Unit 1- Role of Housekeeping in Hospitality Operations
UNIT 1
ROLE OF HOUSEKEEPING IN HOSPITALITY OPERATIONS
INTRODUCTION TO HOUSEKEEPING
As
the name signifies, housekeeping means ‘up keeping of the house’. The housekeeping department is responsible
for cleanliness, maintenance and the aesthetic upkeep to the property. The
concept of housekeeping is simplistic but when one considers maintaining a
house of several rooms and numerous public areas the tasks becomes gigantic. It
takes a well-organized approach and technical understanding to enable
housekeeping to cope with the volume of work. This department is also
responsible for every aspects of guest room i.e. to provide all the required
guest supplies and materials according to the guest request during their stay.
A hotel
survives on the sale of rooms, food, beverages, and other minor services such
as the laundry, health club and so on. The sale of rooms constitutes a minimum
of 50% of these sales. Thus, the major part of a hotel’s profit comes from room
sales, because a room once construct can be sold over and over again.
Functions of housekeeping:
Basic functions of housekeeping department are:
1. Cleaning
rooms and public area
2. Bed making
3. Linen
management /laundry service
4. Pest control
5. Key control
6. Safety &
Security
7. Interior
decoration
8. Room
maintenance
SIGNIFICANCE OF HOUSEKEEPING IN
HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
Housekeeping
is a critical part of any hotel industry. Strict cleanliness is an expected
standard that has to be met. It's easy to assume that housekeeping only
involves someone coming in to change the bedding and bring fresh towels.
However, a housekeeper's duty is more than that and includes checking on
appliances, bringing items to guests as they need them and making sure guests
are comfortable. In hotels, the major part of revenue comes from the rooms, so
housekeeping keep cleaning as a top concern, with that it also concentrate on:
·
Comfort
·
Cleanliness and hygiene
·
Privacy
·
Safety & security
·
Décor
With the world's focus on recycling
and conservation, the hotel industry must change some of its habits. In
addition, becoming more consumers focused, like offering a directory of lost
and found items online, will set a hotel apart from the rest of the industry.
Promoting a spirit of innovation within the housekeeping departments will
assist the hotel industry in overcoming challenges and preparing it for smooth
transitions to new trends and customer expectations. With the many people
traveling for vacations, business or visiting family and friends, it is vital
that hotels distinguish themselves from one another. Turning the hotel into a
destination, rather than merely a place to stay, through exceptional
housekeeping and hospitality can provide a competitive advantage in the hotel industry.
SCOPE OF HOUSEKEEPING IN
HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
The role of a
housekeeper has changed rapidly with the changing times. Apart from the
cleaning, maintenance and aesthetic upkeep of the property, the housekeeping
system in itself has been computerized. A majority of the staff who were
earlier illiterate are now diploma/degree holders with technical
qualifications, all fluent in English and working on guest floors and doing
basic jobs in the hospitality industry. Housekeeping control room jobs, too,
which were earlier manual, are now completely computerized.
Nowadays rooms, amenities and supplies are also
modified from hotel to hotel. Modern rooms are spacious with tasteful decor and
are well-equipped with many facilities, which previously were found only in the
suites. Apart from the changing
room scene, housekeepers today are well-versed, not only with their jobs, but
also at multi-tasking. Besides the main housekeeping cleaning operations, they
also take care of:
- ·
horticulture,
- ·
security,
- ·
laundry operations,
- ·
interiors,
- ·
quality control,
- ·
budget
- ·
cost control,
And with the
above mentioned leading roles, housekeeper also act as supporting column for
·
Purchasing for exclusive items for special
occasions.
·
Revenue management
·
HR management(recruitment and training)
HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT-WORKING TOWARDS CUSTOMER DELIGHT
· Customer satisfaction has to be on everyone’s
mind as they begin the work day
· Customer satisfaction is more than just a smile
· Guest satisfaction improves when you know your
customer/ their needs
· Improve customer satisfaction by addressing
customer calls/ complaints promptly/ quickly
· Train your staff on improving customer service (hand written
notes, service messages)
· Recognize loyal/ repeat customers (know your customer)
· Respect your customer/ customer needs
· Provide personalized service
· Track, analyze and report on customer satisfaction
ROLES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT
- · To
achieve the maximum possible efficiency in ensuring the care and comfort of
guests and in the smooth running of the department.
- · To
establish a welcoming atmosphere and ensure courteous, reliable service from
all staff of the department.
- · To
ensure a general standard of cleanliness and general upkeep in all the areas
for which the department is responsible.
- · To provide linen in rooms, restaurants,
banquet halls, conference venues, and health clubs and so on, as well as
maintain inventory for the same.
- · To
provide uniforms for all the staff and maintain adequate inventories for the
same.
- · To
cater to the laundering requirements of hotel linen, staff uniforms, and guest
clothing.
- · To
provide and maintain the floral decorations and maintain the landscaped areas
of the hotel.
- · To
select the right contractors and ensure that the quality of the work is
maintained as at the onset of business. To coordinate the renovation and
refurnishing of the property as and when, in consultation with the management
and with interior designers.
- · To
coordinate with the purchase department for the procurement of guest supplies,
cleaning agents, equipment, fabric, carpets and other items used in the hotel.
- · To
deal with lost and found articles.
- · To
ensure training, control, and supervision of all staff attached to the
department.
- · To
establish a good working relationship with other departments.
- ·
To ensure that safety and security
regulations are made known to all staff of the department.
The management of housekeeping in different institutions may be influenced by:
· Size, type & location of establishment
· Facilities & furnishings provided
· Services offered to the guest/ customers
For Hostels, staff is kept to a minimum and students may be expected to make their own beds and keep their room tidy. Housekeeping staff use to clean public area on daily basis and students room on weekly basis.
1. In hospitals, housekeeping services divided into two sections i.e. housekeeping for residential and non-residential area.
1.
In Corporate and industrial premises, housekeeping is responsible of
cleanliness and maintenance of the premises and disposing off the office waste
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR
HOUSEKEEPERS
Previously
there was a limited scope for housekeeping staff in industry. But now with
changing times, there are numerous opportunities available in India, as well as
abroad for those wishing to join the housekeeping department. Some top
industries having a housekeeping department are:
- ·
Hotels & resorts
- ·
Clubs
- ·
Hospitals
- ·
Multinational companies and corporate offices
- ·
Malls & Bazaars
- ·
Housekeeping agencies (carpet and window cleaners)
- ·
Airlines/ airports
- ·
Colleges/hostels
- ·
Embassies
- ·
Private apartments /builders and contractors
- ·
Catering companies
- · Private housekeeping enterprises
With the above mentioned areas,
there are certain possibilities for upward mobility within the property:
- ·
Director of housekeeping
- ·
Room division manager
- ·
General manager
- ·
Corporate executive housekeeper
- https://youtu.be/xin5V4aJjiU
- https://youtu.be/nx_fcuIhXhY
- https://youtu.be/NIykLLRLcVQ
Comments
Post a Comment