Following the mass work-from-home movement triggered by COVID-19, office spaces are filling up again. In fact, a recent report found that 73% of companies with return-to-office (RTO) policies are expected to require three or more days in the office by the end of 2025.
In light of this, the commercial cleaning industry is on track for financial growth, which is reflected in Aspire Software’s 2025 Commercial Cleaning Insights Report. The findings reveal that 90% of commercial cleaning companies have either a positive or neutral outlook on 2025, with 50% anticipating profit increases and 57% expecting revenue growth.
Aspire, a ServiceTitan company, surveyed over 1,000 commercial cleaning companies, spanning janitorial, commercial cleaning, building services, specialty services, and facilities management trades. The report highlights trends, market dynamics, and growth strategies.
“People are continuing the return to office as the world moves further away from the COVID-19 era. At the start of the pandemic, the industry was impacted with a brief decline in revenue. Still, it rebounded fairly quickly with a renowned focus on health and sanitation,” said Mark Tipton, CEO of Aspire Software. “The industry has showcased its resilience, with us continuing to see this upward momentum. We expect this trend to continue, driven by greater tech and AI adoption, to fuel positive financial performance.”
Here are some key findings from the report:
All Eyes Are on Winning New Clients and Revenue Growth
The commercial cleaning industry is evolving quickly, but customer relationships are the anchor. While more than half (53%) of reported revenue comes from ongoing work, repeat customers make up 40% of sales for commercial cleaners, proving that long-term relationships with clients are one key to success in the industry. Aiming to maintain upward momentum, new customer acquisition (61%) and revenue growth (61%) rank among businesses’ top priorities, followed closely by improving cash flow (55%). The research also reveals that half of commercial cleaning businesses plan to increase sales and marketing efforts to achieve these objectives, and nearly one-third (32%) plan to adopt new software and technology in 2025.
Recruitment and Retention Woes Challenge Growth
Staffing continues to challenge the industry, with nearly two-thirds of businesses (63%) aiming to expand but facing recruitment issues. Adding to existing staffing challenges, 57% of companies named customer retention a primary concern. An additional risk to recruitment and retention identified by these companies (30%) is maintaining profitable margins.
One way commercial cleaning businesses are combating these obstacles is by increasing employee wages. A quarter of businesses are expected to increase their wages by 2-3%, and this is the range that received the highest number of responses.
Digital Transformation Gains Traction
Commercial cleaning companies recognize the need for modern solutions to overcome obstacles, streamline operations, and enhance efficiency. Nearly one-third (32%) of companies plan to adopt new software and technology in 2025. For 40% of respondents, end-to-end business management software is crucial, with AI and data analytics gaining traction across the sector. Additional business tactics to overcome business challenges include focusing on sales and marketing (50%), employee training (36%), and recruitment and hiring (35%).
Currently, 45% of companies rely on five to seven software applications, with payroll processing (56%), accounting (54%), and invoicing (50%) being the most popular. However, 25% of respondents feel that existing software falls short of expectations and identify lagging digital transformation as a significant business risk, highlighting the need for industry-specific solutions. For the companies looking to switch software and technology, more than half (56%) indicate that the company costs of onboarding and learning new software are potential barriers to switching. In comparison, 55% of businesses also view feature locking and 47% lack the time to research and evaluate options. Looking ahead, nearly half (42%) of companies seeking new solutions prioritize operational efficiency improvements.
The full report is available for download here.