Here’s the way it was….Independent cleaning businesses used to reign supreme.Why?Well, among other things – customers liked the quality, reliability and responsiveness of doing business with a local business – not tied to financially to a some third party franchise or national management company.Here’s what’s changed….Today, many janitorial contracts go to large national management companies who offer volume (discounted) prices; too often based on impractical cleaning times –..then, turn around and quickly ‘sub’ out the work to local janitorial business owners–yep, the ones who not too long ago would get those contracts on their own at prices based on healthy profit margins and reasonable cleaning times.There are exceptions; regional, even national, cleaning management firms who do better, some much better than what I’ve described – just not enough of them.But, there’s no value in‘crying over spilt milk’.Yesterday is gone – and we need to see things clearly, as they really are if we want to stand any chance of creating a new winning strategy for today’s independent janitorial businesses.Here’s the interesting thing….The answer will likely be found, not outside in the chaos and confusion of social media the cleaning business, but rather inside the cleaning business; in the:1) detailed, quiet, thoughtful analysis of every current company practices and procedure2) relentless implementation of unique, new practices and procedures designed to deliver unique, new benefits customers want, but are not currently being offered – from anyone – and, finally3) effective promotion of the unique new practices, procedures and benefits – to the target market.You Can Do This, You Really Can,Dan