How to Successfully Implement Autonomous Equipment

This article is sponsored by ICE Cobotics. 

Bringing on autonomous solutions can be difficult. But we’ve got tips to help.

It is important to begin by evaluating the equipment using specific criteria such as: Simple Technology, Equipment that Operates Effectively, and Affordable Acquistion Models.

• Simple Technology: With the current labor market, you don’t have time to deal with a machine that is difficult to use; meaning look for floor cleaning equipment that is easy to teach and operate.
• Equipment that Operates Effectively: Look for equipment that has proven it is effective at cleaning. That means evaluating the machine’s capabilities like cleaning close to the edge, picking up debris and water, and drying the floor. Also, consider materials used in manufacturing. Are the parts durable, easy to repair or replace, and readily available.
• Affordable Acquistion Model: Choosing how to procure your equipment is a big decision. From buying to leasing to renting, you want to choose what’s best for your business. An all-inclusive subscription can make automation affordable and help alleviate risk. The ICE Cobotics all-inclusive subscription includes parts, consumables, access to fleet management software and regular updates at no extra cost, plus support from our service team.

Once you’ve found the ideal equipment, it is important to plan and prepare for change management. Here are some important steps:

• Evaluate the Environment: To begin it is important to determine how automation will change day-to-day procedures. For example, a process change that might occur is recognizing if displays have been moved or items are tucked back into place before deploying the cobot.
• Gain Company-Wide Acceptance: This means getting everyone on board across all levels and designating “automation champions”—those that are going to ensure that the facility is adapting to automation.
• Budget & Determining ROI: It’s important to understand how investing in smarter tools like automation might offset other costs, or in some cases add financial value, whether that be an increase in customers at a store, guests in a hotel, or winning more janitorial business with stronger processes. Every enterprise defines ROI somewhat differently, and it’s important to identify the goals and metrics in which this will be measured
• Introduce Automation to Your Employees: Let staff know that automation is a smarter tool, demonstrate how it benefits them by filling in the gaps where there just isn’t the labor force, and provide training that exemplifies other ways staff can benefit from working with autonomous solutions.

What you you’ll gain from adding autonomous solutions, like Cobi 18 by ICE Cobotics:

• Increased Productivity and Efficiency: Cobi frees staff to focus on other tasks, and due to the sophisticated technology, becomes more efficient over time.
• Free Staff from Repetitive Tasks: Cobi takes on repetitive work, freeing staff to focus on tasks that require more skill and dexterity.
• Staff can Focus More on Customers/ Building Patrons: Cobi allows staff to spend more time creating positive experiences for building patrons.
• Eliminate Injury and Alleviate Mental Stress: Reduce RSI’s and mental stress for your staff when Cobi is deployed.
• Elevate the Role of Staff: By training staff to work with Cobi, they will learn new skills which elevates their role.

Learn more about the Cobi 18 autonomous scrubber from ICE Cobotics.