How Retail Cleaning Reflects the Store Brand

Online shopping is expected to continue to grow, even as the pandemic becomes endemic and life returns to relative normalcy. In fact, research reported by Shopify and Oberlo found that one-third of global consumers shop digitally today, representing a 3.1 percent year-over-year increase from 2022.

Cleanliness is key for retail store customers

So, what can retailers do to drive more consumers into brick and mortar stores? How can they drive more brand loyalty? One critical focus is retail cleaning.

Your stores aesthetics and appearance help consumers experience your brand. Entryways, aisles, checkout areas, and restrooms demonstrate your brand story from the time a customer visits your store to the moment they leave. The overall cleanliness and appearance of your store—especially high traffic areas that can get dirty fast—can make or break your store’s appearance and reputation.

Even prior to the pandemic that ushered in elevated expectations of clean, a Proctor & Gamble Professional survey found the vast majority of customers place a high priority on the cleanliness of stores:

• 91% of customers agreed that they are more likely to have an overall negative opinion of the business if it is not clean
• 95% of customers said cleanliness can elevate a good business into a great business
• 88% of customers are concerned for their safety in a dirty environment
• 74% of customers are willing to overlook customer service if the business is noticeably clean

With intense competition to bind loyal customers to your brand and attract new customers, retailers need to tell a positive brand story by consistently maintaining a high level of clean.

Labor crunch and clean go hand-in-hand

Retail store cleaning might seem like a secondary consideration given ongoing labor shortages throughout the industry. In August 2023, the retail trade still had 665,000 job openings that needed to be filled, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Yet, having a plan for cleaning retail stores is just as essential as finding and hiring good workers. After all, retail employees want to work in a clean and safe environment and if your store outshines the competition, you’re more likely to attract qualified, enthusiastic candidates.

AMR—your new employee

Another way to overcome challenges due to the labor crunch in retail is turning to autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) to handle the more routine and repetitive jobs such as floor cleaning. AMRs work alongside humans, helping retailers solve key challenges and create a competitive advantage. In fact, analysis from ABI Research predicts that robotics adoption in retail will surge through 2030, growing nearly 40 percent annually.

Tennant AMRs are common co-workers in many retail operations today. These robotic floor scrubbers help the industry address labor challenges, clean more efficiently and maintain a high standard of clean that consumers expect. AMRs free up human employees to tackle other high-value, high-touch cleaning tasks so every area reflects a clean store brand. Tennant AMRs are offered in a variety of models and sizes from the T380AMR that can scrub floors in tight aisles and small spaces to the T16AMR industrial robotic floor scrubber for larger retail areas and warehouses.

Tennant AMRs can be used with detergent-free cleaning methods such as our ec-H20™ Technology that transforms tap water into a safe, effective cleaning solution. This can help retailers reduce their environmental impact while saving money on cleaning chemicals and improving safety.

Moving towards the mechanized mop

The traditional mop-and-bucket approach was once considered the standard for cleaning floors in tight spaces. But its fate has suffered over the years because this method of cleaning can't deliver a high level of clean. Using mops and buckets runs counter to creating a store environment that reflects a clean brand story because mops are inefficient, sloppy, unsanitary, and hard on the body and back.

Mechanized mops have become a much better mop alternative to clean in small areas. For example, the Tennant i-mop® Lite has emerged as a more efficient, productive, sanitary, and ergonomic alternative to mopping. It exceeds cleaning standards and is highly maneuverable in tight spaces and around obstacles. It’s also lightweight, making it easier for operators to get a powerful level of clean.

Tennant also offers larger i-mop XL® and i-mop XXL® scrubbers that provide the maneuverability of a mop with the cleaning performance of a walk-behind floor scrubber.

Use clean to elevate your brand

With the growth of online shopping cutting into in-store visits, the shopping experience is more important than ever. A dirty and unkempt store risks losing customers and potential revenue. But maintaining a clean, dry floor that is safe and attractive can be a challenge.

Fortunately, Tennant can help retailers like you find the right floor cleaning process and machinery to elevate your store’s level of clean. We can provide you with dependable and reliable machines, innovative features, sustainable solutions, strong delivery capabilities and a national footprint for service and support.

Learn more about Tennant’s solutions for retail store cleaning.

Download Tennant’s Definitive Guide to Retail Shine.

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