There’s a huge amount of innovations taking place in the professional cleaning and hygiene industry right now. From Green Cleaning to Management & Mobility, we’re clearly seeing an acceleration in the development of new and exciting solutions across all segments. And, possibly, the most exciting advancements of all are being made in robotics.
The professional cleaning robot segment is booming – and it’s set to grow even further in the years to come. Globally, the market is estimated to surpass a worth of $4bn by 2024, which suggests that companies are lining up to get hold of automated machines that have the potential to change their operations for the better.
Why robots are the future of professional cleaning
It’s no surprise that robots are seeing demand skyrocket. Not only are they becoming more affordable for businesses of all shapes and sizes; they’re also increasingly effective and easy to implement.
However, just in case you aren’t sure how they might fit into your set-up, here are five reasons why you don’t want to be left behind by the robotic revolution:
1. Robots can clean anywhere (within reason)
Clearly, there’s no point in building a robotic cleaning team for your business if you need to keep purchasing different machines for different jobs. The idea is to make what would’ve been human-oriented tasks easier to complete – not the other way around. Thankfully, the latest range of cleaning robots are more versatile than ever.
Regardless of the environment you need to clean, you can rely on your machines to get the job done. For example, automated floor scrubbers – some of the most popular robots currently out there – can be deployed in so many locations. Healthcare facilities (including hospitals), schools and colleges, food and retail outlets, airports, stations, warehouses and even manufacturing plants… You name it; robots can clean it.
2. Robots can improve your cleaning quality
One of the questions we hear the most when it comes to professional cleaning machines is: ‘can they perform equally well as my people?’. And it’s a fair thing to ask. After all, no business wants to bring in a solution that reduces the quality of its cleaning operations – an area that will be a decisive factor in contract renewals. That’s why cleaning quality has been a key focus for robotics providers as they have developed better and more effective machines.
So, what’s the answer to this question? A resounding yes. Not only will the latest robotic solutions provide similar or even better cleaning quality as their human counterparts, but they’ll also deliver the same standard every single day. This consistency will have a major impact on your core competency. You’ll soon see these robots as a crucial part of your operations – helping you to win and retain customers.
3. Robots can make your whole cleaning team more productive
For many, the rise of the machines represents the replacement of people in the workplace, but that statement is not always justified. Cleaning robots are a great example to why this is not true. When it comes to professional cleaning and hygiene, automated machines are a way of adding to and enhancing a team – helping them to work more efficiently and deliver a higher quality standard of clean.
Take an airport cleaning team, for example. They’ll have to cover a huge area of floor space – one that’s permanently in use and needs serious attention. This is where automated machines come in. Forget allocating people with valuable skills to repetitive tasks. Instead, leave these recurring tasks to a robot and have your team to focus on areas that require their expertise and skills.
4. Robots can make your cleaning operations more sustainable
It’s not enough to deliver high-quality cleaning anymore; today, you have to deliver the quality while thinking about your impact on the environment. As we’ve mentioned before, there’s not long left to make the changes we need to prevent the irreversible effects of climate change. The use of robots is one of the ways to make a difference.
Not only will automated cleaning machines get the job done with a high standard, but they’ll achieve it by using fewer chemicals – and often less water – than the average cleaning operation. So, over time, your robots allow you to greatly reduce consumption of resources, while adding to your other efforts to drive sustainability across your business.
5. Robots are part of your future cleaning success
As good as the machines are, robotics won’t transform your cleaning operations overnight – and certainly not by themselves. What they will do, however, is play a key role in helping you to future-proof your business as you bring in different solutions that allow you to work more effectively and more efficiently.
For example, if you’re implementing an automated solution to free up your people, you will want to make sure your team is working as efficient as possible. This is where Management & Mobility enters the game, moving your operations to the digital age. You’ll then want to integrate these solutions to take advantage of all the data you’re collecting – and apply that information to drive further improvements. And on it goes…
Discover the machines that match your needs
Robots can make a huge difference to your cleaning operations. Driving productivity and sustainability, they’re the new addition to your team which will be able to work more effectively and efficiently. Additionally, they will also form a key part of your ongoing investment in innovation that will deliver long-term results for both your business and customer-base.
The challenge is finding the right solution for your business. In the light of an ever increasing demand, the range of robots you have to choose from continues to grow rapidly – and it can be a little overwhelming when trying to identify the machine(s) that’ll help you most. In the Interclean newsletter we will share more insight on new robots entering the market.
