Cleaning Contracts Are Won on Data – Not Just Promises
Dan Teare
When you’re tendering for a cleaning contract, it’s tempting to focus on new ‘innovations’ that you haven't delivered elsewhere to stand out.
“This tech saves us time and increases standards”
“Our teams are trained to the highest standards.”
“We can show your PPM schedule status overlayed on 3D models”
But we know deep down everyone says that.
The clients you’re pitching to have heard it all before. What they want now is proof outside of the sales pitch. Not vague assurances. Not generic brochures. Cold, hard data that shows you deliver - consistently.
Why data wins business (and keeps it)
In a competitive contract cleaning market, it’s not always the cheapest company that wins. It’s the one that can prove they’ll do the job properly, spot issues before the client does and keep everything on track.
That proof doesn’t come from slick sales decks. It comes from the systems you use every day - the checklists completed on site, the photos uploaded after a job, the audit records and real-time reports that show exactly what’s been done, when and by who.
This is what gives procurement teams confidence. It’s what gives facilities managers peace of mind. And it’s what gives you an edge over competitors who rely on promises alone.
The data clients care about
Not all data is equal. The key is to highlight the things your clients are already worried about and show how you’re on top of them. For most commercial contracts, that includes:
- Task completion and time-stamped checklists
- Attendance and shift data (including no-shows and late starts)
- Incident and issue reporting logs
- Stock usage and site-specific notes
- Compliance tracking and audit records
If you can present this clearly during a bid, or share regular summaries with existing clients, you go from being just another cleaning company to a trusted service provider with nothing to hide.
From defensive to proactive
Too often, cleaning companies only pull this data when something’s gone wrong. A complaint. A failed audit. A contract under review. But by then, it’s already reactive and you’re scrambling to defend yourself.
Using your data proactively means you’re always one step ahead. By highlighting how you catch a mistake or see a drop in standard you are proving that you can ‘manage’ their contract. You can identify trends early, improve performance over time and flag issues before the client picks up the phone.
This doesn’t just protect you. It builds trust. And trust is what keeps contracts going year after year.
So how do you get there?
It starts with consistent, reliable data capture - without adding extra admin. That means digital checklists, simple task logging and systems your teams actually use.
Once the data is flowing, it needs to be stored in a way that makes it easy to access, filter and share. Whether that’s through regular reports or real-time dashboards, the goal is the same: give your client a clear, confident view of the service you’re delivering.
Facility Apps was built to support exactly this.
We help cleaning companies move from scattered systems and last-minute reporting to clear, trackable performance data that’s easy to access and even easier to share.
Because at the end of the day, your clients aren’t buying promises.
They’re buying results and proof.
