Data Driven Cleaning – the Future for the FM Industry

Technology is changing the way businesses operate within every sector imaginable. The uptake of so-called Smart tech, such as the Internet of Things and AI, is at the heart of this shift, and the data-driven approach is facilitating faster, more intelligent ways of working.

The facilities management sector is no exception. Smart infrastructure, with Smart technology built-in, allows businesses to achieve efficiencies and economic advantages that simply haven’t been possible before.

Keeping up With Consumer Hygiene Demands

Smart tech also helps organisations keep up with ever-increasing customer demand. In particular, consumers today are more aware of hygiene standards than they ever have been, which is putting FM teams in the spotlight. Post-pandemic, everyone expects spotless public spaces, with safe access to socially-distance hand hygiene facilities. And if retail and consumer businesses can’t accommodate these expectations, they will quickly fail.

Traditional Failings

In a traditional FM environment, such demands are impossible to meet. Things like tracking occupancy, maintaining consumable levels and scheduling cleaning teams are extremely challenging and rely purely on predicted trends rather than actual usage – and come with significant cost implications.

Enter Smart cleaning. With a data driven approach to cleaning, all of these variables are achievable. By gathering vast amounts of information, Smart cleaning offers a wealth of insights, allowing smarter performance.

A Competitive Edge with Smart Cleaning

Creating value, data driven cleaning technology collects and collates data from a wide range of touchpoints, delivering accurate and up-to-date intelligence. Data is then centralized and integrated into a dashboard which is easily accessible by team members.

Cleaning staff are empowered to increase and improve their performance, and drastically elevate hygiene standards. In turn, FM teams can solve many operational challenges and businesses can remain competitive.

Smarter Workforce Scheduling

Let’s take cleaning schedules as an example. With the use of washroom occupancy sensors – either built in or as retrofit additions – FM managers have real-time insights into consumer usage across a range of variables, in multiple locations, allowing them to work Smarter, save money, and increase customer experience.

The data driven approach allows delivery of more efficient schedules that are based on actual visitor numbers. Cleaning strategies can be revised at any moment, adjusting to meet consumer needs where and when they are needed, and supporting overall operational excellence.

Actual Occupancy Data

A Proactive Way Forward