Much like any other field, the cleaning industry is also influenced by trends. While not all of these are guaranteed to “come true,” so to speak, these can be good success or growth indicators. Commercial cleaning companies need to take note of these trends and consider how they can be used to achieve their business goals.
That being said, here are some of the trends that are predicted to move and transform the cleaning industry in 2021.
Sustainability
More and more consumers are becoming informed about environmental issues. As such, they have started looking for brands that manufacture products using ethical, responsible, and sustainable means. Moreover, the word “organic” in the label is no longer enough to convince consumers. Companies have to be completely transparent about not only what goes into their products, but also what was removed. In short, you can’t fool the modern consumer.
When it comes to the cleaning industry, the sustainability trend is more than just using eco-friendly products. It’s also about eco-friendly practices, like using less water through low-temperature washing. Cleaning companies also have to think about minimising waste like paper towels. It has to be a holistic approach to sustainability. If not, it would seem to customers that you’re merely riding the trend for the sake of it.
Preventative Products
People love and appreciate a clean home and office. However, surveys show that a significant majority of millennials are willing to pay a premium so that they don’t have to clean as often. There are many reasons behind this desire. For one, it’s simply more convenient. Cleaning less often also saves time and money. Moreover, it aligns with the desire to make more environmentally aware choices.
This is why cleaning products that not only clean but also protect are poised to make headway in the coming years. For example, there are products that prevent rust and mould. There are also those that make surfaces waterproof. If you’re planning on making and using these products, keep in mind that they should be safe and eco-friendly.
Automation
With the lightning-fast speed in which technology evolves, automation is all but inevitable. There are still a lot of facets of cleaning that can’t be handled by machines alone. Nonetheless, more and more tools and equipment now employ the latest technologies to make cleaning easier.
On the business side of things, however, there are several automation tools that commercial cleaning services can readily access. These include online booking, task schedulers, and accounting software. Before, these types of software are targeted to big corporations. Today, small businesses can also benefit from technological innovations. These automation tools can help reduce costs and improve efficiency, not to mention help eliminate or at least minimise customer pain points.
Ultra-Niche Services
Commercial cleaning services can be as broad or as narrow in terms of scope. Being able to cover all the bases, so to speak, is definitely advantageous as it widens a business’s reach. The benefit of providing ultra-niche services, however, is that it’s more pocket-friendly. This is especially true for start-ups that at first may only be able to offer one or two cleaning services. Nevertheless, proper staff training and getting the right equipment are critical whether you’re targeting a broad or a niche market.
Enhanced Digital Presence
Much like automation, going digital is something that all businesses will eventually have to do. Thankfully, tech companies like Google continue to roll-out user-friendly ad tools that help cleaning businesses promote their services. One such service is called Local Services, which allows customers to book services directly from Google’s search results.
Facebook also continues to be a powerful driver of business revenue growth globally. Despite criticisms regarding privacy and security, the social media giant has overtaken Google when it comes to mobile advertising. The main advantage of Facebook is that, thanks to the wealth of customer data available, businesses can be hyper-local with their ad targeting.
Commercial cleaning businesses must be prepared to spend more on digital. Along with ad spend, businesses should also invest in enhancing their digital presence. This includes creating a streamlined website and improving digital customer service. Consider built-in website chat, along with messaging apps.
Content-Based Product Push
Google is the world’s leading search engine. In second place? Google’s own YouTube. In fact, the video streaming platform has 2 billion logged-in users per month. About 15 million of these users are from Australia. It’s only smart to capitalise on this audience that is already actively searching for content. One way to create your own content is to make how-to videos. Remember: those who search on Google are mostly looking for facts, while those who search on YouTube are mostly looking for solutions. Providing users with useful content may help push you to the top of search results, both in YouTube and Google.
Another modern approach is influencer marketing or content creator marketing. This strategy needs a smart, careful approach. You don’t want to work with content creators “just because.” Again, modern consumers are smart. They’re looking for authenticity and they can easily figure out if you’re only working with an influencer just for their clout.
The bottomline here is that you’re not obligated to follow all business trends. In some cases, this is not feasible especially in a financial standpoint. However, you have to be aware of these trends. More importantly, you have to study them carefully and figure out how you can adapt. Awareness and careful study of business trends will help your cleaning business—in fact, any business—stay afloat in a hypercompetitive industry.
Sources:
https://www.mrosupply.com/page/cleaning-industry-stats-and-trends-for-2020/