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3 minute read
How management technology is helping cleaning businesses to grow
Why is technology important in the cleaning sector?
It is increasingly difficult for companies to remain competitive without access to the right technology. Many cleaning and maintenance companies are still burdened with paper - and the systems they have, such as accounts, vehicle tracking and job booking, are often completely disconnected. It’s all very inefficient and hinders any improvements in productivity and customer service.
How can a new system help a business?
By eliminating paperwork all the way from booking to job completion, productivity in the office is transformed. The workload to manage the existing operations is typically halved, freeing up time to focus on customer care and growth of the business. In the field, better job scheduling and more dynamic resource allocation, plus full digital reporting via mobile devices, means teams are able to do more jobs each day, with productivity often up by 20 or even 30%. In addition, there are big benefits to financial controls and operational management as systems provide 24/7 real-time visibility of everything going on. Furthermore, live ETA alerts and digital reports from site - backed by tracking data and on-site photographssignificantly boost customer service.
What about companies that want to grow?
Obviously, all the gains in productivity, management and customer service free up resources and help with business retention, allowing more work to be taken on. However, there are specific characteristics that a system needs to support business expansion. Traditionally, systems have been pretty inflexible so creating new job cards and reports, for example, was a time consuming and costly exercise. At BigChange we set out to design a system with unrestricted adaptability and in particular a mobile app that could be easily customised. This allows workflows, job cards and reports to be configured to meet virtually any conceivable type of job.
How does this help cleaning companies?
Cleaning companies often see opportunities for business by offering closely related services such as gutter and drain clearing, small building repair works, waste services, and other facilities-related work. These additional services might have quite specific requirements in areas such as safety, certifications and compliance. So, having a system that can be extended and quickly adapted makes it easy to add and manage new services. Needs also change, and clients and prospective clients might demand new reports - so again, adaptability is key.
How else can a system help with growth?
Traditionally only the largest companies could afford the investment in advanced IT systems, making it difficult for smaller players to compete. At BigChange we have built a platform that puts all companies on a level playing field. Whether large or small, the system offers the same capability enabling the delivery of quality and consistent services. This is particularly important when pitching for new business where clients require contractors to adhere to stringent procedures in areas such as health and safety, quality, compliance, and certification. BigChange can be configured easily to meet these needs and crucially provides all the evidence of ‘job done’ that the client needs. As a result, many BigChange users say the platform has been vital to winning more business.
How else can BigChange help growth?
The cloud really has changed everything. One of our customers recently wanted to open a new office near London. They moved in, plugged in their PCs and logged onto the BigChange platform. That was it - the office was up and running in a few hours. No computer networks to worry about, no software to install. Of course, this was also crucial when COVID hit as everyone could log on at home and continue working. This level of accessibility also provides huge benefits for management as they can gain 24/7 visibility of operations, even from their smartphones. By ensuring a business isn’t constrained by outdated IT systems, BigChange offers a high degree of future proofing. In addition, if a company expands by acquisition, a cloud solution means newly acquired companies can start using the platform straight away so there can be a seamless transition once everyone has been weaned off the ‘legacy’ system.
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What about businesses that rely on contractors?
BigChange supports a number of businesses that have expanded from being just a local provider to a regional or national business and they often do this by contracting. Crucially, with BigChange, any contractor can immediately access the BigChange mobile app. It is exactly the same app connected to the same central system. This means the service is completely seamlesseverything coming back from the field is as if it is from one of their own operatives.
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