Cleaning Pros Consider Emerging Tech Critical for Future Success

In a recent commercial cleaning report published by Aspire Software, a ServiceTitan company and software provider for field service contractors, 70% of commercial cleaning contractors surveyed found staying on the edge of innovation and digital transformation important for future success.

The 2024 Commercial Cleaning Insights Report, which surveyed more than 1,000 commercial cleaning contractors throughout the United States, examined the challenges and opportunities facing professionals within the commercial cleaning industry.

Along with the importance of keeping up to date with evolving technologies, about half (46%) said they expect robotics to revolutionize the industry in the coming years. Other emerging technologies noted by contractors included business information modeling (27%), wearables (16%), data analytics (9%), and artificial intelligence (7%).

Most contractors surveyed (92%) currently use business applications, and 28% plan to invest in new software or technology in 2024. More than half (62%) have enjoyed efficiencies and enhanced capabilities while using business management software. Those surveyed report leveraging software for various business functions, including invoicing (59%), scheduling (55%), accounting (54%), payment processing (53%), and business management (40%).

The report also found the following key findings:

• Hiring and employee retention was cited by 54% of respondents as a primary goal and 24% saw it as a key investment area. Staffing was identified by 61% of contractors as a significant risk to achieving growth goals in 2023, and 86% of businesses surveyed plan to raise wages this year.
• More than half (56%) saw customer retention as a potential challenge in reaching their goals this year. For those surveyed, 37% said repeat business generates the most significant source of revenue, while 55% said recurring maintenance services comprise the most work. Customer acquisition remains an essential objective for 49% of those surveyed.
• Nearly half of the contractors surveyed report stagnant lead times (49%) or improved lead times by one or more weeks (46%). Still, commercial cleaning businesses of all sizes struggle to obtain vehicles (63%) and equipment (54%). More than half of respondents report price increases on materials and equipment by over 5%, and about a third report over a 10% increase. 
• Overall for the remainder of 2023, 21% felt optimistic about the industry’s market, 26% felt pessimistic, and 53% shared a neutral forecast. More than half (63%) of building service contractors aimed to increase revenue this year. Respondents identified repeat business as their leading source of revenue (37%) and maintenance as the primary service they provide (55%).

“As an industry in expansion, many janitorial and commercial cleaning services are experiencing rapid growth, along with the challenges that come with building a business in a fluctuating financial landscape,” said Mark Tipton, Aspire Software CEO. “In today’s environment, businesses must keep their fingers on the pulse of market conditions to stay ahead of the competition.”

Download the complete 2024 Commercial Cleaning Insights Report.