Roomba’s cousin ready to clean up

If your robotic vacuum can’t help with spills and stains, fret not. Its cousin, the robo-mop, is on the way.

Thirty engineers worked three years on challenges such as preventing the robo-mop from slipping on cleaning fluid or leaving tracks behind, said Colin Angle, chief executive of the mop’s developer, iRobot Corp. With those sticking points solved, a robo-mop called Scooba, pictured above, is expected to be available early next year.

IRobot Corp. is best known for Roomba, the robo-vacuum it introduced three years ago. About 1.2 million Roombas have been sold.

Scooba has many of Roomba’s features, but it’s more complicated because it’s designed to automatically vacuum, scrub and dry hard floors rather than just vacuum them.

Scooba’s price will be comparable to Roomba, which sells from $150 to $300 for various models.

Retail

Businesses should aim to please mothers

Is your business one a mother could love?

A new book argues that it really ought to be. It notes about 75 percent of America’s 108 million adult women have children and control well more than half the buying decisions in the U.S. economy.

“The Mom Factor: What Really Drives Where We Shop, Eat, and Play,” by California consultant Nora Lee, was published last month by the Urban Land Institute. It offers stores, restaurants and other family venues a checklist to lure and please mothers:

• Health and safety. Moms anticipate danger, whether it’s a nasty rest room, a spill on the floor or foods loaded with fat and sugar. Remove these problems, and mom more likely will return.
• Value. Cheap is not always a good deal. Mom’s idea of value translates to “a balance of reasonable prices, decent quality and good selection.”
• Efficiency. Time is money, hence the appearance of Starbucks in banks and stamps sold from ATMs.
• Customer service. Mom wants good attention, but usually will request it in a soft, self-deprecating manner, Lee says. Snooty waiters who dread children won’t get much in the way of tips or repeat business.
• Fun. Mom aims for the most fun for the most people, and all too often sacrifices her own enjoyment for that of others, Lee says. The destination that aids her in that quest will win both her dollars and loyalty.