Don’t miss out on digital
Technology is transforming the efficiency and effectiveness of contract cleaning. Ezitracker Workforce Management MD, Christian Berenger, looks at the evolution of workforce technology in the UK cleaning sector.
The world of work is constantly changing – gone are the days of 9 to 5, replaced by flexible hours and remote working. All businesses now operate in a highly competitive market with tight margins, where the customer is king.
In the UK cleaning sector, the need to ensure contract compliance, validate service delivery and automate key processes has never been higher. A new report from MTW Research suggests the contract cleaning market is set for £95m growth in 2019, despite Brexit uncertainties sustaining pressure on companies and dampening volume growth.
More specialised cleaning services continue to grow sales in 2019, and the report identifies a wide range of opportunities for value growth in what has become an increasingly competitive market in recent years. It’s reassuring however, to see that around 80% of cleaning contractors continue to report healthy financials, although the number of businesses at risk of failing has risen in the last 12 months.
Anyone who has ordered cleaning supplies through an Amazon App (or Alexa), or booked a train, or ordered a takeaway from an App knows how the digital thing works. Embracing digital in a business can be a powerful differentiator for SME facilities management firms and cleaning contractors.
There are a growing number of digital-only businesses with models based on immediacy, lower cost and detailed, real- time analytics. They are leaving their old-school analogue competitors behind. It’s easy to see why business models based on a digital platform appeal to users – there is much less admin (and where there is, it’s often almost fully automated), and it’s far more responsive.
UK cleaning contractors embracing technology can measure and monitor their cleaning procedures. By gathering data and analysing it real-time, it helps them to work smarter, create efficiencies and raise standards. Technology can help these businesses analyse productivity at the touch of a button and this information can then be
42 | TECHNOLOGY used to develop competitive strategies.
According to MTW, demand for enhanced ‘data-driven cleaning’ also representing a key tactic in the market used to add differentiation by cleaners and associated equipment suppliers and boost productivity. IoT connected devices, 5G and software developments continue to drive innovation in contract cleaning in 2019, and MTW identified a range of factors boosting growth in the next few years.
It’s reassuring to see that ‘enhanced ‘data-driven cleaning’ will be a key tactic to differentiate cleaning service offerings. The companies embracing digital are already challenging the traditional facilities management business models. This rings true for us, as we see an upturn in demand for our workforce management technology in this sector. Even the smallest cleaning company, which may feel that in- depth analytics are not needed, can benefit from reduced paperwork, greater payroll accuracy, and the ability to run cleaning contracts digitally. Experts are predicting that at least 40% of all businesses will die in the next 10 years if they don’t figure out how to embrace new technologies.
While many might not have the capacity to deal with real-time digital time and attendance to switch to a dedicated digital platform, there are benefits to be had from becoming more informed. The cleaning market is set to grow exponentially, and we have no doubt that further technological advances will be developed to disrupt and transform the sector.
The cleaning sector will begin to attract younger and technically qualified workers who understand the technology used to clean complex environments and deliver services. It’s critically important that cleaning contractors invest in upskilling their staff with the new technologies that will inevitably come into play during the next five to 10 years.
Over the last 20 years, Ezitracker has been developing innovative technology which challenges workforce management convention – reducing costs, delivering efficiencies and improving workforce productivity to ensure
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