Embracing Real-World Solutions for Commercial Cleaning Success

In the competitive world of commercial cleaning, staying ahead requires embracing innovative solutions that enhance efficiency, accountability, and building management satisfaction. This 2-part blog series explores how Mero’s beacon-based technology is transforming the industry by addressing long-standing challenges and setting new standards for real-world operational excellence. The first blog will review the history of this challenge and why previous solutions failed in real-world circumstances. The second blog will look at how Mero can help commercial cleaners win more RFPs and business.

Intro - At Mero We Love Working With Our Customer

At Mero, we've had the privilege of partnering with some of the most forward-thinking companies in the industry. Their commitment to quality and excellence is inspiring, and it’s gratifying to see our technology being adopted by these forward-thinking firms. Many of these companies are second or third-generation businesses, carrying forward a family legacy while pushing for modern advancements. Through our partnerships, we've identified key patterns that help commercial cleaning companies secure more business.

The Quest for Effective Solutions

Through our collaborations, we've identified a common thread: the relentless pursuit of a reliable solution to track, maximize, and prove cleaner productivity. This quest isn't new—in fact, it's been a priority for decades, evolving alongside technological advancements.

Traditional methods, like manual supervision and paper-based reports, often fell short due to inefficiencies and human error. As technology evolved, various solutions emerged, including mobile app “blue dot”, QR codes, and photo-based systems. However, these often proved costly, complex, and prone to inaccuracies, limiting their effectiveness.

The Need for Real-World Solutions

This searching began in an era vastly different from today's technology-driven landscape. There were no cell phones, no email, and feedback was largely word-of-mouth. Customers provided their input directly, often face-to-face, on how to improve service. The industry was constrained by the technological possibilities of the time. As technology evolved, so did the attempts to solve this challenge. However, many promising solutions fell short in real-world applications.

Challenges with Traditional Solutions

• Mobile Phones:  While seemingly a natural fit, equipping cleaning staff with phones proved problematic. Some of the issues faced by users of mobile phones in cleaning teams include: High provisioning costs, fleet management challenges, connectivity issues, lack of tech savviness amongst users, privacy issues with personal devices, and damage risks led to increased operational costs and disrupted cleaning operations. Phones often got lost, damaged, or disconnected, leading to additional expenses and disrupted operations. Security concerns in certain environments also restricted their use. On top of this were the ongoing data costs which add up quickly when you’re talking about a fleet of phones.
• QR Code Solutions: While innovative, QR code-based systems faced difficulties with data usage costs for cleaning staff, as shown by Innovation Building Maintenance. The deployment process was very cumbersome, requiring extensive deployment efforts like printing and placing codes everywhere. They also posed aesthetic concerns, leading to resistance from building management and clients.

• Photo-Based Systems: Some companies tried quality control systems based on inspection reports with time stamped photos and videos. However, these reports often didn't align with what customers were experiencing in the field.
• “Blue Dot" Solutions: These suffered from many of the challenges associated with mobile phone fleet deployment and were also perceived poorly by customers, as it wasn't a good look for cleaners to be constantly checking their phones. Also, these blue dot solutions fail when a cleaner’s phone runs out of battery and, so, can be very unreliable.
• Apps: Both mobile and desktop applications were tried. However, these solutions often required cleaners to log into various platforms, adding a significant human element risk that corrupted the data cleaning organizations needed to see.

Mero Solution & The Beacon-Based Revolution

Mero's beacon-based technology presents a groundbreaking approach to overcoming these challenges. By using inexpensive and unobtrusive beacons, the system provides real-time data on cleaner presence and activities without requiring cleaners to carry phones. This eliminates associated costs and complexities, making it a cost-effective and efficient solution.

Key Advantages of Beacon Technology

• Cost-Effective and Easy Deployment: Mero beacons are inexpensive, reducing both deployment and operational costs. They’re easy to install, even in high-security environments, ensuring seamless integration without compromising safety protocols.
• No Need for Staff Phones: By eliminating the need for mobile phones, Mero reduces costs and complexities associated with phone management, making the system more reliable and straightforward.
• Proven Effectiveness: Mero's solution is already tested and ready for immediate rollout in POC and beyond, providing a seamless transition and quick implementation. Our clients love the simplicity and effectiveness compared to previous systems.

Saving Money By Cleaning Where Needed

Mero’s solution not only validates cleaning tasks but also saves money for commercial cleaning firms by enhancing operational efficiency. By providing real-time data and insights, cleaning crews can be directed to where cleaning needs to be done and avoid areas that don’t require cleaning.  This ensures that cleaning efforts are focused where they’re needed most. This results in better service quality, reduced waste, and improved client satisfaction.

Cleaning Quality and Cleaning KPI Transparency

Building and facilities management teams are starting to evaluate commercial cleaners with KPIs related to cleaning quality.  Mero’s system allows cleaning companies to share data with building management, security teams, and other relevant parties.. This openness builds trust and aligns all stakeholders while providing definitive proof that cleaning KPIs are being met. With Mero it is easy for commercial cleaners to provide proof of presence data on where their cleaners have been.

Positive Impact on Employee Morale and Employee Retention

While it’s true that building management loves the data that Mero’s solution provides, the same is also true of the employees in cleaning crews. Employees appreciate having access to data that reflects their performance and contributions. This information empowers them to take ownership of their roles. This can improve team retention, since employees who feel valued and fairly treated are more likely to stay with the company.

Conclusion

The journey of commercial cleaning companies in their search for an effective solution to track, maximize, and prove cleaner productivity has been long and challenging. This quest has seen the industry experiment with a wide array of technologies, from mobile phones and apps to QR codes and photo-based systems. Each solution promised to be the answer, but each fell short in real-world application. Despite the challenges and setbacks, the industry's persistence in this search underscores the genuine need for a solution that works.

Commercial cleaning companies understand that the right technology could revolutionize their operations, dramatically improve service quality, and provide the transparency that modern clients demand. Mero’s is the solution available today that meets these challenges

In our next blog post of this series, we'll explore how Mero's innovative beacon-based solution enables commercial cleaners to win more business by addressing these challenges