Where Clean Freaks Go for their Tools of the Trade
One Supplier Beats the Competition
Where"s the best online retailer for commercial cleaning supplies? The International Janitorial Cleaning Services Association (IJCSA) has awarded CleanFreak with "Best Janitorial Supply Website- in the industry for the second consecutive year. The IJCSA is the leading support association for housekeeping, janitorial, and general business contractors in the cleaning industry. The decision by the IJCSA to choose CleanFreak for the top honor was based on its website providing three important components: ease of navigation; quantity of information available; and best overall price points for equipment and supplies.
The Path to Success
CleanFreak of Appleton, Wisconsin, began as a general concept in 1995 when its parent company, Packaging Tape Inc., expanded its product lines from packaging supplies to incorporate janitorial equipment and supplies. When brainstorming about the company"s future, the management team determined that the internet was a potential avenue to educate its local customer base about basic chemical supplies and procedures.
As the internet boom began in the late 1990s, CleanFreak began to attract widespread, nationwide business, outgrowing its original tri-state sales area. As the new millennium came and went, an e-commerce shopping cart was added, and the website started taking online orders. As the years passed and the website grew larger, new objectives were set.
CleanFreak never imagined they would become a nationwide leader in the online janitorial and cleaning industry in just twelve years. The growth online and the resulting purchasing power allowed them to offer both low prices and the most comprehensive knowledge base in the industry.
President Tom Wagner said, •The objective was, and still is, to be the number one source for janitorial knowledge, equipment, and supplies. Our hope is to be there for you, at any time, whether you need information on a product, or a video demonstration on how to clean a floor. We want to be able to help you do your job more efficiently, and most importantly, more cost effectively.•
CleanFreak knew from the start that most cleaning does not happen during normal business hours, so the website, which contains a resource center, is available 24 hours a day. •As long as you can get to a computer with an internet connection, we are there for you,• stated Tom Wagner. The customer service team mans the phones from 8 AM until 5 PM CST, if there is a question that the website can't answer for you.
By Neil Whitehall
Get Housekeeping Jobs, Contributing Editor
Get Housekeeping Jobs, Contributing Editor