The Cleaning Contractor’s Guide to Workforce Management Technology

An Ezitracker white paper

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action through innovation

www.ezitracker.com

action through innovation

Executive summaryThe world of work is constantly changing - The cleaning and FM environment is highly competitive. Decreasing margins has meant that service providers have had to adapt their proposition to deliver enhanced efficiencies as clients seek cleaning contractors that offer better value for money, ongoing innovation and accurate management information and analytics. The evolving demands of end-user customers continues to motivate cleaning providers to evaluate, adapt and improve their proposition to meet new procurement criteria. Cleaning Contractors employ large numbers of site-based workers sometimes hundreds of remote working staff. Nowadays, they have a need to provide proof of service provision to their own clients. A Cleaning Contractor employing 10 cleaners needs to provide the same attendance verification and actual evidence of time spent at a client’s premises as one that employs hundreds of cleaners.

Tighter service level agreements, the need to provide accountability for remote workers and to safeguard them means that ensuring that staff are on-site as planned is critical. Modern time and attendance software technology enables operations Managers to verify attendance in real-time and eliminates the need for paper timesheets thereby streamlining payroll reporting. A massive reduction in the administrative burden of paper timesheets can result in substantial savings in payroll processing including the elimination of time sheet fraud, reduction in payroll overpayments, discrepancies, disputes and time spent on supervision. Progression in technology is facilitating a shift for cleaning providers to deliver better value by managing contracts, mobile workforces more efficiently.

Utilising mobile technology is key to success in today’s competitive cleaning sector. The technology that sits behind the scenes can make cleaning businesses more profitable, make the mundane tasks automated, and make the complex issues simple.

THE EVOLVING DEMANDS OF END-USER CUSTOMERS CONTINUES TO MOTIVATE CLEANING PROVIDERS TO EVALUATE, ADAPT AND IMPROVE THEIR PROPOSITION TO MEET NEW PROCUREMENT CRITERIA.

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What is workforce management technology and how will it impact my cleaning business?Workforce management technology is an umbrella term for the devices, apps, software and systems that help a business manage staff scheduling, task monitoring, track and monitor time and attendance and provide management information. The prevalence of cloud-based technologies such as workforce management software has made it significantly easier for service providers to manage teams of staff across multiple sites. There’s no doubt that new disruptive technologies are driving greater automation in this sector. By integrating automation, and embracing cloud-based information intelligence, efficiency and productivity measuring and monitoring can get a whole lot easier. Cleaning Contractors already using workforce technology are able to highlight the staff that regularly turn up for work on time, and those that are there until the end of their shift.

Technology can help Cleaning Contractors improve operational efficiencies. An integrated Workforce Management System will include scheduling, payroll and invoice reporting so you can allocate employees, assign pay rates, produce payroll extracts, and report results quickly. It should integrate easily and seamlessly with existing rostering and payroll systems. Most will allow tailored reports to be created quickly and easily. The technology significantly reduces potential for fraud and time-keeping disputes as it enables Payroll Managers to compare actual hours worked against planned hours, therefore significantly reducing the chance of over-payments.

Time and attendance data can be captured using either a landline / mobile telephone or another workforce monitoring device. The data is then sent in real-time, so Managers can get a clear picture of what staff are where, and when, receive immediate alerts for late arrivals, no-shows and early leavers and act fast to minimise service disruption. A number of devices are available to manage remote worker time and attendance. Smartphone modules are a great solution for site workers who do not have access to a fixed line telephone to log their time and attendance. Staff simply log in and out of the client’s site by scanning

a unique coded site tag, or QR code (permanently fixed at the client site) using their mobile or smartphone. Time and attendance information is sent instantly via the mobile network and automatically synchronises each time it’s connected. Staff can access their rosters, send additional information and receive notifications of roster changes while they are out on site. It’s ideal for workers with frequently changing schedules or for those who need to record extra information about their site visits. If a mobile connection isn’t available, staff can still log in and out and view their schedules; and synchronisation and automatic updates will just start again as soon as the connection is restored.

We fully expect that the concept of ‘Smart Facilities Management’ will become the standard and transform cleaning businesses from reactive to proactive and predictive. FM service providers already using workforce management technology can manage the employee lifecycle of hundreds of cleaning operatives in a sector that has a notoriously high staff turnover rate. By eliminating uncertainty and having information available real-time, it’s possible to free up time for Managers to streamline processes, achieve optimum levels of productivity and boost long-term profitability.

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THE UK CONTRACT CLEANING MARKET IS SET FOR £95 MILLION GROWTH IN 2019.*

EMBRACING DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY IN A BUSINESS CAN BE A POWERFUL DIFFERENTIATOR FOR SME FACILITIES MANAGEMENT FIRMS AND CLEANING CONTRACTORS.*

Why does it matter to contract cleaning?Delivering a site-based contract cleaning service is costly, we are operating in a highly competitive market with tight margins and where the customer is king. The need to ensure contract compliance, validate service delivery and automate key processes has never been higher.

Your workforce is commonly your highest business cost and managing a large, dispersed workforce can be a huge challenge. With customers requiring more robust service level agreements, evidencing service delivery and knowing staff are on-site as planned is critical. The sector is under increasing pressure to provide accountability for all cleaning resources. This means that unproductive time is highly visible and no longer acceptable. Having full, real-time visibility of staff attendance and punctuality is key.

Progression in technology is facilitating a shift for cleaning providers to deliver better value by managing contracts and mobile workforces more efficiently. The prevalence of new, cloud-based technologies has made it significantly easier for cleaning service providers to manage teams of staff across multiple sites remotely whilst bringing cost savings and adding to the bottom line. Smartphone and mobile technology are delivering added value with more and more in-app communication tools becoming available. A new report from MTW Research* suggests the UK contract cleaning market is set for £95 million growth in 2019, despite Brexit uncertainties sustaining pressure on companies and dampening volume growth. More specialised cleaning services continue to grow sales in 2019, and the report identifies a wide range of opportunities for value growth in what has become an increasingly competitive market in recent years. It’s reassuring however, to see that around 80% of Cleaning Contractors report healthy financials and future growth, although the number of businesses at risk of failing has risen in the last 12 months.

Anyone who has ordered cleaning supplies through an Amazon App (Or Alexa), or booked a train, or ordered a takeaway from an App knows how the digital thing works. Embracing digital in a business can be a powerful differentiator for SME Facilities Management firms and Cleaning Contractors.

There are a growing number of digital-only businesses with models based on immediacy, lower cost and detailed, real-time analytics. They are leaving their old-school analogue competitors behind. It’s easy to see why business models based on a digital platform appeal to users – there is much less admin (and where there is, it’s often almost fully automated), and it’s far more responsive. UK Cleaning Contractors embracing technology can measure and monitor their cleaning procedures. By gathering data and analysing it real-time, it to helps them to work smarter, create efficiencies and raise standards. Technology can help these businesses analyse productivity at the touch of a button and this information can then be used to develop competitive strategies.

According to MTW, demand for enhanced ‘data driven cleaning’ also representing a key tactic in the market used to add differentiation by cleaners and associated equipment suppliers and boost productivity. IoT connected devices, 5G and software developments continue to drive innovation in contract cleaning in 2019, and MTW identified a range of factors boosting growth in the next few years. The companies embracing digital are already challenging the traditional facilities management business models. Even the smallest cleaning company, which may feel that in-depth analytics are not needed, can benefit from reduced paperwork, greater payroll accuracy, and the ability to run cleaning contracts digitally. Experts are predicting that at least 40 per cent of all businesses will die in the next 10 years if they don’t figure out how to embrace new technologies.

While many might not have the capacity to deal with real-time digital time and attendance, or to switch to a dedicated digital platform, there are benefits to be had from becoming more informed. The cleaning market is set to grow exponentially, and we have no doubt that further technological advances will be developed to disrupt and transform the sector. The cleaning sector will begin to attract younger and technically qualified workers who understand the technology used to clean complex environments and deliver services. It’s critically important that Cleaning Contractors invest in upskilling their staff with the new technologies that will inevitably come into play during the next 5 – 10 years.

EMBRACING DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY IN A BUSINESS CAN BE A POWERFUL DIFFERENTIATOR FOR SME FACILITIES MANAGEMENT FIRMS AND CLEANING CONTRACTORS.*

* Source: MTW Contract Cleaning Market Report, Research & Analysis UK – February 2019. www.marketresearchreports.co.uk/contract-cleaning-market-2019/contract-cleaning-market-size.htm

Working with Ezitracker to ensure the best approach and solution Over the last 20 years, Ezitracker has been developing innovative technology which challenges workforce management convention – reducing costs, delivering efficiencies and improving workforce productivity to ensure our customers can deliver a first-class service. Our ethos is to facilitate the entire employee journey from onboarding, to flexible contract-based rostering and attendance verification in real-time, through to accurate payroll with powerful analytics available at each step. The web-based staff solution is trusted by over 80,000 users worldwide for real-time data capture. It eliminates the need for timesheets, streamlines budgeting, improves contract reporting and in-turn increases employee engagement and wellbeing.

Why choose Ezitracker?

Employee lifecycleWe start at the beginning of your employee’s journey with real-

time field-based onboarding, your employee is welcomed to the

business and key departments are alerted of a new recruit.

Effective schedulingManage your workforce by geographical availability, personal

availability and site/contract-based skill sets, whilst reducing

absence and enabling work life balance.

Proactive attendanceUsing SMS/Email alerts proactively remind your staff of upcoming

shifts or hourly check calls whilst also receiving alerts for lateness,

no show, early departure or lone worker health and safety.

Data capture & connectivityIrrespective of environment we can provide a cost-effective

method of data capture from conventional landline, SIM Phones,

Mobile App, SMS Text, Biometrics or Self Service tablets.

Streamline back office administrationSimplify administration with automatic schedule approvals

allowing Managers and payroll to manage by exception with

hierarchical views and approval workflows.

A single platformMany providers dazzle you with functionality albeit through a

plethora of solutions under a single brand umbrella. We truly have

a single platform designed to provide you with what you want

and more.

Corporate reputation & competitive advantageReputations take years to build and seconds to destroy. Protect

your reputation by ensuring proactive service delivery and gain

competitive advantage by having an effective real time solution.

Corporate social responsibilityBy using Ezitracker you can effectively ensure your Corporate

Social Responsibilities are being met towards your employees

and customers by ensuring fair pay versus fair service delivery.

Flexible commercial ownership Ownership shouldn’t be a barrier, we all know SAAS, but we

take it a step further, our dynamic billing model tracks actual

user usage and bills accordingly, the peaks and troughs of your

business are our peaks and troughs, this coupled with our HAAS

(hardware as a service) models allows professional services and

hardware to be deployed in a more conventional OPEX model.

Provides transparencyOur standard reporting is powerful, but our analytics platform

provides advanced reporting, bespoke reporting and

dashboards, providing clear KPI metrics which allow you to make

informed decisions.

Accurate auditingWorkforce management isn’t just ensuring and validating

attendance, it’s about ensuring quality service delivery. Onsite

auditing provides activity-based auditing ensuring contract KPIs

are being met and penalties minimised.

Improved payroll accuracyAvoid payroll queries by effective daily management of actual

attendance versus planned, empowering your workforce with real

time attendance data reduces employee conflict and increases

staff retention and loyalty.

IntegrationEzitracker has a myriad of successful integration partners some

using our solution with others using our real-time interface to

present collated data in 3rd party solutions or dashboards.

Ezitracker’s aim is to be a solution partner supporting your business in the day-to-day people management process. By providing a comprehensive yet modularised solution, designed for the proactive monitoring of your people wherever they are, we allow you to focus on service delivery and operational excellence. Unlike many, Ezitracker provides a solution that works for you and with our dynamic user billing model you essentially ‘Pay as you Go’ for your people’s usage of the system.

action through innovation

action through innovation

Find out how our powerful, digital technologies can really help your business grow.

Visit us at www.ezitracker.com to book a free, personal demo.

80% OF CLEANING CONTRACTORS REPORT HEALTHY FINANCIALS AND FUTURE GROWTH.*

40% OF BUSINESSES WILL DIE IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS IF THEY DON’T FIGURE OUT HOW TO EMBRACE NEW TECHNOLOGIES.**

DEMAND FOR ENHANCED DATA DRIVEN CLEANING IS BECOMING A KEY TACTIC IN THE MARKET TO ADD DIFFERENTIATION.*

* Source: MTW Contract Cleaning Market Report, Research & Analysis UK – February 2019.

** Source: www.businessinsider.com/chambers-40-of-companies-are-dying-2015-6?r=US&IR=T