ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Shopping centres are increasingly focused on positioning themselves as desirable lifestyle destinations. That means the cleaning service provider must be able to respond rapidly and effectively to fast-changing requirements. Colin Garvin, commercial director at Grosvenor Services, tells us more about this type of contract.

RETAIL CLEANING is a journey of continuous improvement – where relationships, processes and the required equipment are fine-tuned at every step. This approach is first and foremost about flexibility and effective communication. No two days are the same in retail, so a strong working relationship is key. The service provider must be able to respond rapidly and effectively to fast-changing requirements. Having this adaptability enables cleaning companies to navigate challenges and opportunities successfully.

Elevating guest experiences

Shopping centres are increasingly focused on positioning themselves as desirable lifestyle destinations. For example our client, Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City, places a strong emphasis on maintaining consistently high cleaning standards across its spaces.

The visit to the mall is often a day out or a weekend away with friends or family. It’s no longer just about retail purchases - it’s about creating a great experience for guests. A variety of dining options, entertainment, leisure activities, beauty kiosks and pop-up events encourage visitors to stay longer, explore more and return often.

These increasingly sophisticated destinations, with high levels of footfall, need to be managed more smartly than ever before. Facilities services can include concourse and back-of-house cleaning, washroom cleaning, high level cleaning of glass atrium roofs and windows, recycling and waste management, pest control, security, car park management, landscaping and grounds maintenance.

Getting the physical customer environment right might be self-evident but the second part of the puzzle - delivering a premium quality customer service - is what sets great cleaning companies apart from good ones. Cleaning and facilities management providers are playing an ever more important role, acting as ambassadors for the shopping centre brand. It’s not just about maintaining a spotless environment.

Operatives are often asked for assistance from the public, whether that be checking closing times, or help with directions to a particular shop or restaurant. On-site facility services teams need to be highly trained and able to interact confidently with customers, reinforcing the centre’s commitment to excellent service.

One team approach

Shopping centres seek a seamless, coordinated approach, where multiple contractors work together as a unified team to deliver a consistent visitor experience. Joined-up support services are important, so to guests it appears the centre is run by one dedicated team delivering a consistently high standard of customer service.

In fact, cleaning teams often feel like they are working for the centre itself rather than their cleaning provider. This is a positive sign, reflecting the strong relationships that can develop between the centres, contractors and clients, as well as the teams’ dedication to their work.

To foster this partnership approach, service providers can take practical steps such as joining the morning strategy huddle and doing the daily centre walk, as well as the regular operational meetings. Proactive on-site and account management teams must maintain regular communication with client representatives on site. Service providers should be ready to step in for additional requirements, whether these are down to changes in scope, building extensions or centre events.

Working in partnership means challenges and new ideas can be discussed openly, and the aims and values of the shopping centre are more likely to be shared by all. This opens the way for the service partner - whether it is responsible for cleaning or a package of services – to add value to what it delivers to the running of the facility and enhancing the visitor experience.

Adding value

Increasingly, when companies outsource their facilities management, they are looking for a supplier that doesn’t just provide value for money but also delivers these services in a better way. They are looking to suppliers to show greater interest in their business, share similar values and to bring new ideas to the table. Strategic partners are those who get under the skin of the organisation they are working with to truly understand their needs and provide innovation as well as consistently excellent standards in every service area.

Better environments for all

Previously, health and safety were the top priorities in shopping centre tenders. While still essential, they are now considered standard expectations. Today, the focus has shifted towards strengthening sustainability credentials and social value, to create better environments for people to live and work. It’s not just about what happens within the centre - it’s also about the social value being created beyond its walls. This measures the positive value businesses create for the economy, communities and society. Some shopping centres are collaborating with local councils to take a more integrated and community-focused approach.

Cleaning and FM providers play a key role in bringing centres’ environmental and social value policies to life, presenting practical ways that the contract might be delivered to achieve these goals. A partnership approach is critical when you’re looking at the environmental and social value within shopping centres, so you’re all working towards the same goals.

The first step in any sustainability strategy is measuring and targeting the greatest impacts on the environment and then looking at practical ways to reduce usage and make improvements. Factors including utilities, recycling and waste reduction, engagement with on-site retailers and customers, procurement, transportation, chemical free cleaning and adoption of greener technologies should all be carefully considered.

Unique challenges

A bespoke approach to each location is needed as each shopping centre has unique operational challenges and goals, requiring flexibility and professionalism from the service provider. Requirements will vary, depending upon the size and location of the centre and other site-specific factors. It takes management skill and experience to proactively manage schedules and rotas to reflect fluctuating levels of footfall, at different times of the day and seasonally, so that service standards remain excellent.

Some contracts include the management of both indoor and outdoor spaces, and there are centres which have particularly distinctive settings. For example, Westfield Stratford City is integrated within a London Underground station as well as being located near to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, blending retail with the complexities of a busy transit hub.

A successful provider will do more than just provide a service. It will act as a strategic partner, getting under the skin of the centre it is working with to truly understand its client’s needs and provide innovation, as well as consistently excellent standards in every service area to address both current and future needs.

To return to my first point about retail cleaning being a journey of continuous improvement - to understand what that looks like it’s essential to measure, review, and determine what changes are needed. Advances in technology are taking the efficient management of shopping centre facilities a step further and the picture is constantly evolving. There are numerous tools available, from new developments in machinery to sophisticated real-time auditing software. While tracking activity is important, the real challenge lies in carefully reviewing the data, analysing it, and identifying areas where performance can be enhanced.

www.grosvenorservices.com