How Data, Technology, and Leadership Build Better Cleaning Companies
Welcome back to the Five Door Media Podcast Blog, your go-to resource for the cleaning and home service industries to connect, learn, and grow. This season, we’re diving into the future of cleaning through the lens of technology, software, and AI and our latest guest knows exactly how data and people intersect.
We sat down with Martha Woodward, co-founder of Quality Driven Software (QDS), to talk about how cleaning business owners can build stronger, more accountable teams, improve retention, and use technology not just to run operations, but to lead better.
If you’ve ever wondered how to turn software from a “nice-to-have” into the backbone of your company’s culture, this episode is for you.
From Punitive Systems to Positive Accountability
In the early days, HR systems were built to catch people doing things wrong, not to celebrate them doing things right. Martha’s seen that change firsthand.
“There’s been a real shift,” she explains. “It used to be all punitive. Now there’s a growing focus on retention, culture, and positive reinforcement. Software can actually aid in those human moments.”
That line - “aid, not replace” - says everything about how QDS approaches technology. It’s not about taking humanity out of leadership; it’s about using data to deliver feedback that’s fair, consistent, and actionable.
And the payoff? Happier teams, less turnover, and more confidence in your decisions as an owner.
Culture Is a Data-Driven Growth Lever
There’s a long-standing myth that culture is intangible - something you can feel, but can’t measure. Martha flips that idea on its head.
“For a lot of owners, culture has always felt like the soft stuff,” she says. “But now, more are realizing it’s actually a growth lever. When you measure it, you can improve it.”
Through tools like scorecards, trend data, and employee feedback loops, cleaning business owners can track things like quality scores, attendance, or client satisfaction. That visibility empowers them to act, not react, to what’s happening inside their teams.
As Martha puts it, “Data makes tough decisions black and white. It takes the guilt out of accountability.”
The Best Companies Don’t Just Have Data, They Use It
Everyone has access to data these days. But only the best companies use it to take action.
“Data alone doesn’t do anything,” Drew notes during the conversation. “It’s the people who act on it that make a difference, whether it’s financial, cultural, or operational.”
Martha agrees. In fact, she compares people data to financial data: both tell you where the problems are, and both only matter if you make changes based on what you see.
That’s the heartbeat of this episode: software is worthless if it’s not implemented. Having tools and subscriptions is one thing. Integrating them into how your team operates daily is what transforms your business.
You can have every software on the market, but if you’re not implementing them, you’re just wasting money.
The Three Biggest Pitfalls Owners Fall Into
When cleaning business owners try to fix retention or culture problems without the right systems, Martha sees the same three traps over and over:
Feeling overwhelmed and powerless
Many owners get stuck in “survival mode” and are afraid to make changes because they might lose people. But as Martha says, “The way out is through.” Taking action, even when it’s hard, is the only way to regain control.Overcomplicating everything
Too many business owners try to solve everything at once. “You can’t have a $10 bonus tied to 10 different behaviors,” she laughs. “People quit before they start when it’s that complicated.”Lack of transparency
Owners often assume employees don’t want the details, but the opposite is true. “They want to know how to win,” Martha explains. Without clarity, even well-meaning incentive programs feel arbitrary, like getting a test back with a grade but no explanation.
Simplicity and transparency are what make systems sustainable. When employees can see exactly where they stand, and what it takes to move forward, culture strengthens naturally.
How Quality Driven Software Brings Clarity to the Chaos
When QDS first launched, its focus was simple: send out customer satisfaction surveys and track results tied to specific team members. Over time, it evolved into something much bigger.
Now, QDS gives cleaning and service business owners a complete view of company health, tracking everything from employee retention and attendance to HR policy violations and quality trends.
Here’s how it works:
Automated Data Feeds: QDS pulls data from your scheduling software automatically. When a new employee or client enters the system, they’re added and tracked in real time.
Weekly Employee Report Cards: Every week, employees get a report showing their average score, five-star reviews, and company comparisons, complete with client feedback.
Color-Coded Accountability: A simple red-yellow-green dashboard lets team members see their standing in areas like attendance or complaints at a glance.
Transparency for All: Admins get summaries, employees get clarity, and leaders can focus on coaching, not guessing.
The result? Everyone knows where they stand. No surprises, no drama - just data and direction.
Using AI Without Losing the Human Element
Martha’s take on AI is refreshingly balanced: embrace it, but don’t let it replace the conversations that matter.
“I would hate to see AI take over feedback or coaching,” she says. “It can assist managers, but it should never become the voice of leadership.”
She imagines a future where AI tools in QDS help coach the management team by spotting trends, flagging problem areas, and suggesting what to focus on next. But she’s clear: the human connection must remain.
Still, she sees powerful potential in AI’s ability to connect data between systems. Imagine pairing QDS’s performance data with recruiting software, linking the qualities of your best hires with long-term results.
“That’s the dream,” Martha says. “Smarter hiring, better retention, and fewer personality hires that burn you later.”
Data Doesn’t Remove Empathy, It Removes Guilt
Tough leadership moments are unavoidable. But with the right systems, they don’t have to feel personal.
Martha tells a story about counseling a team member she genuinely liked, but who consistently struggled with attendance and quality. The decision to let her go wasn’t emotional; it was a matter of data.
“When everything is transparent and outlined,” Martha explains, “you’re not being the bad guy. You’re following the recipe.”
That kind of clarity empowers not just owners, but their managers too. She recalls one manager who couldn’t sleep before a disciplinary meeting. After seeing the data, she finally relaxed: “This wasn’t me. This was the system.”
That’s the power of software done right. It doesn't strip away compassion; it makes accountability fair.
The Practitioner Mindset: Always Be Testing
One of the most powerful moments in the conversation came when Drew reflected on how both he and Martha learn simply by doing the work.
In their worlds (marketing and software) data is everywhere. The job itself becomes the education.
That’s a crucial mindset for cleaning business owners too. Every test, every change, every survey response is feedback. The more you listen and adapt, the faster your company evolves.
You’re always learning just by doing your job. The data teaches you if you’re willing to look.
The 60-Second Case for Culture Systems
At the end of the episode, Drew asked Martha to give her “elevator pitch” to any cleaning business owner who still thinks tracking culture and performance isn’t worth it. Her answer was simple: “If you use this software to save just one client,” she says, “you’ve already paid for it.”
Then she hits the second reason - the emotional ROI: “When you have data, your decisions become clear. It shifts the responsibility from management to the employee. And that clarity decreases stress.”
That’s the real buy-in. The best systems don’t just pay for themselves, they make leadership easier.
Final Thought: Culture Is a System You Can Measure
The cleaning industry has always been about people, but the future belongs to the companies who blend people with process, data with empathy, and accountability with care. Martha Woodward and QDS aren’t just building software; they’re helping owners build clarity, confidence, and culture that lasts.
If your cleaning business is stuck in chaos or craving consistency, this episode is your roadmap to balance. Because, as Martha reminds us, culture isn’t fluff, it’s measurable.And what gets measured, improves.
