The future face of Cleaning: Why Technology Is Here to Elevate, Not Replace, People

The views of Alex Gavrilovic, sales director, Q3 Services.

When I look back over my career in the cleaning and FM sector, the one constant has been change. Technology and expectations have evolved at a pace I don’t think any of us could have predicted when I first started out. What’s been exciting is not just watching that evolution happen, but being part of it and, in small ways, helping to shape it.

I’ve always been interested in technology, long before it became the buzzword it is today. For me, tech has never been about shiny gadgets or innovation for innovation’s sake. It’s about value. Over the years, I’ve seen the cleaning sector move from being largely manual and reactive to becoming increasingly data-led and measurable. Robotics, sensors, telemetry and smarter equipment have fundamentally changed what’s possible. Crucially, they’ve changed the conversation with clients. We’re no longer relying on perception or opinion alone, we can evidence performance, adjust in real time and design services around how buildings are actually used. That shift will only continue, and I think it’s a very good thing for our industry.

Technology that adds real value

One of my biggest learning curves, though, had nothing to do with technology. It was understanding a deceptively simple question: what does “clean” actually mean? Early on, I realised just how subjective cleaning is. Clean can mean different things depending on the environment, the materials, the time of inspection and the expectations of the person looking. That subjectivity has caused more friction in our industry than almost anything else. A big part of my journey has been trying to remove as much of that ambiguity as possible, to move from opinion to evidence. Whether that’s through measurable hygiene standards, data from equipment, or clearer conversations with clients, the goal has always been the same: make cleaning understandable and defensible.

Technology has helped enormously here. Tools that allow us to understand occupancy patterns or prove that a task has been completed take emotion out of the equation. They support our people, build trust with clients and raise standards across the board. I’m an early adopter by nature, but only when something genuinely adds value. If it doesn’t work in practice, it’s not innovation – it’s noise.

Why Q3 felt right

That mindset is a big part of why Q3 felt like the natural next step for me. Q3 brings together experience from across the FM sector, but with a very deliberate philosophy to be better, be open and do the right thing. We set it up having learned from both the positives and frustrations of larger corporate environments. We wanted to build a business that’s agile, confident enough to put its profit at risk, and focused on delivery rather than excuses. Innovation at Q3 is about making life easier for clients and teams alike.

Looking ahead

I still believe the most successful innovations aren’t always the flashiest. Often, they’re the ones that quietly work in the background, giving you better information and better outcomes. As the industry continues to change, that’s where I see the real opportunity, using technology thoughtfully to make cleaning more transparent, more professional and more valued. After all these years, that’s what still motivates me. Finding better ways to do a job that, when done properly, makes a genuine difference to people’s everyday lives.