When You Have An Emergency, Is Your Provider Responsive?

Any time you need us, we are just a phone call away. You must be familiar with this line. It is one of the most widely used sales pitches around the world. You can hear salespeople and company representatives say it all the time until you finally lose count of how many times it has been said. It’s printed in every company’s brochure. It’s plastered on every company’s website. But, is your service provider responsive? To be more specific, how responsive is your commercial cleaning service provider when you have an emergency or after-hours need?

Here is the truth in black and white. Not all service providers can provide 24/7 customer service. Forget about after hours, some do not even have the staff to respond during work hours. But, the company will lie to you anyway. Nobody wants to lose business by telling the truth. You should avoid doing business with such companies. They will leave you in the lurch just when you need them the most – during an emergency. But, there are commercial cleaning companies, such as iNX, that do care about their customers. How do you know them? You don’t. At least, not until you start doing business with them.

Here is what you should expect from a responsive commercial janitorial company:

1. They should respond as quickly as possible
Speed is one of the most important factors in good customer service, especially when the client has an emergency. A responsive company answers a phone call or replies to an e-mail immediately. After listening to your complaint (or grievance), it acts immediately. Some companies have a hotline open 24/7 so they can respond even after hours. A study done by STELLAService in 2011 found the average e-mail response time for the top 100 Internet companies then was 17 hours. Is that a good response time? Certainly not. Your cleaning service provider must do much better than that.

Does your commercial cleaning service provider respond to your complaint immediately, or within an hour, or on the same day? If it does, then you have a responsive provider. But, if it takes a few days or never responds, then you should consider replacing your provider with a new one with a better track record.

2. They should empathize with you
Empathy is the ability to understand another person and share his or her feelings. When you empathize with someone, you would be willing to do anything to help that person. As a customer, wouldn’t you be happy if your service provider understood your problems and shared your feelings? Everyone would. Empathy is the first step toward being helpful and supportive. A service provider who feels for you is always ready to come to your aid, no matter when you need it.

Does your commercial cleaning service provider empathize with you? You probably have no idea. People who empathize with you listen to you and pay attention when you are talking. Then, they offer to help you, without your having to ask. They make you understand, not with words but with their actions, that they are always there for you – whenever you may need them. Have you ever felt that way about your cleaning company? If the answer is yes, then keep it.

3. They should take responsibility for their mistakes
Businesses are driven by self-interest. Everyone is in it to make money. Having said that, not taking responsibility for your mistakes means you are not worthy of trust. Nobody wants to do business with people they cannot trust. Businesses of good standing always take responsibility for their mistakes. They are more concerned about their reputation than making a little money at their customers’ expense. Here is an example. In 2007, Amazon delivered a new PlayStation to a customer who was not at home at the time. The package was given to a neighbor, who left it at the customer’s door. Predictably, the PlayStation was stolen. Acknowledging it was its fault, Amazon delivered a new PlayStation and didn’t charge for the extra shipping.

Is your commercial cleaning service provider willing to own up whenever it makes a mistake? If it does not, then you shouldn’t be doing business with it. A company that doesn’t take responsibility for its mistakes shifts the blame on you. Once it knows what you are calling for, the company refuses to pick up the phone or write back. The company may even put the blame on you. If your cleaning company has done something like that, then you should consider replacing it.

4. They should go the extra mile for their clients
You would go the extra mile for someone you really cared about, wouldn’t you? Going the extra mile shows you care. It also helps make that person’s life a lot easier. Good service providers never hesitate to go the extra mile to help their customers. They know earning their customers’ goodwill is more important than saving a few bucks. Here is an example. A family who had just returned from their vacation discovered they had left their little son’s beloved stuffed giraffe at the Ritz-Carlton, where they had stayed. The boy was devastated. But, that same day, the hotel called and told them it had found the giraffe. Not only that, but the hotel also mailed it to them at its own expense.

Does your commercial cleaning company go the extra mile occasionally? It can’t always, of course. As a business owner yourself, you must understand that. But, if the company cares about you, then it would occasionally show that by going the extra mile. For example, you need a few more cleaners for an emergency. Your cleaning company picks up the phone and offers additional janitors and cleaning equipment at no added cost. That will just make your day, won’t it?

One more thing. Cleaning may not be at the top of your priority list, but it is one of the most important aspects of maintaining a business. Let iNX Commercial Cleaning take the headache out of managing the cleaning process so that you can focus on your core business.  Give us a call 1 (888) TEAM-iNX or schedule an appointment to be contacted by a sales representative today!