Business Intelligence and AI for Cleaning Companies and Security Businesses: Key Takeaways from Our Latest Webinar

TEAM Software by WorkWave recently introduced Wavelytics™ – our new business intelligence and analytics platform designed specifically for commercial cleaning and security businesses looking to enhance business strategy through Timegate+ data. David “DL” Libesman, our SVP and General Manager of AI and Analytics, recently led a discussion around the future of these innovations, highlighting how analytics is set to be a powerful tool for disruption in how commercial cleaning and security companies operate.

Here are the top questions that your peers in the commercial cleaning industry and security sector had about the future of business intelligence, AI-powered tools and how we can expect them to change your professional cleaning operations.

Breaking Down Data Silos for True Business Intelligence in Professional Cleaning and Security

Q: How does connecting disparate business systems create a strategic advantage?

One of the biggest headaches for any business, in any industry, is having important data trapped in separate systems that don’t talk to each other. Then, when your stakeholders come together to make decisions, everyone is operating from different numbers – there’s no consistent truth. What do you believe?

This is why a robust data warehouse is a need-to-have.

For example, Wavelytics™’ Data Factory addresses this by creating a unified data ecosystem where information from TEAM products (like Timegate+ and TemplaCMS) can seamlessly integrate with third-party sources like fleet management platforms and CRM systems.

This integration capability represents a paradigm shift in how field service organisations can approach decision-making. Rather than viewing different operational areas in isolation, business leaders can now see how actions in one department affect outcomes in another. 

This holistic view enables more strategic resource allocation, identifies unexpected correlations between business activities and provides the foundation for truly data-driven management.

Are you interested in getting started with business intelligence and data analytics? Wavelytics™  Data Factory data warehouse platform is available now. Contact us to learn more. 

Real-Time Insights

Q: How is modern cloud architecture changing what’s possible in field service analytics?

When your reporting is delayed–even overnight–crucial opportunities can pass by. 

During our discussion, DL explained how the cloud now enables near real-time processing, with field data showing up in your dashboards within 10-30 minutes – a dramatic improvement compared to overnight batch processing. Think about what this might mean in terms of costs for your business – you could address problems before a guard or cleaner ever clocks out of their shift. You could limit the need to future non-billable overtime. You could fix a scheduling gap before it ever becomes a problem for a service-level agreement. The possibilities are endless. 

The platform’s architecture also demonstrates how AI capabilities are becoming deeply integrated into operational systems rather than existing as separate tools. With processing happening directly in the data warehouse, complex AI operations will be able to analyse vast datasets without performance bottlenecks, opening new possibilities for predictive maintenance, resource optimisation and proactive customer service.

Evolving From Reports to Actionable Intelligence

Q: How is the role of business intelligence evolving in field service management?

Insights aren’t just for the executives and backoffice. You have decision makers operating from the field, from customer sites and more.

As our technology evolves, it is doing so in a way that makes business intelligence even more accessible and actionable to the right workers at every level of your business. 

This is also one of the reasons why natural language intelligence is such an important part of our roadmap. Users will be able to ask questions about their data directly and receive contextualised answers tailored to their role in the company. Some examples: 

A security guard might ask: 

• “Which areas of this facility have the highest incident rates during my shift?”
• “What’s the average response time for backup at this location?”
• “Are there any special instructions for today’s patrol route?”

A field supervisor could ask:

• “Which of my guards have the highest incident reporting accuracy?”

• “Which client sites had staffing gaps this week and why?”
• “How does my team’s patrol coverage compare to our service agreement?”
• “Who on my team needs additional training based on performance data?”

A HR or payroll professional might want to know:

• “Which guards had overtime this pay period and was it approved?”
• “Are there any time punch anomalies I should review before processing payroll?”
• “How has our incident response time changed since implementing new training?”

A finance manager might want to know:

• “How do labour costs this month compare to our budget by client?”
• “Which client sites have the highest labour cost variance and why?”
• “What’s our actual square footage coverage compared to what we’re billing for this client?”
• “What’s our average revenue per square foot across different facility types?”

A CEO would be interested in broader questions like:

• “Which service lines have the highest profit margins this quarter?”
• “What’s our client retention rate compared to industry benchmarks?”
• “Which regional offices are growing fastest and what factors are driving it?”

The Power of Industry Benchmarking

Q: How can benchmarking transform our operational decision-making?

Industry benchmarking represents one of the most powerful applications of collective business intelligence in commercial cleaning services and security business seeking to improve efficiency. Rather than operating in isolation, these businesses will be able to understand their performance within the broader market context and develop business strategy based on the competitive analysis.

For example—instead of setting arbitrary goals like “let’s increase sales by 10%,” you can see that similar businesses in your area are actually growing at 15%, which might completely change your targets. Or you might discover your technician efficiency is well above average, letting you focus improvement efforts elsewhere. It’s about setting smart goals based on what’s actually happening in the industry.

“Our goal with benchmarking is not just delivering vanity metrics, but delivering the ability for you to identify where you can get better and what you need to do about that.” – David “DL” Libesman, SVP and General Manager of AI and Analytics

This approach supports intelligent goal-setting based on realistic industry standards rather than arbitrary targets, helping businesses focus their improvement efforts where they’ll have the greatest impact.

Tailoring Analytics to Your Industry

Q: How can analytics be tailored to address unique industry challenges?

One attendee asked a great question about industry-specific metrics—like how cleaning companies need to track square footage efficiency. This really demonstrates how important an industry-specific business intelligence tool is for delivering the insights your business really needs, rather than generic data points.

Value comes from analytics that understand security and cleaning operations at a granular level. When your analytics platform speaks the specific language of your industry—whether that’s square footage efficiency or incident response metrics—it becomes a true operational partner rather than just another reporting tool.

“We are going very deep into our verticals to make sure that we maximise and deliver the best results to our customers. We’re going to continue to evolve and develop and deliver these insights along the way.” – David “DL” Libesman, SVP and General Manager of AI and Analytics

Are you interested in getting started with business intelligence and data analytics? Wavelytics™  Data Factory data warehouse platform is available now.