The hospitality industry being service oriented, the hotels face tough competition to run their business profitably. Among the various changes and improvements made by the hotel management to increase occupancy and customer satisfaction, the most important is the housekeeping function. The need for luxury, comfort and healthy environment has increased manifold with the increase in business travellers. Many high-end homes offer the best of living conditions, putting pressure on the hotel housekeeping staff to go a step further. With the changing expectations of the guests, the Executive Housekeeper of a hotel is transforming himself/herself from just being a keeper of clean rooms and common areas to a more dynamic business manager, contributing to the bottom line of the organization. Clean India Journal spoke to a few Executive Housekeepers to find out the challenges they are facing and some of the trends which can add value to their services, including handling manpower.
Today, housekeeping is no more a back-of-the-house department; most of the reputed hotel chains have chosen to raise their housekeepers as front runners and encourage them to interact with the guests. With advancements in technology and modernization, face of housekeeping has changed as per the latest trends in the hotel industry.
Meena Bhatnagar
Executive Housekeeper at Taj Lands End, Mumbai
Over the past few years, the major challenge faced by the housekeepers is handling well-travelled and experienced guests. Guests these days are not only aware of their rights but are also not loyal to a particular brand. Today’s customer looks for value for money and is open to trying out hotels for the mere sake of a luxury experience.
Brand loyalty can be truly achieved by identifying the guest profile, anticipating their unspoken needs and delivering the same. The challenge remains in attuning the service provided to the needs of the guests and engaging with them.
Though all the reputed hotel chains have their standards set for providing luxury experience, the challenge remains in being consistent while facing a high turnover and staff poaching by the competitors in the hospitality sector.
The housekeeping tasks are physically very demanding and hence put a lot of pressure on the associate cleaning areas. The energy levels because of high stress and physical work are bound to yield inconsistent service unless the executives and management keep the motivation levels very high by engaging with the staff and break monotony from their routine work.
Today, housekeeping is no more a back-of-the-house department; most of the reputed hotel chains have chosen to raise their housekeepers as front runners and encourage them to interact with the guests. A guest, after checking in to the hotel, spends 80% of his time in the hotel room and hence his overall experience can be enhanced by providing and delivering personalized touches.
