Although your job will never be to entertain the guests, your role is of the utmost importance in keeping them happy, and by extension, supporting the bottom line of the business. Now that the hotel industry is open to the “mob justice” tactics of the social media hordes, your job as the back-of-house team is as much in the spotlight as that of the concierge and front desk staff.
Here are some things that the hotel facility manager should have at top of mind throughout the year.
1. Room Temperature
Managing room temperatures is critical in the hospitality industry. Ruffled guests lead to complaints, which lead to hot-under-the-collar questions for you and your staff. Whatever system that you choose needs to cope with the climate, maximise efficiency and performance – all without costing an arm and a leg.
Added to these concerns is a growing awareness of the need to reduce your carbon footprint, making finding the right fit more complicated than before. To keep on top of your energy use, we recommend replacing old appliances with energy efficient alternatives, or even better, automating as many of the building systems as possible. This would not only allow you to control the heating and cooling of individual rooms, but would mean you could switch off the electricity in empty rooms.
2. Plumbing Issues
Stable plumbing is critical in ensuring the upkeep of the building. Continuous ablution issues are going to lower the standard of your facility and impact the hotel’s ability to profit. Not only because of the costs associated with the repairs, but also because the room will need to remain empty until the work is complete. We strongly advise that regular maintenance check-ups are done on boilers. Voltix Services can assist in installing, maintaining and repairing boilers to keep them in top condition.
3. Hygiene
Hygiene is incredibly important in the hospitality sector. Your facility’s clientele is more likely to be swayed by the cleanliness of the hotel than any other factor. This means that a proactive and effective cleaning strategy is non-negotiable when it comes to the running of a hotel.
Hotels are also at major risk of spreading disease because of the number of shared facilities. Frequent inspection is necessary to make sure you are meeting the highest possible hygiene standards.
Here are some of the areas we recommend you pay particular attention to:
- Reception. Areas that receive high foot traffic must be subjected to a regular cleaning routine.
- Guest rooms. Make sure your staff are trained to understand the risk of cross-contamination. Provide clean gloves and replace them after they have come into contact with the toilet. Items that are used regularly, such as the TV remote and light switches should be given a thorough clean every time the room is vacated to limit the spread of bacteria.
- Bathrooms. Provide guests with facilities to wash their hands and dispose of sanitary waste. Consider installing air fresheners or air purifiers to ensure the bathroom always smells clean and inviting.
- Kitchens. If proper hygiene practices are not put in place, the spread of bacteria in kitchens is common. Staff should be trained on how to wash their hands properly and gloves should be used to minimise the spread of germs. Soap, paper and rubbish bins should be easily accessible and work surfaces should be regularly disinfected.
- Spa and leisure facilities. An unhygienic spa can lead to a rapid spread of diseases. Provide both guests and staff with adequate facilities to wash and dry their hands and consider using perfumes and fragrances to offset potential bad odours.
4. Faulty Electronics
As we become more and more reliant on technology, the more necessary it is for hotels to offer up-to-date electronics in their rooms. If a hotel advertises that certain appliances are available, guests can become very irritable to discover they do not work or are faulty. Added to this, if a hotel targets business people, then a broken plug point can be more than just an annoyance. Make sure you have procedures in place to check equipment regularly and ensure that there is someone on hand able to fix small issues before they turn into big problems. Here are some of our recommendations to help safeguard your hotel from electrical issues:
- Equipment should be tested regularly.
- Prevent guests from accessing switchboards and fuse-boards.
- Provide the right sockets to prevent guests overloading plug points or needing to use adaptors.
- Keep electrical equipment away from any moisture.
Voltix Services is fully accredited and able to assist you with a complete facilities maintenance solution, including mechanical and electrical maintenance, estate management and statutory compliance.
Get in touch with Voltix Services today and set up a consultation with the experts.