Cleaning Software Saves Time For Department

Although the custodial services department at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, has only been using CleanTelligent software for several months, McKenzie is already seeing significant time savings, as well as a clearer picture of the department’s strengths and weaknesses.

While supervisors take care of day-to-day business in the buildings on campus, they also conduct inspections on a daily basis. Using paper forms was time consuming, and inspectors often had to return to their desks to get more forms. Now, inspectors simply take out their iPads and conduct inspections on the spot.

McKenzie estimates that the department has doubled its inspections since implementing the system.

“Having the iPad with them motivates inspectors more than having to pull out a piece of paper,” he says. “When they’re on the go, all they have to do is turn this device on and inspect an area. There’s also a default option, so they don’t have to inspect every area to achieve results. If they know where the deficiencies lie, they can inspect only those areas and still get a rating, so it saves them a lot of time.”

McKenzie also likes the fact that the department isn’t generating as much paperwork, which supports Creighton’s sustainable efforts. But the greatest benefit of the system for McKenzie is the detailed quality assurance reports that reveal where the department excels and where it falls short.

“As I enter more data into the system, I’m able to see where our weaker and stronger areas are,” says McKenzie. “I see that we are holding steady with generalized cleaning or keeping up with day-to-day cleaning of restrooms and classrooms. Some of the more common deficiencies I’m seeing are detailed issues, such as spot cleaning the walls.”

Armed with these insights, McKenzie plans to present his findings to his staff and focus on additional training.

“We have a lot of space to clean and we’re limited on staff,” he admits. “So having the ability to find those details and taking the time to do the little extras is what really makes us stand out.”

Fortunately McKenzie’s custodians are on board with the program.

“When I present the data to custodians they have a better understanding of what I mean by detail work, so I’m seeing some improvements in that area,” he says. “A lot of our custodians like to see where they’re at. This isn’t about giving them negative feedback. We want to give them positive feedback. They want to know if they’re doing a good job, and they want to know how they can improve.”  

KASSANDRA KANIA is a freelance writer based in Charlotte, North Carolina.