The modern world sees traditional selling methods becoming out of date and less effective, therefore it is crucial for leaders to focus on consistently improving the digital presence of both their organization and their own personal brand. As a result of digital advancements in technology, the role of a CEO has changed drastically, and the business world is expecting multi-talented personalities in leadership positions. Zac Hemming (CEO and Co-Founder of ICE Cleaning) embodies the characteristics of a noteworthy leader using his own expertise to drive service excellence within the cleaning industry.
Realizing the Potential of Digital Marketing
Despite leaving education at the GCSE level with no prior knowledge of online marketing, Zac has grown into an extraordinary digital marketer and business leader. He began his career in sales at a leading web technology company that specializes in website building and online marketing services, where he first learned the true power of digital marketing and its versatility across a range of different industries and organizations. Though he achieved great success in sales, he always wanted to launch his own enterprise. ICE Cleaning has given him the opportunity to fulfill his dream of running his own business.
New Standards for Cleaning Excellence
Zac established ICE Cleaning with his Co-Founder, James, in early 2019, having identified the British hygiene sector as a niche. ICE Cleaning was created to disrupt the cleaning industry and set a new standard for cleaning excellence in the dormant sector. When starting out, ICE Cleaning – which originally stood for ‘Industrial Cleaning Experts’ – catering to local, domestic customers.
Just a year after the Company’s inception, in order to combat a series of challenges during the global pandemic, the team decided to expand its portfolio of services to accommodate the nation’s fears around coronavirus. In doing so, ICE Cleaning developed regular cleaning contracts with commercial clients, including West Ham United Football Club, Deliveroo Editions UK, and Nando’s.
Fast-forward to 2023, ICE Cleaning is proud to offer more than 40 different service lines and offers its services to both commercial and residential customers across the entire nation. Zac aspires to position ICE Cleaning as a leading provider of specialist, emergency-based cleaning services.
Encouraging Forward-based Thinking
Zac is a charismatic and energetic sales leader with an outstanding track record of winning business in competitive markets and establishing strong relationships with key stakeholders. At ICE Cleaning, he oversees and works alongside each department to identify new gaps in the market and ensure all projects run smoothly.
Through weekly meetings with each member of the senior management team, Zac keeps a close eye on all business activities and encourages forward-thinking decision making. He has also established credibility with senior decision makers in a wide range of business contexts to grow ICE Cleaning’s brand and market share.
Evolving through Challenging Situations
Every leader faces difficulties along the way on their journey to success. Zac describes one of his main professional challenges as managing the pace of growth in line with the ability to deliver the work. He states, “ICE Cleaning has experienced rapid lead growth since harnessing the power of digital marketing, putting other areas of the business under pressure to adapt.”
Zac and the team at ICE Cleaning decided to recruit a number of new individuals to accommodate such challenges, which has since eased the pressure on various departments.
Maintaining Positive Reputation
Customer satisfaction should be at the forefront of every company. Having led a series of customer service initiatives in earlier roles, Zac understands the weight that customer perception holds on a brand and aims to guide the team at ICE Cleaning to achieve customer service excellence, ensuring client expectations are consistently met.
In 2022, ICE Cleaning introduced a department solely dedicated to maintaining a positive digital presence and improving the overall customer journey – including the level of aftercare. All customers now receive a courtesy follow-up call following their service to ensure they are completely satisfied with the clean and all expectations have been fulfilled.
Positive Work Culture
Maintaining a positive team culture is an essential component for any growing business. Zac motivates his team by holding regular appraisals and ensuring that all members of the senior management tier at ICE Cleaning are clear on their objectives and understand the importance of their department’s initiatives in line with the broader goals and aspirations of the organization.
Commenting on his approach to driving a positive work culture, Zac states, “I’m confident that clarity around ICE Cleaning’s objectives will enable the workforce to remain focused and productive as we continue to grow, which is critical to the success of the business.”
A Focused Mindset
Looking ahead to 2023, Zac aspires to expand ICE Cleaning’s geographical network to cover all UK regions, strengthening the brand’s reputation as a nationwide leading provider of specialist cleaning services.
Aside from his professional goals, Zac is looking to improve his work-life balance and adds, “When running your own business, it’s easy to get caught up in the daily rush of it all, but there’s nothing more important than spending quality time with family.” As well as being a successful CEO, Zac is a proud husband and father. He and his wife share a one-year-old daughter and are soon to welcome a second child, which he believes will mark the most challenging yet rewarding chapter of his life yet.
Zac maintains a focused mindset through regular exercise and starts his day at the gym to clear his mind and set his daily goals.
A Piece of Advice
Zac wants to share a piece of advice with aspiring CEOs:
- Never underestimate the power of the internet and authority marketing online.
- The key to achieving digital success is building solid foundations that will support the brand throughout its entire online journey.
- Once the correct foundations are in place, it is easy to scale the business using digital marketing techniques.
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Also read: Top 10 Revolutionary CEOs of 2023
