Gonder Facility Services finally has one tracking system for a mixed fleet from multiple manufacturers, and is already using the resulting machine data to redeploy under-used equipment and defend against customer complaints with hard evidence.
Gonder Facility Services is a German FM business that turned 100 on 24 February 2024, still family-owned in its fifth generation. The core revenue segment is and remains routine maintenance cleaning; beyond that, Gonder provides caretaker services, grounds maintenance, reception services, glass cleaning and end-of-tenancy cleans. Stefan Dörner has worked in facility management since 1984 and has spent the last 13 years at Gonder as Operations Manager, responsible for the entire field organisation, the in-house Gonder Academy and, with a colleague, group controlling.
The starting point
Gonder runs roughly 3,000 machines, of which about 2,500 are vacuum cleaners, across three committed manufacturers: Comac (via partner Kenter, including its i-mop flagship), Columbus for industrial and production cleaning, and Kärcher for high-value entrance areas and outdoor cleaning. Only one of the three, Kärcher, had ever offered a tracking system, "Kärcher Fleet," which let Gonder follow machines and log repairs but not in the depth ToolSense allows. The systems did not work together. Dörner's goal was blunt: one system for every machine and product, regardless of manufacturer. Knowing where his machines are and how long they run is, as he put it, the dream of any field operations manager, one he had chased for at least ten years.
Why ToolSense
Gonder came to ToolSense through partner Kenter GmbH, which had been working with ToolSense for some time and recommended it on the strength of a close, friendly customer relationship. Last week the team finally found a way to bring one of its three machine partners onto ToolSense as well, removing the last barrier to a single asset management view across the mixed fleet.
The dream of any field operations manager is to know where his machines are deployed and how long they're in use. I've wanted that for at least ten years.
Stefan Dörner · Operations Manager, Gonder Facility Services
Operational impact
Gonder is early, with around 40 machines currently tracked, but the insight is already paying off. In one large site, the team discovered an i-mop, an expensive machine usually bought with spare batteries for multi-hour daily use, was running only half an hour a week. After checking with the object leader, Gonder moved it to another site where it now runs two hours every day. ToolSense also helps with field-service tickets and complaints: if a customer claims an entrance area is no longer being machine-cleaned, Gonder can show exactly when and for how long it was cleaned, turning a possible complaint into documented fact.
What's next
Dörner wants to track every cleaning machine younger than four years that holds meaningful value, not every vacuum, since the IoT modules cost roughly as much as a vacuum cleaner. The aim is to trigger repair orders, see how machines are used and how many square metres they cover, and use that as a benchmark for costing recurring tenders for similar administrative buildings and production sites. Gonder is also exploring deeper integration with its time-tracking provider. It is a broadly digital operation already, offering customers QR-code service reporting in sanitary and kitchen areas, digital quality control, and tablet-based sign-off, and Dörner sees ToolSense as part of how the company stays ahead of competitors.
