As part of teamwork and time management, inter-departmental co-ordination is highly essential. The three departments which constitute the accommodation operations and services are the Front Office, Engineering and Housekeeping. The ultimate aim of this trio is to provide clean, comfortable, attractive rooms with friendly and courteous service. This must be provided economically and efficiently and it must also be taken into consideration that a room not sold for a day is a loss of revenue that cannot be retrieved. Rooms are the chief concern of the Front Office and Housekeeping departments and therefore, they need to continuously exchange information on room status.
Such information helps the Housekeeping department to organise its work and have the rooms ready on time. This is particularly crucial when the turnover is high and the occupancy is back-to-back and also when there are groups checking in or checking out. A flow of information in the reverse direction is also necessary to tally the physical count by the housekeeping with that which is featured on the reception board. Releasing of ready rooms to Front Office ensures that they are able to allocate rooms without hesitation.
The Maintenance department is responsible for the provision of engineering facilities that contribute to the comfort of the guest. The Housekeeping relies on Maintenance to keep things in order whether they are fixtures in the hotel or cleaning equipment that are operated by housekeeping staff. Implementing pro-active maintenance requires both departments to work in unison rather than resorting to bust ‘n’ fix strategy. At times of renovation, spring cleaning and hotelservicing of facilities in the room, it is essential for all the three departments to work in close co-ordination. The perfect harmony of Front Office, Housekeeping and Maintenance is on every hotel manager’s wish list but what actually exists is a set of ego clashes and playing out the blame game. However, the housekeeping department has a pivotal role in controlling this interaction.
Housekeeping is no more a mundane job; its scope has expanded and has become more interesting. It gives housekeeper a sense of responsibility, integrity, loyalty and honesty. – Sheila Rawool
“The Hotel Housekeeping scenario has changed in the past few years. It’s no more a mundane job provided the housekeeper takes the right approach,” says Sheila Rawool, Executive Housekeeper, The Fern Residency, Mumbai.
“With improved technology of cleaning machines, cleaning agents and techniques, the scope of housekeeping has expanded and has become more interesting. The choice of guest amenities and guest supplies has widened in the market, with each hotel trying to outdo the other, and housekeepers can be very innovative and display their skills by selecting the right amenities and guest supplies that are appreciated. In fact, managing all this in a given budget is a skill that the housekeeper can achieve through awareness, decision-making and negotiation. Involving the team members in departmental activities, including budgets, gives them a sense of responsibility and problems of integrity, loyalty and honesty are automatically solved.”
Hotel housekeeping is a challenging job and extends way beyond just cleaning. The kind of challenges that are faced by Housekeeping departments are numerous and varied and those who meet and master these challenges would be able to reveal the major role of Housekeeping in a hotel. By performing its tasks to perfection, a hotel housekeeping department can help increase room sales far more than any marketing gimmick. In every area, housekeeping tasks are the Alpha and the Omega of Hotel Operations and therefore, it is essential for the housekeeping department to be aware of the challenges that they are likely to face from A to Zee!
Avril Sule Hospitality Educator and Trainer
