How to Ensure a Consistent Customer Experience Across Multiple Locations Through Strategic Facility Management
Brand consistency is an essential element of any business, particularly when it comes to retaining customers. When a consumer can walk into any satellite location of your company and know exactly what to expect, you’re already a step ahead of less strategic competitors.
To deliver a consistent, positive brand experience across your entire portfolio of spaces, consider partnering with a service building contractor (SBC) who cares about not only creating healthy work environments, but also strengthening your brand and protecting your capital investments.
SBCs have a larger impact on brand consistency — and the cost to maintain it — than many companies may realize. For example, imagine you purchase the same chairs for the lobby at each of your branches. When your service provider comes in to clean, they clean the chairs with inappropriate products and leave you with permanently damaged furniture. When you try to purchase new chairs to replace the damaged ones, you learn that the chairs were manufactured for only a limited period and that you can’t get exact replacements. Now, to remain consistent, you must take a major blow to your budget and refurnish every lobby.
It’s not worth the risk. Instead, make a strong impression at every location by hiring an SBC that uses the right processes and equipment and genuinely cares about how people experience your brand. Use the following checklist to vet SBCs before making a decision:
1. Find an SBC that follows a strict training procedure.
When it comes to consistency, you want to make sure each technician your SBC sends to clean your buildings will do a high-quality job. When searching for the right cleaning partner, ask questions about how technicians are trained: Is the protocol well-documented? How is it applied? Do technicians get refresher opportunities to hone and advance their skills? The answers to these questions will help you determine whether the SBC’s technicians can get it right every time and at every location.
2. Pay attention to technician uniforms, presentation, and behavior.
A good sign that an SBC cares about consistency is how consistently it presents its own brand. It’s a good sign if each technician drives a branded vehicle, wears a properly branded uniform that makes them easily recognizable, and demonstrates a predictable level of professionalism.
Make no mistake: Your employees, customers, vendors, and regular visitors will notice if an SBC’s technicians seem unqualified or uninterested. Technicians who dress correctly for their roles and wear badges, if needed, put everyone at ease.
3. Question SBC candidates about their preferred chemistry and equipment.
If you don’t have a background in the cleaning industry, it’s understandable that you might not know how to glean specifics from your SBC prospects. One thing you should always ask about, however, is the types of products and processes the cleaning service uses.
Far too many SBCs try to save time the wrong way by providing an “extreme clean,” but what might look spotless at first will soil quickly if harsh chemicals or overly abrasive tools are used. Take note of the products they list and do your research to find out about any potential downsides. You can reference the CRI for approved chemicals and equipment. If your cleaning services are wearing away your assets over time, it’s not likely that the presentation of each of your spaces will stay consistent for long.
4. Examine an SBC’s credentials.
At MilliCare , we often lead interactions with new customers by talking about our organization’s certifications. For instance, we’ve been an IICRC-approved provider and school for a long time.
As a globally recognized nonprofit, the IICRC (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification) is committed to creating, implementing, and upholding the highest cleaning standards in the industry. Being a member of this and other prestigious associations shows that we take our position seriously as a leader who believes in operating consistently within the governing regulations of our field. When searching for a cleaning partner, ask them about IICRC or other certifications.
5. Request a single point of contact.
If you have operations in many different locations, look for an SBC provider with a centrally managed portfolio. That way, you’ll have one person to contact for all your multi-office needs. And that means less time on the phone or trying to speak with countless representatives when you have an inquiry, want a quote, or need unexpected service.
The other benefit of a consistent, single-point administrative process is that you could get the advantage of national pricing and discounts. As a bonus, you may also be able to do more business digitally with a robust, tech-forward SBC, such as paying bills or scheduling visits online.
Consumers are craving consistency more than ever before after going through the many changes and uncertainty of the pandemic. Give them what they expect — and maybe more — by ensuring your locations remain constantly pristine.