Facility managers are facing increasing challenges in efficiency, cost control and sustainability. Learn how smart restroom solutions like Onvation^® provide a seamless, data-driven solution that help facilities work smarter — not harder. Improve efficiency, sustainability and the overall restroom experience.

Restroom maintenance plays a critical role in overall facility management but is often overlooked until it becomes a bigger problem. Effective restroom management requires a proactive approach to staffing, budgets, sustainability and user expectations. Without real-time insights, facilities can risk supply shortages and inefficient servicing, leading to disruptions that divert staff from strategic tasks.

The challenge? Limited real-time data. Without accessible insights into actual restroom usage patterns and supply levels, facilities are stuck in reactive mode. 

As facility management evolves, more organizations are turning to data-driven solutions to improve efficiency and reduce operational disruptions. In fact, 79% of decision-makers report that their firms are already investing — or planning to invest — in technology that optimizes facility operations.¹

Let’s explore how smart restroom technology is transforming facility management, why it’s an essential investment and how Onvation^® empowers teams to operate more efficiently, sustainably and cost-effectively.

What are smart restrooms and how do they work?

Smart restrooms integrate IoT-enabled technology to automate restroom management, using data to improve efficiency, hygiene and resource allocation. These systems incorporate touchless fixtures, occupancy sensors, automated cleaning alerts and AI-driven analytics, reducing manual restroom checks and improving servicing accuracy.

By regularly collecting and analyzing restroom data, smart technology provides facility teams with insights that inform maintenance schedules and accurately tracks supply levels for an enhanced user experience.

One essential component of this ecosystem is dispenser monitoring, which helps to ensure that hygiene products remain stocked and available when needed. — significantly reducing restroom-related complaints. Onvation specializes in real-time dispenser monitoring, equipping facility managers with up-to-the-minute data to optimize labor efficiency, reduce costs and proactively maintain restrooms based on actual demand

How Onvation works:

• Onvation SmartFit^™ sensors continuously monitor real-time dispenser levels, helping eliminate the need for unnecessary manual checks.
• Sensor data is instantly transmitted to a cloud-based dashboard, providing facility managers with a real-time, multi-location view of restroom conditions.
• Janitorial staff receive proactive alerts via the Onvation app, allowing them to address restocking and cleaning needs before they become problems.
• Facility managers can track usage trends, generate reports and optimize workflows to improve labor efficiency while also gathering concrete data to support key initiatives and decision-making at the leadership level.

Smart restroom misconceptions

Myth: Smart restrooms replace janitorial staff.
Reality: Solutions like Onvation enhance janitorial workflows by helping eliminate unnecessary restroom checks, allowing staff to focus on higher-value tasks. It’s about working smarter, not replacing jobs.

Myth: Smart restrooms are only for facilities with many restrooms.
Reality: Any facility with high restroom foot traffic can benefit from data-driven restroom management. It's about the volume of users, not solely the number of restrooms.

Myth: Implementing Onvation is complicated.
Reality: The new SmartFit^™ technology seamlessly integrates with many existing Kimberly-Clark Professional dispensers, requiring no major infrastructure changes for minimal restroom disruptions.

Why smart restroom technology is a business investment

Investing in smart restroom technology isn't just about improving hygiene — it’s about driving efficiency, reducing waste and optimizing costs. By shifting from manual restroom checks to data-driven servicing, facility managers can unlock measurable improvements in labor productivity, supply management and overall operations.

1. Cutting labor waste and improving productivity

Traditional restroom maintenance often follows rigid schedules, leading to wasted time and unnecessary labor costs. Smart restroom solutions like Onvation transform this process by providing real-time insights, so janitorial teams know exactly when and where servicing is needed, allowing staff to focus on more critical facility needs.

With Onvation, facilities can:

• Help eliminate unnecessary restroom checks, reducing labor hours spent on manual inspections.
• Improve workforce efficiency, allowing janitorial teams to focus on higher-priority tasks.
• Keep restrooms consistently stocked and guest-ready, even during peak hours.

2. Reducing supply waste and managing budgets

Facilities often struggle with balancing restroom supply costs, leading to either overstocking or shortages. Without accurate usage data, janitorial teams may replace dispensers preemptively, increasing product waste and inflating costs. Solutions like Onvation help eliminate guesswork by providing precise data on product usage.

With Onvation, facilities can:

• Optimize supply orders by analyzing long-term restroom usage trends, improving procurement accuracy and reducing overstocking.
• Reduce unnecessary waste by aligning supply levels with actual restroom demand, preventing premature product replacements.
• Improve inventory planning by predicting supply needs in advance, reducing reliance on last-minute emergency orders.

3. Sustainability alignment

Sustainability is more than a corporate initiative — it’s a strategic advantage as businesses respond to growing consumer demand for responsible practices. Smart restroom solutions like Onvation help facilities minimize product waste, improve resource efficiency and support broader sustainability objectives. Facilities using Onvation have reported up to an 80% reduction in consumable waste, helping them advance their sustainability goals while cutting costs.³

Facility managers can use Onvation to:

• Track and analyze product consumption trends post installation.
• Demonstrate measurable sustainability improvements to leadership.
• Align supply usage with sustainability initiatives for long-term impact.

4. Enhancing guest experience and brand reputation

With Onvation, facilities can:

• Leverage real-time data to anticipate and address restroom needs, minimizing disruptions and reducing occupant complaints.
• Keep restrooms stocked and hygienic, creating a positive experience that reinforces facility quality.
• Project a professional and hygienic facility image that reinforces trust and quality. Facilities using Onvation have reported a 2X increase in restroom visitor satisfaction.⁵

Addressing common smart restroom and Onvation FAQs

1. What are the key benefits of smart restroom technology?
Smart restroom technology helps reduce waste, labor inefficiencies and operational costs while improving hygiene, sustainability and overall facility management. By using real-time data, facilities can optimize resources and enhance the restroom experience for occupants.

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2. What types of facilities benefit most from smart restrooms?
High-traffic environments that see frequent restroom usage such as airports, large office buildings, higher education and stadiums or arenas (to name a few) would benefit best from smart restroom technology. 

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3. What can Onvation do for my facility?
Onvation helps facilities eliminate waste, streamline labor and enhance restroom management by delivering real-time insights. Facility managers can use this data to better predict usage trends, refine procurement strategies and optimize cleaning schedules.

These insights are consolidated in one secure, easy-to-access dashboard that seamlessly integrates with existing IT and facility management systems for easier adoption. With actionable insights at their fingertips, facility teams can help lower costs, maximize efficiency and enhance the restroom experience.

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4. What kind of insights does Onvation provide?
With SmartFit^™ technology, facility managers gain real-time visibility into product levels, restroom usage trends and service efficiency. These insights enable smarter procurement decisions, reducing premature product replacements and ensuring restroom servicing aligns with actual demand. By optimizing supply use and minimizing waste, Onvation helps facilities improve cost efficiency while advancing sustainability goals. 

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5. How easy is it to implement Onvation?
The Onvation SmartFit^™ sensor seamlessly integrates with most Kimberly-Clark Professional dispensers in a plug-and-play approach, requiring no major infrastructure changes or downtime.

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6. Does smart restroom technology replace janitorial jobs?
No, smart restroom technology optimizes workflows, allowing janitorial teams to focus on priority tasks. This enhances the visibility of their efforts and ensures that time is spent where it’s needed most. 

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7. What is included in the Onvation monthly subscription?
The Onvation subscription includes a comprehensive set of tools to help facilities manage restrooms efficiently:

• Access to the Onvation Compass^™ App and Dashboard for real-time restroom monitoring and data insights.
• A dedicated Customer Success Manager to provide ongoing guidance and support.
• Advanced analytics and reporting to track restroom usage trends and optimize servicing.
• On-site training and ongoing technical support to ensure seamless implementation and adoption.
• Installation, equipment and Kimberly-Clark Professional dispensers with a 100% lifetime warranty⁶, providing long-term value and reliability.

The future of facility management is smart

The days of reactive restroom maintenance are over. As expectations for efficiency, hygiene and sustainability grow, facilities need data-driven solutions to keep up. Onvation equips facility teams with the real-time data and insights needed to minimize waste, maximize efficiency and enhance restroom management — all while driving measurable operational improvements.

Leading facility managers are already making the shift. Is your facility ready to take the next step toward smarter, more efficient operations?

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Smart Restrooms Make Buildings More Efficient

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¹ Study: As data dominates asset and facilities management decisions, organizations strive to modernize infrastructure, predict asset failures. (2024, November 20). Brightly. https://www.brightlysoftware.com/resource/study-data-dominates- asset-and-facilities-management-decisions-organizations-strive
² Proprietary data from Kimberly-Clark Professional, based on analysis of current Onvation customers
³ Proprietary data from Kimberly-Clark Professional, demonstrated in alpha and beta testing
⁴ Bradley Corp. (2024, June). https://www.bradleycorp.com/news/bradley-survey-illustrates-why-clean-restrooms-are-good-for-business
⁵ Proprietary data from Kimberly-Clark Professional, study involving 36 people in restrooms in a facility in Alabama
⁶ Lifetime Warranty applies to proprietary dispensers while they are installed and the end-user account is exclusively using Kimberly-Clark Professional products for those dispensers. For more information, visit www.KCProfessional.com/LifetimeWarranty.