The verdict in three sentences
A New York commercial cleaning company with 120 cleaners across 90 sites typically loses 10 to 15% of hours unbilled: last-minute cover, overtime not passed on, one-off jobs never invoiced. Off-the-shelf janitorial software costs 6 to 14 USD per employee per month (8,600 to 20,200 USD a year) and a custom build from a New York agency 50,000 to 120,000 USD; Kolonell builds a platform with QR code clock-in and profitability per site for 4 to 7 million FCFA (6,100 to 10,670 EUR). Recovering just a third of lost hours repays the investment within months, as a 2026 order of magnitude.
Where a cleaning company leaks margin
With 90 sites (offices, residential buildings, retail, medical suites), the schedule changes daily: sick days, vacation, clients adding a deep clean. Supervisors handle cover by text, timesheets come in at month end, and invoices follow the contract rather than actual work. New York also adds strict wage and hour rules (Fair Labor Standards Act overtime, NYC Fair Workweek for some sectors, Paid Safe and Sick Leave) that make accurate time records essential.
| Source of loss | Share of hours affected (estimate) | Margin impact | Software answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extra work not billed | 3 to 5% | Lost revenue | Mobile work order signed on site, sent to billing |
| Overtime not passed on | 2 to 4% | Uncovered labor cost | QR clock-in compared with client contract |
| Poorly tracked cover | 2 to 3% | Duplicates or missed sites | Real-time schedule, missed clock-in alerts |
| Timesheet vs payroll gaps | 1 to 2% | Wage claims, corrections | Automatic payroll export (ADP, Gusto, Paychex) |
| Structurally loss-making sites | Variable | Hidden negative margin | Profitability dashboard per site per month |
Off-the-shelf or custom: 2026 comparison
The figures below are US market estimates, except the last row, which follows Kolonell's price grid.
| Option | Upfront cost | Annual cost (120 staff) | Timeline | Main limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Janitorial SaaS | 1,500 to 5,000 USD setup | 8,600 to 20,200 USD | 1 to 2 months | Per-site profitability often limited |
| Wall-mounted time clocks | 150 to 400 USD per unit, 13,500 to 36,000 USD | 5 to 10 USD per unit per month | 2 months | Hardware at every client site |
| New York agency, custom build | 50,000 to 120,000 USD | 150 to 225 USD per hour support | 4 to 7 months | High budget for an SMB |
| Spreadsheets and texts | 0 USD | 1 to 2 days a week of admin | Immediate | No real visibility |
| Kolonell custom build | 4 to 7 M FCFA (6,100 to 10,670 EUR) | Maintenance 114 EUR a month | 3 to 4 months | Needs careful payroll scoping |
The lower end covers scheduling, QR code clock-in posted at each site, the cleaners' mobile app and the per-site profitability dashboard. The upper end adds signed work orders, payroll export, a client portal with proof of service and per-site supplies tracking. QR clock-in needs only a laminated label per site instead of thousands of dollars in hardware.
Privacy and time tracking: the rules
Phone-based clock-in is fine if it stays proportionate. Continuous GPS tracking of staff raises legal and employee-relations risk, and New York State requires written notice before electronic monitoring of employees. A QR scan at arrival and departure, without continuous location, is the safest design. Hosting in the US on AWS or Azure, with encryption and daily backups.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Maria, owner of a commercial cleaning company in New York, 120 cleaners, 90 sites, about 13,000 billable hours a month at an average of 38 USD.
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- Unbilled hours estimated at 12%: 1,560 hours a month, or 59,280 USD of missed revenue.
- Prudent assumption: the software recovers a third, 520 hours and 19,760 USD a month.
- Investment: about 10,300 USD (9,500 EUR) development plus 114 EUR a month maintenance.
- Payback: less than one month of recovered revenue, plus a day a week of admin saved.
FAQ
Do cleaners need a company phone?
No, the app runs on their own smartphone as a PWA. For staff without a smartphone, a shared team phone at 120 to 180 USD is enough.
Can QR clock-in be cheated?
No system is perfect, but codes can be rotated monthly and combined with spot checks by supervisors. It is far more reliable than paper timesheets filled in at month end.
Can we export hours to payroll?
Yes, to ADP, Gusto or Paychex through an import file. That connector usually represents 900 to 1,700 USD of the budget.
How long until we start?
Allow 3 to 4 months, including a 2-week pilot on 10 sites. Training a cleaner takes 15 minutes.
Who owns the software and data?
Your company owns the code and data. Kolonell maintenance is optional, from 53 to 183 EUR a month.
Let's scope your project. Send us your headcount, site count and payroll provider, and we will price your platform between 6,100 and 10,670 EUR, delivered in 3 to 4 months. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
