Setting the Standard for Automated Cleaning in Convenience Retail
In a landmark digital transformation, a leading U.S. convenience retailer successfully deployed a few PUDU CC1 autonomous robots to standardize store hygiene. By automating floor scrubbing in high-traffic, food-service-heavy environments, the retailer effectively reconciled the challenge of relentless foot traffic with limited staff bandwidth.
Customer Profile
Industry: Retail
Business Type: Gas Station & Convenience Store
Geographic Footprint: 17 U.S. states
Store Count: ~1,300 locations
Average Store Size: ~5300 sqft (500 m²)
Project Go-Live: January 2025
Units Used: PUDU CC1
Case Challenge
High Traffic & High Standards, Low Bandwidth & Limited Time
With millions of customers streaming through its doors daily, tracking in mud, causing spills and generating constant trash, this major US retailer found its commitment to high-tech efficiency clashing with the relentless, staff-intensive reality of keeping floors clean.
Case Study Highlights
Operating nearly 1,300 high-traffic locations nationwide, this top convenience store chain strengthened its commitment to fast service and spotless stores in its high-traffic by deploying Pudu Robotics’ PUDU CC1. By automating floor cleaning across food and beverage–heavy environments, the retailer reinforced hygiene standards, protected brand perception, and aligned its strong internal culture with a scalable, technology-driven solution.
Introduction:
Before introducing PUDU CC1, store associates handled frequent floor cleaning alongside cashiering and restocking, with sweeping and mopping required multiple times daily to meet brand standards, ensure safety, and maintain hygiene.
Several challenges made manual cleaning increasingly difficult to sustain at scale:
Extremely high foot traffic
Caused floors to become easily dirty, especially during rain and snow quickly.
Food and beverage sales
Led to frequent spills and small pieces of trash, requiring immediate attention.
Staff workload constraints
Employees had to constantly balance customer service demands with the need for frequent, high-intensity cleaning.
Interrupted Cleaning
Limited staffing often forced employees to pause floor maintenance to assist customers, leaving cleaning tasks half-completed and floors unattended for unknown periods.
Internal Expectations
Its commitment to automation and technology for greater efficiency and a better customer experience did not align with store realities.
While the direct revenue impact was difficult to quantify, store cleanliness was critical to customer perception of the brand. Leadership also recognized that manual cleaning pulled employees away from higher-value, customer-facing work.
The Solution
Scalable Automated Cleaning with PUDU CC1
After evaluating multiple other cleaning robot solutions, the retailer selected the 4-in-1 Cleaning Robot, PUDU CC1, deployed with docking stations for fully automated operation.
Why the PUDU CC1 was chosen:
Superior floor scrubbing performance:
Among all tested solutions, the PUDU CC1 delivered the strongest results for tile floor scrubbing—the customer’s top priority.
Operational efficiency:
Pudu Robotics’ CC1 improved cleaning consistency while reducing manual labor and maintenance effort.
Proven nationwide support:
Our distributor partner provided reliable service coverage through 11 locations across the U.S.
Eased Customer Readiness:
Being both cost-effective and user-friendly, the PUDU CC1 eased the retailer’s transition to automated cleaning by simplifying budgeting and staff training.
Deployment Overview
Robots Deployed:
~1,300 PUDU CC1 units
Accessories:
Docking stations for auto charging and water changing.
Floor Type:
Tile
Cleaning Mode:
Scrubbing only
New: CC1 Self Cleaning Station
We just launched the PUDU Self-Cleaning Docking Station Pro. It combines ultrasonic and 65°C hot water squeegee cleaning with over 95% brush debris removal and full CC1 Pro coordination.
The result: 35× greater maintenance efficiency and nonstop, hands-free cleaning.
Cleaning Operations
Frequency:
Generally, every 4 hours
Duration:
20–30 minutes per cycle
Operating Hours:
Day and night
Flexible Scheduling:
Redeploys during peak hours for extra cleaning cycles.
Results & Benefits
Above, our PUDU CC1 displays edge cleaning mode with the squeegee.
While formal ROI metrics were not explicitly available, the impact was clear across retail operations and customer experience:
Reduced manual cleaning time
Employees reclaim valuable hours, allowing them to focus on higher-value, customer-facing work.
Consistently cleaner floors
Cleanliness is maintained even during peak traffic, messy conditions, and severe weather.
Improved customer experience
A visibly cleaner environment reinforces trust and strengthens the brand’s reputation.
Strong employee and customer acceptance
Automation is embraced in-store as a practical, helpful enhancement rather than a disruption.
Positive ROI outlook
Returns are driven by labor efficiency, predictable performance, and operational consistency.
Conclusion
By deploying PUDU CC1 at scale, this top U.S. convenience store chain turned floor cleaning into a consistent, automated process across nearly 1,300 locations.
The result:
Cleaner stores, better labor use, and a stronger in-store experience, proving that automation can reinforce brand standards while freeing employees to focus on higher-value work. Interested? We are always at hand for a conversation.
