Under the Hood

A recent Take 5 With Cleanfax video focused on how search engines work, how your website can get their attention, and some tips and tricks on getting jobs by tapping into the power “under the hood” of your website.

You can watch this episode below. It’s a short—but powerful—look at what many cleaning and restoration companies are not doing with their websites, just because they don’t know what is possible.

There are many similarities between what runs a company and what runs a website. Both need to be efficient and have a clear purpose, with all the necessary moving parts in harmony with each other. The way a website works makes me reflect on how an actual company works, with all the moving parts involved.

For instance, a website has a clear purpose and that is to be seen by search engines, resulting in potential customers visiting the site and then choosing that company. A company also has a clear purpose and that is to be seen by potential clients in any way it can—from its website, social media platforms, referrals, networking, and more.

Your customers will hire you because of what you do, but they will stick with you because of who you are. To your customers, what you do is a commodity, and they won’t understand the difference until they experience excellent customer service.

A website can be pretty and impressive and have all the bells and whistles money can buy, but if it doesn’t have what it takes to be seen by search engines—the stuff “under the hood”—then no one will see it. Similarly, you can buy the shiniest work vehicles, plaster the very best graphics all over them, and put your team in cool uniforms … but what about communication, customer service, and going above and beyond what your competition provides? Those are the attributes that really matter.

I’ve seen entrepreneurs start cleaning and restoration companies and they knew nothing about cleaning and restoration, but they did know about websites and search engines. They looked good. But there was nothing “under the hood.”

What’s under the hood of your company? Give it a think.