FEATURE
To The Future, And Beyond!
What do the public really think about cleaning – and how can these insights inform and influence the future of our
industry? These questions formed the basis of a new research report from Ceris Burns International. Here, Managing Director, Ceris Burns, interprets what the results mean for the future of the sector.
Cleaning is an utterly essential service, enhancing our well-being, increasing safety and wiping out germs and infections. Without it businesses, retailers, schools, hospitals and countless other service providers, private and public sector alike, would fail. Readers of this esteemed journal will need no persuading regarding the veracity of these statements, as no doubt they are already involved in the industry – either as providers of cleaning solutions or clients using these services.
However, great benefit can come from a ‘fresh pair of eyes’. As industry professionals we can sometimes, understandably and forgivably, become so wrapped up in the day- to-day running of our businesses that we forget to look to the future. This is where an ‘outside’ view can be invaluable, and what better source of unbiased, independent feedback than the ultimate end users or recipients of cleaning – the great British public!
We commissioned research company Mindlab International to conduct an independent survey into what consumers really think about cleaning. Our study used a series of timed- response sorting tasks to measure associations with different cleaning images, as well as an explicit survey looking at people’s perceptions of the cleaning industry. The test group consisted of 200 people, located across England, Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland, representing a wide range of ages and professions. The responses were encouraging and
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inspiring, and we used them to form the basis of a best practice guide – ‘The Future of Cleaning’.
Essential And Invaluable –
But Image Matters Too Every one of the 200 people who participated in the survey agreed that cleaning is essential both at home and at work, a result we shouldn’t be surprised at, but reassuring all the same. It not only keeps us healthy – dealing with the germs and dust that can spread viruses and bugs, so that staff absenteeism through illness is kept to a minimum; it also has a more general effect on worker well-being.
A clean workplace is a happy workplace, because it demonstrates that employers have the well-being of their employees at heart, improving staff morale, encouraging more productive working, and making a better impression on clients. The cleaning industry should be proud of these life-enhancing attributes, and a savvy and successful provider will emphasise these messages through all of its communications, whether online or in print.
Cleaning is about both style and substance – and first impressions count for a lot. Ensuring that offices, retail outlets, hotels, hospitals or schools are both visibly and physically clean is a key requirement.
When it comes to consumer perceptions, our survey showed that looks count for a lot too. 51% of people surveyed said they preferred to see cleaners in branded uniforms, and our
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