Going contactless beyond technology...
How often are the times hotel guests find out when arriving at their allocated guest room that the door lock stubbornly refuses to open? Other irritants can include a remote control with dead batteries, an air-conditioner that leaks water, a Coffee-maker that does not work, a TV set that remains unplugged (after it was removed by the room maid to plug in the vacuum cleaner) or a washbasin that fills-up without water draining out or even a missing bath rug…which one discovers, only after stepping out of the shower with wet feet.
That’s the time; guests begin to wonder ‘How the dickens did the housekeeping staffs miss these shortcomings?”. And so, you inform the front desk and pretty soon, an army of people, from the housekeeper to the maintenance guy will troop in through the room door to verify what’s wrong. Should they come unprepared, for example- not carry spare batteries for the remote…be prepared to open the door many times.
The coronavirus pandemic has placed cleanliness at the top of the list; equal - if not greater importance is attached to reducing the level or frequency of contact between one another. Consequently, the pressures exerted by COVID-19 has seeped into every aspect of the guest experience, raising expectations in the short – term and permanently altering habits, practices and priorities in the long run. Shortcomings as described above may no longer be easily forgiven by guests. What’s the point of getting into your room, safely without meeting any one – only to have uninvited staff entering it afterwards?
Every hotel of good standing has its own standards of operations (SOP) and they differ, because they are developed according to their own niche, size of hotel, scope of operations and departments. For example a hotel can have only two room types or several categories of accommodations; in which case the standard operating procedure in housekeeping can vary. However, be that as it may, the purpose of the SOP is the same. And that is to maintain a certain standard and meet the required quality expectation.
Whatever the type, size, or rating of the hotel, all guests typically judge a hotel by its perceived level of cleanliness that everything functions smoothly - especially in the guestroom, when making a satisfaction and value judgment regarding their stay.
Whilst hotels rush to introduce contactless features for checking-in /checking-out, ordering food and beverages, etc, the path to the new industry norm is long. However, a section of the journey is through known territory, and rests squarely on the shoulders of ‘support’ staff, which need to ‘up their game’.
The post-COVID guest is engaged in a completely different conversation. Is the hotel clean? Are the guest rooms regularly sanitised? Will there be minimal contact with hotel staff? In such a situation, the guest of today who encounters evidence remaining from the previous occupant, such as hair in the shower trap, rubbish in the waste bin or food crumbs under the bed will ask themselves “ Why should i continue to stay in that unsanitary room or hotel?”
Shafeek Wahab – Editor, Hospitality Sri Lanka, Consultant, Trainer, Ex-Hotelier
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