Whatever the retail environment, LaddersFree provides the cleaning services for windows, cladding, and signage that their clients need
It’s no coincidence that the word “retail” rhymes with “detail”. What happens when the visual appeal of your business is crucial to your success? Of course, much retail business is done online these days. There’s certainly plenty of bold web design out there to catch customers’ eyes. But retail businesses with outlets in the real world need to make sure they present their best possible face to the world to grab potential customers’ attention. And whatever the type of outlet, clean windows, cladding, and signage is crucial in underpinning that appearance. Within the REACT Group, LaddersFree delivers our commercial window cleaning service. In this blog we look at how they work with clients in three retail settings: high street, retail park, and shopping centre.
The LaddersFree model of service delivery
LaddersFree has a national network of local window cleaners. These cleaners are known internally as Members, and they live and work in towns and cities across the UK. With such an extensive network of over 300 cleaning teams nationwide, LaddersFree can offer a complete range of cleaning techniques and technologies on a nationwide scale. The chief focus is on water-fed poles (‘reach and wash’), mobile platforms, and abseiling and rope access window cleaning. LaddersFree also offers traditional window cleaning, together with other specialist cleaning services for gutters, cladding, signage, and fascias.
LaddersFree has several major retail clients who benefit from the efficiencies of using a nationwide service provider. They get the benefits of a local service, with lower overheads due to reduced travel costs. They also have a single point of contact, with flexible payment options allowing for invoices at individual sites or a single invoice to a main office. This system accommodates retail groups that previously paid for window cleaning using petty cash without the need of an invoice from the window cleaner. What’s more, LaddersFree clients also get consistent Health & Safety standards across all sites so they remain compliant. Since LaddersFree does the due diligence on their Members, retail clients can have peace of mind when it comes to the service they provide.
Different retail environments need different approaches
Whatever the retail location, LaddersFree provides excellent cleaning services. Here are three different retail settings where they’ve got their clients covered:
1. The high street: window shopping needs clean windows
In traditional high street retail outlets, the priority is to entice people in who may be passing by. Of course, a shop should provide a welcoming atmosphere. But perhaps more importantly, potential shoppers have got to be able to see clearly what’s on offer in the first place. For these units, LaddersFree can use a reach-and-wash cleaning system, with water-fed poles proving to be the most effective method. They have several major high-street clients, many of whom have a national portfolio of sites.
2. Retail parks: the whole package
On retail parks, the focus needs to be on the entire building, not just the windows. In many cases, retail parks rely less on windows and more on signage to capture people’s attention in the first place. So it’s important to keep signage and cladding clean, as well as windows. Windows are often at low level and can certainly be cleaned using water-fed poles or traditional brush and squeegee cleaning methods. But for cladding and signage which can extend upwards to height, LaddersFree can deploy mobile elevated work platforms (MEWPS) as well as their ground-level pole-fed water systems. Again, LaddersFree provide their window cleaning and cladding cleaning services to a number of major retail clients with outlets across the UK.
3. Shopping centres: windows get dirtier than you might think
Shopping centres present a similar story to the high street, with the focus on large windows aiming to entice shoppers in. Retailers have the footfall, with ‘captive’ shoppers engaging in window shopping, or focused on the retailers they want to visit. Of course, in shopping centres internal windows aren’t exposed to the elements. But they can still get just as dirty as the windows on the high street, as they’re not ‘washed’ by rainwater, and debris builds up as there is no wind to dislodge and disperse these particles. Smudges from sticky hands, dust generated by passing shoppers, and potentially poor internal air quality can all contribute to dirty windows that undermine a shop’s impact. For shopping centres, LaddersFree will normally deploy a traditional brush and squeegee cleaning method to minimise the impact on passers-by.
Contact one of the team today to find out more about window cleaning and cladding or signage cleaning services for the retail sector from LaddersFree (part of the REACT Group).
Email: info@reactplc.co.uk
Website: www.reactsc.co.uk
Post by Sam Haywood
Sam is Group Sales Director of REACT Group plc., a business dedicated to specialist cleaning going beyond the everyday. His focus is on delivering clients with excellent service whatever their cleaning challenges. Sam has a background working in facilities services and facilities management across hard, soft, and M&E services for national accounts and clients.
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