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Like any consumer, commercial cleaning clients want certain things from their cleaning contractors. Discovering what those are can help put your business at the front of the line and retain customers.

No matter what business you’re in, clients have different needs. That’s probably why you’re providing them a service in the first place. But not all clients are forthcoming with the nuances of those needs. Commercial cleaning clients want cleaners who attend to the little things, cleaners who genuinely care about the work they’re doing, and of course, a fair price.

Part of winning new business and retaining clients is understanding what the client wants or needs and solving that issue for them. But you can’t expect a client to come to you with everything that’s on their mind. Though they’re paying for a service, they may not mention certain things for one reason or another, which can start to eat away at someone and make them consider changing services.

Apart from being great cleaners, here are some things that commercial cleaning clients wish you knew.


Boost your business and win new clients with Janitorial Manager. Schedule a free demo today to find out more about all of the great features!


Commercial Cleaning Clients

The 5 expectations your commercial cleaning clients have – and how you can fulfill them

1. They expect you to know how to establish a relationship.

People who hire commercial cleaners may seem hurried or unconcerned about the services your business provides (as long as you’re doing a good job). However, the truth is that many commercial cleaning clients want to get to know their cleaning company. That doesn’t mean everyone has to go out for lunch or happy hour, but it does mean that regular check-ins can establish a relationship with your clients and build trust. The more a client knows about you and your business, the more likely they are to open up to you about what they want.

An established relationship can also help with customer retention. Build this relationship by asking a lot of questions, listening carefully to the answers, and offering solutions for whatever problem a client needs to solve. This process starts the moment you make contact with the client, even before the bid. Business is business, but that doesn’t mean it has to be impersonal.

2. They expect you to know how to develop a concrete plan.

Commercial cleaning clients want to see a complete, strategic plan for tackling their cleaning needs. If your proposal is shoddy or missing information, you look less professional, and that tells the client you may not be very thorough. After collecting what information you can about the client and doing a walkthrough of the job site, compile a detailed list of their needs and the solutions you can offer them.

Something that can help you with this is custodial management software like Janitorial Manager. Keep track of client needs, job quality, and more with technology that helps you attend to all of your customers and their unique needs. They may not say so, but your clients will almost certainly be impressed, and they’ll appreciate that you’re using the sophisticated tools available today.

3. They’ll want to know others’ perceptions

Word of mouth is still one of the most effective ways to win new business. Commercial cleaning clients will likely do their research on your company and may even ask for references. For this reason, your business must have a good reputation in the industry. If there are incidents in the company’s past, bring them up before a client asks to show that you’ve got nothing to hide. Explain the situation and how you rectified it, and that can help assuage any concerns a client might have.

Though a client will likely do an internet search for your business to see customer satisfaction ratings, etc., it doesn’t hurt to have a few past clients who are willing to give you a good reference. Hash that out with them first, then when you’re pitching for new business, offer up the recommendations for the prospective client to contact. They’ll appreciate the gesture and also that you didn’t put them in the sometimes-awkward situation of asking.

4. They’re looking for the best price

This one should go without saying, but commercial cleaning clients are always on the lookout for the best price for the work they need done. You know how much profit you need to make in a given quarter, but based on that, evaluate your pricing to see if you can make it more competitive. Don’t undervalue your work, though. It’s better to compete on value than on price. Just plant to explain your pricing to a potential customer. If you’re more on the expensive side, be prepared to tell them why. Maybe you only use green cleaning products. Or perhaps you offer some standard services that would be add-ons somewhere else, like window cleaning.

Whatever your price is, share the reasons with the client, so they know exactly what they’re paying for. They’ll appreciate the transparency and concern for their expenses. For long-time customers, you may even consider occasional discounts or service upgrades for free to show your appreciation and keep them happy.

5. They want you to go above and beyond

All consumers want the best out of their vendors, but people who book commercial cleaning services especially want to see a company that goes above and beyond the standard job. Wipe down trash bins instead of just emptying them. Clean out the company fridge and clean the shelves while it’s empty. Put air fresheners in the bathrooms. Little things like this can make a huge difference in how commercial cleaning clients perceive your business and the effort you put into it.

In addition, many clients want to know that your employees are trained properly, you maintain quality control procedures, you perform background checks on your employees, and so on. Individually, these things may not seem to matter much, but collectively they can be the difference between landing a job or searching for other clients. Take the time and effort to make your cleaning business as professional as possible and find ways to boast this to clients. They’ll appreciate knowing they’ve hired a team that has everyone’s best interests at heart.


Show clients that you take your business seriously by using Janitorial Manager to manage jobs from start to finish from your mobile device. Contact us today for a free demo!


 

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