If you stop and take a look at the exterior of your commercial building from a first-time customer’s eyes, do you see a business that has a focus on property maintenance and appearance or a company that doesn’t seem to care? Research conducted over the last 20 years or more indicates that consumers do evaluate a business by its exterior as well as interior appearance.
In a summary of several studies published in Advances in Consumer Research in 2001 researchers tracked the trends over years of different studies about consumer likes and dislikes. What the researchers found supports the practice of programmed maintenance. It is a low-cost investment that will have a dramatic impact on how customers view your business, your products, and their willingness to spend money in your store.
Well Presented Properties Bring In Customers
In one study completed by Ward, Bitner, and Barnes in 1992 it was found that how a customer viewed the external elements of a store had a strong effect on their attitude towards the store. A pleasant, appealing, and well-maintained store was reported as the better store to visit for specific or general needs. On the other hand, a run-down, dirty or dingy-looking store attracted far fewer customers on the survey and survey participants were more likely to say they would not even visit the store regardless of specials, sales or prices.
The Smell Factor
For retail outlets, restaurants, petrol stations, and even franchise chains, odours associated with a particular building or store can also be appealing and bring in customers or repulsive and off-putting. In a 1994 study the ambient scents, when not congruent with what was expected by the customer, caused many individuals to leave the property without shopping, stopping, or even entering.
This is particularly important as odour can develop over time due to poor cleaning practices or lack of routine deep cleaning. Building maintenance programs that can be customized to remove odours, residue, molds or other odour causing materials are an important consideration for more than just venues selling food or food items.
Building maintenance, both for visual and sensory-based appeal, is important to your customers. With experience in all types of commercial cleaning and property maintenance, we would be happy to meet with you and discuss recommendations to improve your business.