The impact of COVID-19 has made it critical for managers to reduce costs and increase efficiencies while still ensuring the health and safety of managers, workers, and other personnel. To juggle all of these initiatives, a facility manager can rely on technology to assist them with running and handling facility operations during these unexpected times.
While no one could initially prepare for the impact COVID-19 would have on businesses, let’s look at how technology – specifically a smart “Internet of Things” (IoT) scent system – allowed facilities to adapt and readjust to these unprecedented circumstances.
ScentBridge’s COVID-19 Response: Case Study
When COVID-19 forced many businesses to close, ScentBridge was able to remotely power down systems using their 4G cellular connectivity. This provided their clients’ facility manager with immediate verification of powered down systems without causing the additional risk of infection from on-site technician visits. Facility managers could quickly check scent off their list of protocols as they were forced to close their doors to guests.
Competitive systems that required on-site technician visits continued to operate and dispense fragrance into un-inhabited environments and continued to draw power during a time when every expense was critical for economic survival. Once COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, Scentbridge immediately reactivated systems remotely without the need of scheduling on-site technicians to hinder the opening process for our clients’ facility management teams.
Using Technology to Combat COVID-19
Fewer Touchpoints for a Facility Manager
Any manager knows the nuance of dealing with the array of vendors to service and maintain their facility. Reducing the time and energy managers spend on unnecessary maintenance schedules and the number of vendors coming in and out of a facility is crucial – especially during a pandemic.
Smart technology and systems enable managers to work smarter, not harder. These solutions provide numerous operational benefits from cutting unnecessary maintenance appointments to managing equipment more efficiently, giving facility managers time to focus on more important items.
Saving Costs
Fewer service appointments mean lower maintenance costs for facilities. Where regular service companies often involve weekly proactive maintenance appointments, smart systems require maintenance only when it’s necessary. With service providers only coming as needed, facilities no longer have to worry about overkilling on maintenance expenses.
Mobility and Transparency
IoT systems often use mobile applications as an efficient way to address any monitoring, performance, or service issues. One app can automatically track multiple elements of your smart facilities program — monitoring anything from your scent system, HVAC air quality, and even the status of a grease trap or propane tank in commercial kitchens. Why pump a trap for $500, when sensors can “see” that the tank doesn’t require cleaning?
From sensors to equipment, mobile applications identify all working parts while providing real-time monitoring to proactively alert you of any potential performance issues. With the entire program in your back pocket, anyone with the proper “rights and privileges” can easily manage and control an IoT system from anywhere.
Conclusion: Technology Enabling Adaptability for Any Facility Manager
It’s clear now that COVID-19 will change many business operations in more ways than we think. As companies continue to adapt to the unprecedented circumstances of our world, new technologies, like IoT equipment and smart facility services, enable businesses to run with greater efficiency and lower costs in a time when it’s most needed.