People and machines, working together

One of the main trends in integrated facility management is support from robotics and digital offerings – which is an essential element of our service portfolio.

With tireless accuracy, the cleaning robot wends its solitary way through a warehouse the size of a football field [TBD – does this come across well, or should we leave it out?: – while many colleagues are asleep]. Anytime, day or night, it glides effortlessly across the warehouse floor, meticulously cleaning, round after round, until the end result is a sparkling clean.

When people and machines work together hand in hand, there are significant advantages to both our customers and our employees alike, in every country around the world where Dussmann operates. After all, no hall is too big for a smart cleaning robot, and no amount of repetition is too monotonous. Its work gives the Dussmann Facility Management team more time to work on the areas that demand the precision of a human touch, such as disinfecting angled surfaces.

Support from robotics and digital offerings is one of the main trends in integrated facility management – and an essential element of our service portfolio. 

Cleaning robots enhance efficiency

There are even more of what we call “co-bots” (cooperation robots) working on large areas in building cleaning, including smart vacuum cleaners. 

Dussmann cleaning co-bots deliver optimum cost efficiency and consistently high quality.  Our cleaning robots also reduce water use. The EcoBot-75 can run for as long as six hours without a change of water, cleaning up to 2,500 square meters uninterrupted – which saves money and is better for the environment. 

Digital and robotic technologies are also used in other areas of facility management.

Use of robotics in facility management goes far beyond cleaning

Camera drones improve safety and security for Dussmann employees in the area of building technology. These flying objects are the first to inspect hard-to-reach roof and facade areas, giving the technology experts a detailed picture of places where improvements or repairs are needed. The digital twin, a 3D model of a property that users can “walk through” virtually, allows our experts to prepare for system and facility service and maintenance and to perform inspections, all remotely.

There are also security applications for autonomous machines. Our digital reception service is already active in day-to-day use. The visitor and reception management platform verifies the physical identities of guests. ID scanners like those used at border control checkpoints and a 3D camera are used for this purpose. After that, the terminal issues visitor badges. This lets us give customers a clear overview of who wants to enter a building and when. And we also allow the reception service to focus on other important tasks.

Drones help speed responses from security staff

We also work closely with providers of artificial intelligence to monitor hazards. Working from a control center, a security officer can control “Spot,” our four-legged robot equipped with sensors. Spot helps to patrol exterior facilities, even at night or in rugged terrain. If unauthorized persons have entered, “Beehive” drones can track them by camera while signals are sent to the control center. This lets security staff respond quickly, which also improves safety and security for them. 

Another robot, the BotsHelp reception robot, gives shopping center visitors a warm welcome. It moves around and is available all over the center for those with questions. Customers are amazed and curious when interacting with this new kind of service staff. They can ask it all kinds of questions, from info about individual stores to where to find the restrooms. This is possible thanks to a connection with reception staff, who have a live video link to the built-in display. 

Dussmann Food Service: digital technology creates room for a full-fledged culture of hospitality

Grabbing a quick bite to refuel at lunchtime between meetings is another place where smart technologies are making life easier, this time for diners. At Dussmann Food Services, we are currently testing camera-based payment technologies in which a camera scans the tray holding the diner’s choice of foods in just a fraction of a second and calculates the price. This innovation helps keep things moving at lunchtime and prevent long lines from forming. Meanwhile, members of service staff answer customers’ questions or work on crafting tasty new menus. This technology proved to have another big advantage during the coronavirus pandemic, as guests were able to observe social distancing rules during the usual peak times, like at lunchtime, and contactless payment options made everyone feel safer. The guest just holds up a credit card to the terminal, concludes the payment process in seconds, and can then enjoy lunch.

We are constantly expanding our portfolio of digital, innovative, and doubly sustainable solutions. To keep up with our role as a technical pioneer, we at Dussmann are always in step with the times.  Our professionals in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia engage in dialogue, bring ideas back to their own markets, and go to leading trade fairs and industry meetups to see which smart ideas will be competitive in the future.

All this means we have something to offer our customers worldwide with our human-machine services and can respond to unusual facility conditions. And that makes Dussmann the next-level partner of choice.