Is your store’s cleanliness really important to your customers? If you’re thinking about your answer, don’t. The answer is yes, of course! If you are the owner of a business in which customers come inside, then the cleanliness of your facility is crucial. When someone comes to your store, restaurant, or business, and is greeted by smeared windows, a grimy entryway, sticky floors, and cobwebs in dusty corners, they are not likely to return. According to Consumer Reports, a dirty story turns customers away. And if you check online review sites, you’ll see that the top rated stores in every industry are those which are clean.
Genuine Clean
Cleanliness is key to your business success. It has to really clean, not just give the appearance of clean. And yes, this does also include the areas into which customers are not allowed. Today’s consumers are a smart bunch, and nearly everyone of them has seen those shows where cameras take them behind the scenes in retail establishments to get the “real dirt.” So, the question is, just how do you convince your customers that your store is genuinely clean? Here’s how.
- Clean Walkways Outside the Store – What your customers see as they approach your business is important. They don’t want to see a parking lot strewn with trash and debris. They expect clean walkways, stairways, and sidewalks. Clean walkways mean walkways without trash, debris, fallen leaves, stains, etc. Power washing regularly can provide the needed solution.
- An Immaculate Entrance – Your entrance should be pristine, from the windows to the floor. To customers, a spotless entryway means no trash – bottlecaps, paper, cigarette butts, gum, wrappers, etc. – and no stains. Your faultless entryway signals to your customers that you care about cleanliness and clean your store, inside and out, frequently.
- A Gleaming, Spotless Floor – Your sparkling floors immediately make customers believe your entire store is clean. A sticky, scuffed, or dirty floor gives the opposite impression making them wonder if any part of your store is clean, including your merchandise.
- Trash Cans, Shopping Carts, and Recycling Bins – While you may not think these items matter, to your shoppers, the cleanliness of your trash cans, shopping carts, recycling bins, shopping baskets, hand wipes, and hand sanitizer container indicate your commitment to cleanliness. Their cleanliness also shows you care about your customers as each of these items can harbor bacteria and germs easily spread among your shoppers.
- Flawlessly Clean Restrooms – The cleanliness of your restrooms is key to your customers coming back to your store. Studies have shown that the majority of customers (75 percent or more) will never return to a store with a dirty, smelly restroom. Your restrooms should be bright, obviously clean with a fresh scent and well-stocked with toilet paper and paper towels. Overflowing trashcans and backed-up toilets are a supreme no-no for your restrooms.
- Spills Be Gone – All customers expect spills and stains to be handled promptly, within minutes of the causal incident. Your team members should constantly monitor and attend to spills quickly or be prepared to lose customers.
The Cleanliness and Safety Correlation
The cleanliness of your store keeps your customers happy, but it also keeps the safe, and in turn, you free from liability. If a customer is injured shopping in your store, and you are found negligent, you will be held liable. You are responsible to ensure your property does not pose any risk to your customers’ (or your employees’) health and safety. Trash, spills, and unkempt merchandise are often the cause of injuries in a retail store.
You Need A Quality Commercial Cleaning Service
To ensure the cleanliness and safety of your store, investing a quality commercial cleaning services is a good investment. Reach out to the team at Tidy Team Cleaning Services and get a quote on the services you need to keep your store spotless and safe for your customers and employees.