Future Management of housekeeping operation - MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Future Management of housekeeping operation. Answer: Introduction In this report as a consultant I have taken Housekeeping department to explain role of outsource services and how an organisation can be benefitted from outsourcing. Housekeeping department takes charge of cleaning in the accommodation. It makes stay of customers pleasant by providing services from their check-in to check-out. The department outsource service to reduce cost and resources of the department. The housekeeping department is part of accommodation management. Accommodation is one of the basic necessities of travellers. It is responsible for the efficient running of a hotel. It provides shelter to guests and includes safety and wellbeing of guests. The management is responsible for training of staff, quality standards, recruitment and cleaning (MartSelva Puertas, 2017). It also deals with budgetary matters, HR issues and makes staff aware about policies and procedures. Housekeeping department Housekeeping management is the important part in hotel and is linked with front office management. The housekeeping management takes care of cleaning in rooms and public area. The department is also responsible for maintenance and up keep of rooms. Generally the housekeeping management is responsible for cleaning of rooms, lobbies and washrooms. It also carries necessary functions to upgrade housekeeping operation and ensures efficiency of department (Ofodile, 2015). Role, task and functions of Housekeeping management Housekeeping is an important part of the experience and satisfaction of guests. The contribution of housekeeping in the revenue of a hotel can be evaluated from the higher sale of rooms. The staff of housekeeping is responsible for the cleaning of rooms, lobbies, washrooms and public area. The housekeeping maintains cleaning on daily basis. The management makes stay of guests pleasant by taking care of them from check-in to check-out (Hakim, Mohsen Bakr, 2014). The main functions are cleanliness, pest control, bed making, linen management and maintenance of hotel. Laundry is also the part of housekeeping service. Functions of Housekeeping management are: Cleaning rooms and public area: Other than rooms, the housekeeping management is equally responsible for cleaning lobbies, floor, elevators, lifts, offices, stairs, terrace, washrooms and front office area. The staff need to repeat service whenever required or according to the policy of department. Cleaning is the main attraction for any traveller. Laundry services: The staff handles laundry of hotel and in some cases the staff need to handle guest laundry too. The hotel charges extra for providing such service. The laundry department also carries task of cleaning linen such as washing and ironing. Bed making: The staff also takes charge of bed making. It is the duty of housekeeping and it provides extra comfort to the guests. Linen management: There are many types of clothes used in hotels like towels, bed sheets, curtains, table covers, napkins etc. So, the linen management takes charge from purchasing of linen to laundry, storage and supply. They deliver linen in all departments of hotel and carries repair works if required. Safety and security: The housekeeping staff ensures protection of guests during their stay at hotel. They take care of personal belonging of guests. They are also trained to tackle natural calamities by taking preventive measures (Anthonisz, 2014). Key control: It is the major task of housekeeping staff to handle keys capably. The keys should be handled safely before check-in and check-out of room. Pest control: Pest control is the important service of housekeeping. Pest control is used to save from the harmful effects of rats, lizards and cockroaches running around. Engineering work and maintenance: The engineering work and maintenance includes checking hotel equipment, water supply, furniture and condition of building. This department focuses on the safety issues and minimising risk. It also carries repair work whenever required. Role of customer and customer needs Customers are the essence of hospitality management. The task of housekeeping is to provide service to customers. Once a customer is satisfied with the services of hotels it creates positive experience. The department maintains high standard of cleaning. Housekeeping staff is responsible for the cleaning of accommodation (Zhu Sun, 2017). The department performs security function by giving high alert to the problem of guests. They also check taps, tube lights, fans, air conditioners, geysers and electric wires, whether these are in good working condition or not. They meet the minimum standard of hygiene and maintain cleaning. They are also responsible for the dry cleaning, linen and laundry services. It also maintains the appearance of rooms and maintains public area (Pan Huan, 2017). Housekeeping maintains expectation of customers by maintaining high level of cleanliness. Role of customers and customer need in housekeeping management can be understood from these points: Cleanliness and hygiene: A high standard of cleanliness is maintained in the accommodation to keep customers engaged. It puts positive impression on customers. Hygiene is maintained in the washrooms and pool area. Privacy: The housekeeping staff makes all the arrangements to ensure privacy of guests. They are trained the way to behave with guests and are learnt manners to enter the room (Brown, Arendt Bosselman, 2014). Safety: Safety is the major need of guests. Before giving room to guests, staff inquire about all the safety measures with the help of security services. Comfortable: Guests feel comfortable in the clean and neat environment. It is the responsibility of hospitality to make guests feel comfortable by providing all the things needed by them. Accommodation management makes effort in order to provide support service which ensures smooth running of hotel. These efforts are maintained regularly (Kseoglu, Sehitoglu Craft, 2015). Dcor: The housekeeping staff is responsible for maintaining dcor. It is the ambience of hotel which attracts to consumers. So, the staff makes effort in renovating and maintaining the accommodation area. Additional services: The housekeeping department also makes available items from the market which is needed by the accommodation management on the behalf of customers. They include staff from supervisors to executives. It also includes gardeners, bellhops, laundry staff, floor managers and peon. Complaints: The department also takes care of the lost and found article. If any complaint comes on this behalf, so housekeeping has to deal with it. Steps of Accommodation manager Accommodation manager takes charges of all the responsibilities and keeps a check on the services of housekeeping department. The steps taken by accommodation manager are: Ensures the housekeeping staff is well trained and groomed. Accommodation manager prepares duty roster for the staff (Ryan, 2015). Keeps check on the rooms and public area to ensure the standard of cleanliness is maintained. The manager also keeps in touch with HR department for the recruitment of staff. Outsourcing cleaning staff in the housekeeping department Outsourcing is a contract done with outside suppliers. This practice is used by housekeeping department to hire cleaning staff which helps in reducing cost, saving time and increasing efficiency. It is an individual company hired to handle activities of housekeeping department. It is transferring of functions to outsource company. These practice allows department to focus better on its problems and core competence activities. Outsourcing is available to hotels at fewer prices than the cost paid by them to hire staff. The management aims to achieve revenue, profits and saving costs with the help of outsource companies. The staff provided by outsource companies is more skilled and already trained by the company (Wei, 2014). So, the housekeeping department do not have need to waste time on training of staff. Advantages of outsourcing are: Cost saving: Outsourcing results in saving costs, taxes, resources and time of hotel. The hotel does not have need to conduct recruitment activities. It just contacts to the outsourcing companies and the company makes available the expert staff at less prices. Better focus on business: Outsourcing helps the department to better focus on the activities of business. It saves time of recruiting as well as training of staff. Customer satisfaction: The guest is more satisfied when the staff is skilled and expert in dealing problem of customers. Such staff is bound to certain level of service and quality (Kandampully, Zhang Jaakkola, 2017). Operational efficiency: Outsourcing makes the department to more efficient at working. It gives more exposure to staff. The staff provides higher level of quality. Outsourcing has more advantages than disadvantages. These disadvantages can lead to risks and legal exposure: Quality risk: Outsourcing can also lead to risk and legal exposure. As, sometimes the staff can be involved in some criminal activity. The staff is also not skilled in the particular section. Organisational knowledge: It is also seen that the staff outsourced does not have the same understanding as regular employees. These employees come in contact with guests, results in negative experiences (Devrim Yilmaz, 2017). Quality service: It may also happen that the staff assigned in the department is not able to perform duties in the particular department. That staff may be expert in activities of other department. So, their skill should be judged wisely by the outsourcing company. Recommendations Housekeeping department uses outsource companies to better perform functions. It also results in saving costs, time and resources. It enables existing staff to better focus on the core activities which results in organisational specialisations. The department using outsourcing has competitive advantage over other competitors in the market. It reduces the workload of housekeeping department to recruit and train staff (TuzonGuarin, 2016). New skill and better management can be acquired from outsourcing activities. The department can use outsourcing further to better control managerial activities. Major investments can be avoided and flexibility in department can be improved with outsourcing. Moreover it has resulted in benefit to the housekeeping department. Conclusion It can be concluded from the report that housekeeping is important part of accommodation management and provides the best service from check-in to check-out of guests. Housekeeping department has important part in the maintenance of accommodation management. The department is not only responsible for cleaning of rooms; laundry and linen are also important tasks of department (Gssling Lane, 2015). Outsourcing is the method used by department to reduce cost and increase efficiency. It saves time of management in recruiting and training new staff. The department can better utilise time in important activities which boosts up the sales. References Anthonisz, A., 2014. Assessing the future of housekeeping operations in Dubais five-star hotel industryroom for innovation?.Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes,6(4), pp.352-361. Brown, E.A., Arendt, S.W. and Bosselman, R.H., 2014. 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