Housekeeping is one of the most important jobs on the planet.
Sure, it may not sound so important, but get a poor housekeeping service in your hotel, and see how that goes.
Sweeping, cleaning, changing bed sheets – good housekeeping means the world for any business.
However, there are certain mistakes and errors that occur far too often, that you may not have thought of before.
Read on to find out what these mistakes are, and how to recognise them.
1. Not Using Laundry Services
Housekeepers generally have a lot of rooms to get through and prepare for people to stay in them just a few hours later, so it’s important to take a little extra stress off of their shoulders, make their job easier, and create a more efficient workflow. Why not take full advantage of a linen laundry service?
Not only will it allow for housekeepers to get through rooms at a faster rate, but it ensures that the linen is cleaned properly and with high-quality chemicals.
Take a step in the right direction by contacting a linen laundry service, such as Alsco, today. Not only will Alsco clean your linen properly, but they will do so in a way that minimises your carbon footprint, keeping both your conscience and your linen clean.
2. No Linen Checking Procedures
This is one of the worst mistakes that can be made, and it’s one of the small things that can ruin a guest’s stay at the hotel. As a housekeeper, it’s important that when you are changing bedroom linens, plush towels and replacing dirty towels that you take a moment to check them properly.
When it comes to changing bed sheets, take a minute to look it over and check that there aren’t any holes in it, and more importantly, make sure that it is actually clean. Accidentally replacing dirty bedsheets with dirty bedsheets is something that is noticeable by the person staying in the room, so check properly!
3. Lack Of Proper Employee Training
One of the biggest issues housekeepers face is stress caused by deadlines. The jobs that they do may not be complex, but that doesn’t mean that they are easy to do or plan for.
When you get a new housekeeper, it’s your duty as an employer to explain clearly and completely what their responsibilities and obligations are. You must be clear in expressing your wishes and needs. You should also spend a couple of hours every day working with new staff members. This will not only help them understand exactly what you want, but will also help you develop a good relationship with them.
4. Not Restocking Washroom Supplies
This mistake can cause a lot of issues, and can make your hotel seem very unprofessional and cheap. All your washrooms must always be fully stocked and have all the supplies they need. If not, you may cause huge embarrassment to your client or hotel guest.
Also remember that toiletries and other things are always appreciated by guests. It’s the little things that count and that sometimes even make the greatest impression on a guest. A complementary candy bar here, a free small sample of cologne there, and all this can make a huge impact.
5. No Plan
Planning is incredibly important when you’re a housekeeper. A good housekeeper can tell, when he or she enters a room, where to start in order to get the job done as fast as possible. They know exactly what to bring, and how to do the work in the most efficient way possible.
Now, a real housekeeper also knows that to start a job, he or she needs a plan already in his or her head. But, they can also adapt on the fly. Still, they should always have a thought out plan of which rooms to clean first, which to put off for later, what guest is very messy, etc.
Just to give you an example, a good plan is to first clean the room of the extra-messy regular guest. Then change the bed sheets, then vacuum everything. Vacuuming after changing the sheets is important since some dirt or breadcrumbs can fall off the sheets and onto the floor. Or, for example, forgetting the right cleaning product for the bathroom can take up a lot of time and stop the housekeeper from having a room ready on time for a new guest.
6. A Failure To Communicate
It’s quite obvious that a larger hotel needs more housekeepers. More room, more guests, more dirt. All this needs to be as fast, efficient and clean as a small local Bed and Breakfast. And this, of course, poses its own set of challenges.
However, having more housekeepers requires more communication and this can sometimes be the difference between all rooms being taken care of in time, and a lot of rooms not being ready in time.
When it comes to housekeeping, it’s important that there is some sort of communication system in play at all times. Whether it be simply texting one another to let everyone know which rooms have been taken care of, or a more organised plan of which employees take care of set rooms.
Communication is important, and it should be prioritised as such.
7. Forgetting To Clean Carpets And Mats
The line between an okay hotel and an excellent hotel is all about little details. That’s why having a clean carpet and mat, while not that important, can still really impress even the most prudish and stuck-up of guests. Having them cleaned from time to time, like once every couple of months, is an excellent idea.
However, the only downside to doing so is that deep cleaning carpets and welcome mats is a big task to take on and can often take a full day to do so.
8. Refusing To Throw Out Old Linen
There comes a point where linen has run its course and clearly must be replaced, but it isn’t always easy to tell when that time is. If you are changing bed sheets and notice that there is some “wear and tear”, this is the best tell-tale sign of knowing that bed sheets need to be replaced.
Are You One Of Those People Who Make These Errors?
Housekeeping isn’t as simple a job as it may seem from the outside, and it can be incredibly stressful from an employee’s point of view, especially when they have a numerous amount of rooms to get through. By taking all of these things into account at the beginning of each day, the general workflow of the hotel will improve dramatically as well as improve the moral among the employees.
Now that you know these housekeeping mistakes that you might have overlooked in your hospitality business, it is the best time to act on it. Improve your housekeeping services to impress your guests. Let Alsco take care of your linen needs. Alsco provides fresh and clean accommodation linen conveniently and inexpensively, every day.
Send us an inquiry now! Our friendly and well-informed staff are waiting to help!
Photo courtesy of flickr.com by Andy Le
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