Choosing Cleaning Management Software That Works For You
By Colin Butterfield

Over the past 20 years we’ve seen many attempts to utilize computing power to improve the management of cleaning operations. There must be dozens if not hundreds of programs that promise to reorganize your operation, save money, save time and make your boss think you are a genius. There are single use systems that only do one thing, such as supply or equipment inventory or quality inspection tracking, estimating packages that promise to help you price out contracts and increase your profits, all in one package that cover everything from supplies to payroll and everything in between and any combination of these. But which is best for you? Before you invest in a program you should know what parts of your operation will benefit from the system and how much time you are able to invest in maintaining the program data.

Types To Choose From:
Equipment and Supplies Inventory Systems: If you just need to track product usage and equipment records one of these simple systems will serve you well. Features to look for are flexible reporting formats so you can generate reports identifying use patterns for supplies and maintenance costs for equipment. Automatic reminders, to flag scheduled equipment maintenance serve and battery replacement. Data collection by PocketPC or Palm Pilot should also be a feature that will save you time when inputting records.

Estimating Packages: If you are a small contractor estimating or “bid” software may be just what you need. Be aware though that most of the bid software on the market is for U.S. clients. Our taxes and payroll costs are different in Canada so look for a Canadian system or a Canadian version of the software. In a tight bidding market estimating software needs to be used with local conditions in mind, also look for the ability to identify input costs like travel times and vehicle costs as well as the usual supply and equipment costs.

Stand-Alone Quality Inspection Systems: These usually run on handheld computers like the Pocket PC or Palm Pilot, and can save hundreds of hours a year in data input. You or your supervisors are much more likely to make quality inspections if they don’t have to sit down at a computer later and re-enter the data. Most of the Stand-Alone Quality Inspection Systems have fixed inspection criteria, e.g. floors, walls, fixtures, lights, furniture, etc., so if you need a special inspection form, you may have to order a customized version or have the supplier make changes to suit your need. Choose a program that outputs reports in one of the Microsoft Office formats, Word, Excel or Access so that it can be edited or included in correspondence. Another feature that should be considered with handheld systems is data storage. Units which write their data to expansion cards add storage space and security in the event of a unit failing.

Attendance and Payroll Systems:
A simple decision; don’t bother. Quickbooks or Simply Accounting have Payroll packages that meet all Canadian rules and are cheap. They can also be updated when the taxes or rules are changed by Provincial or Federal governments.

Cleaning Management Systems:
These systems will provide the best for your dollar if you are really interested in controlling your operation. Some of the best programs have been around for quite a few years but that doesn’t mean they are outdated. In fact, they tend to be constantly improved and updated to meet users needs and generally have less bugs and more flexibility than some of the newer systems available. Look for a package that allows you to set your organizations parameters up front so that reports are generated looking like they belong to your facility and not emblazoned with the software company’s logo. Look for systems that are based on a stale database system such as Access and that has a large library of validated productivity data such as APPA or ISSA or other sources to support the labour calculations that these systems perform. Good systems allow you to set shift times and determine actual productive time per shift and allow you to input vacations, sick time and statutory holidays into the schedule so the true cost of doing the tasks over a year is identified. Other features to look for are scheduled action flags such as annual reviews or equipment maintenance dates.

Generally:
Most systems will offer a 30-day free trial but when you take advantage of this you will often find that some features are disabled making for a confusing trial at best. Thirty days isn’t very long when you are already busy trying to manage with a system. Look for a system that offers a longer – approximately 60 day trial – with all features unlocked. When I researched this article, I found one company that has done this and they reported to me that they feel it improved their sales as potential users get more familiar with the software over the longer period. One practice I recommend is to get a list of current users from the software company and contact users to find out what their experience with the software has been.

Pricing:
Prices do vary immensely, but one thing to keep in mind is that you will invest a lot more dollars (in hours) that the cost of the software itself so the cheapest upfront cost isn’t necessarily the best choice. However, I found one program that is priced based on the square footage managed, so you get a full featured system that meets your needs and if your organization adds space or you get more contracts, you can buy more licence at a reasonable rate.

An investment in the right type of cleaning management software involves not just the cost of the software but also the cost of your time to administer the program. It’s a big decision so you may need to get advice from a consultant before taking the plunge. While this may sound discouraging, in fact many users report that it’s the best investment they could have made as having the right system provides real data to support their operational needs particularly when dealing with the budget office.