Cleaning in the Digital World

A supplement to European Cleaning Journal

OCTOBER 2016

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CONTENTS

ECJ Cleaning in the Digital World - October 2016 |

ECJ CLEANING IN THE DIGITAL WORLD 3 The future is interconnected Foreword from Sealed Air Diversey Care president Dr Ilham Kadri

9 The time for action is now We are at the beginning of a Fourth Industrial Revolution, and huge change.

12 Be smart about opportunities Increasingly intelligent buildings offer the cleaning sector potential for growth.

15 Smart city of 2040 Kärcher takes a visionary look ahead to the cleaning sector of the future.

18 Are robots ready for work?

Just how viable are cleaning robots in the cleaning world of today?

20 Changing face of the cleaner How are the skills of the cleaner changing with increased digitisation?

23 Smart health and safety What are the health and safety benefits of using smart cleaning solutions?

26 Future-proofing services How Grosvenor Services is using existing building systems to improve service.

Sponsored by

28 Cleaning up management InDepth Managed Services on how technology has streamlined its operations.

30 The soft sell Just how well is the cleaning sector adapting to changing technology?

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ISSN 0968-901X ©Criterion Publishing 2016

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FOREWORD

The future is interconnected In years to come, the 21st century will be defined by the digitalisation of its landscape, which has impacted every industry in some capacity. For businesses in the cleaning sector, it is no longer enough to just place its energies into producing high quality products, but they instead must place attention on how products and systems are connected.

Traditional products are based on mechanical and electrical parts, but when sensors, data storage and software is added, it becomes a smart product. In this digital landscape that we have all found ourselves in, products are now also fitted with additional technologies and software, which enables various products and systems to exchange information with each other. This is what people now call the Internet of Things (IoT) – one of the most ground-breaking developments to have gained momentum in recent times.

We are already witnessing tiny, intelligent devices that capture data about our lives and can exchange information to respond to our exact needs, solve our problems and have a large impact on our lives. Consultants McKinsey & Co have estimated that 50 billion devices will be connected by 2020, and this in turn is expected to drive the total value of the IoT sector to €5.6 trillion.

The IoT has been embraced by those in the cleaning industry, a sector which was previously renowned as being slow to change. As we speak, new platforms are being developed in the cleaning industry which connect machines, dispensers, sensors, beacons and other smart devices to achieve a broader insight into equipment usage, consumption and operations. It is impossible to deny that connected cleaning is transforming the cleaning industry – allowing it to shift from being reactive to proactive, and has now given it the power to be predictive. Diversey Care’s Internet of Clean is based directly on the IoT model, and is revolutionising the cleaning industry.

The Internet of Clean provides businesses with 100 per cent transparency about their products and systems; they can monitor a product or machine’s productivity, know when their system is running low on a particular product, and also offers cleaning staff training in how to use the product or system to its full capability, and how to effectively troubleshoot any problems.

Continued page 4

Cleaning in the Digital World - October 2016 | ECJ | 3

FOREWORD The future is interconnected (continued)

These new technologies are already empowering every sector of the cleaning marketplace, enabling them to expand in exciting new directions. The growing emphasis on measurement, training, tools and the management of systems is set to compel a heightened level of professionalism in the cleaning industry.

These digital advancements in the cleaning sector have the potential to improve health outcomes, show the industry’s value to consumers, and ultimately improve the reputation and value of the cleaning industry.

The rise in connected cleaning has also been paired with an increase in autonomous, hands-free, robotic cleaning machines. The cleaning industry has a history of poor staff retention levels, forcing employers to go through the process of training their employees more regularly than other industries, leading to an inevitable dip in productivity. Hands-free floor cleaners such as Diversey Care’s Intellibots are one of the leading robotic solutions.

Thanks to the wireless reporting systems often fitted within these robots, a machine’s exact location can be tracked, battery level can be monitored, and operational performance can be examined and improved upon. This frees up time for those in the cleaning profession to occupy themselves with different tasks, further increasing productivity. It has been predicted that hands-free cleaning will become the norm for the entire cleaning sector.

As Walt Disney once famously said: “You don’t build it for yourself. You know what the people want and you build it for them.” What the people want, especially in the professional cleaning industry, is to be able to rely on products and systems for productivity, safety, efficiency and accuracy – and via the new realms of connected cleaning – and the increased monitoring, reporting and tracking of products that come with it – this is guaranteed. The future of the cleaning industry looks bright, and it also looks like highly interconnected.

Dr Ilham Kadri President, Diversey Care division of Sealed Air

Mme Ilham Kadri, présidente de la division Diversey Care de Sealed Air, écrit l’avant-propos du supplément d’ECJ dédié à la propreté dans l’univers numérique.

Elle considère que les professionnels du secteur souhaitent pouvoir compter sur des produits et systèmes leur garantissant de la productivité, de la sécurité, de l’efficience et de la précision. Grâce aux nouvelles perspectives du nettoyage connecté, ce vœu est réalisable.

Dr Ilham Kadri, President der Diversey Care Division von Sealed Air Corp, schreibt das Vorwort für die ECJ-Beilage „Reinigung in der digitalen Welt“.

Sie glaubt, dass sich die heutigen Vertreter der Reinigungsbranche auf Produkte und Systeme verlassen können möchten, wenn es um Produktivität, Sicherheit, Effizienz und Genauigkeit geht. Und durch die neuen Bereiche der vernetzten Reinigung ist dies sichergestellt.

Cleaning in the Digital World - October 2016 | ECJ | 4

Dr Ilham Kadri, presidente della divisione Diversey Care della Sealed Air, scrive la prefazione per il supplemento Cleaning in the Digital World di ECJ. Dr. Kadri crede che oggi i professionisti del pulito vogliano essere in grado di fare affidamento sui prodotti e sui sistemi per quanto riguarda produttività, sicurezza e accuratezza. E per mezzo del nuovo regno del “connetted cleaning” questo è garantito.

The Internet of Clean Making A Difference Now!

By Thomas Boscher General Manager Intellibot Robotics & Global VP – Marketing Technology Sealed Air Diversey Care

The term the Internet of Things is becoming increasingly common but what does it actually mean?

An increasing amount of our daily lives involve the Internet; we watch TV or films on Netflix; we shop – even for daily groceries increasingly – on Amazon; we use web cams to check what is going on at home while we are away; and many of us use trackers to monitor our fitness.

In our houses, cars, and many developed urban landscapes, we are increasingly surrounded

by tiny, intelligent devices that capture data about our lives and what we do. They are now beginning to talk to one another, and before long we will be able to set them up to respond to our needs, solve our problems, and even potentially save our lives by alerting us to serious health issues. The connection between these objects is known as the Internet of Things (IoT).

According to Gartner, who many regard as the world’s leading information technology research analyst firm, the IoT will explode to 26 billion devices by 2020.

If we add in smartphones and tablets, that number grows to more than 33 billion devices.

Gartner projects IoT will result in $1.9 trillion in global economic “value-add”—the combined benefits that businesses derive through the sale and usage of IoT technology. Consultants McKinsey & Co are even more bullish, estimating that 50 billion devices will be connected by 2020, and this in turn is expected to drive the total value of the IoT sector to $6.3 trillion.

How does the IoT apply to the cleaning industry?

It makes financial sense to bring the IoT to the cleaning market.

Sensors are now small enough and sufficiently affordable

enough to allow them to be used in numerous different cleaning, hygiene and facility management applications.

For example, at Diversey Care we have developed “The Internet of Clean”, as opposed to the Internet of Things, and it means full remote management of all operations for our customers.

If you apply the Internet of Clean concept to the specific and complex needs of the global cleaning industry, new platforms are being innovated which connect machines, dispensers, sensors, beacons, and other smart devices to finally give cleaning and facility managers broad insight into equipment usage, consumption and operations. The data produced by these devices is so important to cleaning managers, as it gives them the ability to improve safety and operational performance, enhance productivity, apply remote monitoring processes, have visibility of the location and usage of assets, prioritise tasks, implement more accurate dosing, reduce use of water and/or chemicals, and institute increased hand hygiene compliance.

Can you give an example of product that is IoC-enabled?

IntelliTrail is a key component of the Internet of Clean, and it allows facility managers and owners to remotely monitor their TASKI floor maintenance machines. In turn, they can quickly identify issues to limit their overall impact and drive continuous improvements.

IntelliTrail combines smart technology, GPS tracking and web applications to provide managers with real-time visibility of fleet performance. A device is physically mounted on the designated equipment and contains a SIM card and hardware to record and transmit data. Users have access to machine data including geographical position, run time and critical service information such as battery state, which can help reduce total cost of ownership and enhance quality of service.

In usage to date, we have recorded that managers can reduce fleet management, cleaning and administrative costs by up to 25 per cent.

Other Diversey Care solutions currently included in the Internet of Clean platform are SmartView, IntelliDish and Intellibot robotic scrubbers and vacuums. Another good example of the real-time, real world benefits the Internet of Clean can bring can be found at Barcelona’s Sant Pau Hospital where SmartView real time monitoring and reporting is providing a comprehensive analysis of cleaning tasks and helping to drive down the incidence of Hospital Acquired Infections.

Augmented reality applications are now also available as part of the Internet of Clean to provide “How to” guides or problemsolving advice for cleaning operatives on site.

heavily trafficked location - such as a hospital - you can reasonably expect to have a sufficient volume of data to provide actionable insights within three months.

Is the Internet of Clean just a passing craze or will it be around in years to come?

Innovating with technology is going to drive the cleaning industry forward in months and years to come.

At Diversey Care we anticipate that there will be an accelerated and ongoing innovation revolution under the IoC banner in the months and years to come. For example, in the next few months, we will be launching a brand new hybrid washroom dispenser in Europe that connects to the Internet of Clean to monitor hand hygiene compliance at facility and individual washroom level.

How long does it typically take to see the financial and operation advantages of implementing the Internet of Clean in a facility?

Data patterns and discernible trends do take a while to accumulate depending on the size of the location or cleaning operation, and the frequency and number of building occupants or visitors. However what we can say is that for a facility which is running 24/7 or is a critical,

Data collection through the IoC platform and the subsequent provision of actionable insights for smart managers certainly isn’t a passing fad. The need for data, and leveraging that data to help manage cleaning operations and cleaning businesses better will always exist. Today the Internet of Clean is the order winner for Diversey Care and those for companies using the platform when they talk to their customers, as it is a clear point of difference and competitive advantage. However in time it will be the order qualifier – you will have to be using it and show how you interpret and adapt based on the resultant data to even be considered for a contract.

Technology is advancing incredible rapidly and connected devices will soon become ubiquitous in the cleaning industry. The Internet of Clean is not just here to stay, it is the future of the cleaning industry!

WEC REPORT: FUTURE OF JOBS

The time for action is now We are today at the beginning of a Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Developments in areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, nanotechnology and 3D printing are all growing. And smart systems will help tackle problems ranging from supply chain management to climate change.

These disruptive changes to business models will profoundly affect the employment landscape over the coming years. That’s according to a report by the World Economic Forum (WEC) on The Future of Jobs.

Disruptive changes to business models will have a profound impact on the employment landscape over the coming years, says the World Economic Forum (WEC) report entitled The Future of Jobs. Many of the major drivers of transformation currently affecting global industries are expected to have significant impact on jobs – ranging from significant job creation to job displacement, and from heightened labour productivity to widening skills gaps.

In many industries and countries the most in-demand occupations or specialties did not exist 10 or even five years ago, and the pace of change is set to accelerate.

By one popular estimate, 65 per cent of children entering primary school today will ultimately end up working in completely new job types that don’t yet exist.

In such a rapidly evolving employment

landscape, the ability to anticipate and prepare for future skills requirements, job content and the effect on employment is increasingly critical for businesses, governments and individuals.

We are currently at the beginning of a Fourth Industrial Revolution. Developments in areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, nanotechnology and 3D printing are all growing. And smart systems will help tackle problems ranging from supply chain management to climate change. These disruptive changes to business models will profoundly affect the employment landscape over the coming years.

The WEC’s research covered chief human resources officers (CHROs) in the largest employers around the world. They were asked about new and emerging job categories and functions they expect to become critically important to their industry by the year 2020. Two job types stand out.

The first are data analysts, which companies expect will help them make sense and derive insights from the torrent of data generated by technological disruptions. The second are specialised sales representatives, as practically every industry will need to become skilled in commercialising and explaining their offerings to clients – either due to the innovate technical nature of the products themselves or because of new client targets with which the company is not yet familiar, or both.

Drivers of change In terms of the drivers of change, changing nature of work and flexible working are top in the demographic and socioeconomic category at 44 per cent. Next was the growing middle class in emerging markets, at 23 per cent. Also mentioned were climate change, ageing societies, rapid urbanisation and consumer ethics. The key technological driver is mobile internet and cloud technology, at 34 per cent. Second was processing power and Big Data, at 26 per cent. Internet of Things, sharing economy, artificial intelligence, robotics

and 3D printing are also factors.

In this new environment business model change often translates to skill set disruption almost simultaneously. Respondents reported a tangible impact of many of these disruptions on the adequacy of employees’ existing skill sets can already be felt in a wide range of jobs and industries today.

Changes in skill sets Even jobs that will shrink in number are simultaneously undergoing change in the skill sets required to do them. Across nearly all industries the impact of technological and other changes is shortening the shelf-life of employees’ existing skill sets.

For example technological disruptions such as robotics and machine learning – rather than completely replacing existing occupations and job categories – are likely to substitute specific tasks previously carried out as part of these jobs, freeing workers up to focus on new tasks and leading to rapidly changing core skill sets in these occupations.

On average, by 2020, more than a third of the desired core skill sets of most occupations will be comprised of skills that are not yet considered crucial to the job today. Overall, social skills such as persuasion, emotional intelligence and teaching others will be in higher demand across industries than narrow technical skills. In essence, technical skills will need to be supplemented with strong social and collaboration skills.

Several industries may find themselves in a scenario of positive employment demand for hard-to-recruit specialist occupations with simultaneous skills instability across many existing roles. At the same time workers in lower skilled roles may find themselves caught up in a vicious cycle where low skills stability means they could face redundancy without significant re- and upskilling even while disruptive change may erode employers’ incentives and the business case for investing in Continued page 10

Cleaning in the Digital World - October 2016 | ECJ | 9

WEC REPORT: FUTURE OF JOBS The time for action is now (continued) such reskilling.

The report found many business leaders are aware of the looming challenges but have been slow to act decisively. Just over two-thirds believe future workforce planning and change management features as a reasonably high or very high priority on the agenda of their company’s senior leadership. However many are also aware of the limitations to their current planning for disruptive change and its implication for the talent landscape.

A number of promising approaches appear under-used across almost all industries. For example, focus on making better use of the accumulated experience of older employees and building an ageless workforce barely register among proposed

workforce strategies. There also seems to be varying openness to collaboration, whether within or across industries.

Recent discussions about the employment impact of disruptive change have often been polarised between those who foresee limitless opportunities in newly emerging job categories and prospects that improve workers’ productivity and liberate them from routine work, and those that foresee massive labour substitution and displacement of jobs. Both are possible.

Nous sommes à l’aube d’une Quatrième révolution industrielle. Dans des domaines comme l’intelligence artificielle, la robotique, la nanotechnologie et l’impression tridimensionnelle, les progrès se multiplient. Des systèmes intelligents aideront à résoudre des problèmes variant de la gestion des chaînes d’approvisionnement à la lutte contre le changement climatique. Ces changements perturbateurs pour les modèles d’affaires affecteront profondément le paysage de l’emploi au cours des années à venir.

Wir stehen heute am Beginn einer Vierten Industriellen Revolution. Entwicklungen in Bereichen wie künstliche Intelligenz, Robotik, Nanotechnologie und 3D-Druck werden vorangetrieben. Und intelligente Systeme werden uns helfen, Probleme von Versorgungskettenmanagement bis Klimawandel anzugehen. Diese revolutionären Änderungen an Geschäftsmodellen werden die Beschäftigungslandschaft in den kommenden Jahren erheblich beeinflussen.

Pace and scale of disruption During previous industrial revolutions, it often took decades to build the training systems and labour market institutions needed to develop major new skill sets on

Cleaning in the Digital World - October 2016 | ECJ | 10

a large scale. Giving the upcoming pace and scale of disruption brought about by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, however, this is simply not an option. Without targeted action today to manage the near-term transition and build a workforce with future proof skills, governments will have to cope with ever-growing unemployment and inequality, and businesses with a shrinking consumer base.

The talent to manage, shape and lead the changes underway will be in short supply unless we take action today to develop it. It is therefore critical that broader and longer term changes to basic and lifelong education systems are complemented with specific, urgent and focused reskilling efforts in each industry Siamo oggi all’inizio della Quarta Rivoluzione Industriale. Gli sviluppi in aree quali l’intelligenza artificiale, la robotica, la nanotecnologia e la stampa 3D sono tutti in aumento e i sistemi smart faciliteranno la soluzione dei problemi che vanno dalla gestione della catena dei fornitori al cambiamento climatico. Questi cambiamenti dirompenti dei modelli aziendali avranno un effetto notevole sullo scenario dell’occupazione nei prossimi anni.

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INTELLIGENT BUILDINGS

Be smart about opportunties What is an intelligent/smart building and why is their rise so important to the building services business? An intelligent building combines technologies and interconnected systems to support the use of the accommodation by the building’s users, enables efficient operation and reconfiguration of the space.

The implications for cleaning businesses are significant.

Grosvenor Services is a facilities services provider operating across Ireland, the UK and the USA and it recently set up a dedicated technology division to offer clients end-to-end solutions and use the data generated by smart buildings to develop intelligent solutions to business issues. Technology services director Ian Campbell explains: “The concept of a smart building is meaningless unless you apply Technology, People and Process. It’s nothing without people.

“The creativity and foresight must exist within the team to implement the system, but it’s meaningless without a defined understanding of the requirement – exactly what are you seeking to achieve? There must be the requirement and desire to do things better.”

Some risks

Intelligent building – this is a phrase we hear almost every day when discussing the key trends affecting change in the building services sector. But exactly what is an intelligent building, and why are the implications so significant?

While the precise definitions vary around the world, a common theme is the integration of technologies. An intelligent building is one where the combination of technologies and interconnected systems supports the use of the accommodation by the building’s users, enables the efficient operation of the building and enables reconfiguration of the space in response to changing use. Intelligent buildings may also be referred to as smart buildings.

The convergence of the network infrastructure enables the flexible use of accommodation and operational efficiencies arise from the integration of systems that support or manage the built environment, space and operational systems.

Campbell also points out making a building smarter is not without risks. “If you don’t get it right, the consequences can be dire. And there are many buildings incorporating loads of technology but they simply don’t achieve the outcomes they require.

“Without getting the technical specification right – and that means defining requirements very clearly – it simply won’t be right.”

The first thing to determine is whether this is a new or existing building. What’s in place already? What do you need and require, what’s your understanding of the legacy if it’s an old building?

“Security, safety and the building’s information equipment can all be integrated, for example,” Campbell explains. “So the validation process is crucial and a risk-mitigated approach must be taken. The key is to integrate and converge where appropriate. Make it specific and applicable.”

To do this successfully, Campbell emphasises, requires capability and synergy across the team.

• Define what you need to achieve.

• Put people and technology together with a process and keep it simple.

• Only give people the information and

Cleaning in the Digital World - October 2016 | ECJ | 12

data that’s relevant and useful to them.

If you do too much everyone can become confused and frustrated.

Smart buildings are now widely seen across the world and across the business landscape. “Buildings are definitely becoming smarter, that’s the trend. We are witnessing better management of assets,” Campbell explains.

“The driver is digitisation. This is a key enabler. When digitisation makes more things possible people want to improve and strive to better the overall experience.

“It’s also about managing cost and enhancing the customer (or building occupiers’) experience.”

He emphasises: “Whatever building it is, someone has to pay for the investment.

And any building manager wants to get the most from that spend. So it’s crucial to bear in mind that you’re enabling what people want to do.”

ISS, global provider of facility services, has recently signed a commercial agreement with IBM to use Watson IoT to transform its management of over 25,000 buildings around the world. Through the new agreement, ISS will tap IBM’s Watson IoT platform, consulting and advanced facilities management technologies to transform the services it provides to building owners and users with the goal of making buildings more personalised, intuitive and user-friendly.

Service optimisation Working with IBM, ISS will integrate and analyse data from millions of devices and sensors embedded into buildings including doors, windows, chairs, meeting rooms, dispensers and air conditioning systems.

Data will be uploaded onto IBM’s Watson IoT cloud platform and cognitive computing technologies will learn from this data - helping ISS optimise its services as well as furthering its understanding of how people use buildings, thereby creating new opportunities for innovation.

For example, sensors in doors and entrance areas can tell a real estate manager how many people are in a building at any

INTELLIGENT BUILDINGS one time and sensors on plate dispensers can inform kitchen staff of how many people are still likely to need to eat – helping staff to prepare the right amount of food and avoid wastage. Sensors in meeting rooms, chairs and tables not only help building managers better manage room occupancy and cancel unwanted room bookings, but also inform service staff when a room needs more refreshments or requires cleaning.

Mark Brown, head of business intelligence at ISS tells ECJ: “ISS is aiming to be automated in service delivery, predictive in service and more proactive - by taking big data and using it to predict our service offering. We are actually getting buildings to tell us what to do.

User experience “The faster we react and the better service we offer, the customer experience for the building users improves,” continues Brown. “That in turn means our customer can become an employer of choice.

“And for ISS as a service provider we can seek to automate tasks and reduce process steps to a lean process – while also fostering a more innovative approach to customer engagement.”

In developing its new solution ISS says it has a true partner in IBM and the two are working together continuously to explore all the possibilities and opportunities. “IBM is not simply developing software for us,” Brown emphasises. For the time being the focus for the launch is the north and west of Europe – UK, Germany, Switzerland,

En quoi consiste un immeuble intelligent, et pourquoi leur nombre croissant est-il si important pour le secteur des services d’immeuble ? Un immeuble intelligent réunit des technologies et systèmes interconnectés pour appuyer l’usage de son espace par ses utilisateurs et permettre l’exploitation efficace et la reconfiguration de cet espace. Il en découle d’importantes conséquences pour les entreprises de nettoyage.

Denmark for example. Then it will be rolled out in 54 countries across the world where ISS is present.

“The key drivers in developing such smart solutions are customer needs,” Brown explains. “As service providers we must react better and quicker to their needs. And the economic climate is very much driving that need. With many of our customers, who are global companies, margin pressures are high and it’s tougher to find that next margin. We have gone through consolidation and everything else we can possibly do. We must work smarter, and we must be more predictive.”

And what does it mean for the cleaning teams? “This is a clear mandate to give our staff time to communicate with the client,” Brown replies. “We want to change how they engage with the customer. By automating their workflow and changing their training they can offer better service to the customer and to the building employees.”

This could then drive better career prospects, and offer cleaners the opportunity to move into other service aspects. “We will have the ability to analyse data in order to help our people move forward, with the objective of reducing head count turnover.”

What are the opportunities for the cleaners themselves to become involved in the technology? “We envisage the cleaner will have some control of their schedule through mobile devices, etc. This could help them to realise their value to the customer personally.”

“With this agreement we are taking

Was sind intelligente Gebäude, und warum ist ihre Zunahme so wichtig für die Gebäudetechnikunternehmen? In einem intelligenten Gebäude werden Technologien und miteinander verbundene Systeme kombiniert, um die Verwendung der Räumlichkeiten durch die Gebäudenutzer zu unterstützen, um einen effizienten Betrieb und die Neukonfiguration des Raums zu ermöglichen. Die Folgen für Reinigungsunternehmen sind beträchtlich.

the power of technology and the power of service and putting those together to enable ISS to make buildings better for their users,” adds Harriet Green, general manager, IBM Watson IoT. “The key thing is to find out how people will work in the future and by analysing data from sensors we are helping ISS to uncover new insight that will help to ensure buildings are the kinds of places where people want to be, not just need to be.”

Lack of understanding Grosvenor Services’ Ian Campbell believes: “The cleaning sector is waking up to the fact this technology is present in buildings where they’re working, whether or not it’s being used properly or to its full benefit. There is often a lack of understanding in the industry, however. And different client sectors vary so greatly in their requirements.

“When implementing smart building systems, it’s not just the ‘techies’ who should be involved, you must bring all the people with you and convince them of the advantages.

“Because if it can’t be used for to the benefit of people, it’s of no use.”

And Mark Brown is certain increased building intelligence has far-reaching implications and opportunities for service providers. “Digitisation is about lifting the perception of the sector. And it’s about ensuring the company functions efficiently and adds value to its customers. The objective is outcome-based service delivery, not input-based,” he concludes.

Cosa sono gli edifici intelligenti/smart e perchè l’aumento del loro numero è così importante per il settore dei servizi alle strutture? Un edificio intelligente abbina tecnologie e sistemi interconnessi per sostenere l’uso degli alloggi da parte degli utenti degli edifici, permette efficienti operazioni e riconfigurazione dello spazio. Le implicazioni per le attività di pulizia sono rilevanti.

Cleaning in the Digital World - October 2016 | ECJ | 13

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CLEANER OF THE FUTURE

Smart city of 2040 The cleaning sector, as we all recognise, is a down-to-earth one and is slow to adopt new technologies. But if we look ahead to the future with a focus on how customer requirements will develop, we can be a little more visionary. Marco Cardinale, head of product management floor care at Kärcher - which is leading the way in the industry with its Connected Cleaning principle writes exclusively for ECJ.

The cleaning services sector is a downto-earth business. There, unlike in the automotive sector or IT, new trends do not follow each other thick and fast. Yet a glimpse into the future, based on actual customer requirements, can be innovative and visionary. Where connected cleaning is making an entry, sensor-supported cleaning on demand is not far behind. This makes it possible for cleaning services providers to cater even better for customers’ individual expectations, improve quality and enhance satisfaction.

Needs-oriented use of service robots or pay-per-use models will present further opportunities that should be utilised. If building service contractors (BSCs) position themselves as building information modelling consultants, the smart building of the future will be designed for efficient, resource-saving working from the outset.

Smart integration of new technologies will transform the cleaning of buildings from a

necessary evil into an integral component of the smart city of 2040.

Data as the key to new business models: from connected cleaning to cleaning on demand Fleet and process management solutions already support cleaning services providers’ workflows, says Philipp Kipf of Kärcher Product Management Digital Solutions: “Whether the aim is to know how many hours were worked, the cleaning status in a building, or when machines need servicing, modern solutions help users to plan and deploy their resources efficiently.” The key to such solutions is smart recording of relevant data that BSCs can access in real time, including on the move.

Thinking forward to the future, the pool of usable data can be enlarged significantly so that ultimately very precise cleaning on demand can be practised.

The trick is to make use of all data in a smart building. “Weather sensors,” Kipf says, “can reveal whether, for instance, heavy rain will lead to heavier soiling. Sensors in lifts can show which floors have a heavier volume of traffic. WLAN network logon and logoff data or simply the Outlook calendar can tell you which offices or meeting rooms are in use. At some point, sensor technology may be so far advanced that it recognises the type and degree of soiling directly.”

Data analysis This list could be continued ad infinitum and shows that the opportunity for much more precise working lies in the selection and analysis of relevant data. The trend is moving away from reduction of cleaning intensity for cost reasons and toward intelligent, dynamic operational planning.

“That, in our view, opens up paths to new business models. A basic cleaning service is offered for a basic price. Wellplanned cleaning on demand that the customer can rely on is charged at different rates, as is customary in other industries.”

Digital management, right through to service panels that record visitor satisfac-

tion, can create the necessary transparency to provide the building’s owner with evidence of the service delivered and to invoice for it.

Service robots to support smooth workflows: from automation to autonomy BSCs must cope with two important issues - pressure of costs, of which wages account for around 80 per cent, and finding workers, who are increasingly hard to find and can be deployed more productively elsewhere. In addition, partly as a result of high labour turnover, there is the cost and effort of staff recruitment and induction. This development will become even more critical in future. So our goal is to support cleaning services providers’ workflows as well as we can to enable them to reduce the overall costs of cleaning.

One element under consideration is the use of service robots. Solutions are already on the market, but they function semi-automatically, are designed for large, uncluttered areas and are economically efficient only in such areas. In my view, developing the use of robots in complex premises such as office buildings is a complex matter. For example, the sensor technology must ensure sufficient environmental perception to guarantee collision-free operation even if something unexpected happens. Various technologies must be linked intelligently, and that requires powerful software. My vision is to have a cleaning robot with a high degree of autonomy that can be used completely safely and economically in any area. Thus solutions that are fit for the future will be geared to specific needs and the actual added value that new solutions deliver for the user.

Pay-per-use and building information modelling: efficient and resource saving at all levels Digitisation and automation have a furContinued page 16

Cleaning in the Digital World - October 2016 | ECJ | 15

CLEANER OF THE FUTURE Smart city 2040 (continued)

ther advantage for operational planning. At present, cleaning services providers have their own machine fleets that have to be maintained and serviced. Different models are conceivable in future. Philipp Kipf notes that “cleaning services providers might no longer buy machines, but instead could book a machine to perform a cleaning service, which could work autonomously or be operated by a person, in a specific area. That would be of interest to smaller companies or for seasonal tasks, special cleaning projects or major events”.Thus increasing flexibility will give BSCs the opportunity to reduce their investment while catering even better for their customers’ demands.

One step further Ideas of integrating robot-assisted cleaning directly into building information modelling go one step further still. This is already happening to some extent, but increasing integration of sensor systems, data analysis and automation holds even more potential. A robot generates a 3D model of the building, which is the starting point for the development of cleaning workflows. Questions such as which machines are to be deployed and how many, where charging points should be located or which floor coverings can be cleaned especially efficiently and in an environmentally friendly way can be answered in advance and taken account of in the building. By engaging in this consultation, BSCs On peut admettre que le secteur de la propreté est à vocation terre à terre et qu’il est plutôt lent à adopter de nouvelles technologies. Mais si on contemple l’avenir en imaginant l’évolution des besoins des clients, il est permis de se montrer plus visionnaire. Kärcher, qui au sein du secteur montre la voie avec son principe du nettoyage connecté, écrit exclusivement pour ECJ.

can position themselves as competent partners from the very beginning.

Not glamorous … but modern: cleaning services in the Smart City of 2040 Data-supported cleaning on demand, meaningful use of robots, pay-per-use and smart building information modelling do not suddenly render the down-to-earth cleaning sector glamorous. However, they show that new technologies hold a host of opportunities for it to modernise for the future. At the same time we should not forget that more efficient, economic cleaning opens up new global markets, in countries where the subject has previously played a subordinate role for cost reasons. Philipp Kipp explains that above and beyond that, in the cleaning services sector there are no bounds to the vision of a Smart City in 2040.

“Whether cleaning operatives use augmented reality spectacles to see the degree of cleanliness, facade robots clean windows, or a window cleaner flies through the air with a jet-powered rucksack, digitisation sets an unbelievable pace. Some of this will happen, other things will come and go. We can look forward with keen anticipation.”

Taking the broader view: a day in the Smart City – vision of a clean city Dr Karl Engelbert Wenzel, specialist in research and advanced development intelligent systems, describes his scenario Wie wir alle wissen, ist die Reinigungsbranche bodenständig und nimmt neue Technologien nur langsam an. Wenn wir jedoch vorausschauend in die Zukunft blicken und uns darauf konzentrieren, wie sich die Kundenanforderungen entwickeln werden, können wir selbst etwas visionärer sein. Kärcher, wegweisend in der Industrie mit seinem Konzept „Connected Cleaning“, geht darauf in einem exklusiv für das ECJ verfassten Artikel ein.

Cleaning in the Digital World - October 2016 | ECJ | 16

Drones equipped with 3D cameras and GPS systems swarm out to check the situation. Via the Cloud, they control municipal machines on their way to their places of work. Robots with suction pads move along facades to clean windows, albeit only where there is no self-cleaning infrastructure such as blinds incorporating a cleaning function. In office skyscrapers, cameras use spectral analysis to supply building supervisors with information about major deviations from targets, such as a yoghurt pot that has spilled over in the departmental kitchen. A swarm of cleaning drones with degradable detergents is dispatched.

Normal cleaning is done by the air conditioning system, which extracts dust particles via an ionised air current. The refuse collected during daily cleaning is separated automatically and recycled on the spot wherever possible. Only residual waste is collected – by unmanned refuse collectors. Residential skyscrapers have private vehicle washes in underground garages. A car waits for its driver to get out, drives autonomously through the wash and parks automatically. Meanwhile, its owner can go to his or her apartment and assign tasks to a humanoid service robot that can use tools.

Office skyscrapers have greenhouses on the mezzanine floors. There, sensors monitor the moisture in the growing medium and deploy watering drones as and when needed. In private dwellings, gamification of cleaning is on the advance, because life is a bit more human on the outskirts of the megacity. The vacuum cleaner registers which person has used it for how long, and how many dust particles he or she vacuumed up. Points are awarded for that, and for preparing meals with a semi-automatic food processor. Meanwhile, the electric broom keeps the terrace clean, and watering sensors take the effort out of managing the allotment.

After a long bike ride, the e-bike can be cleaned automatically in centrally accessed sharing parks, while nanoparticles have already cleaned the functional clothing en route. When evening draws nigh all cleaning machines are at their charging stations, except for where cleaning is better done at night, such as in some commercial spaces that are not used at that time.

Il settore del pulito, così come tutti riconosciamo, è un settore molto pratico e non è veloce ad adottare nuove tecnologie. Ma se guardiamo al futuro focalizzandoci su come le richieste dei clienti si svilupperanno, possiamo essere un pò più lungimiranti. La Kärcher, leader del settore grazie al suo principio Connected Cleaning, scrive in esclusiva per ECJ.

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ROBOTICS

Are robots ready for work?

Manufacturers of cleaning robots believe their products represent the future of cleaning.

But how viable are they now, asks Ann Laffeaty?

Robots were a major highlight of this year’s ISSA/INTERCLEAN exhibition in Amsterdam. Several companies unveiled their new autonomous machines and provided show-stopping demonstrations on how they could clean entire floors without any human intervention.

Suddenly everyone was talking about robots and their place in the future of cleaning. But there is no disputing the fact that robots require a high level of investment on the part of the customer, plus a commitment to changing work practices.

There are also doubts as to whether robots can operate safely in environments where there are obstacles, people and clutter.

So while they may represent the future, are robots actually viable today?

Kärcher’s head of floor care product management Marco Cardinale thinks not.

“While there are scrubber dryer robots already on the market, in our view they are not fully developed,” he said. “Today’s robots are still only viable in large, unobstructed areas. Also, the investment they require is four times higher than that of traditional comparable scrubber dryers.

And there is room for improvement as regards the degree of safety and autonomy they offer.”

As an example he says humans are still required to fill and empty robots’ tanks.

“Robots are currently unable to replace the work of humans in the cleaning industry,” he said. “Just think of the task of cleaning cluttered areas, offices or sanitary facilities for example. Even state-ofthe-art technologies are currently unable

to emulate the efficiency of an expert.

“The challenge lies in the smart link-up of the various technologies - and this calls for high-performance software.”

Ceo of Adlatus Robotics Matthias Strobel is cynical about those who question the viability of today’s robots. “We have experienced a high demand from end-users, facilities management companies and from industry,” he said. “When traditional companies claim that today’s cleaning robots are not sufficiently developed for general use I think it is a case of wishful thinking on their part.

“Many companies seem to have woken up to the idea of robots following ISSA/INTERCLEAN and are now strengthening their internal efforts in robot development while keeping the topic out of official statements.”

He claims today’s autonomous floor cleaning robots are both technically feasible and economically reasonable.

“For example, our Adlatus CR700 model is designed for use in congested areas such as supermarkets, hospitals and logistics and production areas,” he said. “It can also be used in areas with fewer obstructions such as malls and airport buildings.” However, he adds the model is less suited for use in offices and sanitary facilities.

High investment According to Strobel the Adlatus CR700 is the only cleaning robot that comes with a service station for autonomous battery charging as well as fresh water fill-up and waste water deposal. “This allows the robot to work autonomously for longer periods of time and during a night,” he said. “The role of the human cleaner is then to keep an eye on the machine and perform other tasks such as changing the brushes and refilling the tank.”

He concedes the market-entry cost of robots can be three or four times the investment required for traditional machines. “However a positive economic efficiency calculation is key when entering the robots market,” he said. “And we are already working on tomorrow’s models

Cleaning in the Digital World - October 2016 | ECJ | 18

with the view to making them more autonomous and cheaper, too.”

Industrial cleaning equipment chairman of ICE Darren Marston agrees with Cardinale that robotics are not suitable for use in every floor space. “However, we think that many companies would be pleasantly surprised at just how many daily maintenance tasks do lend themselves to autonomous cleaning,” he adds. ICE’s Robo 2 uses laser radar technology to enable it to clean a range of environments including shopping centres, airports, railway stations, educational institutions, hospitals, warehouses, showrooms and public facilities.

“While we would not recommend a robotic cleaner for extremely cluttered environments such as busy offices and washrooms, the Robo 2 has been specifically designed to cope with complex floor plans,” he said. “These include retail stores of any size from local convenience stores through to the largest of out-of-town superstores. And it can clean around any obstacle whether it is temporary, moving or static.”

He acknowledges that the capital investment required for a robotic solution is higher than that of a traditional scrubber dryer, though he disputes Cardinale’s assertion that the cost would be four times that of a conventional machine. “However we have gone some way to minimising this leap of faith by offering our robotic cleaning machine on a rental basis, giving our customers immediate benefits without any capital outlay,” he said.

He adds that humans are still required to fill and empty tanks and to supervise a robot’s performance. “We are not marketing robotic floor cleaning machines as a complete replacement for personnel, simply as a cost-effective aid to repetitious and time-consuming tasks,” he said.

Like ICE, Diversey Care is at the forefront of the robot movement and global marketing machine leader Laurent Ryssen agrees with Marston that today’s robots are not necessarily suitable

ROBOTICS for all environments.

“This does depend on customer expectation, however,” he said. “I believe we will learn from the early robots on the market and that this first functional series will generate a strong base from which we can develop new versions that will fulfil higher expectations and needs.

Right mindset, right site “While today’s robots cannot work in all environments, if you combine the right mindset with the right site you will end up with a functional robotic cleaning solution.”

He shares the opinion of other manufacturers that robots are not suitable for use in heavily congested areas. “However in a particularly congested area, a mopping system might be a more productive and efficient solution than a traditional machine in any case,” he said.

He believes the role of robots is to complement the human workforce. “The robot and human should collaborate and cleaners should use the robot as an extra tool to ease the cleaning task,” he said.

Facilities management provider Servest is a fan of autonomous technology and uses a robot scrubber dryer at customers’ premises. However the company’s facilities management managing director Vince Treadgold is ready to admit that robots have some limitations.

“While this type of machinery can be used in all sorts of areas regardless of square footage, applying the technology to clean small spaces just wouldn’t be cost-effective,” he said. “A robot cleaning machine probably requires around double the amount of investment as a typical scrubber dryer in terms of cost. So this technology only really works in bigger spaces since the labour provision wouldn’t stack up if robots were used to clean smaller areas.”

However, he says cleaning firms should consider the purchase of a robot cleaner as an investment. “If the industry embraces the technology it can be developed on a larger scale and at a faster rate and the price will change in our favour,” says Treadgold.

Despite their efficacy, he believes that La robotique est devenue un thème courant et l’on parle même de ses applications à la propreté. Il est cependant certain que les robots nécessiteront d’importants investissements de la part de clients, sans parler de la nécessité de modifier des pratiques de travail. On s’interroge aussi sur la capacité d’un robot à travailler en toute sécurité dans un environnement confiné, encombré, et semé d’obstacles. Donc, bien qu’ils puissent représenter l’avenir, les robots pourraient ne pas être viables aujourd’hui.

robots can only fulfil certain functions.

“Robotic technology can greatly assist the general cleaning landscape but machines still need a great deal of manual intervention,” he said. “However technology is moving along at a rapid pace so I’m sure it won’t be long until these minor grievances are rectified.”

He adds that humans still have a vital role in cleaning. “For example, while the machine is cleaning the surface area in question the operative can focus on tasks that require more detail,” he said. “This means that utilising the tech can provide an overall higher standard of cleaning where robots and humans complement each other.”

According to Treadgold, the demand for robotics is likely to accelerate over the next two years. “The tough economic climate will drive investment in this area as businesses seek to implement innovations that will improve quality and give them the edge over their competition,” he said.

Natural evolution ICE’s Darren Marston believes the technology will evolve naturally. “The words cheap, safe and autonomous are all subjective and the speed at which robots develop will very much depend on take-up from the market,” he said. “We do not believe there is a beginning and an end to

Plötzlich reden alle über Roboter und ihren Platz in der Zukunft der Reinigungsbranche. Es ist jedoch eine unbestreitbare Tatsache, dass Roboter ein hohes Investitionsniveau vonseiten des Kunden erfordern sowie eine Verpflichtung zur Änderung der Arbeitsweisen. Außerdem werden mancher Orts Zweifel geäußert, ob Roboter in Umgebungen, in denen sie auf Hindernisse, Menschen und Durcheinander stoßen, sicher arbeiten können. Sie mögen also die Zukunft repräsentieren, doch sind Roboter heute tatsächlich praktikabel?

this story – it is very much a journey. But we are working hard and for certain environments we believe robotics are already the ‘go to’ solution.”

Kärcher’s Marco Cardinale says his company is currently working on robot development. “Our focus is on developing a robot that is suitable for use in all kinds of environments to enable us to offer our customers genuine added value,” he said. “In the medium-term we will bring a solution to market – but 100 per cent functionality and safety are absolutely essential.”

He feels that robotics will figure prominently in the future of the industry. “In the years ahead, autonomous machines will support the work of commercial cleaning contractors - but only in certain areas and for clearly defined tasks,” he said.

Diversey is continuously working on new robotic solutions, according to Ryssen. “We are using market feedback to ensure that we keep creating the best future solution for our customers,” he said.

“The technology is evolving fast and the market is responding positively. I would not be surprised to see more cleaning robots on the market. However the price of any robot is related to the value it creates, so the rate of innovation and how the market evolves will teach us how valuable the robots of tomorrow are likely to be.”

All’improvviso tutti parlano dei robot e del loro ruolo nel futuro del cleaning. Non si contesta comunque il fatto che i robot richiedano un alto livello di investimenti da parte dei clienti e anche un certo impegno a cambiare le prassi di lavoro. Sorgono anche dei dubbi sul fatto che i robot possano operare in modo sicuro in ambienti dove ci sono ostacoli, persone e confusione. Quindi, mentre i robot rappresentano il futuro, sono effettivamente utlizzabili al momento?

Cleaning in the Digital World - October 2016 | ECJ | 19

WORKFORCE

Changing face of the cleaner As the industry becomes increasingly automated and digitalised, what types of skills are required of a cleaner today? And what new skills will tomorrow’s workforce need?

The digital world is changing everything.

The way we communicate, the way we watch films, how we listen to music, how we read books, connect with friends – all of these everyday activities have been revolutionised since we first gained access to our own personal computer in our pocket.

On a wider scale, computers are now at the heart of almost everything we own from the cars we drive to the household appliances we use every day. Even our homes are becoming ‘connected’ and many of us now use our phones to turn up our heating or switch on our TV. This digital shift has radically altered our day-to-day working lives as well as industrial processes become increasingly automated.

The cleaning sector has been relatively slow to adapt to the digital age. The logic has always been that a person with a mop and bucket or duster and vacuum who has the strength and energy to work for long periods of time is all that is required to complete the majority of cleaning tasks.

But we have recently witnessed the emergence of new technologies that can greatly improve the efficiency of cleaning while also taking the strain away from the cleaner. Vacuums, sweepers and scrubber dryers are becoming increasingly sophisticated while cleaning robots - relatively new entrants to the market – are now the

hot topic for discussion. At the same time, near-field technology and smart software is enabling cleaners to anticipate cleaning needs and make better use of their time.

As a result, qualities such as a strong back, a painstaking approach and plenty of elbow grease are no longer the chief requirements of a cleaner. Today’s cleaning teams are just as likely to be equipped with a smartphone, tablet or remote control as a mop and bucket. As a consequence they often require new skills for operating robotic equipment and remotely checking on maintenance issues.

But how are cleaners reacting to these challenges? And how are companies introducing their workforce to the new skills they need? Head of cleaning at OCS Yvonne Taylor says the change from traditional ways of working to the use of technology such as smartphones and PDAs can be a difficult transition for some cleaners.

“You will always encounter a certain amount of resistance when things are done differently,” she says. “Our industry has a loyal and long-serving staff who have their own systems of working and it can sometimes be hard for them to see the benefits of change.”

The age of the operative is often a factor determining their willingness – or otherwise – to adapt to change, according to Taylor. “Younger people tend to be more accepting of new technology,” she said.

“However, a cleaner’s reaction to change very much depends on how it is sold to them. For instance, it is better to introduce small changes and demonstrate how technology can make the cleaner’s job easier while also providing them with future skills and knowledge. And when any change is being implemented you have to ensure that the operatives feel invested in the process right from the start.”

OCS operates a ‘buddy system’ whereby cleaners who are reluctant to change receive training and support from colleagues who embrace new ways of working.

Taylor believes the cleaner’s role is

Cleaning in the Digital World - October 2016 | ECJ | 20

undoubtedly undergoing a fundamental change. “The demand for increased efficiency and added value has led to the introduction of systems such as automated dispensing, wifi, mobile devices and robotics,” she said.

“At the same time, the cleaner’s activity is being monitored more closely via the introduction of telematics, especially on large cleaning equipment such as scrubber dryers. This is usually put in place to assess the added value that investment in larger pieces of equipment brings and to find out when it was switched on, for how long and how much water was used.”

According to Taylor the introduction of technology enables cleaners to work more efficiently - even before they begin the actual task of cleaning. “For example, automated dispensing allows them to accurately measure the quantities of cleaning products required to precisely manage stock control,” she said. “This leads to reduced chemical use, fewer deliveries and a reduced need for storage space along with a lower carbon footprint.”

Real-time supplies information Another way in which technology is aiding cleaners is by providing real-time information on supplies, she said. “This allows them to respond to peaks and troughs of customer demand,” said Taylor.

“Some of their time could then be freed up for other FM tasks, such as logging photographic evidence of maintenance issues via their mobile phones.”

One company that has introduced a system offering real-time information for cleaners is SCA. The washroom hygiene manufacturer’s recently-launched Tork EasyCube allows janitorial staff to use their smartphone or tablet to check whether any hand towel, toilet roll or soap dispensers in the washrooms need refilling. Sensors in ‘connected’ Tork washroom dispensers transmit this information to the cleaner remotely.

According to the company, the system allows cleaners to use their time more effectively because they only need to visit

WORKFORCE those toilets where refilling tasks need to be carried out. Tork EasyCube has been welcomed with enthusiasm by many cleaners according to SCA’s global technical innovation manager Gunilla Himmelmann.

“Being entrusted with tablets and other digital equipment makes cleaners feel more valued,” she said. “They also claim to experience greater job satisfaction because the system enables them to provide a better quality service and focus on what is needed most.

Staff resistance “However, this new solution is also a big step for those cleaners who have no interest in - or experience of - using tablets and smartphones. Those operatives would simply prefer to clean as they have always done.”

Julius Rutherfoord is a contract cleaning company that prides itself on using the latest equipment and technology at its customers’ premises. However operations director Chris Parkes admits to having encountered some staff resistance to new technology.

“This is a natural hesitancy and the uptake has been largely positive,” he adds.

“Once the advantages of technology have been fully understood by staff we find that

Comme on a pu le constater, l’introduction de nouvelles technologies peut permettre de fortes augmentations de rendement tout en réduisant les sollicitations des agents de nettoyage. Mais quelles sont les réactions de ces derniers à l’introduction de tels équipements ? Et, de leur côté, les entreprises se soucient-elles d’y préparer leur opérateurs en leur fournissant les nouvelles compétences dont ils ont besoin ?

the transition goes fairly smoothly.”

Like Taylor, Parkes has noticed that staff feel more valued when entrusted with digital equipment and tablets. “Our operations teams now rely on their tablet devices and are certainly seeing benefits in productivity through this improvement in technology,” he said. “Once familiar with operating new devices and programmes - and once all the glitches have been ironed out - it is clear to everyone that technological advances make everyone’s lives easier.”

He agrees with Taylor that the cleaner’s role is changing in the light of the digital revolution. “With an increase in technology comes an increase in productivity and the expectation that more can be covered in the same amount of time,” he said. “In addition, the availability of real time data allows problems to be identified and fixed rapidly, providing a much more responsive aspect to the cleaner’s role.”

Today’s cleaning equipment is constantly evolving to increase efficiency and productivity according to Parkes.

“It is true that a deeper understanding of how the machines work is needed,” he said. “However, once you are familiar with these machines they are mostly easy to work with.”

He claims that Julius Rutherfoord uses the most userfriendly equipment possible to aid its multicultural workforce. “To assist with this, our training is conducted in multiple languages - as is all our company literature,” he said.

“We are constantly adapting our training itinerary to adhere to the latest British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc) procedures whilst ensuring that the latest technology is fully understood across the workforce.”

Meanwhile, TG Wir konnten in jüngster Zeit das Auftreten neuer Technologien beobachten, die die Effizienz bei Reinigungsarbeiten erheblich steigern können und gleichzeitig die Belastung des Reinigungspersonals mindern. Doch wie reagiert das Reinigungspersonal auf diese Herausforderungen? Und wie führen Unternehmen ihre Mitarbeiter an die neuen Fertigkeiten, die sie benötigen, heran?

Hylift has been introducing the workforce to new methods of cleaning high-rise windows, glass roofs and solar panels.

The company’s semi-automatic HyCleaner Black Solar system is operated via a radio remote control. So instead of standing on an aerial platform and physically performing the cleaning operation, window cleaners now have an entirely different function.

“The cleaner is only involved in the operation of the aerial access platform,” said managing director Alfons Thihatmer. ”Some companies rent these access platforms and send along their own operators and in these cases, the window cleaner’s task is simply to open or close the water supply.”

He says minimal training is required when using the Hylift system. “It is advantageous if the cleaner has taken part in an operator training course for aerial access platforms,” he says. “But in any case, we and our partners always provide training with our newly-delivered machines to familiarise customers with the product and provide assistance during their first operation. We work on the ‘train the trainer’ principle.”

So, will the introduction of automation, digital solutions and robots mean that cleaning teams will need to become more skilled in future?

Management key “Management will play an ever-increasing role in the cleaning industry,” predicts Julius Rutherfoord’s Chris Parkes. “With the automation of tasks and upgraded reporting procedures, the setting up and running of automated cleaning equipment will become a more integral part of the cleaner’s role than manning the machines themselves.”

And OCS’s Yvonne Taylor points out that today’s cleaning operatives already need to be skilled. “They use chemicals that have the potential to cause harm; they need to be able to clean a wide variety of floor surfaces and they use large pieces of expensive and technical equipment,” she said.

“However, I believe these to be transferable skills and ones that will continue to develop as technology increasingly requires the cleaner to make more operational decisions.”

Abbiamo di recente assistito all’emergere di nuove tecnologie che sono in grado di migliorare enormemente l’efficienza del cleaning e nello stesso tempo di ridurre lo sforzo fisico degli addetti alle pulizie. Ma come reagiscono gli operatori del settore del pulito a queste sfide? E le aziende, come fanno conoscere alla loro forza lavoro le nuove competenze di cui necessitano?

Cleaning in the Digital World - October 2016 | ECJ | 21

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HEALTH & SAFETY

Smart health and safety?

What are the health and safety benefits of using smart solutions for cleaning applications asks Ann Laffeaty? And in certain cases, can digital solutions actually pose a safety risk to the public?

Innovations such as automatic dosing, lightweight battery technology and cleaning robots all play a major role in taking away some of the cleaner’s heavy load.

Digital systems are revolutionising the cleaning industry. Smart solutions, automated machines and internet-based reporting platforms have had a major impact on increasing the efficiency of cleaning.

For example, a whole raft of new software solutions are improving productivity in the cleaning sector. These systems provide cost estimates, are capable of mapping out buildings and can keep track of staff movements which enables cleaning tasks to be carried out more efficiently.

Meanwhile, the advent of cleaning robots is helping to take away the stresses and strains of the job. These autonomous machines can clean more rapidly and for longer periods of time than humans.

They also require no training; they never become tired and they have no objection to working nights.

But besides their productivity benefits, what is the impact of smart solutions on the health and safety of operatives - and even on the wider public? And is this impact always a positive one?

One obvious way in which automated systems are making the cleaning task safer is by removing much of the hard graft.

The repetitive movement required when manually cleaning a floor or other surface can result in back pain and muscular aches. However, the same task becomes relatively effortless when a machine is used to fulfil the function in question.

Meanwhile, other breakthroughs have helped to relieve some of the cleaner’s physical burden. Mop-wringers have removed the need for manual wringing while lithium-ion battery technology has helped reduce the weight of machinery and lighten the cleaner’s load. And anything that reduces aches, pains and absenteeism among cleaning teams will have a positive impact on productivity.

Automatic chemical dosing systems are becoming more common today and these can also improve operator safety by taking human error out of the equation.

Besides the risk of spillage that comes with ‘glug-glug’ methods of dosing, a too-

strong solution could be hazardous to the cleaner’s health while a solution that is too weak might be ineffective at removing dirt and germs from surfaces. And in a healthcare environment, this might impact on the health and safety of patients.

Healthcare risks The risk of cross-contamination in any healthcare setting is high. As a result, a number of firms have introduced digital products specifically designed to improve health and safety in hospitals and clinical environments. For example, Sodexo Healthcare recently launched a team of germ-zapping robots to help prevent the spread of healthcare-associated infections in hospitals.

Xenex Germ-Zapping Robots use UV light to disinfect surfaces such as bed rails, tray tables, bathroom handrails and toilet seats. Hospitals using Xenex robots in the US have reported reductions in infection rates of between 50 and 100 per cent.

A similar system has been developed

by Blue Ocean Robotics. The company’s UV-Disinfection-Robot focuses UV light on infection ‘hotspots’ such as sinks, patient beds and handles. It can also be used in operating theatres, isolation rooms and clean rooms.

Cleaning robots in general are becoming increasingly common. But do they enhance safety in the environments where they work or do they have the potential to compromise it? Facilities management managing director of Servest Vince Treadgold is cautious on the topic.

“It is always wise to question the safety of new innovations, especially where people are involved,” he said. “However, analysing the basic safety systems of a facility and having the unrealistic expectation that a robot can think for itself are two very different things.

“Robots are simply machines that have been pre-programmed to respond to various stimuli. If a problem occurs – such as Continued page 24

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HEALTH & SAFETY Smart health & safety? (continued) a supermarket shelf falling down near to where the robot is cleaning, for instance the robot’s in-built sensor will detect it and the machine will change its course. The same can be said if a person cuts off its path; it will either stop in its tracks or find another route.

“However, the robot won’t shout out to let people know if a shelf falls down – it will simply bypass it. And it won’t say ‘excuse me’ to a person as it glides by. Robots can only offer the industry the opportunity to improve efficiency; people, however, add the human touch and will always be essential to operations.”

Low collision risk He adds that robots tend to move at a slow walking pace which means that any risk of collisions or accidents is low.

“They’re not zipping around at 30 mph so they don’t pose a threat,” he said. “I think the industry is right to be cautious

very new, but we are working closely with the likes of the Industrial Cleaning Machine Manufacturers Association (ICMMA) in the UK to develop the right path and strategy around risk assessment,” he said.

However he believes his company can guarantee complete safety as far as ICE’s own Robo 2 machine is concerned. “The Robo 2 has been designed to completely avoid obstacles whether they are static, temporary or moving thanks to its sonic proximity sensors, bumper and navigation system,” said Marston. “And if there are any temporary obstacles placed within the cleaning path the machine will always return to clean any areas that have been missed.”

He says the machine’s complex sensors also ensure that the Robo 2 avoids stair-

about change but sometimes fear of the new and the unknown can trigger unnecessary panic.”

Safety – along with functionality – are Kärcher’s two top priorities as far as robotic solutions are concerned. The company is working on robot development and aims to bring a robot to the market in the medium term.

“Safety is especially important where machines are used in areas that are open to the public,” said head of floor care product management Marco Cardinale. “Developing a safe and functional robot is a complex task because the sensor technology needs to offer levels of environmental perception that can guarantee a collisionfree operation.”

Safety standards are very much in the embryonic stage as far as robotic cleaners are concerned according to ICE’s industrial cleaning equipment chairman Darren Marston. “Autonomous technology is still

wells and other drops. “It will not collide with a person who stands in its way, or with any object that falls in its path. And when it detects obstacles nearby it automatically slows down and simply moves around them.“

Built-in safety Diversey Care’s global marketing machine leader Laurent Ryssen says his company’s robots also offer built-in safety features. “If an object such as a supermarket shelf falls down next to it, the robot would simply turn around and avoid the obstacle,” he said. “The same principle applies if people approach the robot because they find it a novelty. Actually, many of the issues we have with robots are linked to the fact that people are curious about

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them and will disturb them. This affects productivity because the robot will then wait until fewer people are around before resuming its cleaning task.”

In some cases, smart solutions can help to improve health and safety not only for the people who carry out the work, but also for those who occupy the buildings being cleaned. For example, Alpheois has come up with a cleaning trolley-based system designed to enhance the health and safety of the building’s occupants.

Air Smart comprises a sensor box placed on a cleaning trolley. As the cleaner wheels the trolley through a building the Air Smart system continually monitors levels of lighting, humidity and particulate matter in the atmosphere.

Smart air analysis According to the developers, poor lighting can lead to headaches while low humidity can cause dehydration. Meanwhile, an excess of particulate matter in the atmosphere can lead to lung problems, claims Alpheois. Where these factors are being monitored via the cleaning trolley, simple measures can be taken to improve the environment by opening a window or turning up the lighting, for example.

Alpheois claims the Air Smart system has the added benefit of enabling cleaners to interact with building occupants, potentially enhancing their job satisfaction and improving their status in the facilities where they work.

Window cleaning is one of the most dangerous cleaning tasks there is, particularly where high buildings are concerned.

One company that has come up with automated systems to improve the safety of high-rise window cleaning is TG Hylift.

The company offers an automated window cleaning system that comprises a rotating brush mounted on to the baskets of aerial access platforms.

“Hycleaner takes away any physical stress on the part of the cleaner,” said TG Hylift managing director Alfons Thihatmer. “Since performance is not related to operator fatigue it means that good cleaning results can be obtained consistently from sunrise to sunset.” The company is now working on another semi-automatic system that could be installed on existing suspended platforms.

There are many other ways in which smart technology in both cleaning and hygiene can be used to improve health and safety. For example, Japanese lavatory manufacturer Toto has unveiled a toilet that monitors urine flow rates and volume using sensors within the lavatory.

This can determine whether or not the toilet user suffers from any lower urinary

HEALTH & SAFETY tract symptoms.

Other industry providers have experimented with toilets that can analyse visitors’ urine to determine whether they have any sexually transmitted diseases; whether they are pregnant or if they have drugs or alcohol in their system.

Whether we would welcome our health being monitored via the toilet is a moot point. But early diagnosis often leads to better health outcomes so these smart, analytical toilets could play a significant role in improving public health in the future.

The manual task of cleaning brings with it many health and safety issues such as the risk of exposure to hazardous chemicals, back injuries, occupational dermatitis Les systèmes numériques ont déclenché une révolution dans le secteur de la propreté. Les solutions intelligentes, l’automatisation de machines et le recours aux systèmes d’information par Internet ont exercé des effets majeurs sur le rendement des opérations. Mais au-delà des avantages de productivité, quels sont les impacts des solutions intelligentes sur la santé et la sécurité des opérateurs, voire même du public ? Et ces impacts sont-ils toujours positifs ?

and musculoskeletal disorders. While digital technology brings with it some safety implications - such as potential collisions with robots, for example - these become insignificant when weighed against the huge benefits that other breakthroughs can bring.

Innovations like automatic dosing, lightweight battery technology and cleaning robots all play a major role in taking away some of the cleaner’s heavy load while limiting their exposure to harmful substances. And since other technologies such as germ-zapping machines, clever toilets and trolley-based monitoring systems are also striving to keep the wider public safe and healthy it seems clear that digital systems spell excellent news for all of us.

Digitalsysteme sind im Begriff die Reinigungsbranche zu revolutionieren. Intelligente Lösungen, automatisierte Maschinen und internetbasierte Berichtsplattformen haben enorme Auswirkungen auf die Erhöhung der Effizienz bei Reinigungsarbeiten.

Doch abgesehen von den Produktivitätsvorteilen welche Auswirkungen haben diese intelligenten Lösungen auf die Gesundheit und Sicherheit der Mitarbeiter – und sogar auf die breitere Öffentlichkeit? Und sind diese Auswirkungen immer positiv?

Robots tend to move at a slow walking pace so any risk of collisions or accidents is low. They are not moving fast enough to pose a threat. The industry is right to be cautious about change but fear of the unknown can cause unnecessary panic.

I sistemi digitali stanno rivoluzionando il settore del pulito. Soluzioni Smart, macchine automatiche e piattaforme di segnalazione dati basate su internet hanno avuto un enorme impatto sull’aumento dell’efficienza del settore del pulito. Ma, a parte i loro benefici per la produttività, qual è l’impatto delle soluzioni smart sulla salute e sulla sicurezza degli operatori, o persino sul grande pubblico? E questo impatto, è sempre positivo?

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INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS

Future-proofing services Commercial buildings now typically feature a growing complexity of technology-based systems, from fire safety and building energy management to access control and CCTV. Grosvenor Services, which provides a wide range of facilities services across Ireland, the UK and the USA is now helping clients to maximise the benefits of those systems to deliver smarter services. ECJ editor Michelle Marshall speaks to the company’s Ian Campbell and Maeliosa Ryan about its new technology division, and also how the business is working smarter within its cleaning operations.

The growth in technology-based systems in modern buildings means we now have more data and information at our fingertips than ever before. The challenge comes in analysing which parts of that data are most useful, and then using it to improve performance – based on what the objectives are.

What relevance does this have to the cleaning sector, we may ask. It has significant relevance because we now operate in a world where client expectations are changing and all service providers are expected to deliver more innovative solutions that result in greater efficiency, better control and lower costs.

Facilities services company Grosvenor Services has identified the business potential and recently launched a specialist technology division to help clients get the most from their technology-based systems. And that can mean smarter cleaning, for example.

Established in 1959 Grosvenor Services has operations throughout Ireland, the UK and the USA. It’s a family-owned business that specialises in prestige contracts for premium retailers, for example. It offers cleaning, mechanical and electrical services, grounds maintenance, security, waste management, catering, reception, pest control and now technology services.

End-to-end solutions Heading up the division is Ian Campbell, technology services director. The team works with clients to develop end-to-end solutions and then, more importantly, uses the data generated to find intelligent solutions to business issues. Campbell explains: “For instance, the information generated by security and surveillance systems can be used to manage other facility services, like cleaning provision, more effectively. If a room isn’t used as much as others, it may not require the same regularity or intensity of cleaning.”

Campbell quotes a case study as an example. A large company based in the UK required a more efficient and cost effective means of delivering cleaning and soft

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services across their corporate office and other sites. Their showcase premises covered over 30,000 square feet, requiring a high standard of cleaning, to be delivered under very tight budgets.

This challenge required an innovative solution; placing an analytics platform over the existing CCTV system enabled them to capture building usage and occupancy information, which was then provided to the cleaning operations staff.

The solution was pre-tested prior to installation in order to remove the risk of equipment failure and associated impacts to the existing client operation.

“Once installed, the information provided to the on-site cleaning team enabled them to deliver a more intelligent cleaning service,” explains Campbell, “based on a more cost efficient model (smarter cleaning meant less people were needed, leading to greater cost savings). In addition there were improvements in cleaning KPIs of over 23 per cent.”

Worth noting is the customer had already invested in CCTV technology for security purposes. Grosvenor Service’s solutions actually create additional ROI benefits when the technology is used for a wider purpose.

The challenge for any service organisation is the reduction of margins and the competitive arena of tendering, says Campbell. “These new technology-based solutions allow contractors to carry out their core services while improving their margins. It’s all about people, process, technology,” he believes. “And it all comes down to intelligent use of data.”

He continues: “Grosvenor Services is taking information and data, using technology which is already in place, in order to help our customers achieve smarter services and significant benefits over the longer term. We are offering technology as a service to our customers in its own right, and we are also cross-selling it to our cleaning clients.”

Much education is involved in setting up such an operation, Campbell explains, be-

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS cause it is a significant innovation for any business. “Our great challenge is that we could potentially increase risk to the client organisation when working with their existing technology solutions so it’s essential we ensure the resilience and validity of our design through rigorous testing.”

The key message coming from Grosvenor Services is that the technology is now there to enable the industry to run smarter. “If we don’t innovate, what’s the answer?” Campbell asks. “When it comes to service delivery the market is more and more competitive. If we don’t move with that, at the very least we’re standing still.

At worst, you simply won’t survive.

“Cutting costs and specifications to the bone has gone as far as it can go. We must innovate. The real challenge, and to some extent bravery, comes in knowing how to do it. And many businesses are not quite brave enough to do it.”

He adds: “It’s the lean and agile that know where to do it,” adds Campbell.

“And that means not just doing it for the sake of it. It’s about knowing where it makes a difference.”

As marketing manager Maeliosa Ryan explains, Grosvenor Services’ viewpoint on the implementation of smart solutions is very much from a ground roots level.

The company is open to innovation in its service provision with the help of technology. “We are very interested in telemetry on our cleaning machines for example,” she explains, “and we can successfully sell that concept to our clients as guaranteeing continuity of service because machines

are always available. This technology also reduces the cost of service provision because there are useful features such as remote diagnostics that cut downtime and chances of breakdown. Plus we can track activity and any abuse of the machine.”

Ryan continues: “For a service provider the bulk of the cost is labour. On a level playing field we must ask ourselves, how do we make gains? Do we work people harder, drive them to their limits? Or are we seeking to free up people’s time to enable them to not be constantly doing spot checks etc?

“Above all it’s essential for the service provider to have the culture, belief and vision to implement new solutions.”

Ryan believes the onus is on the smart service providers to show clients what is actually possible, because often they simply don’t know. For her developments such as fleet management, time and attendance and workforce management solutions are of most interest right now.

“We will increasingly become solutions providers,” she says, “and the skill within service companies is to use that technology well and implement it effectively.”

She continues: “Suppliers and manufacturers have the solutions on offer and are presenting them to us. We need to now examine what we can use and how we can implement those developments. For that to happen successfully, it’s essential we have the right skills within our businesses – skills we can really take to our clients and make a difference to their organisations with.”

Grosvenor Services is now experiencing a greater awareness among clients about

Les immeubles commerciaux possèdent aujourd’hui des équipements technologiques toujours plus complexes allant de la sécurité incendie à la gestion énergétique, de la commande d’accès à la TV en circuit fermé. Comment les prestataires de services peuvent-ils améliorer leur performance dans un tel contexte tout en protégeant leur commerce face à l’avenir ? ECJ s’entretient avec la société Grosvenor Services de sa stratégie en la matière.

Geschäftsgebäude weisen heutzutage in der Regel zunehmend kompliziertere Anlagen auf technologischer Basis auf, von Brandschutz und Gebäudeenergiemanagement zu Zugangskontrolle und Videoüberwachung. Wie können Dienstleister ihre Leistung durch technologiebasierte Dienstleistungen verbessern und ihr Unternehmen gleichzeitig für die Zukunft absichern? Das ECJ führt ein Gespräch mit Grosvenor Services über deren Strategie.

Lean and agile

just how much the quality of cleaning in their buildings can impact on their business. “What they want is the five-star office or retail environment,” says Ryan. “The FM manager gets the stress and hassle when standards are below par and this is where technology can really add value.”

Service providers must also be asking what they can do to save on time and tasks, Ryan believes. “Mobile technology will be a part of the cleaner’s toolbox. They might check into a room to see their list of tasks, for example, then check out again when they leave.”

For Grosvenor Services workforce management is a key benefit of technology.

“We can set alerts for non-attendance, for example,” Ryan says, “and interestingly the level of attendance actually goes up. It also has benefits associated with safety and security for staff.”

Thought leadership is now what’s required from service providers, believes Ian Campbell. “When you’re seen as ‘just a cleaner’ you simply cannot have those conversations about technology.”

More than a cleaner How about the cleaner of the future? For Campbell, it’s about them doing more than just cleaning. “We could be utilising staff in safety, communication, customer satisfaction and greater value for their employer, and for the client. There are clear benefits in productivity, lower staff turnover, health and safety etc.”

He continues: “A cleaner must be confident in saying ‘I have all the tools I need available to do my job. I am safe in the environment I’m in’. There may be fewer people but they have a better skill set.

That enables them to map a career path in cleaning, which in turn means the sector may attract better people for example.”

Ryan emphasises: “If you don’t get on this bus, what is your future? Who are the early adopters and where do we go from here? We believe smart technological solutions, implemented well, result in smart service, retention of staff and retention of contracts.”

And Campbell concludes: “Technology must be something at the heart of a company that facilitates change.”

Gli edifici commerciali sono ora tipicamente dotati di una complessità crescente di sistemi basati sulla tecnologia, dalla gestione energetica e gestione antincendi al controllo dell’accesso e alle telecamere a circuito chiuso. Come possono i fornitori di servizi migliorare le loro prestazioni per mezzo di servizi basati sulla tecnologia e allo stesso tempo mettere a prova di futuro le loro attività? ECJ discute di questa strategia con Grosvenor Services.

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MANAGEMENT

Cleaning up management Suzanne Richardson, operations director for InDepth Managed Services shares her experience on how technology influences and streamlines management processes in the cleaning service industry.

Technology influences every industry now, even those that may have been perceived as ‘traditional’ or ‘hands-on’. The cleaning industry still carries the handle of the ultimate manual skill provider, yet these days cleaners need to be trained in how to use specialist cleaning equipment and comply with constantly changing health and safety regulations for high risk specialisms, like working at height or medical cleaning. It’s a bit more than just pushing a mop.

Keeping up with challenges Living and working environments have evolved in different ways and technology is driving the change. Architecture provides more of a challenge to the cleaning and FM industry; buildings are ‘smart’ so we have to be smarter to maintain them.

Structures are ‘cutting-edge’ so we have to be intrepid when we’re cleaning them.

The goal posts have moved, in fact they’re always moving and we must equip ourselves to be able to stay in the game.

Cleaning companies too are expanding, not just their sizes but their remits. With an increasing skill set, managing the multi-faceted cleaning organisation requires more than just a few excel spreadsheets.

I am thankful that technology has provided a more efficient platform to deliver our services. It’s encouraging a culture change, where paper files are becoming a thing of the past. Our resourcing capabilities are much more efficient, as is our responsiveness, because they can be managed electronically.

I experience first-hand in our business how technology gives a performance edge because data management drives the business; data capture allows us as cleaning and FM providers to be even more flexible and targeted when catering to customer requirements.

It’s a shrewd decision to invest in innovative and pioneering technology as it enables a cleaning business to sustain itself and grow at the forefront of the industry. There’s no reason why that isn’t possible because we have proved that it is possible at InDepth. Technological advancement has benefited our clients because we consistently improve the service that we deliver. Our in-house business systems and investment in software development support our unique centralised national data communications centre and our local area management teams in the field.

Streamlining with technology Technology can be a real advantage when it comes to managing staff resourcing on a national level. Clients expect highly trained personnel to meet their service requirements and this demands a rigorous staff search and selection process. At InDepth we use web recruitment software that gives us a national reach to source the best staff for our individual client’s needs. For example, our local area managers ensure that employees’ profiles are completed during the recruitment process and can be accessed from anywhere across the country – it’s all done digitally.

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Our recruitment specialists are able to search candidates by town, postcode and skill sets, enabling them to target the right personnel for the different market sectors we operate in. The system is thorough and even utilises photographic capture to store all candidates’ required documentation. Their right to work is completed following a successful interview and is transferred via our web recruitment system to the central data centre.

It’s fast, efficient and paperless, and every bit of vital information is sent to our centralised data centre where it can be recalled at any time from any device (with appropriate security permissions of course). In this way we can keep up with all our clients’ needs UK-wide. Online reporting facilities, additional lines of communication and faster reaction times ensure that when our clients need us, especially for business critical services, we can act quickly.

Leave the paper trail behind Talking about whether the cleaning industry should become paperless is considered ‘old hat’ in some circles. It’s not a new concept any more but it doesn’t make it any less relevant. If we are still debating whether to apply it, or the industry has agreed it’s a good idea yet there are companies who are still logging field calls in a notebook, then the topic has not run its course.

Of course we cannot dismiss the plain fact that it’s a significant investment for an organisation to make and smaller companies would find it a financial struggle to supply their staff with electronic devices. However the benefits of digitisation pay off in the long run, across every aspect of service delivery, and of course it is the bedrock of achieving paperless management.

With an electronically based system, all core and supplementary functions can be paperless, from staff training to invoicing. Instead of drowning in reams of paper that need to be updated manually, all records are available at the touch of

MANAGEMENT a button. Anything can be recalled easily, making the whole process more efficient.

Whether your teams use tablets, androids or PDAs, digital transfer of information eases the audit and recall processes.

For example our teams are able to transmit audit results back to head office via the web system. They are subsequently made available in real time for clients to view online via our client access portal, giving our clients an easily accessed, transparent service.

Staff development There’s no doubt that in the last three years, the competitive race in the cleaning industry has been fought in the technology field. Primarily it was about investing in technology for our cleaning operatives to use. Their implementation saves time and money and very importantly, increases the level of professionalism in the industry.

However rather than just being outwardfacing when it comes to improving service delivery, it’s also important to look inward to your organisation.

Management efficiencies and professionalism within the company strengthens overall performance from the foundations.

Let’s face it, if your technology doesn’t serve you or your organisation by creating improved efficiencies, then it’s not being utilised properly.

By digitising most management functions, it is possible to support your employees by providing them with knowledge and information, and even by automating regularly used services.

Support functions on InDepth’s data centre include the ability to order materials, book holidays or report any changes in circumstances. Our clients also have access to and benefit from this service.

It’s important to remember that the technology is supposed to enhance the client relationship by offering access and transparency, it doesn’t replace relationship building.

All training is provided to our cleaning operatives by local area managers and site supervisors, including induction and site specific training. All aspects of this training are recorded electronically via PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants). The electronic record is transferred via our web portal to the employee’s personnel record, which is stored within the data centre. This enables Un prestataire de services de nettoyage à avoir rationnalisé sa gestion en recourant à la technologie est la société InDepth Managed Services. Cette entreprise s’est concentrée sur la gestion de données, celle-ci lui ayant permis d’être à la fois plus souple et mieux focalisée dans sa réponse aux besoins de ses clients.

monitoring and continuous development of staff skills and training.

It is even possible to manage lone worker and health & safety attendance on a digital platform. Whether this is vehicle tracking for remote worker safety, or usage data to optimise our fuel efficiency, these are processes that can be managed remotely and efficiently which safeguard staff and save on costs.

The digital possibilities Digital capability affords cleaning companies a virtually complete support structure from finding the right person for the job, managing their training needs, to giving the client access to relevant information about their account, right up to managing the payroll.

In our business we work closely with our clients to develop our software systems.

We can create and continuously develop bespoke audit tools for specific industry sectors. The end result is that we exceed our clients’ specific requirements.

To achieve this collaboration, our account management teams utilise instant, secure online access to client review processes and service level agreements.

They can then evaluate, review and where possible, improve the systems that drive the end service and vice versa.

This particular aspect has been

Ein Reinigungsdienstleister, der seine Geschäftsführung durch den Einsatz von Technologie optimiert hat, ist InDepth Managed Services. Das Unternehmen wird von der Datenverwaltung vorangetrieben, und sie ermöglicht es, flexibler und gezielter auf die Kundenanforderungen einzugehen.

invaluable when it comes to our client relations. It’s another dimension in a transparent customer service enabled by technology, and it provides added value.

In fact we promote collaboration and sharing of ideas across our business. We prioritise innovation and encourage our people to challenge established practices, make changes and improve how our business works. To do anything less would mean stagnation.

The cleaning industry is definitely not old fashioned any more – not with the tools it uses, or its management capabilities. There is no doubt that our people are our most valuable asset. Dedicated staff, who work to clean and maintain our offices and public amenities keep our cities functioning. Applying technology just enhances that service, mainly by easing all the supporting functions that make up the management infrastructure. Even for us in the cleaning industry, knowledge is indeed power - informing our growth, skills and expertise.

By having a technology platform that is complete from start to finish, you can achieve a professional edge because you can control your deliverables more closely and give the clients exactly what they need. www.indepth-cleaning.co.uk

Un fornitore di servizi di pulizia che ha razionalizzato la sua gestione tramite l’uso della tecnologia è InDepth Managed Services. La gestione dei dati dà spinta all’azienda e le consente di essere più flessibile e più mirata a soddisfare le richieste dei clienti.

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SMART TECHNOLOGY

The soft sell Cleaning is a traditional industry, and one that is slow to adopt change. But smartphones, tablets and other technological breakthroughs have infiltrated every sector over the past 10 years – and cleaning is no exception. So how is the industry adapting to changing times? Ann Laffeaty finds out.

“The core of the cleaning industry is people, and hightech solutions can support those people with smarter choices that help to evolve how we work in terms of people management.”

Cleaning used to be all about hard manual labour. Mops, buckets, brooms, detergents and water – all of them used in conjunction with a healthy dose of good old-fashioned elbow grease – these were once the mainstays of an industry that has been around as long as, well, dirt.

But automation has revolutionised all our lives and there has been a corresponding impact on the cleaning industry.

State-of-the-art sweeping, scrubbing and vacuuming machines – even robots – are now being employed to help shoulder much of the hard graft.

The industry barely had time to become accustomed to a new age of mechanical cleaning when another breakthrough emerged. Smartphones, tablets and the Internet of Things have all made the world barely recognisable from how it was as little as 10 years ago.

But how receptive has the industry been to new technology? Are cleaning companies embracing the high-tech solutions that are increasingly coming on to the market? Or are they doing their best to resist them?

Kärcher’s digital products manager Dr Friedrich Volker concedes that the cleaning industry has been a late adopter of the Internet of Things. “Other industries such as the automotive sector used to be far ahead of us,” he said. “However this has changed over the past two years or so. Digitalisation is significantly affecting the cleaning industry and suppliers and customers alike have begun to face the resulting challenges and embrace the opportunities.”

Machine telematics Kärcher offers a telematics system for organising its machine fleets. Kärcher Fleet allows commercial cleaning contractors to use GPS and mobile telephony to find out where its scrubber dryers and sweepers are deployed and the condition they are in at any given time.

A similar system is in operation for the company’s water dispensers and gantry wash systems.

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“Customer feedback in general has been very positive and enthusiastic,” said Volker.

“Clients definitely see the cost and timesaving benefits of the system. Some have expressed concern regarding data security but their worries usually go away once we have explained our security measures.”

Kärcher Fleet uses a telematics box the size of a smartphone that can be fitted to scrubber dryers and sweepers. The information it collects is encrypted and made available on a universally accessible cloud server. The box, which can also be retrofitted to Kärcher machines and to other manufacturers’ product lines, is supplied with a SIM card that functions worldwide. The operator then simply has to switch on the telematics box and log in via the Internet.

Relevant information A particularly smart feature of the Kärcher Fleet system is the fact that it targets the relevant operative with the information it collects. “For example machines that are due for servicing are highlighted for the branch manager’s attention while the controller receives information about the fleet’s capacity utilisation rate,” said Volker.

“Meanwhile information is specifically supplied to the facility manager to allow him or her to check the machines’ battery status and to produce work documentation. This all makes it possible to plan, track and document machine deployment efficiently.”

Meanwhile, a growing number of companies are also becoming receptive to new technology in terms of hygiene provision according to European marketing manager for SCA Anna Konigson Koopmans.

“However it does vary according to the industry and we see a particularly high interest in the hospitality, retail, transport and healthcare sectors,” she said. Konigson Koopmans feels that the developments of the last decade have paved the way for new ways of working. ”Just think of the smartphone: 10 years ago it was nothing and now it is the interface for

SMART TECHNOLOGY almost everything,” she said.

The company offers Tork Solutions which provide digital services based on connected washroom devices. Tork Solutions consists of Tork EasyCube and Tork SmartFresh.

Tork EasyCube is a cloud-based system that uses smart dispensers to provide real-time data that allows facilities staff to anticipate cleaning and refill needs before they happen. Tork SmartFresh is a system of panels for toilets and urinals that feature automatic air-freshening and cleaning.

Hard to convince “Tork SmartFresh also offers an integrated media screen while the real-time data it generates facilitates more efficient and needs-based washroom cleaning,” said Konigson Koopmans.

“Tork Solutions has been received with great interest from many companies – and competitors – and we have these services up and running across a variety of industries. They range from amusement parks and large sports facilities to universities and fast-food restaurants, but what unites all these customers is the fact that they all

have an ‘early adopter’ mindset along with a genuine interest in improving their way of working.”

But she admits it is not always easy to convince customers to switch on to new technology solutions. “Having good arguments in place is crucial,” she said. “We have also found it important to closely connect the discussion about our solutions with our prospects’ identified focus areas.

When we do so, the discussion becomes much more relevant.”

Customer trials can also help to persuade a prospect to commit to a new solution, she says. “Trials work particularly well in larger locations,” says Konigson Koopmans. “Since the Internet of Things is still in its infancy we also know that testimonials from happy customers are important to illustrate what we can deliver.”

Pancomp International’s sales director Jan Makela agrees with the consensus that the cleaning industry has become more receptive to new technology over the past 10 years.

Competitive edge “Companies are recognising that they cannot survive in an increasingly competi-

tive environment without a system that increases productivity and efficiency,” he said. “Technology has become the way to gain productivity improvements and there is a clear need for systems that improve productivity. Resource costs are inevitable but cost savings are still required - and these are extremely hard to find elsewhere in the business.”

Information transmission Pancomp offers time and attendance and employee management solutions for the cleaning industry. The company also offers the Pancomp Clean Smart App which provides a two-way exchange between the end customer and the cleaning service.

The app enables the cleaner to clock in and out and report any extra work they take on or pauses they might make. Work instructions can be received via a smartphone and the cleaner is able to transmit information to Pancomp Clean when reporting any deviations from the cleaning plan.

The Pancomp App also allows customers to provide ratings and feedback to the Continued page 32

Cleaning in the Digital World - October 2016 | ECJ | 31

SMART TECHNOLOGY The soft sell (continued)

“Robotics, Internet of Things solutions and mobile applications will make cleaning processes both smoother and significantly more costefficient. Cleaning machines will communicate with smart building platforms.” cleaning service and even take photos as supporting evidence in order to highlight any issues.

So it seems that the industry is moving forward at a rapid pace, and companies agree that this is the shape of things to come.

“Management solutions are a must for a

À quel point est-il facile pour une société de logiciel de vendre ses produits au secteur de la propreté?

Ce secteur est-il réceptif à de nouvelles solutions et embrasse-t-il la nouvelle technologie, ou y résiste-til? ECJ cherche à le savoir.

thriving business in this day and age,” says Makela. “They help the industry to evolve with a lower level of human error. They can also provide more transparency in services; greener businesses that use less paper and safer working environments through visibility into remote sites.

Industry transformation “Nearly all industries are already benefiting from some high-tech solution and the trend is set for technology to increase its presence - even in the most manual and labour-intensive of industries.”

Kärcher’s Volker predicts a significant transformation in the cleaning industry over the next few years. “Robotics, Internet of Things solutions and mobile applications will make cleaning processes both smoother and significantly more cost-efficient,” he said. “Cleaning machines will be communicating with smart building

Wie leicht fällt es Softwareunternehmen, ihre Produkte an die Reinigungsbranche zu verkaufen? Wie empfänglich ist die Branche für neue Lösungen, und wird die neue Technologie bereitwillig angenommen oder gibt es Widerstand dagegen? Das ECJ erfährt Näheres.

Cleaning in the Digital World - October 2016 | ECJ | 32

IT-platforms and this in turn will provide the necessary data for on-demand cleaning solutions.”

And SCA’s Konigson Koopmans concurs.

“Think of toilet paper,” she said. “What could be more analogue than that? Nevertheless we have shown there to be evident benefits in the move towards making cleaning digital. That shift is happening now and it is here to stay. We have created an entire system based on connected devices – simply because it is of benefit to facility managers and cleaners.

“The core of the cleaning industry is people, and high-tech solutions can support those people with smarter choices that help to evolve how we work in terms of people management. As long as there are important benefits to be reached, new technology and new Internet of Things applications will follow.”

Con che facilità le aziende di software vendono i loro prodotti alle imprese di pulizia? Fino a che punto il settore è ricettivo a nuove soluzioni ed è incline ad adottare la tecnologia o a resisterla? ECJ indaga.

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