Harnessing the power of automation

By Kristal Goodwin, national sales manager at Robert Scott’s Cobotics division.

The adoption of automation within cleaning regimes can transform your facilities management team, by freeing up time and adding value to enable cleaning operatives to do their job more effectively.

HOW AUTOMATION CAN HELP FM TEAMS

Automation is the process of using technology to perform tasks, minimising human input. In cleaning, this often means introducing robotic solutions – such as robot scrubber dryers – that can tackle repetitive tasks, enabling cleaning operatives to handle more complex or detailed aspects of a clean.

The next generation of robotic evolution has seen the introduction of cobotics – which is short for collaborative robotics and refers to robots that are intended for direct interaction with humans. Robert Scott has recently moved into this area of technology, becoming the UK’s primary distributor of METABOTS. One of the first products we’re bringing to the UK market is the META-SCRUB 60, an efficient cleaning and scrubbing robot that can be used in any hard floorcare regime.

USING AUTOMATION AS A SOLUTION TO STAFF SHORTAGES

The nationwide shortage of staff to fulfil cleaning roles is well documented and many facilities managers will be actively seeking a solution to this problem. Automation can help to narrow this gap – using autonomous machines to clean large, open spaces without the need for human monitoring. You can simply start the machine and get on with other tasks. This in turn frees-up human time for spot cleaning, disinfecting and deep cleaning.

WHERE AUTOMATION CAN ADD MOST VALUE

Automation is most helpful in areas where there is a large job to do. Vast and largely uninterrupted floor spaces are an ideal for automated solutions, but as technology evolves the scope for even more sophisticated solutions grows. The META-SCRUB 60, for example, can tackle narrow corridors and move around fixtures like desks and chairs and non-static obstructions such as people, without human input.

KEEPING AN EYE ON QUALITY

Achieving a high quality clean is a vital output for any automated solution. It’s imperative that any cleaning technology delivers an impeccable result, and never more so than during a significant staff shortage – there simply isn’t the time or resource to re-do jobs that have been poorly executed.

Floors should be properly cleaned, polished and dried to a high standard, for the purposes of cleanliness, aesthetics and safety. The added difference with cobotic solutions like the META-SCRUB 60, is that they handle the entire process, including waste-water disposal and clean water refilling, so cleaning operatives don’t have to.

REPORTING AND DATA INISHGT

One of the key benefits of cobotic solutions is the level of data insight they provide. They will generate valuable data about the work done, which can be incredibly useful to FM teams.
Consistent and transparent reporting provides a reliable information log specifying what area was cleaned and when, which is helpful both for internal processes and for providing a value-add to the end customer.

Automation in cleaning should be part of every modern FM team’s approach. It will help free up your team’s time to focus on more precise cleaning, while providing greater data and visibility over the work done – ultimately helping your team deliver a better service.