The cleaning industry suffered during the recession, and many businesses reduced their cleaning services. The commercial and industrial cleaning industries have rebounded as the U.S. economic situation has improved steadily in recent years. A report from the International Sanitary Supply Association and the American Association of Cleaning Equipment Manufacturers shows that the U.S. economic growth in the future will continue to improve. This will provide new opportunities for the commercial and industrial cleaning industry. The global retail cleaning market is expected to reach 74.3 million by the year 2022.
These opportunities and benefits bring new challenges to the cleaning industry. Cleaning companies must continue to look for ways to stay competitive in today’s busy marketplace. Businesses in this sector will need to keep on top of industry trends and adapt to them. Still, they’ll also have to take advantage of market opportunities and address any weaknesses if they hope to thrive and grow in the future.
- Trends in the Commercial and Industrial Cleaning Industry
- Unique Market challenges and opportunities
- Workforce training issues to anticipate
- Commercial Cleaning and Sustainability
- Commercial cleaning IoT and automation
Trends in the Commercial and Industrial Cleaning Industry
Cleaning industry trends change as modern business needs and wants evolve. Commercial and industrial cleaning businesses must stay on top of industry trends and adjust their practices accordingly. We’ll give you a quick overview of some of the current industry trends and their impact on your cleaning business.
Healthier Indoor Environments
The increased concern of the public over their health is one of the biggest trends today in the industrial and commercial cleaning industry. Cleaning companies today are more concerned with creating healthier indoor environments than they were in the past. Cleaning for health is a growing trend, with cleaning professionals being held to higher standards. They are the first line of defense against viruses, infectious diseases, and other contaminants that can spread within public spaces.
Commercial cleaning companies are affected by a number of regulatory agencies, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Cleaning companies must use technologies, products, and processes that are compliant with the rules of agencies such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Improving and maintaining indoor air quality (IAQ) is a major concern when cleaning large commercial and industrial areas. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 150 million days of work are lost each year because of poor indoor air and the health problems that it can cause. It is for this reason that more industrial and commercial facilities are using environmentally friendly products. These products do not leave behind any chemical residues which can affect the air quality.
One study revealed that thorough cleaning methods, including the use of technologically advanced cleaning tools and eco-friendly cleaning products, can improve IAQ significantly in commercial and industrial buildings. The study revealed a 52% reduction in airborne dust and a 42% decrease in Volatile Organic Compounds. It also showed a 40% reduction in bacteria growth and a 61% decline in fungi colonies.
Vendor Consolidation
As the modern marketplace is a busy place, businesses of all types are seeking ways to streamline their processes and reduce costs. Many companies are looking to consolidate their vendors, which include those that provide commercial cleaning services. A single cleaning vendor can provide a company with a single point of contact and consolidated invoices. This is more convenient for the business, as well as potentially benefiting its bottom line.
Cleaning companies must provide value-added services to their industrial and commercial customers in order to keep up with the growing trend of vendor consolidation. This means that many cleaning companies will have to expand their service offerings in order to offer specializations like HVAC cleaning and carpet cleaning. To provide specialized cleaning services, companies must hire new staff or develop their existing training programs. They also need to invest in new technology to improve efficiency and quality.
Cleaning companies are expected to deliver more services with less money due to the need for value-added services and budget restrictions. To take advantage of this trend, cleaning companies in the commercial and industrial sectors need to position themselves as able to meet all their clients’ needs. Cleaning businesses must market themselves as valuable partners who can provide specialized personnel and experience that many companies cannot afford to hire on their own.
Hiring and Training Practices
Another growing trend in commercial and industrial cleaning is improved hiring and training procedures. A lack of cleaning standards can cause commercial cleaners to lose up to 55% of customers. Due to the high level of competition in the market today, businesses are more likely to switch cleaning services if they’re not satisfied. In recent years, cleaning companies have placed more emphasis on hiring and training their staff to ensure they can provide the high-quality service that customers expect.
Commercial cleaners should thoroughly screen any new hires before hiring them. Screening employees not only helps ensure that you are hiring trustworthy people, but also, many industrial and commercial facilities will only work with vendors who perform national background checks for each employee.
Cleaning companies need to ensure that they are training their staff properly to deliver high-quality services. To keep up with service schedules and prices, employees need to be taught to work quickly while working efficiently. Although this will initially cost cleaning companies time and money, the return on investment is greater when it comes to retaining customers and attracting new ones.
Unique Market challenges and opportunities
Cleaning needs are similar for all types of buildings, including retail locations, supermarkets, medical centers, and commercial and industrial ones. Cleaning companies must be aware of the unique challenges created by increasing customer expectations and increased competition. Commercial cleaning companies must also take advantage of new opportunities to grow and improve their performance.
Market Challenges
Some people believe that the challenges facing commercial and industrial cleaners today are the same as those they have always met. These challenges are not going away anytime soon. In fact, the rising expectations of consumers in today’s marketplace have made them even more difficult. Here are some of the biggest challenges that cleaning companies face and what they can do to overcome them.
LABOR
PRODUCTIVITY
BUDGET
SAFETY
Work: Finding and Keeping the Right Employees
In the cleaning industry, there has been a long-standing perception that professional cleaning does not require any special skills. This is not the case, but it does lead to a high turnover of employees in cleaning companies, particularly for highly specialized industrial and commercial applications. This negative perception may lead to applicants for vacant positions not being the right fit. Those who are the right fit may also not want to remain in their work.
The hiring, onboarding, and training of employees is a time-consuming process that requires a lot of resources. Hiring and training become more expensive the more turnover that a cleaning company experiences. The business may also suffer if it is short-staffed or has under-trained employees who do not perform to customer expectations.
The staff can make or ruin a commercial cleaning or industrial cleaning company. Cleaning companies that want to improve the quality of their employees while reducing hiring costs must learn to hire the best professionals. Cleaning companies must provide detailed, accurate job descriptions as well as perform background checks on all candidates. Cleaning companies should also develop better interview questions and communicate their expectations clearly during the interview.
Not only is it important to hire well, but you should also ensure that employee retention takes priority. Understanding how company culture affects employee satisfaction is the first step in improving employee retention. Making positive changes in the company culture and identifying areas of growth can make employees happier and more productive at work, which will lead to a lower turnover rate.
Here are a few tips on how cleaning companies can increase employee retention.
- It is important to have a formal system of recognition that recognizes the employees who provide quality service.
- Provide employees with the chance to perform a variety of tasks. This will keep them interested in their work and happy.
- Create a system to collect employee feedback and make changes based on the input. This will improve your work environment.
- Investing in new training programs to allow employees to expand their knowledge and learn new skills.
Commercial and industrial cleaning businesses can reduce turnover by hiring the right employees and keeping them happy. They will also save money from hiring and training people who are not suitable for the job. The more productive, capable, and satisfied your staff is, the happier you will make your customers.
Productivity: Improving cleaning efficiency
Cleaning industry customers’ expectations have changed significantly, as we mentioned above. Cleaning for health is a trend that forces sweeping professionals to be more thorough with their processes in order to provide better services. To be successful, cleaning companies must also remain productive and efficient. It is, therefore, vital that cleaning companies find ways to increase their efficiency so they can continue to be effective without having to increase service turnaround time.
Cleaning companies can boost their efficiency by investing in high-quality cleaning equipment without compromising on quality. Businesses need to choose the right cleaning equipment for their needs if they want to improve commercial cleaning productivity. By using machines with pre-set options for cleaning, your staff can start cleaning immediately without having to waste time setting up. It can improve productivity and provide cleaner results.
Cleaning companies should invest in equipment to allow employees to access tight spaces and difficult-to-reach areas. Instead of having an employee switch from a machine to a mop or broom in the middle of a service call, they can use devices that allow close cleaning. This will enable them to clean near equipment, racks, and shelves as well as other infrastructure.
Cleaning companies should not only invest in equipment that helps staff clean more efficiently but also look at new automated systems and commercial cleaning technologies to improve productivity. Commercial cleaning companies can increase productivity by automating cleaning processes and investing in IoT-enabled equipment. They will also gain greater visibility and control over service consistency.