WASHROOM HYGIENE
STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD
With the number of washroom and hygiene service companies continuing to grow in the UK, Pink Hygiene takes a look at how conceivable it is to succeed in a saturated marketplace.
When starting out in any industry there is always a level of uncertainty about whether you will prosper as a new company, particularly when the market is already overflowing and competition is high. The washroom and hygiene industry is no exception to this, with growing numbers of companies trading in the UK. However just because the market is crowded, it doesn’t mean you can’t succeed.
Since its launch in May 2014, Pink Hygiene, an independent washroom services company covering London, the South East and surrounding counties, continues to grow from strength to strength, boasting a healthy portfolio of more than 400 contracted customers. But how has it managed to obtain such a strong foothold in the market when there are so many national and independent companies to compete with?
INNOVATION Over the last few decades society has changed dramatically, which has not only revolutionised our way of life on a day to day basis, but has led to new ways of thinking when it comes to business too. No matter how competitive the environment there is always a new approach that can be adopted and in order to stand out from the crowd, it is vital that companies look to do things differently.
Barry Marsham, Joint Managing Director, explained: “When setting up Pink Hygiene, having thoroughly researched the market and through our own industry experience, it was apparent that established companies lacked the service transparency that
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customers now expect. This insight helped to shape our service offering from the outset. Subsequently, we have made considerable investment in an innovative barcoding system, exclusive to Pink Hygiene, which provides complete peace of mind that the services our clients are paying for are completed on time, every time. This intelligent system has provided a competitive edge against other players in the marketplace as no other company can match our offering.”
Innovation and technology do play an important part in differentiation and, whilst it can be costly, if it’s of benefit to a company and its customers in the long run it will assist with long term growth and profitability.
CORPORATE SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY Building a reputation as a responsible business can also set you apart from competitors and directly impact on how you are viewed by customers, which is why so many businesses now develop Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policies. Whilst there are varying definitions of what CSR actually means, in practice this covers a multitude of activities from supporting the local community to reducing environmental impact. It is important for companies to develop their own policies to help gain a competitive advantage, however this shouldn’t just be a tick-box exercise but something which should be carefully designed and supported whole heartedly.
Adam Speck, Joint Director added: “At the heart of Pink Hygiene we have a carefully implemented CSR policy
Tomorrow’s Cleaning May 2016 | 99
“No matter how competitive the
environment there is
always a new approach that can be adopted.”
which we fully embrace and promote to our customers. At the forefront of this policy is our commitment to donate a percentage of each customer’s contract value to the charity Breast Cancer Now. To date we have donated nearly £6,000 and this figure will continue to climb as we grow and progress as a company. We do recognise that CSR is much more than just donating money though. For us it’s also about behaving responsibly and dealing with suppliers who do the same, particularly when it comes to the environment.”
As Pink Hygiene has experienced, for a business to be successful you need to have a smart and carefully executed business strategy which focuses on points of differentiation; whether this be through innovation, CSR, branding or even the overall service offering. Entering and surviving in an oversaturated market is challenging, but the right strategies and some forward thinking can set your business apart from the competition and allow you to thrive in the most competitive of environments.
www.pinkhygiene.co.uk
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