What is your signature move? Build loyalty and keep that cleaning company contract!
Building loyalty is about building a relationship with a client. They want to work with people who understand their problems and can provide solutions. In a world full of competition and marketing promotions, however, it is increasingly challenging to find those clients. A marketing gimmick might gain you an opportunity, but a signature move with substance is what gets you their loyalty and a cleaning company contract for life.
The best way to understand the difference is to define a signature move by what it does and represents about your business. Learn how to find or develop your businesses practices into signature moves and put them to work for increasing loyalty with every cleaning company contract.
4 Ways to turn every cleaning company contract into a long-term relationship
1. Demonstrate expertise
Your expertise is a critical part of your success, but is it part of what customers know you for? You and your staff are experts on cleaning products. You may even have a certification for environmental sustainability or maybe you only use eco-friendly cleaning products.
Turn it into a signature move: Create a quality guarantee – an official promise to customers that conveys your quality standards and reiterates to your long-term clients what you stand for. Showcase your expertise and methodology and connect it to the fantastic service you provide, every time. You’re guaranteed to become known quality.
2. Matching customer values in networking
It’s likely you’ve perfected the art of networking in your business communities. Your in-person and online marketing might be strong, but reaching the right customers isn’t the same as keeping them. For example, you might be quite active in your local business community and engaged with local charities. If you and your team contribute time and money, not only is that a wonderful way to give back, it’s also a fantastic way to engage directly with what your customers care about.
Turn it into a signature move: Take a look at your cleaning company contracts. Find out which businesses are also active in the community, and communicate your investment in those values to highlight your common ground. For businesses that look for ways to contribute to their community, using a cleaning service that matches their values is a perfect fit.
3. Differentiation adds value
Are you doing something no one else does? The perception of getting a good value is a huge part of why customers go with your company and stay with you, but sometimes with service, it’s hard to set yourself apart. Do some research in your field, brainstorm and list anything your business regularly does that might be different or “extra” in some ways. Don’t forget to include equipment and training. For example, perhaps your steam cleaning is state of the art in sanitation but you never thought to mention it, or your staff is specifically trained to go the extra mile to sanitize kitchens, break rooms or bathrooms and minimize the spread of germs in the office.
Turn it into a signature move: Create a staff training and certification designed to ensure the best quality standards and be sure everyone you work with knows your staff is trained and certified. For example, if your crews very carefully and thoroughly hand-clean commercial equipment using specific products and techniques, film a short video and include that in your marketing. That signature protocol is added value for a customer and ensures them that your staff doesn’t cut corners.
4. Build better relationships
Loyalty happens when a customer feels like they know the human side of your business, not just brands, products and services. There are a lot of opportunities to be friendly, accessible and memorable to your customers over time and yet often, long-term clients get the same marketing messages that everyone else gets. Even worse, cleaning company contract services are carried out by teams of people that seem “invisible” in the corporate office environment.
If your customer service is excellent and approachable, don’t be afraid to add more personal touches to ongoing marketing and loyalty promotions and allow your staff to show their personality and be a part of that, so clients know who’s doing the excellent work.
Turn it into a signature move: Highlight your friendly and knowledgeable staff across your blog and social media marketing. They could film short videos or record a podcast answering customer questions about cleaning techniques, provide tips and advice or sharing their favorite music to listen to on the job.