Sodexo's Expertise and Sensor Technology Reduce FM Burden
Our Client’s Challenge
Our client is a multinational manufacturer of consumer goods such as detergents, personal grooming products, hair care products and other personal hygiene products. The client’s manufacturing site in Lima, Ohio - where facilities are managed by Sodexo - accounts for 10% to 12% of the company’s global sales.
The 2 million square foot Lima site is set to expand even further in 2026. Amidst this expansion, our client annually aims for cost savings of 5%.
Since COVID-19, cleaning services have ubiquitously increased in importance, the Lima site being no exception. Thanks to our dedicated, experienced staff, Sodexo's facilities management services have increased the efficacy of such services, keeping in mind our client’s savings goal.
How We Do It
Given the immense – and growing – scope of the Lima site, we found ways to maximize our efficacy. By using intelligently placed IoT sensors, we have been able to use foot traffic data to prioritize and direct cleaning services based on client-employee foot traffic.
The sensors enable Sodexo managers to move staff to where they’re most needed and spend less time directing employees, increasing the efficiency of cleaning services while maintaining high standards for the client.
For restrooms, the sensors are attached to the corner of the door, recording the number of times in a set period it is opened. The sensors send the information to a cloud-based database, which keeps a running tally. If the door to a restroom outside the cafeteria, for example, is opened 30 times in a two-hour period the cleaning staff will receive an alert notifying them that the facility needs to be cleaned. These benchmarks allow us to ensure hygienic work and dining facilities are maintained, while avoiding costly waste.
The database also retains information about the number of cleaning assignments that have been completed and how long it takes to clean a particular facility. To maintain the human intelligence component, our staff uploads photos and notes on work they’ve completed. This combination enables our staff to continuously improve our operation to be as efficient for our client as possible.
Sodexo excels in ongoing service and support. We anticipate and respond to our clients' needs while empowering our frontline teams to be true partners for them.
Results
Without detracting from quality of service, Sodexo’s employees successfully met our client’s cost-saving target of 5%. The sensors, combined with cloud technology and data analysis, reduce wasteful labor expenditures, materials waste, and focus valuable resources where they’re needed.
Since first partnering with Sodexo, the client has not only renewed its contracts but has also added services over the years, recognizing Sodexo’s reliability and ability to adopt innovative new methods.
We recognize that a facilities management partner needs to be prepared to handle universal, and client-specific challenges without sacrificing quality. Our work ensures employees' safety and prepares our clients for their industry's future. Sodexo is raising the bar because good enough is no longer enough.