The coronavirus has brought the spotlight on the cleaning services industry around the world and Nigeria is no exception. There is no doubt that cleaning plays an important yet overlooked role within the facility management profession and the built environment.
No situation has exposed the direct impact of cleaning and hygiene on health as much as the covid-19 pandemic, thus providing new opportunities for commercial and industrial cleaning business. Suddenly, a new breed of ‘cleaners’ have emerged with different claims to decontamination and sanitation services.
With these opportunities and benefits also come new challenges for businesses in the cleaning industry. In addition to finding ways to remain competitive in the busy modern workplace and adapting to industry trends, cleaning organizations will also need to address potential and actual weaknesses if they want to thrive in the post pandemic years.
The trends in the cleaning industry have been changing over time as the needs and desires of modern businesses evolve but became even more profound with the devastating impact of covid-19 leading to new methods of cleaning
One of the most defining trends in the commercial and industrial cleaning industry today is driven by increased public concern over health. While in the past, commercial cleaning companies may have been cleaning for mostly appearance, today’s cleaning companies are increasingly more focused on cleaning to create healthier indoor environment.
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An emphasis on cleaning for health means that cleaning professionals are now held to higher standards as they are often the first line of defense when it comes to stopping the spread of viruses, infectious diseases, and other contaminants in public spaces. In addition, there are also a variety of protocols to be followed to ensure the safety and well-being of customers.
One of the biggest concerns when it comes to cleaning for health in large commercial and industrial spaces is improving and maintaining indoor air quality (IAQ). This is a major reason more commercial and industrial facilities are moving toward using greener, environmentally preferable products that don’t leave behind chemical residues that can impact the air quality. As a result, cleaning companies need to focus on using technologies, products, and processes that meet established health and safety standards.
The new workplace driven by the pandemic has also created more competition as increased number of businesses look to simplify their processes and cut cost. The result is a growing trend of vendor consolidation which makes it vital for cleaning companies to provide value-added services to their customers.
For many cleaning businesses, this involves expanding their service offering to include specializations such as HVAC cleaning or carpet cleaning. Providing specialized services require companies to hire better personnel, expand their training programs to accommodate these specialized services and prepare the personnel to provide high-quality service.
Investing in effective cleaning equipment and new technologies will give cleaning companies competitive advantage in order to market themselves as capable of their customers’ unique needs. Though this may cost more money initially, it will more than provide a return on investment when it comes to retaining business and attracting new customers.
The cleaning industry may not be the most glamorous. However, increasing competition and rising customer expectations have started to create unique market challenges that cleaning companies need to be aware of and account for if they want to keep their current customers and attract new ones.
Similarly, valuable new opportunities are also opening up that commercial cleaning businesses need to take advantage of if they want to improve performance and grow their business.
