For those not familiar with the world of building operations, they probably think it's easy to keep a building clean. After all, it's just a mop and a bucket, right? Those of us in the cleaning industry, however, know that it takes an incredible attention to detail and care to make a great building experience. There’s so much work that needs to be done - and verified - to keep commercial buildings in a good operating state and budgets can make this challenging. In the bustling world of commercial cleaning management, choosing the right software can make all the difference between seamless operations and daily chaos.

Today, we dive into a head-to-head comparison of two leading solutions: Mero and Team Software. As we enter a new era of cleaning, where work verification and transparency are more important than ever, you've likely encountered one of these tools before. While both aim to streamline and elevate your cleaning processes, their approaches and technologies couldn't be more different. Whether you're looking for ease of setup, privacy considerations, or ease of use, this comparison will help you uncover which platform truly stands out. Let’s explore why Mero might just be the game-changer your business needs.
While at first glance Mero and Team Software might seem to offer similar solutions there are dramatic differences in how they implement their solutions which will have big differences for your commercial cleaning business.

Fundamental: Mero’s Beacons vs Team Phone Based Apps

Mero’s Beacon Technology: Mero provides a small keychain or passcard device for cleaners. These inexpensive beacons are discrete, ensuring that clients and tenants will never notice them. They only work onsite, ensuring privacy and security for the cleaners. These beacons do not require the cleaner’s phone in any way to work.

• Low costs: Mero’s beacons are low cost and easy to provision, making it easier to scale for your commercial cleaning business
• On when they should be, off when they shouldn’t: Mero’s beacons automatically work when onsite and are automatically disabled when offsite. No concerns about privacy or security for your staff
• Professional: Mero’s beacons are discrete and, indeed, can be hidden on keychains, badges, or within uniforms or cleaning kits so that they are never seen (except via the Mero sensors which communicate via radio waves).

Teams’ Phone Apps: Team Software requires cleaners to use their own phones, leading to several issues:

• Extra costs: Cleaners may need to supply their own phones, which can be an additional, often hidden cost. If a building has dozens of cleaners, this can become a significant expense.
• Extra fleet management: Since cleaners need a phone with Team’s software, this forces the commercial cleaning business to institute fleet management of phones. A single building might have dozen’s of cleaners on staff and providing phones to them all is a significant cost. Additionally, not only do you have to supply phones, you also have to keep them running in good working order.
  • Is a cleaner’s phone going to run out of battery during a shift? This dying battery is now a problem for the overall commercial cleaning business.
  • Did the phone get filled up with too much data and apps and running slow? Now this is a problem for you, the commercial cleaning owner.
• Bluetooth tracking drains batteries: Team relies on phone based Bluetooth tracking, which can cause older phones to overheat if Bluetooth is always on.
• Manual enabling and disabling: Cleaners have to enable and disable tracking when they arrive and leave work, raising privacy concerns.
• Unprofessional appearance: Cleaners using their phones on the job can appear unprofessional, potentially hurting client and tenant experiences. It might look like cleaners are not focused on their tasks.
• Relying on cleaner’s memory: Even the best of us forget to complete tasks or check-ins. Most phone-based systems require a manual check-in on a mobile device, which are one of the most forgotten tasks for cleaners to do. After all, cleaners should focus on what they do best, cleaning!

Efficiency and Cost Savings

Mero

• Setup: Mero does not require a large and cumbersome central unit that needs to be set up. With Mero, you simply install small units that take up almost no space and can be invisible to the client. This means a faster install and, also, a space-saving install. ‍
• Automated Occupancy and Supply Tracking: Mero’s platform can add supply and tracking sensing. By monitoring the real-time usage of spaces and supplies, Mero helps optimize cleaning schedules and reduce labor costs, ensuring cleaners are deployed based on actual needs.

Team

• Setup: Team’s systems require a large awkward ungainly box setup to work. These take up space and can be difficult to position in places that don’t impede cleaner productivity. It can be difficult to place these in a discrete location as it requires its own power setup.
• Manual Processes: The reliance on cleaner-owned phones and manual tracking can introduce inefficiencies and additional expenses, both in terms of device costs and potential maintenance issues. Cleaners need to remember to check-in and conduct time-consuming forms.

Professionalism & Privacy

Mero

• Privacy-Aware: The beacon technology used by Mero ensures that tracking only occurs onsite, respecting the privacy of the cleaners.
• Professional Appearance: Since the beacons are small and discrete, cleaners do not need to use their phones, maintaining a professional appearance and ensuring a better client and tenant experience.

Team

• Privacy Issues: Cleaners must manually enable and disable tracking, which can be seen as invasive.
• Unprofessional Look: Cleaners using their phones can appear distracted, which might negatively impact client perceptions and overall tenant satisfaction.

Conclusion

Overall, Mero offers a more streamlined, efficient, privacy-conscious, and professional solution for commercial cleaning management. Its beacon technology avoids the pitfalls of phone-based systems, ensuring the best in operational efficiency. Additionally, Mero’s setup is simpler and more space-efficient, further enhancing its appeal for property managers looking to streamline their cleaning processes and reduce costs.