Functions and roles in housekeeping

Functions and roles in firm belongingsCHAPTER 1 HOUSEKEEPING (INTRODUCTION)1-1 An unfortunate truth-It is regrettably true that housework discussion section being the largest de whilement is the least value and appreciated department in a hotel, which is maybe because of its back of the house identity, its limited contact with nodes and its only job of alter and maintaining the hotel. Housekeepers argon the isolated heroes of the hotel.But today housework department is no more a back of the house department, rather it is an important and integral department in a hotel. In accordance with the modernization and advancement in technology, maintain department has changed itself in a better way according to the impersonate day scenario in the hotel industry.1-2 What does maintain department interpret?An in effect(p) and economic housekeep department essenti solelyy ensures the cleanliness, secures the safeguard, maintains an aesthetic upkeep in the hotel and deals with e ach the ancillary inspection and repairs exitd by the hotel.The functions performed by hotel maintain department de marchesines all the day to day operations of the hotel. Its main significance is to ensure cleanliness, soothe and safeguard in the hotel and to professionally upkeep a amplyer level of quality service at all times.In todays tough and competitive scenario, maintaining exquisiteness in the hotel is hard and satisfying node with that exquisiteness is heretofore harder.1-3 Changes in the job of housework department-In past times, the job of hold department was limited to the only responsibility of ensuring cleanliness and maintenance of the hotel on a timely basis, only if today various and enormous changes concur been do to the job of hold department ranging from the transaction with diverse cleaning chemicals, managing lost(p) and found and avoiding theft in the hotel.CHAPTER 2 HOUSEKEEPING MANAGERS AND HOUSEKEEPING2-1 a la mode(p) modes going on in Hous e property-As the hotel industry is focal point more on recycling inventory, waste composition and environment conservation, house c are department needs to make some habitual changes and in order to twin the primary take exceptions it necessarily needs to follow the latest trends going on in the hotel industry, some of which are given fell below2-1-1 cycle and utilizing inventory Using old linen papers as towels and aprons, purchasing cleaning and invitee supplies in bulk to save money, exchanging old furniture and equipments with tittle dealer for money or donating them to institutions or charities are some of the appear inventory trends going on in hotel housework scenario.2-1-2 Technology apprehension Nowadays hotels are lar jellyy depended upon the use of technology to save time, tote up personalization in service and ensure quality service. The use of i-pads and i-pad minis in in-room service as an e-butler which allows the customer to access the options identic al remote control luminosity and door locking transcription, entertainment service comparable music and tv camera and other options. This use of technology also helps the hotel to work efficiently in day to day jobs as it enables the optimal utilization of time at one click.2-1-3 hold software Hotel housekeeping software is a blade based musical arrangement that helps to cut the cost, save the time and abbreviate the benevolent effort for efficient and effective management of housekeeping jobs. It enables the hotel management system to link with all the departments through web, it makes online reservations and booking features in order for hotel to add the occupancy, it keeps the expense and usage records of the inventory and generates the reports within seconds.2-1-4 Eco-friendly practices Hotel industry is increasingly foc utilise towards environmental awareness, becoming eco-friendly and moving towards reliable tourism. Hotel housekeepers emphasize eco-friendly policie s in their mundane briefings, creatively use local crafts in customerroom comforts and turn down services to promote and profit local trade, ensure that all the leaf noderoom amenities are eco-friendly and no plastic and chemicals are used, encourage guests to participate in linen and towel re-use programs.2-2 General contends and problems in Housekeeping-Some of the general challenges and problems confront by Housekeeping managers includes managing back to back situations, mismanagement of jobs, pest controlling, cleaning linen and towels and washing, replenishing guestroom amenities and keister toiletries, bed making challenges, seasonal challenges, dealing with cleaning chemicals and equipments, security of guests belongings, etc., some of which are little down below2-2-1 Pest Controlling The challenge of Housekeeping managers in pest controlling service is to deal with different kind of pests such(prenominal) as mosquitoes, cockroaches, insects and flies, lizards and rats. Save the hotel building from birds and their doing feces is also a operose task. Housekeeping managers should coordinate with pest control vendor to ensure measures chance uponn regarding all the pest control tasks and treatments such as timely spraying, fogging, fumigation, gel treatment, keeping gum boards for lizards and rats, using lemon grass oil dissemination to resist mosquitoes, birds gel and spikes and netting to resist the hotel building from birds.2-2-2 Seasonal Challenges Housekeeping managers encounter cleaning challenges mostly during wet season. Cleanliness and maintenance of guest areas during rainy season becomes challenging because rainwater as flows down in guest areas along with soil leads to the algae growth and other issues in guest areas. Rainy season can also cause infestation in the hotel premises as it brings insects and flies along with it, so Housekeeping managers should ensure that there is no water logging and there is no first step of inse ct infestation throughout the hotel premises. Keeping foot prints off the al-Qaida during rainy season is also a difficult challenge for housekeeping managers.2-2-3 Security of guests belongings There is always a certain extent of fear in guests mental capacity when leaving their rich items in hotels room. As this is a documented fear of items getting lost or stolen. Housekeeping managers should always take some serious measures regarding guests valuables. Housekeeping managers need to effect and circulate some strict rules to safeguard the guests valuable items being lost or stolen by the housekeepers. Nothing other than miss of guests valuables weakens the guests trust.CHAPTER 3 LINEN CHALLENGES IN REGARD TO CURRENT TRENDS3-1 Change in linen trends There has been a scenario in hotel industry a few years ago wherein every(prenominal) hotel housekeeping used to repeat the homogeneous linens every year. This scenario was same for two bed and bath linens as well. Every gues t could probably ascend the same white, plain and striped linens and same plain terry towels crosswise every hotel they would visit. Despite this scenario has been changed as the trends has been changed as well.Previously, hotel housekeeping used to have a maximum thread count of 400 but soon it has been lengthened to 1500 which ranges from 550 GSM to 700 GSM. Whereas, previously linens were made from 100% cotton but at at a time hotel housekeeping use linen made from the mixture of cotton and polyester and sometimes charge 100% polyester made linen is also used. Mixing polyester and some(prenominal) other fabrics like constituent(a) cotton, Egyptian cotton, microfiber, nylon, etc., in linen increases the forcefulness and durability of linen.Housekeeping managers of umpteen hotels even provide their guest with a linen bill of fare which consists of a choice of pillows ranging from microfiber, cervical, soya, horse hair, memory foam, bamboo pillows and even a pillow concier ge for assistance to ensure guests a happy sleep.Housekeeping managers of m whatever hotels are adopting the technique of RFID or Radio Frequency credit that acts as a linen management system which enables the housekeeping managers to take in charge the challenges and problems set close to by them regarding the management of the linen and linen related issues. other upcoming trend in hotel housekeeping is the use linens made from organic products like bamboo, coir, jute, paper, wool, etc., and the use of linens which take less time in drying.Ranging from power saver lighting and water saver bathroom amenities to eco-friendly linens, hotel housekeeping are adopting various techniques to cut linen cost and long term operational cost to initiate more efficient and effective practices.3-2 linen challenges and problems The use of RFID technique by the hotel housekeeping for linen management like linen inventory control, linen purchase, etc., cannot be adopted by many hotels because it is a costly system that requires a high cost involvement.The readjustment of energy efficient, environment friendly and organic products like eco-friendly linen, eco-friendly chemicals such as Eco booster, Eco soft, Eco tide, etc., by the hotel housekeeping is also reducing because it also requires a high cost involvement.Cross contamination of clean linens is one of the study challenge face by housekeeping managers. They face study problems in keeping clean linens fresh and keeping them away from dirty and contaminated linens.Selecting stamp down and proper materials from which the linens are made up of is also a study challenge confront by housekeeping managers. They face major problem when selecting the materials like cotton, polyester, microfiber, nylon, wool, etc.Linen is mostly damaged due to supernumerary of chemicals during washing and excess of ignite during drying. Regulating chemicals during washing linens and reducing heat during drying, can increase the lif e of linen. Increasing the life of linen for budgeting cost and managing linen inventory is an adequate and crucial factor in hotel housekeeping. changing and re mastermindment of linen can be a costly operation.CHAPTER 4 LAUNDRY CHALLENGES IN REGARD TO CURRENT TRENDS4-1 Current airstream trends Housekeeping managers are adopting RFID or Radio Frequency Identification technique for slipstream management as it oversees it by increasing productivity, preventing loss during linen exchange, budgeting cost, track and recording washing activities, monitoring wash functions, reducing labor costs and lowering operating expenses.Housekeeping managers are adopting Ozone backwash system to reduce costs and implement environment efficient practices. The major advantage of Ozone airstream system is that it has an on premise installation and does not disrupt any other housekeeping operations. Ozone laundry system evaluates hotel laundry operations and enables the housekeeping managers fo r cost and energy savings.Housekeeping managers are adopting the use of special detergents with likeness protection technology formulated to keep low-spirited fabric dark and the original color retained, use of bleach pens for effective upkeep of fabrics with a fine point applier technology, use of fabric softeners and whiteners, spa like treatment with laundry detergents that care fabrics with aromatic therapeutic scents and wrinkle abandon sprays that softens and crisps the fabric without using an iron.Housekeeping managers are adopting waterless laundry system with polymer bead technology which provides a solution to the problem of water, detergent and electrical energy usage and wastage. This system replaces 80% of water, uses 50% less detergent and electrical energy in contrast to the traditional used methods. This technology has outperformed the traditional laundry methods with todays laundry methods used by the hotels.Another trend followed by housekeeping managers is the transformation of in-house laundry operations into polymer bead laundry system which helps to cut laundry operational costs by 50% and enables efficiency in usage of water, detergent and electricity. This technology allows the tough stains on linen to remove and linen gets cleaned in betterment for extending the life of linen, so as to provide the guests with cleaner linens and keep the linen inventory in use for a long time.4-2 Laundry challenges and problems A challenge faced by housekeeping managers is to wash anything and everything ranging from shoes, microfiber cloths, garments and mop heads. Washing all the laundry fabrics all together causes problems, damages the fabrics and even the machines. But at the same time, it can be expensive and excessive to wash them separately or wash them by hands.In hotels, the stains of coffee, tea and chocolates can be washed, but washing the stains of blood and some permanent stains is a challenge for housekeeping managers. Nothing can be re solved other than discarding the linens with such stains, and replacement them can involve high cost.A major challenge faced by housekeeping managers is that the removal of stains from fabrics takes time and needs patience, that housekeeping managers during laundry operations dont have. The challenge housekeeping managers face is to identify and treat the stain based on the suit of stain it is. Is it an oil based stain, an organic stain or a nonorganic water based stain.Another challenge which housekeeping managers face is the malodourous and dirty washing machines. After washing hundreds or thousands of fabrics in laundry in a week, washing machines needs to be washed once in a week too.Housekeeping managers face a major challenge of labor intensiveness, which is the most expensive component in laundry operations. It is a cost factor which requires a high cost of involvement. The challenge is to cut labor costs by utilizing the laundry standards with efficiency and effectiveness .CHAPTER 5 GUEST SUPPLIES CHALLENGES IN REGARD TO CURRENT TRENDS5-1 Change in guest supplies trends Other than providing friendly and personalized services, what interests and fantasizes the guests are the in-room guest supplies and amenities. Ranging from grooming products to enhancive products or techno savvy products, in-room hotel guest supplies or amenities have been modern as hotels all over the world are accepting and appreciating the latest guests trends.The standard old trends in hotel guest supplies of keeping a chocolate on the pillow or other food for thought amenities during turn down service, offering a welcome revel on check-in and providing complimentary Wi-Fi, no longer interests the guests now. In the world of high-end guests who appear high-end amenities look for extravagant facilities and services.The new trends in inroom guest supplies that are emerging in hotel nowadays is providing square minibar as complimentary amenity and offering the guests an amen ity menu to choose the amenity of their choice.The standard hotel bathroom with tiled floors and shower curtains no longer fantasize the guests now. Guests of today want the bathroom trending such as distinctive faucets and sinks, extravagant lighting systems, illuminated mirrors, glass paneled doors, which boosts the bathroom design.Housekeeping managers have understood the change in trends of guest supplies and are shifting towards providing exclusive branded amenities to their guests. Accors luxury hotel plane section Sofitel provides its guests an elegant refinement of products from exquisite brands such as Hermes, Lanvin, Cinq Mondes and Carita.5-2 Guest supplies challenges and problems The major challenge faced by housekeeping managers in guest supplies is the cost-factor. Housekeeping managers face a cost-cutting problem which diversely affects the quality and quantity of the guest supplies and amenities provided to the guests.Another challenge faced by housekeeping managers is the keeping minibar stocked or re-stocking of minibar amenities. Guests often complaint about the inflated price of the minibar amenities. So it is also a major challenge for the housekeeping managers.The challenge which housekeeping managers face regarding minibar guest supplies is to use costly branded products and make it a complimentary amenity. preferably they can use local or less expensive products in minibar and make it complimentary.Wi-Fi has been a standard amenity in the hotel guests supplies. Housekeeping managers regarding hotel Wi-Fi face cellular challenges of weak signal capability and network capacity issue.Customizing and personalizing hotel guests supplies according to the specific preferences and demands of the guests and providing the best of quality services and facilities in guests supplies is another major challenge faced by housekeeping managers.CHAPTER 6 CONCLUSION6-1 Critical Analysis every the hotels around the world are pursuing to look for effic ient and effective ways of meeting the needs and demands of the guests and providing the best of quality services, in which hotel housekeeping department plays a vital and crucial role.Hotel housekeeping department ensures to provide an all new element in the luxury to guests and guestrooms in the call of linens, laundry, guest supplies and other ancillary amenities. The emerging trends of linens, laundry and guests supplies in hotel scenario immediately collide with challenges faced by the housekeeping managers regarding these three aspects.Changes in linen operations due to cost and other factors such as using single bed sheets instead of two bed sheets, mixing polyester and some(prenominal) other fabric materials with cotton to make linens, are some of the changes that are taking place.Laundry operations where new washing techniques such as steam laundry, waterless laundry and ozone laundry are taking place because water is a perishable resource and need to be salve and for m ore environment efficient techniques.In todays hotel scenario of high-end guests who expect high-end amenities and look for extravagant facilities and services, demand for more due to the draw near in their disposable income. And by providing exquisite guest supplies hotels can climbing up to the expectation mark of the guests.In the end Id like to conclude that the housekeeping department is an important and initial part of the hotel which is not going to change anytime soon or later.Anchit Garg1477555Page 1