Lag time
There is often a significant wait period between when a room is ready and when a guest can check in.
Traditionally, interfaces between property management systems and telephone systems meant housekeepers had to dial codes on handsets to notify reception when rooms are ready. However, with modern technology like facial recognition and mobile solutions, the future of hotel housekeeping management lies in leveraging mobile technology to streamline operations, reduce resource use and enhance the guest experience. In essence, adopting mobile technology can streamline operations, reduce resource use and enhance the guest experience.
Staffing issues
Housekeeping is one of the departments with the highest turnover rate, leading to constant training of new staff and often staffing shortages. This can stress team members who are spread thin. Continuous training helps address these issues. By regularly training your staff and identifying areas for improvement, you demonstrate an investment in your team. The more you invest in your staff, the more committed they will be to your hotel, leading to lower turnover rates. Using an e-learning platform like Mews University gives your staff the freedom to learn on their schedule, anytime, anywhere.
Clipboards
Clipboards can cause errors such as cleaning the wrong rooms and an inability to communicate during emergencies. Clipboards should be relics of the past. Although hand-holding is important for the transition to digital, hospitality software companies need to build solutions for housekeepers that don’t require days of training and are affordable for even the smallest of operators.
In addition to helping hotels increase productivity, mobile solutions can aid in the elimination of paper waste created by the multiple printouts in many housekeeping departments. The digitizing of data also makes it easier for managers to compile and pull reports in real time for overall operations status.
With the rise of disruptive platforms like Airbnb, new formats of hospitality are emerging, consisting of clusters of apartments across multiple locations that still need to be managed like a traditional hotel. Mobile technology will be crucial for future-proofing hotel housekeeping operations as accommodation becomes more complex and disparate.
The drawbacks of adopting such a system? There is an academic argument to be made that, had a cloud-based housekeeping app been integrated into the operations of the fictional Beresford Hotel in the romantic comedy Maid in Manhattan, then Jennifer Lopez may well have been alerted to the presence of a room guest and would never have met Ralph Fiennes and lived happily ever after…but that aside, the future of hotel housekeeping software appears mobile and cloud based.
The future of hotel housekeeping technology lies in mobile apps
Housekeeping is, arguably, the most inefficient operation in any hotel. Amidst a labyrinth of rooms with enigmatic guests slipping in and out, clipboards and printed reports are too often the only compass housekeepers have to navigate through their daily chores and find the next room to clean.
Shockingly, most hotels still use walkie-talkies to communicate between the front officero and housekeeping. However, with the technology now available, housekeepers could use smartphones, potentially their own, to log into the PMS and check which rooms are ready to be cleaned, change the status of the room when they are cleaned and inspected, or even check the guest’s name before knocking on the door. Hotels need to rely on their system and know that when a room is inspected, it will instantly be reported to the front desk. Increased availability allows receptionists to move bookings around faster without interrupting housekeeping workflows with constant re-prioritizations.
10 technologies that are revolutionizing the housekeeping department
Technology has long been deemed the go-to solution for hotels to increase efficiency across departments. It streamlines operations, reduces costs, and provides a hotel environment designed to impress and leave a lasting impression on guests. Let’s look at ten solutions revolutionizing the housekeeping department.
1. Mobile Apps for Housekeeping Management
Housekeeping is often the most inefficient operation in a hotel. Mobile technology can help housekeepers log into the PMS, check which rooms are ready to be cleaned, change the status of rooms when they are cleaned and inspected, and check the guest’s name before knocking on the door. This increases efficiency and reduces interruptions in housekeeping workflows.
2. Mobile App – Type 1: Task/Rota Management
Mobile hotel housekeeping has developed through task/rota management and list-based solutions like RoomChecking and Optii. These tools automate task assignments and scheduling based on real-time room status and staff availability, improving efficiency and ensuring timely completion of tasks.
3. Mobile App – Type 2: Behavioral Management Solutions
Behavioral management solutions, such as HotelKit, offer integrated communication systems akin to “Slack-for-hotels.” These platforms allow hotel operations teams to assign tasks and schedule assignments quickly and proactively through a mobile app, enhancing coordination and responsiveness within the team.
4. Housekeeping software integrated into your PMS
A PMS like Mews that has integrated housekeeping software is ideal for boosting productivity, reducing costs, and improving the guest experience. This on-the-go software allows you to manage room turnovers, workloads, room assignments, daily cleaning, and maintenance tasks. It streamlines communications with in-app updates, making it effortless for staff to complete their jobs efficiently.
5. Digital checklists
Digital checklists integrated into your PMS housekeeping software can help staff remain accountable for their tasks, tracking what has been completed and what still needs to be done. This ensures compliance, provides the front desk with better estimates for room readiness, and helps manage maintenance tasks or guest requests more efficiently.
6. Automated Robotic Cleaning Machines
Robots are revolutionizing hotel housekeeping. The TASKI Intellibot range of commercial robotic cleaning machines from Diversey Care allows hotel staff to focus on other revenue-generating and value-added tasks. While not designed for the intricacies of room cleaning, they excel in large spaces with fewer obstacles. Discover more on how hotel robots are transforming hospitality.
