By Steve Ashkin, The Ashkin Group

I think people who know me would consider me to be an optimist. I believe I am the “glass is half full” kinda guy. So when I talk about recessions, I’m not trying to scare anyone, but rather I think it is important that we plan for the future --- and if we’re really smart (and maybe a little lucky), perhaps we can turn all this talk about recession into a good opportunity to actually grow our business.

In the past, we often were victimized by knee-jerk reactions from our customers who were simply ordered to cut expenses. If you haven’t already started hearing that cleaning costs need to be cut by 10 percent (or whatever the percentage happens to be), my guess is you will soon.

And also in the past, far too often our response was simply “OK”. Perhaps we didn’t like it, but we did it. Perhaps we were afraid that we would lose the account altogether if we didn’t comply. Perhaps we could cut services and maybe reduce vacuuming, dusting, trash removal or some other service just one day less frequently and we could meet the customer’s needs and occupants wouldn’t really notice (or so we thought). Perhaps we switched to lower quality products including paper, chemicals, equipment, mats and other products to reduce costs. After all, in tough times we need to be team players and help our customers.

OK I’ll said it. There absolutely, positively there will be customers that unless you cut their costs, you will lose their business. But there are strategies that not only will help you minimize these losses, but can actually help you grow your sales and commissions even during a recession.

First, while some purchasing agents really don’t care about anything other that cost, there are people who are concerned about the quality of the products and services they buy, and more importantly their ability to create a clean, safe, healthy, productive and even “green” building. And also from my experience, most facility managers would love to get some help justifying why their budget shouldn’t get cut. And finally, while the overall budget may have to get cut, if you can help make the point that cleaning is extremely important; perhaps they will make deeper cuts in other areas and preserve the cleaning budget. So let’s help them.

My first recommendation is for you to be proactive. Do NOT wait until the decisions have already been made and you are simply told to comply or be replaced. Go to you customers and prospects with information on the growth of Green Buildings and Green Cleaning. Make the case that the “train is leaving the station and accelerating”. Thus, this is not the time to step off.

But don’t rely on just pithy sayings like my clever metaphor of the “train leaving the station”. Back it up with clear examples such as growth statistics from the USGBC and their LEED Rating System (or the comparable statistics for the market segment you are calling on).

Or bring them magazine articles from cleaning industry trade publications. And better yet, bring them articles from consumer publications like Time Magazine and Newsweek and newspapers like USA Today and the New York Times demonstrating the growing interest in Green. Make them aware of new consumer brands entering the marketplace and what folks like Wal-Mart are doing (did you know that earlier this month Wal-Mart introduced its own Green store-brand of household products named “Simplicity”). Green really is happening and our customers/prospects will continue to need help implementing Green Cleaning even in a recession.

And while I promote Green Cleaning as “cost neutral” (Green products and services cost about the same as comparable traditional products and services), but more importantly this is the time to recognize one very important point ---- your customers/prospects are really thinking that change needs to be made. And change means opportunity!

Think about it this way. Your customers/prospects are NOT very happy that they have to cut cleaning costs and change what they are doing. They have likely gone through this before and they probably believe that they will get more complaints from their occupants and fear that it could result in problems affecting occupant health, performance, productivity, absenteeism, tenant retention and more. NOT FUN!

So be the salesperson who can help them make a change that can also make them a HERO! Help them switch to Green Cleaning!

Many customers/prospects may be thinking that their only solution is to cut costs --- reduce product quality, reduce service frequencies, or put off important cleaning requirements. Unfortunately they are NOT defining this as “change” --- rather in their mind they are going to continue doing what they have always done, but just a little less of it. After all, they are very busy and this seems like an easy solution.

Help them understand that this is a change. It is real change. It is an important change. And perhaps most important, it is a change that people (i.e. occupants) will notice. So help them with a better strategy. Offer to conduct an audit and put a comprehensive plan in place. And precisely because people are going to notice and since they have to make a change anyway --- this is the perfect time to introduce a Green Cleaning program.

Finally remember that you are in a very competitive marketplace. Perhaps think of it in college basketball terms --- this is March Madness. And while your competitors are focused on saving their existing business --- go after their accounts. While most of your competitors will simply be looking for a way to cut costs out of their traditional cleaning products and services, offer the prospect something more. Much more!

Sure you may have to reduce the costs to some of your existing accounts. But my message to you is to use this opportunity to take your competitors accounts by replacing their traditional products NOT with cheaper traditional alternatives, but use the opportunity to truly help the prospect be a hero and help them change to a Green Cleaning program.

Please keep in mind that Green Cleaning is a “journey”. So even in times where customers/prospects are fearing recession and cutting costs, make a good plan and them started on their “journey” with those opportunities that will save them money or are cost-neutral. From their perspective you have helped them meet their needs and from your perspective you have added new business.

Just remember, they’re going to buy Green products and services from someone, and we’d prefer it’s from you. Good selling.

Steve

 

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