Food processing units require a particularly heightened level of cleaning to protect the health of good handlers as well as the quality of the food product. Indu Vijaykumar, Director, i-team India makes the argument that automated cleaning machines are the only way to keep up with the massive scale of future cleaning needs.
The de facto choice
Although the growth opportunities are exciting, especially in post-Covid times, the industry is contending with rising labour costs, skilled people shortage and general economic recession. Adding to the challenge is the widening gap between clients’ expectations and deliverables.
The solution is to embrace automation, especially where there are repetitive tasks that require skill and diligence, but are not mentally exciting. This is the only way to prepare for the building boom that is upon us and to maintain the millions of square footage that will be required to accommodate our needs in the years to come.
Also true is that companies that fail to prepare will find themselves falling behind eventually. For many industries, using technology has proven itself as a way to go further with existing labour resources. By incorporating automation and innovation, the service industry can now ensure customer satisfaction while retaining their workflow and existing staff infrastructure.
Win-win for everyone
Though the struggle to maintain margins, with rising labor costs, and increased client requirements continues, there is a way out to maintain performance standards by deployment of automatic machines that can ease the chores while compiling data for continuous evaluation and improvement, not only for the client, but also in the employees’ lives.
Many organisations have made the shift to automation or have incorporated the same in some way into their systems to increase effectiveness. Automated machines not only help augment the existing workforce, but give control and enhance business performance. Data can be collected and used for standardisation of routines and procedures. This is invaluable in terms of effectiveness, especially during crises such as pandemics where human involvement is not dependable.
Automation builds scale
Semi-automated machines have been upgraded over the years to human-independent functioning technology, and have now given way to humanoid robots that are helping hospitality, retail, and educational organizations shift toward automation. The results are satisfactory in terms of increased customer satisfaction, employer-employee engagement and retention, and overall growth in business which justifies the initial investment in the new tech. Automation offers the advantage for any cleaning business to take on new clients with confidence to deliver, and to live up to promises to create a win-win situation.
Supplementing and/or replacing the existing workforce with automated machines will also help elevate the cleaning staff and bring standards for all-round health and cleanliness of the facilities. Commercial management of facilities is now made possible with customer-specific technology-driven solutions. Automation is the road towards ensuring a safe and viable environment for people and businesses to live and thrive.
