How Properly Managed Retail Maintenance Will Enhance Your Business

As a retailer, having to close your store because of maintenance issues can be a real pain in the profit margin. You’ve worked hard to get customers in the door, but if they’re greeted with tripping hazards or broken-down equipment they might not be coming back.

Even worse, they could take justified legal action because of dodgy facilities. A simple slip or fall can often mean the difference between a profitable month and sliding into the red.

While a CMMS system is a great asset for managing and streamlining retail maintenance strategies, a tool is only as good as those who use it. Learn how you can guarantee exceptional customer experiences every time through effective management of your retail maintenance.

6 Ways Facilities Maintenance Programs Build Trust and Loyalty

Building trust and loyalty with customers is the best way to create a lasting business. A properly managed facility that puts a high priority on customer safety and comfort can help you do that.

Facilities maintenance programs not only improve customer safety but also help to manage company liability and control financial exposure. Here are six ways that proper retail maintenance can enhance your business:

1. Improve Customer Safety

Ensuring customer safety should be a top priority for every business. This is especially true when it comes to retail maintenance and facilities management.

Keeping up with regular maintenance on your premises helps improve customer safety in numerous ways, such as removing slip and trip hazards, keeping lighting up to date, repairing faulty equipment, testing fire alarms and sprinklers regularly, inspecting air conditioning units and heating systems frequently, to name just a few.

Properly managed retail maintenance also creates a pleasant environment for customers by ensuring there are no odours or dampness due to poor ventilation or plumbing problems. Effective facilities management can even help keep pests away from your store so customers can have a safe shopping experience!

It should be noted that safety in a retail setting is a shared responsibility and not the sole jurisdiction of a single employee or department. While not all team members will have access to the company CMMS, it can still play a major role in creating a transparent system that fosters an overarching culture of safety in the workplace.

It's a lot to keep track of, and a good CMMS system can make it much easier by keeping all the vital information at your fingertips.

2. Only Work with Quality Vendors

It's important to focus on the qualifications of your vendors. The last thing you want is a vendor who can't meet deadlines or doesn't have the experience necessary for completing projects in a timely manner. Taking the time to vet them thoroughly guarantees that you’re getting quality work – and this will improve customer satisfaction as well.

So, when researching potential vendors, make sure that they have solid references from previous clients, and don’t be afraid to ask questions about their experience working with other stores like yours. Understanding how successful they’ve been in similar situations will give you insight into how effective they will be for you.

Additionally, maintenance management goes beyond booking vendors and making sure they show up on time. Maintenance teams can use the CMMS to also manage the performance of existing vendors, which is critical to ensuring their work is always up to standard. 

A comprehensive CMMS system, like Ticked Off, can help you track and assess vendor performance automatically, ensuring you maintain the highest standards of service and quality.

3. Manage Company Liability

One thing that is often overlooked, especially by smaller operations, is the proper management of company liability. Many business owners assume that as long as they have a facility in good condition, they don't need to worry about their liability. Unfortunately, this view is likely to lead to trouble.

No matter how well-maintained your premises are, there's always the potential for accidents and injury when people visit your space or use your service. That's why having a properly managed facilities maintenance program can make all the difference.

With regular inspections and repairs, you can reduce safety risks and make sure you're covered if there are any claims against your company. Plus, you will get in good with your insurance company if they see you've been keeping up to date with your facilities maintenance.

It's probably worth pointing out that a CMMS system can provide all the proof you need when the stuff hits the fan.

4. Control Financial Exposure

Properly managing retail maintenance can control financial exposure. It all starts with a clear understanding of the costs associated with your facilities and putting procedures in place that ensure all costs are tracked.

You should also look for ways to reduce the amount of money spent on repairs and replacement parts, but how will you know if you are not keeping accurate records?

It's far more profitable to spend money up-front for preventive maintenance than it is to have an unexpected breakdown that requires costly repairs. Regularly scheduled inspections and service reduce overall expenses because it fixes problems before they become more serious or costly.

Facilities management software can quickly reveal new ways to reduce costs, but it can also be effective at helping control finances by tracking your maintenance spending against your budget. 

With a CMMS system like Ticked Off, you can monitor and compare your actual expenses to your budgeted amounts, allowing you to make adjustments as needed and avoid overspending. This level of financial oversight helps you stay on top of your maintenance costs and make informed decisions about your retail maintenance strategy.

5. Maintain a Consistent Brand Identity

Think about it - before a customer even steps through your doors, they've already formed an impression based on your building's appearance. Is the parking lot clean and well-maintained? Is the exterior of the building in good condition? Are the windows spotless? These might seem like small details, but they can make a big difference in how customers perceive your brand.

And once customers do enter the building, they're looking for more than just a clean and tidy space. They want to feel welcome and safe, and they want to be confident that they're doing business with a trustworthy institution. That means the lighting should be just right, the furniture should be comfortable, and the overall atmosphere should be professional, clean, and inviting.

In short, your facilities are a key component of your brand. They communicate your values, your commitment to quality, and your dedication to providing the best possible experience for your customers. Don't overlook the importance of facilities maintenance - it might just be the secret to winning over new customers and keeping them coming back for more.

6. Reduce Operational Expenses

Retailers are always looking for ways to reduce operational expenses to improve the bottom line, or they should be. When you combine a robust CMMS system with your skills in facilities management, you open up several possibilities for reducing expenses, including:

Energy efficiency: Reducing energy usage is great for profits, but it also helps the environment. A business that obviously cares about the planet can further endear itself to customers who like to shop responsibly. Use energy-efficient practices like LED lighting, programmable thermostats, and other energy-efficient equipment to deliver a comfortable shopping experience that also saves you money each month.

Waste reduction: Reducing waste reduces your disposal expenses. Recycling, and donating unsold products are just two ways that come to mind for minimising waste, but it will depend on the business as to what's available.

Inventory management: Overstocking equipment and supplies ties up funds while understocking creates delays in repairs and maintenance. Using a CMMS system for more efficient inventory management helps you maintain the fine line between not enough and too much.

Create streamlined processes: Here's where a good CMMS system can really shine. You will always know when repairs and maintenance are needed, and who to call to get it done, and you can be confident you have all the parts and supplies ready to go at a moment's notice.

Are you ready to enhance your business by properly managing your retail maintenance operation? Call Ticked Off today to find out more about how their CMMS system can lead to greater profits.