UNITED SERVICES GROUP BOOSTS CLEANING PERFORMANCE WITH IRIS®

BACKGROUND

United Services Group (United) provides facility maintenance services at more than 1,500 locations across Canada, with a focus in the retail market.

PROBLEM

After taking over a large number of new locations with an over 35-year United customer, “we wanted to take our services and value to the next level,” said Graziela Medeiros, Key Accounts Manager at United. United was also concerned about tracking equipment during relocations.

SOLUTION

After a demonstration of Tennant’s IRIS® Asset Manager Solution, United chose to deploy IRIS technology across more than 100 scrubbers. “You can only be so productive,” said Vice President of Business Development, Larry Ker, “and then you need intelligence and technology to move you forward.”

IRIS provides United with machine utilization data, as well as machine location tracking. Managers receive daily and weekly reports of scrubber usage per location, with the ability to drill down to machine-level data.

IRIS sends critical email alerts if a machine has not been used for the designated time frame, or if a machine moves a few miles from its previously reported location. United also leverages machine usage data to ensure proper machine maintenance.

RESULTS

In just months, IRIS is already delivering visible and measurable impacts. “IRIS is great internally, and it’s also great for our customers,” said Ker.

• Ensuring high quality service: Medeiros said IRIS data enables managers to “ensure our in-store teams are washing the floors as they should,” meeting all standards and requirements.
• Proactive service optimization: “It allows us to be proactive and get to the problem before a quality issue arises,” said Alain Choucrallah, Director of Procurement for United. Machine usage data also helps ensure proper maintenance to prevent downtime and extend equipment life.
• Empowering in-store cleaning teams: By sharing IRIS data with in-store cleaning teams, “they can be more confident in their work—and we can support them in doing their job well,” said Choucrallah.
• Transparency & trust with customers: United analyzes IRIS productivity data to create competitive job quotes and deliver greater transparency with customers.
• Measurable returns: Shortly after deployment, IRIS located two missing scrubbers. “When just one machine goes missing, ROI is immediate,” added Ker. United is currently gathering data on improved productivity.

CONTINUALLY MOVING BUSINESS FORWARD

IRIS is now critical to United’s quality maintenance and growth strategies, and the company plans to deploy IRIS technology more broadly in its business. “In a short period of time, IRIS has already proven to be a valuable tool for moving forward with our business,” concluded Ker.​​​