The infiltration of the internet into people’s everyday lives has reached a new height. The “Internet of Things,” as the phenomenon is known, describes everyday products that now feature WiFi connectivity. These products can often be operated remotely and track data about their usage. The Internet of Things has sparked many industries to gravitate toward this vision, using the web and smartphone apps to maintain their industrial applications, environmental systems, and overall framework.
The hospitality industry and commercial laundry operators have appropriately seized this opportunity to improve their bottom line as well as create sustainable green properties. By linking laundry machines and “smart meters” that can be monitored by internet applications, hoteliers have uncomplicated the process of measuring water, energy consumption, and detergent usage, while simultaneously achieving a comprehensive and thorough glimpse of their entire laundry operations through their smartphones. “Continued development and innovation in the area water and utility conservation enable hotels to lower their environmental impact and, in turn, reduce laundry operating costs for hotels,” explains Jonathan Benjamin, global president, laundry, at Xeros. “The emergence of smart devices and connected systems will provide hotel operators greater intelligence and benefits in both the front and back of the house.”
Laundry operators can oversee real-time water, energy, cycle time, and detergent usage, and contrast those with benchmarks. They can also see the process broken down by each separate machine, location, or for the entire company, as well as ensure maximum efficiency by identifying wait times and reducing downtime. Additionally, management benefits from effortless access to reports from any internet-connected device. “As the old adage goes, knowledge is power,” Benjamin adds. “And a connected hotel laundry has the capacity to improve bottom lines, enhance guest satisfaction, and even increase hotel revenues.” These technological advancements create an opportunity for hoteliers to reduce cost and run a more efficient laundry operation.
