REGULAR Increasing profits and efficiency


Paul Ridden, CEO of SmartTask, explains how local and regional cleaning businesses can make clever use of tech to improve many aspects of their business, saving time, money and keeping staff happy.


There are numerous ways to make improvements to the smooth running of a company. However, moving to a built- for-purpose business software system could help you to save time across your entire operations. Savings in each department/function when added together can make a huge difference to efficiency and profitability.


Saving time


An obvious example of this is automating rosters, making them easy to replicate each day, each week, and then to make changes on the fly. This alone could be saving hours each week, but the benefits are so much more than just time savings for the operations team.


A simple to use ‘at a glance’ roster schedule creation tool can significantly reduce administration time and cost, and ensures you know how to best coordinate your cleaning staff at all times. Artificial intelligence (machine learning) removes the guesswork as best matched employees are automatically suggested and staff members’ personal preferences are taken into consideration.


Real world benefit: An hour per day, per person on a 40- hour week saves 12.5%.


Reduced admin and travel


Once rosters are generated digitally, they can be sent to cleaning operatives via smartphone app (iOS/Android), so that when they start work they receive their shifts automatically. They can also receive special or site-specific instructions simultaneously.


Using the app, staff can tick off tasks as they go, taking photos if required and attaching them to job records. This can help you offer extra services such as one-off or end of tenancy cleans, as well as help perform quality audits and janitorial supplies inventories.


Real world benefit: One extra activity per day, as operatives spend less time on admin or collecting and then dropping off paperwork.


Providing visibility and staff protection


As shifts are completed, the operations team can see exactly what’s happening on the ground, and can be alerted if an operative fails to check in using their mobile. Such welfare checks help with Duty of Care responsibilities, making life a lot smoother for the staff and the operations team.


With electronic clocking in and out, visible to the control desk, if a member of staff fails to turn up on site due to sickness or a transport issue, an alternative team member can be quickly deployed to the customer location to carry out the cleaning job. This keeps customers satisfied and helps to meet agreed SLAs.


Real world benefit: No shows are managed, ensuring services are maintained to a high standard for the customer.


30 | TOMORROW'S CLEANING Invoice for all services provided


With a digital system, accounts departments aren’t reliant on paper timesheets that can be difficult to read, get lost or subject to rekeying errors. Software provides an easily accessible and complete audit trail of what services were provided to which customer.


This may include additional one-off cleans or last-minute extra equipment checks, ensuring nothing is missed. It means all activity is captured and recorded so businesses can invoice for all services provided.


Real world benefit: All billable hours are invoiced promptly – nothing is forgotten.


Improve customer service


Automating systems not only saves time in many areas, it enables firms to focus on providing a better service to customers. Electronic clocking in and out, either using a smartphone app or dedicated landline on-site, means you can accurately record Proof of Attendance.


As well as providing customers with more detailed information, they benefit from a faster and more efficient service – which in turn helps you attract more customers. Providing good technology to staff is also a great way to retain the best talent.


Real world benefit: Gaining extra customers due to strong reputation for excellent customer service.


When you consider all the different ways that harnessing technology provides real world benefits for your staff, your customers and the business, there’s a very compelling case for banishing the paper trail. One SmartTask customer said: “Having the SmartTask system is like having an extra member of staff. It saves so much time in so many different ways, and it’s hard to imagine life without it now.”


Read how Approved Cleaning Services expanded its business with SmartTask workforce management.


www.smarttask.co.uk/smarttask-cleaning twitter.com/TomoCleaning


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