system or purchase ready-to-use products, you can easily get the proportions wrong when you mix your cleaning chemicals. A QR code can take your team directly to instructions on how to mix each individual product. 

4. Chemical Warnings: Similar to the instructions for cleaning solutions, another of the creative ways to use QR codes is to direct them to warnings for any chemical cleaning products so that your team is protected.

5. Supply Requests: Anything that can be done to increase client retention rates should be done. Take supplies for example. Paper towels and soap can run out from time to time, but what’s important is that supplies get replenished in a timely manner. With QR codes, the public can scan a QR code which then alerts cleaning teams that supplies need refilled. These alerts ensure that BSCs have the foresight they need to fulfill the request before it becomes a lingering issue.

3 Best practices for QR codes

As you’re exploring creative ways to use QR codes either in business marketing or integrated into your operations, there are a few best practices to follow. 

1. Provide a reason for people to scan the QR code: A lonely QR code just sitting there probably won’t get much attention. Instead, add a short call-to-action alongside the code. For example, ‘Scan to view step-by-step checklists’ or for the public, ‘scan to rate this room’s cleanliness.’ Let people know what they get out of scanning your code. 

2. Add Your Logo: Increase your company’s recognition with Branded QR Codes. This is a simple technique to advertise your cleaning business in the locations you service. You just never know who may see it and decide to contact you!

3. Test Your QR Code: After you print your QR Code, test it to make sure it has everything that you need to keep your operation running smooth.

And don’t forget, if this feels like a lot, you don’t need to tackle everything at once. For example, the Scan4Clean QR Codes can be automatically generated and linked to your janitorial management software. Or just try making a code or two on one of the free sites. It’s as easy as copying and pasting.