Building a business can certainly be a challenge, but upping client retention is one the quickest ways to find success. Studies show that the likelihood of selling to a new customer is anywhere from five to 20 per cent, while the probability of selling to an existing customer is 60 to 70 per cent. Commercial cleaners need to lean on their existing relationships to grow their businesses in these challenging times, and connecting with customers is critical.
However, when their work often happens after clients have gone home, how can cleaners make that connection and foster those essential relationships?
We chatted with Gwen Becknell, Owner and Regional Sales Director at Anago Boise, to learn how her industry experience and customer service skills have helped her connect with clients and retain business in the commercial cleaning industry.
This article has been edited for length and clarity.
How does relationship-building play a part in a business’s success?
Becknell: Relationships start with honest communication and transparency. Commercial cleaning is sales and marketing when it comes down to it. So, rather than telling clients that there will never be an issue, I’m upfront with them that we likely will have hick-ups, but then assure them that we will rectify it quickly, and efficiently, and do our best to make it right. Clients might want to hear that they will never have to worry about their janitorial services again, but that’s just not the reality. It’s important to be honest with clients to develop that trust and loyalty.
Differentiation is another vital part of building those relationships. When you think about it, all commercial cleaning companies offer virtually the same experience, the same tools, and the same practices. So, building those relationships is how you can set yourself apart. And when you achieve that and create those critical connections, that’s when you start to see how word of mouth and positive reviews can really help build your bottom line.
How can reviews affect the business?
Becknell: All reviews are important, often they’re part of the first step in a client’s decision-making process. Positive reviews help in a lot of ways: they help you grow your online brand, get your name out there and they add a level of credibility, almost like a personal reference.
Negative reviews can seem damaging, and you may not want to address them, but they are a tool for improvement, a way to show that you care about what your clients think, and an opportunity to improve your business. A negative review gives you the chance to fix the issue, so it’s important to respond appropriately and promptly. Many of today’s AI and automation tools make it easy to craft a professional response, request more information, or ask that they contact you directly to solve the issue offline.
Of course, you hope that clients will come to you directly with their concerns, and that’s where the relationship piece comes into play. It’s easier to complain about a business when you’re not face-to-face, so an existing relationship minimizes the chance that clients will head online with their complaints.
What’s the best way for cleaners to solicit and monitor positive reviews to help grow their client base and revenues?
Becknell: Often companies are afraid to ask for reviews, but if you don’t ask for them, you will not get them. We’ve recently built it into our inspection process. When we are emailing, talking on the phone or in person and the client shares how satisfied they are with our service, we ask for the review right then. We know they are in a good place with them, and we share the link or QR code to get them directly to our page. We’ve doubled our number of reviews in the last four months just by implementing this practice. Think of a way to make it simple for clients, and you’ll get better results.
There are tech tools out there that can solicit reviews for you, as well. You can customize the message, automate the frequency, and take some of the work out of asking for reviews from your clients. One tip here is to direct clients to focus on what you think is important. I always ask for them to focus on our service because I think that’s what really sets us apart.
I recommend technology for monitoring, too. Many of these platforms will send you reviews so you don’t have to scour the internet manually. They also allow you the opportunity to look at the review before it goes live, so you get the chance to nip it in the bud early if it’s not favourable.
Once you start getting those positive reviews, don’t forget to use them to build your business! The platform we use posts the reviews to our website, so we are promoting them there, helping with SEO, and attracting new customers.
What are some of your top tips for cleaners looking to strengthen client relationships?
Becknell: Set yourself apart with exceptional service, connecting with your clients and building long-lasting relationships.
We encourage the cleaners to make an extra effort to interact with clients by popping by during the day to introduce themselves, seeing if there’s anything extra that the client is looking for, or if anything needs to be adjusted or done differently. Those are the things that are going to set you apart, keep clients from posting that negative online review, and build that trust and communication. At the end of the day, it’s relationships that will keep your business going – and growing – into the future.
This article was originally published in the Spring/Summer edition of FC&M magazine.
