In the Eastern part of China, a new smart supervision system is being used as an experiment to monitor the textile cleaning in hotels. Smart chips are embedded in cleaning cloths, bed linen and other items at hotels. Sensors in cleaning cloths give a warning sound whenever these products are used in the wrong areas.
For instance, if a cloth intended for wiping hand basins is employed to wipe up a spill from the floor. The error is reported to the hotel management as well as to the local government via data upload. Members of the cleaning team are required to scan the bed sheets and quilt covers before leaving the guest’s room to show that they have finished their work.
Hotel surveys show that most guests welcome the new approach since it provides reassurance about the property’s hygiene standards on the one hand. On the other hand, it enables customers to check the cleaning status of their room by scanning a QR code. The smart supervision system has been piloted in 12 hotels across two chains since December 2020. It is expected to be rolled out across more properties soon.