The Demands On Today’s Facility Managers
We meet with Facility Managers every day and what they tell us is that they are under continual pressure to do more for their facilities with even leaner budgets.
Slashed budgets, economic unpredictability and rising expectations have only made responsibilities more complex.
Facility Managers are often tasked with supervising maintenance, lease management, space planning, overseeing multiple teams, ensuring regulatory compliance, planning renovations, improving energy efficiency, budgeting and even directing security and administrative functions.
That is a VERY full plate—and it’s no wonder so many Facility Managers feel overwhelmed trying to maintain their facilities while still meeting budget and profitability requirements.
Could Your Facility Benefit From Smart Cleaning?
Facility Managers today face more responsibility and complexity than ever—and that is unlikely to change soon.
The good news is that industry challenges often drive innovation. The janitorial industry has been working hard to respond with new approaches that support both facility performance and budget requirements.
Smart Cleaning is one such innovation helping Facility Managers maintain building standards while meeting tightening budgets.
Many building services contractors are innovating to eliminate waste, increase efficiency and maximize every cleaning dollar.
What Is Smart Cleaning?
Smart Cleaning isn’t about robotics or complex algorithms—though that might be nice someday.
Smart Cleaning is a thoughtful, customized, efficiency-driven approach requiring innovation and commitment from your janitorial services company.
It focuses on identifying essential services, reducing or alternating non-essential services and uncovering opportunities to streamline work without compromising facility cleanliness.
- “What are we doing currently and does it make sense given our needs?”
- “What tasks are must-haves, regardless of budget?”
- “Which areas could get by with less frequent service?”
- “What tasks may be unnecessary?”
- “Is there a more efficient way to complete essential tasks?”
Smart Cleaning only works when Facility Managers and cleaning companies collaborate—your priorities + their expertise.
How Smart Cleaning Works
Smart Cleaning is the best way to reduce building service costs without sacrificing maintenance quality.
Cleaning specifications become need-focused rather than a generic list of tasks.
Without proper planning, training and systems, Smart Cleaning collapses into simply "doing less," which leads to service failures.
Smart Cleaning is NOT about doing less—it’s about doing smarter, eliminating redundancies and maximizing efficiency.
Communication is critical: you identify building priorities; the janitorial company communicates needs to their team through training and supervision.
Why Smart Cleaning Works
Smart Cleaning works because it not only uncovers efficiencies—it actively creates them.
But it can only be implemented by well-resourced, professional janitorial companies that invest in products, equipment, training and operational systems.
Without these investments, Smart Cleaning becomes impossible.
Putting Smart Cleaning To Work In Your Facility
A key component of Smart Cleaning is understanding your building’s traffic patterns.
When you know where soil collects most, your cleaning company can focus services on the most used areas while reducing or alternating tasks in low-traffic zones.
Walk-off mats at entrances also significantly reduce soil entering the building—allowing cleaners to vacuum mats daily while rotating other carpets as needed.
Janitorial Efficiencies Like Team Cleaning Make A HUGE Difference
Smart Cleaning requires effective, modern janitorial practices—not outdated zone cleaning models.
Smart Cleaning isn’t about LESS work—it’s about BETTER work using smarter methods.
Team Cleaning is one of the most powerful tools in this model.
Traditional zone cleaning assigns every task in one area to one cleaner—vacuuming, dusting, restrooms, trash and more. This leads to inefficiencies, skill dilution and higher equipment costs.
In contrast, team cleaning creates specialists—a vacuum specialist, a restroom specialist, a utility specialist—each trained to master their tasks and perform them throughout the facility.
This leads to:
- Greater accountability
- Fewer missed tasks
- Less equipment required
- Better job mastery and consistency
Additional innovations include chemical dispensing systems and color-coded microfiber, which improve safety, reduce cross-contamination and increase efficiency.
With the support of a professional, experienced janitorial company, Smart Cleaning allows you to stretch your cleaning budget without sacrificing quality—or creating a flood of complaints.
It IS possible to strategically maintain your facility in a way that works for you and makes your job as Facility Manager easier.
