Yellow mop bucket floor cleaning equipment and mops in shopping mall and department store

Contributed by Essity Professional Hygiene.

The “American Dream,” the largest mall in the history of the United States, is coming to Miami. This six million square foot, $4 billion mega-mall, which promises to be a shopper’s paradise, will also present some significant challenges to the mall’s facility managers and cleaning staff. Will they be able to handle this unprecedented level of people traffic, keep public spaces clean and manage restrooms all at the same time?

There are several challenges facility managers will need to face to maintain a positive reputation, specifically in relation to synchronizing cleaning efforts with people flows.

For example, distinct smells, messy hallways and food courts or untidy restrooms can leave a negative impression on customers and potentially prevent them from returning to the mall in the future. A recent KRC research study revealed that bathroom cleanliness is of 95 percent total importance to customers.

Therefore, the question remains – how can large facilities like this new mall stay ahead of the crowds?

To stay ahead of the game and maintain high guest satisfaction, especially at a facility so large and spread out, one of the key solutions is data-driven cleaning. Data-driven cleaning will not only ensure that customers are kept happy with clean public spaces and restrooms, but it will also ensure facility managers are well-equipped to manage cleaning needs and respond to potential problems in real-time before they materialize.

As facility managers look to improve their staff’s efficiency and ensure a complete, hygienic experience for guests, professional hygiene brands are adapting to suit their needs by providing tomorrow’s hygiene solutions, today. Data-driven cleaning is the fastest way to stay ahead of the crowds at a mall that promises to be twice the size of the King of Prussia Mall by providing facility managers with real-time information so the cleaning staff can do exactly what is needed, when and where it is needed.

Some key benefits to data-driven cleaning include:
• Digitized cleaning plans that focus on the current status, allowing staff to provide higher quality cleaning across the facility
• Tracking the public spaces and restrooms that are experiencing the most traffic to ensure facility managers are directing their staff to areas that need it the most, when they need it
• Increasing facility managers effectiveness by decreasing complaints from customers and also increasing their efficiency on the job
• Improving sustainability efforts by only refilling supplies when needed

Overall, if the cleaning staff knows when and where they are most needed, the overall efficiency, staff engagement and customer satisfaction will all improve. The larger the facility the more difficult it is to keep up with people traffic, but data-driven cleaning technology provides real-time information to help facility managers prioritize critical areas to better satisfy both customers and employees.

Author: Paul Church, New Business Concepts Director, Director of Market Development, Essity Professional Hygiene