WITH the arrival of COVID-19 in South Africa cleaning companies, in-house cleaning staff and facility managers have had to navigate the changing demands, needs and standards of their customers.
That’s according to Emma Corder, Managing Director of industrial cleaning products manufacturer Industroclean, who said, “The adjustments are not minor, but a paradigm shift requiring companies to completely rethink how to approach the concept of cleaning.”
She believes there are four dimensions of clean that define the new reality and assist cleaning companies to gauge how their cleaning programmes can leverage change for maximum benefit.
A new scope of cleaning
Corder said that while cleaning still supports core business activity, it’s meaning has changed both functionally and psychologically.
Stricter procedures and more frequent cleaning for high-touch objects are required on a functional level while cleaning now plays an increasingly vital role in building trust, demonstrating corporate responsibility, and ensuring safety, on a psychological level.
In addition to a spotless appearance, customers and patrons need to be reassured of a clean and safe experience while cleaning and disinfecting more surfaces, equipment and areas while at the same time cleaning staff’s safety needs to be ensured.
“Cleaning companies therefore need to re-look procedures to be implemented, cleaning solutions to be used and how they can support and keep cleaning staff safe,” Corder said, adding that solving these challenges will require everyone in the cleaning industry – from OEMs to chemical manufacturers and cleaners – to work together.
Tech-enhanced cleaning
To thrive in the new reality where demands for stricter cleaning procedures and greater cleaning frequency meet time and cost pressures, technological innovation is key, said Corder. Equipment that is designed to be time-efficient, high-performing and safe and intuitive to use can help meet the increased cleaning demands and (health and safety of workers)
“The potential for technology to automate mundane, but critical cleaning functions is wide ranging,” she said, citing the example of autonomous floor scrubbers which free up cleaners’ time to focus on critical areas that require manual cleaning.
Transparent and visible cleaning
Awareness of cleanliness and hygiene has increased and moved cleaning from back, to centre stage and with a spotlight on it. Corder said cleaning has now become an essential aspect of brand experience and increasingly influential for a brand’s reputation while transparency and communication around cleaning have become indicators of the quality of a business’s products or services. As a result, cleaning thoroughly and professionally is not enough, companies need to show it.
Sustainable cleaning
With the rising demand for increased cleaning comes the continuing need for sustainable solutions.
Whether driven by industry regulations or customer expectations, Corder believes the cleaning industry has a responsibility to create solutions that support a healthy future for the planet. Many businesses are under significant time and costs pressures which means that sustainable solutions must be cost-effective and able to deliver superior cleaning performance.
