IoT opens the door to connected cleaning | Nilfisk
June 10, 2019

IoT opens the door to connected cleaning


Categories: Business Insights
 This article was brought in Chain Store Age magazine, June 13, 2018. ​

Developments in connected cleaning are paving the way for autonomous, seamless cleaning operations defined by machines that know when, where, and how clean. They will gather, and combine, data from various sensor points throughout a building – such as electrical systems and weather applications – to predict, and adjust, the level and frequency of cleaning. The resulting benefits will include improved operational efficiency, lower costs, and greater personalisation of environments.
Bringing connected cleaning to life
Recent advances in IoT technology have made smart buildings a reality, pairing sensor technology with software that allows for communication between a variety of connected devices. The increased connectivity of devices and systems already allows for automation of both environmental functions, like lighting or heating, and automatic notification of significant events, such as leaks or outages.
With the arrival of connected cleaning, whereby IoT endpoints are integrated into individual components or complete solutions, we will have access to cleaning equipment that communicates between devices and with building systems. This communication and the data shared, will enable machines to adapt cleaning schedules to the weather automatically, send real-time performance reports, and notify suppliers whenever maintenance is needed.
Like all industries, the cleaning sector seeks to leverage the benefits of new technologies. Development is driven in part by demand from retailers, who want more value for the same cost. To meet this demand, contract cleaners and suppliers alike are turning to connected or autonomous cleaning machines, which offer more efficient cleaning of higher quality at a lower cost.
Creating value through connectivity
Today’s cleaning services can benefit from optimisation through IoT technology, which increases productivity by extracting critical data from connected cleaning solutions and informs cleaning operations to deliver tangible value.
Connectivity dramatically increases visibility and controllability of cleaning assets, providing retailers with the ability to track whether a machine is operating, who the operator is, the location of each machine, and the machine’s total usage. But while all this data can be used to optimise a cleaning program, data is not enough on its own: it must be used to create value and deliver better business results.
When it comes to storefronts, connected cleaning will allow a store’s sensors to measure floor cleanliness before pushing this data to the cleaning equipment, which will then determine the frequency and extent of any required cleaning. This automation ensures a high-quality clean, while further information from weather sensors will spur adjustment of the cleaning frequency in accordance with rain or snowfall – further reducing wet-floor risks.
The future of autonomous storefronts 
Over the next decade, we will move toward a digital ecosystem driven by a mega-network of connected devices, systems, and cognitive computing. Smart buildings will enable an autonomous storefront, where back-of-house systems use sensors to adjust performance settings in relation to the number of shoppers in a given space. This will result in a more personalised, comfortable shopping environment, and a connected-cleaning solution will be among the systems responsible for ensuring that a given environment remains inviting.
The technology behind buildings and the storefronts housed within will continue to advance with the years. As the various systems interact, their data will be combined to deliver value through optimised cleaning, while retailers gain valuable insight from data and consumers experience a more pleasant shopping experience – both of which are good for business.

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