Getting your building client's OK

What the camera sees

The phone sits on a headband at forehead level, tipped down. It sees your cleaner's hands, the rag or mop, and the sink or floor they are working on. It does not scan the room like a security camera on a wall.

• Recorded: hands, tools, and the surface being cleaned.
• Off camera: offices, desks, papers, computer screens and phones.
• Off camera: other people. If someone walks in, your cleaner pauses.
• Off camera: any room the manager asks you to skip.

Who to ask

Ask the person who signs your cleaning contract or runs the building day to day. At an office park that is usually the property manager. At a single-tenant site it may be the office manager or the owner.

If the manager does not own the building, ask them to check with the owner. The agreement you sign with Colby says you have the building's permission before anyone records there. Keep the signed letter or the yes by email with that building's contract.

How to ask

1. Fill in the building letter below with your company name and the building name.
2. Bring it to your next walk-through, or email it as a PDF.
3. Show them the headband and how the phone points down at the work.
4. Tell them where the video goes: Colby AI owns it and may share some of it with AI and robotics teams that are learning how cleaning is done.
5. Ask them to sign and date the letter, and to write down any rooms to skip.

If they say no

Thank them and don't record there. One account is worth far more to you than a few hours of video, so don't push. Record at the buildings that said yes.

A manager can also say yes and change their mind in March. Stop recording at that building the same day, and tell your crew before their next shift.

Places to ask about extra carefully

Medical and dental offices, schools and daycares, and government buildings hold private records. Patient charts, student files and case papers are the kind of thing that must never end up in a video. Ask first, and expect some of these places to say no.

If one says yes, ask the manager to name the rooms you may record, like a lobby or a break room with no files or screens. Write those rooms on the letter.