Why the choice of cleaning product supplier matters so much to your business
We're often asked why we make such a fuss about adding value to our customers when we talk about cleaning products. They’re easy enough to get, right? I can just run down to my favorite box store and grab a gallon or pail of purple degreaser or green all-purpose cleaner when I need it. And absent that, there’s a line out the door of sales guys looking to sell me their wholesale cleaning supplies at great (for now) prices.
Small businesses especially get tremendous value from optimizing their cleaning product purchasing by shopping for and selecting the best cleaning product supplier. The benefits are numerous…most of which flow right down to your bottom line.
This primer will explain the benefits of spending the time to find the right supplier for your business's cleaning product needs. Consider these items when interviewing a new supplier or evaluating your current one:
Product Quality – Not all cleaning products are equal. And when you get into the wholesale and industrial space, that is even more true. The effectiveness, quality, concentration, and safety of the cleaners you buy are critically important to every business. Many companies sell inferior products, with little emphasis on manufacturing quality or consistency. Some even water down their products after demonstrating them to try to steal back a few points of profit at their customers' expense.
Others are just bad formulations. Bad, meaning ineffective…but bad can also mean unsafe in rare occasions.
Assessing the quality of products can be difficult, so take your time and ask for samples, demos, and maybe even references from their current customers. The more information you get in advance the better decision you will make – helping ensure you get the best solution for your company’s needs.
Expertise – Finding a wholesale cleaning supplier with product and industry expertise is vital. It may seem straightforward enough finding the right cleaners for your job, but lack of expertise can cost you in the long run. Not a big deal if you buy the wrong quart bottle at the box store, but it adds up in a big way when you’re buying multiple 55-gallon drums a month. Choosing the right cleaner, then getting the right dilution ratio – and getting it consistently - will save your company money, and also productivity; making your cleaning tasks more efficient and therefore less time consuming; again saving money.
Customer Service – Customer service sometimes seems like a buzzword, and the benefits ethereal. Good service makes you feel good, but does it really save you money?
Customer service, done right, should definitely save you money. Consider a situation where you have a new cleaning problem and you’re not quite sure how to solve it. So, you get a member of your staff to do some google research to figure out the best way to tackle it. They think they found a solution, so you google where you can find the product, then send that staff member all over town looking for the right product to solve your problem.
If you had a relationship with a conscientious vendor with expertise, you could have called them and relied on their expertise and professional network to solve your problem instead of wasting hours with research and shopping.
A good vendor with great customer service will also anticipate your needs and seek to cover gaps in your company’s cleaning process. At GoKlean, we offer a cleaning assessment, where our team will come to your shop and review what you’re currently using, what tasks you are trying to accomplish, what problems you’re having, and then tailor a solution that will help you be effective and cost saving.
But more than that, when you have a relationship with a great supplier, they are there to respond quickly to emerging, time-sensitive issues. That frees you and your staff up from running all over town buying something new. How much productivity is lost every week in your business with staff trying to solve your cleaning challenges?