Cleaning heading towards a more sustainable delivery model

Asbjørg Torpe, Innovation Manager, Cleaning at Coor Group, on the next big trends in the cleaning industry.

Three macro trends will shape the future of cleaning

For years, cleaners have carried out predefined tasks at set times, regardless of how dirty or clean the premises were. This delivery model lacks flexibility and also leads to some areas not being cleaned often enough while others are cleaned unnecessarily often, which is not optimal. 

Coor has identified three macro trends that will contribute to making it both possible and desirable to change how we deliver cleaning services: digitalisation, environmental awareness and an increased focus on health. Digitalisation gives us new technical opportunities for a needs-based delivery model. Environmental awareness creates the demand for a more efficient cleaning industry that conserves the earth’s resources. And the increased focus on health leads to a demand for a better indoor environment for our customers, opening the door to innovations that lead to better ergonomics and more varied work tasks for our employees as well as a better indoor climate. 

Employee working conditions – a critical factor for success
Macro trends aside, the critical success factor for Coor’s transformation journey will be our employees. They are, and will remain, the key to our success. We must continue to develop the conditions to allow them to do the best job possible. This is a vital success factor for the future. 

Coor’s four focus areas in cleaning
To create a flexible, more sustainable delivery model, we focus our follow-up and development on four key areas: data-driven cleaning, greater use of cleaning robots, environmentally sustainable cleaning and staff with the right equipment and training.

Learn more about how we at Coor see these areas below.

Data-driven cleaning

We want to carry out cleaning where it is needed most, instead of focusing on frequency. Cleaning areas that do not need cleaning does not create value and is a waste of resources. Conversely, not cleaning extremely dirty premises leads to unnecessary wear and tear. 

We know that the use and thus the dirtying of premises varies over time. Some days are rainy and entrances get extra dirty. Other days there are a lot of visitors and the guest toilets are used more than other days. These examples highlight the value of a flexible delivery model if we can identify where and when cleaning needs to be prioritised. We call this type of delivery model data-driven cleaning. 

“It’s about information that helps the cleaners prioritise where to clean.”

Different types of information are needed to facilitate data-driven cleaning. We may need sensors that continuously provide our cleaners with information on how many people are in the customer’s premises and what the air quality is like in each room. Information that helps the cleaners prioritise where to clean.

We might also need to look at seasonal variations at the customer’s premises. Perhaps we can see patterns over time linked to how the premises are used and adapt the cleaning to them, or use historical data and weather forecasts. The more sources we can integrate, the smarter the solutions we can offer. By collecting relevant data, we can optimise our resources and deliver a cleaner experience that better preserves our customers’ properties. 

Increased use of cleaning robots

We at Coor know that our cleaning robots perform first-class work. We also know that robots are better at cleaning certain types of areas and premises than people doing the same job. Studies show that the air quality is better in premises that are cleaned robotically. Air quality is important for a productive workplace. By using cleaning robots, we give our customers better productivity and reduced absences due to sickness. Studies have shown that optimal air quality can boost productivity by 50% and reduce sick leave by 30%.

“We develop new robots in close collaboration with leading suppliers.”

We use robots in more and more of our deliveries, and develop new robots in close collaboration with leading suppliers. In addition to cleaner floors and better air quality, cleaning robots also lead to better ergonomics for our employees, as they don’t have do do certain movements that are hard on the body. 

Environmentally sustainable cleaning 

We can demonstrate documented success in delivering high-quality, environmentally sustainable cleaning. 

Thanks to data-driven cleaning, we clean premises the right amount, which reduces unnecessary wear and extends the life span of surface areas.  

We already use only microfiber materials and tap water for cleaning. On the rare occasions where this is not enough, we use plant-based cleaning agents with minimal environmental impact. It is important to Coor to continue to develop detergent-free cleaning methods. 

To minimise water use, we utilise ground-breaking innovations that make a significant difference, such as the Mimbox. To help our customers contribute to a more sustainable climate, we monitor developments to reduce the environmental impact of the toilet and hand towel paper in our deliveries. This is because the use of these products generates significant emissions of greenhouse gases.  

Employees with the right training and equipment

We at Coor see our employees as our foremost key to success. They make the greatest difference in creating the best possible delivery and maximising value for our customers.

We prioritise giving our staff the right equipment for their work and the right training to carry out their tasks. We believe that there is more than one way to learn and we mean that all ways are important. For this reason, we offer a blend of traditional classroom courses, practical training at work and digital training via computer or mobile devices. The goal is for the courses to be as easily accessible as possible to allow repetition and in-depth studies when new or unfamiliar tasks arise. 

We also make sure that our course leaders receive additional training in leadership and business management to allow them to monitor their operations and maximise customer benefit.