The gladiator effect
You may have seen or heard the film ‘Gladiator’. Set in ancient Rome, it starred Russell Crowe and was directed by Ridley Scott. If you know the film, you will no doubt remember the scene in the Colosseum where the Roman Caesar decides whether the Gladiator lives or dies by putting his thumb up or down.
There are many times every day when we decide whether to give something the thumbs up, or the thumbs down. NJC call this the ‘Gladiator Effect’. It is widely recognised that it takes less than 4 seconds to make this decision, even if we can’t explain why. In his No.1 International Bestselling book 'Blink – The Power of Thinking without Thinking', Malcolm Gladwell explains that the unconscious mind makes decisions long before the conscious mind can understand why. These snap judgements are often emotional reactions based on first impressions, created in the blink of an eye.
Why the standard of cleaning in your premises is so important.
Why is this phenomenon crucial for Facilities Managers and Property Managers? Good standards of cleanliness, together with many other factors under the control of the Facilities / Property Manager, create vital first impressions. The standard of cleaning can speak volumes about your company and its service values. Just four seconds can be the difference between a thumbs up, or a thumbs down for your company image. There are many positive commercial effects of creating a good first impression to both visitors and prospective employees. Good first impressions will always make it easier to attract the right staff, impress potential customers or keep tenants happy. For these reasons, the world’s leading companies and property investors have always paid very careful attention to the presentation of their premises.
Why else is the standard of cleaning so important? Good standards of cleaning are the physical representation of the brand values and efficiency of an organisation. In addition, smart and clean premises result in an increased feeling of employee wellbeing. This leads to higher employee productivity and higher rates of staff retention. Good people are the organisation’s knowledge base and greatest asset. Keeping them is critical to the sustainable success of the company. High rates of employee retention substantially reduces the high costs of re-recruitment and improves business performance. For good standards of cleaning, you need a good cleaning company.
Impact on investment performance
For property investors and managers of multi-let buildings, the quality of common area cleaning and the ‘Gladiator effect’ can have a direct impact on investment performance. As leases get shorter, tenant retention and number of voids will become the key performance drivers. In 2004, less than 40% of tenants renew their leases (source RICS Tenant Satisfaction Index) and it is estimated that each renewal can cost at least 18 months loss of rent. Both the introduction of REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) and the RICS Service Charge Code will increase focus on performance and tenant satisfaction. Clean, well serviced common parts create happy tenants and happy tenants are a good investment.
For a good standard of cleaning and to create an excellent first impression, you need to select the right cleaning service provider. This company will provide long term, transparent value for money. There are over 10,000 cleaning contractors operating in the UK. Choosing the right one can be a difficult task.
