Mobile Tools for Essential Services like Cleaning and Security

By TEAM Software March 31, 2020 Categories: ,

On-the-go technology for your on-the-go cleaners and guards.

Now, more than ever, having access to the right tools at the right time is essential for the success of your cleaning or security business. With the increased need for your services, you need business operations technology at your fingertips no matter where you are. Having access to technology via your mobile device is especially crucial in times of uncertainty and crisis and here’s why:

  • Mobile devices can be used anywhere, which means you can be in constant communication with your cleaners or guards and the back office.
  • Information is easily distributed and accessible via mobile so your cleaners or guards have the most up-to-date information, as well as your staff back in the office.
  • Mobile devices allow you to capture and record data immediately, increasing the accuracy of information and overall productivity on the job sites.

Here are the key things you and your team should have access to via a mobile device.

Scheduling Tools

We’ve heard from several of our security customers in recent weeks that they’ve had to add extra shifts to maintain order, meet a higher volume of schedule changes, and retain patrols, but may have had to reduce standing guards due to business shutdowns. With on-the-go scheduling tools, you can fill new or open shifts in a snap. And when you need to find the right guard to fill the open shift based on specific criteria, you want a scheduling tool that’s smart enough to offer up those shifts to officers who meet compliance requirements quickly and easily.

Messaging

With things changing across the country daily and even hourly, it’s important to keep your cleaners or guards up to date with the latest information. Whether it’s changes to where they need to go because of office or work site shutdowns, when they need to be there, or if there are new site requirements, changing guidelines or even potential exposures to be aware of, flexible messaging tools are crucial to keeping everyone engaged. You also need a solution that can target messages to individuals, groups or large lists so you’re getting the right information to the right people when they need it.

Digital Forms

No one wants to create, manage and collect paper forms, especially when you can easily create and distribute forms for compliance, training, safety, acknowledgements and more via a mobile device. Mobile forms can reduce headaches and streamline processes by creating uniformity. You can automate forms to trigger at the right place and time and create workflows to make sure the information gets where it needs to go once submitted. Plus, mobile forms allow you to capture rich data like photos, timestamps and locations that are useful for reporting and proof of service. And, in times of uncertainty like now, you need the ability and flexibility to make quick changes. Check out these essential forms we’ve identified for cleaning and security contractors that you can use right now.

Work Tickets

Our cleaning customers have said they’re getting a significant increase in requests for detailed deep cleans. Having a mobile work scheduling solution can help you manage and track that extra work without having to head back to the office to get it scheduled or forgetting about it altogether. And if your work tickets are integrated to your back office, you can manage billing for your customers and payroll for your cleaners based on accurate, timely data.  Plus, with mobile signature capabilities, supervisors can approve work ticket changes and scopes, allowing your cleaners to pivot when needed while still ensuring you can accurately bill customers for the work performed.

Employee Location Tracking

Your customers trust you to get work done when — and where — they need it done. Use a solution that offers continuous tracking of cleaners and guards using GPS, QR Codes, near-field communication (NFC) or Bluetooth positioning. When your employees carry mobile devices equipped with the right software, you can manage workforce efficiency and continuously monitor movement and work. By using solutions with employee tracking, you can access a clear view of your cleaning or security workforce through guard touring or loop monitoring. This enables you to keep an eye on new issues as they happen, as well as receive real-time proof and frequency of service that you can pass on directly to your customers.

Time and Attendance

Automated time and attendance software offered via mobile devices can simplify timekeeping for cleaning and security contractors. You can dramatically reduce data entry time and errors, and get timekeeping records immediately ready for payroll, invoicing and reporting. And, when your timekeeping solution has the tools to confirm your employees are on site and on time, you can address attendance issues immediately, ensuring you cover all shifts and jobs sites.

Self Service

It’s not just a time of uncertainty for your cleaning or security business — your guards and cleaners also have a lot on their plates. With school and business closures, “social distancing” and the fear of the unknown, it’s important they have access to information they need to be safe on the job and effectively perform their duties. Offering a self-service solution with access to paystubs, benefit information, schedules, job information and more gives them better visibility into data relevant to them. And, if you can offer your employees direct deposit for their paychecks, you not only save the time and money it takes to maintain paper checks, but it cuts down on having to distribute checks in person and ensures your employees have their money as soon as its available, without having to set foot into a bank or the office.

Cloud-Based Back Office

While mobile access is important for those distributed cleaners and guards in the field, it’s also important for your back-office staff to be able to get their work done whether they’re in the office or not, especially when mandatory stay-at-home orders keep people from heading to the office. With your back-office software solutions hosted on the cloud, your staff can get their work done and keep your business running smoothly no matter the working conditions. There are other benefits to cloud-based software. You don’t need to have expensive technology infrastructure or staff to maintain the system, and it’s reliable and secure as the data centres are monitored 24/7 with redundant back-ups. Your software is also updated automatically, ensuring you’re using the most up-to-date system so when compliance or tax changes come through, you’re set up for success ASAP.

We live in a fast-paced world and as a busy cleaning or security contractor, you need business management software that fits your needs whether things are business as usual or in times of crisis like today. Access to mobile tools enables you to cut operational inefficiencies, increase employee retention and ensure customer satisfaction, no matter the situation.

Read the rest of the posts in our COVID-19 blog series: