It is that time again when we look ahead to the upcoming trends and evaluate the last-years results. Despite the challenges the commercial cleaning industry faced in 2022, the UK contract cleaning business continues to be supported by the public. So let us check out what happened in the sector last year and see what trends we can expect to rise in 2023.
1. What Happened with the UK Cleaning Industry in 2022
2022 was not an easy year, as businesses were still suffering the aftereffects of the pandemic. That said, here are some noteworthy facts about the state of the cleaning industry.
1.1 Sector Growth
The cleaning sector has experienced rapid growth, according to a study done by MTW Research. It notes that more than 52 % of contract cleaners reported a rapid increase in their profits in the past year, and an additional 23% stated that they saw more limited growth. Experts say this is proof of the underlining polarising market trends that are expected to continue to develop in 2023.
1.2 Shifts in the Market
Intriguingly enough, the window cleaning sector regained a significant market share, altho still below its peak levels from 2019. The demand for cleaning services, in general, and commercial cleaning, in particular, is steadily rising despite hybrid and flexible working becoming more popular.
1.3 The Biggest Challenges in 2022
The biggest challenge for 2022, according to a recent study of top commercial cleaning and facilities management companies, is the labour shortage. The lack of qualified, seasoned employees is affecting business performance, according to 46% of the interviewed businesses.
There is a good chance that strikes in the public sector will spread to the private sector. Employees now have an unprecedented amount of ability to demand higher wages and better working conditions due to the hiring problem affecting the entire UK economy. The post-Brexit skill pool is getting smaller, and those who are left are demanding higher wages, so businesses are having to adapt and bear greater expenses. The UK’s double-digit inflation rate suggests that salary demands will stay high for the foreseeable future.
While cleaning companies struggle to pass on increases to clients, other input expenses are also anticipated to put pressure on profits in the next year or two. The price of branded cleaning supplies has risen by more than 11% year over year, and it doesn’t seem to be going down anytime soon. This compares to a UK-wide average increase of 2% growth.
2. Who Uses Cleaning Services in the UK in 2023?
In the United Kingdom, there is a sizable and diverse cleaning sector. The industry includes domestic cleaners used in homes, commercial cleaning, and general building cleaning. But who books these services and why?
- Landlords and tenants
This group of potential clients is one of the most reliable sources of funds for the residential and house cleaning sector. We could also include real-estate agents and building managers. If you are searching for new tenants having a tidy and well-kept property is essential. Here is where pre-tenancy cleaning comes in handy. For renters, end-of-tenancy cleaning is a must to receive their deposit back.
- Homeowners
From regular domestic clean-ups to specialised services like carpet and upholstery washing, house owners continue to support the UK cleaning industry. After the pandemic, the number of people who seek expert help is still high, as COVID is still present in our lives to this day.
- Businesses
Altho many companies changed completely how they operate, embracing the remote office culture, there is still a steady demand for commercial cleaning.
3. UK Cleaning Trends to Watch for in 2023
The way trends change over time is one of the cleaning industry’s most remarkable characteristics. Even if some subjects, like infection control, are more timeless than others, like drone technology, there are always some novel trends to watch out for each year. Our Top Cleaners experts have highlighted a few major industry trends for 2023.
3.1 High-Tech Cleaning
Technology in cleaning does not equate to knock-offs, but rather to higher cleaning standards. New solutions have been developed to make present cleaning procedures more effective and smooth. Artificial intelligence, augmented reality, the internet of things, robots, drone cleaning, mobile-driven cleaning equipment, and software-driven cleaning equipment are some of the most anticipated new high-tech cleaning technologies.
3.2 Cleaning Crew Education
The cleaning industry has come to understand that ongoing training is essential to the success of their profession. When new technologies emerge, teaching your cleaning staff will be important for effective cleaning and growing your clientele. To provide customers with a cost-effective and high-quality cleaning solution, cleaning employees must learn the latest cleaning standards and how to comply with them.
3.3 Green Cleaning
Eco-friendly cleaning has been a hot topic in the commercial cleaning world for a while now. Nevertheless, in 2023, the focus will shift from talking about green cleaning to implementing it in our daily routines. Companies are doing everything possible to embrace this new alternative way of doing things at a time when climate change and net zero are the talks of every nation. Avoiding dangerous chemicals practically saves the earth.
3.4 The Rise of Deep Cleaning
When it comes to cleaning business facilities, deep cleaning has a specific role. It is more thorough and intensive than ordinary cleaning and includes touchpoint disinfection to reduce and eliminate germs.
Generally, specialists advise that commercial buildings receive thorough cleaning once a month and more frequently for high-traffic areas like malls, public spaces, restrooms, and others.
However, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, deep commercial cleaning needs to be done more regularly and thoroughly than usual. It is due to the fact that there is a greater likelihood than ever before that an infection will spread within a business setting.
3.5 Cleaning Apps
It is expected that service providers will start integrating mobile technologies into their services. They will enable them to receive push notifications and location-based insights from a single platform, making it possible to clean residential and commercial properties more thoroughly and effectively.
Through their phones, cleaners may keep track of the status of their tasks and alert clients to any delays. Staff members can streamline the cleaning procedure while also saving time and money. Mobile apps help companies and technicians interact with customers more, help them coordinate assignment specifications and make adjustments before, during, and after each job.
4. Conclusion
The cleaning industry’s trends for 2023 will continue to favour digitisation and higher standards for safety and health. It is exciting to see how the sector changes and adapts to meet customer expectations. Business owners need to consider including these trends in their strategy to stay on top of the game.
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