The percentage of retail customers that shop online has doubled in the past decade and e-commerce now accounts for 15.6% of all retail sales. This dramatic shift away from physical stores has left many retailers seeking new ways to attract and retain customers. To do this, the in-store shopping experience needs to be nearly perfect from the first customer interaction.
Routine pressure washing and exterior cleaning is an often-overlooked way to improve your brand image and the customer experience – while providing many other great benefits. Consider the following four reasons your company should invest in a professional exterior cleaning program.
1. Attract More Customers with A Clean Exterior
When a new potential customer is driving past your building, your exterior and signage make the initial impression of your brand. A dingy sign and dirty exterior cause these potential shoppers to infer that the rest of your business – from products to customer service – is held to the same standard. On the other hand, a clean, vibrant sign and well-maintained exterior help you turn passersby into new customers.
Once a first-time customer arrives at your store, you have another chance to set the tone for their shopping experience. This begins before they ever enter your store. Parking lots littered with debris, pools of leaked oil, and environmental contaminants can derail your first chance to impress. Further, slippery sidewalks, entryways overrun by mildew, and structures covered in discarded chewing gum can harm your brand image. These factors can even drive customers away before they make it inside to see your products. Once again, pressure washing removes these distractions and allows customers to focus on the reason for their shopping trip – to spend their money on your products.
In addition to attracting new customers, routine pressure washing is key to retaining loyal buyers. Clean parking lots, entryways, buildings, and signs enhance your brand image and keep customers returning to your store, even when they have a plethora of other options.
2. Remove Hazards and Reduce Accidents Through Regular Pressure Washing
As a business owner, the last thing you want is an expensive lawsuit that could damage your reputation as well as your wallet. One of the most common types of lawsuits your business could experience is a slip and fall case which settle for an average of $10,000 to $50,000. However, it is not just customers that could be impacted by unsafe walking conditions. Employee falls account for over 20% of all workplace injuries and cost retail businesses over $1 billion per year.
Routine pressure washing helps reduce the threat of devastating falls by removing slippery surfaces like mold, mildew, and algae from exterior walkways and parking lots. Pressure washing further reduces accidents by removing dirt and grime that obscure posted safety features like signage and crosswalk lines.
With regular cleanings, you can complete your due diligence to eliminate hazards for workers and customers. This commitment to risk-reduction can mitigate accidents in the first place and help you prove your precautionary actions if a lawsuit does occur.
3. Regular Exterior Cleaning Improves the Value of Your Property
If you own your building, you have likely invested a substantial amount to acquire such a valuable asset. However, your investment can’t end with the mortgage payment. You must also keep your property in good condition to preserve its value.
Pressure washing maintains the curb appeal of your property and makes it more attractive to investors who are willing to pay top-dollar for your space. Additionally, clean walkways and sidewalks enhance your other value-added maintenance services – like landscaping.
4. Scheduled Exterior Cleaning Reduces Building Repair Costs
Mold and mildew on your building exterior are obvious eyesores, but you may not know that these fungi can also cause permanent damage to your property that require costly repairs. These contaminants degrade organic surfaces and can cause significant damage to wooden structures if left untreated. Additionally, fungi cause irreversible discoloration to most surfaces including wood, concrete, and vinyl. They also produce acids that can break down concrete over time. Finally, mold and mildew can spread from the exterior of your property to the interior, leading to further costly damage as well as increasing allergens in the air.
Pressure washing removes mold, mildew, and other contaminants from your hard surfaces before lasting damage occurs. Softer surfaces, such as vinyl and wood, can be damaged by a powerful spray of water, so they require a different approach. The right exterior maintenance company will offer soft washing as a solution to remove the fungi without damaging these vulnerable surfaces. This technique combines low-pressure water flow with specialty cleaning solutions to provide a spectacular clean that protects fragile surfaces.
With routine pressure washing, you can avoid costly damage from untreated fungi infestations. Between the cost savings from avoiding repairs, the preservation of your property value, the risk reduction, and the additional customers you will attract, professional pressure washing services pay for themselves!
Schedule Pressure Washing in Advance with Terra Pro-Wash
At Terra Pro-Wash, a division of Terra Commercial Property Services, we offer a stress-free exterior cleaning service to help you keep your property clean year-round. Your dedicated account manager will work with you to develop the right cleaning schedule for your property. Then, we work around your operating hours to ensure that your building stays clean without costing you sales.
Our annual maintenance plan allows you to spread your pressure washing costs over the entire year, keeping your costs low and predictable. We clean parking lots, sidewalks, entryways, signs, building exteriors, and any other hard surfaces. For more vulnerable surfaces, our team will deploy safe, environmentally friendly soft washing solutions. Best of all, customers with an annual maintenance plan move to the front of the line when they need emergency cleaning – such as graffiti and chewing gum removal.
To learn more about how Terra can help you, contact a member of our team today.