Take a moment to think about places that need your cleaning services. You probably thought about spacious office buildings, hospitals, and hotels – makes sense. These facilities are common and can be very lucrative for your cleaning company. In addition, they can give you the consistent business your cleaning company needs to thrive.
Although landing customers who have large buildings can keep your cleaning company busy, any forward-thinking company knows that in order to grow over time, you need to think about expanding on the services you offer.
With that, we’ll explore unfamiliar areas of opportunity that encapsulate what your cleaning company would consider an upsell, rather than your main source of revenue. Going after these places may not appear worth the initial effort, but focusing on smaller “gigs” can start to add up positively for you and your cleaning staff over time.
1. Restaurants and Bars
High-end restaurants and bars need commercial cleaners to keep up with the myriad of guidelines that are attached to the success of their business. Employees can typically assist with the daily maintenance of the restaurant, but they don’t have the experience that cleaning companies bring to ensure their restaurant remains compliant. The well-known A-B-C grading system is a quick way for potential customers to decide if they are dining at a restaurant. If the restaurant has a less than stellar rating, customers will be driven away. As a result, high-end restaurant owners can see the benefit of having a commercial cleaning staff that will ensure their establishment is up to code, and their restaurant permits remain intact.
2. Schools
It’s true that schools do have a direct janitorial staff, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t willing to hire a third-party cleaning company to keep everyone inside happy and healthy. Many schools are adopting green initiative programs that could be an opportunity for your cleaning company to pitch your services. Not to mention, schools and universities that want to give teachers, parents, and students the confidence to return to the classroom during these unprecedented times, need cleaning professionals who carry higher certifications. Your cleaning company can check with the local Department of Education to obtain public school contracts or prepare to pitch to private schools directly. Either way, this could be a new cleaning service opportunity for you.
3. Fitness Centers
There are ample amounts of fitness centers to choose from that may be looking for your cleaning services. Right now, they could be lost as to how they can open their doors safely. Whether it’s a yoga studio, a gym, or some other establishment that helps people stay healthy and fit, your cleaning company can start something profitable by seeking out these places specifically.
4. Smaller Medical Facilities
Hospitals are a popular choice when it comes to choosing a medical facility for your cleaning company. Every healthcare establishment needs specialized cleaning professionals to ensure infectious diseases, amongst many other things, don’t spread. Think outside the box, and consider dental locations and other smaller medical centers in your service area. They may not have multiple floors, but they do have to remain OSHA compliant like the hospitals you’re already used to working with. Your team’s expertise and skillsets can transfer quickly to these facilities if you choose to go in this direction.
5. Retail Businesses
Although stricter guidelines are in place for retail businesses, some are still open and catering to their community. Going after retail businesses will be a smaller win for your cleaning company, but depending on their current cleaning methods with employees, there could be an added need for retailers to move forward with hiring a cleaning company. Your cleaning company can mitigate dust and make sure the entire store is properly sanitized. If you take this opportunity a step further, your cleaning company can explore retail outlet cleaning services as well.
Whether your cleaning company is ready to move forward with adding services or not, you can start to uncover what opportunities fit well into your current business model. If your cleaning company has the infrastructure to add services now, network with your current customers to see if they know businesses that may need your cleaning services. 83% of consumers are willing to refer your company to a friend or colleague if they have a positive experience. As long as your cleaning company has been offering exceptional services, they will be more than willing to pass along your information to someone they know. Remember to put together a stellar referral program to keep track of which customers are referring others your way. Now that you’ve started thinking more unconventionally, keep searching for not-so-common places that may need cleaning services, even if they don’t know it yet. You may just be surprised at the response you receive.
