Our retail sector here in the UK is one of our most in-demand when it comes to the festive season. The latest projections place instore spending at its highest level since the pandemic, heralding both a return to normality for Britain’s shoppers, and a further ramping up of the “new norm” for retailers.
Central to all that, alongside the usual concerns around stock levels and shoplifting, is the cleanliness of your store. While it’s often something we tend to neglect in favour of those direct profits and moneymakers, it’s equally true that shoppers won’t be motivated to return (or even spend in the first place) if your shop isn’t sparkling clean.
That’s where outsourced retail cleaning comes to the fore. While your to-do list is no doubt already at capacity over the festive period, trusting a well-established cleaning company like Vanguard to deliver your cleaning takes away the strains of keeping your premises clean.
With our latest piece, we’ll be plunging into a deep dive into why cleaning matters in the retail industry, why outsourcing your hygiene practices could be the golden ticket over retail’s busiest time of year, and what you can do to get prepped ahead of the seasonal rush.
While there’s no doubt been a boom in the popularity and convenience of online shopping in the last 20 years, the more traditional brick-and-mortar storefront still possesses a charm that brings in millions each year.
A cleaner retail environment is integral to that customer experience, and a key piece of the puzzle of unlocking the true appeal of retail premises. While we’re often in a supermarket for a specific purpose, the wider spectrum of retailers attracts a more contemplative crowd, and keeping the shelves and shopfloor clean and tidy is crucial in ensuring a good experience.
That’s not conjectural either. A recent study from Ipsos uncovered just how important a clean store is, with 92% of those surveyed citing cleanliness and hygiene as a major factor in whether they come back to a business. It tracks, too.
First impressions are pivotal in any walk of life, especially so in retail, and you only get one chance to make them. Overbearing or pushy salespeople can have a negative effect, as can a complete lack of staff support. It’s all about striking a balance, and that’s where clean premises play a role.
We’ve touched on the research from Ipsos earlier, but there are further supporting insights from a recent Retail Perceptions report. That study uncovered that, of five key metrics that determine the success of your retail premises, cleanliness ranked above multiple different areas that range from checkout experiences to the ability to provide feedback.
Of course, while the data is powerful enough alone, it’s also true that we can rely on our own experiences to better understand what customers want and expect to see. Think about it this way – if you were to visit a restaurant or bar which was visibly unclean, you’d be unlikely to stay for a meal or drink. That same thought process is what your customers are thinking.
Ultimately, a cleaner store offers a focal point for your visitors and turns them from intrigued shoppers into repeat customers and, in some cases, the biggest advocates for your brand. Less clutter means it’s easier to access the products your customers want to buy, and makes that interaction-to-sale process far smoother than it could be.
The top and bottom of it is that a cleaner store makes for a better experience, more sales, and happier customers. But where does outsourced retail cleaning factor into all of that?
Arguably the biggest reason behind the drive towards more outsourced cleaning across stores all over the UK is how much pressure it alleviates from your staff. Cleaning can, as we’re intimately familiar with, be incredibly time-consuming, and outsourced cleaning allows your staff to focus on what they need to do.
That could range from the necessary filling of the shelves and replenishment of stock to helping customers with expert advice and guidance. It allows you and your colleagues to focus on the enrichment of the customer experience, while your cleaning staff focus on enhancing that with stellar hygiene standards.
It also ensures you’re getting the highest possible standards. With the research we’ve presented so far, you’ll no doubt have a familiarity with the importance of cleaning thoroughly, and with the right materials.
Outsourcing ensures you’re guaranteed a trained expert, someone who’s able to deliver your cleaning on a dedicated and pre-determined schedule, without ever stretching your existing resources or timeframes.
That’s perhaps the crux of choosing to outsource your retail cleaning. While you’ll no doubt know who you can trust with your cleaning, there’s little substitute for a cleaner who’s been trained to deliver exceptional coverage for retail environments, and who has a passion to deliver those standards consistently.
Take Vanguard’s cleaners, for instance. All of the cleaners we provide are extensively trained in line with the British Institute of Cleaning Sciences (BICSc) and receive second-to-none guidance and further training outside of that framework. It’s all part and parcel of ensuring a service we’re proud to put our well-established name to.
Many cleaning firms – Vanguard chief among them – will also provide all the relevant cleaning supplies, and ensure that these are consistently refreshed. Here at Vanguard, we take that a step further, using cutting-edge eco-friendly cleaning supplies to provide a service that not only cleans exceptionally, but that aligns with your own environmental goals.
That’s worth noting, especially given the net-zero deadline of 2050, and the impacts it’s likely to have on both the cleaning and retail industries respectively. It’s also been proven time and again that customers are willing to spend more at businesses that have clearly defined goals for a sustainable future.
Opting to go for a cleaning provider that’s already ahead of the curve means you are too, and that you can capitalise on an increasingly eco-conscious public. It’s also futureproofing your business, and setting you up for a more prosperous future.
But while the benefits of outsourcing your retail cleaning are clear, it’s often difficult to choose the right provider for you. Let’s look at what you’ll need to consider.
So, we’ve addressed how outsourcing retail cleaning is the ideal option going forward, and the extensive benefits professional cleaning can bring to your business, but what’s not often as clear is how to choose a cleaning provider that’s right for you. With so many providers, it’s hard to find one that’s able to accommodate the needs of your specific stores.
With our handy retail cleaning checklist below, we’ve outlined several key consideration points for outsourcing your shop’s hygiene, and the simple measures you can take to ensure you’re getting exactly what you need.
Of course, these are just the primary things you’ll need to consider when outsourcing your retail cleaning. There’s a host of other considerations (such as how that company aligns with your virtues, or processes in place for any necessary TUPE), but we’ve isolated those as major things to think about as you go to market.
Ready to make that decision now? Here’s why Vanguard could be the ideal choice for cleaning your store, and for delivering exceptional services time and time again.
Over the last 22 years, Vanguard have consistently and expertly delivered tailor-made cleaning solutions in the retail sector. It’s an area where we truly excel, offering extensive and purpose-built packages that are designed to suit retail premises big and small.
Our roots lie in medical cleaning, meaning you’re not only getting access to our industry-leading levels of quality and professionalism but also our well-established understanding of the nuances of in-depth sanitation and hygiene. It’s what makes us truly stand out – you won’t find anyone with the same expertise we have.
That’s all delivered with the passion and enthusiasm that’s seen us rise to the very top of the cleaning industry. We understand what it takes to provide an exceptional clean, and one that you’re truly happy with, and we strive to deliver that every single time.
We’re also a thoroughly 21st-century cleaning company, offering state-of-the-art reporting and auditing software that allows you to see that you’re getting exactly what you pay for and that we’re always on top of delivering the incredible standards our clients have come to know and love.
Interested in getting on board with the UK’s leader in unparalleled quality cleaning? Get in touch today to discuss your options in much greater detail, and to receive your free, no obligation quotation.
