Something we are often going on about is false economy through the use of cheap cleaning products.
With operating margins internationally being squeezed to breaking point, operators are looking for absolute value from every dollar spent servicing and maintaining their businesses. So it’s no surprise to learn that professionals are attempting to shop smarter to make their money go further. In a recent P&G UK survey, operators admitted however that purchasing attractively priced product ended up costing them more in the long run.
Not only are operators using proportionally more cheap cleaning product to do the same job, there are also additional “hidden” costs relating, in part, to things like compliance and quality. Poor labelling and brief or unreadable instructions resulted in product overuse, or incorrect product being used or wasted/discarded and even accidental mis-use. Contaminated or poorly formulated product (two factors going hand on hand with cheap product) resulted in return and replacement administration costs and in some cases an inability to clean critical areas. Other less tangible aspects included a lack of training and support from cheaper suppliers and confusion and lack of faith from staff, leading to a return to previous brands.
The study also showed operators focussed on price were more likely to skip or reduce cleaning frequency or thoroughness – another false economy trap that can reduce the equipment life-span and can increase incidents of customer and staff food poisoning through reduced surface and hand hygiene standards.
Smart operators know lowest overall costs are achieved with a focus on a quality, concentrated, compliant and supported product offer. Don’t get caught in the cheap-trap!