Through a shared commitment to excellence, IWSA members effectively unite to deliver national contracts that meet and exceed client expectations.
John Erskine is founder and chief executive officer at Golden Hygiene, a family-run washroom services company based in the North-west of England. Since John established the business in 2009, the company has gone from strength to strength and now consists of two directors and seven staff members.
In 2019, John seized an opportunity to pitch to a major superstore chain. The large retailer had grown dissatisfied with its existing national provider, citing escalating costs and reliability issues. In response, they turned to Golden Hygiene for a more personalised and local solution.
Recognising the magnitude of the contract and the need for a nationwide service, Golden Hygiene seamlessly integrated the support of the IWSA.
The IWSA comprises 34 independent washroom service providers, and six of these collaborate with Golden Hygiene to implement hygiene services in 25 superstores of the retailer across the UK. From stores in Edinburgh to Portsmouth, IWSA members provide sanitary bins, nappy bins, air fresheners, entrance mats and dust mats, servicing locations fortnightly and monthly.
Golden Hygiene – who are the single point of contact for the contract – manage five sites in total. The other independent, local companies involved include Janitorial Direct, Perfect Hygiene and Professional Hygiene who each manage four sites; Pristine Washroom Services who manage two sites and Target Hygiene and Aroma Hygiene who manage a site each.
The IWSA’s collaborative network plays a crucial role in delivering a high-quality and attentive service. The businesses understand the value of customer connections and as a result, each region benefits from proactive teams as well as quick and easy access to senior-level management at any time.
Additionally, due to the IWSA’s extensive reach across the members, journey times between the depots to each of the 25 stores are shorter, lowering the environmental impact.
In contrast to a national provider, IWSA members are intimately familiar with the unique requirements and preferences of their respective regions, ensuring a tailored approach to each store. This level of customisation is a key differentiator, providing a solution that is not only effective but also reflective of the individual needs of each store.
As a result, the retailer has experienced a significant improvement in service quality, reliability and a more personalised approach to their hygiene needs across the stores.
John said: “We could not efficiently perform this contract without the support of the other IWSA members we work alongside. Every local company involved in the IWSA shares the same passion to complete projects to the highest standard. You really don’t get that type of personalised touch elsewhere.
“We have a fantastic working relationship with IWSA members. The companies we partner with are trustworthy and responsive – it truly is an extended working team. The collaborative effort has not only met but exceeded the expectations of the retailer, which serves as a testament to the strength of working together within the IWSA network.”