D. Sustainability in cleaning industry
4.3.5 TEST
Since testing is important stage in design thinking, ensuring the stakeholders gained the customers empathy and understood the prototype phase correctly, collecting feedback is essential part in evaluating the success of the project. The feedback form can be used to collect customers feedback voluntary, and the feedbacks would be evaluated for farther improvements and will be communicated with cleaners and managements.
Feedback can be used to develop the cleaning manuals and methods to avoid the future mistakes and keep customers satisfied. Performance metrics can be used to measure the training success and see if there is need for more training to the employees.
Engaging employees in training designing help to improve their performance and make it easy to create the right training materials. Collecting feedback from employees and evaluating the feedback aid in bring the common understanding of customers’
expectations and this results to better service quality. Importantly, the cleaning training would be designed as the process whereby cleaners when coming in the company would be exposed gradually from the beginning of cleaning work to the end of the cleaning work. Cleaners will be exposed to cleaning techniques and follow cleaning procedures rather than explaining the end results how it should look like, the results should come after the right techniques and methods are followed. Cleaning training process would be as baby steps whereby cleaner would learn slowly from starting points to the ending point during working time. Since cleaners doesn’t have much room to attend the cleaning meeting or listening to long lectures, easy ways of training for example using virtual learning and use of short videos to make the learning experience more entertaining and online would be stressed. (Vesterinen 2014.)
4.4 Conceptual Framework of This Thesis
The conceptual framework is presented in Figure 17 below.
(Bootcamp 2013)
EMPATHIZE DEFINE IDEATE PROTOTYPE TEST
Understanding persona (Restaurant’s customers and their features) (Curedale 2016)
Empathy mapping (Blad 2016) Customers pain points and concern (through Value preposition) (Strategyzer 2021) Service blueprint (Arthuraliya 2020)
Commercial cleaning and hygiene concept for the dine dining segment Cleaning process (puhtaus ry 2022) Commercial cleaning skills and scope (what cleaners need to clean & learn) (Oivanen 2010)
Training materials in commercial cleaning (contents) (Oivanen 2010)
Training materials through different learning ways (methods):
• Videos, pictures, meetings
• Workshops, individual mentoring, direct teaching, etc.
Training process – creating “the training pipe”
Implementing the new ways of training/” pipe” (as a trial) and see if it helps
Early feedbacks:
• Customers´
feedbacks and changes
• Cleaners´
feedback and concerns discussed together to see if there in any gap in learning material
Applying the new ways of training/”
pipe” on a bigger scale
Follow-up:
• Keep asking for feedback (from customers, cleaners &
managers)
• Monitoring
• Measuring.
Evaluate the training process/”pipe”
Key performance indicators
= how the parties feel /think / say / do?
= what the cleaners need to be trained in (content and process wise)?
= creating effective training materials &
process
= trying the training process
= developing further
Figure 17. Conceptual framework to develop the cleaning and its materials.
The first element is Empathize is articulated by first creating a customer profile and understanding the motives and frustrations, then empathy map was drawn to pinpoint the users pain points then last the service blueprints was created to identify if there is any block can be developed more to improve the training materials for employees.
The second element, Define recognizes the users and needs via understanding the Concept of the Commercial clearing concept & steps in the cleaning process (what will be describes in the training materials). The commercial cleaning skills and scope are
also defined here to figure out what cleaners need to be trained in, content wise and processes wise.
The third element Ideate, where the training materials are created through stakeholders using discussions, meeting, workshops and customers feedbacks and cleaner’s feedbacks.
The fourth element, Prototype, is where the training process and the training materials are implemented via the training process (a “training pipe”) and created.
Lastly, Test is the phase where the training materials and the training process are implemented on a bigger scale.
5 Building Proposal for the Training Process and Materials for the Company This section merges the results of the current state analysis and the conceptual framework towards the building of the proposal to define the commercial cleaning concept and create the cleaning training materials for the case company and tests the training using Data 2.
5.1 Overview of the Proposal Building Stage
First, as the results of the current state analysis, five development focus areas were identified: Improve training in quality management, collect feedback from customers and develop the services methods based on customers preferences, engage cleaners in methods and service development, improve communication between cleaners, customers, and management as well as creating a better working environment for the employees. To prepare for the proposal building, the study first discussed the current state analysis results, and the current employee training to find out how the case company can improve.
Second, based on exploring literature, an approach was synthesised how to develop the Concept and the training materials, which followed the basic steps of the service design process: Emphasize, Define, Ideate, Porotype, Test.
Third, based on these initial inputs, the stakeholders were involved into the co-creation process, to brainstorm using the proposed service design approach, and come up with the concept and the training materials.
The Proposal building started by first analysing and creating a Persona to zoom in and out the customers perspectives and understand their frustrations. Empathy map defined to pinpoint the customers pain points, while the Value preposition canvas was analysed to emphasize the pains and gains of the commercial cleaning and last the Service blueprints was used to clarify the cleaning process. After that, the Proposal building moved to the Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test stages. The commercial cleaning was co-defined and developed with the key stakeholders.
The proposal was built in the cooperation with 10 cleaners and 3 cleaning managers who are also validators of the outcome were a part of the creation process for proposal building in which the ground for the proposal was shown, the proposal was discussed on various workshops and meetings. There was total of 9 workshops and meetings involved during the proposal building. The stakeholders’ inputs and feedbacks were discussed and taken into accounts when the initial proposal was created. After the meeting the stakeholders were given a draft of the proposal and comment for inputs. The imputes from stakeholders was used to build the proposal. In the section findings of the data collection 2 will be discussed.
5.2 Inputs into the Proposal Building and Stakeholders Suggestions (Data 2)
As it has been described in the beginning, the case company for sometimes now have been receiving customers complaints and has also experienced the decline of employee’s productivity and performance in restaurant cleaning. The situation is bringing more worries to the case company especially at this moment where commercial cleaning is facing huge competition where the customers can switch from one cleaning company
to another without any cost at any time when they are unsatisfied with the existing company.
Thus, this study started with the current state analysis, and the results became inputs into the Proposal building, before diving into the actual development.
Table 9 provide an overview of the stakeholder’s reactions and improvement suggestions to the results of the CSA.
Table 9. Stakeholders’ suggestions (Data 2) in relation for the CSA results (Data 1)
Current state (Data 1)
Input form literature (CF) Suggestion from stakeholders for the proposal (Data 2)
Improve training in quality management
Through service design tools, empathy mapping, define, ideate, prototype, and implement, service design tools are
suggested to improve the employees training.
(Bootcamp 2013),
This tool will help us to develop the right training materials to our employees. Criteria for accepting new cleaners through structured interview with test, we should select right kind of employees to the right kind of job. Training pipe will be used to train the new cleaners for three months when they start work, empathy mapping, defining, ideate, prototype and implements will be used to training the employees. Service design tools will help to train the employees.
Collect feedback from customers and develop the services methods based on customers preference
Customer’s feedback is suggested as an essential tool in developing the customers experiences that suits best to target customers and hence customer satisfaction (Vesterinen 2014).
Customers feedback forms should be used to collect feedback form customers. Complaints from customers should be analysed and data should be used to develop the cleaning methods and motivate the cleaners. During training time, the customers feedback should be considered to train each site and responsible cleaners should be given the feedback direct and mistake should be collected. Customers and cleaners’ feedback should be evaluated to see if there is any gap.
Engage cleaners in methods and service development
Employees engagement is suggested to ensure the employees are highly engaged in the service process and methods creation process. Poor employees’ engagement would cost the company since its hard to keep unengaged employees satisfied, they will most leave the company sooner or later (Hodson et all 2014).
Cleaners should be involved to develop cleaning methods and cleaning process. Interactives workshops, meetings and discussion would be used in the training process to ensure the cleaners are engaged during training sessions.
Cleaners should be motivated before the training session, so they are more willing to participate in the training. Encourage cleaners to bring their point of views, make decisions and share their opinions about the work. Feedback form can be used to collect the training feedbacks form cleaners for future improvement. Training should be evaluated to see if the cleaners are on the same page and are able to work professionally independently.
Improve communication between cleaners, customers, and
management
The importance of effective communication is the key to solving work problems, and thus cleaners and management need to know how to communicate politely with customers and everyone at the working place.
Communication help to lower work stress, make things easier and increase self-esteem (Zaremba 2010).
Communicate the company mission and vision, encourage interculture communication, create a common language for communicating, Improve the organizational communication, collect feedback from cleaners and communicate about those feedback, create an open communication, transparency and let the employees
communicate their feeling and how they feel about the work, communicate in more polite and friendly ways to employees.
Create better working environments
The importance of creating conducive working environments to cleaners, work feel comfortable. Less pressures, high self-esteem, secure and safety workplace, cleaning safety, chemicals safety, work safety instructions (Rothe, Lindholm, Hyvönen &
Nenonen 2012)
Creating a cleaning instruction that cleaners can follow when working. Creating a safety instruction for cleaners to prevent them from small to higher accidents. Involving the cleaners in creating the cleaning process instructions so they know what to expect. Teaching the cleaners work
ergonomics so they can relax when working.
Teaching the cleaners to use protective measures when handling the cleaning chemicals and provide chemicals data sheets. Promote the employee’s wellbeing and motivate the
employees.
Table 10 summarized the stakeholders´ improvement suggestions that were taken as inputs to the Proposal building. After that, the development process started, according to the selected approach of 5-stage: Emphasize, Define, Ideate, Porotype, and Test.
Firstly, empathize phase: this stage pointed to the very basic tools to gain empathy. First, the buyer persona was created, second Empathy map were examined to pinpoint the customers pains and frustrations, third Value preposition canvas was evaluated to, and fourth the service blueprint was utilized. The customer Empathy map helped to gain understanding about what the customers think and feel, what do they see, what they say, do and what they hear concerning commercial cleaning. Second, the Customer persona helped to articulate the customers altitudes, needs, values and motives. Third, the value proposition canvas was used to emphasize the pains and gains of the commercial cleaning. Finally, a service blueprint was also be used to visualise the service process and see a bigger picture by stakeholders. These building blocks gave cleaner a clue to how the service steps can affect the overall quality service.
Secondly, define stage: First, Commercial cleaning concept was defined as to understand what cleaners do, professionally. Second, the cleaning process was defined to understand professionally the stages which need to be applied during cleaning. The clearing skills were described to enable cleaners to understand the benefits of following the right cleaning methods. Cleaning types (on the examples of a) restaurant dining area cleaning) toilet cleaning, and c) floor cleaning) were defined to show the differences and how the cleaning methods, tools chemicals could change depending on the type of cleaning requested.
Thirdly, ideate stage focused on the development of the training materials and the training process. The training materials were created via searching from the existing ones (existing presentations, videos, images, etc) and well as from the company assets (meetings, workshops, individual mentoring as well as direct teaching). After that, the training process was created as training pipe to facilitate the learning and make the learning process much easier.
Fourthly, at the Prototype stage, the training process was prototyped by first implementing the new ways of training as a trial to see if it helps, second the early feedbacks and changes were collected from customers to see if the training works, third the cleaners’ feedbacks and concerns were discussed together to see if there is any gap in learning process for example if something is missing or if there is something difficult.
Fifth the training pipe was tested by first applying the new ways of training pipe on a bigger scale, second the follow up was done by asking the feedbacks from customers,
cleaners, and managers to see if there is anything which is not working. Third the training pipes was monitored and measured to ensure everything is working as planned.
Table 10 below shows the summary of the key inputs from the key stakeholders Table 10. Summary of the key stakeholder’s inputs.
Design thinking phase
Inputs from key stakeholders
Empathy Phase Bring in all the stakeholders in the workshop, the training participation is mandatory and will be paid- cleaning manager 1.Create various personas since we have different customers cleaning, laundry, dishwashing-Cleaning Manager 2.Use short video and interment sources- cleaner 1.Make it shorter- Cleaner 2
Define phase Shorten the training time and use more visual and short videos cleaning manager 1.Cleaners should be actively involved in the discussion cleaning manager 2.Put their feedback and let them tell you what they think about it cleaning manager 3.Finalised the definition with them and let them give feedbacks cleaning manager 2.Clarify why restaurant hygiene matters to the restaurant cleaner 2.
Ideate phase Cleaners should create the actions plan for their site by themselves and we will evaluate if there is any mistake, cleaning manager 1.Go through cleaning manuals with cleaners and see if they have read it and understand cleaning manager 1.Check if they mark the quality check lists cleaning manager 2.The training should be mandatory, and we should demand the participation since the training is going to be paid cleaning manager 1.Collect the customers feedback and use it to develop the training materials cleaning manager 1.
Prototype phase The training can be divided into small groups so there is more room for everyone to understand better cleaning manager 1.On-site training is easy since the cleaners can see themselves how we work cleaning manager 2
Implement Phase Continue asking for feedbacks form cleaners and customers and develop keep developing the commercial cleaning manager 1.Training should happen more often to keep the cleaners’ skills updated cleaning manager 2
As seen from Table 10 shows the overview of the summary of the key inputs form the key stakeholders. The input and feedbacks that was generated from key stakeholders were documented in the field notes and were implemented in the proposal building of this thesis.
5.3 Initial Proposal: Element 1, EMPATHIZE
The proposal was first shaped by articulating the empathy mapping with the stakeholders to emphases the customers pain points and create a foundation for creating the training materials.
The table 11 provides an overview of the company buyers persona, empathy mapping, value preposition and service blueprints.
Table 11. The case company empathy map
Buyer personal Age and demographics, buyer story, goals, jobs, motivations, and frustrations
Empathy mapping What customers hear, think, and feel, see, what they say and do, what are their pain and gain
Value preposition Products and services, gain creator, pain reliever, pains, gains, and job (Osterwalder 2014).
Service blueprints physical evidence, customers actions, on-stage employees’
actions, backstage employees’ actions
As seen from the Table 11, the study analysed the tools that was used in build the foundation for the proposal, Buyer personal was analysed to find customers pain points, the Empathy mapping was used to understand more about the potential buyer behaviours and most to zoom in and out about their pains and gains points
“Understanding our customers by empathizing with them help us to understand more about our customers and that help us to save them better”. (Cleaning Manager 1)
“Service blueprints was very confusing in the beginning but now I understand it and its good to visualise our service blocks for future improvements, it was good”. (Cleaning manager 2)
“Customers empathy mapping is very important for cleaners because, I got to understand the customers more than before, now I know what customers wants, and what they expect form us this will help me to be more careful when cleaning from now”. (Cleaner 1)
5.3.1 Initial Proposal: Element 2, DEFINE
Second, the content and process of what the cleaners need to be trained in was further defined by using service design tools, first to bring more understanding of commercial cleaning in fine dining, the fine dining concept was first defined, followed by commercial cleaning concept, secondly the commercial cleaning skills was defined, third the level behind removing dirty was defined, lastly the cleaning process was defined to explore the knowledge behind professional cleaning and cleaning quality.
Figure 18 below shows the concept of commercial cleaning for the fine dining segment from the proposed training material.
Figure 18. The concept of commercial cleaning for the fine dining segment.
Fine dining is a full-service restaurant experience that has a dedicated, sophisticated, and unique meal course especially a la carte services. The meals are expensive. They are cooked and served professionally in an elegant way of presentation. The interior design and décor are of high quality and some of them are from famous designers. The guest’s experience is expected to be on top-notch, and customers are willing to pay for the service to enjoy the luxury and elegance of this experience. Among other things the physical environments in fine dining contribute to the guests experience and influence on creating the best memorable dining experience. Therefore, investing on professional commercial cleaning is an idea deal to reaching the customers’ expectations.
Commercial cleaning concept was defined to bring more understanding to cleaners and internal stakeholders to showcase what commercial cleaning is about
“The definition concepts for commercial cleaning, brought a clear picture to cleaners about professional cleaning concept, and it will contribute to their work performance and improve the quality level”. (Internal stakeholder)
“It was good to learn about these concepts, I learnt more about the fine dining experiences and now I know the customers are expecting us to clean well”. (Cleaner 1)
Figure 19 below shows the concept of commercial cleaning for the fine dining segment from the proposed training material.
Fine dining is a full service restaurant experience that has dedicated, sophisticated and unique meal courses especially a la carte services. The meals are expensive and are cooked and served professionally and elegantly. The interior design and d cor are of high quality and some of them are from famous designers. The guests are expected to be treated in a more civilised, unique, and more personalised way.