The Value of Clean - Customers Prefer Clean
Improve Your Bottom Line Where You Haven’t Looked Before
Whether we like it or not, we are all being judged on our appearance everyday, and whether we admit it or not we are judging others on their appearance as well. The same can be said for businesses and facilities. People make judgements about a business based on appearance. First impressions can be lasting ones and if a visitor sees your facility as dirty or disorganized they are much less likely to visit your business again.
Cleanliness is a significant factor in the overall appearance of a business and does affect your reputation with customers and visitors. A recent study by the ISSA discovered that cleanliness is the most important factor to customer satisfaction.1 It was ranked higher than value, and convenience. The same study also revealed that 94% of people would avoid a business if they encountered a dirty bathroom. Essential also to customer satisfaction is the maintenance of sanitary supplies. Even if a facility is spotless, people will be dissatisfied if they find a lack of paper towels, soap, toilet paper etc. It’s important to make sure that all equipment; dispensers, toilets etc.; are maintained and functional as well. The study also revealed that if an establishment's restrooms were out of essential products, 17% of people are not likely to return.
Building owners and managers often view cleaning as an operational cost without realizing that it has a direct impact on revenue. People want to shop and spend time in environments in which they feel comfortable. Not only do people feel more welcome and comfortable in a clean facility, poorly maintained buildings can create health and safety risks likes slips and trips, which in some cases can lead to higher insurance and legal costs.
Both staff and visitors will feel more comfortable and positive about you if your facilities are clean, functional, and well maintained. People relate cleanliness to quality and a clean and organized facility looks more professional and more inviting than a dirty or messy one.
When given the choice, consumers would rather do business with companies that are dedicated to a positive image and a clean facility.