by Brianna Crandall — January 23, 2015—Most building service contractors are hopeful 2015 is a profitable year in all ways possible. But even if businesses are profitable, contractors are still likely to face some challenges in 2015, says Tornado Industries, manufacturer of professional commercial and industrial cleaning equipment.
Accordingly, this month’s Business of the Business from Tornado, an advisory designed to help building service contractors operate their businesses more efficiently and profitably, lists the top five challenges cleaning contractors may grapple with in 2015:
- Marketing changes: Traditional cold calling—whether on the phone or in person—will become less effective in 2015 as more building managers select cleaning contractors by doing their own online research.
- Online changes: Related to marketing changes, Google has made several adjustments that affect how visitors find businesses, and more changes are expected in 2015. Contractors must stay aware of these changes and how they impact their online presence.
- Hiring: Thanks to the pickup in the economy, many cleaning contractors are more confident about 2015 and plan to hire more full-time workers, whether custodial or in management. But hiring can be time-consuming, costly, and pothole ridden. Contractors should take their time and learn as much as possible about effective hiring practices before starting the process.
- Government uncertainty: While it is usually larger businesses most affected by government uncertainty, such uncertainty may impact smaller businesses in 2015. For example, some parts of the Affordable Care Act that specifically address smaller businesses may or may not go into effect in 2015.
- Wages: There appears to be growing support in some areas of the country for raising the minimum wage; changes in the minimum wage can directly affect the contract cleaning industry, pricing, and profit margins.
“No one can really predict the future,” says Sean Martschinke, a CIMS ISSA Certification Expert (I.C.E.) and product manager for Tornado Industries. “All we can really control is how we handle events that impact our lives and our businesses.”
