How Cheap Cleaning Can Hurt Your Brand
Recently someone sent us this photo of the only trash can available at a Rocky Run in Pennsylvania:
Our event colleague went on to say that she didn’t see any cleaners either. Which begs the question: after the event, where is this trash going to go? At some point, Parks and Recreation will take care of it, but pity the poor worker who is going to have to handle all that dispersed and exposed garbage. But before then, undoubtedly some of it will be carried away by the wind. Some will roll off or get kicked away accidentally by someone not paying attention.
Not only is this an eyesore, but it’s terrible for the environment too. If this venue were indoors, or in an enclosed outdoor arena, it would leave a lasting impression on your guests—and not in a good way. A dirty venue can have a cascading and costly effect, impacting an event producer’s budget and the brand you’re representing’s long-term reputation.
Costs to the Event Producer
Venues often have strict cleanliness clauses and they expect you to return the venue to them in the same or better state than you took possession of it. You can lose your deposit or be charged high post-event cleaning and damage fees.
If you are serving food and don’t maintain cleanliness standards ordained by the county board of health, you may face legal and liability costs. Health code violations, lawsuits, and increased insurance premiums can result if an attendee becomes injured or falls ill.
Your production entity or client may be declined future bookings at that particular venue. Bad word of mouth may compound the issue and you may be denied bookings at other venues who have heard about your reputation. This could lead to a loss of profits and repeat customers. If your event has to change venues to a less desirable location or your attendees have a negative experience because your event is so…well, trashy, then this may lead to reduced revenue.
The dirtier the venue, the more likely the post-event cleanup expense and the more likely there may be added expenses for deep cleaning or repairs. Dirt, stains, food waste, spilled drinks, overflowing garbage cans and restrooms utilized by hundreds or thousands of people without being serviced all lead to higher cost of cleaning post-event. Spilled food not taken care of immediately can also attract pests, requiring costly extermination.
Damage to Brand Reputation
These impacts are long-lasting and can affect the brand’s perceived quality, trustworthiness, and customer loyalty. We live in a world where negative online reviews and social media backlash can be swift and fierce. Cleanliness is often the first thing noticed by event attendees and affects their impression of the quality of the event and sponsoring brand. Negative viral videos of dirty venues can create instant and lasting reputational damage.
Poor cleaning hygiene implies a sense of negligence and invokes a loss of credibility. While we are told not to judge a book by its cover, appearances do matter, and high-value clients, sponsors, and partners will judge the event and production’s standards by the venue’s condition. If your space is dirty, what does that say about your brand’s commitment to excellence as a whole?
If your sponsors withdraw future support and your negative reputation deters potential partners, this will make it harder to secure funding, collaboration, or high profile talent for future projects. It will also diminish customer loyalty by creating a reverse halo effect as your customers begin to associate your brand with feelings of disgust or distaste. A poorly maintained physical environment will lead your customers to believe your brand is of lower quality, thus affecting your bottom line.
PopUP CleanUP offers full event cleaning services before, during, and after your event to make sure that your venue is presentable, beautiful, and left the way you found it.
