Articles

360 Degrees of Innovation

Categories: Cleaning Best Practices, Innovations, Trends & Technology

At the dawn of humankind, water was the only method of cleaning; people washed mud from their hands and feet in waterfalls, streams, and oceans. Around 4,000 years ago, ancient Babylonians added substances to water, improving its capacity for removing oils and residues that water alone was unable to dissolve.

Today, humans have more significant cleaning concerns, such as disinfecting and sanitizing against bacteria and other pathogens. Cleaning becomes increasingly complex and challenging with each passing year; so what’s the next big innovation in clean being developed to meet these challenges? ISSA and its members are prepared to show you!

Driving Innovation

The cleaning industry continuously produces great innovations in products, services, and technology. As your association, part of ISSA’s mission is to help drive the cleaning industry forward. The ISSA Innovation Award program helps accomplish this goal by supporting and recognizing the latest innovations in products and services developed by manufacturers.

“Each year, the entries demonstrate how our industry is on the forefront of innovation,” says ISSA Digital Marketing Director Lou Centrella. “I’m excited to see what new innovations there are this year.”

The Program

The annual ISSA Innovation Award program serves as a platform to support and recognize the latest products and services from top manufacturers in our industry. Cleaning industry distributors, wholesalers, building service contractors, residential cleaners, and in-house service providers can review all of the innovations at www.issa.com/vote and vote online for their favorites.

All entrants will also exhibit at the ISSA Show North America 2018 in Dallas, TX, October 29–November 1, 2018. The entries themselves will be on display throughout the show in the ISSA Innovation Marketplace & Lounge, Booth 3405.

The online votes will be tallied, and winners from each of the five categories—Cleaning Agents, Dispensers, Equipment, Services and Technology, and Supplies and Accessories—will be revealed. The five Category Award winners will be announced at the Team ISSA Welcome Reception in Dallas on Monday, October 29, 7:30–10:30 p.m.

In addition to the online voting for the five category winners, a panel of judges selected from all areas of the cleaning industry, including the press, will carefully review each entry and vote for the highly prized Innovation of the Year Award. This award will be announced at the ISSA Innovation Award Ceremony at the Innovation Marketplace & Lounge, Booth 3405, at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 1, making it a closing festivity of the ISSA Show North America 2018.

How to Vote

Online voting for the ISSA Innovation Category Awards program opened August 1 and continues through October 15—just days before the opening of the ISSA Show North America 2018.

Online visitors can browse through images, literature, videos, and descriptions of the products to evaluate and vote for the products and services they find to be the most innovative.

How the Judges Vote

The specially selected panel of industry-expert judges will use five criteria to determine the 2018 Innovation of the Year Award winner: impact, practicality, sustainability, profitability/cost effectiveness, and originality as defined below.

• Impact. How much of an effect will this product or service have on the industry’s economy? The impact can influence a specific segment of the market or many different sectors.
• Practicality. How appropriate or suited for actual use is this entry? How easy is it to use and transport? Is it suited for widespread production and/or use?
• Sustainability. Will this innovation continue to serve the industry and its patrons moving forward? Will it continue to have an impact in coming years?
• Profitability/cost effectiveness. How effective is the entry in saving users money long term? Will growing demand for the product or service continue to increase?
• Originality. This final element helps determine if the innovation fills a void or serves a new need in the marketplace. Is this product or service unique or perhaps a new twist on an old classic?

What next big advancements in clean will be unveiled? You have the opportunity to help determine the trajectory of new industry products and services—and experience them in person—during ISSA Show North America 2018! To play your part in advancing clean and driving innovation, visit www.issa.com/innovate and vote today!

About the Author.

Joan Weis is the Senior Marketing Communications Specialist for ISSA. She can be reached at [email protected].