Spring Cleaning: Don’t Forget Your Shop!

The term gets thrown around in advertisements for everything from carpets to lawn-care service. It can be an excuse to eliminate clutter, and clean nooks and crannies that never see daylight. Either way, spring-cleaning traditions are rooted in new beginnings after long, dark winters. If you skip these tasks for your shop, you could inadvertently kill your business.

First impressions in retailing are everything. Yes, you can hide some problems by how you organize your shop and display your merchandise, but it won’t matter to customers who can’t look past dust or clutter. Tidy shops aren’t just about cleanliness. Clean, orderly shops can boost sales and improve customers’ experiences.

With the spring-cleaning season in full swing, create a cleaning schedule for your shop to enhance this year’s efforts.

Create a Clean Culture

Cleaning duties must be everyone’s responsibility. Your staff must know you expect them to maintain a professional appearance, and that your store must reflect professionalism. Encourage your staff to clean throughout the day as they notice areas to improve.

Be aware of what your customers can see. If they can see your repair area and workbench, keep your entire workspace tidy. Yes, customers appreciate your bow-tech skills, but they also appreciate clean floors and an organized workspace. Once your staff makes cleaning a habit, they’ll find a tidy shop takes less time to clean.

Post a Cleaning Schedule

Sweep under the fridge, dust the vents, and clean the keyboards. Unless cleaning is a top-of-mind priority, you’ll overlook trouble. Daily and weekly cleaning schedules hold your shop accountable. Review the schedule regularly with your staff to ensure they understand what’s required. Post the cleaning schedule in a backroom or behind the counter as a constant reminder.