Robot tender software: Efficiency in 48 hours

Many robotics projects fail in the planning phase. Companies often spend three to six months defining requirements and obtaining offers. This process is not only time-consuming but also error-prone. Specifications are often written that are either too vague or are too focused on a specific manufacturer. This leads to a vendor lock-in, which limits the company's flexibility in the long term.

Another obstacle is the lack of transparency regarding costs and technical compatibility. Without specialized robot tendering software, decision-makers rely on the statements of OEM sales teams. werob breaks this pattern. As a hardware-agnostic system integrator werob offers a platform that does not represent the interests of a single manufacturer, but rather focuses on the operator's operational requirements. The goal is to shorten the process from the initial idea to the running robot to eight weeks.

The complexity of integration into existing IT systems such as SAP EWM or Opera PMS is often underestimated in classic tenders. This leads to improvements that go beyond the budget. A software-supported approach identifies these interface requirements in the first phase of specification creation.

The heart of the werob platform is the Spec Engine. She has been trained on over 35,000 projects and is able to translate human descriptions of work processes into technical data points. An operations manager only has to describe which shift is being driven, which tasks the robot is supposed to take on and what the on-site infrastructure is like. The engine generates a complete specification within 48 hours.

This automated process relieves consultants of weeks of manual interviews and speeds up data collection. The Spec Engine takes critical factors such as floor conditions, elevator connections and safety zones into account. This is particularly crucial in industries such as nursing or hotels, where robots operate in close proximity to people. In care, for example, this leads to a significant annual cost reduction per location for the medication round.

Standardizing the requirements ensures that all potential providers can be compared on the same basis. This creates an objective basis for decision-making that goes far beyond what manual tables can achieve. The speed of the Spec Engine is a key competitive advantage, with human experts always remaining in control of the final system decisions.

As soon as the specification is determined, the supplier match takes place. werob accesses a catalog of over 44 OEM partners, including well-known manufacturers such as Boston Dynamics, Keenon, Pudu and Apptronik. In total, there are over 280 different robot models to choose from, which are ranked against the customer's specific requirements. This process is completely hardware-agnostic.

The ranking is based on hard facts: payload, battery life, certifications and, most importantly, suitability for the specific use case. A robot used for room service in a hotel must meet different criteria than a patrol robot in logistics. In the hotel sector, the right match enables significant cost reductions in room service, while in logistics a yard patrol reduces annual operating costs.

The advantage for the operator is obvious: he does not receive the product that a salesperson currently wants to sell, but rather the technically and economically best solution for his task. werob takes over all communication with the manufacturers and bundles the offers into a clear, comparable proposal within five days.

A robot is only as good as its connection to the existing software landscape. werob offers prefabricated connectors for the most common systems in various industries. These include PointClickCare and MatrixCare for care, Opera PMS and Mews for the hospitality industry, and Toast and Lightspeed for the F&B sector. Industrial standards such as SAP EWM are also supported.

These integrations ensure that the robot becomes part of the digital workflow. In a restaurant, for example, this means that the robot is automatically informed when an order in Toast is completed and the trays are ready for delivery. In nursing, the medication round is synchronized directly with the nursing management system. This reduces the manual effort for staff and minimizes sources of error.

Without these connectors, companies would have to commission expensive individual programming, which would drastically extend the payback period of the robots. werob provides the operational level that links hardware and software so that the focus remains on the operational output. The integration takes place as part of the eight-week rollout plan, which guarantees rapid value creation.

An often overlooked but critical aspect of robot tendering is compliance with legal regulations. From January 20, 2027, the new EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230 will be binding. This places significantly higher demands on the safety and conformity assessment of robot systems, especially if they contain AI components or work close to people.

werob acts as a compliance path for its customers. Since many innovative robot manufacturers come from non-European countries, ensuring EU conformity is a complex task. werob assumes responsibility for compliance with these standards, including ISO 13482 for service robots and specific national regulations such as the BewachVO for security robots. This protects operators from legal risks and operating bans from authorities such as the home inspectorate.

The platform integrates regulatory checks directly into the selection process. A robot that does not meet the requirements of the EU Machinery Regulation or for which there is no clear certification path will be marked or excluded accordingly in Supplier Match. This gives companies the security to invest in future-proof technology that can be operated legally even after 2027.

The use of specialized software for robot tendering has a direct impact on the profitability of the overall project. The following table illustrates the differences between the traditional approach and the werob model.

By drastically shortening the planning phase, cost relief begins months earlier. In the hotel industry, the preparation of bar and breakfast by robots can bring noticeable annual relief. Software-assisted selection also ensures that the hardware with the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO) is chosen, not the one with the lowest acquisition price.

After the successful tender and installation, werob's support does not end. All robots used are monitored via the Live Cockpit. This system uses a four-dimensional traffic light system to display the status of the fleet in real time. Dimensions include hardware status, infrastructure connectivity, regulatory compliance and original specification adherence.

The cockpit allows operations directors to compare the performance of their robots across multiple locations. If a robot is more efficient in one facility than in another, the system provides the data base for optimizations. This is particularly important for large groups in the care or hotel industry that have hundreds of robots in use. werob currently operates over 200 robots in 11 European countries, which provides an enormous amount of data for benchmarking.

If a robot deviates from the defined specification or a technical problem occurs, the system immediately raises an alarm. This minimizes downtime and ensures that the promised cost savings, such as the significant annual savings through tray bots in the catering industry, are actually realized. The cockpit is the operational level that ensures the long-term success of automation.

A key differentiator for werob is the commercial model. In contrast to classic system houses or manufacturers who require high upfront investments or license fees, werob works according to the outcome-only principle. This means: value creation and operational success are the focus of the model. This model shifts the risk from the operator to the integrator.

In an industry that is often characterized by pilot projects that never go into regular operation, werob sets a clear example of reliability. The goal is not to sell hardware, but to provide a working automation solution. This includes the entire chain from the spec engine to the supplier match to integration and ongoing operations. The offer is based on the actual operational benefit.

This model is particularly attractive for industries with tight margins, such as facility management or catering. Every euro counts here. If a kitchen floor cleaning promises a lot of annual relief, this has to happen so that the model works for both sides. werob is therefore not just a software provider, but a partner for long-term operational success.

The path to an automated fleet is divided into eight clear steps at werob. Everything starts with the intake process, where basic data about the company and the desired workflow are requested. Within 48 hours, the Spec Engine delivers the detailed requirement. After another five days, a concrete offer is available that is based on the supplier match.

The remaining weeks are used for configuring the connectors, preparing the on-site infrastructure and the final implementation. Since werob already has over 200 robots live in operation, the processes are well-rehearsed and highly standardized. This applies to all 11 European countries where werob operates, including Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom.

How secure is the implementation in 8 weeks? The use of prefabricated interfaces and hardware-agnostic selection eliminates the need for time-consuming new developments. How much does it cost to use the Spec Engine? The process is part of the outcome-only model, there are no separate fees for specification creation. Which industries benefit the most? The nursing, hotel and logistics industries in particular see the fastest payback times due to the high personnel costs. Can werob also integrate existing robots? Yes, the cockpit and the connectors can often be installed on existing hardware as long as it meets the minimum technical standards.