Oct 11, 2020The Internet of Things (IoT) has transformed numerous industries. Although the technology dates back to the 1960s, it has become increasingly popular in the past decade. The fact that the IoT has made machines wireless is one of the biggest reasons why it has made entry into the cleaning industry. The IoT has disrupted the cleaning sector and the technology is here to stay. Keep reading to learn six ways in which IoT technologies will change the commercial cleaning industry.
Lower Maintenance Costs
Since IoT devices are equipped with sensors, it is easier to determine if one is broken. This saves the time and energy that would otherwise be spent on staff tours and visits to perform checks on existing cleaning supplies and equipment. Through IoT devices, it is now simpler than ever to track equipment that requires maintenance. By finding out in time if a piece of equipment needs attention, the IoT makes it extremely convenient for those who are handling cleaning departments.
On average, companies must employ at least four or five site visits per customer to check on equipment and supplies. Having gadgets that do the job of site visits provides huge savings for both parties. Additionally, manufacturing companies that produce cleaning products can educate customers on how to repair minor issues on their own, enabling them to avoid site visits and the costs that come with them.
Reduced Waste Materials
With the IoT in the market, commercial cleaning waste is expected to be reduced significantly. How? Let's look at this in detail. Smart trash bins can be connected to a network. These bins can measure the level to which they are filled, and they are equipped with other sensors as well, such as those that monitor for temperature and pressure build-up. By knowing which bins have been filled and which have not, sanitation departments can remain well-informed and thus only need to visit those localities where bins are full.
This, in turn, saves overall transport and fuel costs. Another way in which this technology can help reduce waste is by effectively monitoring the usage of materials in restrooms, such as soap, water and paper towels. The data collected can help companies plan to allocate resources in a better way and thereby avoid wastage. By having statistics that reveal when washrooms need to be cleaned, a business can utilize labor correctly, resulting in overall efficiency and higher productivity.
Healthier Workplace Environments
The majority of workplaces have begun to adopt touchless technologies on their premises, specifically in restrooms and other public areas. Modern restrooms are equipped with features like automatic toilets and soap dispensers. All you need to do is use your voice to ask the system to wash your hands. This has provided humans with a new level of convenience and has given the cleaning department a break, too.
Reduced contact with surfaces means there are fewer surfaces to clean. There are also embedded systems that can identify employee badges and unlock the technology only for staff use. Moreover, timers can be programmed to open soap dispensers and water faucets only for a set amount of time. This helps to save resources, such as bars of soap and water. The technologies can help to bring a considerable decrease in the spread of infectious diseases and thus create healthier workplaces.
Improved Customer Experiences
With convenience at such a level, it is not surprising that IoT devices have improved the customer experience throughout the past few years. With data regularly collected via monitoring devices, there are higher chances of companies providing better services to their customers at a lower cost. Through these smart devices, tons of data can be collected, which can be further analyzed from a business-intelligence perspective and enable companies to develop strategies in a more organized way.
Lower Operational Costs
There might be an initial cost that is higher than for manually controlled devices, but the operational and maintenance costs (as discussed above) are far less compared with traditional cleaning methods. New methods involve monitoring traffic in given areas and are more based on routines. For example, if certain areas of a locality receive more foot traffic during specific hours, then the cleaning department will be informed beforehand. By tracking patterns and acting accordingly, cleaning companies can save money and become more efficient and more productive. On the flip side, if a room has less traffic, then visits can be avoided and resources can be spent where they are needed more.
Increased Use of Sensor Technology
Most of the devices mentioned above have sensor technology installed within them. IoT sensors have taken the game a step further. For example, there are sensors installed in supermarket floors to detect moisture and alert authorities in the event of spills and leakages. Additionally, some sensors detect whether there are unnecessary lights or equipment turned on, reducing energy and electricity bills. These tools are especially effective for larger facilities, where supplies can be difficult to track and resources may be limited. Moreover, the concept of "hot desks" further enables cleaning departments to restrict their activities to cleaning only those desks that are in use.
Endnote
Although existing cleaning devices are highly efficient, there are still some voids that need to be filled. Even companies that are developing these gadgets come with a disclaimer that robots and other machines cannot completely analyze spaces, and there might be certain loopholes. Therefore, it is best to have human supervision, even when the best-known devices in the market are installed to ensure the successful implementation of IoT-based commercial cleaning.
Ali Nouman provides ghostwriting and copywriting services. His educational background in the technical field and business studies helps him to tackle topics ranging from career and business productivity to Web development and digital marketing. Nouman occasionally writes articles for Carpet Bright.
