Front of house maintenance is vital to encourage return custom.
Not only does a clean and tidy front of house give a good first impression of your business but it can reduce infections, sick pay, and the stress of covering shifts.
Customers are highly influenced by your front of house area with 85% of shoppers saying the physical environment was an important feature when shopping and 64% stating they have walked out of a store because of its physical appearance or disorganisation.
Read on to find out what front of house includes, what front of house areas you should be concerned with, our front of house cleaning tips, and how to save money and time by keeping it clean.
What is front of house?
Front of house are the areas which are visible and accessible to the public. They are all the customer-facing spaces such as the dining room, bar, communal areas, and public bathrooms.
Front of house vs back of house
While front of house is all the customer-facing areas, back of house are all staff areas such as storerooms, offices, and kitchens.
Why is front of house cleaning important?
The front of house area is important to keep clean because it can be the difference between returning customers and customers you’ll never see again.
First impression
If customers arrive to a messy or unclean front of house area, they will likely assume that you don’t care enough about your business.
If the front of house area is messy or disorganised, then they will assume the back of house is even worse.
And if you don’t care about what your customers think of the customer-facing areas then what kind of customer service are you going to provide?
A massive 59% of consumers have a ‘one strike and you’re out’ policy, meaning if your front of house gives a bad impression, they’ll likely not be back, losing you sales.
Health and safety
Having a clean front of house helps to ensure health and safety by reducing infections.
Consumers are more health-conscious since covid with 62% of consumers reporting good hygiene is more important since the pandemic. While 55% want venues to continue to have hygiene measures displayed.
Having an organised front of house also helps to avoid slips, trips, and falls which is the number one workplace injury.
Staff or customers hurting themselves in your premises could lead to complaints or even legal action.
Boosts customer loyalty
If your front of house and business is clean, it makes for a better customer experience.
And this will help to encourage returning customers even if you’re a more expensive retailer. As 48% of respondents chose to shop at a more expensive retailer because they preferred the ambiance.
This means if you provide a clean and organised front of house experience then you could even increase your prices and still have returning customers.
Cuts costs
A clean front of house helps reduce the spread of bacteria which can lead to sick staff or customers.
Sick customers could harm your reputation and sick staff mean additional costs for sick pay and covering shifts.
Front of house cleaning checklist
Creating a consistent daily, weekly, and monthly front of house cleaning schedule for your front of house area will
help keep cleanliness to a high standard. Here is how to clean your front of house.
This can be used as a front of house restaurant cleaning checklist, bar cleaning checklist, or retail front of house checklist.
Floors
Regularly vacuum, sweep, and mop all front of house areas to the reduce the spread of bacteria. Not only will it reduce bacteria, but they will look good and avoid wear and tear, so they last longer.
Walls
An area that can be forgotten about is the walls. Marks, stains, and discolouration can make your walls look tired and dirty.
If your walls are painted, they should be painted with hard-wearing paint, so they can be easily and quickly wiped without damaging the paint.
Windows
Clear and streak-free windows let in natural light to improve the overall ambiance. It also helps entice people from outside to come in.
Furniture
Clean tables, chairs, and other furnishings to remove dust, stains, and allergens.
Accessories
Remember to clean accessories such as curtains, ornaments, or artwork. Layers of dust on picture frames or sculptures can show a lack of care.
Also ensuring coffee machines, condiments, sanitisers, and any other refillable are kept stocked is important to ensure your customers have a good experience and aren’t made to wait.
Waste management
Emptying waste bins and recycling show that you are concerned about cleanliness and sustainability.
More and more consumers choose sustainable brands which can enhance your reputation when you show you are doing what you can to limit your impact on our planet.
It’s important not just to keep bins inside your premises manageable but your outside bins too.
If customers can see your outdoor bins and they are overfilled, they will assume your establishment isn’t very clean and possibly attracting rodents.
Bathrooms
An unclean bathroom can be a dealbreaker for many consumers with 1 out of 5 not returning to a store because of a dirty bathroom.
This not only loses you customers and profit but it’s embarrassing.
A clean bathroom is a basic for any business.
Bathroom areas could even have a separate cleaning schedule to ensure everything is stocked up and clean.
Lighting
Lighting can be another forgotten area of your front of house area, but it should be cleaned periodically.
Customers in a study preferred ambient lighting which increase the likelihood of purchasing.
Front of house cleaning
Ensuring your front of house is clean and tidy should be a priority for your business.
But it isn’t always easy to ensure this is consistent especially with budget restrictions.
Why consider a commercial cleaning company London?
Hiring commercial cleaning services for your front of house could ensure a consistent clean and save you time and money.
Accountability
Staff can become too busy to focus on their front of house cleaning duties, especially in hospitality or busy retail businesses.
Without a strict schedule your cleaning could become inconsistent. Cleaning companies are dedicated to keeping your premises clean and safe to a consistently high standard.
Time and cost efficiency
Professional cleaners have a wealth of knowledge and know how to get rid of certain stains and how to get the area cleaned as quickly and effectively as possible.
Cleaners can focus on the job they are an expert in while your staff can focus on theirs.
Reduced stress
With a cleaning service handling the front of house areas, business owners can have peace of mind that their business will always be consistently clean.
You can be assured that you’re giving customers the best impression of your business to encourage them to return.
If you’d like the benefits of a clean and tidy front of house area, then contact us at StainlessCleans today for a free quote for our business cleaning services London.
