Cleaning Contractors can Benefit from Clear Communication

I recently re-listened to a Malcolm Gladwell podcast called The King of Tears where he unpacks the question: why does country music evoke more emotion than pop? His answer? Clarity. Not vague ideas, just a specific story told plainly. As he puts it, “We cry when melancholy collides with specificity.”

This stuck with me because in the commercial cleaning industry, I find myself and others trying to explain what we do to our customers and teams. Too often, the words we use—on proposals, websites, or in meetings— sound polished but say very little. By removing jargon, we can improve communication and connect with our audience.

Corporate Speak

We’ve all used corporate terminology when communicating with customers. Terms such as “customized solutions,” “high-touch service delivery,” and “let’s align around our core values to drive operational excellence” are commonly found in our communication.

These terms sound impressive until you realize no one really knows what they mean. Maybe we write that way because we’re afraid simple might seem unprofessional. But clarity isn’t unsophisticated—it’s what people actually trust.

What Customers Want

Customers aren’t asking for a company that “leverages industry-leading solutions.” They just want to know: Will you show up? Will you fix it fast when something is wrong?

Instead of a long paragraph about “frictionless customer service,” just say: “When we miss something, we’ll fix it, and you won’t have to ask twice.” That level of transparency and simplicity sticks with customers. It’s clear, it’s real, and it answers the question they’re actually asking.

What Staff Needs

When we talk to our teams, we fall into the same trap. We say things like, “We’re streamlining communication to improve cross-functional coordination.” No one talks like that on purpose.

What the team needs to hear is something they can picture: “We’re making it easier for the office and the field to stay on the same page.” It’s simple, specific, and it means something. Clarity is what creates alignment.

How to Practice Clarity

You don’t need to be a great writer or speaker to practice clarity. Just get into the habit of trading the abstract for what’s real. Think about moments: great service you’ve experienced, a lesson from a grandparent, or a time something went right (or wrong) on the job. Then say it out loud like you would to a friend. That’s your story.

In a world full of key performance indicators, clever taglines, and corporate lingo, we could all stand to think more like country songwriters. Dolly Parton didn’t write “emotionally complex expressions of relational hardship.” She gave heartbreak a name and called it “Jolene.” And that’s why we remember it.

Jeff Carmon, CBSE, is the Business Development Director at Frantz Building Services. He is also a consultant, content creator, and speaker for Elite BSC, which provides resources and education for like-minded BSCs.