Reducing labor costs with robots: strategies for B2B use

Labor costs in the core European markets are continually rising, while the availability of skilled workers is decreasing. For operators of nursing homes, hotels or logistics centers, this means a double burden: higher expenses and a simultaneous decline in service quality. The use of robotics aims to close this gap. This is not about completely replacing staff, but rather targeted relief from unproductive auxiliary work. A robot that is ready for use 24 hours a day takes on tasks that previously required expensive man-hours.

werob acts as the decisive translator between the operational need and the technological solution. As a system integrator you look at the entire workflow. Instead of pushing a single hardware solution, the platform analyzes which processes can be automated most effectively. The goal is measurable cost reduction. In nursing care, for example, this means a relief of €92,000 per year for medication alone. In the hotel industry, automated room service can save up to €112,000 in operational costs per location. These numbers are not theoretical estimates, but are based on the live operation of over 200 robots in 11 European countries.

The decisive factor for success is the speed of implementation. While traditional consulting firms often need months for the analysis, werob delivers a ready-to-use specification within 48 hours. This approach minimizes risk for the operator and ensures a quick return on investment. Automation turns from a complex IT project into a calculable operational decision that contributes directly to EBITDA.

The biggest bottleneck when introducing robotics is often the lack of clarity about the technical requirements. Operators know what task needs to be done, but not what hardware specifications are necessary. This is where the werob Spec Engine comes in. It is the heart of the platform and was trained on the basis of over 35,000 projects. Within just 48 hours, she translates the description of a workflow into a precise technical specification. Factors such as floor conditions, elevator connectivity, door widths and security zones are automatically taken into account.

This process eliminates the usual three to six month discovery phases. Instead of conducting lengthy workshops, werob uses structured data to immediately create a clear requirements profile. The Spec Engine not only takes into account the physical task, but also the necessary software interfaces. Whether a connection to PointClickCare in nursing or to Opera PMS in the hotel industry is required is already defined at this early stage. This ensures that the robot can be seamlessly integrated into the company's existing tech stack from day one.

After the specification has been determined, supplier matching takes place. werob is completely hardware-agnostic and maintains a catalog of over 44 OEM partners with a total of 280 different robot models. The system ranks these partners against the customer's individual specifications. This ensures that the most well-known robot is not chosen, but rather the one that completes the task most efficiently and cost-effectively. This objective selection process prevents vendor lock-in and guarantees the operator the best possible performance for his specific area of ​​application.

In the care industry, cost pressure is particularly acute. Skilled workers often spend up to 30 percent of their working time on logistical activities that do not require nursing qualifications. werob offers concrete solutions for optimizing wage costs. A prominent example is the medication round. The use of specialized transport robots that safely bring the pre-sorted medication to the wards significantly reduces the workload on specialist staff. The verified cost relief here amounts to €92,000 per location and year. These savings result directly from the reduction in travel times and the ability to use staff for value-adding nursing activities.

Another area is the general transport of laundry, meals or waste. Here, automation enables annual relief of €71,000. Companies like Korian Germany are already using these systems to achieve double-digit cost savings in their facilities in the first year. It's not just about pure savings, but also about compliance with legal requirements. In Germany, home supervision plays a central role. werob ensures that all systems used meet the strict regulatory requirements, including ISO 13482 for personal assistance robots.

The use of humanoid robots is particularly forward-looking. The first humanoid pilot project in a Hamburg care facility is already in its twelfth week of operation. These systems can take on more complex tasks and interact more naturally with the environment. By integrating into systems such as MatrixCare or PointClickCare, all of the robot's activities are completely documented. This not only increases efficiency, but also improves the audit security of the entire facility. The operator only pays for the result - werob's outcome-only model ensures that costs only arise when the system is running productively.

The hotel industry is struggling with fluctuating occupancy and a chronic shortage of service staff. Robots can serve as reliable support here to keep labor costs stable. Room service is a classic example: a robot can autonomously deliver orders to floors, call elevators and notify guests upon arrival. This relieves pressure on bar or reception staff, especially during peak hours or at night. According to werob data, the cost reduction for room service amounts to €112,000 per year and location.

Significant savings can also be achieved in the area of ​​preparation for breakfast or bar operations. Here the annual relief is around €54,000. Robots take over clearing tables or transporting dishes to the scullery. By connecting to property management systems (PMS) such as Mews or Opera PMS, these processes are completely automated. The robot knows exactly when a guest has checked out or when a delivery needs to be made to a specific room. This deep integration into the existing stack is a unique selling point of werob.

Compliance with hygiene standards such as HACCP is mandatory in the hotel and catering industry. werob only selects robots that meet these standards and are easy to clean. Through the live cockpit the hotel manager has an overview of the entire fleet at all times. A four-dimensional traffic light system shows the status of hardware, infrastructure, regulations and compliance with the original specification. This ensures that the promised cost relief is achieved over the long term and downtimes are minimized. The path to deployment is short: the offer is available five days after the specification, and the robot is active in the hotel after eight weeks.

In system catering (F&B) and logistics, margins are often low, which makes optimizing labor costs all the more important. In restaurant chains, tray robots take over the transport between the kitchen and the dining area or bring dirty dishes to the washing room. These tablet bots result in an annual cost reduction of €76,000. Even cleaning the kitchen floor, an often unpopular and time-consuming task, can be automated, saving €44,000 per year per location. The integration here takes place via cash register systems such as Toast or Lightspeed, which allows the robot to respond directly to orders.

In logistics and facility management, the focus is on security and large-scale monitoring. An automated yard patrol reduces the cost of security services by €68,000 per year. In retail, patrol robots can be used to monitor sales areas, which means relief of €58,000. These robots are often equipped with advanced sensors and integrated into security platforms such as Genetec or warehouse management systems such as SAP EWM. This enables seamless monitoring without the use of additional personnel on site.

Fleet management via the werob Cockpit is crucial here. Especially in large logistics centers or extensive areas, several robots have to be coordinated. werob ensures that communication between the units and the central control works smoothly. Complex regulatory requirements such as the Security Ordinance (BewachVO) or the cybersecurity standard IEC 62443 are also taken into account. The operator receives a turnkey solution that not only includes the hardware, but also maps and secures the entire operational process.

A common mistake in automation is committing to a specific robot manufacturer (OEM) early on. This often leads to vendor lock-in, where the operator is tied to a single provider's software and pricing. werob takes a radically different approach: hardware agnostic. Since werob is not a manufacturer, there is no interest in selling a specific model. Instead, the focus is on solving the operational problem. With over 44 OEM partners in the catalog, werob can choose from an enormous range of technologies, from humanoid robots from Apptronik or Figure AI to specialized service robots from Keenon or Pudu.

This approach offers the customer maximum flexibility. If a new, more efficient robot comes onto the market, it can easily be integrated into the existing fleet using the werob platform. The Spec Engine ensures that requirements are clearly defined and Supplier Match finds the best hardware at the best price/performance ratio. This is especially important in a fast-moving market where new innovations are constantly appearing. werob acts as a protective shield for the operator against technological obsolescence.

Werob also assumes responsibility for compliance. Many Asian OEMs do not automatically meet all European safety standards. werob acts as a compliance path and ensures that all robots used have the necessary certifications. This includes not only physical security, but also data protection in accordance with GDPR and IT security. The customer does not have to deal with the technical details of the different manufacturers, but receives a validated solution that is ready for immediate use. This independence from individual manufacturers is a core differentiator that makes werob the largest system integrator in Europe.

A robot that operates in isolation from the rest of the company's systems loses much of its value. The real cost relief only comes from deep integration into the existing software stack. werob offers prefabricated connectors that enable a quick and stable connection. In logistics, integration into SAP EWM (Extended Warehouse Management) is essential in order to transmit transport orders to the robot fleet in real time. In the hotel industry, interfaces to Opera PMS or Mews ensure that the robot is informed about guest requests or room status.

These connectors are not individual programming services, but rather standardized building blocks of the werob platform. This dramatically reduces implementation time and increases reliability. In the care industry, connections to PointClickCare or MatrixCare are crucial in order to minimize the documentation effort for staff. When a robot has completed a medication delivery, this is automatically noted in the system. This not only saves time, but also reduces the error rate when entering data manually.

Werob's technical architecture is designed to grow with the company. New locations or additional robots can be easily added because the infrastructure is already in place. The cockpit serves as a central control unit that bundles all data streams. Operators thus receive a transparent overview of the performance of their fleet and can see the success of automation directly from the reduced labor costs. The integration is therefore not just a technical process, but the basis for data-driven optimization of the entire operational processes.

An often underestimated aspect when introducing robotics is the legal framework. From January 20, 2027, the new EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230 will be binding. This regulation imposes significantly higher requirements on the safety and compliance of machines, especially if they work with artificial intelligence or are used in close proximity to people. This means a significant liability risk for operators if the systems used do not meet the new standards. werob offers a built-in compliance path here.

As a system integrator, werob takes over checking and ensuring conformity for all systems used. This is particularly relevant for robots from non-European manufacturers, who often do not have direct branches in the EU. werob carries out the necessary risk assessments and ensures that the machine guidelines are adhered to. This also includes specific standards such as ISO 13482 for service robots in public spaces or the BewachVO for security robots. The operator not only receives a technological solution, but also legal security.

We also take into account the EU AI Act, which regulates the use of AI systems. Since modern robots are often based on complex algorithms for navigation and interaction, they can fall into certain risk classes. werob continuously monitors these regulatory developments and adapts the fleet specifications accordingly. This protects customers' investments in the long term and prevents expensive retrofitting or even operational bans by the authorities. In an environment that is increasingly characterized by complex regulations, werob's compliance expertise becomes a decisive competitive advantage for operators.

Traditional robotics projects often fail due to high initial investments (CAPEX) and unclear prospects of success. werob breaks this model with an outcome-only approach. This means: The operator only pays when the robot is actually in use and completes the defined tasks. There are no hidden costs for the discovery phase or lengthy consulting services. This model shifts risk from the customer to the integrator and ensures that whoever has maximum interest in a quick and successful implementation.

This commercial model allows companies to finance automation projects from the operational budget (OPEX). Since the cost relief - for example the €92,000 in care or the €112,000 in the hotel - is often higher than the monthly fees for the robotic system, operators achieve positive cash flow from day one. This makes the use of robots also attractive for smaller locations or chains that do not want to commit large amounts of investment. werob offers a scalable solution that is directly based on economic performance.

The path to a productive system is clearly defined: 48 hours to the specification, five days to the binding offer and eight weeks to live operation. This speed is unique in the market and is made possible by the standardized platform. Operators do not need to become experts in robotics; they just define their workflow and werob delivers the result. With over 200 robots in live operation and a goal of scaling to 2,000 units by 2028, werob proves that this model works. It is the most efficient way to sustainably reduce labor costs and ensure operational excellence in an increasingly automated world.