A Little OCD Goes a Long Way

Troy White, Regional Director | Mobile, Pensacola & Tallahassee

Obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD, is defined as a condition that prompts excessive thoughts that often lead to repetitive behaviors or compulsions. It’s a condition considered to require consulting with a doctor for treatment, according to some medical references, if the condition is debilitating to the one who suffers from it. However, I’d like to go on record that a little OCD is good for you and the health of your business.

Admittedly, I am a little OCD. I can’t end a project without spending some quality time with my tools and equipment using a spray bottle of Windex and a few paper towels. I wipe everything down, clean out all the little nooks and crannies and check all the fluids before I put them away. I even clean the handles of my tools and scrub them until they shine.

For me, it is a way to wrap up the day and prepare for the next morning, which starts with a completely clean and maintained area.

Yes, OCD is usually tied to washing and cleaning rituals… which is why I think a little OCD can be good for the cleaning business.

We all know those people who open their car doors and stuff falls out like a garbage truck. Maybe an empty Coke can or a McDonald’s wrapper. My car… it’s immaculate. Everything in its place with complete and total order. Just like the day it came off the factory floor. What does having a filthy car or work area say about you and your business? Would you be embarrassed if a client or another Jani-King franchise opened up your storage closet? Is your assigned area for storage neat and orderly? How does it smell? As a sales professional, this is the first place I take potential clients to. If the custodial closet is a disaster, what does that say about the cleanliness of the building?

A little OCD means you will work on that stain a little longer than your competition and you will probably get better results.

A little OCD means you will monitor your results a little closer than your competition, and you will probably keep your clients longer.

A little OCD means you will check and then double check to make sure everything has been completed on that cleaning schedule, and you will probably get compliments for it.

Pay attention to the details. Use a little OCD to your benefit. Your customers will really appreciate it and you will create raving fans.