BSCHMCTT 602

CONTROLLING EXPENSES–
1 BUDGETING Notes
Guest satisfaction is one measure of the housekeeping department’s

performance. The other measure is the bottom line. As a department head,
the executive housekeeper must find a way to deliver the services that will
enhance the guest’s stay with out draining profit.
Creating and working within a budget are key aspects of the executive
housekeeper’s responsibilities as a department head. The housekeeping
budged is a major part of the property’s overall budget, accounting for as
much as 30 per cent of total expenses in small property and 10 per cent to
15 per cent in a highly diversified mega-hotel. By using occupancy and sales
projections and assessing what is required to clean and to maintain
standards, the executive housekeeper must map out the department’s
financial needs for the next year.
BUDGET AND BUDGET PROCEDURES

The housekeeping budget typically is presented as part of the rooms
division budget. The rooms division budget is usually the largest in the
property, and the housekeeping budget is one of its biggest categories of
expense. For that reason, the executive housekeeper’s ability to control costs
has a significant effect on whether the rooms divisions meets its financial
goals.
When beginning to put together the budget, the executive housekeeper
needs:
• Data on labor costs and productivity
• Cost analyses for supplies and equipment
• An outline of any major repairs or capital equipment needed in the
coming year
The budget process usually begins six months in advance of the new
fiscal year, the 12-month period for which the property plans the use of
its funds. It may take nine months or more to plan budgets for a year in
which a major renovation is scheduled. At the start of the budget process,
the general manager or rooms division manager reviews the annual profit
and loss (P&L) statement with the executive housekeeper and other
department heads. This may be done one-on-one or as part of an intensive
planning session with all department heads. The P&L statement lists all
sources of income, called revenue, and all debits, items which are paid out
or actual losses. Debits are then subtracted from income. If income is higher
Self-Instructional Material 1
Advanced Accommodation than debits, the property posts a profit. If debits are larger than income,
Operations–II the property reports a loss, called a deficit. Revenue and losses are
Notes expressed as gross, a total before any adjustments such as taxes are figured
in, or as net, the figure that remains after everything is figured in. The
results of the P&L, give management a basis from which to start planning
the next budget.
Most managers customize the budget process somewhat. However,
there are two basic approaches to preparing budgets. The more traditional
method uses historical cost patterns to project future costs. The other, called
zero-based budgeting, requires that department heads literally start from
zero and project forward to determine what their departmental needs will
be.
The more traditional approach is to calculate expenses based on
historical spending patterns and the profile of business for the coming year.
The profile of business, also called a profile of sales, is a forecast of
business based on occupancy projections, projections for group business and
function sales, special events planned for the city, special holidays or holy
days observed in the area, and special sales promotions or sales packages
planned by the property itself, the management company, or chain.
Using this information, each cost is defined as a percentage of overall
revenues using the following steps:
1. Determine what the occupancy will be?
2. Determine how much revenue this occupancy will generate?
3. Assign a standard percentage or percentage range to each cost
This percentage is based on the executive housekeeper’s calculation of
expenses. The exact percentage depends on historical performance. If the
percentage used in the past was insufficient and the executive housekeeper
can demonstrate consistent, justifiable overruns, the percentage most likely
will be raised. If past experience shows the percentage was to large or
overruns were not justified, the percentage will stay the same or be lowered.
For zero-based budgeting, each item is justified on the basis of projected
need or use, not on past performance. The executive housekeeper uses the
profile of business as a starting point. This detailed look at the forecasted
workload of the next year enables the executive housekeeper to calculate
expenses and determine the cost per occupied room. It is computed by
adding up total departmental expenditures and dividing this figure by the
number of occupied rooms. Cost per occupied room has become a standard
measure of fiscal performance because it measures expenses directly against
the income generated by occupied rooms (see Fig. 1)
Cost per occupied room should include not only standard labor and
supply costs, but any costs included in the housekeeping budget. For
example, if extra labor hours are needed to prepare the property for an
inspection by the management company’s corporate inspector, it will boost
2 Self-Instructional Material
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HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT - COST PER OCCUPIED ROOM
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Room Nights 4th Qtr. Year-end Budget +/– % 1st Qtr. 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr.
1996 Ave CPOR CPOR CPOR Ave CPOR Ave CPOR Ave CPOR
Expenses Line/Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Housekeeping Labor-Fixed
Housekeeping Labor-Variable
Total Housekeeping Labor
Decorations
Laundry
Household Cleaning
Uniforms
Linens and Blankets
Robes
Uniform Cleaning
Cleaning Supplies
Window Cleaning
Contract Cleaning
Plant Maintenance
Guest Amenities
Other Suite Replacement Costs
Housekeeping - Other
Fig. 1. All department expenses are tracked, totaled, then divided by the number of actual occupied rooms in order to
calculate cost per occupied room (CPOR), one of the most important financial measures used in the lodging industry
now. (Courtesy of the RIHGA Royal Hotel, New York)
Notes
Self-Instructional Material
Controlling Expenses –
Budgeting
3
Advanced Accommodation the cost per occupied room for that period. A veteran staff may be entitled
Operations–II to more vacation time. Scheduling staff to cover all these weeks of vacation
Notes can add as much as $10 to the hotel’s average cost per occupied room
during major holidays when several staff members may be off at one time.
Accurate record keeping is another essential part of the budget process.
Detailed records enable the executive housekeeper to monitor spending
patterns and identify areas in which costs are running ahead of or behind
the actual budget.
Budgets are broken down further into operating budgets and capital
improvement or capital equipment budgets. The operating budget includes
the estimated expenses for all goods and services that will be used within
one year’s time. This includes the cost of labor. The capital improvement
budget, or capital budget, covers outlays for items that will last several
years, which includes equipment such as vacuum cleaners or shampooers
and FF&E.
Budget Formulation (The Once-a-Year Subroutine)

There are many cases in which budgets are presented to executive
housekeepers that dictate how much in the way of labor and supplies will
be expended in the performance of tasks. Such budgets, which originate
with top management and are handed down, seldom draw the commitment
of operational managers, because little or no planning was contributed at
the department level. The participation of the executive housekeepers in
formulating the operational budget for the housekeeping department is
essential if managers are to commit themselves to successful
accomplishment of the long-range plan known as the budget.
Top Management’s Input to the Budget

Top management must be involved in the budgeting process: Company
expectations should be stated and national trends analyzed; criteria should
be established regarding standards to be met in the use of supplies;
marketing plans must be finalized for the upcoming year; and budget
guidance is essential. Once these tasks are done, however, each department
of the hotel should begin the task of assembling, from a zero base,
requirements for the expenditure of man-hours, materials, and money to
produce the service or product that will be creating revenue. After
identifying expected sales and related costs, top management should critique
the budget, indicating where adjustments must be made in order that
company or corporate objectives will be met. If modification of the budget
is necessary, it should be revised by the operating departments until
agreement is reached.
The Budget Cycle

The operational budget cycle usually requires several months from the
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onset of planning until critiques and adjustments are finalized. The Controlling Expenses –
budgeting process must therefore be begun well in advance of the Budgeting
beginning of the budget (fiscal) year. Notes
Operational budgets usually reflect periods of the fiscal year. Some
hotel operating budgets are constructed with each of the 12 months
reflecting a period. Other systems reflect 13 (28-day) periods each of which
is made up of four consecutive weeks. The 13-period system seems most
appropriate because periods will start on the first day of a scheduled
workweek and will end on the last day the following fourth workweek. It
allows for the comparison of revenues and costs on a consistent basis each
period.
Budget periods based on calendar months create 2 months out of 12
in which an extra payday will occur, causing a distorted comparison of
wage cost against revenues. Such distortion will not occur in 13-period
systems. In addition, set days of each period will always occur on the same
days of the week in each period, allowing for systematic comparisons of
similar days. For example, assume that workweeks begin on Saturdays and
end on Fridays. The first day of every period will then occur on a Saturday.
The sixteenth day of every period will similarly always be the third Sunday
of each period. Except for special holiday periods, hotel revenues and
resultant costs of operations will more likely reflect similarity by days of
the week than any other statistical criteria.
The Budgeting Subroutine

Each budget planning cycle is commenced by those involved in
budgeting room sales. Schedules indicating the volume of rooms sales to
be expected on each day of the upcoming year are prepared and finalized
before operational cost budgeting is begun by any department affected by
fluctuating occupancy (such as housekeeping). Most schedules of expected
room sales will also show a comparison of the upcoming budget year with
the existing year in order that growth can be analyzed. Not only will
growth in the sale of guestrooms be significant, but changes in average
room rate and expected period revenues will later prove significant in the
development of statistical targets for the housekeeping department. Fig. 2
is an example of a typical Consolidated Room Sales Summary which will
serve as a basis for the formulation of the housekeeping department’s
budget.
Wage Classification
Because man-hour utilization represents the highest housekeeping cost
of operation, the greatest detail in justification will be required in the
development of man-hours to be expended. Recall that man-hours for the
various types of work performed within the housekeeping department are
classified for accounting purposes. In our earlier example, man-hours
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Advanced Accommodation # Ave. Sales % Inc. % Inc.
Operations–II
%OCC Rooms Rate in Dollars in Rooms in Dollars
Notes Current Year 1 73 7215 101.21 730,230
Actual 2 74 7314 101.43 741,859
3 77 7611 101.39 771,679
4 73 7215 104.04 750,649
5 82 8105 104.08 843,568
6 79 7808 103.95 811,642
7 85 8401 103.99 873,620
8 89 8797 104.02 915,064
9 83 8203 104.10 853,932
(Forecast) 10 82 8105 103.94 842,434
(Forecast) 11 81 8006 104.06 833,104
(Forecast) 12 69 6820 104.04 709,553
(Forecast) 13 60 5931 104.13 617,595
Total 77.5 99531 103.43 10,294,929
Budget Year 1 75 7413 105 778,365 2.7 6.6

Budget 2 78 7709 105 809,445 5.4 9.1
3 86 8500 105 892,500 11.7 15.7
4 86 8500 105 892,500 17.8 18.9
5 88 8697 105 913,185 7.3 8.3
6 92 9093 107 972,951 16.5 19.9
7 93 9192 107 983,544 9.4 12.6
8 93 9192 107 983,544 4.5 7.5
9 92 9093 107 972,951 10.8 13.9
10 89 8797 107 941,279 8.5 11.7
11 89 8797 107 941,279 9.9 13.0
12 80 7907 107 846.049 15.9 19.2
13 63 6227 107 666,289 5.0 7.9
Total 84.9 109117 106.25 11,593,881 9.7 12.6
Fig. 2. A Consolidated Room Sales Summary presents the expected room sales,
per cent occupancy, average room rate, and sales dollars to be generated by the
annual budget. Current statistics are provided for comparison, and per cent
increases in number of rooms to be sold and revenue dollars are given in relation
to the current year. The Consolidated Room Sales Summary must be developed
and distributed to all departments before cost budgeting can be initiated. Since
the budget cycle must be begun about the tenth period of the active year in
progress, figures listed as “actuals” for the tenth through thirteenth periods are
“forecast” since they have not yet occurred. As the budget process continues, these
last-period for the active year will be updated. For illustrative purposes, however,
assume that all periods of the current year have been completed.
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worked by GRAs were classification (07), hours worked by section Controlling Expenses –
housekeeping aides were (08), those worked by supervisory personnel were Budgeting
(02), and those worked by public area, linen room, and utility personnel Notes
do not fluctuate and are therefore classified as fixed hours (06). Other
classification of man-hours to be performed in a rooms department include
front office personnel (01, 03, 05), which would be under the control of the
front office manager. Fig. 3 illustrates a system whereby man-hours are
classified into wage departments.
Wage department no. Wage category

00 * Management
01 ** Front office supervisory
02 *** Housekeeping supervisory
03 ** Front office/reservations clerks
04 ** Front office cashiers
05 ** Bell staff
06 *** Housekeeping (fixed)
07 *** GRAs
08 *** Section housekeeping aides
09 **** Recreation attendants
Fig. 3. A wage classification system for budgeting and accounting purposes

is necessary in order that man-hours in specific wage categories may be
budgeted, collected, and analyzed.
Budget Justification
The executive housekeeper needs to explain how man-hour
requirements are established for each wage department. Usually a standard
from for man-hour justification is prepared and included as part of the
budget submission package. Fig. 4 is an example of a budget justification
of man-hour from explaining utilization of GRA man-hours (wage
department 07), which is one wage department for which the executive
housekeeper in our example was responsible.
Considering the expected occupancies noted in Fig. 2 the executive
housekeeper refers to the Table of Personnel Requirements to determine
exactly how many man-hours will be required to service this
occupancy for the model hotel. Statements about method of operation as
related to the GRA wage department (07) are based on the least number
of man-hours that will accomplish the servicing of budgeted occupied
guestrooms.
Fig. 4 illustrates the detail of the budget justification, although
justification sheets for other wage departments may not be so detailed. Note
that night operations are identified separately; training costs are also
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Advanced Accommodation
BUDGET JUSTIFICATION
Operations–II
FOR
Notes MANPOWER UTILIZATION
Department _____ Cost Centre _____ Wage
dept. _____
Staffing rationale Position
Title __________
Hours of Operation _____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Shifts per day: __ Managers assigned __ Hourly Supervisors __
Explanation of operation:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Summary
Avg. pers Hrs/Wk Hrs/Prd Avg
Per OCC day/night Hrs/Day Days/Wk Total Total Rate Cost
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Total
Year
Comment on wage increases;
Total mh ______
Training man-hours ______ Cost ______ Total Cost ______
________________
Night Operations ______ Cost ______ (Submitted)
Fig. 4. Budget justification for man-hour utilization is used to support

requirements for man-hours in various wage categories. A specific justification
document is needed for each wage category (Note: This particular form with
position title “Section Housekeeper” refers to GRAs.) The method of
department operation is written out and then summarized in tabular form
for each period of the budget year. This form becomes a part of the budget
submission package.
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identified separately but are not included at this point. Training cost will Controlling Expenses –
be added with other property training costs and summarized separately. In Budgeting
the example, it is estimated that four employees will be replaced each Notes
period at a training cost of 24 nonproductive hours per employee replaced
per period.
If a critique challenge is made by top management to the detail
expressed in the budget justification, a clear statement as to what service
will be discarded or down-graded before hours can be reduced must be
made. If profits must be increased but services maintained at the level
specified in budget justifications, average room rates would have to be
increased to improve revenues and resultant profits. Such may be the topic
of discussion during budget critiques.
Wage Summaries
Fig. 5 is a summary statement of all man-hour and wage cost
information for the entire rooms department. At the bottom of Fig. 5 is the
calculation of the sales per man-hour. This is an efficiency calculation
referring to the number of wage department (07) man-hours to be expended
for each dollar of sales revenue generated. Once the statistic is accepted, it
becomes an efficiency target to be maintained or bettered in each period.
Later, comparisons of sales per man-hour for the budget year with that for
the current year indicate whether efficiencies are being maintained,
exceeded, or lessened over the prior year.
In our example, revenue for the budget year is reflected as $6,138,031.
GRA hours (Wage Department 07) required to service the occupancy that
generates this revenue will be 53,088 man-hours. Sales per man-hour then
becomes $11,593,881 + 53,088 = $218.97. Upon acceptance of this statistic
revenue may be compared each period with GRA hours to determine
whether the statistic is achieved or is more or less than budgeted. If the
current year sales per man-hour figure is more than what is budged for
the year, it indicates improved efficiencies for the department.
Budgeting Supplies and Other Controllables

The budgeting of other controllable items, although not as detailed as
man-hours, will require the same effort. Fig. 6 shows the entire rooms
department budget. Note the format by which current year actuals and
projections through the end of the current year are compared with next
year’s budget.
The final budget is divided into six parts: total sales, total salaries and
wages, total employee costs, total controllables, control profit, and statistics.
The presentation of wage cost is by wage department, the balance of which
has now been added for the entire rooms department. The total employee
costs refer to costs over and above salaries and wages, including benefits
averaging about 20 per cent of salary and wage cost. Controllables refer to
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10
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Operations–II
Notes
Self-Instructional Material
Rooms
_____
Budget Worksheet
SALARY AND WAGE SUMMARY
Period % Period Total Dept 01 Dept 02 Dept 03 Dept 04 Dept 05 Dept 06 Dept 07 Dept 08 Dept 09
OCC Amount Rate Amount Rate Amount Rate Amount Rate Amount Rate Amount Rate Amount Rate Amount Rate Amount Rate Amount Rate
Man-Hours Man-Hours Man-Hours Man-Hours Man-Hours Man-Hours Man-Hours Man-Hours Man-Hours Man-Hours
10
11
12
13
Year
Total
Sales Per Average Sales Per Average Sales Per Average Sales Per Average Sales Per Average Sales Per Average Sales Per Average Sales Per Average Sales Per Average Sales Per Average
Man-Hour Rate Man-Hour Rate Man-Hour Rate Man-Hour Rate Man-Hour Rate Man-Hour Rate Man-Hour Rate Man-Hour Rate Man-Hour Rate Man-Hour Rate
Budgets
Last Year
Fig. 5. A Salary and Wages Summary on which total hours, wage rates, and dollar wage cost for each wage department within the rooms
department are totaled. For simplicity, only wage department (07) and department totals are shown.
ROOMS DEPARTMENT Controlling Expenses –
BUDGET Budgeting
Page 1 Performance Budget Notes

Year
Year 1998 1997
Actual Budget Projected
$ % $ % $ %
1 Total Room Sales $ 11,606,264 $ 10,308,686
2 Rebate Allowance (12,383) (13,757)
3 Net Room Sales 11,593,881 10,294,929
4 Other Sales 65,015 55,748
5 Cost of Sales (34,445) (29,251)
6 TOTAL SALES 11,624,451 100.0% 10,321,427 100%
7 Wage Dept 01 61,226 60,515
8 02 211,936 216,072
9 03 147,048 148,708
10 04 27,851 28,423
11 06 138,465 140,251
12 07 523,100 4.5% 481,219 4.7%
13 08 178,027 182,772
14 09 66,011 60,676
15 TOTAL WAGES 1,346,504 11.6% 1,318,636 12.8%
16 Overtime Prem. 2,449 2,790
17 Holiday Pay 43,702 44,455
18 Management Salaries 131,872 108,606
19 Bonuses 18,839 13,208
20 TOTAL SALARIES & WAGES 1,543,366 13.3% 1,487,696 14.4%
21 Vacation Management 4,898 2,840
22 Vacation Hourly 10,361 6,671
23 Payroll Taxes 54,908 48,054
24 H & W Insurance 11,974 7,636
25 Employee Relations 942 1,367
26 Employee Food 42,442 36,097
27 TOTAL EMPLOYEE COSTS 125,525 1.1% 102,666 1.0%
28 CONTROLLABLES
29 Bad Debts Provision 948
30 Corp. Public Relations 533
31 Cleaning Supplies 34,782 0.3% 41,179 0.4%
32 Commission Exp. 2,449 2,433
33 Contract Services 5,652 8,067
34 Decoration & Plants 2,449 1,519
35 Entertainment 1,225 1,778
36 Equipment Rental 2,543 2,800
37 General Expense 2,449 6,698
38 Guest Supplies 69,564 0.6% 72,065 0.7%
39 Holidex Rental 16,955 17,377
40 Laundry Expenses 78,530 86,152
Contd...
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Advanced Accommodation Page 2
Operations–II Year 1998 1997
Actual Budget Projected
Notes $ % $ % $ %
1 Linen Expense $ 81,372 0.7% $ 85,447 0.83%

2 Linen Rental
3 Office Print and Post 15,071 18,010
4 Telephone Exp. 2,449 7,628
5 Uniforms 3,768 9,503
6 Walked guest 942 1,558
7 Xerox Costs 3,768 3,305
8 TOTAL CONTROLLABLES 323,752 2.8% 368,997 3.6%
9
10 CONTROL PROFIT $ 9,631,808 82.9% $ 8,362,067 81.0%
11
12 HOURS
13 Wage Dept. 01 5,000 5,141
14 02 18,000 17,984
15 03 14,192 14,297
16 04 2,688 2,543
17 05
18 06 14,000 13,591
19 07 53,088 48,969
20 08 18,000 18,721
21 09 8,760 7,623
22 TOTAL HOURS 133,728 128,869
23
24 Average Wage Rate 11.54 11.54
25 Sales/Manhour $ 86.93 $ 80.09
07 Sales/Manhour $ 218.97 $ 210.77
26 Hskpg MH/Occ. Room 0.49 0.49
27 Wage Cost/Sales Dollar (%) 11.58% 12.78%
28
29 % Occupancy 85% 77.5%
30 Room Nights 109.117 99.531
31 Average Room Rate $ 106.25 $ 103.43
32
33
34
35
Fig. 6. The rooms department budget, which combines all sales budgeting
that will generate revenues for the rooms department and includes related
costs from the front office and housekeeping. The budget is annualized and
displayed side by side with the current year in order that comparisons can
be made. Certain key budget items have been compared with revenues as a
per cent of revenue to provide performance targets. Dollars, as well as man-
hours, are budgeted. Department control profit is established, as are statistical
targets generated from which performance can be measured. Other supporting
date (Figs. 2, 4, 5 ) form a part of the budget package that will be presented
to top management for review and approval. Once approved the budget is
spread into 13 period budgets, which will be used to compare actual
happenings when they occur in each period.
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the various supply cost accounts where monies will be needed. Not all cost Controlling Expenses –
accounts fall under the purview of the executive housekeeper, but those that Budgeting
do are obvious. They include cleaning supplies, guest supplies laundry Notes
expenses, linen costs, and parts of several other accounts, including general
expense. Each controllable cost may also be expressed as a percentage of
revenue. For example, cleaning supplies might approximate three-tenths of
1 percent of revenue and guest supplies approximate six-tenths of 1 per
cent of revenue. Such statistics have a tendency to vary with type of hotel,
type of market, expectations for excellence, and other specific factors.
Budget in Operation
Once the budget has been developed, it will be critiqued as we
described earlier. Once approved the major long-range operational plan is
now in place for the upcoming year. As the budgeted year progresses,
period statements will be produced by the accounting department in a form
almost identical to that expressed in the budget, as illustrated in Fig. 7.
New actual costs are next to what has been budgeted. The executive
housekeeper is expected to explain any serious negative deviations from the
plan and how these deviations will be corrected. This type of control is one
of the major challenges to expert professional housekeeping. The executive
housekeeper, having been a part of the budget process, should look forward
to the management challenge afforded by budget planning, analysis, and
control.
To understand budgets and the related processes, carefully analyze the
explanations given in Figs. 6 and 7.
PHASES OF BUDGETING CONTROL

Planning stage
This is the process of preparing the operating plans necessary to
achieve the predetermined objectives. The setting of objectives is
fundamental to the generation of a budgeting business cycle. Such objectives
can be general or specific, short-term or long-term.
ESTABLISH OBJECTIVES
RECOGNISE BUSINESS (short-term/long-term and
OPPORTUNITIES specific/general)
APPRAISE PERFORMANCE AND

FORMULATE AND IMPLEMENET
RE-ASSESS PLANS AND
OPERATING BUDGETS
OBJECTIVES
A general objective is a statement of intent in the widest possible terms,

for example ‘increase sales volume and improve profitability.’ A specific
objective is one which is more defined and measurable, for example
‘increase sales in the next calendar year by 10% to a level of $800 000’.
Unit-1
Advanced Accommodation ROOMS DEPARTMENT
Operations–II Period Statement
Notes Monthly Income Statement
For 3rd Period, 1997
Year Period Period YTD YTD
Actual Budget Budget Actual
$ % $ % $ % $ %
1 Total Room Sales 893,771 893,455 2,483,175 2,473,982
2 Rebate Allowance (544) (955) (2,865) (2,187)
3 Net Room Sales 893,227 892,500 2,480,310 2,471,795 100%
4 Other Sales 4,857 5,074 15,324 15,415
5 Cost of Sales (2,663) (2,684) (8,115) (8,369)
6 TOTAL SALES 895,421 100% 894,890 100% 2,487,519 100% 2,478,841 100%
7 Wage Dept. 01 4,750 4,773 13,929 11,593
(1) 8 02 19,495 16,521 49,447 48,178
9 03 11,482 11,462 34,156 31,961
10 04 2,377 2,171 6,064 13,938
11 06 10,795 10,794 31,134 29,845
(2) 12 07 36,746 39,500 111,696 108,143
13 08 12,514 12,409 37,017 34,287
14 09 5,195 5,145 15,057 16,202
15 TOTAL WAGES 103,353 11.5% 102,775 11.5% 299,500 12.0% 294,174 11.9%
16 Overtime Prem. 431 191 577 989
17 Holiday Pay 932 3,406 10,299 4,619
18 Management Salaries 9,853 10,280 31,079 31,188
19 Bonuses 1,468 4,440
20 TOTAL SALARIES & WAGES 114,569 12.8% 118,120 13.2% 345,896 13.9% 330,943 13.4%
21 Vacation Management 382 1,154
22 Vacation Hourly 1,250 808 2,434 2,830
23 Payroll Taxes 4,177 4,280 12,940 11,392
24 H & W Insurance 361 382 2,822 2,643
25 Employee Relations 808 221
26 Employee Food 3,947 4,280 10,003 9,704
27 TOTAL EMPLOYEE COSTS 9,735 1.1% 10,939 1.2% 29,575 1.2% 26,569 1.1%
28 CONTROLLABLES
29 Bad Debts Provision 325 1,150
30 Corp. Public Relations 325
(3) 31 Cleaning Supplies 3,169 2,711 8,198 10,949
32 Commission Exp. 269 191 1,539 618
(4) 33 Contract Services 859 441 1,331 1,962
34 Decoration & Plants 191 577
35 Entertainment 95 289 231
36 Equipment Rental 199 600
(5) 37 General Expenses 1,432 191 577 2,963
(6) 38 Guest Supplies 5,386 5,422 16,394 22,418
39 Holidex Rental 1321 1,321 3,994 3,994
(7) 40 Laundry Expense 5,662 6,112 18,506 19,222
Contd...
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Monthly Income Statement Controlling Expenses –
For 3rd Period, 1997 Budgeting
Year Period Period YTD YTD Notes

Actual Budget Budget Actual
$ % $ % $ % $ %
(8) 1 Linen Expenses 8,631 6,327 19,128 8,631
2 Linen Rental
3 Office Print and Post 1,149 1,174 3,540 3,338
4 Telephone Exp. 283 191 577
(9) 5 Uniforms 4,622 294 887 4,658
6 Walked guest 168 73 221 568
7 Xerox Costs 168 294 887 721
(10) 8 TOTAL CONTROLLABLES 33,404 3.7% 25,236 2.8% 77,246 3.1 81.747 3.3
9
(11) 10 CONTROL PROFIT $737,713 82.4% 740,595 82.8% 2,034,803 81.8 2,039,581 82.3
11
12 HOURS
13 Wage Dept. 01 379 385 1,155 1,131
(12) 14 02 1,632 1,385 4,154 4,280
15 03 1.088 1,092 3,275 3,198
16 04 205 207 621 626
17 05
18 06 1,045 1,077 3,231 3,166
(13) 19 07 3,525 4,032 11,424 10,609
20 08 1,839 1,874 4,154 3,594
21 09 670 674 2,022 1,554
22 TOTAL HOURS 10,383 10,726 30,036 28,158
23
(14) 24 Average Wage Rate 11.03 11.014 11.52 11.75
(15) 25 Sales/Manhour $ 86.24 $ 83.43 $ 82.82 $ 88.03
26 07 Sales/Manhour $ 254.02 $ 221.95 $ 217.75 $ 233.65
(16) 27 Hskpg MH/Occ. Room 0.41 0.47 0.48 0.45
28 Wages Cost/Sales Dollar (%) 11.5% 11.5% 12.0% 11.9%
29
30 % Occupancy 86.6% 85.9% 77.5% 77.5%
31 Room Nights 8,563 8,500 23,883 23,622
32 Average Room Rate $ 104.31 $ 105.00 $ 103.85 $ 104.64
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
Fig. 7. Rooms Department Period Statement indicating progress toward the

budget for the third of thirteen periods in the fiscal year. (The statement
refers to Fig 6, which is based on the model hotel.) Note that the third period
is compared with the spread budget for the third period, and that year-to-
date (YTD) comparisons (totals of periods one, two and three) are also made.
Look closely to see if performance for the third period reflects improvement
toward the overall year or a deterioration of performance.
Unit-1
Advanced Accommodation A short-term objective is considered to be concerned with a period
Operations–II up to 12 months. A long-term objective is one concerned with activity in
Notes excess of a 12-month time span.
To be meaningful within the budgeting process, the objectives need to
be short-term and specific so that comparisons and decisions regarding
achievement can be made. We need to be able to measure if we have
achieved our target, hence objectives need to be clearly spelt out.
Forecasting
In order to formulate and implement the budget plan, a process of
forecasting must occur. While this process will vary from operation, in
general it will:
• use past performance;
• focus on past variances to judge whether previous targets were
realistic;
• adjust past results to an update for current prices—in most cases
this means an increase due to inflation.
• adjust for predicted changes in levels of activity. This is the most
difficult area to achieve with accuracy since it requires crystal balling
of such influences and unknown as:
– level of inflation
– economic trends
– political environment
– legislative changes
– market trend and consumer purchase habits
– level of competition
– results from sales promotion efforts
• be enhanced by the involvement of staff who will be expected to
achieve the set targets. The sense of ownership which flows from
such a technique will do much to ensure the target is achievable
and sufficient motivation is mobilised to make the achievement
happen.
The planning phase of budgeting will highlight that most budgets are
interrelated. The information established in one budget will determine the
composition of other budgets as can be seen in the diagram.
CASH FLOW BUDGET

EXPENDITURE BUDGETS
• PAYROLL
SALES BUDGET • OPERATING EXPENSES
PROFIT STATEMENT • CAPITAL EXPENDITURES
BUDGET
Unit-1
Sales budgets will determine cash inflow and this affect the cash Controlling Expenses –
statement budget. Sales budgets will also determine the profit statement Budgeting
projections for a particular period. Similarly the various expenditure and Notes
operating expense budgets will influence the determination of both cash and
profit projections.
Evaluation Phase
Thus is the doing part of the budget process. It involves comparisons
of expected against actual. A sensible technique is to establish a reporting
system which readily identifies any variations. This can be achieved through
manual or electronic means of reporting. A much used format to achieve
meaningful evaluations is shown in Fig. 8.
Current Year
Previous year Actual Expected Variance
$ % $ % $ % $
BISTRO SALES
Food 18 000 47 20 000 47 24 000 49 (24 000)
Beverage 20 000 53 23 000 53 25 000 51 (2,000)
38 000 100 43 000 100 49 000 100 (6 000)
EXPENSES
Payroll 11 400 30 13 760 32 12 250 25 (1 510)
Cost of 19 000 50 22 360 52 22 050 45 (310)
goods sold
Fig. 8
A further format can also include cumulative results as is shown in
Fig. 9.
Current Year Current

Previous Budgeted Actual Variance year to
June June June June June
$ % $ % $ % $ $
BISTRO SALES
Food
Beverage
Fig. 9
It is pointless attempting a budgeting reporting process unless the
results are monitored and variations investigated with appropriate corrective
action implemented. To ensure this happens, some budget report formats
include a further column for narrative comment to be entered beside the
particular variance. Such comments would explain the reason for the
variance and would describe the corrective action undertaken.
Unit-1
Operations–II
OPERATING BUDGETS IN THE LODGING INDUSTRY
By Agnes L. DeFranco, Ed.D., and Raymond S. Schmidgall, Ph.D., CPA,
Notes CHAE
(Agnes L. DeFranco, Ed.D., is an assistant professor at the Conrad N. Hilton
College of Hotel and Restaurant Management, University of Houston.
Raymond S. Schmidgall, Ph.D., CPA, CHAE, is the Hilton Hotels professor
of hospitality financial management at the Eli Broad Graduate School of
Management, Michigan State University, and a member of the Communications
Committee.)
Budgeting is viewed by some as a necessary “evil” of business. While this
is one way of viewing the document, astute managers and controllers know
that a budget helps steer the course of an operation to profitable grounds.
Budgeting, in some respect, is similar to forecasting. The more obvious
differences between the two are that forecasting is normally used to determine
sales levels and perhaps prepared for shorter time spans while budgeting is
a “formal” plan, expressing both the sales and expenses of a hotel over a
period of time, typically one year and beyond. True budgeting is also very
similar to strategic planning and is a method of control to compare actual
results to the estimates so that corrective actions can be taken to improve
sitautions (DeFranco, 1997). The reason why some may use the adjective
“evil” for budgeting perhaps is the time and effort needed to prepare a good
and user-friendly budget. Lasky (1988) once cited that lack of budgeting is
one of the factors that led to poor performance and bankruptcies. Therefore,
budgeting is pertinent to the success of an operation.
The Operating Budget Preparation Process

The operating budget is also known as the revenues and expense budget.
It mirrors the income statement by providing hoteliers an estimate of the
income or loss potential before the actual accounting period. Also, it serves
as a benchmark for hotels to compare its performance to past efforts and
acts as a realistic and attainable goal. There are four major elements in
preparing an operations budget: financial objectives, revenue forecasts,
expense forecasts, and net income forecasts.
The process begins with the board of directors, the management team,
or owner setting major financial objectives. These objectives may take the
form of a certain profit goal, cost containment in certain accounts, while at
the same time providing a high quality product or service to the guests. The
objectives can also be set for both long and short term.
Once such goals and objectives are set, forecasting will come into play.
As mentioned in the forecasting article of this series, different departments
may employ different types of forecasting methods to derive a sales level.
Historical information, intuition, past experiences, weather, amount of booked
business, and other factors will all be taken into consideration. The next step
in the operations budgeting process is to estimate expenses. Department
heads will gather all information including expected cost increase for supplies,
food, beverages, and other expenses and also labor cost increases, cost of
benefits, and payroll taxes (Schmidgall, 1997). The profit centers or operated
departments, such as room and food & beverage, will forecast both sales
Unit-1
and expenses. For service centers such as administration, maintenance, or
Budgeting
marketing and sales, only expenses will be estimated. Once all the
departmental budgets are completed, a consolidated statement will be Notes
produced. It is then ready for discussion, modification, and approval.
A budget usually follows one of these two approaches: simple incremental
approach or zero based budgeting. With the issues of accountability and cost
control always in the forefront of today’s businesses, many operating budgets
have also adopted the zero based budgeting approach rather than the simple
incremental approach. They will justify every dollar that will be budgeted for
every account rather than simply using last period’s numbers and increasing
them by a certain percent. For example, the total amount that will be budgeted
for labor may include a justification of the number of people required for a
certain amount of estimated sales, the categories of work that they will
perform, the number of hours that they will work, the hourly pay, the benefits,
payroll taxes, and other components. It will not be simply a percentage
increase over last period’s labor amount.
Categories of Operating Budgets

Operating budgets are classified mainly into two categories: static (fixed) and
flexible (scenario analysis). A static budget reflects one level of forecasted
sales while a flexible budget reflects two or more levels. Although a static
budget is the base of a flexible budget, with spreadsheet technology, flexible
budget is just a matter of a few formulas.
Most small operations may not see the need to perform flexible budgets.
However, flexible budgets do provide management with revenues, expenses,
and profit information at different levels of activities. Therefore, flexible budgets
are usually performed in larger hotels because of all the departments and
variables that make up the entire budget.
Questions Regarding Current Practices

As mentioned in the other articles of this financial planning series, the lodging
HFTP membership assisted in the data collection process. A total of 13
questions were asked of the respondents. First, the respondents were asked
if an operating budget was prepared for the year at their properties. Then,
the personnel involved in the budgeting process and the major reasons for
developing an operating budget were explored. The respondents were also
asked if a tentative financial goal was used in the budget process and how
such a goal was determined. Questions about long-range operations budget
and revision of the annual operations budget was also discussed. Finally,
budgetary control questions such as budget variances were also investigated
(a separate future article will cover current budgetary control practices). In
addition, several respondents provided us with telephone numbers and we
obtained first-hand knowledge of their budgeting practices to supplement our
survey results.
A Collaborative Process
It is reassuring to know that 98.2 per cent of the respondents indicated they
prepared an annual operations budget. When asked who might be involved
in this important process, the answers varied.
Unit-1
Operations–II Nonetheless, it was evident that the controller worked with many members
of the hotel management team to gather the most accurate information of
Notes produce the budget. On a different level, a corporate controller of a chain of
limited service hotels in Florida was in charge of the coordination of the
budget preparation process for 14 hotels in the chain. In this particulare case
the general managers provided input based on information from their
department heads. Each hotel had a bookkeeper rather than a controller. Their
function was to manage the daily financial operation such as forwarding bills
to the corporate office for payment. Therefore, in this hotel the bookkeepers
at the hotel level did not assist with the individual hotel budgets.
In another situation a controller of a full-service hotel in Illinois with about
$5 million in annual sales reported that she prepared the entire budget with
virtually no input from others. The reason was not because this was the
preferred process. Rather, the food & beverage and rooms staff members
were relatively new. This controller also stated that the department heads
accepted the budget as achievable since realistic projections were made.
The Reasons for Budgeting

As for the reasons to produce an operating budget, the plurality of the
respondents (45 per cent) cited that an operating budget was used as a
standard by which the lodging operation was managed. This, together with
using the budget as a planning tool (28.4 per cent), accounted for more than
70 per cent of the responses. Other reasons such as a pure requirement of
the owners or headquarters, or stating the answers in various forms but noting
that it was used as a standard or planning tool were also cited.
The Financial Goals

It is also interesting to note that close to 60 per cent of the respondents
reported they set a tentative financial goal prior to developing the operations
budget. This is a good practice. Businesses have many goals such as
employees’ welfare, social responsibility, community outreach, and development
which are all very important; however maximizing shareholders’ equity, and
thus increasing earnings, is the driving force. Therefore, setting a tentative
financial goal, and then setting a budget to attain that goal, is a very logical
process. Of the 60 per cent who admitted that a tentative financial goal was
set, 32.2 per cent used a sales figure while 31.1 per cent used a net income
figure. An additional 15.8 per cent used both methods. A full-service,
franchised hotel in the Southwest reported and their financial goal as a
percentage of net income had been set at an approximate 1 per cent increase
per year while that of sales had generally been a 2 per cent to 3 per cent
increase. Another full-service, chain property that generates about $8.2 million
in sales in the Texas region, reported their tentative financial goal was set at
a 4 to 5 per cent increase in net income per year even before the budget
process began. Besides net income and sales, respondents reported using
EBITDA, debt-service coverage, occupancy percentages, REVPAR, or some
combinations of these factors. A full-service, 450-room hotel in the Northwest
reported that its financial goal had been at a 6 to 10 per cent increase per
year in EBITDA and an approximate 0.5 per cent increase per year in
REVPAR.
Unit-1
Insightful Long-Range Planning Budgeting
Although 98.2 per cent of the respondents prepared an annual budget, just
less than half (45.6 per cent) of the respondents reported preparing a long- Notes
range operating budget. And, of those who prepared long-range budgets, an
intermediate range of 3 to 4 years seemed to be the norm. Exhibit 4 shows
the percentage distribution of the length of these budgets. More surprising
was the result to the question as to whether the hotel revises the operating
budget at any point during the current year. Only 24.6 per cent of the
respondents admitted that this was carried out in their hotels, leaving over
three-quarters of the respondents simply using the set budget with no
revisions made. For the minority 24.6 per cent who did revised budgets,
monthly revisions (39.5 per cent) and when the operation’s performance
indicated a need (20.9 per cent) totaled to over 60 per cent of the response.
A state-owned, full-service hotel with $17.5 million in annual sales in the
New England area reported preparing operating budgets for five years into
the future. Detailed monthly budgets were prepared two years out with the
operating budget revised monthly for a three-month period to provide an
updated plan for management. A luxury hotel with $25 million annual sales
in Colorado also indicated a five-year long-range time line. Monthly details in
this hotel, however, were only prepared for one year while broad categories
of revenues and expenses on an annual basis were estimated for the second
to the fifth year. It was also noted that the major purpose for this long-range
budgeting was to aid in determining future cash flow. Finally, a 450-room full-
service hotel in the Northwest also employed the five-year time range. Similar
to the Colorado property, it also prepared monthly details for the first year
and annual figures for the other four. Again, the facilitaton of the estimation
of future cash flow, specifically for acquisition, was the reason cited for this
long-range process.
For the Future–Tips for Improvement
The high response of 98.2 per cent committed to the process of the
operations budget and the same high response that cited the use of budgets
as a control tool were good business practices. This shows that controllers,
managers, and owners all value the worth of and the need for this document;
and they are also using this document wisely to monitor their hotels.
In addition, the low responses of 24.6 per cent reporting performing

revisions on the budget during the year was not too comforting. With the use
of computer and spreadsheet technology, operations may want to reise their
budgets to ensure that new events or trends that will affect the business will
be considered. Re-budgeting should become part of the annual budgeting
process so those hotels can develop contingency plans, be proactive, and
be ready to deliver the best products and services to their guests.
CALCULATING EXPENSES FOR THE OPERATING

BUDGET
The starting point for the operating budget is to find out just how much
money is needed to run the housekeeping department. All operating costs
are analyzed.
Unit-1
Advanced Accommodation Calculating Labor Costs
Operations–II
Labor is the largest single cost within the house-keeping department.
Notes It can also be one of the most highly variable costs. Overtime, absenteeism,
or unexpectedly high turnover can drive up labor costs significantly and
put the housekeeping department well over budget.
Tracking Labor Needs

Technology makes it possible to track labor costs on a daily basis with
only minimal data entry. The number of hours each employee works is
logged into the housekeeping department’s computer each day. Using this
information, combined with information on the hourly rate each employee
earns, the computer provides daily updates on whether the department is
on, below or above its targeted budget for labor costs. Since day-to-day
occupancy can be well above or below forecasted rates, the executive
housekeeper can track variances and identify patterns in labor hours and
costs.
Employee productivity dramatically impacts labor needs. Computer
spreadsheet programs are used to create a productive report (see Fig. 10).
This report shows how many assignments each employee completed during
each shift worked in a particular period. After data are collected for several
months, patterns of productivity emerge.
Some factors to consider when analyzing productivity and labor costs
include:
• Are there regular periods during the year when labor costs exceed
the budget? The executive housekeeper should analyze labor costs
for the previous three to five years to determine whether these
periods are regular upswings in the property’s business cycle or
isolated instances. If they occur each year, the budget must be
adjusted accordingly to provide for extra staff or overtime during
these periods.
• Are there cyclical periods when the department is overstaffed?
Resorts typically have periods of high occupancy, low occupancy,
and shoulder seasons, periods when occupancy averages are
building toward seasonal highs or ebbing toward seasonal lows in
occupancy. But even urban hotels may have slower periods during
certain times of the year. Failure to adjust schedules to cut back on
labor can be costly. Executive housekeepers in unionized properties,
where the number of staff positions and hours is determined by
contract, may use these seasons for deep cleaning to keep staff busy
and productive.
• Have call-offs, no-shows, or absenteeism affected labor costs? High
absenteeism translates into costly over-staffing or overtime.
Unit-1
HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT Budgeting
HOUSEKEEPING ATTENDANT PRODUCTIVITY
Notes
MARCH, 2008
Housekeeping Attendants
Date # of Suites Occupied # of Credits Cleaned AM Shift PM Shift Productivity
# Hrs # Hrs
28-Feb
1-Mar
2-Mar
3-Mar
4-Mar
5-Mar
6-Mar
7-Mar
8-Mar
9-Mar
10-Mar
11-Mar
12-Mar
13-Mar
14-Mar
15-Mar
16-Mar
17-Mar
18-Mar
19-Mar
20-Mar
21-Mar
22-Mar
23-Mar
24-Mar
25-Mar
26-Mar
27-Mar
28-Mar
29-Mar
30-Mar
31-Mar
Total
Monthly Productivity 0.00
Fig. 10. Productivity is important in calculating the amount of labor hours

to be budgeted.
Unit-1
Advanced Accommodation • Will the union contract expire during the next budget period? The
Operations–II
human resources department, which tracks pay rates for competing
Notes properties, should be able to provide some guidelines on typical
raises in recently negotiated contracts. Even if a strike seems likely,
the budget must provide for raises.
• Has productivity declined or improved? If overtime is running too
high because existing staff does not finish the assigned tasks each
day, the executive housekeeper must determine whether the
workload is too heavy or whether existing staff needs to be more
productive. If the majority of staff members can regularly finish the
assigned tasks of the day before the end of their shift, the executive
housekeeper could consider raising their quota and eliminating a
position or adding deep-cleaning duties.
• Has overtime been excessive? Short staffing or unexpectedly high
occupancy can push overtime costs well beyond the budget. If these
situations occur frequently because of a tight labor maket or because
of the property’s shifting local market or business base, the executive
housekeeper must address them in the budget.
Has occupancy forecasting been accurate? The executive housekeeper
should track the occupancy forecasts, the actual occupancy, and the number
of hours worked by the housekeeping department staff. If actual
occupancies have been running well ahead of or behind projections and
labor costs have varied as a result, the executive housekeeper should work
with the head of the rooms division to identify the problem.
Forecasting Labor Costs

To determine the salary section of the labor budget, the executive
housekeeper should consider the following:
1. Using forecasted occupancy and sales, and, if pertinent, historical
data, the executive housekeepr can define the basic workload for the
coming year.
2. This figure is then divided by the established quotas or average
productivity in public areas to find out how many labor hours will
be needed to do the work. Salaries for administrative personnel must
also be figured in, typically using historical salary data or salary
averages from surveys or competitive properties as a basis for
computation.
3. The total of labor hours needed is then multiplied by the correct
rates of pay to determine the forecast for departmental salaries.
Because of the high turnover that characterizes housekeeping and
the discrepancies of forecasting, this total serves as a guideline for
salary, not a precise fiscal target.
Unit-1
Calculating Costs Other than Salaries Controlling Expenses –
Budgeting
Though actual salaries will account for the bulk of the labor budget,
the executive housekeeper must also figure in the departments’s share of Notes
benefits. One rule of thumb states that a benefit package for an employee
can average 20 per cent or 30 per cent of his or her salary. Training costs
must also be added in, particularly if the property typically has a large
number of new hires each year (see Fig. 11).
Day: _____________
Daily Reported Hours Date: _____________
Daily Mtd
OCC Rooms
Room Attendants
Average Rooms
Job Job Daily MTD

Code Category Hours Hours
17 Room Attedant
18 Back of House
19 Clerk
20 Evening Floor Manager
21 Lead Night Cleaner
22 Office Cleaner
23 Evening Lobby Attendant
24 Day Lobby Attendant
25 Evening Room Attendant
27 Turndown Attendant
28 Floor Housemen
95 Night Cleaner
96 Carpet Shampoo Person
97 Day Floor Manager
98 Evening Dispatcher
Sub Total
Managers Hours 17.13
Total Hours
Daily MTD
Hours Hours
Training
Projects/Gen. Clean
Overtime
Light Duty
Fig. 11. Training, overtime, and benefit costs must be calculated when
writing the labor budget
Unit-1
Advanced Accommodation Large number of new hires not only depress productivity figures, they
Operations–II also strain the budget. Additional training costs must be figured in; so must
Notes the training time. Most new hires are not expected to do a full quota of
rooms until their second week on the job. This means overtime for existing
staff or calling part-times or swing shift workers to cover the gap.
Turnover also puts pressure on the budget. Not only must lost training
costs and costs for other benefits be factored in, the added costs of
recruiting, hiring, and training a new employee must be considered.
Departments fortunate enough to have a large number of long-term
employees benefit from their experience, but may have correspondingly
higher labor budgets. Veteran staff members earn higher wages, but also
receive proportionately large shares of certain benefits. If the property has
a salary investment plan, the employer may be matching a certain
percentage of the employee’s contributions from salary. The higher the
salary, the higher the amount of matched funds. In some cases, it would
be better to take advantage of these veterans’ skills and lessen the stress
on the budget by promoting them to salaried positions.
Unless the property has a freeze on wages, which means no raises will
be given during a specified period, the budget must include an estimate
for raises. The human resources department can offer guidelines based on
raises recently given at competitive hotels or in similar union contracts.
Raises for exempt personnel, that is, staff paid a fixed salary each week
as opposed to those paid hourly, should be estimated in the same
percentage terms as those allotted hourly employees or union members. In
some cases, the percentage is lowered slightly as salaries increase.
The impact of vacation time, no-shows, call-offs, and absenteeism also
must be considered when making up the labor budget. Contingency
funding should be created if the department requires one or two on-call
people each day to cover for no-shows. Vacations should be encouraged
during low periods so that extra help does not have to be called in nor
overtime paid. Considering all of these factors results in a realistic, workable
labor budget.
Calculating Supply Costs

The same business profile information that enables the executive
housekeeper to create a budget for labor also serves as the basis for
budgeting for supplies. Projected occupancy for the budget period will
determine how many linens, how many cases of guest amenities, toilet
tissue and facila tissue, and how many cases of cleaning and laundry
supplies will be required for the period covered by the budget. The supplies
budget will also include uniforms, in-rooms stationary needs, departmental
forms, glasses for guest rooms, and items such as room attendants’ cards.
New properties will even have to include rags, since the property must buy
them at first.
Unit-1
Historical data can help define trends in usage and ways to conserve. Controlling Expenses –
Budgeting
The consumption of supplies should be fairly standard and should be
linked with the rate of occupancy. Sudden rises in consumption without Notes
corresponding increases in occupancy must be analyzed carefully.
Undersupply can result from factors as varied as overuse of certain cleaning
fluids to pilferage and loss. In these cases, training or better security controls
are needed—not a bigger budget.
Determining usage patterns also is useful in writing zero-based
budgets. Although the executive housekeeper cannot assume that because
a certain percentage was spent last year, the same percentage will be needed
next year, he or she can look for patterns of spending to find out where
cost efficiencies can be realized.
The supplies budget is based on occupancy projections and the profile
of business. When doing the budget for supplies, the executive housekeeper
should budget to make sure minimum and maximum supply levels are set.
This will help avoid undersupply, which leads to costly special deliveries,
and cost overuns due to oversupply. Inventories should always be checked
before final supply figures are budgeted.
Estimating Expenses for Contract Services

Historical data and current pricing trends are the only bases for
estimating expenses allocated for contract services. To compute this figure,
the executive housekeeper should: (1) determine how much was paid out
to contract services each year for the last three to five years; and
(2) calculate that figure as a percentage of expenses. Contracts should be
bid each year, even if current service providers have performed well. This
provides on opportunity to shop for the best price and contract terms.
The purchasing department usually tracks pricing trends for various
services. Bids should be checked against these averages. If all the bids seem
too high, perhaps because of impending strikes or shortages, the executive
housekeeper has the option of inviting other companies to bid or evaluating
whether the task could be done in-house more cost-effectively.
Operating Budget as Control Tools

An operating budget is a valuable tool for controlling expenses and
monitoring the course of operations during a specific period. Each month,
the hotel’s accounts department produces statements reporting the actual
costs in each of the expense categories in the budget. These income
statements or profit-and-loss statements are nearly identical to the operating
budget. The actual costs are listed alongside the budgeted costs. Such
reports enable the executive housekeeper to monitor how well the
housekeeping department is doing in comparison with the budgeted goals
and constraints.
Unit-1
Advanced Accommodation Controlling expenses in the housekeeping department means comparing
Operations–II actual costs with the budgeted amounts and assessing the variances.
Notes Budgetary Variances
Favourable Variance Unfavourable Variance
Revenue Actuals exceed budget Budget exceeds actuals
Expenses Budget exceeds actuals Actuals exceed budget
While comparing actual and budgeted expenses, the executive

housekeeper should first determine whether the forecasted occupancy levels
were actually achieved. If the number of rooms sold is lower than
anticipated, a corresponding decrease in the department’s actual expenses
should be expected. Similarly, if the occupancy levels are higher than
forecasted, the executive housekeeper can expect a corresponding increase
in the housekeeping expenses. In either case, the decrease or increase in
expenses should be proportional to the variation in occupancy levels. The
executive housekeeper’s ability to control housekeeping expenses will be
evaluated in terms of his/her ability to maintain the cost per occupied room
that is expected for each category.
Minor deviations between actual and budgeted expenses can be
expected and are not a cause for alarm. Serious deviations from the
budgeted plan, however, require investigation and explanation. If the actual
costs far exceed the budgeted amounts while the predicted occupancy level
remains the same, the executive housekeeper needs to identify the source
of the deviation. In addition to discovering why the department is ‘behind
budget’, the executive housekeeper needs to formulate a plan to correct the
deviation and get the department back ‘on budget’. For example, re-
examination of staff-scheduling procedures or closer supervision of standard
practices and procedures may be necessary. Other steps might include
evaluating the efficiency and cost of products being used by the
housekeeping department and exploring alternatives.
Constant control is required on the part of the executive housekeeper
to ensure that the actual expenses tally with the budgeted expenses. To
control expenses, the capital budget should be prepared with care as it
involves a large sum of money to be spent on a small number of items.
Controlling Operating Expenses

As far as controlling operating expenses is concerned, the executive
housekeeper must ensure the following:
Effective documentation: All inventories should be documented to
monitor their usage rates and costs.
Zero-base scheduling: This refers to hiring employees by taking into
account the actual occupancy for a specified period of time. Following the
staffing guide helps in controlling the largest housekeeping expense—that
of salaries and wages for employees.
Unit-1
Right purchasing: The executive housekeeper coordinates with the Controlling Expenses –
purchase department to purchase for the housekeeping department. The Budgeting
onus of controlling expenses on purchasing is entirely on the executive Notes
housekeeper, as he/she decided the right quality, right quantity, right price,
right source of supply, and right time for purchasing.
Efficient training and supervision: Training for new employees as well
as training on new methods for older employees is a tool for controlling
expenses. Efficient training ensures that the productivity and performance
standards are met by all employees consistently. Lower productivity and
performance standards may considerably increase housekeeping expenses.
Efficient training and supervision also tend to bring down the expenses on
cleaning supplies, as employees are then careful about usage rates and
wastage. Thus the cost of cleaning supplies per occupied room is kept under
control.
Cost Control in Specific Area

Some specific methods of controlling expenses in various areas in the
housekeeping department’s purview are outlined below.
Guestrooms and public areas: In order to control expenses in
guestrooms and public areas, the following measures can be taken:
• Staff must be trained to use cleaning supplies and equipment
efficiently and economically. Supervisors must control and monitor
their use. Wastage can often be reduced by physical observation and
analysis of stock record.
• Appointing multi-skilled staff and giving them proper training to
retain them controls expenses. This also enables the department to
grow well, as experienced staff know the likes and dislikes of guests.
• The use of a key-tag or electronic-lock system helps conserve power
by ensuring that the lights are switched off automatically as soon
as the guest walks out of the room and the key tag is removed. This
proves very cost-effective.
• A lacquer finish helps brass items last longer and show less wear,
which reduces the use of proprietary polishes such as Brasso and
indirectly saves labour, time, and money.
• Air-conditioners in currently vacant but occupied rooms should be
kept on a low-power (energy saver) setting to save electricity while
still preventing a musty smell.
• To clean and scrup ‘back of the house’ areas, soap oil or floor cleaner
may be substituted by half-used soaps and shampoos. This not only
saves expense on floor cleaners but also is a method to use up
discards.
• In VIP rooms, replace only those flowers that are shedding petals
instead of changing the entire arrangement. Use long-lasting flower
Unit-1
Advanced Accommodation species, such that they may be slightly more expensive to source but
Operations–II their longevity compensates for the cost of a repeat purchase.
Notes • In guest bathrooms, use plants such as the money plant, which look
attractive and require fresh water only once in a while, thus
avoiding the use of flowers in a bud vase that have to be continually
replaced.
• Amenities such as dental kits, shaving kits, and combs should be
placed in guestrooms only after getting confirmation of their
occupancy from the front office, so as to avoid the misuse of these
items by staff.
• Restrooms and toilets in public areas can have motion sensors to
control power consumption.
Linen Room: The following practices can be adopted for cost control
in this area:
• Old, condemned white sheets may be cut up and used in banquet
halls as tablecloths for exhibitions and such.
• Old shower curtains can be cut up and stitched into aprons for the
butchery department instead of purchasing traditional aprons.
• Condemned towels can be turned into dusters and mop cloths for
cleaning surfaces.
• Ensure consistent stock-taking to help reduce the cost of equipment
and materials.
Stores: For controlling expenses in stores, effective stock-taking and
control must be ensured as it significantly reduces the expenses involved
in the provision of cleaning and other services.
Horticulture: For cost control in horticulture, the practices listed below
can be followed:
• A sprinkler system should be installed for watering the lawns
instead of using hose-pipes.
• Dead plants, leaves, and kitchen garbage can be composed in a
compost pit built in a vacant part of the premises away from the
accommodation areas. This saves on fertilizer costs as well as
making efficient use of waste.
Each department’s budget performance is also assessed on a monthly
basis whenthe P&L statements are published. The general manager usually
discusses the P&L during a regular meeting with department heads, and
points out any areas where large discrepancies are developing.
Some hotels use income statements, a listing of all income received
by the property during a certain period and all expenses incurred, as
another type of control (see Fig. 12). The budget, which is only a plan or
guideline, can be measured against actual income and expenses outlined
Unit-1
Operating Budget and Income Statement Controlling Expenses –
Budgeting
INCOME STATEMENT
Montly % Monthly % Monthly % Y-T-D % Y-T-D % Y-T-D %
Notes
Actual Budget Last Year Actual Budget Last Year
Suites Revenues/Expenses
####Suites Revenue
Suites Revenue
####Executive/Administrative
####Front Office Staff
####Uniform Service
####Reservations
####Housekeeping – Fixed
####Housekeeping – Variables
####Health Club
####Payroll Taxes and Benefits
####Contract Labor
####Decorations
####Newspapers
####Telephone and Telex
####Postage
####Operating Supplies
####Suites Promotion
####Travel and Related
####Pinnacle Sedan
####Cable Television
####Video C/O – Mess, Retrieval
####Wall Street Shuttle
####Reservations “800” Number
####Travel Agent Commission
####Reservations Systems
####Laundry
####Household Cleaning
####Uniforms
####Linens and Blankets
####Robes
####Uniform Cleaning
####Cleaning Supplies
####Window Cleaning
####Contract Cleaning
####Plant Maintenance
####Other Suite Replacement
####Housekeeping – Other
####Miscellaneous
Total Suites Expense

Net Income (Loss) – Suites
Fig. 12. Income statements should show a breakdown of financial

performance. This statement has listings for revenues and expenses.
Unit-1
Advanced Accommodation in the income statement. The results of the income statement will be
Operations–II
essential in calculating cost per occupied room. To analyze expenses in
Notes further detail, the executive housekeeper would compare figures with the
income statement specifically done for the rooms division. Using this, the
executive housekeeper can clearly see how cost controls in the department
affect the financial performance of the largest division in the hotel.
Averting Deficit Spending

Since perfection in forecasting is rarely possible, it might very well be
construed as only a minor matter if as many as half the accounts are
showing overruns, if the other half of the accounts have been underspent
by an equal amount. This situation is certainly not ideal but because of the
flow of business may be the reality.
Deficit spending: Spending that exceeds income—should be addressed
as quickly as possible if they are not simple matters of cyclical spending.
Some resorts may do much of their purchasing immediately after the high
season when cash flow is still strong. That may result in large outlays for
the period, but these will be absorbed over the budget period. The deficits
that signal the need for action are those that will not be absorbed by year’s
end.
When a deficit appears likely, the executive housekeeper should:
• Call a meeting with all assistants and supervisors to discuss the
causes of the deficit and try to find a realistic approach for
eliminating deficits on overspent accounts.
• Review productivity records to make sure every employee is
performing up to expectations. If not, retraining may be in order,
as may a performance evaluation.
• Make sure all tasks being done by the housekeeping department are
necessary. Some tasks may not need to be done as often as they
have been; others may be eliminated without affecting guest service
levels.
• Make sure the department is not over-staffed. If action is required,
the executive housekeeper can institute some of the cost-saving
techniques outlines earlier in this chapter.
Variances should be discussed. If labor hours are going up
correspondingly with occupancy, few general managers will hold the
executive housekeeper responsible for these overruns. Although the
department is spending more, the additional spending is a direct result of
additional revenue. Unjustified variances should be assessed and solutions
sought.
Unit-1
PURCHASING SYSTEMS AND CONTROL Controlling Expenses –
Budgeting
Principles of Purchasing Notes

There are five primary principles of purchasing that need to be upheld
by the housekeeping and purchase departments: right quality, right price,
right time, and right source of supply.
Right quality: The housekeeping department is responsible for
providing guests with a clean, comfortable, safe, attractive, and luxurious
environment. To meet and exceed the guests’ expectations in this regard,
the department needs to buy the best products. Value for money is a factor
in each of the products supplied to the guestrooms and public areas. The
entire range of items has to meet the standards and specifications
determined by the department and the hotel’s management.
Right quantity: Placing a purchase order of the right quantity is of
utmost importance for any organisation. A supplier’s lure of huge discounts
for large quantities should not influence the department’s decision. The
following factors should be kept in mind when ordering the right quantity
of material:
• The cost of the order being placed.
• Stock levels and order points.
• The cost of storage and carrying charges for holding stocks.
• Buffer stocks.
• Budgetary controls.
• Quantity discounts.
Right price: One of the major concerns for both the housekeeping and
the purchase departments is to get the material at the right price. An in-
depth knowledge of the market is vital to make sure that the right price is
being paid, that is, the payment corresponds to the exact value of the
material purchased. While calculating the right price ex-showroom, the
station of dispatch, discounts, packaging, duties, taxes, and so on should
all be considered to arrive at the gross price of the item. The terms of
payments should also be attended to.
Right time: The material should be made available at the right time.
‘Lead time’, which is the period between the indent originating from the
consumer department to the instant when the material is ready for use,
should be minimal. The total lead time, which includes the suppliers’ lead
time plus internal processing, clearance, receipt, and inspection time, should
be as low as possible to work on lower inventory levels. The time should
also be right as regards ensuring immediate availability of a particular
product in the market.
Right source of supply: The right source of supply is critical to the
execution of the other principles of purchasing. If the source is right, the
Unit-1
Advanced Accommodation right quality and quantity at the right price and at the right time and place
Operations–II are a natural consequence. The selection of the ideal supplier is crucial for
Notes both the housekeeping and the purchase departments, in which they are
aided by:
• Knowledge and experience
• Trade associations and associated companies
• Catalogues
• The Internet
• Libraries
• Hotel supplier’s directories
• Counterparts
• Salespersons
Stages in Purchasing
There are two stages in purchasing: the pre-order stage and the post-
order stage.
Pre-order stage: The following steps are involved in the pre-order stage
of purchasing.
Receipt of purchase indent: The indents should be checked for
specifications, quantity required, the last suppleir, and the last supplier’s
rates. If any clarification is required, it should be referred to the indenting
entity at once. If the item indented is not part of the planned budget, it
needs the approval of the unit head before the indent is processed.
Floating of enquiries: Where there is only one manufacturer of a
particular product, it is better to contact that manufacturer straightaway
instead of approaching commissioned agents or traders. The enquiry should
contain complete information.
Procurement of samples for approval: The concerned people in the
organization must approve of the samples before an order is finalized.
Quotation and ordering: The order should be placed with the right
supplier, who must be identified on the basis of the right quotation for the
right quality.
Post-order stage: The following steps are involved in the post-order
stage:
Issue of purchase order: The purchase order should be issued once the
pre-order stage is complete and the right supplier has been identified. Since
it is a legal contract between the buyer and the supplier, the purchase order
should include all details of the transaction. It should have the date of issue,
purchase order number, expected date of delivery, product specifications,
quantity (expressed in the appropriate units), brand, batch number, date of
manufacture, and so on. Also, delivery instructions should be clearly
mentioned, including packaging and mode of transport, time of delivery,
Unit-1
and charges. Discounts, if any, must be mentioned in the purchase order Controlling Expenses –
as well. Terms of payment, taxes, and insurance should be clearly spelt out Budgeting
and the order should bear the purchase manager’s signature, verifying the Notes
contents and the terms and conditions. In most organizations, the purchase
order has to be approved by the financial controller and the general
manager.
Confirmation of receipt of purchase order: The supplier should confirm
receipt of the purchase order in writing. A duplicate copy of the order
should be signed, acknowledging and accepting all the terms and conditions
of purchase.
Follow up: There should be a regular follow-up to ensure that the items
requested will be delivered on time.
Dispatch advice: A dispatch advice note should be sought from the
supplier to expedite the process of receipt.
Receipt note: when the items are received in good condition and found
to meet the desired standards after inspection, the receiving department
should make out a goods receipt note (GRN) before transferring them to
the main store. If the items do not match the standards prescribed on the
purchase order, the purchase manager and the supplier are intimated
immediately and the goods are rejected. If the items are deemed suitable
for receipt, they are accepted and a GRN is sent to the department
concerned to apprise it of the arrival of the goods.
Payment: After the goods have been received and transferred to the
department concerned via the main stores, the purchase department has the
important function of following up on payments.
Types of Purchasing
Various types of purchasing methods are used in hotels. A single
purchasing activity may also be a combination of several types.
Formal buying/competitive-bid buying: Formal quotations are invited
from sellers against written specifications for each item to be purchased.
These requests for bids may be made through newspapers or other
publications that are widely distributed, or they may be posted to interested
sellers who can be contacted on the telephone. Along with specifications,
the buyers also include in their requests such conditions as the last date
for accepting quotations, approximate time allowable between order and
delivery, mode of delivery, terms of payment, discounts, and so on. The
quotations received remain sealed until the date of opening, which is also
indicated in the buyer’s request. They are then opened by the purchase
manager in the presence of the bidders and representatives from the
department for which the purchase is intended, as well as accounts and
administrative staff, who are witness to the quotation accepted. The usual
practice is to accept the quotations of the lowest bidder, unless the products
clearly fail to meet the specifications.
Unit-1
Advanced Accommodation Wholesale buying: In this method of purchasing, a contract is signed
Operations–II
with a wholesaler for the purchase of items at a specific price for a future
Notes period, along with the quantities required and when. The agreement
specifies the intervals between deliveries for the contract period.
Negotiated buying: This method involves negotiations between the
buyer and the seller regarding prices and quantities. The method is
generally used for items that are in limited supply, where both buyer and
seller are keen that the product be picked up quickly. The buyers contact
the sellers directly, negotiate for the price and quantity, and request that
bids be submitted as soon as possible. Two types of contracts may be signed
between the buyer and the seller. In a ‘firm at opening price’ (FAOP) type
of contract, the buyer agrees to take the supplies at a price to be established
in the future when the availability of the items is known. In a ‘subject to
approval price’ (SAP) type of contract, the buyer has the option of rejecting
the order if the price fixed in the future is not considered acceptable by
him/her.
Contract purchasing/systems contract: This method of purchasing
assists the buyer and the seller to improve the re-ordering of items that
are repeatedly called for with minimal administrative expenses. The method
is similar to blanket-order purchasing (see below), except that the agreement
is a long-term one and suppliers are therefore not changed frequently. Also,
far more formal methods are used to select a supplier in order to eliminate
personal considerations. The supplier selected is usually a specialist in the
supply of the quantities demanded and offers the buyer discounts on the
total contract. The rate of usage and frequency of re-ordering over the
contract period need to be known. Under the systems contract, the buyer
receives only those brands produced or sold by the contractor. This method
of purchasing is commonly used for the purchase of housekeeping supplies.
Blanket-order purchasing: A blanket order is an agreement to provide
a specific quantity of listed items for a period of time at an agreed price.
If the price is not settled at the time of placing the order, a method of
determining it is included in the contract. Another type of blanket-order
agreement is to furnish all the requirements for particular items for a
specific period. In this case, the quantity is not re-evaluated until the fixed
time period had elapsed. The blanket-order method is best for items that
are required in small quantities but more frequently and whose usage rate
cannot be accurately forecast. A blanket order is usually contracted for one
year, but variations exist across establishments.
Stockless purchasing: In this case, the buyer does not keep the stocks
of goods ordered; the supplier warehouses them for the buyer instead. The
inventory is thus owned by the supplier. Sometimes the consignment may
be kept with the buyer, however, it still belongs to the supplier. In such
cases, the term ‘consignment buying’ is used.
Unit-1
Purchase by paid reserve: In this method, money is paid in advance Controlling Expenses –
for a commodity to ensure continuity of supply throughout the year. Budgeting
Total-supply purchasing: In this type of purchasing, all required items Notes

are supplied by a single supplier. This helps in reducing the paperwork and
negotiations need to be done with only one person.
Cost-plus purchasing: In this method of purchasing, a supplier buys
all the commodities and provides them to the housekeeping department.
The supplier is given a small commission for this.
Centralized purchasing: This type of purchasing is mainly practised
by chain hotels. They purchase items for all their main properties together.
This method helps them to source the items at cheaper prices as the
quantity of the order is more, resulting in an economy of volumes.
Standing order: In this method, daily suppliers are fixed for perishable
items such as flowers or groceries.
Purchasing from van sales: This method is rarely used for purchasing
in an housekeeping department. In this method, purchasing is done from
mobile shops that move from one place to the other.
Cash-and-carry method: In this method of purchasing, the items are
purchased from supermarkets such that prices are competitive and there are
no minimum order levels. The disadvantages may be non-availability of
certain items and non-availability of delivery services.
Weekly/fortnightly purchasing: In this type, purchasing is done only
weekly/fortnightly. This ensures regular availability of the items and makes
the suppleirs’ prices more competitive.
Daily market purchasing/petty-cash system: In this method of
purchasing, items quantities in the store are checked on a daily basis and
only items falling short are purchased. This method operates on a petty-
cash system. ‘Petty cash’ is the sum of money set aside to meet minor
expenses. It is effective for purchasing small orders from the local market
in exchange for a bill so that a cash payment is made. The disadvantage
are the possible non-availabilty of items in an emergency and the possibility
of fluctuating prices.
Cash-on-delivery buying: This ordering system involves payment on
acceptance of a delivery. The order may be placed over the telephone or
through the Internet.
Cheque-payment ordering/paperless purchasing: This is a purchase
order-and-draft system. It is a combination of the order and a blank cheque
for payment. Besides the product specifications, the order also contains
delivery instructions, bank account number, unit price, quantity, taxes,
discounts, and terms of payment. The supplier completes the pre-signed
blank cheque, which states the maximum limit of the payment. A duplicate
copy of the completed cheque is returned to the buyer for their records.
Unit-1
Advanced Accommodation Auction buying: This method of purchasing is useful for furniture and
Operations–II equipment that are not obsolete. Sometimes, certain export shipments that
Notes were rejected by the originally intended buyer are also auctioned to other
buyers.
PURCHASING
Cleaning and Guest Supplies

Purchasing is a subroutine that can take up a part of each day for the
executive housekeeper. Even though some hotel chains have centralized
national purchasing of items that bring quantity discounts, for the most part
cleaning and guest supplies will be purchased either by the purchasing
agent in the hotel (if there is one) or by the department heads for their
respective departments.
Considering the size and variability of the housekeeping cleaning and
guest supply inventory, there will be many suppliers and purveyors who
will do their best to obtain the business from the executive housekeeper.
Suppliers can be outstanding allies in the conduct of services within the
housekeeping department, or they can be outstanding nuisances.
Competitively shopping for suppliers or vendors will simplify the question
as to who will be used and for what products. Fig. 13 is an example of a
Competitive Shopping form that can be used to determine the various
attributes of vendors.
A separate shopping form should be maintained for each and every
product that is used in the cleaning and guest supply inventory. Product
prices should be reviewed at least once every six months. Comments such
as how well the vendor or purveyor services the account and how well
products are understood and demonstrated by the vendor are significant
when selecting vendors. Price, although important, should not be the only
criterion for selecting a product. Quality, suitability, storage requirements,
and lot sizes each play an important part in making the right selection.
It is not unusual to find that one vendor will be selected for all paper
products, another vendor for cleaning chemicals, and another for mops,
brooms, and the various and sundry items used in day-to-day cleaning. If
the number of salespeople being dealt with can be limited, more efficient
use of time is possible. Some suppliers call on the executive housekeeper
on a weekly basis; others will call less often. Orders might be placed by
phone, whereby suppliers will visit only occasionally to ensure that the
account is being properly maintained. Periodic or drop shipments might be
arranged, whereby the supplier rather than the hotel retains the storage
problem.
Unit-1
COMPETITIVE SHOPPING FORM Budgeting
Item Qt/size Price Vendors Remarks
Notes
Fig. 13. A Competitive Shopping Form used to compare vendor prices for a
given item of supply inventory. Vendors should be evaluated periodically to
ensure that the best price is being paid for items purchased.
There are two major areas of caution that need be mentioned at this
point. Most suppliers budget funds to service the customer. Some will offer
prizes and personal discounts to executive housekeepers for allowing them
to have the hotel’s account. Great caution is necessary to ensure that it is
the hotel that is receiving the discount, not the executive housekeeper. Said
more simply, watch out for offers of kickback. Every executive housekeeper
should know and thoroughly understand company policy about accepting
gifts at Christmastime or other periods of benevolence when suppliers are
generous with their clients. Usually, hotel organizations have set guidelines
about what should or should not be accepted.
On one particular occasions when I was executive housekeeper, I
received a long distance phone call from a supplier who indicated that its
new all-purpose cleaner was meeting with spectacular success and that if
I would allow the product to be tested on my property, I would receive at
my home address a complete home entertainment center with stereo and TV.
Of significant note was the fact that this new product was $7.80 a gallon
to be purchased in 55-gallon drums. The product currently being used, and
with satisfactory results, had been purchased on a national contract for $1.20
a gallon. You should immediately recognize who would be paying for the
home entertainment set.
Unit-1
Advanced Accommodation LINENS
Operations–II
In housekeeping operations the term “linens” normally refers to items
Notes associated with guestroom beds and bathrooms—sheets, pillowcases, bath
towels, hand towels, washcloths, and fabric bathmats. Several subroutines
concerning linens might be developed. Some might warrant simple policies
and standard operating policies describing the movement of linens to and
from the laundry and floor areas each day, whereas others might release
to routines involving condemnation, storage, repair, and normal care of
linens. Linens rank second, next to wages, in departmental costs. For this
reason, particular interest must be taken in the subroutines associated with
the inventory and ordering of linens.
Linen Inventories
The initial supply of house linens might be a part of pre-opening
expenses, whereby initial requirements would be placed in position for
operational use and amortized over an extended period. Replacement of this
initial supply, however, is an operational expense. Because of relative costs
(labor versus linens) the total supply of linens should never be so small as
to cause employees to have to wait for linens to service rooms. Overall linen
supplies therefore should be in amounts several times those required to
cover all rooms one time (one par).
If the hotel has an on-premises laundry, an initial supply of linens
includes the following:
1 par To cover all beds and baths (after daily service is complete)
1 par Soiled or just removed from beds and baths after daily service
(tomorrow’s workload for the laundry)
1 par Clean and ready to use in servicing guestrooms the next day
½ par New, in storage to be used as replacements when necessary
3½ par Total
If the property does not have an on-premises laundry, add one par for
linen in transit to and from a commercial laundry.
Because an unnoticed reduction in the supply of linens can cause a
reduction in efficient service to guestrooms, physical linen inventories
should be conducted regularly, and accurate records should be maintained
to ensure forewarning of additional needs. Many hotels inventory linens
monthly. In situations in which inventories are under good control and
count systems are accurate, inventories may be conducted on a quarterly
basis.
Let us assume that a 3.5 par is to be maintained for the model hotel
and that linen usage and control are stabilized, allowing for a quarterly
inventory. A linen inventory log book should be maintained, with headings
similar to the Inventory Record Log. Periodic needs for resupply are
determined upon the completion of each physical inventory.
Unit-1
On days when inventories are conducted, special care must be taken Controlling Expenses –
to ensure that every piece of linen can be located for counting. Inventories Budgeting
should be conducted at the end of the normal workday when linen Notes
movement is at a minimum. (After the laundry has completed work, usually
all guestrooms regular servicing has been completed and each section
housekeeper’s linen cart has been loaded for the next day’s routine.) Figure
1.14 is an example of a Linen Count Sheet used by employees taking the
inventory.
The more employees involved in counting linens, the faster the
inventory process can be completed. In addition, when employees are
involved in the actual count, they become more aware of the significance,
importance, and value of the linen. Each GRA counts linens loaded on his
or her cart; supervisors count linens found on mobile linen trucks and
shelves in satellite linen rooms. The linen room supervisor and assistant
count all items found in the main linen room. Section housekeeping aides
count linens on made-up roll-away beds. Laundry workers count soiled
linen in the laundry, which will make up the next day’s laundry workload,
as well as any clean linen that might be lingering after the day’s workload
has been completed. The senior housekeeping aide and assistants count new
linen in storage.
When counting bed sheets, differentiation must be made in sizes of
sheets (see Fig. 14). For convenience, other items not necessarily a part of
linens, such as pillows, blankets, bed pads and bedspreads, might also be
counted at this time.
Where items were located when counted and who counted them at that
location should be noted on the Count Sheet so that managers can audit
certain counts. (It would not be unusual for the hotel controller to
participate in the inventory by auditing certain count sheets.)
When counts have been completed, Count Sheets are collected and
recorded in a Period Linen Inventory Count Record, such as the one in
Fig. 15. The Count Record is used to compile all count sheets and record
total linen in use and total new line on hand. Once total counts have been
determined, they are compared with the prior inventory to determine
usages. The separation of linen in use from new linen is done to assign a
proper value to the inventory. Most hotel operations will value new linen
(linen in unopened boxes) at full price and linen in use at half price. Total
linen valuation is thus determined as follows:
 linen in use×price 
  + (new linen × price) = linen valuation
2
Care should be taken in counting linen to ensure that unexplained

increases do not occur in specific items. For example, a prior inventory
indicates 1000 double sheets on hand. Between inventory periods there were
500 double sheets purchased. Total availability of double sheets thus should
Unit-1
Advanced Accommodation LINEN COUNT SHEET
Operations–II
Count Location _____________________ Counted by: _________________
Notes Date: ________________________
Item Number Counted

Sheets
King
Queen
Double
Twin
Pillowcases
Bath Towels
Hand Towels
Wash Cloths
Bath Mats
Bed Pads
Blankets (optional)
Pillows (optional)
Fig. 14. A Linen Count Sheet used by employees counting linen in various
locations of the hotel
PERIOD LINEN INVENTORY COUNT RECORD
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Item Beds Laundry Laundry Housekeeping Main Satellite Housekeeper Roll Total New in Grand
soiled clean soiled linen linen carts beds in use storage total
room rooms
Fig. 15. Period Linen Inventory Count Record used to record the results of
linen inventories. Columns 2 through 9 equal column 10. Columns 10 plus
11 equal column 12. Results are transferred to a Linen Inventory Record
Log so that comparisons can be made with prior inventories to determine
usage and variances.
Unit-1
not exceed 1500. A current inventory, however, reveals that 1724 double Controlling Expenses –
sheets are now on hand, giving an unexplained increase of 224 sheets. Budgeting
When such as increase occurs, either the prior inventory or the current Notes
inventory is suspect, requiring that a recount be made. When such
unexplained increases occur, inventories need to be conducted more
frequently until inventory subsystems are under control.
Linen Purchases
Linen inventories reveal the need for purchases, and there are many
linen brokers who gladly service this type of need. When linen must be
purchased from a linen broker, however, it should be expected that a
premium will be paid. Savings of up to one-third may be available when
the services of a linen broker are not used and linens are purchased directly
from linen mills. Direct purchases from mills require long-range planning
and purchase arrangements contracted up to 1½ years in advance, allowing
the mill to produce ordered linens at its convenience.
Such planning may seem impossible, but the annual linen reorder plan
illustrated in Fig. 16 is quite feasible. Note how quarterly inventories are
conducted and compared with an on-hand requirement of 3.5 par. Linen
orders may be made up for a one-year period, one-half year before effective
date of the order; the order is then drop-shipped on a quarterly basis. The
vertical axis in Fig. 16 indicates the number of a particular item of inventory.
Heavy black vertical lines indicate the increase of linen inventory caused
by the receipt of drop shipments. The horizontal axis indicates the passage
of time from one quarter to the next. Diagonal lines between quarters
Fig. 16. Annual linen reorder plan shows the supply and replenishment of
a given item of linen inventory. Appropriate replenishment orders for quarters
1, 2, 3 and 4 for the upcoming year may be determined at the beginning of
the third quarter of the current year.
Unit-1
Advanced Accommodation indicate the linen shortage generated as a result of linen loss, use, and
Operations–II condemnation that might occur between inventories. The shortages
Notes determined in each of four quarterly inventories generate annual linen
usage that must be replaced each year. A horizontal line at some given
value indicates the count of a given item when being maintained at 3.5 par.
The count levels are then seen to vary equally above and below 3.5 par
value.
As an example, let us assume that a linen order for double sheets (DS)
is to be developed on 30 June and will be initiated on 1 January for the
upcoming year, and that said order is to be drop-shipped on a quarterly
basis during the year the order is in effect. The 3.5 par value of DS is given
at 2000. On 30 June, inventory counts reveal 1750 DS on hand (250 short
of 3.5 par). Shortly after the 30 June inventory, a drop shipment (prior order
of 500 DS is expected to arrive that will raise the count of DS to 2250. Prior
quarterly shortages indicate that a forecast shortage in September may be
expected, but a second drop shipment of 250 DS (already ordered) will
again arrive that will return the inventory count on 1 October to a value
of about 1950 DS. A similar quarterly usage is then forecast for the final
quarter of the year, creating a forecast shortage on 31 December of 225
sheets. An order may now be created on 30 June, which will include annual
usage (four prior quarterly shortages) plus the shortage forecast to exist on
31 December. This annual order may then be divided into four quarterly
drop shipments and the order placed directly with a mill a full six months
before the effective commencement of the order. Hence the formula:
Linen on hand (today) + linen expected to arrive (prior orders) –
shortage (expected at the end of the current order) – annual usage –
3.5 par = future order (a negative number)
Order ÷ 4 = expected quarterly drop shipments to commence six
months hence
As has been shown, the preplanned purchase of linens for future use
can produce great economies of operation. Whereas linen brokers are
available and willing to fill linen needs, the profits made by such brokers
represent true cost savings for housekeeping departments who order linens
directly from mills. Linen brokers should therefore be used only in an
emergency.
CAPITAL BUDGETING
Capital budgeting (or investment appraisal) is the planning process used
to determine a firm’s long term investments such as new machinery,
replacement machinery, new plants, new products, and research and
development projects.
Many formal methods are used in capital budgeting,including the
techniques such as
Unit-1
• Net present value Controlling Expenses –
Budgeting
• Profitability index
• Internal rate of return Notes
• Modified internal rate of return, and
• Equivalent annuity.
These methods use the incremental cash flows from each potential
investment, or project. Techniques based on accounting earnings and
accounting rules are sometimes used – though economists consider this to
be improper – such as the accounting rate of return, and return on investment.
Simplified and hybrid methods are used as well, such as payback period and
discounted payback period.
Net Present Value

Each potential project’s value should be estimated using a discounted
cash flow (DCF) valuation, to find its net present value (NPV). This valuation
requires estimating the size and timing of all of the incremental cash flows
from the project. These future cash flows are then discounted to determine
their present value. These present values are then summed, to get the NPV.
The NPV decision rule is to accept all positive NPV projects in an
unconstrained environment, or if projects are mutually exclusive, accept the
one with the highest NPV.
The NPV is greatly affected by the discount rate, so selecting the proper
rate – sometimes called the hurdle rate – is critical to making the right
decision. The hurdle rate is the minimum acceptable return on an
investment. It should reflect the riskiness of the investment, typically
measured by the volatility of cash flows, and must take into account the
financing mix. Managers may use models such as the CAPM or the APT
to estimate a discount rate appropriate for each particular project, and use
the Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) to reflect the financing mix
selected. A common practice in choosing a discount rate for a project is to
apply a WACC that applies to the entire firm, but a higher discount rate
may be more appropriate when a project’s risk is higher than the risk of
the firm as a whole.
Profitability Index
Profitability index identifies the relationship of investment to payoff of
a proposed project. The ratio is calculated as follows:
(PV of future cash flows) / (PV Initial investment) = Profitability Index
Same as: [(NPV) + Initial Investment]/Initial Investment = Profitability
Index
Profitability Index is also known as Profit Investment Ratio, abbreviated
to PI and Value Investment Ratio (VIR). Profitability index is a good tool
for ranking projects because it allows you to clearly identify the amount
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Advanced Accommodation of value created per unit of investment, thus if you are capital constrained
Operations–II you wish to invest in those projects which create value most efficiently first.
Notes NB Statements below this paragraph assume the cash flow calculated
DOESN’T include the investment made in the project. Where investment
costs are included the computed cash flow a PV > 0 simply indicates the
project creates more value than the cost of capital which is determined by
the Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC).
A ratio of one is logically the lowest acceptable measure on the index.
Any value lower than one would indicate that the project’s PV is less than
the initial investment. As values on the profitability index increase, so does
the financial attractivenss of the proposed project.
Rules for selection or rejection of a project:
If PI > 1 then accept the project if PI < 1 then reject the project
For example: Investment = 40,000 life of the machine = 5 Years
CFAT Year CFAT
1 18000
2 12000
3 10000
4 9000
5 6000
Calculate NPV @ 10% and PI
Year CFAT PV @ 10% PV
1 18000 0.909 16362
2 12000 0.827 9924
3 10000 0.752 7520
4 9000 0.683 6149
5 6000 0.621 3726
Total present value 43679
(–) Investment 40000
NPV 3679
43679
PI =
40000
= 1.091
= >1
= so accept the project
Internal Rate of Return

The internal rate of return (IRR) is defined as the discount rate that
gives a net present value (NPV) of zero. It is a commonly used measure
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of investment efficiency. The IRR method will result in the same decision Controlling Expenses –
as the NPV method for independent (non-mutually exclusive) projects in Budgeting
an unconstrained environment, in the usual cases where a negative cash Notes
flow occurs at the start of the project, followed by all positive cash flows.
In most realistic cases, all independent projects that have an IRR higher than
the hurdle rate should be accepted. Nevertheless, for mutually exclusive
projects, the decision rule of taking the project with the highest IRR – which
is often used – may select a project with a lower NPV.
In some cases, several zero NPV discount rates may exist, so there is
no unique IRR. The IRR exists and is unique if one or more years of net
investment (negative cash flow) are followed by years of net revenues. But
if the signs of the cash flows change more than once, there may be several
IRRs. The IRR equation generally cannot be solved analytically but only via
iterations.
One shortcoming of the IRR method is that it is commonly
misunderstood to convey the actual annual profitability of an investment.
However, this is not the case because intermediate cash flows are almost
never reinvested at the project’s IRR; and, therefore the actual rate of return
is almost certainly going to be lower. Accordingly, a measure called
Modified Internal Rate of Return (MIRR) is often used.
Despite a strong academic preference for NPV, surveys indicate that
executives prefer IRR over NPV, although they should be used in concert.
In a budget-constrained environment, efficiency measures should be used
to maximize the overall NPV of the firm. Some managers find it intuitively
more appealing to evaluate investments in terms of percentage rates of
return than dollars of NPV.
Modified Internal Rate of Return

Modified Internal Rate of Return (MIRR) is a financial measure used
to determine the attractivenss of an investment. It is generally used as part
of a capital budgeting process to rank various alternative choices. As the
name implies, MIRR is a modification of the financial measure Internal Rate
of Return (IRR). The main difference is that rather than ignoring the
investment rate of the positive cash flow, MIRR makes an explicit
assumption about the rate of investment of those flows.
There are a few misconceptions about the IRR calculation. The major
one is that IRR automatically assumes that all cash outflows from an
investment are reinvested at the IRR rate. IRR is the “internal rate of return”
with “internal” meaning each dollar in an investment. It makes no
assumptions about what an investor does with money coming out of an
investment. Whether the investor gives it away or puts it in a coffee can,
the IRR stays the same.
It does however have a few drawbacks. First, IRR is not made to
calculate negative cash flows after the initial investment. If an investment
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Advanced Accommodation has an outflow of $1,000 in year three and an IRR of 30%, the $1,000 is
Operations–II discounted at 30% per year back to a present value. You would have to
Notes put this PV amount in an investment earning 30% per year for the IRR to
reflect the true yield. Also, IRR ignores the reinvestment potential of positive
cash flows. Since most capital investments will have intermediate positive
cash flows, the firm will need to reinvest these cash flows, and the firm’s
cost of capital is a reasonable proxy for the return to be expected.
Investments with large or early positive cash flows will tend to look far
better with IRR than with MIRR for this reason.
To illustrate: a firm has investment options with returns that are
generally moderate. An unusually attractive investment opportunity comes
up with much higher return. The cash spun off from this latter investment
will probably be reinvested at the moderate rate of return rather than in
another unusually high-return investment. In this case, IRR will overstate
the value of the investment, while MIRR will not.
The modified internal rate of return assumes all positive cash flows
are re-invested (usually at the WACC) to the terminal year of the project.
All negative cash flows are discounted and included in the initial
investment outlay. MIRR ranks project efficiency consistent with the present
worth ratio (variant of NPV/Discounted Negative Cash Flow), considered
the gold standard in many finance textbooks. (Principles of Corporate
Finance, Brealey, Myers, and Allen; or Economic Evaluation and Investment
Decision Methods, Stermole and Stermole)
Formula
MIRR is calculated as follows:
MIRR =
1
 –NPV (reinvest_rate, positive_values[1, 2, ..., i])*(1+reinvest_rate)n  n1
 NPV (finance_rate, negative_values[1, 2, ..., i])*(1+finance_rate)  1
 
where n = i + j
Equivalent Annuity Method

The equivalent annuity method expresses the NPV as an annualized cash
flow by dividing it by the present value of the annuity factor. It is often
used when assessing only the costs of specific projects that have the same
cash inflows. In this form it is known as the equivalent annual cost (EAC)
method and is the cost per year of owning and operating an asset over its
entire lifespan.
It is often used when comparing investment projects of unequal
lifespans. For example if project A has an unexpected lifetime of 7 years,
and project B has an expected lifetime of 11 years it would be improper to
simply compare the net present values (NPVs) of the two projects, unless
the projects could not be repeated.
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The use of the EAC method implies that the project will be replaced Controlling Expenses –
Budgeting
by an identical project.
Alternatively the chain method can be used with the NPV method under Notes
the assumption that the projects will be replaced with the same cash flows
each time. To compare projects of unequal length, say 3 years and 4 years,
the projects are chained together, i.e. four repetitions of the 3 year project are
compare to three repetitions of the 4 year project. The chain method and
the EAC method give mathematically equivalent answers. The assumption
of the same cash flows for each link in the chain is essentially an
assumption of zero inflation, so a real interest rate rather than a nominal
interest rate is commonly used in the calculations.
Real Options
Real options analysis has become important since the 1970s as option
pricing models have gotten more sophisticated. The discounted cash flow
methods essentially value projects as if they were risky bonds, with the
promised cash flows known. But managers will have many choices of how
to increase future cash inflows, or to decrease future cash outflows. In other
words, managers get to manage the projects – not simply accept or reject
them. Real options analysis try to value the choices – the option value –
that the managers will have in the future and adds these values to the NPV.
Ranked Projects
The real value of capital budgeting is to rank projects. Most
organizations have many projects that could potentially be financially
rewarding. Once it has been determined that a particular project has
exceeded it’s hurdle, then it should be ranked against peer projects (e.g., –
highest IRR to lowest IRR). The highest ranking projects should be
implemented until the budgeted capital has been expanded.
Calculating Expenses for the Capital Budget

Capital equipment and FF&E do not last forever. The executive
housekeeper uses the capital equipment budget to plan for the major repairs
and, eventually replacement, of these items. Included in the capital
equipment or capital improvement budget would be some smaller items
such as vacuum cleaners (unless they are replaced each year or so, in which
case they would fall under the operating budget), all large equipment, from
wet-dry vacuums to buffers and polishers, laundry equipment and tables,
and all FF&E items, including the bedspreads or bed covers, draperies, and
all in-room furnishings.
Even in a small property, the housekeeping department requires a
substantial amount of equipment to accomplish daily tasks. Before preparing
the capital budget, the executive housekeeper must assess the condition of
each piece of capital equipment, that is, equipment that will last more than
one year. The task is made much easier if equipment repair orders and
service records are computerized and kept up to date.
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Advanced Accommodation Assessing Capital Needs
Operations–II
Assessing capital needs begins with a review of the equipment already
Notes in the department, unless the budget is for a new hotel. A complete
inventory should be maintained which lists:
• The age of each piece of capital equipment, and its projected life
expectancy.
• The condition of each piece of equipment, including how many
times the item was repaired in the last year and how much repairs
cost.
• How much preventive maintenance was required for each piece of
equipment and how much it cost.
• Purchase and replacement cost.
• What features replacement units may offer and whether these
features would pay for themselves in terms of reduced cost of
operation.
Repair records are particularly important. If several vacuum cleaners
have gone out for repair repeatedly during the last six months, it probably
is time to replace them. The same applies to any piece of equipment that
has become so unreliable that it prevents attendants from doing their job
properly. It generally is best to replace all units of a certain age at one time.
This opens up opportunities to negotiate better prices for a larger order and
keeps morale problems from developing within the staff when the new
equipment is delivered. However, if the budget is extremely tight, the
executive housekeeper may have to replace only the units in the worst
condition.
Requests for capital budget should be supported with hard data that
shows why the item is needed and why the cost is justified. If the problem
is that equipment is out for repair too often, the executive housekeeper
should show documentation on how often the vacuums broke down, how
costly the repairs were, and how many labor hours were wasted sharing
the working units.
Another critical factor to address is return on investment (ROI), how
long it will take the equipment to generate enough savings through
increased productivity or reduced operating costs to cover the initial
purchase price. For example, a highly automated, but expensive, automatic
spreader/folder may take a big bite out of the year’s capital equipment
budget. But the labor saved by buying this machine may mean the machine
has an ROI of two to three years and can actually be a cost-saver in terms
of reduced labor hours before the fourth year of operation.
Any major capital expenditures, such as creating a dry cleaning
operation or a renovation, require long-range planning. These purchases
sometimes are allocated special budget categories created for these projects.
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Assessing Repair and Maintenance Needs Controlling Expenses –
Budgeting
Property-wide renovation does not come out of the housekeeping
budget but, rather, from the property’s general fund. However, the Notes
housekeeping budget typically covers some guestroom renovation and
necessary repairs or replacement of FF&E items. In some hotels, this is
covered under a separate budget labeled as the repair and maintenance
(R&M) budget. This budget may fall under housekeeping or maintenance/
engineering. If it is prepared by the director of maintenance or engineering,
there must be ample input from the executive housekeeper.
Prior to writing the renovation budget, the executive housekeeper
should walk through the property with the general manager or assistant
manager and point out what items need repairs. This would be based on
the daily reports of attendants and supervisors, as well as the executive
housekeeper’s own observations. Follow-up memos should document what
action the rooms division manager or assistant manager recommended. This
documentation may be a useful tool in getting this part of the budget
passed, especially if the property’s management philosophy usually stresses
repair rather than replacement.
All of this inforamtion can be used to create detailed room
classification records, a report of the condition of each guest room.
Typically, Class A rooms require no capital expenditure. Class B rooms
require only partial refurbishing, such as new bedspreads, lamps, chairs,
tables and draperies. Class C rooms require major refurbishing. The general
manager should be shown a sample room in each category and asked for
input.
Planning for Renovation

As mentioned earlier, major renovations require either special budgets
or special budget sections. These budgets require more detailed planning
and time to prepare. Renovation budgets are usually discussed in special
meetings with other department heads and the general manager, rather than
as part of the regular budget process.
As with any capital expense relating to FF&E, there must be a budget
column for labor. Some companies do both purchasing and installation,
which minimizes the labor hours of hotel staff. In other cases, staff must
be assigned to strip each room before renovation begins, remove all
furnishing and design elements that will not be reused, and clean the room
once the new FF&E is in place. The labor budget covers any work to be
done on-premise, including any draperies that will be made in the
property’s sewing room or any shelving or other architectural elements that
must be fabricated by or installed by the property’s carpenter(s). Overall,
this budget plus the operating budget must provide for adequate staff and
supplies to both clean rooms available to be sold and keep the renovation
process moving along.
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Advanced Accommodation Communicating with Other Departments
Operations–II
No part of the housekeeping department’s budget is written without
Notes input from another department. The rooms division, front desk, sales,
human resources, purchasing, engineering and even F&B may all provide
necessary input into the house-keeping budget.
Rooms Division/Marketing Department

The rooms division and marketing department provide the occupancy
forecasts and profile of business that are cornerstones of both labor and
supply budgets. But, they also provide other information useful for
budgeting. For example, guest profile information helps determine how
many rollaways and cribs are needed, whether more of a certain kind of
pillow should be purchased, and whether more, or less, should be spent
on guest amenities.
The executive housekeeper and rooms division manager also should
discuss any plans for renovation or introduction of new services to the
hotel. Creating executive floors would add extra cleaning time for these
larger rooms with more amenities. Introducing in-room fax machines also
adds time to cleaning or requires specific new supplies for cleaning screens
and keyboards. Even a small decision, such as purchasing in-room coffee
makers, means a few minutes more cleaning time and, perhaps, transport
time to racks or carts destined for the central dishwasher. Any additional
services should be discussed and their impact fully weighed before the
budget is finalized.
Human Resources
Before beginning work on the labor section of the budget, the executive
housekeeper should plan a meeting with the director of human resources
to discuss salary trends, union contracts, and any other major concerns
regarding labor supply.
Key questions to ask include:
• Are housekeeping department salaries competitive with hotels of the
same category in the area? Exit interviews may already have
determined whether salaries are too low.
• Will new hotel openings in the area affect salary scale? Properties
in markets with a lot of frenzied buildings frequently find
themselves in the midst of a bidding war for experienced employees.
This possibility must be addressed in budgeting, either in the form
of planned raises or for a large training allotment for new hires.
• Will union contracts be renegotiated during the new budget? The
human resources department should track typical raises negotiated
in recent contracts for union employees in hotels of the same
category. Is the hotel planning to downsize? If so, the housekeeping
labor budget must be cut.
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Purchasing Controlling Expenses –
Budgeting
For properties in which there is a dedicated purchasing department,
the executive housekeeper plans discussions with the director of purchasing Notes
before writing the budget for supplies and capital equipment. Topics to
cover include:
• What kinds of price increases are expected for the budget period?
• Are any shortages projected that will affect the budget?
Manufacturers changing to new product lines or impending strikes
may threaten to reduce supply. Extra inventory may have to be
ordered, or contingency funds set up for emergencies.
• Have any new purchasing contracts been signed that will reduce
costs?
Sales
The sales department provides information on advance group bookings
and functions. When planning the budget, the executive housekeeper should
work with the director of sales to determine:
• What is the forecast for group business and function sales? Growing
group and function business will increase labor costs, particularly
on the night shift. If the property uses a contract cleaning service
or laundry service, this extra volume of business will have to be
addressed. In either case, the budget must reflect the rising costs.
• Will the department need to purchase or rent items specifically for
certain groups?
• When are the bulk of the events planned? If several large groups
overlap, this, too, will require more money for labor.
The sales director also may point out any need for repair or
replacement in FF&E. Shabby rooms are not saleable. Enlisting support from
the sales manager may be critical if the property’s owner is hesitating about
approving more money for repair or replacement.
Input may be required from other department heads as well. The
director of maintenance or engineering can supply valuable information
about which capital items are beyond repair. Records of work orders may
indicate which items have been out of service too often, and which have
reached the end of their life expectancy.
The executive housekeeper in a large property should also obtain input
from the F&B department, regarding any special needs that will arise during
the budget period. All of this information is discussed with the property’s
general manager. The general manager can point out any major changes
in the property’s operation, that will affect the housekeeping budget, as well
as any overall changes in staff size or market.
Unit-1
Advanced Accommodation BUDGET GOALS
Operations–II
Sound budgets are more than mere totals of columns of necessary
Notes expenditures. The housekeeping department budget must be written with
the property’s overall performance expectations in mind.
As a department head, the executive housekeeper participates in
weekly or monthly meetings that discuss P&L statements. It should be clear
from these meetings whether current departmental budgets are sufficient
and also how well the property is expected to perform in the future. This
provides the necessary context for evaluating what is included in or cut
out of the housekeeping department’s budget.
The property’s anticipated bottom line is a critical factor in budgeting.
Accountability, being held accountable for each item in the budget, serves
as a good guideline for determine what is essential.
Setting Realistic Goals

Whatever the overall financial condition of the property, the executive
housekeeper must prepare a realistic budget. For example, if occupancy is
projected to dip during the next year, the executive housekeeper must create
a smaller, tighter budget that can be met even if occupancy plummets. This
is not the time to ask for hefty raises, but to look for opportunities to
increase efficiency and reduce costs. However, forecasts for a record-breaking
year are not an invitation to overspend. Large, capital purchases may be
budgeted, but only if the request is justified by need.
Prioritizing Budget Items

In the past, some general managers of large or upscale properties
boasted they had not been on a guestroom floor in three or more years.
However, the recession of the early 1990s brought these managers back to
financial reality and made them far more involved with day-to-day
operations. The majority of general managers who operates successful,
service-oriented properties now are well aware of the needs of guests and
each hotel department.
The basic budget presented to the general manager by the executive
housekeeper should have no surprises. The general manager should already
know if there are salary problems to address or if extensive repairs are
required. However, budget requests should be prioritized [see Fig. 17(a) and
(b)]. This practice enables the executive housekeeper to write an honest
budget and still make clear what the department’s needs are. The budget
breakdown should include:
Priority 1. This includes total salaries, supplies, and capital equipment
required by the housekeeping department to complete basic cleaning,
operational, and administrative tasks. These are the items the department
has to have in order to function.
Unit-1
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET – 500 ROOM HOTEL Controlling Expenses –
Budgeting
Priority I Total
(1) Re-do guest rooms Notes
# 04-06-08-10-12 on 10 floors = 50 rooms @ $,2000 each .............. @100,000
(2) Replace corridor carpet
floors 3-5-7 = 2,000 yards @ $30 yd. ....................................................... 60,000
(3) Lamps
guest rooms 35 @ $15 ....................................................................................... 525
public area 6 @ $50 .......................................................................................... 300
Assorted shades 50 @ $65 ............................................................................ 3,250
(4) Bed spreads
100 doubles @ $250 each ............................................................................ 25,000
25 kings @ $400 each .................................................................................. 10,000
(5) Mattresses, Springs, Frames
100 sets Doubles M&S @ $200 .................................................................. 20,000
50 sets Kings M&S @ $250 ......................................................................... 12,500
25 double frame @ $25 .................................................................................... 875
10 king frame @ $50 ......................................................................................... 500
(6) 25 TV sets $250 ............................................................................................... 6,250
(7) Room attendant carts (New Style) 6 @ 125 each ....................................... 750
(8) 50 pr. sheer curtains @ $75 each ................................................................ 3,750
(9) 10 room vacuums @ $90 each ..................................................................... 9,000
(10) New shampoo machine 1 @ $4400 each ................................................... 4,400
Total $257,100
Fig. 17(a). This capital budget shows three different priorities. Priority I is
what is essential for the hotel; Priority II is what would be helpful to the
more efficient operation of the department; and Priority III is what will be
needed within two years.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET – 500 ROOM HOTEL

Priority II Total
(1) Pool lounges replace 10 @ $95 each ............................................................. 950
(2) Recarpet banquet rooms 1 – 200 yds @ $35 ....................................... 7,000
2 – 500 yds @ $35 ..................................... 17,500
3 – 350 yds @ $ 35 ................................... 12,250
(3) Banquet chairs 200 @ $60 each ................................................................. 12,000
Total $49,950
Priority III
(1) Lobby add new tables 6 @ $800 each ....................................................... 4,800
Lobby add new chairs 12 @ $400 each ..................................................... 4,800
(2) Recover 4 sofas 100 yards @ $25 ............................................................... 2,500.
(3) Banquet chairs 100 @ $60 ............................................................................. 6,000
Total $18,100
Fig. 17(b)
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Advanced Accommodation Priority 2. This section lists “nice to have” items, such as specialty
Operations–II vacuums, more automated equipment for the laundry, departmental
Notes computers and so on. Many of the items listed as Priority 2 may require a
fairly large initial capital outlay, but would significantly cut labor hours or
other costs within several years.
Priority 3. This is essentially a wish list of items that would make
departmental work flow more smoothly, though the benefit may not be felt
immediately.
Any such ranking must be presented clearly. The general manager
should be able to see even at a glance which items are essential, good to
have, or merely on the wish list.
The Dangers of Over-Budgeting

Some general managers or controllers are so used to inflated budgets
that they routinely cut the requested budget by 30 per cent to 50 per cent.
This opens the door to unlimited problems, ranging from supply shortages
to insufficient labor. The best course for both executive housekeeper and
general manager is to submit a realistic budget, substantiated by proper
records and other necessary documentation.
Over-budgeting can lead to other problems, such as over-spending.
Buying too much equipment or supplies only not erodes the department’s
P&L, but also takes up a disproportionate amount of storage space. Too
much capital equipment increases the cost of operations and servicing. This
bloats the budget further, sparking a cycle of over-spending that may lead
to drastic cutbacks.
There also is the issue of trust. A general manager who knows that
the executive housekeeper is honest about budget needs is far more likely
to give serious considerations to the amount requested. Although
documentation will always be required, the executive housekeeper’s
recommendations will carry far more weight when they are proven to be
reasonable.
“I basically tell department heads, “This is your budget.’ They have
to tell me how much they need to spend to run their departments. They
also know best what they can do without and what they can cut. I want
them to be realistic. I don’t want a situation in which the executive
housekeeper says the department can get by without something just to turn
in a lower budget, then come to me the week after the budget is approved
and request approval of cost overruns,” says Kevin Cameron, general
manager of the 111-room Radisson Airport Hotel, Providence, Rhode Island,
an educational facility of Johnson & Wales University.
Creating contingency funds should not be confused with over-
budgeting. The housekeeping department requires small contingency funds
to cover emergencies. For example, if several large conventions are slated
Unit-1
for the year ahead, extra money must be budgeted to cover not only extra Controlling Expenses –
labor, but swing shift or on-call personnel to make sure all cleaning Budgeting
assignments are completed. Extra supplies must always be on hand in case Notes
occupancy rises suddenly. Labor and supply contingencies must reflect
projected need. No property needs a six-month supply of facial tissue “just
in case.”
MAKING BUDGET CUTS

Even realistic budgets may be too high. Executive housekeepers should
understand their staff and the guest market well enough to know what
budget items can be cut without cutting service standards. Labor, supplies,
and capital equipment needs must be weighed to determine what is
expandable or where savings could be realized.
Cutting Supply Costs

Supply costs are easier to cut than labor. “If the budget is being cut
because occupancy is expected to drop, the property will not need as many
supplies. The executive housekeeper can cut back linen orders, laundry
supplies, amenities and room supplies to reflect the lower occupancy and
lower consumption. Precautions still should be taken to maintain minimum
inventories to cover unexpected rises in occupancy,” says Erma Young,
executive housekeeper of the Holiday Inn International Drive Resort,
Orlando, Florida.
Consumption can be controlled to a certain extent as well. The supplies
budget can be reduced by instituting a policy of not restocking soap or
amenities until it becomes necessary. “There is a list in each attendants’
closet and one on the notice board showing the stock on hand, unit price
and daily consumption of guest supplies and amenities. By making
attendants aware of how much was being wasted, we have reduced our
costs significantly,” says Margit Abendroth, executive housekeeper of the
Colombo Hilton in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
For items that are intended as giveaways, the executive housekeeper
may be able to work out an agreement with the sales and marketing
department in which part of the cost would be covered by the advertising/
promotions budget. Depending on the length of stay, the property could
save as much as 25 per cent on laundry chemicals and energy costs by not
changing towels and sheets daily. The executive housekeeper also should
make sure loss control measures are effective, and that the department is
not overspending on supplies because of high loss or pilferage.
Capital equipment: Capital expenses are among the first items to be
cut. But only nonessential items should be deleted. The necessities for
cleaning the property and keeping it up to standards should not be cut,
even in a tight budget. Vacuum cleaners that no longer work properly or
Unit-1
Advanced Accommodation run up costly repair bills must be replaced. Holes in upholstery or carpet
Operations–II must be repaired. However, the department may be able to survive one
Notes more year without beepers, a new calculator, or a computer.
When looking for ways to cut the budget, the executive housekeeper
must weigh the total cost of the equipment. Energy- and labor-saving
features may mean that an expensive piece of equipment will actually
reduce overall costs within two years.
Generally, executive housekeepers prefer to make small cuts in several
areas rather than eliminating a large budget category. Reducing frequency
of some deep-cleaning tasks and rejuvenating some equipment or FF&E can
result in significant savings. During certain seasons, exterior window
washing may be stretched from every four weeks to every six or eight
weeks. Thorough carpet cleaning and pile lifting may postpone the need
for carpet replacement. Any such budget cuts must be made only if they
will not drag down the overall standards of cleanliness nor detract from
the image of the property.
Finding Better Pricing

The alternative to cutting the budget is to find better pricing. As soon
as the executive housekeeper knows the budget must be cut back, he or
she should try to identify where discounts or volume purchasing could
reduce overall costs most.
Regardless of price, no item should be purchased unless it meets the
department’s needs. Overbuying is also a fiscal mistake. Even if vendors
offer so-called “sales,” the purchase is no bargain unless it can be justified
on the basis of need.
Reducing Labor Costs

Increasing productivity is almost always preferable to massive staff cuts.
Raising quotas by one to two rooms each day can eliminate one or two
full-time positions. The department saves not only the actual salary, but also
the corresponding contribution to the benefits package. Incorporating one
or two general clean assignments each day may help eliminate the need
for an extra swing-shift employee. Cross-training may open up possibilities
for combining several positions. The attendant who starts cleaning public
space at 5 a.m. could shift to rooms at 9 a.m. This could help cut overtime
costs, especially in emergency situations.
Some hotel companies have mandated cut-backs of mid-level
managerial positions, such as inspectors or supervisors. This does pare
down the housekeeping payroll. However, the executive housekeeper will
need to allocate more time and money for training existing employees to
become self-supervising or take part in team cleaning with a team leader.
Some executive housekeepers are experimenting with a different approach
that adds a measurable productivity factor to the supervisor’s position. The
Unit-1
supervisor’s position may be redefined to include some cleaning tasks as Controlling Expenses –
well as inspection duties. Budgeting
Cutting a substantial number of room attendants is not an option. If Notes

rooms are not properly cleaned, the property will have a substandard
product to sell. The predictable result is that business will suffer further.
Cuts should be made in supervisory or administrative staff first.
“Cut costs in areas that hurt the guests least, the employees ‘second
least.’ It’s better to ask for volunteers who would be willing to take a few
days off without pay than cut the hours. If the situation gets really bad,
though, nothing except customer service is sacred,” says Kevin Cameron,
general manager of the Radisson Airport Hotel, Providence.
Once all the labor, supply, and capital equiment expenses are
determined, they usually are merged into the rooms division budget. Rather
than submitting a separate departmental budget, the housekeeping budget
is broken out as line items, individual entries, within the rooms division
budget. The general manager can then approve or deny each line item
request. If the general manager cuts an item or items considered essential
by the executive housekeeper, he or she could plan a special meeting to
discuss this point. Should the general manager still maintain this is a
necessary cut-back, there should be a frank discussion of how this will affect
the department’s performance. This should be followed up with a written
memo summarizing the discussion and placed with the budget file.
Unit-1
SPECIAL PROVISIONS
Notes
2 FOR HANDICAPPED GUESTS
WHO IS A DISABLED/HANDICAPPED PERSON?

“People whose prospects of securing, retaining places and advancing in
educational and training institutions, employment and recreation as equal
members of the community are substantially reduced as a result of physical
or mental impairment.”
Such a generalized statement does not differentiate between physical
and mental factors causing the disability. The possibility of improving the
situation for the physically disabled, by removing those elements in the
built environment which form barriers to access and facility, will be much
more easily achieved than for the mentally impaired.
• people who are blind or partially sighted
• people who are deaf or hard of hearing
• people who have heart conditions
• people who have epilepsy
• people who have problems with continence
• people who have insulin dependent diabetes
• people who have Down’s syndrome
• people who have dyslexia
• people who have arthritis
• people who are wheelchair users
• people who have experienced mental health problems
• people who have learning disabilities
• people who have multiple sclerosis (MS)
• people who have cancer
• people who have HIV.
These broad definitions mean that a good proportion of existing guests
may fall into the definition. Remember, not all disabilities are immediately
obvious or visible.
“The disabled are those who, as a consequence of physical disability
or impairment may be restricted to or inconvenienced in their use of
buildings due to:
• presence of physical barriers, such as steps or doors which are too
narrow for wheelchairs,
• lack of facilities such as ramps, elevators, staircase, handrails,
• absence of suitable facilities such as WCs, telephones, suitable Special Provisions
furniture, etc. for Handicapped Guests
Further definitions: “Ambulant disabled means a person who is able, Notes

either with or without personal assistance, to walk on the level or negotiate
suitable graded steps provided that convenient handrails are available.”
“Wheelchair-bound means a person who is unable to walk, either with or
without assistance, and who, except when using mechanized transport,
depends on a wheelchair for mobility.”
Two things emerge from this; firstly the definitions of disability are
closely linked to the physical and built environment and to the inability
of the disabled person to adequately cope with everyday barriers and
“normal” facilities, and secondly the assumption that if the wheelchair user
is accommodated, then most other persons with disabilities will probably
be able to access the building and be catered to by its facilities, as well as
to parents with pushchairs or prams. Such rationale has the ring of
pragmatism about it but it may well be true that a wheelchair user can be
most disadvantaged by even the lowest of barriers, and thus has the most
to gain in personal independence in a truly barrier-free environment.
In its scope the Code on Accessibility breaks no new ground; door,
corridor, stair and ramp access dimensions and details are covered;
minimum sizes and heights of control buttons for elevators, are given, and
sanitary provision for both wheelchair users and ambulant disabled people
are comprehensively covered. General design requirements cover such
provisions as reserved parking lots, and pavements from them to the
building which are unimpeded and have a maximum ramp gradient of 1:
1 0. Facilities with counters for writing or service must construct the
counters at a certain height and have clear space for the wheelchair below.
Since 1995, it has been illegal to refuse to serve somebody on the
grounds that they have a disability. For example, it would be illegal to
refuse to take a booking from a guest simply because they had a disability.
There have been a number of cases that have already been won under this
part of the legislation. For example, a group of people with learning
disabilities were each awarded damages because a pub landlord refused to
serve them. This rights to equality for all Act also covers deliberately
providing a poorer quality of service to disabled people by, for example,
taking longer to serve a disabled person breakfast, or applying terms that
are unreasonable. Other examples may be asking for a higher deposit from
a customer because they have a disability or charging a disabled guest more
than a non-disabled guest.
All establishments have a responsibility towards accommodating guests
with disabilities. Statutory provisions must be made to enable easy access
to designated rooms for users with disabilities-usually 1-2 per cent of the
total number of guestrooms-as well as to the public areas. All areas and
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Advanced Accommodation adjuncts of the property be they vans and buses, parking areas, the front
Operations–II door, the reservation area, the guestrooms and associated amenities, the
Notes restaurants and bars, the exercise and health facilities, the meeting rooms,
the restrooms, the telephones, or the shops- should be accessible to and
designed to suit guests with disabilities as well.
Reasonable Adjustments
Accommodation service providers have to make reasonable
adjustments in order to better meet the requirements of disabled people.
Deciding what is reasonable includes a number of key factors. It is
important to take the resources of the organization concerned (financial,
human and physical) into account. For example, a major hotel chain or large
holiday campsite may need to respond differently to the requirements of
their disabled guests than a business run by a sole proprietor. This does
not mean that small businesses can ignore the requirements of the
legislation. However, it does indicate that the law recognises different
approaches can be used which reflect the size and nature of a particular
business. It is also important to recognise that the law does not expect
organizations to have to respond to unreasonable requests.
Reasonable adjustments mean any measures that can help disabled
people enjoy the service as much as a non-disabled person.
There is a code of practice which covers goods, facilities and services
available from the Disability Rights Commission (DRC). This code is not
the law but can be used by the courts to determine cases. The code also
states that service providers must anticipate the likely requirements of
disabled guests and not just respond to requests from individuals.
Service providers have been expected to provide auxiliary aids and
services to disabled customers and to amend their policies, practices and
procedures so that disabled people can better access their services.
An auxiliary aid may include having an induction loop system on the
television in a communal lounge so that hard of hearing guests can access
the television. An auxiliary service could include serving a guest breakfast
in their room if they were unable to access the dining room due to a
physical barrier such as steps. A change in policy could include allowing
a disabled customer to park their car nearer the accommodation unit so that
they have less difficulty when arriving or leaving the premises or, amending
a no dogs policy so that guests with assistance dogs are permitted.
Changing practice and procedure could be something as simple as
making sure that cleaning staff remember to leave visually impaired guests
belongings in the places they were left when tidying a room.
Accommodation service providers should remove, alter or provide a
reasonable means of avoiding any physical barriers to accessing and using
their premises. This includes examining the way colour is used so that
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better contrasts are created for visually impaired guests and providing better Special Provisions
access for disabled people who are wheelchair users. for Handicapped Guests
Type of Building Minimum Provisions Notes

Banks At least one service counter shall be provided.
Shophouses and first-storey The shopping area shall be made accessible in

shops accordance with this Code.
Hotels At least one guestroom shall be provided for

every 200 guestrooms or part thereof.
Concert halls, cinemas, At least one wheelchair space shall be provided

theaters, stadia or other for every 400 seats or part thereof.
places of public resort
where permanent seating
arrangement is provided
Religious buildings The main area of worship shall be made

accessible in accordance with this Code.
Hostels, halls of residence At least one level, preferably the access level,
or dormitories shall be provided with facilities in accordance
with this Code
Hawker or food centers At least one table without any fixed stools or
chairs for every 10 tables or part thereof shall be
reserved for use by disabled persons or at least
two tables, whichever is the greater.
Car Parks (surface car At least one car parking lot shall be reserved
parks or multi-storey where car park the total number of car parking
buildings) lots is not more than 50 or at least two car
parking lots shall be reserved where the total
number of car parking lots is more than 50.
Others: (Large department Seats, possibly of the tip-up type, shall be

stores, supermarkets, resort, provided public for disabled persons who are
public concourses) unable to stand for a long period. An empty
space to accommodate a wheelchair shall also be
provided.
Fig. 1. Provisions for disabled persons, by building type

Auxiliary aid means something that can assist a customer with
communication and support.
For example:
• a well situated light at reception to help someone read more easily
• a pen and writing pad to help communicate when it is difficult to
hear
• an easy to follow website
• a fax machine, minicom phone or induction loop at reception.
Unit-2
Advanced Accommodation Induction Loop
Operations–II
This is usually a system of wiring from a microphone to an area such
Notes as reception or the TV lounge. Within this area a customer who uses a
hearing aid can set this to only pick up the microphone thereby cutting
out any background noise.
Assistance Dog
These are usually associated with guide dogs for blind people but there
are several types of specially trained dogs that are collectively called
assistance dogs. Some are trained to ‘hear’ for key noises, and others can
help with tasks such as picking up items.
Accommodation providers should be thinking through their services
from the perspective of individual disabled guests by critically evaluating
services from their perspective and considering what additional aids,
changes to day-to-day practices or physical changes could be made to better
accommodate the requirements of these guests. It also means giving
reasonable consideration to requests for additional services made by
disabled visitors. For example, a person who is diabetic may ask to store
insulin in the fridge. Responding positively to such a request is considered
a reasonable adjustment.
The next section illustrates many ideas which are considered reasonable
adjustments. In addition to the illustrations, there are boxes which define
terms used, and suggestions on how changes made can improve service for
everyone.
Making Your Property Accessible

This is more than just providing ramps etc. Access can be achieved by
taking often low-cost measures making all aspects of a service accessible.
For example:
• making leaflets accessible to a blind person,
• making the reception area accessible to a deaf person.
Evaluating the Customer Journey
Most disabled customers will utilise a service in much the same way
as non-disabled customers. However, at different stages of the customer
journey, different requirements may arise and every business is different.
What follows is a broad analysis of the range of things a business may need
to consider.
The illustrations shown are provided by businesses who have already
taken steps to make their accommodation more accessible. The results of
measures taken are high quality, look attractive and are welcoming for
disabled and non-disabled customers alike.
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Making Changes Inclusive Hand rails Special Provisions
for Handicapped Guests
Providing good hand rails outside and inside not only helps people
who need extra support, but it can also help blind and partially sighted Notes
customers who may benefit from an extra guide to steps or the internal
layout of corridors.
Publicity Materials
Many businesses fail to maximise on attracting disabled guests by
failing to ensure that their publicity materials address the requirements of
disabled customers. At its simplest level, this could be a general statement
saying that your business welcomes enquiries from disabled customers and
that you are happy for guests to discuss any additional requirements they
have with you directly. Other considerations may be:
Website
Is your website accessible? There are easy ways to make web pages
more accessible for disabled customers. For example, the font size used for
text could be increased to benefit customers with a visual impairment.
Equally the colour contrasts used may be difficult for somebody with a
visual impairment to navigate. It is also helpful if your website contains
information about any additional facilities that you may have that will
benefit disabled customers. If you have particular services that you can
provide for disabled guests, mention them. Information about physical
access should also be included
Publicity Leaflets
As with the web, these need to be available so that customers with a
visual impairment can read them. Again they need to contain information
about the facilities and any particular provision that can be made for
disabled guests. Using Plain English is considered good practice generally,
but will also be of particular benefit to people with a learning disability.
Including a fax number or email address will also enable people who have
difficulties using the telephone such as people who have speech
impairments or people who are hard of hearing to make bookings. One
simple measure is to provide brochure text in large print as standard so it
assists all readers.
Plain English means using simple, clear language which improves
understanding of the information provided.
Use a larger font (14 point size) and sans serif typeface in your
information. This is more legible for people with a visual impairment; Arial
or Univers are good fonts to use.
Providing easy-to-understand written information is preferred by most
of the population.
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Advanced Accommodation By using large print, you not only help people who are partially
Operations–II
sighted, you make it easier for anyone who needs reading glasses.
Notes
TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRES (TIC)
It is important that you let your local tourist information centre know about
any facilities that you may have. They may also be able to advise on how
to set out more detailed statements on accessible facilities. You can also
inform your TIC of any changes made to improve the quality of provision
for disabled guests. Your local TIC will also be able to advise you about
any training that is being provided to help you better meet the requirements
of disabled people.
Dealing with Phone Enquiries and Bookings

Many guests will book their accommodation directly or make enquiries
prior to confirming their booking. Some disabled customers may be reticent
to discuss their requirements with you or be unaware of the fact that you
may be willing to make changes. One way to overcome this problem would
be to ask all guests if they have any particular requirements and then give
an example.
Flexible Booking Procedures

Setting up flexible booking procedures with other local providers helps
avoid just turning away disabled customers when your own facility is
already occupied. It also provides other sources of equipment, etc., when
customers have last minute requirements.
Using questions like ‘Do you have any particular requirements that I
need to know about, such as being vegetarian, having a disability, wanting
to arrive early, etc.?’
This is considered to be an inclusive approach and may help disabled
guests to state their requirements without feeling they are asking for
something out of the ordinary. By showing a keen attention to detail, it also
means that all guests receive a higher quality of service and this will be
appreciated by everyone. At the same time, it allows guests the opportunity
to quiz you further. For example, a guest with mobility impairments could
then ask about how you are able to make provision for their requirements.
It is worth noting that providing this interchange can avoid you offering a
service which does not meet their needs.
Inclusive refers to changes that can help more people than you think.
Extra Space in an Accessible Bedroom

The extra space available in an accessible bedroom makes this an ideal
room for other bookings when a wheelchair user is not staying.
It may be that you have one or two rooms that have been adapted to
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meet the requirements of disabled guests or that certain rooms are more Special Provisions
suitable for guests with disabilities. Deciding how you allocate rooms is of for Handicapped Guests
particular importance. It may be that you wish to hold these rooms back Notes
until all other rooms have been allocated. This will help you to have the
maximum flexibility when allocating rooms. The extent to which you can
re-allocate rooms will depend upon the size of your establishment and the
nature of any pre-arranged bookings that have been made. Having an
appropriate room allocation policy will help you better meet the
requirements of individual guests.
In addition, it may mean you can pick up short notice bookings and
so gain more valuable trade from disabled customers.
One feature of rooms that are well adapted is that they are also likely
to be attractive to any non-disabled guest, thereby remaining an important
part of your available accommodation.
Reservations
The management of a hotel needs to provide solutions for guests with
disabilities to enable them to make reservations for themselves. For instance,
for a guest who has a hearing impairment or speech impairment, places
of lodging should provide effective means of communication. The
reservations desk should have a tele-typewriter (TTY) installed. The person
taking reservations should be trained in the use of a TTY.
A TTY is also known as a ‘telecommunications device for the deaf’ or
TDD. This device ‘rings’ by way of a flashing light or in more recent
models, a vibrating wristband that resembles a watch. The TTY also has a
keyboard that holds from 20 to 30 character keys, a display screen, and a
modem. The letters that the TTY user types into the machine are turned
into electrical signals that can travel over regular telephone lines. When the
signals reach their destination (in this case, another TTY), they are converted
back into letters that appear on a display screen, are printed out on paper,
or both. Some of the newer TTYs are even equipped with answering
machines.
Check In and Arrival

Your first direct contact with guests is likely to be at check in. If the
booking has been made in advance, and you have followed the suggestions
made thus far, you should already know about any additional requirements
that your guests may have. However, it is worth highlighting any particular
facilities you have so that all guests are aware of these. For example, if you
have an induction loop in the lounge, you could have a relevant sticker
on display showing this facility. You can also mention this to everybody
at check in. If you have a general awareness of local services and facilities
(e.g. pubs) which are accessible to disabled people, this information may
also be useful at this point.
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Advanced Accommodation If you require guests to complete a registration form it may be that
Operations–II some guests will need help. For example, somebody who has arthritis may
Notes have problems gripping a pen. If you have a check in desk but no lower
counter, these guests would be better served if the hotelier lowered a
portion of the counter or served them at another counter that is of an
appropriate height or you could provide a clipboard so that guests can
complete registration details more easily. You could also provide a
magnifying sheet for guests who are visually impaired so that they can
complete any registration forms themselves, if this is their preference.
Many registration counters are too high for business to be conducted
appropriately with guests who are short or use wheelchairs.
Transportation
Van or bus shuttle services should be accessible to people with
disabilities. It should be ensured that vehicles that are accessible to the
disabled are used for transporting them and there should be no
discrimination against disabled guests. Any policies that unintentionally
discriminate against disabled guests should be altered. For instance, if the
transport provider has a policy for not allowing animals on the vehicles, it
may be altered for a blind guest who has a guide dog as his or her
companion.
Drop Counters
Having drop counters as part of reception, etc., not only helps
wheelchair users, it also helps people with restricted growth and it makes
deliveries easier and safer.
In addition, it is worth considering the following:
• always talk directly to the guest concerned and avoid checking
requirements through partners or carers if they are also with them.
• if your guest is a wheelchair user and you wish to engage in a long
conversation, consider pulling up a chair for yourself so that you
maintain eye contact or taking a few steps back.
• be prepared to write down information for deaf and hard of hearing
guests if they have difficulty understanding you (or vice versa)
• be prepared to complete forms on behalf of guests with visual
impairments or learning disabilities
• offer assistance as opposed to automatically assuming that somebody
will need this by asking ‘Would you like help?’. Do not be offended
if your offer of help is declined.
• remind guests that they should let you know if there is something
you can do to meet any particular requirements they have.
Where appropriate, it is also worth confirming any reasonable
adjustments. For example, if your dining room is not accessible you may
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wish to confirm that you are able to serve meals elsewhere, for example, Special Provisions
in the guests’ own room. for Handicapped Guests
Easy-to-read Wall Signs at Head Height

Notes
Using easy-to-read wall signs installed at head height will assist people
who are partially sighted and make it easier for anyone who might have
difficulty being understood particularly during busy reception times or
when a guest asks for directions.
A further issue which is best covered at this point is any additional
support that might be needed in the case of fire or another emergency.
Having agreed any measures with the guest, make sure that these are
clearly but discreetly conveyed to others who need to know.
Guest Rooms
Once guests have checked in you will probably show them to their
rooms. Guests who have difficulties carrying heavy items may benefit from
the offer of additional assistance. Once a guest has been shown to their
room, it is important that you check the room meets their requirements, or
if there is anything additional that they may need. For example, somebody
who has difficulties standing at a wash basin may benefit from the
provision of a stool they can sit on whilst washing.
This will also give guests a chance to explain any particular
requirements, for example, any additional dietary requirements they may
have. It may be worth checking with guests that they have everything they
need a short period after they have checked in. Again, this approach is
consistent with best practice for all guests and not just disabled customers.
All hotel properties need to have some guestrooms accessible to
disabled guests and adapted to their needs. A physically accessible room
should have the following features:
• Doorway push-and-pull clearance
• Minimum 32 inches clear opening in the door width
• Accessible door hardware
• Accessible security features
• A peephole mounted between 36 and 45 inches height
• Controls and light switches mounted between 48 and 54 inches
height from the floor
• Minimum 32-inch wide clear opening to the bathroom
• Accessible sinks and faucets
• Grab bars for the toilet
• Toilet seat at 17-19 inches height above the floor
• Adequate maneuvering space in front of the toilet, tub, and shower
for a wheelchair
• Grab bars and transfer seat for the tub
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Advanced Accommodation A room adapted to guests with hearing disabilities may include the
Operations–II following facilities:
Notes • A text telephone
• Audio-visual emergency-warning devices
• Notification devices for door knocking and telephone ringing.
High Backed Chair

A well placed high backed chair with firm arms not only helps people
who have difficulty walking, it also helps a wheelchair user transfer into
it. The chair is useful for anyone who might feel tired as they wait to
enquire, or whilst they are getting around.
If the accommodation is self-catering then it is important at this stage
to check the customer’s access to all the facilities. For example, is kitchen
equipment within reach? Can the bathroom fittings be used with ease,
safety and comfort? Take time to explain how any services and adaptations
are used and be flexible. For example, be willing to rearrange furniture,
equipment like a microwave, or storage of cutlery.
In the bathroom it may be necessary to also provide a shower chair,
or additional non-slip matting.
An example of an accessible kitchen in self-catering accommodation.
It is also worth reinforcing particular services that you provide in any
in-room information. For example, it is worth highlighting information
about the availability of Ceefax/Teletext on televisions and subtitles for the
benefit of deaf and hard of hearing viewers if either room, or TV lounge
has this facility. You can also provide information about fire evacuation
procedures and what to do if people have any additional requirements. In-
room information needs to be available in accessible formats - either in large
print (14pt using a clear font), Braille or on audio cassette. If this is not
possible, you could read the information to guests who have a visual
impairment or have a spare magnifying glass available for loan. A large,
clear typeface will, however, benefit all guests.
Dining Room and Bar Facilities

Ideally the dining room should be accessible to all guests. This may
simply involve ensuring that there is sufficient room for disabled people
who are wheelchair users, or who have restricted mobility, to move between
tables. You may also need to take into account the requirements of people
who are visually impaired, including navigation for people using assistance
dogs. This may require temporarily moving obstacles out of the way or
thinking carefully about seating arrangements. Ordinarily, it may not be
possible for guests to reserve particular tables at breakfast. This may,
however, be entirely appropriate if this means that a disabled guest is better
able to use your service.
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Taking simple measures can make most dining rooms more accessible. Special Provisions
Individual tables can be made more accessible, by using blocks or re-
arranging chairs. Notes
You should also consider serving guests directly instead of assuming
everyone can use self-service facilities. For example, this may mean serving
a guest at their table if they have indicated that they have difficulty carrying
things, especially food and drink.
All guests should be given the same opportunity to use communal
facilities. For example, it would be discrimination to refuse to allow a
person with a facial disfigurement or a guest with learning disabilities to
use the dining room. Deliberately positioning guests away from others
would also be likely to be viewed as discriminatory.
Finally, as mentioned earlier, guests may require some information,
such as menus, in alternative formats. If this is not possible then staff may
have to read menus to guests. Equally staff could tell a visually impaired
guest about the range of drinks available at a bar. It should be possible to
serve somebody at a table who can not carry their own drinks, or provide
drinks in another part of your accommodation, if the bar is not wheelchair
accessible.
Checking Out and Guest Feedback

At departure, it may be that some changes to standard practice need
to be made when settling accounts. For example, if a guest cannot access
the reception area you could consider presenting the guest with their bill
in their room. If you cannot provide a bill in large print you may need to
consider reading the bill out to guests to guarantee its accuracy. It is a good
opportunity to use check out time as a way of gaining feedback about the
quality of provision. Were any additional requirements met? Would the
guest consider returning again?
‘Many guests have commented on how our easy to use facilities have helped
them to have a comfortable and peaceful holiday.’
— Maggie MacAlpine, Crathie Holidays
Often the feedback received from disabled guests will be no different
to that given by non-disabled customers. It is pointless having a totally
accessible hotel or guest cottage if the quality of the service provided has
been insufficient.
‘In providing an accessible experience for all guests, the attitude of
management is as important as the removal of physical barriers. The right attitude
beats training, hands down.’
— James Brown, The Narrows
Like anybody else, disabled guests expect courtesy, clean rooms, good
cooking and so forth. Consequently if you fall down in any of these areas
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Advanced Accommodation you are just as likely not to gain repeat custom from disabled guests as
Operations–II from non-disabled guests.
Notes Assembly Halls
• Under this category fall movie-theaters, lecture halls, spectator
seating in sports centres, and other assembly halls with fixed seating.
• The number of spaces designated for wheelchair users in a seating
area can be estimated according to the following table:
Number of seats in a Number of required spaces

seating area for wheelchair users
up to 600 6 i.e. 1/100
up to 1000 6 + 2
over 1000 8+1 for each additional increment of 1000 seats
• Some seats with removable or flip-up armrests should be provided

at row ends to accommodate a wheelchair user or a person with
limited ambulatory mobility.
• A level floor area for wheelchair users should be placed at row ends
and should be scattered on different levels so as to have a variety
of seating and viewing locations (Fig. 2).
Fig. 2
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Cafeterias and Restaurants Special Provisions
• New restaurants or parts of new restaurants and eating spaces
should be as accessible as possible to a wheelchair user. Notes
• In self-service restaurants tray slides and counters should be
mounted approximatly 0.90 m from the floor. Food shelves should
be mounted at a maximum height of 1.20 m (Fig. 3).
• Cantilevered tables or tables with straight legs at each corner are
preferable to central pedestals that might restrict wheelchair access.
• Stools and high tables are not suitable for wheelchair users. Low
tables should be provided as well.
Fig. 3
For Hotel
The following tips should help you better address potential changes
to the premises:
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Advanced Accommodation At least one room per new hotel or motel should be accessible to a
Operations–II wheelchair user. Bathrooms connected to these rooms have to be fully
equipped. The layout should allow a lateral transfer to the toilet seat.
Notes
Rooms designated for wheelchair users should, where possible, be
placed at ground level so as to have a direct means of escape in case of
fire.
Recreational facilities should be as accessible as possible to a wheelchair
user. At least one shower room, one rest room and one changing room per
facility should be accessible to a wheelchair user. The facilities should be
located on an accessible path of travel and be equally accessible to guests
with disabilities. There should be at least one means of access to the pool
for the disabled, whether in the form of a ramp, transfer tier, or lift.
Ramps
Ramps, when accompanied by steps and a good hand rail, assist
everyone. As well as wheelchair users, they help those who need extra
support or guidance on steps, and can help people with wheeled luggage,
prams or shopping.
Firm, Level Paths

Providing firm, level paths and routes not only makes it easier for
wheelchair users, it removes any potential hazards for people to trip over,
e.g. broken surfaces.
• Many people offer access audits. Ideally, an access audit should be
an independent, professional survey of your property and
procedures. This is so that you can provide your service to disabled
people on the same terms as non-disabled people.
It is unlikely that it would be expected to make changes that are
beyond the resources or that are impracticable. The technical constraints of
your accommodation, fire regulation and health and safety factors all need
to be taken into account. Ultimately you may have to provide alternative
means of delivering the same service rather than totally reconfiguring your
premises. However, you will need to show why such changes are not
possible and evidence your decisions, rather than simply rule out these
changes as being too costly or prohibitive.
An Example of an Accessible Toilet

Good contrast and lighting help everyone.
• Think beyond a narrow definition of disability. Clear colour
contrasts between doors and walls will benefit people with visual
impairments. Pictogram signage will help people with learning
disabilities. Hearing or induction loops and text phones will benefit
hard of hearing and deaf customers. None of these measures require
major physical changes to premises and can be provided relatively
cheaply.
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• Look for local help and advice. Organizations of disabled people Special Provisions
in your area will be able to put you in contact with disabled people for Handicapped Guests
locally. It should then be possible to seek the views of disabled Notes
people about any changes that might be helpful. This should be
undertaken alongside any access audit that you have arranged.
• Once you have made changes make sure they do what you
intended. If you provide accessible parking bays make sure that
these are reserved for disabled guests. Induction loops and other
auxiliary aids should be regularly tested. Regardless of the changes
made, you should also keep these under continual review as
technology and practices do change over time. Plan the changes to
be made and incorporate improvements for disabled customers. It
may be that you are already planning to redecorate or upgrade
facilities. If so, try to incorporate improvements for disabled guests.
For example, if you are upgrading bathroom facilities, look at how
these can incorporate improvements for disabled customers, e.g. by
the addition of hand rails. If you are planning new publicity
materials, make them accessible. A great deal of time and money
can be saved by thinking through the requirements of disabled
guests when carrying out general improvements to your business.
Making areas more accessible does not have to change the

character of a room.
Ramps 1:20
Corridors 915 mm wide min
Doors 815 mm clear opening
Lobbies 460 mm wider than the door
Bathrooms 1.52 m central turning space and 2.75 m width;

grab bars
Beds and furniture Movement Space 910 mm min, with knee room
of 685 mm
Switches Set at 1.2 m height
Windowsills and mirrors Eye level 1.07-1.37 m from the floor
Fig. 4. Specific physical requirements for disabled guests
Getting you Started What to do now?

These suggestions are not definitive but will help you to get started.
You can start planning by following simple steps like the ones
below:
• assess what you know about your business so far and how it
already meets many requirements
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Advanced Accommodation • start to highlight what you can already do in your publicity or on
Operations–II your website
Notes • make contact with those who need to start advising you further;
your local tourism office, local trade associations, if you are part of
one, and any local recognised groups of disabled people
• make a plan for the future based upon what you can do at each
stage (what you can start doing straight away, what will need to
be done in the medium term, e.g. during the next low-season)
• obtain a quality access audit as soon as practical
• when making minor changes use customer feedback and contacts
with local groups of disabled people to check out how changes will
help disabled customers. Before making larger changes consult with
local groups of disabled people and specialists such as the local
access or building control officer
• remember lots of minor improvements can make a big difference
very quickly
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SITUATION HANDLING AND
3 SERVICE DESIGN Notes
AIRLINE CREW
Modern airplanes are phenomenal pieces of technology, but they’re not
worth much if you don’t have somebody who can fly them. The skills and
expertise of veteran pilots are crucial to airline organizations, as well as to
getting you where you need to go. The flight-attendant crew is also an
important element in the flying process: Attendants try to keep everything
running smoothly on each flight, and they deal with the desperate
situations that arise when things don’t go according to plan. The life of an
airline crew member can be tiring and frustrating, but it is rarely boring.
When these people come into work (in an office that cruises a mile or more
above the ground), they might very well be headed to the other side of
the world.
First let us discuss some facts about the crew, and their duties.
PILOTS
You wouldn’t get very far on a flight without pilots: They are the people
who put all that sophisticated equipment to work. On commercial airlines,
there are always at least two pilots, and on many flights, there are three.
All airline pilots have had extensive training and flying experience, often
as part of military service. The road from the first training flight to the
airline cockpit is a long and difficult one, but for many pilots, this is the
only way to go.
On an airliner, the pilot in command is called the captain. The captain,
who generally sits on the left side of the cockpit, is ultimately responsible
for everything that happens on the flight. This includes making major
command decisions, leading the crew team, managing emergencies and
handling particularly troublesome passengers. The captain also flies the
plane for much of the trip, but generally trades off with the first officer at
some point.
The first officer, the second in command, sits on the right side of the
cockpit. He or she has all of the same controls as the captain, and has had
the same level of training. The primary reason for having two pilots on
every flight is safety. Obviously, if something happens to the captain, a
plane must have another pilot who can step in. Additionally, the first officer
provides a second opinion on piloting decisions, keeping pilot error to a
minimum.
Advanced Accommodation Most airliners built before 1980 have a cockpit position for a flight
Operations–II engineer, also called the second officer. Typically, flight engineers are fully
Notes trained pilots, but on an ordinary trip, they don’t fly the plane. Instead,
they monitor the airplane’s instruments and calculate figures such as ideal
takeoff and landing speed, power settings and fuel management. In newer
airliners, most of this work is done by computerized systems, eliminating
the need for the flight-engineer position. In the future, it will be phased
out entirely.
Fig. 1. Pilots in cockpit of an airline

All three pilots in the flight crew have equal levels of training, but they
usually have varying degrees of seniority. At most airlines, the career track
is based almost completely on length of service. To become a captain, you
have to rise through the ranks and wait until it’s your turn and a position
opens up. Seniority also dictates the sorts of planes a pilot flies, as well as
his or her schedule. Pilots who are relatively new to the airline will fly
reserve, meaning they do not have a set flying schedule. A reserve pilot
may have “on call” duty for 12 hours or longer at a stretch. In this time,
the pilot has to be packed and ready to fly, because the flight scheduler
might page them at any moment. If a pilot is called in, he or she reports
to the airport immediately for a flight assignment (for many airlines, the
pilot must be ready to go within an hour of being paged). Reserve pilots
are called up when the scheduled pilot becomes ill or can’t make the flight
for some other reason. The life of the reserve pilot is largely unpredictable:
Pilots might spend several days on reserve and never get paged, or they
might get paged everyday. And when they report for duty, they could be
flying over to the next state or they might be putting in a three-day trip
to another part of the world. With this hectic schedule, it’s no wonder
flights are occasionally delayed while waiting around for crew members to
arrive.
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Pilots with more seniority pick out a regular flight schedule, called a Situation Handling
line. Pilots holding a line live a more “ordinary” sort of life, in the sense and Service Design
that they know ahead of time when they’ll be working. But even these Notes
pilots spend a lot of time away from their families, and they never know
what delays they’ll encounter. In the United States, a pilot’s scheduled flight
time should not exceed 8 hours in a row for domestic flights or 12 hours
for international flights. In actuality, however, pilots may work for more
than 16 hours straight, since flights are often delayed or extended.
A pilot typically arrives at the airport at least an hour before departure
(two hours for international flights). Most airlines have a computerized
check-in system in the pilot’s lounge. This gives the pilots the details of
the flight, including the weather, the number of passengers on board and
the other crew members who will be working. In order to keep everything
in one place, pilots generally keep their flight papers and any other
information in a large briefcase.
In the time before take-off, a pilot reviews this information, works out
the flight plan, files it with air traffic control and meets with the rest of
the crew. Once the airplane has landed, the captain meets with the arriving
flight crew to find out if they experienced any irregularities. The first officer
performs a general inspection of the plane to make sure everything is in
good order. After this walk-through, the pilots meet in the cockpit and make
sure all of the instruments and controls are working properly.
Before takeoff, the captain must sign the flight release, a document
attesting that the crew is fit and that the pilots have reviewed the flight
information. While they’re preparing for takeoff, the pilots will receive an
up-to-date weather report and passenger count and a pre-departure
clearance form. To make the paperwork easier, many cockpits are equipped
with a built-in printer that receives information from the gate agents and
the control tower.
When the paperwork is finished, the attendants secure all the doors
and the captain gives the go-ahead for “pushback” (pushing the plane back
from the gate so it can move onto the runway). Then, the pilots simply
wait their turn and follow the air traffic controller’s instructions for takeoff.
In an uneventful flight, takeoff and landing require the most intensive
piloting. In modern airliners, the pilot’s main responsibilities are to monitor
the automatic systems to make sure the plane is flying correctly and to alter
the course as needed. In an emergency, of course, things can get a lot more
hectic. All airline pilots have extensive training in dealing with the
unexpected and keeping a cool head in precarious situations. Fortunately,
it is only on rare occasions that pilots have to put this training to work,
but they must be ready to leap into action at all times.
The life of flight attendants — the crew members who take care of the
passengers — is also filled with unpredictability. On a commercial flight
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Advanced Accommodation as per international standards, there must be one flight attendant for every
Operations–II 50 passengers. These attendants have a variety of responsibilities in their
Notes work, which begins before the first passenger boards and continues through
the entire flight. Before boarding, the whole crew meets, the captain reviews
the flight schedule and any safety concerns, and the lead attendant assigns
each attendant to a particular section of the plane. Before the plane takes
off, the attendants must:
• Greet passengers and direct them to their seats
• Help passengers stow their carry-on luggage
• Make sure passengers near the emergency exits are prepared to help
out in an emergency
• Run over safety procedures or show a safety video
• Check every seat to make sure all passengers are buckled-in and that
their seats are in the right position
• Lock the doors and arm them so that the emergency slides will
inflate if they are opened
After they have worked through this checklist, flight attendants strap
themselves into their jump seats. Once the plane levels off, the attendants
prepare food and drinks, load the refreshment and meal carts, and serve
the passengers.
Fig. 2. A flight attendant serves a typical “in-flight snack”

consisting of drinks and peanuts.
Additionally, attendants must make sure that all passengers adhere to
the safety guidelines, and they have to deal with any emergency situations
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that come up. If there is a problem with the plane, the crew must keep Situation Handling
the passengers calm and help them exit the aircraft if necessary. Attendants and Service Design
must also be prepared to deal with terrorists, irate passengers and various Notes
medical emergencies. In situations where most people would be paralyzed
with panic, flight attendants have to keep their wits about them and work
through the emergency.
Fig. 3. Before each flight, the flight crew reviews safety

measures with passengers.
To deal with all of these duties, a flight attendant must possess certain
abilities and personality traits. Airlines look for friendly people who can
memorize a lot of information and keep a cool head under pressure. During
the training period, which can last between three and nine weeks, a
potential attendant lives with other candidates at a hotel or dorm facility,
where they attend classes on everything from food service to dealing with
armed hijackers.
As with pilots, a flight attendant’s work schedule is determined by
seniority. Newer flight attendants have to fly reserve, rarely knowing where
they will be headed the next day. They are at the mercy of the crew-
schedulers — the airline employees who figure out who needs to be where
on a day-to-day basis.
As discussed about the life of a crew,
After the flight is over and the crew lands, they go down to the crew
pickup area to meet the van for the ride to the hotel. Airport shuttle
services to hotel are provided which are quick and cheaper than other
means of transportation.
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Advanced Accommodation The type of hotels vary. Sometimes it’s the Airport hotel and,
Operations–II sometimes it’s the Down town hotel, it really depends on the city and the
length of the layover. For example, when any layover that is a “short
Notes layover”, say 11 hours or less, crews will stay at a hotel that is closer to
the airport in order to maximize the amount of rest and minimize the
length of time it takes to get to the airport. In a short layover, they stay
about a 15 minute ride away. However, on a longer layover, they will stay
in downtown hotel, there may be corresponding 20 to 40 minute drive from
the airport to the hotel so it is practical only when you have a longer
layover than 10 hours.
Typically, on a layover, the time after they reach the hotel should be
strictly for them. They can meet the other crew for dinner, to go explore
downtown or any other attractions that the area has to offer or do whatever
as long as they are well rested and fit for going back on duty when it’s
time for “pick up” at the hotel the next day. The “pick up” time varies,
sometimes it’s an hour before departure time, or an hour and a half in
larger, more congested cities like New Delhi where the hotel may be further
from the airport.
The hotel serves the best buffet breakfast for airline crew, a clean
premises and well maintained guestrooms. Even for the Lunch or Dinner
the hotels prefer to offer them a fixed menu, as the order are generally in
bulk and at the same time. The policy may vary from hotel to hotel as per
contract and billing agreement with the airline company.
The crew generally seen, especially in India, checks in at early morning
hours, therefore the Rooms are kept DND most of the time during the day
time in some hotels. So, as to avoid more frequent disturbing the late arrival
crew guest, and the rooms are serviced after they depart. This helps the
crew to take proper rest between the flight schedules.
The amenities are mostly same as for the normal guestroom services.
SINGLE LADY GUEST

When you walk into a five-star lounge, you don’t have to be a svelte
Bipasha Basu sporting Corporate outfits to have the staff scampering
towards you. That you are a working woman is enough for a string of five-
star hotels to be at your beck and call.
These days an Eva Floor is set aside for only women executives;
24/7 security; ever-helpful staffers; many feminine freebies including
makeup kits, sanitary kits, silk gowns or Yukate, and what more, if you
fall sick, you may want to just stay put.
With corporate sector booming like never before, and women’s foray
into the field, it is no surprise that hotels have joined the bandwagon to
cash in on the trend. Many hotels in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai,
especially luxury hotels, are coming up with new schemes for single lady
travelers.
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Earlier, women had to travel with a male companion be it brother, Situation Handling
father or husband. Today, they can chose to travel alone. With hotels and Service Design
stepping in to provide that extra comfort, traveling has become a pleasure. Notes
It’s intriguing to know what exactly constitutes pleasure in these swank
suites. ITC Windsor Sheraton, Bangalore, for instance, has an exclusive ‘Eva
Floor’ that caters to only women guests.
There are a number of security features to keep the guests at ease at
ITC Windsor Sheraton Hotel.
To ensure security, the operator to provide a hasslefree and comfortable
stay, screens all calls to the women guests. Even the smallest need of the
lady guest is taken care for.
At a hotel in Hyderabad, special care with regard to safety and security
is taken for women executives who check in at the hotel. When a single
lady checks in, she’s allotted a room situated in the centre of the floor. It
is ensured that no inter-connecting rooms, or those located in the periphery
of the floor, are allotted. The rooms are equipped with camera phones. The
bedside telephone is connected to a camera that’s focused on the door so
that anyone who knocks the door can be seen on the phone. All phone
calls are screened.
In case a lady guest falls sick, a lady executive of the hotel accompanies
the doctor to the guest’s room. Moreover, all the floors of the hotel have
camera surveillance to ensure overall security. In fact, on the grounds of
ensuring privacy, the hotel has done away with the traditional breakfast
slips which had details of the guest with her preferences for breakfast.
Instead, the guest can now specify her preferences for breakfast at the coffee
shop itself.
A good percentage of guests are single lady guest who walks in luxury
hotels these days. Therefore, the concern revolves around safety and security
issues whether the guests are Indian or foreigners. The hotel has a range
of services for single women travelers. From providing safety chains in
rooms to double locks on doors, care is taken that a lady executive escorts
all single lady guests to their rooms. Sometimes when lady only sections
are not marked, usually all women guests are put together on one floor.
And the services range from providing sanitary kits, make-up kits.
Everything with a personalised touch.
Apart from special lady requirements like providing nail clippers,
filers/nail polish remover, silk gowns, the hotel also ensures that the lady
travelers are booked in a room near the lobby. The guests are put in rooms
which are not very close to the elevator.
Taj Banjara, Hyderabad, has a special package exclusively designed for
women executives -Tender Loving Care. The package, priced at Rs 10,000,
can be booked only by ladies, who, of course, can gift it to their boyfriend
or spouse. Under this package, when a lady checks in at the hotel on a
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Advanced Accommodation Saturday, she gets a complimentary welcome drink. Her room is beautifully
Operations–II done up with colourful drapes and flowers. She can have a special beauty
Notes treatment at the beauty parlour which could be a massage by a lady
masseur. She’s free to get a male partner for dinner which includes a
complimentary dessert for two. When she returns to her room, she can find
it filled with petals all around. On Sunday, she can go for a swim in the
pool where a complimentary beer awaits her. After the dinner, she can have
a late-night checkout.
Efforts are made to check the time of the guest’s arrival, and that the
guest is escorted by trained personnel right from the airport, says Purnima.
All in-coming calls are screened and room numbers are not divulged to
anybody. Some rooms also have video cameras to enable the guest know
the identity of the visitors, she says.
Turn down service in a single lady guestroom is always given facing
the wall side so as to maintain their privacy.
Amenities in a single lady guestroom:
• nail cutter
• nail filler
• nail polish remover
• sanitary napkins
• moisturizing body lotion
• facial lotion
• cucumber face cleaner
• facial mud pack
• loofah
• hand lotion
• foot scrubber
• tissue paper
• cotton balls
• hair brush
CHILDREN
The old saying “families that play together, stay together”.
To consistently respond to the growing demand for family-friendly
hotels, the accommodation industry needs to take initiatives for kid-friendly
designs to pamper pint-sized bodies, minds and souls. These initiatives may
include an enhanced Kids Club(R), unique organic skin care products for
infants, designer amenities for children, expanded resort kids programs, the
revolutionary new Heavenly Crib(sm), and the customed family plan.
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Kids club may have provisions of comprehensive packages of service Situation Handling
and amenities geared to the special needs of families traveling with and Service Design
children, including designer children amenities. Notes
Designer Wares and Bears
At check-in, guests between the ages of three and twelve may be
offered a trendy sports bottle complete with free beverages while dining
on property. Additionally, offerings for choice between a soft and cuddly
teddy bear, the perfect bedtime companion in a nice Heavenly Bed or
something more jazzy which should be a great attraction for them.
Infant Holistic Skin Care

Infants and children under the age of three with a holistic sensory
experience may be provided with naturally derived baby wash and lotion
infused with soothing organic essential oils to keep baby as happy and
healthy as possible. The products must be designed for the most sensitive
of newborn skins.
Elements of the Kids Club could be inclusive for children’s safety and
security, as well as conveniences designed to make the hotel overnight and
dining experiences more enjoyable for both parents and children. As an
added amenity of the program, a system can be in place wherein a child
can listen to age appropriate bedtime stories simply by dialing from their
guest room telephone. Different prerecorded children’s stories read by
professional readers can be made available via speakerphone for the whole
family to enjoy in different languages.
Programs to introduce children to the cultural and ecological
characteristics of each individual destination. A supervised on-property
activity center for children to enjoy as well.
Kids Service includes the following amenities and services:
Amenities
• Heavenly Crib (in room prior to arrival)
• Bed rails (in room prior to arrival)
• Highchairs with bib, juice and snack (in room prior to arrival)
• Bottle warmers
• Potty seats
• Strollers (umbrella/jogging)
• Step stool
• Booster seat
• Emergency diapers and wipes
• Diaper Genie
• Special items in refreshment center appropriate for children
• Refrigerators (subject to availability) Self-Instructional Material 85
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Advanced Accommodation Services
Operations–II
• Special customized children’s menu/place mat featuring children’s
Notes activities, environmental messages and colours and crayons
• Express meal service upon request
• Childcare services information
• Reduced laundry prices for children
• Family-friendly movies
• Preferred restaurant reservations/Express Meal Service
• A lock-out of all or selected movies
• Free children’s television programming
• A special Storyline featuring new audio-bedtime stories available
through the guestroom telephone
• Special guest room make-up upon request
• Preferred guest room preparation
• Children’s room service and adhesive bandages
Welcome Packet
• Welcome message
• A custom-packaged amenity box with natural, holistic baby wash
and lotion
• Trendy and updated sports bottle with free beverages in restaurants
of refreshing drinks, milk or juice
• A soft and cuddly teddy bear perfect as a child’s bedtime
companion
• A safety kit upon arrival including electric outlet covers, night light
• Information about the hotel and area attractions (when available)
Baby Crib
The crib consists of a four-inch thick, natural baby firm mattress; a
durable insulator pad that tops the mattress to provide an extra luxurious
sleeping surface; a custom-designed fitted bottom sheet; bumper pad and
dust ruffle.
Family plan are offered by many hotels that allows children under 18
to stay free when occupying the same room with a parent or guardian. If
more than one room is required to accommodate a family, discounts are
offered for the rooms occupied.
Kid’s Suite
Large two bedroom suite. Master bedroom with one king size pillow-
top bed, whirlpool tub, and television. Second bedroom is children’s room
and has queen pillow-top bunk beds with a full wall mural and television.
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Living room features a large family table with chairs, sofa sleeper, easy Situation Handling
chairs, and television. and Service Design
Notes
Fig. 4. An example of a latest kid’s design
HANDLING COMPLAINTS AND SITUATIONS
Objectives
1. To cultivate calmness and helpfulness.
2. To train the mind to understand a problem/complaint.
3. To show tact and discretion.
4. To show empathy to win half the situation.
Guidelines
1. Greet the guest, and maintain good posture and eye contract.
Conduct yourself such that you look like a responsible person.
2. Do not interrupt the guest.
3. Apologise even if you or the hotel is not a fault. Show empathy to
the guest.
4. Do not throw the fault on others.
5. Ensure that the guest is satisfied.
6. Even though all complaints are paramount and need to be dealt
with properly, they could be broadly graded as Serious, Mediocre
and Minor. Serious ones some times can be handled by the Front
Desk, sometimes could be sensitive and demanding, may need more
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Advanced Accommodation experience or authority to tackle like a Front Office Manager or
Operations–II Duty/Lobby Manager. Mediocre ones also need care and tact, could
Notes be easily dealt with the Front Desk otherwise a more experienced
person could be requested to handle. Minor ones are regular in
nature, becomes almost a practice, can be handled by Front Desk
without any help.
7. Discuss possible courses of action with the guest and come to the
most amicable or suitable solution.
8. Give instructions to other staff regarding the agreed solution.
9. Record complaint and after solving, the action taken in the Front
Office logbook.
10. Speak to the guest and find out if the action was appropriate and
if he is satisfied.
Example of Typical Situations

1. A guest complains that he has not received his morning newspaper
for two days.
2. An angry guest complains that the hotel has overcharged him for
his accommodation. Althugh you have already explained to him.
3. Guest from Room No. 207 complains at 8.30 p.m. to the front desk
that his room has not been cleaned during the day.
4. Guest has complained of chest pain at 11.30 p.m. from Room No.
777.
5. Guest is very angry for having missed his flight and complains of
not being woken up at 5 a.m.
6. A guest with a confirmed booking arrives at the Front Desk, no
vacant room status.
Handling Lost and Found Articles

The hotel’s reputation is at stake if the lost property is not properly
traced and handed over to the guest.
• At the time of check-out the guest may have left some articles
behind, which the house-keeping staff would have collected.
• The guest while checking-out informs the Front Office that he could
not locate in article of his.
• The in-house guest informs the Front Office that he had lost an
article of his. A proper record of item(s) found or lost their
description, room no., date and the guest’s name and address and
the name of the reporter of the loss/finder should be noted down.
When the guest is handed over the article, his signature must be
taken under the acknowledgement column along with date.
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Lost and Found Property Register Situation Handling
and Service Design
Date Time Room Description of the Name and Address Finder’s Acknowledgement
No./Place article(s) Lost/Found of guest/reporter details Notes
of loss
Fig. 5.
Change of Room
Either guest requests for a shift or the hotel wants to shift him to
another room. When the guest faces some inconvenience in the present
room, or when he wants to go for either a bigger room or a smaller room
due to either someone who has joined him or who has left him respectively.
When the guest was given a room for the time being, since room he
reserved was unavailable to allot at the time of check-in. When the guest
requested for overstay. There is a reservation for the room that is occupied.
Receive request/Find need for change of room


Verify availability of the required type of room

Inform housekeeping to help in the execution of shifting

Inform all related departments including Accounts and POS

Make changes to the in-house list

Verify mails/bills not posted to take proper steps

Check up if the guest is happy
Examples
1. Mr. Sumesh of Room no. 207, a single room requests for a shift to
the third floor since many of his friends are on that floor. There are
no single rooms presently vacant on that floor.
2. Guest is staying over, is in a single room, and wants to extend his
departure by a day. There is reservation for this room. No other
single room is available.
3. The A/C. in the room has a big problem that needs at least two
days to mend.
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Advanced Accommodation Once the front desk gives the clearance for the room transfer and
Operations–II
provides an alternative room number to the housekeeping control desk, a
Notes supervisor and an attendant are assigned to help the guest with the
transfers. All hotels have guidelines and policies laid out for handling room
transfers. All the housekeeping employees concerned need to know these
policies. The GRA may be required to pack the guest belonging, though
this is very rare. The supervisor should personally supervise the attendant
at all times. The GRA may, in case of light luggage, be required to carry
the guest’s belongings safely to the newly assigned room. In most hotels,
the supervisor may call on the bell desk staff to aid in transferring heavy
guest luggage. The GRA then places the guest items in the room as
appropriate, making sure that the guest clothes are not creased in the
process. The vacated room should be rechecked to ensure that no guest
article are left behind. The guest transfer should be recorded at the
housekeeping control desk.
SECURITY WITH HOTEL GUESTROOMS

Innkeepers have a common-law responsibility to provide secure premises
within which guests may abide. Security is defined as the measures that
are required to promote a state of well-being relative to an establishment
to protect life and property, and to minimize risks of natural disasters or
crime. The protection of guests within their rooms must be paramount.
Several states have become quite specific in what constitutes adequate
security for hotel guestrooms. In addition, most major hotel companies have
set minimum standards relating to locking devices for guestroom doors.
Reasonable security for guestroom includes the following:
• Automatic closing doors.
• Automatic latching devices on latch bolts that require a key or other
specialized device to open or unlock the door from the outside.
• Dead bolts that are an integral part of latch bolts; set from inside
the room; must be capable of being opened from outside the room
with an emergency passkey.
• A door chain or other mechanical locking device that may be set
from inside the room.
• A peephole installed in the room door whereby the guestroom
occupant may see who is on the outside of the door before opening
it.
• Drapes that fully close and are capable of blacking out the room in
bright sunlight.
• Locking latches and chain locks on all sliding glass doors.
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Card Entry Systems Situation Handling
and Service Design
The greatest change to have come about in many years for guestroom
security is the card entry system. The large numbers of manufacturers that Notes
are now involved in producing such systems is a testament to the need
for some technique that will replace the antiquated systems of guestroom
door keys.
The difficulty in making a system of guestroom keys secure, especially
in hotels that have lavish key tags hanging from keys, is well known. The
replacement cost for lost, misplaced, stolen, or simply carried-away keys
as souvenirs is in itself a major cost problem, to say nothing of the lack of
control resulting from such practices. Hotel maintenance departments
usually have to establish a routine lock cylinder change program, whereby
cylinders from locks on one floor are swapped with cylinders from locks
on other floors and new keys are manufactured and stamped with new
codes, if any control is to be maintained at all.
Card entry systems have simplified and greatly improved the secrity
capability of locking systems in hotel guestrooms. Most of the systems are
designed around the premise that when a guest checks into the hotel, a
plastic card of some type, which has a magnetic signature impressed
thereon, is presented to the guest. The card operates the assigned room door
with a combination that has been set just for the new occupant. When the
guest checks out, all prior memory of the card signature is wiped out of
the door combination and the system to await the arrival of the new guest.
Housekeeping and other master card systems may be set or reset in
an instant as the need arises, and the fear of a lost master key can be short-
lived. The state of the art is such that retrofits for hotels still using regular
key systems are available and warrant immediate investigation and possible
conversion.
Security Consciousness for Guests

Today’s seasoned hotel traveler is much more security conscious than
travelers in past years. The guest who frequently travels has been
forewarned and is therefore forearmed to use all locks provided on
guestroom doors when retiring for the night. All too often robberies
involving guests in hotel rooms can be traced to the guest who failed to
lock and chain the door properly before retiring, to say nothing of the guest
who indiscriminantly opened the door without looking through the
peephole to see who was in the hall.
Day or night, the executive housekeeper and all members of the
housekeeping staff should be trained to close every door found open within
the hotel. This practice is a measure of protection for guests who may or
may not be in their rooms, as well as a means of protection for hotel
property.
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Advanced Accommodation The Los Angeles Airport/Marriott Hotel has provided a reassuring
Operations–II touch with its table card, shown in Fig. 6. The sign provides a phone
Notes number that guests may call if there is reason to believe that they need
extra security attention.
HOT LINE
TO OUR GUESTS
Touch As your host. The Los Angeles Airport Marriot
feels a special responsibility and concern for
55 your safety and for the secuirty of your
possessions during your stay with us. We
urge you to take advantage of the following
services we offer to assure you of a pleasant
visit.
VALUABLES
Safety Deposit Boxes are available free of
charge at the Front Desk for items such
camera equipment or jewelry.
DOOR LOCKS
As an added personalised Please make use of the additional locking
service for our guests, we have devices on your door, and upon leaving your
established a special HOT LINE room, please be sure to check that your door
phone system. In the unlikely is closed and locked.
event you experience a problem ASSISTANCE
or inconvenience which needs Our desire is to make your visit enjoyable. If
immediate attention, please dial you need any extra assistance please call
the HOT LINE for assistance. Security by dialing "5366".
It is a pleasure having you with us.
Fig. 6. Desk-top display used in guestrooms. Such messages caution guests

about security for valuables and provide a phone number for security if
assistance is needed, without causing undue alarm to guests.
Dual Responsibility
Although it is the duty of all innkeepers to provide a secure area
within which guests might abide in relaxing comfort, free from usual threats
from the street, guests should never be lulled into a false sense of security
so as to abdicate responsibility for their own security. Guests must be
prudent and cautious. Housekeeping personnel should therefore never
imply that there is nothing to worry about when staying in the hotel. To
the contrary, housekeeping personnel should gently and appropriately
remind guests to be cautious about leaving doors unlocked and about
reasonable rules of security.
THE DO-NOT-DISTURB SIGN COMPETES WITH THE

“NEED TO FORESEE”
The Guest’s Absolute Right to Privacy

On occasion, guests, and more to our surprise, many hotel operators,
presume that the guest has an absolute right to privacy, and when in his
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or her rom, should never be disturbed. Actually, research indicates that the Situation Handling
law was not constructed to guarantee that the guest would never be and Service Design
disturbed, only that he or she would be guaranteed sole occupancy of the Notes
assigned quarters.
Management’s Responsibility to Ownership, the Laws of the Land,

and the Guest
With due and proper regard for the guest’s privacy, management has
an important responsibility to the owner of the hotel (which happens to
be private property), laws that must be enforced on the property, and to
the guest, whose safety should always be paramount to the hotel staff.
In light of this management responsibility, and with due respect for
the guest’s right to privacy, there must be a reasonable time each day that
management, or its representative, enters the room to service the room and
to ensure that (1) the room has not been vandalized or furniture and
fixtures destroyed, (2) the law is not being broken in the room, and (3) there
is no guest in distress in the room.
Without specific information to the contrary respecting the guest’s right
to privacy, it is considered reasonable to enter the guest’s room between
the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. daily to service the room. Should the
guest display the do-not-disturb (DND) sign or have the door dead-bolted
from the inside, every attempt should be made to avoid disturbing the
guest, at least until normal checkout time. Also, should the guest leave a
specific request for late service, this too should be honored.
A Matter for Foreseeability

Imagine the following scenario: You are the executive housekeeper in
a suburban hotel catering heavily to the individual traveling business
person. It is one hour after checkout time, and you receive a call from the
guestroom attendant on the third floor who says that Room 3019 has had
a DND sign on the door all morning. When she checked with housekeeping
and the front desk, there had been no instructions given to not disturb the
guest until some later appointed hour. The front desk had no record of a
checkout due today from Room 3019. The GRA called the room to find out
what time the guest would like to have the room serviced, but no one
answered the phone. The GRA tried to enter the room with her passkey
but found the room dead-bolted from the inside. End of scenario.
At that moment, what becomes the most foreseeable probability
regarding Room 3019? Would this be a proper time to respect, above all
else, the guest’s absolute right to privacy?
Consider another scenario—This negligence was alleged to have
resulted from the hotel not taking reasonable precaution regarding a prior
visit by her husband to the hotel, during which he had suffered a diabetic
coma in his guestroom. He was not discovered for a period of over 50
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Advanced Accommodation hours. Once discovered, he was hospitalized but died five days later. A
Operations–II medical doctor testified that had the victim been discovered 10 hours
Notes sooner, he would have survived.
The chronology of events was reconstructed as follows: The victim had
been at the hotel for several days. His room had been last serviced on
Tuesday morning about 9:00 a.m. while he was not in the room. He had
returned to his room sometimes before midnight on Tuesday, and chained
and dead-bolted his door prior to retiring. On Wednesday, the GRA had
noticed the dead bolt and had honored it until about 3.00 p.m. on
Wednesday afternoon, at which time she knocked on the door but got no
response. She then used her key but was stopped by the chain on the door.
She followed her departmental instructions and summoned a security officer
to the room. The security officer noticed that a TV was on in the room and
then commented that “the guest just does not want to be disturbed”, even
though there had been no coherent response to the security officer’s knock
on the door.
No further check was made on the guest or the room until the
following day when, at 4.00 p.m. on Thursday, the GRA again called
security to report that she still had not been able to gain entry into the
room. At this time the same security officer came to the room, knocked on
the door, got no response, and said he would report the incident to the
security office.
Finally, at about 6.00 p.m., another manager, aware of the possibilities,
called for an engineer to cut the chain on the door and entered the room
to find the guest unconscious in the bathroom, 56 hours after the room was
last entered by a member of the hotel staff.
The hotel’s insurance company, after hearing the testimony of the case,
offered a settlement out of court to the plaintiff, which she accepted—in
excess of $1 million.
In this case, negligence occurred because the hotel failed to follow a
reasonable procedure whereby the guestrooms would be checked at least
once each day. Respect for the guest’s right to privacy was allowed to
overshadow the need to ensure the guest’s safety at a reasonable time
during the day, at least once every 24 hours.
Not only did staff negligence contribute to the demise of the guest,
the same negligence contributed to a failure to protect the assets of the hotel
company, namely, cash and reputation.
SAFETY
Nature of Emergencies
The two most important aspects of emergencies are that they are
unforeseeable and uncontrollable. Both of these factors produce unwanted and
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unanticipated side effects, since reactions to emergencies by guests and, at Situation Handling
times, employees are equally unanticipated and (sometimes) unwanted. It and Service Design
is therefore imperative that there be advance planning and that training and Notes
drills be held in combatting all types of emergencies.
In order to maintain safe premises, management must be ready to cope
with four types of emergencies:
Fire
Bomb threats and bombings
Natural disasters
Riots and civil disturbances
Because propety is replaceable but life is not, it is obvious where most
concern must rest. The burden to first prevent any occuurence that may
bring about one of the aforementioned emergencies. If prevention is
impossible, the burden shifts to minimizing:
Risk of death or injury
Property damage
Because housekeeping employees are usually in the vicinity of a large
number of guests during daytime hours, it is imperative that they be well
trained in procedures that command confidence in order that they set the
best possible example for guests who may be caught in an emergency. For
example, some housekeeping personnel are afraid of using handheld
extinguishers because of the noise generated and the cloud of white smoke
created when activated. Such fears require training and drill to quell. Drills
should be regular and should not be concealed from guests. Rather, guests
should be informed when drills are to take place in order that those present
can see what precautions are taken to deal with emergencies.
Fire Protection and the Hotel Guest

Recently, hotel guests have been bombarded with information about
how safe hotels have become. Although fire protection and prevention and
training have been highly upgraded, the manner in which some guests will
receive and accept the information can be dangerous. Guests are inclined
to let their guard down if or when someone else implies that there is
nothing to worry about. It is not necessary to scare hotel guests into an
early departure, but there is excellent reason to counsel guests gently about
what to do in what-if situations.
A great concern for training in the housekeeping department is an
understanding of the panic emotion.
Training employees and drilling them in various situations is a most
effective tool to reduce the possibility of panic in a fire situation.
1. An intoxicated smoker in bed set a mattress on fire. No one was injured.
The smoker, however, was extremely lucky that he was not
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Advanced Accommodation overcome, because the smoke was heavy enough to fill the entire
Operations–II rooms department on three floors and was dense enough to prevent
Notes visibility beyond 10 feet. Rule violation: Renting a room to an
intoxicated guest without taking away all smoking-materials.
2. Late-night fire in a satellite linen room. The direct cause of this fire
was trash and rubbish left on a housekeeper’s cart overnight in a
satellite linen room in which the door had been left not only
unlocked but also ajar. Had it not been for an alert security patrol
at 2.00 a.m., this situation could have been disastrous. The fire was
noticed because of a hallway filled with smoke and was found in a
smoldering stage within the trash hamper. Rule violation: Failing to
dispose of trash properly at the end of the workday and leaving a
service door unlocked.
3. Late-night fire deliberately set in an elevator. Because of the hour, few
people were up and about. The entire rooms department of the hotel
became completely filled with smoke without being noticed. On this
particular night the hotel was full and a large number of elderly
people in a tour group were in occupancy. Outside temperatures
were below freezing. The fire itself was completely contained within
the elevator, and burned a section of the carpet less than three
square feet. Yet because of the shaft of the elevator, smoke
completely filled the hallways on all three floors. There had been
no smoke in any guestroom until one panicking guest ran blindly
through the hallway shouting “fire” and banging on doors. As
guests became aroused, they entered the smoke-filled hallways, in
many cases leaving their rooms without their keys, thus preventing
their return to a safe environment. Many of the guests quickly
evacuated the building, only to become exposed to the elements in
unsuitable clothing. Rule violation: Leaving a known safe
environment when a fire is reported without protecting your ability
to retrace your path.
4. A television exploded within a guestroom. This is a rare happening, but
if it occurs, it is usually in a vacant room where the television has
been left in operation. In this particular fire, maximum damage
occurred within the guestroom in a very short time. The guest was
at dinner, and upon returning to his room was surprised to find
firefighters and hotel personnel gathered in his room. Rule violation:
Leaving a television in operation in a vacant room.
Knowledge about Smoke and Fire as a Foundation for Training

Programs
Contrary to what has been seen on television or in the movies, fire is
not likely to chase people down and burn them to death. It is almost
always the by-products of fire that kill. Smoke and panic will more likely
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be the cause of death long before a fire arrives, if it ever does. it is most Situation Handling
important that all employees, especially housekeeping employees, be drilled and Service Design
about the effects of smoke and be taught how to avoid smoke and panic Notes
in order that they might set a proper example for guests.
Where there is smoke there is not necessarily a fire out of control. A
smoldering mattress will produce great amounts of smoke that may be
picked up in air-conditioning systems and transported over vast areas of
the hotel. Since smoke is warmer than air, it will start accumulating in
ceiling areas and work its way down. When a hotel hallway fills with
smoke, it is too late to start looking for exit signs, since they are always
mounted in ceilings and become obscured by the smoke, which rises to the
top of the hallway. (We hope that someday building codes will require the
placement of indestructible emergency exit signs near baseboards where
they can be seen in a fire emergency.)
Smoke will, in the long run, affect your eyes. Eyes can take only so
much smoke, and then they will close by reflex. As hard as you try, once
your eyes are closed they will not reopen in a smoke-filled area. Finally,
the only fresh air that will be available will be at or near the floor.
Employees must be taught to get on their hands and knees to take
advantage of what fresh air might be available.
Fire drills should be conducted and should include, but not be limited
to, the following:
1. Demonstration of blindfolded employee leaving a hotel from any
known point within the hotel.
2. Demonstration of proper action when there is reduced visibility in
a hotel hallway due to smoke.
3. Under the supervision of local fire department personnel,
demonstration of the use of handheld extinguishers to put out an
actual preset fire. (Fires set in a trash can in the hotel parking lot
can usually provide insights as to employee behavior when using
these extinguishers.)
4. Showing any of the numerous films available from local fire
prevention agencies for housekeeping employees.
5. Making demonstrated knowledge about fire protection and the use
of fire equipment a part of performance appraisal.
Methamphetamine Laboratories
Methamphetamine laboratories (meth labs) are simple to build, and the
supplies are easy to obtain and very inexpensive. Best of all for the aspiring
drug lord, the profits are enormous. The only problem is that the process
of “cooking” is extremely hazardous. The chemicals are highly flammable
and even explosive. Some of the by-products are so toxic that when a
laboratory is discovered, the cleanup team arrives in HazMat protective
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Advanced Accommodation gear. One of the possible by-products of a “Red P” lab is phosgene gas—
Operations–II the same gas that was used to gas the troops in World War I.
Notes There are a host of very scary chemicals associated with
methamphetamine production, including acetone, anhydrous ammonia,
ether, red phosphorous, drain cleaner, methyl alcohol, hydrochloric acid,
sulfuric acid, and strips of lithium metal removed from batteries. All of
these chemicals are very toxic and highly reactive. Exposure to meth lab
chemicals can cause liver disease, inflammation and scarring in the lungs,
skin eruptions, profound anemia, and impaired immune function.
The really bad news is that the “tweekers” (addicts) and their labs may
show up in your hotel. In Las Vegas, almost every property has found a
meth lab in a guest-room, and not just the run-down traps on the periphery.
Some of the biggest and fanciest hotel/casinos on the strip have had
experiences with clandestine meth labs.
Why? The answer is that these criminals know of the danger, so they
don’t want to do their dirty business in their homes. Why not go to a nice
hotel and either register under an assumed name or get someone else to
register for you? By the time anything is discovered, they hope to be long
gone.
What are the obvious signs of a meth lab? Tell your GRAs to be aware
of rooms that refuse service. In addition, look for rooms that run the air
conditioner in the winter, or rooms that have put plastic bags around the
smoke detectors, chemicals in a room such as those mentioned earlier, plus
empty blister packs of pseudoephedrine. Solvent smells and cat urine smells
in a room (with no cats) are other signs. Look for electric cooking plates
and pyrex or even chemical beakers. Duct tape, hoses, and tubing are also
common. If housekeepers find two or more of these items, management
should contact the policy immediately.
The cost of cleaning up after these criminals is enormous, ranging from
a few hundred dollars per room, if one is lucky, to thousands of dollars.
Carpets have to be ripped out, and even drywall may be contaminated and
have to be removed. This is not a job for housekeeping; special hazardous
cleanup crews must be hired.
The biggest cost may be in the lives of your staff and guests. One Las
Vegas narcotics detective advised a group of executive housekeepers that
if they ever get off an elevator and see a GRA lying by her cart down the
hall, and they smell something in the air that is very unpleasant—to be
careful. By the time they reach that GRA, they might be dead as well. One
good whiff of phosgene is all it takes to kill a person.
Bomb Threats
The hotel personnel who will be involved during a bomb threat will
probably be the PBX department, and hotel management, along with the
fire or police department. Whether or not a hotel should be evacuated is
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the decision of the on-scene commander, who is usually a member of the Situation Handling
local police or fire department. The decision as to who will order an and Service Design
evacuation is not made on the spur of the moment. It is usually prearranged Notes
that the on-scene commander will order any evacuation that is considered
necessary.
In most cases, selected personnel who thoroughly know the hotel will
be part of search teams; the executive housekeeper, chief engineer, resident
manager, and other such management personnel might become involved
with property searches.
The hotel facility must always be kept clean and free of debris and
unnecessary equipment and supplies. If everything is neatly stored in its
proper place, suspicious-looking articles are much easier to spot, and
housekeeping personnel are better able to participate in searches and make
observations faster.
Housekeeping department personnel should be trained not to touch
strange items when a property search for a possible explosive device is in
progress; they should be trained to notice strange objects and report them
to the proper authority.
Natural Disasters
Floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and sometimes freezing temperatures
and snowstorms are natural disasters. Each has its own set of rules. When
such events happen, some hotels tend to empty, whereas others fill up,
depending on the location and type of problem.
Hotels on major arteries and interstate highways fill when weather
conditions prevent traffic from moving. Such unexpected heavy occupancy
can cause hotels to find themselves in unpredicted circumstances. In most
cases, the first conclusion of management would be to send their employees
home thinking that business would become extremely slow. Then as
emergency conditions start to compound, the hotel might start to fill, and
100 percent occupancy could be reached. Real problems set in when the
hotel does fill and there is no one who can come to work because of the
disaster.
Planning is the answer to such occurrences. At any time the hotel
might fill due to a natural diaster or extreme weather, provision should be
made for employees who can stay, without creating additional personal
hardship, at the hotel; there are always sufficient numbers of such
employees. An adequate number of guestrooms should be set aside for food
and beverage and housekeeping personnel to ensure that by having
employees work in relays, all guests will be accommodated in a reasonable
fashion.
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Advanced Accommodation Riots and Civil Disturbances
Operations–II
Civil disturbances may originate in the hotel or may start miles away
Notes and drift into the hotel. People in an unruly crowd at a football game may
return to their accommodations and continue their unruliness.
Housekeeping personnel should be exposed to the possibilities that such
events could take place and should be trained in techniques that will calm
unruly people.
Employees can learn the principles of transactional analysis.
Transactional analysis (TA) is the study of communications (transactions)
between people based on theories presented in the mid-1960s. Of primary
concern is for employees to treat guests properly and avoid injuries to
guests. The hotel is liable for any injury that might beset a guest because
of a short-tempered employee. This is antoher reason for close observation
of the temperament of employees during probationary periods of
employment.
EMERGENCY ORGANIZATION PLAN FOR

PROTECTING ASSETS
The first step in an assurance programme is taken when the hotel is first
designed. One of the criteria for the architect or designer must be the
security of the building, both in terms of it not falling or burning down,
and in terms of protecting the people and artefacts inside. We have
identified that the average size of hotels is increasing and most new hotels
that are being built are quite large. This requires, particularly in tall
buildings, that hotels are structurally designed to withstand both natural
and man-made threats and as much as possible localise them to one part
of the building. So if a fire starts or a bomb goes off the damage and threat
to people is contained in the immediate vicinity of the fire or explosion.
The second step is actually to ensure that the detailed daily controls
are adhered to. Although they have the role of protecting low-value assets
from low-level threats, they contribute greatly to assuring the safety of
higher value assets. The continual movement of staff around the building
in the course of their work assists in the identification of fires before they
get out of control, suspicious persons and suspect packages.
The third step is a contingency programme that details exactly what
course of action to take in the event a serious threat occurs. It is the nature
of such threats that they are not easily predicted nor controllable by the
unit management.
The most important part of such contingency planning is the allocation
of responsiblities to appropriate staff. In the case of some threats the
allocation is along organizational lines. For instance, in hotels facing a
hurricane warning the general manager will have responsibility for guest
liaison, directing operations and monitoring radio and television broadcasts;
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the engineer will be responsible for installing protective shutters, preparing Situation Handling
sandbags, and setting up a secure store of tools; the food and beverage and Service Design
manager may take charge of storing three days’ supply of canned goods Notes
in a secure place, along with disposables, candles and cooking utensils and
equipment; and so on.
In the case of other types of serious threat, the contingency planning
may allocate responsibilities on the basis of expertise rather than position
in the organization. For instance, in the case of a fire the general manager,
although responsible, is likely to hand over control of the operation to a
member of staff designated as fire chief, who has had appropriate training
and experience in this field. Reporting to the fire chief will be a variety of
personnel drawn from across the hotel and allocated specific responsibilities
during a fire. These include:
• a fire squad whose job it is to fight the fire until the fire brigade
arrives;
• communications person, usually a senior telephonist, whose role it is
to carry out all the necessary communications with the fire service,
other emergency services and internal communications, both by
telephone and over the public address system;
• an engineer whose role it is to ensure the effective operation of all
appropriate fire-fighting and fire-prevention equipment such as
hoses, sprinklers and shut-off systems on gas and electrical supplies;
• a fire liaison officer whose role it is to direct both the internal fire
squad and the fire service on its arrival to the fire.
In many cases, serious threats involve the evacuation of the building.
As part of the assurance programme, clear evacuation procedures should
be laid down. Such procedures detail the level of response, the approach
to informing guests over the public address system or by telephoning each
room, the allocation of staff to emergency stairs and exits to supervise
guests leaving and prevent unauthorised persons from entering, the location
of assembly areas, the shut-down of energy supply systems, the security
of cash and stock, and so on. Due to the size of many modern hotels,
particularly those with many storeys, it is less common for the level of
response to be total evacuation. Partial evacuation of the floor on which
the threat occurs (e.g. fire or bomb) and two floors above and below that
floor are quite common in order to avoid panic and congestion. Of course
if the threat becomes more serious a full evacuation will be ordered. An
example of an evacuation procedure is illustrated in the following topic.
EVACUATION PROCEDURES
 These procedural guidelines can be used when the decision is made to evacuate
any part of a building for any reason. At all times, the personal safety of the
guests and employees should have priority.
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Advanced Accommodation  In a large building that is structurally sound, authorities may not wish to
Operations–II evacuate all floors even if a bomb is found, because of the risk of panic.
Normally initial evacuation would include the floor on which the bomb is
Notes found, and the two floors above and below that floor.
 A record of chronological activity should be established.
 Before an evacuation is put into effect, personnel should be dispatched to the
stairwell entrances on each floor to direct and reassure the guests. Elevators,
initially, may not be used, and should be returned to the main floor.
 In a calm voice, the general manager should make an announcement over the
public address system, similar to the following example, and repeat the message
at least once:
 ‘Attention please – Attention please – the management requests that all guests
and visitors evacuate the hotel (or evacuate specific floors) as a precaution.
Please leave the building by the nearest exit. Walk, do not run, please.’
 In fire evacuation the message should instruct guests to close room windows
and doors. In bomb threat evacuation, the message should instruct guests to
leave windows open.
DO NOT MENTION THE REASON FOR EVACUATION
 When directed by the general manager, the switchboard operator should
systematically begin to ring the rooms, indicating to the guests the following:
‘I am sorry to disturb you, but the management has asked that all guests in
your area vacate thier rooms, immediately, for security reasons. Please use the
stairwell at the ends of the corridors.’
HANDLING EMERGENCY SITUATION

Apart from fire and bomb threat etc., the housekeeping staff at time has
to handle a lot of other unusual situations also. Some such situations may
be death and illness of guest, theft in the hotel etc., and many other.
Following is a brief explanation as to how to handle them. These are only
guidelines and the final decision will depends on the situation and the
person handling it.
Situation I. Death of guest in a hotel. Out of the several unusual
situations that the housekeeping staff has to face from time to time and
one of the most harrowing situation is handling of death of a guest, in the
room. Report about the death would go to the front office usually. Once
the information comes to the Front Desk then it must be immediately
reported to the front office manager by the receptionist, as on his level he
is not authorized to take any action. Usually the front office manager will
then inform the G.M. or Resident Manager. The security officer should also
be informed immediately. Normally in such situations the police is also
informed. The hotel doctor is also summoned, who actually will establish
and confirm the death. Meanwhile the hotel will locate the residential
address of the deceased and will try to inform the relative or people known
to him. After the police completes their formalities and activities and gives
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permission the dead body is removed from the room. Before removing the Situation Handling
body must be fully covered and then removed, preferably on a stretcher, and Service Design
from the room. Care should be taken not to use the guest elevator while Notes
removing the body and only the service lift should be used for this purpose.
A death certificate should be obtained from the doctor. A report should be
prepared covering who informed of the death, time, the room number and
the date of the death. In case there is luggage and other belonging of the
deceased guest then they all must be collected, a list prepared, kept in the
luggage room with a note and the person performing this activity shall sign
the report. The report should be submitted to G.M. immediately. Finally
once the dead body is removed, the room should be locked and sealed.
Later when the police gives clearance only then the room should be opened,
thoroughly disinfected and spring cleaned and only after the permission
of police and subsequently the G.M. or resident manager the room should
be sold.
Some important points in this regards are as follows:
1. Don’t enter the room alone, always take the executive housekeeper,
lobby manager and security officer with you.
2. In case you know that the deceased was under the treatment of any
specific doctor, the same should be called instead of the hotel doctor.
His physician will also be helpful in knowing and notifying the
incident to the relatives and people known to him.
3. Don’t disturb the body or touch anything before the arrival of police,
this may be a murder or suicide case.
Situation II. Handling accident situations. Accidents as the name says
are mishappenings and the handling depends upon the gravity and
seriousness of the accident. For example spilling of water on the guest coast
is an accident and also slipping of a guest on the highly polished floor of
the lobby and as a result breaking his pelvic girdle is also an accident. The
approach of the hotel staff in both the cases will be different and according
to situation. Hence, what is more important when we talk about handling
an accidential situation is the attitude of the person attending to the
accident. Basically the attitude must be of helping, and sympathy and at
the same time the person attending must be able to convey a sincere
concern to the guest who has met with an accident. A knowledge of first
aid would come very handy in such situations, but at the same time he
should restrain himself in going too far off and avoid giving specialist,
advise and medicine. His words, gestures and actions would also play very
important role in the handling of situations. Here specific cases like
fractures, burns cuts, bleeding, heart problem etc., are not discussed
individually, because then it will be more like a first-aid book. But since
the hotel staff is usually given the first aid drill and classes, hence he
should apply that knowledge as per the situation.
Unit-3
Advanced Accommodation In general the following points should be taken care of:
Operations–II
1. Remove the person who has met with accident from the site of
Notes accident (if possible) as early as possible and take him to a more
comfortable area, use a stretcher in case the need be.
2. Call the doctor and if possible give him the details of accident and
gravity of the accident and where the patient is so that he may come
prepared without wasting time.
3. Preferably take some one with you to the site of accident as you
may need help.
4. Keep alert, you must serve the victim immediately by providing first
aid (remember you have to provide first and only for temporary
relief and not medical aid).
5. Keep calm, but don’t take too much time to decide as it may be an
emergency care.
6. Try to protect your establishment against any false allegations.
7. Prepare a full report of the whole incident giving details such as
date and time, who reported the accident name of person, his room
number, the site of accident the action taken (doctors name, what
the doctor told, whether he was removed to hospital or not etc.) the
names of witness involved etc. Also make your comments as to the
reason of accident and how it could have been prevented and what
action should be taken for future prevention of the accident.
Situation III. Handling a situation of vandalism. Hotel security should
be called immediately and the main door should be locked urgently. Report
to the manager immediately and in case the situation becomes out of your
control then with the permission of manager police may be called.
Situation IV. Theft. For some very good reasons the criminals have
considered hotels as the easier target for their particular type of theft. One
of the reasons for this is that hotel guests usually forget to lock their rooms
and even sometimes leave the door of their room open. Room clerks usually
gives the room keys to the first presentable gentleman that asks for the key
of the room. Some hotels although employ efficient house officers to help
management in preventing theft while in case of small and medium sized
hotel the management itself take up the security activities. According to the
securities officer of one of the Marriott hotels 50% of the theft can be
avoided if the management is conscious about the security and is able to
design a security system which best suits its requirement police points out
that not only is there a possibility that the thief will not be caught but also
that the stolen property would ever be recovered. It is possible to prevent
the loss to a great extent by using organised security.
Theft in hotels are usually divided under four categories.
(a) theft by employees of the hotel
(b) damage of the hotel properly by guest
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(c) theft by guest Situation Handling
and Service Design
(d) theft by outside thieves. Each of these four categories should be
treated separately and security system accordingly should be Notes
designed.
(a) Theft by employees of the hotel. Thefts by the employees of the
hotel, specially those who come in contact with the guests or who
in pursuit of their duties are allowed to enter a guest room, could
be kept to a minimum by the following procedure.
Work business and personal references should be checked before
they are employed. Keep a detailed record of all employees who
enter the guest room such as chamber maid, bellboys, room boys,
maintenance and engineering department etc. Make it a policy that
no employee of the hotel will ever keep the key of hotel and he
must return it to front desk immediately. All room key of rooms
must be kept under strict control particularly when it in use, and
should be issued to staff only on written authority, computerised or
magnatic card key should beused.
(b) Damage of hotel property by guest. Damage to hotel property by
guest is a very common occurance in hotels. This may be intentional
without any apperant reason and under the influences of alcohol
during a conference/convention or party, or sometimes accidently.
The hotel management should try to analyse the root cause of
damage. The damage caused accidently and without any intentions
to damage the property may be overlooked, while in case where it
is evident that the guest has damaged the property of the hotel
intentionally the hotel may ask the guest to pay the compensation
for the same. In this case it is the responsibility of the front office
staff to charge the guest with the value of the damaged property
and for this it is important that the front desk staff is well versed
with the cost of damaged item. A voucher for the amount should
be made and given to the guest.
(c) Theft of the hotel property by guest. Very common items which
usually are stolen by the guests from the room are pillow covers,
towels, bedshets, bed covers and other room items such as ash trays,
openers, water tumblers soap cases, small but costly object d’art,
stationary folders etc. When the housekeeping department suspects
that the guest is leaving with some hotel property then the first
decision which is to be made as to what is the appereut cost of it.
If it is a small item may be the hotel management will not bother
much but if it is a costly item then it is a tough situation. If we
allow the guest to go away with the item it will be a loss to the
hotel and at the same time if we ask him to open his luggage, we
may loose the guest forever. If the hotel staff if fairly certain that
guest has kept hotel property in his luggage then he may politely
Unit-3
Advanced Accommodation ask the guest. Sir, I believe you have liked the hotel bed sheet, and
Operations–II kept that in your luggage by mistake, would you like to return the
Notes same or shall I add up the cost of the same in your bill”, or the
front office staff may say, “Have you inadvertantly taken any hotel
property and packed that in your bag”. Sometimes this question is
enough but usually it is not. In such situation if the front office
manager has definite information that the guest is taking away hotel
property, he may request the guest to open the luggage. But if there
is slightest doubt this step should not be taken because if the guest
luggage is clean, he may sue the hotel for defamation.
One of a very polite way of telling a guest that he is taking
hotel property with him is to put the cost of item on his bill.
Sometime another situation may arise where a guest’s property
may be stolen by another guest. Such situation may be avoided by
taking the following steps.
(i) if a guest leaves the hotel without returning the key of the room
in which he was staying. In such case a report in duplicate
indicating the name, address, the room numbers and the
description of the identity of the guest should be made and the
two copies so made of the report should be kept in alphabetical
and numerical records respectively.
(ii) Cashier should be instructed to ask the departure guest for
thekeys of his room. The bell boy should not be depended upon
although it is a used practise in all hotels for bell boys to collect
the room keys from departure guest and deposit at the counter.
(iii) Many such thefts are caused by guests or employees carelessness
where either they leave the key in the door knobs, or leave the
doors open of the room; although they are not in the room.
(iv) Install automatic locks on the room doors.
(v) Appoint a security officer who should walk and take rounds at
regular intervals in the corridors.
(vi) Inform guests to use safe vault of the hotel to not to keep
valuables in the room also place notice about these lockers in
rooms and also mention it on G.R. Cards.
(vii) Keep watch on ‘walk in’ as their likelihood of being a thief is
more as compared to a guest who has undergone a process of
making reservation in hotel.
(viii) Avoid giving room numbers of the resident guests to visitors
and telephone callers unless they give the name of the resident.
(ix) The staff should be given training to associate the names,
physical features of the guest so that the key of the room is
handed over to the right guest and not to the unknown guest.
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(x) Use of key/cards/welcome cards which have guest signatures, Situation Handling
should be done and in case of doubt the guest may be requested and Service Design
to produce the key card for identification. Notes
(xi) Any suspicious character if found moving in the hotel must
immediately be reported to security department.
(xii) Keep all entrances and staricases well lit.
(xiii) Post security staff in corridors and floors.
(xiv) Housekeeping staff should be forbidden to open guest rooms for
them. In case guest looses his room key and asks the
housekeeper to open the room for him, the housekeeper should
direct him to front desk.
(xv) Master key must be under strict supervision and control.
(xvi) Use of card key (punched or megnatic) should be encouraged.
(d) Theft by outside thieves. Theft by criminals, other than the
employees or guests can be reduced by setting security measure
which are dangerous for prospective thief. These include the
following:
(i) Look for suspicious persons who prefer to use staircase instead
of elevators. These who use lifts usually select either one floor
higher or one floor lower then the actual floor where the room
which they want to ransack, is situated.
(ii) Criminals who come without keys usually walk down the
corridor trying to find a room where the door is accidently left
open by the guest or until they find a careless employer. Keep
all corridors well lit. The house office should follow a regular
and irregular schedule of vigil and rounds.
(iii) Stagger lunch and rest periods of employees so as to keep at
least one person on duty on each floor as most thefts occur
between 10.00 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. and in the afternoons.
(iv) Instruct the telephone operator not to connect the calls of
outsider to the rooms of guest if the request is made by the
caller by room number. She must insist on knowing the name
of the guest to whom he wants to talk.
(v) The receptionist should not send the visitors to the rooms of
guest directly and on the contrary should contact the guest in
the room and tell him about the visitor and only when the guest
says to send him to the room he should tell him the way to
room. He may also ask the visitor to use the house phone.
(vi) Guest should be told to keep the balcony door closed to avoid
any one entering the rooms from the balcony.
(vii) House detective should be appointed who should sit in the
lobby.
Unit-3
Advanced Accommodation (viii) Use of close circuit television also are quite useful.
Operations–II
(ix) Receptionist should make it a point not to give the room key
Notes to any first presentable person that may say “Keys of room no.
...... please”.
(x) Use of key drop on the reception counter also helps in avoiding
keys going to wrong hand and the staff should ask for his key
card/welcome card.
Situation V. Illness and Epidemics

The senior staff may be called for assistance during sickness of a guest.
In such cases he has to advise the patient guest to consult the house
physician, but in case the guest has his own physician the same should be
called. He will also notify the Front Office and room services about the
sickness and instructions if any. Recommend the serious cases of illness to
move to a nursing home. During epidemics all precautionary measures
specially in food and beverage service area would be followed. Mostly
senior staff will take over the charge of this case.
Situation VI. Handling a Drunk Guest

A drunk guest is normally not in his perfect senses and may not be
talking complete sense. It is always advisable never to argue with such a
guest. One of the most important point is that such guest should be
removed from the hotel as early as possible but being careful not to irritate
him or offend him. Preferably he should be taken to his room. If he behaves
unruly, the hotel security must be called.
Situation VII.
A guest calls the housekeeping control desk and says he is attempting
suicde.
Dealing with the situation. This situation implies that the guest is in
a state of mental depression and needs counselling. The desk attendant
should not panic; he/she must display presence of mind by, ideally, keeping
the guest enegaged on the phone by constantly talking and making him/
her talk back. In the meanwhile, the desk attendant should get another
member of staff to alert the security department so that they can access
the room and take custody of the guest.
Situation VIII.
A guest calls up the control desk to say that she had given a shawl
for dry-cleaning, mentioning the same on the laundry list. The shawl has
been returned to her considerably shrunk.
Dealing with the situation. The desk attendant should apologize to and
try to pacify the irate guest. Then the desk attendant should inform the
laundry supervisor about the situation, so that he/she can in turn apologize
in person to the guest. The hotel must replace the shawl with a new one.
Unit-3
In this case, the problem probably arose because the laundry attendants Situation Handling
did not pay heed to the ‘special instructions’ column in the laundry form, and Service Design
in which the guest had stated that the shawl needed only dry-cleaning. The Notes
laundry staff must have given the shawl a normal wash. The laundry
supervisor should thus ensure that the staff pay heed to the ‘special
instructions’ column in the laundry form in future.
FRONT OFFICE LINK TO HOUSEKEEPING IS

CRITICAL
Although the front office and housekeeping departments may be at opposite
ends of the hotel, they share a mission: creating a return guest. These
departments must work together seamlessly in order to fulfill their goals.
How can housekeeping and the front office work well together? The
most successful hotels would answer that they have accomplished this by
establishing excellent communication procedures. In fact, they work hard
to have the departments integrated in a variety of ways. Here are some of
their tips:
• Exchange managers between departments. This is most easily
accomplished at the assistant manager or supervisor level but can
be done with the executive housekeeper and the front office
manager, given the right circumstances.
• Include time in the other department as part of each department’s
training program. Front desk employees could clean rooms, work
in the laundry, or help prepare supplies. Room attendants could
make up room packets, stuff confirmations in envelopes, or greet a
bus tour. The objective is to get a sense of the activity and workflow
of the other department.
• Keep communication efficient. Remember that every call to the other
department takes employees away from their tasks and slows them
in completing their assignments. Devise verbal and non-verbal ways
to relay necessary information with a minimum of effort. For
instance, in hotels with manual room-accounting systems, the front
desk employees could set aside rack slips as guests check out.
Housekeeping could stop by frequently to pick up the slips to
update their staff.
• Think of the two departments as one team. Review combined
progress toward joint goals of raising customer satisfaction,
decreasing expenses, andincreasing revenue. Treat the rooms division
as one group, and pit the rooms group against food and beverage
or marketing in friendly competitions.
• Avoid looking for someone to blame when problems arise. If a guest
is checked into a dirty room, pointing fingers is less important than
Unit-3
Advanced Accommodation determining what part of the system didn’t work and how can it
Operations–II be fixed.
Notes • Create a good working relationship with the front office manager.
A respect for one another’s talents might result from working
together on a project thatis not related to either department.
• Schedule social time to bring the departments together. Potluck
lunches, bowling tournaments, or charity drives are simple ways to
have fun together.
Daily Communication
6 a.m.
Front office to housekeeping:
Daily report of each room’s status
Rooming lists and times for arriving groups
Special requests (adjoining rooms, rollaways), VIP rooms
Late check-outs
Early check-ins
8 a.m.
Check-outs already departed
Update of special requests and VIPs
Assignment of show rooms for the day
10 a.m.
Housekeeping to front office:
Results of vacant room check
Rooms that will not be cleaned today
Rooms on maintenance and the reasons
Throughout the Day
Late departures
Extended stays
Room changes
Check-outs which have departed
Continual reporting of vacant and ready rooms
Readiness of special requests
Status updateof rooms found discrepant
Check-Out Time
Status of expected check-outs
Unit-3
During Check-In Situation Handling
and Service Design
Update on special requests Notes
Rooms needed as soon as possible
End of the Day
Housekeeping to front office;
Complete update of hotel status
Source: The Rooms Chronicle, Volume 2, Number 5.
For subscription information, call 603-773-9207.
Teamwork between housekeeping and the front office is essential to
daily hotel operations.The more familiar housekeeping and front office
personnel are with each other’s procedures, the smoother the relationship
between the two departments is likely to be.
HOUSEKEEPING AND MAINTENANCE

In most non-lodging commercial buildings, housekeeping and maintenance
personnel generally report to the same department manager. This makes a
great deal of sense because these functional areas have similar goals and
methods and must have a close working relationship. In most midsize and
large lodging operations, however, housekeeping personnel report to the
rooms division manager, while engineering and maintenance constitute a
separate division. Differing lines of accountability can become a barrier
between these important support centers of a hotel.
It is unfortunate that support centers often seem to have an almost
adversarial relationship. For example, housekeeping personnel sometimes
resent having to clean up after various types of maintenance, while
engineering personnel may be upset if the misuse of chemicals and
equipment by housekeeping personnel results in additional work for them.
In order to ensure the smooth operation of both departments, housekeeping
and engineering managers need to devote attention to improving the
relationship between their departments.
COMMUNICATING MAINTENANCE WORK

Room attendants are the best and first line of offense in preparing for the
guest. They clean the room and are the key people to recognize deficiencies
that can cause guest dissatisfaction.
For instance, what happens if a room attendant does not recognize that
a light bulb is burned out? Probably, the guest will try to turn on the lamp,
notice the burned-out bulb, become disgruntled, and call the Front Desk.
This is one strike against the hotel. By setting up a proactive system
whereby employees recognize deficiencies, report them, and repair them
Unit-3
Advanced Accommodation before anyone rents the room, the hotel team can avoid guest dissatisfaction.
Operations–II The following items are essential to a positive guest experience and can
Notes provide a starting point for training room attendants to understand their
first-line responsibilities:
• Sleep Set: If two people in a bed get wedged together in the middle
because the mattress sags, no one is content. A room attendant can
easly see a sagging mattress when the sheets are stripped away.
Rotate the sleep set regularly and replace it when necessary.
• Heating/Air Conditioning: If the temperature makes you feel
uncomfortable while cleaning the room, chances are that guests will
also be uncomfortable during their stay. Recognize and report
problems with heaters or air conditiones.
• TV, Radio, Phone: Test the radio and TV while cleaning them. When
wiping off the telephone, make sure it is working.
• Bedspreads: Faded bedspreads are the very first thing most guests
will notice. Since the first impression is so important, report and
replace worn spreads.
• Lighting: If the room attendant thinks the room seems dark, a guest
may feel the same way. Check each lamp’s placement, each bulb’s
wattage and whether the switch/fixture is working.
• Door: Door hardware which does not work properly irritates
everyone and is a potential security issue. If it is difficult to enter
the room to clean it, recognize and report this situation, and make
sure the door is repaired before calling the room “vacant and ready”.
• Toilet: If it takes more than one flush to get everything down the
drain, or if the water continually runs, report the condition to
maintenance immediately.
• Vanity and Tub: Sparkling porcelain can make the customer feel the
room is extra clean, especially if the faucets are shiny. Using a dry
cloth to polish them can make the difference. Watch for stains, drips,
or corroded hardware.
• Towels: “Soft” is the word most people use to describe how they
want their towels. A soft towel that is free of stains will feel new
and will not remind a guest that it has been used by someone else.
If the linen is something less than soft and clean, replace it.
• Bathroom Walls: Wall vinyl gets dated quickly. When it begins
peeling or wearing out, a guest notes that the hotel is not all it
should be. Privacy is important to many guests; ensure that the
bathroom door is working properly. Report any problems to
maintenance.
• Water Temperature: For safety’s sake, recognize the temperature of
the water. How warm is it as soon as it comes out of the tap, and
Unit-3
how long does it take to get hot? The extremes of cold or heat are Situation Handling
things to recognize and report. and Service Design
• Ventilation: If a mirror fogs up while the bathroom is being cleaned, Notes

the fogging probably frustrates the guest. Check the fan and keep
it clean.
TEAMWORK
Teamwork is the key to successful hotel operations. Housekeeping must
work closely not only with the Front Office and engineering but also with
every other department in the hotel. Although the G.M. is responsible for
implementing the teamwork philosophy, each department and every
employee can help.
Unit-3
ENERGY CONSERVATION
Notes
4 AND WATER
INTRODUCTION
Ecotels, also called ‘green hotels’, are earthfriendly or eco sensitive hotels
that feature innovative and imaginative programmes for conserving natural
resources, reducing waste, minimizing pollution, and maximizing
sustainability. Many of these properties are designed and constructed with
a concern for environmental quality. Some ecotels consist of recycled or
renovated buildings with upgrades to conserve energy and water, minimize
waste, incorporate natural landscaping or utilize recovered building
materials. Other properties support local environmental efforts or groups
and/or offer environmental education or excursions.
Ecotel Certification
Ecotels follow the three R’s of environmental conservation – reducing,
reusing and recycling. Ecotel certification requires these properties to strictly
adhere to certain criteria, which may be called the ‘five globes’ that are the
cornerstones of environmental responsibility. These 5 criteria are as follows:
1. Energy efficiency
This requires the existence of a formalized framework to reduce the
energy consumption of the hotel. For instance, the hotel should have
been designed and constructed keeping in mind maximum energy
conservation. Factors such as whether only the minimum of lighting
required at a given time is being used and the extent of involvement
of the guests as well as the employees also make a difference to the
final score.
2. Water Conservation
The effective conservation of water in all departments of the hotel,
across all levels, must be evaluated. The extent to which water is
recycled and neutralized is also considered as an important factor.
All employees are expected to be well versed in the water
conservation operations of the hotel.
3. Solid Waste Management
The hotel must effectively recycle and manage waste, wherever
generated. Proper systems for the collection, recycling and disposal
of these wastes in all its departments are a must for Ecotel
Certification. All employees of the hotel must undergo training in
the basic techniques of solid waste management.
4. Environmental Commitment Energy Conservation
and Water
The hotel must demonstrate the existence of a formalized
commitment towards the preservation and enhancement of the Notes
natural environment. It must, through all its operations, activities,
and written statements, communicate its commitment to the
environment. For instance, the mission statement of the hotel is to
must mention its environmental dedication. Additionally, every hotel
should have a ‘green team’, headed by a member of the top
management, ensuring that all departments are working in
consonance with the hotel’s mission of environmental responsibility.
5. Employee Education and Community Development
How involved the employees are in the efforts of the hotel to
contribute towards the environment is crucial to the fulfilment of
its mission. The hotel should have training modules in place for
employees at all levels to familiarize them with the ecofriendly
initiatives of the hotel.
CHOOSING AN ECO-FRIENDLY SITE

The building chosen for a property can greatly affect the comfort and
energy efficiency of the hotel built upon it. A south facing slope or good
southern exposure on a plot that allows for the long slides of the building
to face north south will facilitate the utilization of prevailing summer
breezes for cooling and the gain of solar heat desirable in winter. A hot,
bare site will require a greater investment in wide overhangs, shading
devices such as awnings or pergolas, and shade trees to keep utility bills
down and comfort levels up.
The prospective building site should be examined for existing tree
groupings, landforms, and structures that will aid in creating pleasant,
usable outdoor spaces. Offsite conditions that may affect outdoor activities
or indoor living with open windows – such as traffic noises, odours, or
pollution – should be considered before selecting a site.
Examination of the particular site’s unique characteristics is important.
The top of a hill may be too windy, dry and exposed to the hot sun. A
valley may be too damp, windless, foggy or subject to flooding. The location
and types of trees in the area should be evaluated for their sustainability
by way of providing shade in summer, channelling or blocking summer
breezes to and through the property and hindering or encouraging the
penetration of solar heat in winter.
A plot that allows for the siting of the hotel on a relatively flat area
and in a natural clearing will minimize the disruption to the natural
vegetation. This will avoid erosion, discourage the growth of invasive exotic
vegetation, and be less expensive than massive landscaping exercises. Also,
minimizing the disruption of natural drainage patterns is generally less
Unit-4
Advanced Accommodation expensive upfront and avoids the costly maintenance of elaborate artificial
Operations–II drainage systems. When native trees and vegetation must be removed, they
Notes can often be replanted elsewhere, on or off the site. Respecting existing
wildlife trails and habitats will enhance the enjoyment of wildlife
observation.
Every attempt must be made to protect and retain existing landscaping
and natural features. Select plants that have low water and pesticide needs,
and generate minimal ‘trimmings’. Use compost and mulches optimally to
save both water and time.
Sustainable sites should also allow for alternative transportation – such
as parking, showering and changing facilities for bicyclists, pool cars and
charging facilities for electrically or solar powered vehicles.
The site should also facilitate the management of storm water.
Rainwater recharge pits ensure zero discharge into municipal drainage
systems.
The ‘heat island effect’ which occurs when developed urban areas have
significantly higher average temperatures than the rural areas surrounding
them, should be minimized as well. To achieve this, environmental agencies
recommend that 80 per cent of the parking be underground and that more
than 75 per cent of the terrace area be insulated and coated with reflective,
high albedo roof paint.
Minimal exterior lighting helps to limit night sky pollution.
HOTEL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

An ecotel should be a ‘green’ building, also known as an ‘ecologically
sustainable building’. The structure should be designed, built, renovated,
operated, or reused in an ecofriendly and resource efficient manner. ‘Green’
buildings are designed to meet certain objectives – such as protecting
occupants’ health; improving employee productivity, using energy, water
andother resources more efficiently, and reducing the overall impact on the
environment. A ‘green’ building can therefore be defined as any building
that is sited, designed, constructed, operated and maintained for the health
and well being of the occupants, while minimizing its impact on the
environment.
‘Green’ building practices offer an opportunity to create
environmentally sound and resource efficient buildings by using an
integrated approach to design such buildings promote resource conservation
by including design features that encourage energy efficiency, use of
renewable energy and water conservation. By promoting resource
conservation, ‘green’ building design creates healthy and comfortable
environments, reduces operation and maintenance costs, regulates the
environmental impact of building construction to ensure ‘retrofit’, and
emphasizes waste minimization. In addition, ‘green’ building design also
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addresses such issues as historical preservation and access to public Energy Conservation
transportation and other community infrastructure systems. The entire life- and Water
cycle of the building and its components is considered, as well as the Notes
building’s immediate economic and environmental impact and performance.
Cost
A ‘green’ building may cost more to build upfront (its about 15 per
cent more expensive and the fee for certification is high as well), but it
saves in the long run through lower operating costs over the life of the
building. The ‘green’ building approach applies life cycle cost analysis for
the project to determine the appropriate upfront expenditure. This analytical
method calculates the costs over the entire useful life of the asset and uses
this figure to set off initial investments.
These and other cost savings can only be fully realized when they are
incorporated at the conceptual phase of the projects’ design with the
assistance of an integrated team of professionals. The integrated systems
approach ensures that the building is designed as one system rather than
a collection of stand alone systems.
Some benefits – such as improving occupants’ health, comfort and
productivity or reducing pollution and landfill waste – are not easily
quantified. Consequently, they are often not adequately considered in cost
analysis. Even with a tight budget, many green building measures can be
incorporated with minimal or zero increase in upfront costs and yet they
can yield enormous savings.
Materials
One of the best way to minimize the use of raw materials, for instance,
is to select a site that already has a building on it and remodel the same
as necessary – needless to say, this is also a huge saving in terms of costs.
The building’s orientation should be such that there is a minimization of
heat gain in summers and maximization during winters. The location of
cooling towers should be away from boilers, generator units, kitchen and
laundry exhausts.
Also, select sustainable construction materials and products by
evaluating several characteristics – such as reused and recycled content; zero
or low harmful emission; zero or low toxicity; sustainably harvested
materials; high recyclability; durability and longevity; and local production.
Products that meet atleast some of these criteria promote resource
conservation and efficiency.
Recycle and Reuse

Using products with a significant proportion of recycled content also
helps develop markets for recycled materials. ‘Trash is cash’, and fly ash
for instance, is a good example of it. Fly ash is the waste product of the
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Advanced Accommodation thermal power industry. Fly ash-based cement and AAC blocks for
Operations–II construction are ideal options for a ‘green’ building. Similarly, by using
Notes certified wood, the unnecessary felling of trees is avoided. All new wood
used should come from trees that are pre-selected and felled without
damage to adjoining trees; wood from old furniture should be
simultaneously refused.
Check Emissions
Choose construction materials and interior – finish products with zero
or low emission to improve indoor air quality. Many building materials as
well as cleaning and maintenance products emit toxic gases, such as Volatile
Organic Compounds (VOC) and formaldehyde. These gases can have a
detrimental impact on occupants’ health and productivity. All HVAC
equipment should be free from Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which are
implicated in the depletion of the ozone layer.
Regulate Interior Environment

Provide adequate ventilation and a high efficiency, in duct filtration
system. Heating and cooling systems that ensure adequate ventilation and
proper filtration can have a dramatic positive impact on indoor air quality.
Use low emission glass for windows. Low e-glass is unique in that it
deflects heat whilst allowing light to pass through. Double-or-triple-glazed
windows, whatever the material, generally insulate the room from the
outside heat or cold.
Fight Germs
Prevent microbial contamination indoors with a selection of materials
resistant to microbial growth; provide effective drainage from the roof and
through the surrounding landscape; install adequate ventilation in
bathrooms; allow proper drainage of air-conditioning coils; and design
building system to control humidity.
Design Efficiently
Use dimensional planning and other material-efficiency strategies. These
strategies reduce the amount of building materials needed and cut
construction costs. For example, design rooms on 4-foot multiples to
conform to standard-sized wall board and plywood sheets. Reuse and
recycle construction and demolition materials.
For example, using inert demolition materials as a base for a parking
lot keeps these materials out of landfills and costs less. Design with
adequate space to facilitate collection of recyclables and to incorporate a
solid waste management programme that prevents waste generation.
Resource efficiency can be accomplished by utilizing materials that
feature the following:
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Recycled Content Energy Conservation
and Water
Products with identifiable recycled content including post-industrial
content (with a preference for post-consumer content). In the building itself, Notes
adequate storage and collection of recyclables should be provided for.
Separate storage bins need to be provided at each floor/level for different
recyclable materials such as paper, cardboard, glass, plastic and metals.
Natural, Plentiful or Renewable Sources

Material harvested from sustainably managed sources and preferably
certified by an independent third party (for example, certified wood from
the forest department) should be preferred. Rapidly renewable materials
such as medium density fibre (MDF) board, especially the kind made from
renewable wood such as eucalyptus, should be used for storage shelves and
cabinetry. MDF is a composite wood product similar to particle board, made
from waste wood fibres that have been glued together with resin using heat
and pressure. This material is smooth, uniform and does not warp. MDF
is solely made from waste products, the leftovers scraps that would
otherwise be dumped in a landfill.
Resource – Efficient Manufacturing Process

Products manufactured by resource-efficient process including reduced
energy consumption, minimized waste (say with recycled, recyclable and/
or source-reduced packaging), and reduced emission of green house gases
– are better for the environment.
LOCALLY AVAILABLE RAW MATERIALS AND

PROCESSES
Building materials, components and systems found locally or regionally save
energy and resources expanded in transportation to the project site. Atleast
40 percent of the building materials should come from within 500 miles of
the project site.
Salvaged, Refurbished or Re-Manufactured Products

Use of these could include saving products and materials from disposal
and renovating, repairing, restoring or generally improving their appearance,
performance, quality, functionality or value. At least 10 per cent of the
building materials should be salvaged from other sites.
Reusability or Recyclability
Select materials that can be easily dismantled and reused or recycled
at the end of their useful life.
Recycled or Recyclable Product Packagings

Products enclosed in recycled content or recyclable packaging do not
add to the environmental burden.
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Advanced Accommodation Durability
Operations–II
Materials that are longer-lasting or are comparable to conventional
Notes products with long-life expectanies. Cut down or replacement cost as well
as procurement of raw materials a second time.
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is enhanced by utilizing materials that have
the following features:
(a) Low Toxicity or Non-Toxicity: Materials that emits few or no
carcinogens, reproductive toxicants or irritants – as demonstrated by
the manufacturer through appropriate testing – should be chosen for
indoor use in particular.
(b) Minimal Chemical Emissions: Products that produce minimal emissions
of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are best; better still if they
also maximize resource and energy efficiency.
(c) Low VOC Assembly: Materials installed with minimal VOC producing
compounds or no VOC (mechanical) attachment methods and
minimal hazards are preferred. Low VOC adhesives and sealants
should be used for carpets, composite wood products and paints.
(d) Moisture Resistance: Products and systems that resist moisture or
inhibit the growth of biological contaminants in buildings should be
chosen.
(e) Healthful Maintenance: Materials, components and systems that are
only simple, non-toxic or low VOC methods of cleaning are required
indoor.
(f) Monitoring: Products that promote healthy IAQ by identifying indoor
air pollutants or enhancing the air quality are a bonus. Also, for the
maintenance of indoor air quality, there should be effective control
of tobacco smoke. Designated smoking rooms should be provided
at convenient with separate exhaust systems.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
Elements of the Environment

The earth’s crust is composed of oxides of the following elements:
Silicon SiO2 66.4%
Aluminium Al2O3 15.5%
Calcium CaO 3.8%
Sodium Na2O 3.5%
Potassium K2O 3.3%
Iron FeO 2.8%
Magnesium MgO 2.0%
Iron Fe2O3 1.8%
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Manganese MnO 0.1% Energy Conservation
and Water
Phosphorous P2O3 0.3%
All other elements (rare earth) 0.5% Notes
Water (oceanic) is composed of the combination of hydrogen and
oxygen (H2O), sodium chloride (NaCl)~common table salt, and numerous
trace minerals. The fresh water element of total water is derived from
seawater evaporating and condensing into clouds and precipitation and
thereafter finding its way into underground water tables, lakes and rivers.
The earth’s atmosphere, commonly called air, consists of layers of gases,
water vapour, and solid and liquid particles.
The air near the earth’s surface (0 to 15 km) is known as the
troposphere. This is an area of well defined gases of two different groups,
as follows:
Principal Gases
Nitrogen N2 78%
Oxygen O2 21%
Argon Ar 1%
Minor Gases
Carbon dioxide CO2
Nitrous oxide N2O
Carbon monoxide CO
Ozone O3
Methane CH4
Nitrogen monoxide NO2
Hydrogen H2
Helium He
The middle layer (15 to 500 km) is known as the stratosphere. This is
where a mixing of atomic gases is taking place, forming the molecular
gases.
The ionosphere (greater than 500 km) is a part of the atmosphere where
free atoms of oxygen (O), helium (He) and hydrogen (H) exist in a free
state, hydrogen (H) being the lightest and most distant layer of gas in the
atmosphere.
The Earth’s Protective Shield

The earth is constantly being bombarded by ultraviolet radiation from
the sun. Molecular oxygen (O2) is being photodissociated into atoms of
oxygen (O), immediately leading to the production of ozone (O + O2 = O3).
Ozone becomes a barrier that restricts the amount of ultraviolet radiation
reaching the earth’s surface. This barrier protects land and plant and animal
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Advanced Accommodation life from ultraviolet destruction. Because ultraviolet radiation has little
Operations–II penetrating effect, plant and animal life in the oceans is readily protected,
Notes this explains why such life was the first to occur on earth. Life on land,
however, could not occur until oxygen that was created from the sea
ultimately become a part of the creation of ozone in the atmosphere, which
was then to protect life on the land.
Ecology
Ecology, as a branch of biology, is a study that is concerned with the
relationship of plants and animals to their environment and to each other.
It is our interest in ecology that, it is hoped, will bring about a major
concern for what we are doing to ourselves by abusing our environment.
The pollution we are generating today must be recognized and stopped if
life, as we know it on this planet has to continue. The time of life of human
kind on earth in relation to the time of life on the earth is so infinitesimally
small, it is difficult to realize how foreshortened the human life span can
become unless we realize in the very near future what we are doing to our
planet. The aim here is not “to save the planet”’; the planet will survive
and adopt – it is to save ourselves.
Air Pollution
Air pollution occurs both naturally and unnaturally. Natural air
pollution includes volcanic ash, blowing dust, and smoke from forest fires.
These forms of air pollution have existed for millions of years and are not
a major concern.
Unnatural air pollution, however, consists of filling the atmosphere
with carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons containing sulphurs such as sulphur
dioxide, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbons, carbon dioxide and particulates.
Most of this pollution results from the burning of fossil fuels (e.g. coal, oil,
natural gas), energy conservation and the reduction of air pollution go hand
in hand.
The two most significant problems associated with the burning of fossil
fuels are:
(i) the photochemical reaction that takes place in the atmosphere that
leads to smog and acid rain, and
(ii) global warming, which is caused by the release of too much carbon
dioxide and other greenhouse gases (e.g. methane, nitrous oxide,
ozone, perfluorocarbons, hydrofluorocarbons and sulphur hexa-
fluoride) into the air.
Smog occurs in bright sunlight when nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons
and oxygen interact chemically to produce powerful oxidants like ozone
(O3) and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN). These secondary pollutants are
damaging to plant life and lead to the formation of photochemical smog.
PAN is primarily responsible for the eye irritation so characteristic of this
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type of smog. Smog has caused lung ailments and even death in some Energy Conservation
metropolitan areas. The catalytic converter in automobile exhaust systems and Water
reduces air pollution by oxidizing hydrocarbons to CO2 and H2O and, to a Notes
lesser extent, converting nitrogen oxides to N2 and O2.
Global warming occurs when greenhouse gases absorb and send
infrared radiation back to the earth causing the ‘greenhouse effect’. This
condition will ultimately change climatic conditions and weather patterns.
Chlorofluorocarbons chemically react with ozone in the stratosphere,
creating holes in the ozone layer, increasing ultraviolet radiation. Since the
signing of Montreal Protocol in 1987 that banned the production of these
chemicals, much progress has been made, showing the world that
governments and corporations can positively impact the environment.
Water Pollution
There are an incredible number of pollutants and sources of pollution
that negatively affect the world’s oceans, lakes, rivers and aquifers. Mine
runoffs, oil leaks, factory wastes, pesticides, even the chemicals we pour
down the sewers in housekeeping have an adverse impact on water
supplies. In many areas of the world, nature’s ability to process these toxins
has been overwhelmed, resulting in the loss of our natural resources and
human life.
Solid Waste
Hotels and hospitals are tremendous generators of solid waste. Not
only is waste an environmental concern, it is also a cost to the operation.
Even the word ‘waste’ connotes a loss. Waste must be collected at the
property (a cost), it must be transported from the property (another cost),
and it must be disposed off in some manner (a third cost). For years, we
had only one solution for the problem of solid wastes – landfills. Some
waste must be landfilled, but we have come to realize that landfills are
problematic. Landfills can contribute to the pollution of underground
aquifers that are the only source of water for some communities. Landfill
space is rapidly being depleted in many areas of the country, thus driving
up waste disposal costs.
Given that some of our waste must be landfilled, what are the other
options to us? What can we do in our operations to diminish our
dependence on landfilling?
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed a strategy
called integrated waste management, which incorporates the use of landfills
plus the following: source reduction, reuse, recycling and waste
transformation. By incorporating all of these in an organization’s waste
management program, the EPA contends, we can effectively reduce our
dependence on landfills.
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Advanced Accommodation Source reduction is the most compelling strategy. It reduces the waste
Operations–II stream by preventing items from entering it in the first place. Buying in
Notes bulk to reduce packaging, or simply deciding to do without something that
isn’t really necessary to the enterprise, are examples of source reduction.
Source reduction generates the greatest savings and should be practiced
whenever it is practical to do so.
Reuse is the next best strategy. By giving an item a second life
(sometimes even more lives), it can significantly reduce our waste stream.
Recycling implies that a product will be broken down to its elements and
remade into another product—sometimes the same product, sometimes not.
This is far better than burying an item in a landfill, but it isn’t without
costs. There is the cost of collecting the item, the cost of transporting it,
and, of course, the cost of making the item into a new product. However,
the cost of recycling for most items is usually less than the cost of burying
it in a landfill.
Waste transformation includes several options. Items can be compacted,
using less space in the dumpster and the landfill; they can be turned into
energy in a waste-to-energy plant, and they can be processed by shredders
and pulpers that reduce the mass of the waste. However, these are
considered by many to be less than desirable options, for either they create
new forms of pollution (e.g., air pollution) or the product’s ultimate
destination is still the landfill.
OTHER FORMS OF POLLUTION

Other forms of pollution include radioactive waste, noise, and even light
pollution.
The Housekeeper’s Role in Environmental Management

A sound waste management and pollution reduction program should
be a major goal for all of those involved in housekeeping operations.
Regardless of the type of facility, all must make the environment a part of
their professional concern.
Some of the specific activities a housekeeping department may employ
include buying their guest amenities in bulk and putting up dispensers in
the guestrooms. They should also buy their supplies in bulk whenever
possible and instruct vendors to omit needless packaging.
Housekeepers should buy the most environmentally benign chemicals
that will still do the intended job, and they should eliminate chemical use
whenever possible. Buying microfiber cleaning products and softening the
facility’s water will both serve to reduce chemical use.
Avoid polluting the air in your facility by eliminating aerosols; have
dust collectors on the burnishers; and purchase only those vacuums that
meet Carpet and Rug Institute certification requirements.
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Set up a linen reuse program for your guests; give them the option of Energy Conservation
and Water
using their sheets for more than one night and using their bath linen for
more than one service. You will save labor, chemicals, water, energy, and Notes
linens.
Other Opportunities for Housekeepers

The executive housekeepers rarely makes it into the general manager’s
suite. Advancement in this profession is often through relocation to larger
and more prestigious properties. It has been shown that executive
housekeepers can move into environmental services departments fairly
easily, but hospitals and nursing homes are not the only options available.
There are also opportunities in a host of different facilities, including
schools, colleges, arenas, airports, convention centers, stadiums, malls, and
office buildings, to name a few. For the entrepreneur, there is contract
cleaning; with a mop in one hand and a bucket in the other, you too can
become your own boss.
There are many opportunities in related areas as well. For instance, in
property management, one will work with tenants and manage all aspects
of the building, inside and out. Then there is the building engineer, who
keeps a large facility up and running, handling everything from the air-
conditioning to decorating.The opportunities are tremendous; housekeeping
is far from a dead-end position. The following sections explore a few of
these career opportunities.
Hygiene, Not Just Cleanliness

Today, each hospitality chain is recognized by its score for the hygiene
standard it follows throughout all its properties. While considering hygiene
in guestrooms, housekeepers have to take notice of matters such as the air
quality and sanitization. The use of the optimal and ideal detergents,
sanitizers and other cleaning agents that give protection against any possible
microbial attack is imperative.
Since the time available for the quick recovery of a room after a guest
depart is getting smaller as people travel more, the conventional cleaning
procedure is now giving way to newer trends. For instance, bed covers and
being done away with, instead, duvets are used. The duvet covers are
compulsory changed after a departure, and thus the next guest gets into a
fresh, hygienic bed. Carpets on guestroom floors are being replaced by
wooden flooring. This too is a step towards negating the chances of bacteria
breeding in house. The headboards of beds, which initially used to be
padded with foam and upholstered, were friendly to microbes, hair and
skin debris, and grease. These are now increasingly replaced by leather
coverings or solid wood for easy maintenance and disinfecting.
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Advanced Accommodation Eco-friendly Amenities, Products and Processes
Operations–II
There is an increasing awareness of the need to use eco-friendly
Notes amenities, products and practices in the housekeeping industry.
Toiletries
More and more hotels are opting for toiletry ranges evolved after
research and experimentation on the potent healing, curative and corrective
properties of herbs, their extracts and essential oils on the skin and hair,
especially as laid down in Ayurveda. These products are also not tested
upon animals and tend to be biodegradable. Some of the herbs and natural
substances frequently used in such toiletries such as shampoos, conditioners,
creams, lotions and so on are aloe vera, liquorice, citrus fruits, Indian
gooseberry, neem, sunflower, basil, pumpkin, cucumber, turmeric,
sandalwood, apricot, mace, clove, nutmeg, coriander, rose, heena, clay, alum
and honey.
Energy Conserving Products

Housekeepers are now looking for products and equipment that help
conserve energy. One such product is the jet hand dryer that produces bi-
directional jets of cold air jets that come to a head at 68 m/s to leave wet
hands bone dry in seconds, in an alternative to the conventional hot air
drying process. The dryer is activated by inserting the hands into the dryer
bin, whereby the jet starts up automatically. The product’s primary
advantage is the enormous power saving due to its low energy
consumption compared to the conventional hot air model : this machine
runs at 700W, whereas the conventional hot air dryers at 2000 W. This leads
to huge savings in power bills – often as much as 67 per cent.
Housekeepers and interior designers today also have at their disposal
energy-efficient lamps that consume a mere 9W of power and give the same
light output as a 60W bulb. This can reduce power tariffs by as much as
80 per cent without taking away the aesthetic appeal of the property. Some
trends in lighting that have been gaining momentum in Indian hotels are
the use of luminescence with sensor technology, compact luminaries, and
compact halogen lamps.
ACTION PLAN FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Background
Energy efficiency means reducing energy consumption without
reducing the use of energy-consuming plant and equipment. The aim is to
make better use of energy. Energy efficiency means promoting behaviour,
working methods and manufacturing techniques which are less energy-
intensive.
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The measures to promote energy efficiency form part of the wider Energy Conservation
objectives of the European Community’s energy and environment policy. and Water
Greater energy efficiency has a major role to play in meeting the targets Notes
set in the Kyoto Protocol. It encourages a more sustainable energy policy
and is a key element in the security of energy supply in the European
Community, a subject which has given cause for concern in recent years.
The Action Plan is a follow-up to the Commission communication
adopted in April 1998 on the rational use of energy and the Council
resolution on energy efficiency.
This summary presents the measures proposed by the Action Plan and,
where appropriate, gives an update of certain measures taken since its
adoption.
Barriers to Energy Efficiency

There are many barriers to energy efficiency, such as inefficient use of
energy in the industrial sector. Commercial barriers are also a major obstacle
to improving energy efficiency, as they can prevent access to technologies
and the spread of efficient energy forms. These include in particular:
• the practice of selling energy by kWh rather than as a service;
• energy prices that do not reflect the real costs of energy as they do
not include the externalities;
• institutional and legal barriers;
• lack of or incomplete information which often hampers the use of
cost-effective and energy-efficient technology.
Objectives
According to the 1998 Communication, the European Community’s
energy consumption could be reduced by 18% compared with the current
situation by improving energy efficiency. The Action Plan proposes a target
of a 1% decrease per annum until 2010 over and above that currently
envisaged. This means that two thirds of the overall objective should be
achieved by 2010.
In order to meet this overall objective, the Commission has set detailed
targets with the aim of developing action in the area of energy and
environment policy, refocusing attention on the subject, underlining the
possibility of exceeding the objectives set and, finally, introducing measures
to ensure the long-term improvement of energy efficiency, through the use
of market forces and new technologies.
Implementation
A wide range of instruments is to be used to implement the plan at
European Community and national level. Many of the proposed actions are
not mandatory (voluntary agreements, for example). The Community
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Advanced Accommodation policies reinforce and supplement those of the Member States and the
Operations–II Community has an important coordinating role, through the SAVE
Notes programme in particular. It is important to note that save projects will be
undertaken in the areas described below. They are an important instrument
for implementing the plan. A significant role is also attributed to the Fifth
R and D Framework Programme.
The proposed actions are divided into three categories:
• measures to integrate energy efficiency into other Community
policies;
• initiatives to strengthen and extend existing policies;
• new policies and measures.
Category 1 : Measures to Integrate Energy Efficiency into Other

Community Policies
There are six main areas:
Transport
The transport sector is a priority area for energy efficiency as it is
responsible for over 30% of final energy consumption. The measures are
mostly of a non-technological nature and include promoting the
establishment of new infrastructures and, consequently, intermodality.
Modern enterprise policy

It is necessary to encourage sustainable development. This primarily
concerns industries and can be achieved through voluntary agreements.
Regional and urban policy

This dimension should be integrated into the allocation of resources
through the Structural Funds, the Regional Fund, the Cohesion Fund, etc.
Research and development

The Fifth Framework Programme of Research and Development and
in particular the energy programme contribute to the research in this area.
Of the 1,042 million allocated to energy between 1999 and 2002, 440 million
will be allocated to energy efficiency.
Taxation and tariff policy

The Commission considers initiatives in these two areas important for
improving energy efficiency. Tax exemptions for investments in energy
efficiency are a possible example. In this connection, the Commission has
already proposed a Community framework for taxation of energy
products.
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International cooperation and pre-accession activities Energy Conservation
and Water
Approximation of legislation, harmonised efficiency standards, etc. as
well as a measure of international liberalisation are desirable. In this context, Notes
the Energy Charter concluded with third countries and the participation of
accession countries in programmes such as save are important initiatives.
Category 2 : Measures to Strengthen and Expand Existing Measures

It is necessary to strengthen and expand measures in four priority
areas:
Transport
The proposed measures involve both non-mandatory measures
(voluntary agreements) and legislation. The Commission has already set
ambitious targets for this key sector, such as reducing the average CO 2
emissions of new vehicles by one third by 2005/2010 compared with 1995
with the aid of voluntary agreements. Voluntary agreements have already
been negotiated with the automobile industry. It is necessary to monitor
and evaluate these agreements and to provide incentives to apply them in
full.
Household appliances, commercial and other equipment

This covers equipment such as large domestic electrical appliances and
lighting. The proposed measures principally concern labelling systems and
minimum standards for energy efficiency. It is necessary to reinforce and
expand the existing Community labelling system which, although useful,
has been relatively badly applied in certain cases (e.g. the labelling system
for domestic appliances). In December 2006, the Community concluded a
new agreement with the United States on energy efficiency on office
equipment (the Energy Star label and programme). There must also be close
synergy with the EU “Eco-Label” system.
As for agreements concerning minimum efficiency standards, voluntary
agreements between the Member States and manufacturers on minimum
efficiency standards for appliances have become an alternative to legislation.
The Commission itself has concluded two agreements of this type (one on
energy consumption by televisions and video recorders in standby mode
and one on washing machines). The agreements will be extended to other
appliances such as water heaters and dishwashers. There is no labelling
system for the commercial and industrial sector. The Commission therefore
believes that mandatory minimum efficiency standards are necessary if
acceptable voluntary agreements are not concluded. The Commission is also
going to propose a framework directive on concluding such agreements that
will lay down minimum standards in certain areas, where necessary.
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Advanced Accommodation Industry (including electricity and gas companies)
Operations–II
There are plans to
Notes • conclude long-term agreements in industry;
• increase combined production of heat and power (CHP);
• increase the role of energy efficiency in the energy services offered
by distributing companies and SMEs.
In the first case, it is necessary to remove technical barriers. This can
be achieved via agreements or protocols on minimum energy efficiency,
which lay down guidelines for energy-efficient processes and production
methods. Such agreements have already been concluded in certain sectors
and the scheme should now be extended to the chemical industry, steel
industry, etc. The Commission will prepare a communication on
harmonising these agreements at Community level.
CHP has a double role in contributing to energy efficiency and
reducing environmental impact. An existing measure in particular is to be
strengthened, namely Directive 88/609/EEC on the limitation of emissions
of certain pollutants into the air from large combustion plants, which
implies greater use of CHP.
Concerning the third objective, it will be necessary to conclude
voluntary agreements through which utilities and service companies commit
themselves to promoting energy efficiency, while also complying with the
normal cost efficiency criteria. Use of rational planning techniques is
desirable (the Commission has made a proposal on this subject).
Buildings
Buildings represent approximately 40% of energy consumption and the
potential energy saving is more than 20%. The Action Plan proposes
amending one of the key directives in this area, i.e. Directive 93/76/EEC on
the energy certification of buildings, which seeks to limit carbon-dioxide
emissions and includes insulation measures and heating requirements
(Directive repealed by Directive 2006/32/EC).
In May 2001, the Commission made a proposal for a complementary
directive on the energy performance of buildings. The Directives on boilers
(92/42/EEC) and on construction products (89/106/EEC) also figure among
the main actions in the sector and, in September 2000, a Directive on energy
efficiency for lighting was adopted. The dissemination of good practices,
the extension of labelling and the training and qualification of fitters are
also planned. Moreover, among the many initiatives in this sector, the
Community also finances a “Green Light Programme” concerning lighting
in commercial buildings.
Horizontal measures
The Action Plan sets out a number of “horizontal” initiatives designed
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to improve energy efficiency, i.e., initiatives which affect several or all of Energy Conservation
the sectors concerned. These are: and Water
• decentralisation of energy management at local and regional levels; Notes

• strengthening third-party financing (private undertakings, for
example);
• better dissemination of information and training via a renewed
Community information campaign and specialised training;
• better monitoring and evaluation methods through greater
harmonisation of national monitoring programs and definition of
indicators.
Category 3 : New Policies and Measures

New policies should be put in place in order to meet the targets. Some
of them have already been implemented on a small scale in the Member
States.
Promotion of energy efficiency in public procurement

Public procurement (public institutions, authorities, public enterprises,
etc.) can promote the improvement of energy efficiency and thus stimulate
demand for energy-efficient technologies. It thereby sets a good example
in integrating energy-efficiency measures into public-sector policies/
activities. The Commission has launched a study of Member States’ public
programs to provide recommendations for launching pilot projects. In this
context, the institutions of the European Union have launched initiatives
regarding their own energy management.
Cooperative technology procurement

This involves coordinating the needs and requirements of public-sector
calls for tender for energy-efficient technologies, in order to be able to
benefit fully from all the available technologies. The introduction of
competitive tendering in some Member States should facilitate this task.
Energy audits in industry and the tertiary sector

Energy audits already carried out in certain Member States (sometimes
in conjunction with incentives) have supplied useful information which is
often difficult to obtain and have identified energy-saving opportunities. The
Commission is considering presenting a community initiative on energy
audits in the Member States.
Best practice
Following a feasibility study on this subject, a best-practices scheme
has been launched under the auspices of the SAVE program. This scheme
aims to supply decision-makers and end-users with independent
information and advice on energy efficiency and to familiarise them with
new techniques and technology.
Unit-4
Advanced Accommodation ENERGY CONSERVATION
Operations–II
Today, we utilize external energy supplies to fulfil many of our basic needs
Notes as well as provide comforts, luxuries, and entertainment. The various forms
of energy so harnessed include mechanical energy, heat (solar or geo-
thermal), electricity, light (in the form of solar rays), and chemical fuels
(such as oils, gases, and wood).
However, due to indiscriminate use, insufficient energy sources have
become a global problem, though the impact of the crisis differs from
country to country. The global energy demand is increasing due to the
increase in population, industrial development, and changing lifestyles. On
an average, 80 per cent of the energy used worldwide is procured from
fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum. These fuels are depleting at an
alarming rate.
The hotel industry consumes energy in different forms—electricity, heat,
petrol, and so on. Each organization invests a huge amount of money to
acquire all these sources of energy. For instance, a 500-room, 5-star property
with all facilities operating during a power crisis pays an energy bill of
Rs. 12 lakh per month. It is possible to save 15-20 per cent of this cost by
using energy conservation methods. Even if we keep a modest target of
7 per cent, the hotel can save up to Rs. 10 lakh per annum. What’s more,
the implementation of energy conservation mechanisms will not only help
the hotel, but also society and the nation as a whole.
Energy Monitoring
Each and every member of the hotel’s staff, therefore, should be made
aware of the organization’s concern regarding the consumption of energy.
Before implementing such a system, it is important to conduct a thorough
study of various energy conservation systems practised in different hotels.
All the representatives of the various departments should work together to
formulate the guidelines for conserving energy in the hotel. These guidelines
should clearly mention the dos and don’ts in order to maintain strict control
over the consumption of energy. The following areas are of particular
importance:
Guestrooms: These account for a major portion of a hotel’s total energy
consumption. Energy used for air-conditioning, ventilation and heating
changes with weather conditions, but lighting is directly proportional to the
occupancy.
Laundry: This facility utilizes a large amount of energy for washing
as well as ‘finishing’ processes. The amount of energy consumption within
the department depends largely on the type of equipment in use and, to a
lesser extent, the type of fabrics.
Unit-4
Lighting: This accounts for 10-25 per cent of the hotel’s electricity Energy Conservation
and Water
consumption. Different types of lighting are used in different areas,
according to the requirements for illumination there. However, while Notes
lighting uses the lion’s share of energy, it should be remembered that
heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and other over-sized equipment
operate less efficiently.
TIPS FOR ENERGY CONSERVATIONS

We shall now look at some general tips for energy conservation in hotels.
Passive design strategies can dramatically affect a building’s energy
performance. These may encompass the building’s shape and orientation,
passive use of solar energy, and the use of natural lighting.
Natural lighting: Develop strategies to optimise natural lighting.
Studies have shown that it has a positive impact on productivity and well-
being as well. Consider installing skylights if needed. Clean all the glass
panes on the north face periodically to improve natural lighting.
Artificial lighting: Install high-efficiency lighting systems with
advanced controls, including motion sensors tied to dimmers. Consider the
use of timer switch to switch off lights during hours when they are unlikely
to be required.
Task lighting reduces the level of general overhead lighting required.
Use translucent shades and keep them clean to obtain maximum
illumination. Use light-colored paints on the walls and smooth surfaces to
maximize the intensity of the available light.
In guest rooms, have a lighting system that is activated only after
inserting the key tag into the energy-saver slot. Replace incandescent bulbs
with energy-saving CFLs and HPMV or HPSV lamps.
Place light fixtures at the right height. Lower the height of fixtures in
high-ceilinged areas wherever possible. Install chandeliers and other
decorative fixtures only in public areas such as banquet halls, as they
consume more energy.
Temperature control: Use an energy-efficient heating/cooling system
of the proper size in conjunction with a thermally efficient building shell.
Maximize the use of light colors for roofing and wall finishes; install high
R-value walls and ceilings; and use minimal glassed areas on the east and
west exposures. Use draperies and sun films on window panes to cut down
on air-conditioning costs.
Use heat-reclaiming equipment in air-conditioning plants. The heat
displaced while cooling the air can be used to heat water, which can be
used in guestrooms as well as the laundry and kitchens.
Hot-water pipes should be well insulated. Indeed, leakage of both air
and water should be avoided. Damaged insulation should be changed as
Unit-4
Advanced Accommodation early as possible. Filters should be cleaned regularly. The temperature of
Operations–II
the heated water should not exceed the recommended levels for the various
Notes areas. For instance, in baths it should be 30–43°C, in showers 32–35°C, and
in sinks 43–49°C.
Appliances: Minimize the electric loads from appliances and other
electrical equipment as well as lighting by ensuring that the removal of the
key-tag from its slot invokes the energy-saver settings. Turn off lights and
fans in rooms that are physically unoccupied.
All equipment should be maintained and kept clean for the highest
possible efficiency.
Computer modelling is an extremely useful tool in optimizing the
design of electrical and mechanical systems as well as the building shell.
Alternative sources: Consider alternative energy sources such as
photovoltaic and fuel cells, which are now available for new products and
applications. Renewable energy sources provide a great symbol of emerging
technologies for the future.
Use solar energy that is abundantly available naturally and save on
electricity costs. Solar energy can be used for lighting and heating water.
Cooking fuel: Biogas can be used to cook staff meals. A biogas plant
may be installed and the organic waste generated in the hotel can be used
for the production of biogas.
Transport: Provide guests with bicycles, walking maps, and information
on public transportation. Small solar-powered vehicles can be used to ferry
guests within the property’s premises.
WATER CONSERVATION
Water is perhaps the most basic component of all life on earth. The
‘enrichment’ of water with chemicals and waste has become a universal
problem, however. Since freshwater shortage is a reality, effective water
management procedures are essential for the success of any establishment.
General Tips for Water Conservation

Let us now look at some general guidelines for water conservation.
Toilets: Employ dual plumping in the design to use recycled water for
flushing toilets or a ‘grey-water’ system that recovers rainwater or other
non-potable water for on-site irrigation.
Minimize wastage of water by using ultra low-flush toilets, low-flow
showerheads, and other water-conserving fixtures. Low-flushing WCs
require a maximum of 6 litres of water, as compared to traditional WCs
that require 10-12 litres. Automatic flushes activated by infra-red sensors
Unit-4
are ideal for use in public-area urinals. These alone can bring about a Energy Conservation
and Water
30 per cent reduction in total water usage.
Use aerated water taps and water-flow restrictors. Aerated taps mix air Notes
bubbles into the water, providing white, sparkling water that gushes out
at a higher pressure. Thus, the amount of water used is less and at the
same time, since the water comes at pressure, it is more effective in
cleaning. Aerators in taps may reduce the consumption of water from 200
litres per shower to 110 litres.
In general, showers use less water than baths, hence some guestrooms
may be planned to have shower cubicles instead of baths.
Excess water storage should be avoided, especially hot water, which
loses heat easily in annulated pipes and tanks. Instead, use re-circulating
systems for centralized distribution of hot water. Install point-of-use water-
heating systems only for more distant locations.
Waste management: Use recycled waste water for horticultural
purposes, flushing toilets, and air-conditioning through separate pipe
systems. A sewage treatment plant should be installed for recycling waste
water generated by the hotel.
Rainwater harvesting: Replenish ground water by rainwater harvesting.
The total daily water requirement of a hotel is approximately 250 kilolitres
a day. This comes to about 90 million litres a year. This includes both fresh
water use (around 80 per cent) and ‘grey-water’ reuse (around 20 per cent)
for horticulture. By using rainwater harvesting, nearly 25 per cent of the
water used within the premises is saved and an unaccounted for amount
of storm water from surrounding areas is directed through proper channels
into rainwater-harvesting wells to recharge the ground water.
Horticulture: Use timer-controlled sprinkler systems and self-closing
nozzles on hoses. The sprinkler system may be timed to operate during the
early morning or late evening hours, when the sun is not at its peak. This
minimizes the evaporation of water.
Alternatively, use the drip-irrigation method for watering plants in the
gardens as well. Plants need water only at the roots. In drip irrigation, pipes
with small openings are spread out along the ground near the plants. Water
from these openings irrigates only the roots and does not drench the whole
plant.
Switch to drought-resistant, indigenous plants. Replace mowed
landscaping with native ground cover species.
Table 1 presents some statistics on the unintentional wastage of
water.
Unit-4
Advanced Accommodation Table 1. Unintentional wastage of water
Operations–II
Activity Wasteful Quantity of Water-saving Quantity of Quantity of
Notes method water used method water required water saved
(in litres) (in litres) (in litres)
Brushing Running tap 45 Tumbler/glass 0.5 44.5
teeth for 5 minutes
Washing Running tap 18 Half-filled bowl 2 16
hands for 2 minutes or basin
Shaving Running tap 18 Shaving mug 0.25 17.75
Shower Letting the 90 Wet down, turn 20 70
shower run shower off, soap
while soaping up, and rinse off
and staying too
long under the
shower
Flushing Using traditional 13.5 Dual-system-short 4.59 4.5
toilet large-capacity or more flush for liquid or more
cistern waste; full flush
for solid waste
Watering Running hose 120 Watering can 5 115
plants for 5 minutes
(at low pressure)
Washing Running hose 200 Mop and bucket 18 182
floor for 5 minutes
(at full pressure)
WASTE MANAGEMENT
This is an integral part of ecotel operations. The waste generated by the
property should, as far as possible, be recycled.
Linens and other textiles: Condemned bed-linen, towels, and curtains
should be reused for making dusters, face cloths, scarves, swab cloths,
waiter’s cloths, and so on.
Garbage reuse and recycling: Segregation of wet and dry garbage
should be adopted for recycling, reusing, and recovering waste. Provide
recycle baskets for newspaper, white paper, glass, aluminium, cardboard,
and plastic in guestrooms—make recycling as easy as possible.
Leftover cooking oil may be sold to manufacturers of soap. Leftovers
from guest plates and other food wastes can be recycled in a compost bin
or vermi-compost pit to procure manure or in a biogas plant to obtain
biogas as fuel.
Sewage: A sewage treatment plant is an effective way of recycling
waste water generated in the hotel. The recycled water thus produced may
be used in gardening and flushing toilets.
ENVIRONMENT-FRIENDLY HOUSEKEEPING
The housekeeping department can contribute in a big way to making a
hotel eco-sensitive. The department can do so in the following ways:
Unit-4
• Most five-stars hotels wash bed linen on a daily basis. Since the Energy Conservation
linen is almost always very lightly soiled, the department may—in and Water
consultation with the management—draw up a policy for laundering
bed linen only once in 2–3 days unless perceptibly soiled. This
Notes
practice can save a large amount of water. The ideal way to
introduce this policy would be to leave the option to guests. A tent
card that states the purpose behind the same will always encourages
the guests to oblige. Providing relevant water conservation statistics,
such as those presented in Table 1, will reinforce the guest’s
decision.
• Employees should switch off lights and fans that are not in use.
• Employees should immediately report any leaky faucets or pipes.
• Employees should ensure that only the correct wattage of bulbs is
used and that light shades are clean.
• Employees should ensure that drapes are closed to maximize the
effect of air-conditioning or heating.
• The usage of cold-water detergents reduces the need for hot water.
• The final rinse water should be used for the first wash of the next
batch of soiled linen.
• Ensure preventive maintenance of laundry equipment.
• Consider using fabric blends with synthetic fibres, as they require
lower temperatures for washing, drying, and ironing.
• Biodegradable detergents should be used.
• Use biodegradable and eco-friendly chemicals in all cleaning and
laundry operations. Use non-toxic cleaners, sanitizers, paints,
pesticides, and so on throughout the hotel.
• No aerosol dispensers should be used in dispensing or applying
cleaning materials and air freseners.
• Guest supplies and amenities, provided by the housekeeping
department for guests should be biodegradable and eco-friendly.
• Minimize the amount of paper used for each guest—that is, reduce
the size of paper invoices and similar documents.
• The housekeeping department can source and purchase linen made
from organically grown produce.
• Water from the laundry can be treated and used for watering plants.
• The executive housekeeper should create an incentive program to
encourage staff to participate in and improve upon environment-
friendly practices.
Eco-friendly Guest Supplies and Stationery

The use of eco-friendly stationery goes a long way in promoting
environmental-friendly practices. The following practices can be followed
in the purchase and use of guest supplies and stationery in hotels.
Unit-4
Advanced Accommodation • Whenever possible, buy guest amenities in bulk. Use refillable
Operations–II dispensers for hair and skincare products.
Notes • Buy guest products that contain recycled materials.
• For guest stationery, use recycled-paper products (with a high post-
consumer recycled content) that are either unbleached or bleached
using a chlorine-free process.
• All guest supplies—soaps, shampoos, and foaming bath liquids—
should be biodegradable.
• Reusable, non-disposable cups and mugs should be provided to
guests for in-room beverages. Place cups and mugs upside down
on paper doilies instead of covering them with plastic wrapping.
Provide cloth napkins and ceramic dishes too, as these are reusable.
• Provide morning newspapers in public areas for community access
instead of individual room distribution. This reduces paper waste
by 60 per cent.
• Replace paper hand towels with air dryers in restrooms.
• Consider the use of hemp fabric for duvets, pillowcases, dust ruffles,
and bath curtains.
• Donate leftover guest amenities, mattresses, old furniture, and so on
to charities.
WATER QUALITY
The Environment Agency is responsible for maintaining or improving the
quality of fresh, marine, surface and underground water in England and
Wales.
Many human activities and their by-products have the potential to
pollute water. Large and small industrial enterprises, the water industry, the
urban infrastructure, agriculture, horticulture, transport, discharges from
abandoned mines, and deliberate or accidental pollution incidents all affect
water quality.
Pollution may arise as point sources, such as discharges through pipes,
or may be more diffuse, such as from run off from streets and buildings,
or agricultural nutrients lost from fields. We aim to prevent or reduce the
risk of water pollution wherever possible, and to ensure that it gets cleaned
up if pollution occurs that might lead to effects on ecosystems or people.
The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) has overall interests for the quality
of water in our taps, and local responsibility rests with the local authority
environmental health departments.
• Preventing water pollution from your home
The drains beneath our feet are a unlikely, but common, source of
pollution.
Unit-4
• Diffuse water pollution Energy Conservation
and Water
Diffuse water pollution can arise from many sources, which may be
small individually, but their collective impact can be damaging. Notes
Diffuse pollution can be caused by current and past land use in
agricultural and urban environments.
• Environmental Quality Standards
Standards and targets we use to help us take action to protect and
improve water quality.
• Regulations, licenses and guidance
How to apply for a water discharge consent, guidance and
applications forms.
• Disputes regarding connection to the public sewer
Summary of the Environment Agency’s responsibility for the
determination of disputes between Applicants for first time sewerage
and Sewerage Undertakers under s101A of the Water Industry Act
1991(s101A).
• Water industry planning – an introduction
The water industry has over 350,000 km of sewers, 6,000 sewage
treatment works discharges and 25,000 intermittant discharges. As
a result the water industry has the potential to have a great impact
on the environment.
• The Water Framework Directive
The Water Framework Directive is a new piece of European
legislation which promotes a new appraoch to water management
through river basin planning.
WATER AND ENVIRONMENT

Core Issue – Economics of Water
We are living today, in a water starved world. For many people in
developing countries there is not enough water to meet the basic needs for
drinking and sanitation purposes. Approximately 70% of water used
worldover is for the purpose of irrigation, 20% is used by the industry and
the rest for domestic and other purposes.
From economic point of view, return on investment of water in
industrial sector is many times more attractive than in agriculture. One
thousand tonne of water may produce one ton of wheat worth US $200
whereas industrial output for the same amount of water may be worth US
$1000 or more. There is a gain in industrial sector and subsequently
economic growth in diverting water from agricultural sector to industrial
sector. As the people attain higher standard of living, they demand more
food, such as dairy products which means more livestock. This would
Unit-4
Advanced Accommodation generate more demand for grains that require more water. But if the process
Operations–II of industrialization is to continue, it would be possible by diverting water
Notes from irrigation sector and not from domestic sector. This is what is
happening now in most of the developing countries in Africa and Middle
East. Diverting water from agriculture sector leads to loss in food
production with the result that these countries have to import food. The
world’s grain market will become a place for competition for water. The
noted author, Lester Brown, has said that “Water shortage may soon become
food shortage”.
Water Resource Assessment

The Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) constituted the National
Commission for Water Resources Development in 1996 to prepare an
integrated plan for development of water resources based on resource
availability and demand patterns and to suggest modalities for transfer of
surplus water to water deficit basins. Assessment of groundwater resources
and irrigation potential of the country is carried out on a regulr basis for
different basins. A network of 157 flood forecasting stations covering most
of the interstate river systems under the Central Water Commission forecasts
the occurrence of floods and inflows of the identified 40 million hectares
of area susceptible to floods, flood management measures undertaken so
far have provided a reasonable degree of protection to about 16.4 million
hectares through measures such as flood embankments and drainage
channels.
Water Quality Classification

Water quality is measured in terms of parameters like biochemical
demand (BOD), dissolved oxygen (DO) and total coliforms count. BOD is
a measure of water pollution based on the organic material contained in
water. The organic material provides food for aerobic bacteria, which require
oxygen to be able to bring about the biodegradation of such pollutants. The
greater the volume of organic material and the greater the number of
bacteria, the greater will be the demand for oxygen. Thus, the BOD value
gives an indication of organic pollution levels in the water. If BOD exceeds
the available dissolved oxygen in the water, oxygen depletion occurs, and
aquatic organisms suffer. Deaths of fish occur.
When organic effluent is added to a stream, the demand for oxygen
from bacteria and other organisms which will digest the organic matter, and
from chemical oxidation process is met by the oxygen dissolved in the
water. Thus, immediately downstream from the effluent source, the DO
content of the stream falls. As the organic material is gradually decomposed
and converted into carbon dioxide (CO2) and water, the demand for oxygen
declines. Ultimately, the availability of oxygen exceeds it suse and dissolved
oxygen levels in the stream rise again.
Unit-4
River water quality usage is classified as follows: class A means Energy Conservation
drinking water source without conventional treatment, class B allows water and Water
to be used for outdoor bathing, class C for drinking water with
conventional treatment, class D is fit for wildlife and fisheries, and class E
Notes
means water is fit for recreation and aesthetics, irrigation or industrial
cooling.
Coliform bacteria count is another parameter of quality of water.
Higher the count, poor is the quality of water.
Table 2
Criteria for designated best use
Criterion Class A Class B Class C Class D Class E
DO (mg/l) maximum 6 5 4 4
BOD (mg/l) maximum 2 3 3
Total coliform count (MPN/100 ml) 50 500 5,000

maximum
pH 6.5-8.5 6.5-8.5 6-9 6.5-8.5 6.5-8.5
Free ammonia (mg/l) maximum 1.2
Conductivity (micro mho/cm) maximum 2,250
Sodium absorpiton ratio maximum 26
Boron (mg/l) maximum 2
Note: DO: dissolved oxygen

BOD: Biochemical oxygen demand
pH: Measure of the acidity or alkalinity of water. Lower values indicate acidity,
higher values alkalinity, Neutral water is pH 7.
MPN: most probable number
mg/l: milligramme per litre ml : millilitre
Mho : unit of conductivity
cm: centimeter
Table 3
Water quality of the Yamuna – annual averages
Parameters Upper segment Delhi segment
Dissolved oxygen (mg/l) 7.95 1.41
BOD (mg/l) 3.7 17.2
Dissolved solids (mg/l) 270 563
Total coliform (MPN/100 ml) 13,000 9,000,000

Notes: BOD: biochemical oxygen demand
MPN: most probable number
mg/l: milligramme per litre
ml: millilitre
Unit-4
Advanced Accommodation DRINKING WATER FROM RIVERS
Operations–II
Many rivers in India have sacred names. Yet they have been subjected to
Notes misuse and converted into polluted water bodies. Holy Ganges, is the
pollutest even today after clean up programs. Urbranization and
industrialization have been the cause of pollution of these water resources.
Water quality of Yamuna river, the main source of drinking water of
the Capital of India is shown in the appropriate tables.
Water Quality Classification studies carried out by CPCB in regard to
pollution levels of Yamuna river at different locations record presence of
DDT, BMC and metals at almost every location. The studies published by
CPCB in 1990s in river water pollution may be referred to for further
information. Tables 1 and 2 give the level of pollutants, pesticides and
metals in Yamuna before it reaches Delhi. And Delhi contributes further to
this pollution. Delhi is the largest user of Yamuna water. The water is
treated at treatment plants but many a times one or the other plant had to
be shut down due to high level of pollutants. As soon as Yamuna enters
Delhi, it receives massive quantities of untreated sewage at various points.
Industrial wastes also flow into Yamuna.
A recent report of Times of India dated Jan. 31, 2003 “Water Pollution Hits
Rock Bottom” is reproduced below.
WATER POLLUTION HITS ROCK BOTTOM

Drowned in pollution. This is the condition of the groundwater beneath Delhi’s
feet. Shocking as it sounds, pollution has trickled through the troubled waters
of the Yamuna and percolated the rapidly depleting groundwater reserves of
the city. A recent study conducted by the GG Indraprastha University reveals
that the concentration of arsenic, mercury, nitrates, sulphates and dissolved
salts in the Capital’s groundwater exceeds permissible limits.
“Keeping in mind the tremendous pressure exerted by developmental
activities on the Yamuna, we conducted a detailed impact analysis of these
activities to ascertain the changes in the chemical composition of groundwater,
which is crucial for a sustainable supply of potable water”, informs K.
Aggarwal, Vice-Chancellor of the GG Indraprastha University.
For the record, the study entailed 50 samples of groundwater being lifted
from randon spot along a 22 km stretch between Palla and Okhla. These
samples were subjected to a detailed study for the presence of chemicals,
heavy metals and bacteria. The quantum of pollutants detected, in turn makes
for an unhealthy situation. While the excessive presence of dissolved salts
in water affects to kidney, nitrates can trigger off the blue-baby syndrome in
infants. Besides, an overdose of sulfate can cause gastric problems and
fluorides can lead to flourosis and dental disorders.
While lab tests did not reveal the presence of any pathogenic organisms
in the water tested practicing physician HS Kukreja points out that “mercury
and arsenic, if present beyond the permissible limit, make for a matter of
grave concern”.
Unit-4
Energy Conservation
So what makes the Capital’s groundwater as polluted as it is? “The
and Water
alarming presence of harmful substances in groundwater can be traced to
the continuous discharge of sewage and industrial effluence into the Yamuna Notes
and, subsequently, into the groundwater acquifer which, being sandy in nature
allows pollution to spread at a rapid rate”, explain an official of the Central
Ground Water Control Board (CGWCB).
Another problem involves the strength of Delhi’s fresh water flow. If
pumping activities continue with the current frequency, the city’s supply of fresh
water will mingle with saline water and Delhi groundwater reserves could turn
completely saline. “Sixty-seven sites have been identified as hydrographic
stations to be monitored through piezometers. We are examining the ‘draft’
and ‘recharge’ aspects says the CGWCB official. How much water the official
assurances hold, of course, is something which only can tap.
Times of India, January 31, 2003.
INDIAN SCENARIO
The CPCB has been monitoring water quality of national aquatic resources
in collaboration with the concerned state pollution control boards (SPCBs)
since 1977. The monitoring program started with 17 stations on the river
Yamuna and has extended steadily over the years to 507 locations currently.
The Central Water Commission also has a network to measure flow and
monitor water quality at about 369 field stations. The Central Ground Water
Board (CGWB) also monitors groundwater quality at 15355 locations. In an
effort to assess the pollution of a water body, the CPCB has also initiated
a bio-monitoring project under the Indo-Dutch Collaboration Program on
Environment and selected 215 locations for the introduction of bio-
monitoring based on the interpretation of physico-chemical data at different
locations. Limited water quality monitoring of wells is also being
undertaken in different states to estimate violations of pH, DO, BOD and
total coliform over desired levels. Source specific standards for discharge
of wastewater have been laid down by the CPCB under the Water Act. The
Act also empowers the SPCBs to lay down and maintain standards more
stringent than those specified by CPCB depending on local conditions. The
actual provisions for enforcement such as penalties, imprisonment, etc., are
confined to source-specific standards for individual polluters.
Under the National River Action Plan (NRAP), an integrated approach
is adopted by addressing not only river pollution but related factors like
internal sewage, solid waste disposal, and low cost toilets. Sewage collection
and treatment works are being installed to reduce the pollution load in
rivers. These include schemes for better sewage interception and diversion,
construction of sewage treatment plants, provision for low cost sanitation
and other schemes. In the first phase, under the GAP (Ganga Action Plan),
29 towns were selected along the river and 261 schemes of pollution
abatement sanctioned. At present 156 towns are being considered under the
NRAP, out of which about 74 towns are located on the river Ganga, 21 on
Unit-4
Advanced Accommodation the river Yamuna, 12 on the Damodar, 6 on the Godavari, 9 on the Cauvery,
Operations–II 4 each on theTungbhadra and Satlej, 3 each on the Subarnrekha, Betwa,
Notes Wainganga, Brahmini, Chambal, Gomti, 2 on the Krishna and one each on
the Sabarmati, Khan, Kshipra, Narmada, and Mahanadi. The National Lake
Conservation Plan is also being given the same priority as the rivers. The
Bhoj Lake of Madhya Pradesh is already getting assistance under funds
provided by OECF of Japan for betterment of its water quality. Coastal
towns are being given special attention due to the high possibility of
sewage, solid waste, bio-medial waste and the like being dumped into the
sea.
A ‘Water Quality Assessment Authroity’ has also been established
recently under the Environment Protection Act, 1986. The Central Ground
Water Board constituted the Central Ground Water Authority for regulating
the development and management of groundwater resources has notified
and banned fresh bores in areas affected by groundwater depletion. The
Authority is also promoting rainwater harvesting and artificial recharge
projects and has circulated guidelines for implementing artificial recharge
projects.
Under the 1994 EIA Notification, an Environmental Impact Assessment
has already been made mandatory for 30 categories of development
activities involving investments of Rs. 500 million and above. Ministry of
Environment and Forests give Environmental clearance for industrial and
other activities.Construction of common effluent treatment plants (CETP) for
treatment of effluents from a cluster of industries particularly of small scale
is also getting encouraging support. Under the World bank aided Industrial
Pollution Control project there is a provision of loan and grant for
construction of CETPs in an industrial estate or a cluster of SSIs. The CWC
also undertakes the environmental evaluation of completed water projects.
The Environmental Monitoring Committee of the CWC is monitoring 85
projects at present according to the guidelines of the Environmental
Management Plans for water resources projects.
Unit-4
5 CONCEPTUAL PLANNING Notes
INTRODUCTION
There are five sequential functions of management: planning, organizing,
staffing, directing, and controlling. Planning to administer a housekeeping
department affords one of the most classical experiences that might be
found in the management profession. It would therefore be a good idea for
you to refer to Mackenzie’s chart of management terms, activities, and
definitions while studying this chapter on conceptual development.
THE NEW EXECUTIVE HOUSEKEEPER

Being appointed executive housekeeper of an ongoing operation has its
challenges. After a brief introduction and orientation, the new manager
would normally be expected to improve upon and bring about changes in
operations related to the management potential for which he or she might
have been selected. Any executive housekeeper who has had this experience
might comment about how trying the task of bringing about change can
be and how much easier it would have been if the operation could be
started over. There is a considerable truth in such a statement.
Being involved in a soon-to-open operation in which department
planning has yet to be undertaken gives a manager the opportunity to
influence how a department will be set up. Involvement in such an
experience is both rewarding and enlightening and, once experienced, can
prepare managers to bring about changes in an ongoing operation
systematically and efficiently. The important point to remember, as stated
by John Bozarth, is, “Good results without planning is good luck, not good
management.” It is therefore essential that planning any operation, change,
system, organization, or procedure be allotted a proper portion of the
manager’s energies.
You will learn about the management planning that must take place
to initiate operations, as well as about organizing and staffing a new
operation. Once systems are developed and understood, you will see how
they may be applied systematically and efficiently to ongoing operations.
THE EXECUTIVE HOUSEKEEPER’S POSITION WITHIN

THE ORGANIZATION
In the model hotel that we present in this text, the executive housekeeper
is in the position of a department head. This position and level of

Advanced Accommodation responsibility is not uncommon in most transient hotels or hospitals that
Operations–II range in size from 200 to 3000 rooms. However, some executive
housekeepers are below the department head level, whereas others may
Notes rank even higher. Many become executive committee members (top
management within the facility), and others reach corporate executive levels.
Many seek careers that develop along housekeeping lines and others choose
to be executive housekeepers and oversee the entire maintenance function
of their hotels or health care facilities. Still others see an involvement in
housekeeping as an entry into the hospitality or health care field.
Regardless of position, all should have the freedom to communicate within
channels to every level of the enterprise.
For all illustrative purposes in this text, we presume that our newly
assigned executive housekeeper will operate from the department head level
and will report to the hotel resident manager.
THE MODEL HOTEL

Recognizing that the major hotel market in the United States is the
corporate transient market, we selected a commercial transient hotel
with resort flair—the Radisson Hotel at Star Plaza in Merrillville, Indiana–
as a model hotel to illustrate the systems and procedures that you will
study.
The Radisson Hotel at Star Plaza

Located in the northwest corner of Indiana at the intersection of
Interstate Highway 65 and U.S. 30, this Radison originated as a typical
roadside Holiday Inn, a franchised operation, located 6 miles south of the
heart of the Midwest steel-producing region near Gary, Indiana. Strategically
located on the main southern interstate highway south of the Chicago area.
The Radisson at Star Plaza is the result of the vision of its owner and
founder, Dean V. White. In 1969, he constructed the first increment of this
property as a typical 120-room. Holiday Inn, with a small restaurant, a
cocktail lounge, and several small meeting rooms. In 1972, the property
underwent its first enlargement by having 128 rooms and 6700 square feet
of ballroom space added.
In 1979, the property’s second enlargement took place, adding 105
guestrooms, more than doubling the size of meeting and convention space,
adding an indoor pool and recreation area (Holidome), Renovating all older
guestrooms and food facilities, and joining a 3400-seat performing arts
theater to the hotel. As a result of the 1979 expansion, the property became
a system award winner, and in 1983 changed its name from Holiday Inn,
Merrillville, to Holiday Star Resort and Conference Center. In early 1990,
the hotel franchise was changed from Holiday Inn to Radison. The theater
is now known as the Star Plaza Theatre. Unless, otherwise noted, we use
this 353-room commercial and resort hotel to show you the basis for
housekeeping department planning and systems development.
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REPORTING FOR WORK Conceptual Planning
Assume that you are in the position of the newly assigned executive
housekeeper of the model hotel and have been told to report for work only Notes
6 weeks before first opening. It is necessary for you to set priorities for your
first activities. Recognizing that the housekeeping department consists of
only one person (the executive housekeeper), you readily see that planning,
organizing, and staffing functions are of first importance, and the efficient
use of time is paramount. Not only is the planning of people functions
important, but the design of systems, the establishment of procedures, the
determination of supply and equipment needs, and reporting and
coordinating relationships must be considered.
The executive housekeeper’s experience usually begins by having the
person to whom he or she will report (resident manager) introduce him or
her to other on-board members of the hotel staff. These people are usually
located in temporary hotel quarters such as a nearby office building.
It is at this item that the executive housekeeper will most likely be
given the tentative chart of hotel organization, showing the positions of
principal assistants to department heads. Figure 1 is an example of a hotel
organization chart for our model hotel, showing the executive housekeeper
position as that of department head in middle management.
Note the position of the executive committee members at the top of
the chart—this is the policy making body of the hotel organization. Pay
special attention to the positions of chief engineer and human resources
director, which appear to be above the department heads and below the
other members of the executive committee. The incumbents of these two
positions are actually department heads, but by virtue of the fact that their
staff functions cross all departments to which they will provide a staff
service, they are (ex officio) members of the executive committee. They are,
in fact, middle managers with department head status.
The executive housekeeper is on equal rank with the front office
manager, with both reporting to the resident manager. The executive
housekeeper will have an assistant, tentatively titled housekeeping
manager. In addition, operation of the property’s laundry will be placed
under the direction of the executive housekeeper, requiring another junior
manager, the laundry manager, to report to the executive housekeeper.
Considering that we have a new property under construction that has
not yet begun hotel operations, it is important to note the probable advance
time when different members of the hotel organization may have reported.
The director of sales and marketing is usually the first major manager on
the site, being their since ground breaking because advanced group room
sales were begun at that time. The next major manager on site would
probably be the chief engineer. This manager reports about the time the
new building’s foundation is completed and the first electrical and
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Operations–II General
manager
Top management–
Notes executive commitee.
Hotel policy making body.
Executive
secretary
Director Food and Beverages

sales and marketing Resident Controller director
manager
Chief Human
engineer Resources
Front Office Executive Catering Executive Restaurant Beverage

(Middle management) manager manager
manager housekeeper director chef
Reservations Front desk Guest PBX Housekeeping Laundry Sous Banquet Administrative
Steward
manager manager Services manager manager manager Chef chef assistant
(Bells) (Junior management)
Fig. 1. A hotel organization chart (through department heads and assistants)

that might be presented to the executive housekeeper of our model hotel six
weeks before opening. Note the position of the executive housekeeper in the
middle management and the expectation that the executive housekeeper will
manage the laundry as well as the housekeeping department. The junior
manager position, tentatively called housekeeping manager, would be the
assistant to the executive housekeeper.
plumbing development has started. The chief engineer must monitor the
birth of the mechanical systems, in as much as this person will be expected
to know these systems with great thoroughness. Sometimes, the chief
engineer will work as an assistant to the construction manager until
construction is near completion. The third manager to report will probably
be the general manager (6 months before opening), followed by the resident
manager and director of food and beverage (4 months before opening), and
the rest of the department heads (between 6 and 8 weeks before opening).
Junior management will report about 4 weeks before opening.
The significance of knowing who reports when becomes evident when
we realize that the executive housekeeper must learn in 6 weeks what
several others have been exposed to for a far greater time. For example,
the executive housekeeper has to learn about available supply, storage, and
security spaces before distribution of these spaces is undertaken to make
sure that the housekeeping department is not slighted in the assignment
of such space.
Reporting relationships also are significant. Coordination between
housekeeping and front office personnel requires the respect and
understanding of each of the department managers for the others’
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responsibilities. In addition, the executive housekeeper will have many Conceptual Planning
occasions to relate to other members of the total hotel organization. It is
therefore important to know and become known to each of these manager’s, Notes
and a respect and understanding needs to be developed for each of them
and their functions. Others should in turn develop an understanding and
respect for the functions of the housekeeping department and its
significance in the total operation.
Becoming acquainted with the new surroundings includes obtaining a
set of working architectural drawings of the rooms portion of the hotel.
Such drawings will allow the executive housekeeper to study the physical
layout of the facility and will provide the basis for determining the scope
of involvement and delineation of responsibilities of the various managers’
areas. In addition, working drawings will assist the executive housekeeper
when on-site inspections are begun.
Once the executive housekeeper has an understanding of who is who
in the organization; has a knowledge of how long each person has been
on-site, how knowledgeable certain managers are, and how helpful they can
be; has met all the members of the management team thus far assembled;
and has a copy of the working architect’s drawings of the rooms
department and related areas, he or she is ready to be shown the temporary
working area in which department planning may begin.
EARLY PRIORITY ACTIVITIES

Given the various activities that make up the functions of planning,
organizing, and staffing, there will be a mixture of activities that take place
at the same time. Whereas there is an obvious need to determine what is
to be done and how to go about doing it, there is an equal and urgent
need to define the need for, establish the requisite qualifications of, and
recruit the housekeeper’s two principal assistants as soon as possible—the
housekeeping manager and the laundry manager. Until, these two managers
are present, the entire planning, organizing, and staffing function rests on
the shoulders of the executive housekeeper. Thus we see the immediate
need to specify the qualifications of these two managers to the personnel
director in order that advertisements may be placed and recruitment begun.
Recruitment is an immediate concern and will remain a part of the daily
concern of the executive housekeeper until these people are hired, usually
within 10 days to 2 weeks.
Division of Work Document

The work that must actually be accomplished for the entire property
needs to be recognized and identified as soon as possible. The executive
housekeeper should make regular daily tours of the property under
construction and, as soon as possible, draw up what is known as the
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Advanced Accommodation Division of Work Document. This document is a recognition of what will
Operations–II be required in cleaning the property; all departments must become aware
Notes of this. The Division of Work Document should include, but not necessarily
be limited to, the care and maintenance of the following:
Rooms Department: Includes guestrooms, room corridors, elevators,
elevator landings, stairwells, storage areas.
Public Areas: Associated with the sale of guestrooms; the front desk,
main entrance, public thoroughfares, public restrooms, storage areas and
similar locations.
Recreation Areas: Indoor and outdoor pools, health clubs, saunas, game
rooms, public restrooms, storage areas.
Restaurants: Dining areas and service areas.
Cocktail Lounges: Bar areas, service areas, liquor storage areas.
Meeting Rooms: Each by name, indicating the number of square feet
in service and storage areas.
Banquet and Ballrooms: Each by name, indicating the number of
square feet in service and storage areas boxes, food storerooms.
Kitchen Areas: Main kitchen, banquet kitchens, salad preparation areas,
refrigerators, freezers.
Employee Areas: Includes locker rooms, employee restrooms, employee
cafeteria.
Offices: All offices, such as sales, reservations, and executive offices,
that the public might be expected to frequent.
Maintenance Shops: Main engineering work areas; TV workshops;
electrical, plumbing, refrigeration, and paint shops.
Building Exterior
Landscaping
Lighting
Laundry
Other
Once it is completed, the executive housekeeper should present the
Division of Work Document to the executive committee for review, listing
the areas by name, noting anything unusual about expected cleaning
requirements, and offering a recommendation as to who should be
responsible for cleaning and maintaining each area.
Whereas most executive housekeepers are involved only in the
guestroom portion of the hotel and related public areas, it is not unusual
to be assigned the responsibility for nightly cleaning of kitchens, after-event
ballroom cleaning, swimming pool maintenance, and similar tasks. There
is essentially nothing wrong with inheriting such responsibilities provided
sufficient funds and staff are allocated to compensate for the additional
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work load. Many times trade-offs are reasonable, such as the food and Conceptual Planning
beverage department maintaining the employees’ cafeteria at no cost to
other departments, and the housekeeping departments maintaining all Notes
public restrooms regardless of where they are. However, if the housekeeping
department is expected to clean an area foreign to the rooms department,
such as kitchens, banquet space, restaurants, or cocktail lounges, then
budgetary compensation and personnel must be provided to the
housekeeping department and charged to the department receiving the
service. It is always proper that costs be levied against the revenue
generated in each of the various departments.
A Recommendation for Clean-as-You-Go

It might seem most efficient to place all cleaning responsibilities under
one manager for control, but employees are inclined to be more careful and
make less mess if they are required to clean up after themselves. Thus,
departments charged with cleaning their own facilities create their own cost
category for cleaning expense, which is to be charged against revenue
generated rather than to another department. At any rate, if the
housekeeping department is to be responsible for cleaning any area aside
from the actual rooms department, monetary and personnel compensation
is in order.
Area Responsibility Plan

Once the Division of Work Document has been submitted to the
executive committee for review, and the executive housekeeper has made
recommendations to the resident manager (member of the executive
committee), the Area responsibility Plan can be drawn up by the executive
committee. This plan is an assignment of responsibility of the various areas
mentioned in the Division of Work Document and shows various cleaning
area boundaries on a copy of a floor plan blueprint. Such boundary lines
are important to ensure that no space is left unassigned and that no
overlaps in cleaning responsibilities occur. The Area Responsibility Plan is
usually the result of the advance thinking and planning by an experienced
executive housekeeper who makes regular tours of the property. The plan
should be forthcoming from the executive committee within the first week
of the housekeeper’s tenure.
Continuous Property Tours

An important reason for regular and frequent tours of the property
before actual operation is to learn the various locations of storerooms and
service areas. There is little question regarding the main linen room, the
laundry, and major storage areas. However, most hotels have small storage
or service areas located in secluded places throughout the facility. It is
important that the executive housekeeper note these out-of-the-way areas
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Advanced Accommodation in order that enlightened negotiations for their use can take place when
Operations–II the time comes. For example, the executive housekeeper will need satellite
Notes (floor) linen rooms, and the chief engineer will need storage area and TV
repair space. Joint tours are highly recommended in order that department
heads can reason with one another about the use of such space.
Housekeeping Department Organization

The next task of the executive housekeeper is to develop the
housekeeping department organization. Let us assume that the Area
Responsibility Plan indicates that the housekeeping department personnel
will be responsible for cleaning the rooms and associated public facilities
areas, the offices, the recreation facilities, and all public restrooms. Fig. 2
sets forth an organization chart that indicates the assignment of
responsibility.
HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATION
Excecutive
housekeeper
Housekeeping
manager
Floor Floor Floor Floor Night Linen room Senior Recreation

supervisor supervisor supervisor supervisor supervisor supervisor housekeeping supervisor
aide
Room
attendant
Room Night Night

attendant housekeeper housekeeping
aide Linen room
Room attendant
attendant
Room
attendant Lobby Lobby
housekeeper housekeeping
aide
Room
attendant
Room
attendant
Fig. 2. Housekeeping department organization. The executive housekeeper’s

first conception of department organisation. Note the separation or tasks to
be performed under various supervisors. The number of floor supervisors and
the floor worker organisation remain to be determined.
Note that a portion of the organization devoted to cleaning rooms is
not yet firm and may undergo considerable change before the final
departmental organization is arrived at. However, assistant managers are
clearly in place, and the task of organizing the laundry will be delegated
to the laundry manager as soon as he or she is selected. The first line
hourly supervisory structure provides for evening operations (3:30 p.m. to
mid-night), linen room operations (communication central), public area and
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utility personnel supervision, and supervision of recreation areas (two Conceptual Planning
swimming pools, whirlpool, game room sauna, and associated public
restrooms). The actual size of the largest part of the organization (that which Notes
is associated with pure guestroom cleaning and servicing) is accommodated
by applying a technique known as zero-base budgeting. Zero-base
budgeting refers to worker use that takes into account actual occupancy on
a specific day or for a specified period of time. Worker staffing and eventual
scheduling are limited on a daily basis to the service of that specified
occupancy and no more.
HOUSE BREAKOUT PLAN

The next major planning step that the executive housekeeper must
undertake is the development of the House Breakout Plan. In order to
ensure maximum familiarity with the facility, it is highly recommended that
the executive housekeeper personally develop this pictorial representation
of every guestroom as it is located within the hotel. This is done by making
a line drawing of the guestroom portion of the hotel, showing the relative
positions of guestrooms, corridors, service areas, and other areas significant
to guestroom cleaning. Figs. 3 to 6 are examples of such drawings for our
model hotel.
Fig. 3. Floor plan layout of the model hotel; 94 first-floor rooms.

Abbreviations for Figures 3-6: S, storage; V, vending, E, electrical switch
room; X, elevator; Gl, guest laundry.
Criteria for Workloads

As the House Breakout Plan is being created, certain criteria must be
established: specifically, the workload of room attendants. The U.S. national
average for rooms cleaned per day by one person ranges from 14 to 16
rooms, but the actual number may range from 13 rooms per day (8-hour
shift) to a high of 20 rooms per day, depending upon the type and nature
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Operations–II
Notes
Fig. 4. Floor plan layout of the model hotel; 114 second-flour rooms.
Fig. 5. Floor plan layout of the model hotel; 112 third-floor rooms.
Fig. 6. Floor plan layout of the model hotel; 33 fourth-floor rooms.
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Conceptual Planning
Notes
Fig. 7. House Breakpout Plan of the model hotel; first floor, storage;
V, vending; E, electrical; X, elevator; GL, guest laundry
of hotel activity. In resort hotels with many metal surfaces to polish, mirrors
to clean, and multiple-occupancy guests who sleep in late, the workload
of a room attendant may be only 13 rooms per day. In transient operations
of standard-size rooms, where room occupancy consists primarily of
business people (usually single occupancy) who arise and vacate early each
day, room attendants can clean as many as 20 rooms per day—and clean
them well if properly equipped and trained for efficient operation. (It is
not a matter of working harder, just smarter). In our model hotel, experience
dictates that approximately 18 rooms per day would not be unreasonable,
taking into account special areas of the hotel in which cleaning loads might
be dropped to 17 rooms per day.
A recent trend in some forward-thinking hotels is to assign room
attendants “points.” These points represent a standard daily workload. Then
each room is evaluated and receives a point assignment by the executive
housekeeper. Larger rooms, rooms with kitchens, and other rooms with
special cleaning concerns, have more points assigned to them. Thus, some
rooms may be equivalent to 1½ or even 2½ standard rooms. The purpose
of this approach is to ensure individual workloads are comparable.
Whether rooms or points are used to set workload criteria, management
must remain flexible. When the condition of a room left by a guest is
beyond the norm, this must also be factored into a room attendant’s
workload for the day.
It seems that every time the union contract for room attendants expires,
this author receives a call from representatives of management asking for
a study showing that room attendants can clean more rooms than they are
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Advanced Accommodation presently required to do. At the same time, the union circulates press
Operations–II releases arguing that room attendants are overworked and underpaid.
Typically, slight concessions are won by one side or the other and no real
Notes improvements to productivity and working conditions are made. Would it
not be in both parties ‘interests if they concentrated on how to make the
occupation of cleaning safer, healthier, and less stressful to the workers?
This focus would not only improve productivity, but would also help to
improve worker satisfaction. In the chapters ahead, new tools, chemicals,
and methods of cleaning are presented, which may serve to revolutionize
the way cleaning is conducted.
Room Sections and House Divisions

Based on the workload criteria, the House Breakout Plan can now show
the facility divided into room sections. A room section is a group of 13 to
20 guestrooms, reasonably contiguous to each other that may normally be
cleaned and serviced by one person in one 8-hour shift. The room section
will normally be assigned a number and, for purposes of illustration, will
be cleaned by a person called a guestroom attendant (GRA).
In order for the room sections to be grouped into logical units for
supervisory and control needs, house divisions will be used. A house
division is a group of four to six room sections with associated and/or
specified corridors, elevators, stairwells, service areas, and storage areas. It
may be assigned a color or letter designation and placed under the charge
of a supervisor. For demonstration purposes with our model hotel, house
divisions will be color-coded and placed under a supervisor known as a
senior GRA or supervisor.
We can use the pictorial drawings in Figs. 3 to 6 to determine the room
sections and house divisions in the model hotel. We have the 18-room-per-
day criteria and 353 rooms that must be cleaned under 100 per cent
occupancy conditions. If we divide 353 rooms by 18 rooms per day, we get
19.6 room sections. Because, a partial section is not practical or economical,
we divide the house into 20 sections of either 17 or 18 rooms each. In
addition, five GRAs will form a house division for supervisory and control
purposes.
The House Breakout Plan may now be completed by considering the
size of sections, assembly of house divisions, location of cotiguous rooms,
position of elevators, and transportation from room to room.
Fig. 7 Shows how the first floor of the model hotel in Figure 3 has
been divided into room sections 1 to 5, of 18 rooms each. In addition, the
rooms of entire first floor of the model hotel have been combined to form
the red division, which contains a total of 90 rooms for supervision and
control by the senior housekeeper. Note the four excess rooms on the first
floor (rooms 1023, 1025, 4027, and 1029). At 10 per cent occupancy, these
rooms are not a part of the red division but will be cleaned by a section
housekeeper from the second floor, who will pick up these rooms as part
of another section. Figures 8, 9 and 10 show the same planning procedure
used in Figure 7 for Figures 4, 5 and 6 respectively.
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Note that the number of rooms on the second and third floors is much Conceptual Planning
greater than that on the first floor. This requires consideration when forming
the remaining house divisions. Figures 8, 9 and 10 show the creation of
the yellow division on the second floor (composed of sections 6 through
Notes
10 on the west end of the second floor), the brown division on the third
floor (composed of sections 11 through 15 on the west end of the third
floor), and the green division on the second, third, and fourth floors on
the east end of the building. Section 7 is completed by including the four
rooms on the first floor that are not a part of the red division. Note the
proximity of these rooms to section 7 (directly below and adjacent to an
elevator).
The House Breakout Plan developed in this chapter is by no means
the only way the model hotel can be broken into logical work units. It does,
however, reflect an efficient method of division of the workload. This
particular technique also lends itself to a form of work scheduling.
Fig. 8. House Breakout Plan of the model hotel; second floor.
Fig. 9. House Breakout Plan of the model hotel; third floor. Self-Instructional Material 157
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Operations–II
Notes
Fig. 10. House Breakout Plan of the model hotel; fourth floor.
STAFFING CONSIDERATION
Most hotel housekeeping departments will hire and individually schedule
section housekeepers on an as needed basis depending on occupancy.
Whereas union operations may require the guarantee of a 40-hour
workweek for regular employees, most union houses have few such regular
employees. Union operations have considerably more people, referred to as
steady extras, who can be called upon on an as-needed basis (when
occupancy exceeds 25 to 40 per cent).
Non-union operations seldom guarantee a 40-hour workweek but will
staff in such a way (based on expected occupancy) so as to provide between
35 and 40 hours of work each week for their regular employees.
Recognizing that labor costs within a housekeeping department are the
highest recurring costs in a rooms department budget, it is highly inefficient
to guarantee a set number of regular employees 40 hours when occupancy
is low. For this reason, a practical number of employees will be hired based
on expected occupancy for a given period of time.
Section housekeepers are scheduled on an individual but rotating basis
to ensure a fair and equal spread of the available hours. Sometimes the size
of the hotel might warrant the scheduling of several hundred such
employees on a daily basis. Such scheduling techniques are time-consuming
and tedious. As a result, we will use a different scheduling concept that
has been tested and proven to have many advantages over individual
housekeeper scheduling.
Team Concept in Staffing

Rather than scheduling housekeeping on an individual basis,
housekeeping teams may be formed. A housekeeping team consists of one
supervisor (senior GRA) who is in charge and one section GRA for each
section within a division. Because a house division includes the cleaning
and care of corridors, stairwells, elevators, and designated service areas, as
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well as associated guestrooms, the additional position of section Conceptual Planning
housekeeping aide is required on a team. (This is the nonsexist term for
houseman). This position may be filled by any person capable of performing Notes
the work set forth in the job description. Teams consisting of one senior
GRA, five guestroom attendants (GRAs), and one housekeeping aide can
now be formed, identified by a corresponding color designation, and
assigned to corresponding house divisions (for instance, red team to the red
division; yellow team to the yellow division). Recall that the team system
of organization thus far deals only with the subject of staffing. The actual
day-to-day scheduling within teams will be based on actual occupancy.
Swing Teams
The assignment of regular teams to house divisions for staffing
purposes satisfies the need for division coverage, but it becomes obvious
that the hotel operating on a seven-days-per-week basis will require
additional personnel to work when regular teams have days off. To
accommodate days off, swing teams may be formed.
Consider the requirement that no employee may work more than a 40-
hour week without the provision of overtime. It becomes prudent to assume
that a 40-hour week consisting of five regular 8-hour days will be the
standard and that the sixth and seventh day of work in a house division
must be accomplished by using additional employees.
Recall that the housekeeping department in the model situation will
also operate a laundry. The laundry has about the same staffing
requirements and will face the same situation of a seven-day operation, with
employees requiring two days off each week. By combining the total
workforce of the GRAs and laundry attendants (20 GRAs, five laundry
attendants, supervisor and aides for each group), a relief situation can be
developed as follows:
20 GRAs + 5 laundry attendants
= 25 employees
25 employees × 7 days/week
requires 175 man-days of effort
175 man-days ÷ 5 maximum number of days allowed
= 35 employees needed
This same formula can be applied to supervisors and section
housekeeping aides.
The original 25 employees will require an additional 10 employees to
relieve them if a five-day work week is to be adhered to. By forming two
extra teams from the 10 extra employees, with each team having a
supervisor and a housekeeping aide, a staffing rationale may be created as
follows:
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Advanced Accommodation Regular
Operations–II
Assigned
Notes Employees Relief
Red Team Swing team 1 relieves two days per week
Yellow Team Swing team 1 relieves two days per week
Brown Team Swing team 2 relieves two days per week
Green Team Swing team 2 relieves two days per week
Laundry Team Each swing team relieves in the laundry one day per
week
As you can see, not only are the four regular teams and the laundry
staff now regulated to five days each week for staffing purposes, each swing
team is also staffed for a five-day week. It should be remembered that the
development of these criteria pertains to staffing only.
COMPLETION OF THE DEPARTMENT

ORGANIZATION
The staffing requirement of the housekeeping department may now be
completely defined. The incomplete department organization shown in
Tabke 1 may be completed by the addition of six teams—four regular teams
(identified as red, yellow, brown and green), each having one supervisor,
one section housekeeping aide, five GRAs, and two swing teams (identified
as swing teams 1 and 2). The swing teams will each work four days in
the rooms section of the hotel and one day in the laundry.
THE STAFFING GUIDE

A major phase of human resources planning may now be completed by
formulation of the Department Staffing Guide. Table 1 sets forth a staffing
guide showing each and every position that must be filled within the
department, using the team concept of staffing.
The Department Staffing Guide provides for personal and numerical
identification of every person who must be hired for the department. A
copy may be given to the human resources department and the resident
manager for review and critique of staffing plans. Note that space is
provided for writing in the employees names opposite the position
numbers. When vacancies occur, they will occur by position number’s and
may be readily identified. Should projected occupancy be less than 90 per
cent for the upcoming year, certain established positions may be left unfilled
until such time as increased occupancy is forecast.
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Table 1. Department Staffing Guide Conceptual Planning
Position No. Title Name

Assigned
Notes
Management Team
1 Executive housekeeper ________
2 Housekeeping manager ________
3 Laundry manager ________
Fixed Team
4 Linen room supervisor ________
5 Linen room attendant ________
6 Senior housekeeping aide
(public area supervisor) ________
7 Public area housekeeper 1 (male) ________
8 Public area housekeeper 2 (female) ________
9 Public area housekeeper (relief) ________
Evening Team
10 Night supervisor ________
11 Night GRA ________
12 Night housekeeping aide ________
13 Night (public area) housekeeper 1 (male) ________
14 Night (public area) housekeeper 2 (female)
15 Night (public area) housekeeper (relief) ________
Regular Rooms Cleaning Teams:
Red Team
16 Senior GRA (supervisor) ________
17 Section housekeeping aide ________
18 GRA 1 ________
19 GRA 2 ________
20 GRA 3 ________
21 GRA 4 ________
22 GRA 5 ________
Yellow Team
25 GRA 6 ________
26 GRA 7 ________
27 GRA 8 ________
28 GRA 9 ________
29 GRA 10 ________
Brown Team
30 Senior GRA (Supervisor) ________
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Advanced Accommodation 31 Section housekeeping aide ________
Operations–II
32 GRA 11 ________
Notes 33 GRA 12 ________
34 GRA 13 ________
35 GRA 14 ________
36 GRA 15 ________
Green Team
39 GRA 16 ________
40 GRA 17 ________
41 GRA 18 ________
42 GRA 19 ________
43 GRA 20 ________
Laundry
44 Laundry supervisor (washer) ________
45 Laundry helper/sorter ________
46 Laundry attendant (ironer) ________
47 Laundry attendant (ironer) ________
48 Laundry attendant (folder/stacker) ________
Swing Team 1
51 Senior GRA (swing supervisor) ________
52 Section housekeeping aide (ST-A) ________
53 GRA A-1 ________
54 GRA A-2 ________
55 GRA A-3 ________
56 GRA A-4 ________
57 GRA A-5 ________
Swing Team 2
58 Senior GRA (swing supervisor) ________
59 Section housekeeping aide (ST-B) ________
60 GRA B-1 ________
61 GRA B-2 ________
62 GRA B-3 ________
63 GRA B-4 ________
64 GRA B-5 ________
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TABLE OF PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS Conceptual Planning
After developing the House Breakout Plan and the Staffing Guide, the
executive housekeeper can develop one of the most important day-to-day Notes
tools for effective management of the housekeeping department—the Table
of Personnel Requirements—illustrated in Table 2. This table has been
developed for the model hotel, in which there are 353 rooms and in which
each section housekeeper will clean an average of 18 rooms per day.
At each per cent of occupancy, the table establishes the number of
rooms that will require service, the number of housekeepers required at the
rate of 18 rooms cleaned per day each working 8 hours a day, the number
of housekeeper-hours required in an 8-hour workday, the number of
housekeeper-hours per week, and the number of housekeeper-hours per 28-
day period.
Construction of the table starts at zero base (see end of table), noting
that at zero occupancy no GRAs are required. Occupancy through 18 rooms
requires one section housekeeper working an 8-hour day, occupancy through
36 rooms requires the addition of the second section housekeeper, and so
on until occupancy above 96 per cent requires the addition of the twentieth
section housekeeper.
Every executive housekeeper must have a table of personnel
requirements in order that the number of GRAs and the number of GRAs
hours per day, per week, and per period may be determined quickly for
every given occupancy. Such information becomes vital to the efficient
scheduling and administration of any housekeeping department.
JOB DESCRIPTIONS
Along with the development of the Table of Personnel Requirements, a set
of job descriptions and/or position descriptions must also be developed.
This is done by developing a sequence of individual tasks for operations
that may be grouped and then assigned to a single person. The grouping
of such tasks is the creation of the position and job description.
If one is to take full advantage of the motivators of achievement—
growth, responsibility, and recognition—one must examine every job very
closely in order to see to it that the factors that make up the job itself will
form the “satisfiers”. All too often, jobs are designed around people of
special ability. This is not necessarily unprofessional, provided there is no
possibility of losing the person for whom the job was designed. In most
situations, however, this is not possible. When a person of special quality
leaves or is transferred, we hope to fill the position with someone of equal
capability. If no one can be found with the same abilities, the job must be
redefined. This is often time-consuming and may cause some reorganizing.
It is a much wiser course of action to first specify the tasks that must be
Unit-5
Advanced Accommodation accomplished and then to group these tasks into logical units that have the
Operations–II lowest per unit cost.
Notes When there is a choice about which tasks should be combined into a
single job, the criterion of lowest per unit cost is applied. Because cost is to
be minimized, it is logical to design task and combine them in such a
fashion that the lowest level of skill is required. For example, we would
not want to combine the task performed by a guestroom attendant with
those of a supervisor, because different skill levels are required. Similarly,
the tasks involved in the job of a guestroom attendant should not be
combined with those involved in the job of a lobby housekeeper. The
rationale is that it would not be cost-effective to have people cleaning rooms
one minute and fulfilling other maintenance tasks in the lobby the next.
The objectives of a study of job descriptions must therefore be:
1. To find out what the individual tasks of operations are that make
up the work of a housekeeping or environmental services
department.
2. To see how these tasks are grouped into positions and job
descriptions.
3. To understand the difference between position descriptions and job
descriptions, and how each is used.
4. To see what goes into writing such documents.
Even though job descriptions may be written for unskilled, semiskilled,
and skilled employees, they may also be written for supervisors, managers,
and executives.
Position and Job Descriptions

(Hotel Housekeeping Departments)
Position descriptions are sometimes written for managers, or for those
who have management perrogatives. Such people hire, fire, set wages and
make policy. The position description type of document sets forth the basic
function of the manager and defines the scope of the manager’s
responsibilities and authority. Specific responsibilities that have been
created for the manager and the reporting relationships they have with
other members of the organization are listed. There is usually a statement,
referred to as a work emphasis, about how a manager should allot his or
her time and efforts.
In the position description for an executive housekeeper, the basic
function listed in the position description is a simple statement of overall
responsibility. The scope helps the manager define the limits of managerial
authority. What usually follows the scope is a group of specific
responsibilities (actual tasks that must be accomplished). Note that the terms
“coordinate,” “administer control,” and “be responsible for” are used
frequently. They imply that the specific tasks have been delegated to
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someone who is working for the manager. Note also the standard form, first Conceptual Planning
of the position description for the department manager, then of the job
descriptions for the working line personnel of the housekeeping department. Notes
Table 2. Table of Personnel Requirements
Number GRA
Percent of Number of GRAs GRA GRA Hours/28-Day
Occupancy of Rooms per Day Hours/Day Hours/Week Period
100 353 20 160 1120 4480
99 350 20 160 1120 4480
98 346 20 160 1120 4480
97 343 20 160 1120 4480
96 339 19 152 1064 4256
95 336 19 152 1064 4256
94 332 19 152 1064 4256
93 329 19 152 1064 4256
92 325 19 152 1064 4256
91 322 18 144 1008 4032
90 318 18 144 1008 4032
89 315 18 144 1008 4032
88 311 18 144 1008 4032
87 308 18 144 1008 4032
86 304 17 136 952 3808
85 300 17 136 952 3808
84 297 17 136 952 3808
83 293 17 136 952 3808
82 290 17 136 952 3808
81 286 16 128 896 3584
80 283 16 128 896 3584
79 279 16 128 896 3584
78 276 16 128 896 3584
77 272 16 128 896 3584
76 269 15 120 840 3360
75 265 15 120 840 3360
74 262 15 120 840 3360
73 258 15 120 840 3360
72 255 15 120 840 3360
71 251 14 112 784 3136
70 248 14 112 784 3136
69 244 14 112 784 3136
68 241 14 112 784 3136
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Number GRA
Operations–II
Notes Occupancy of Rooms per Day Hours/Day Hours/Week Period
67 237 14 112 784 3136
66 234 13 104 728 2912
65 230 13 104 728 2912
64 227 13 104 728 2912
63 223 13 104 728 2912
62 220 13 104 728 2912
61 216 12 96 672 2688
60 212 12 96 672 2688
59 209 12 96 672 2688
58 205 12 96 672 2688
57 203 12 96 672 2688
56 199 12 96 672 2688
55 195 11 88 616 2464
54 191 11 88 616 2464
53 187 11 88 616 2464
52 184 11 88 616 2464
51 181 11 88 616 2464
50 177 10 80 560 2240
49 173 10 80 560 2240
48 169 10 80 560 2240
47 166 10 80 560 2240
46 162 9 72 504 2016
45 159 9 72 504 2016
44 156 9 72 504 2016
43 152 9 72 504 2016
42 149 9 72 504 2016
41 145 9 72 504 2016
40 142 8 64 448 1792
39 138 8 64 448 1792
38 135 8 64 448 1792
37 131 8 64 448 1792
36 127 8 64 448 1792
35 124 7 56 392 1568
34 121 7 56 392 1568
33 117 7 56 392 1568
32 114 7 56 392 1568
31 110 7 56 392 1568
30 106 6 48 336 1344
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Conceptual Planning
Number GRA
Occupancy of Rooms per Day Hours/Day Hours/Week Period Notes
29 103 6 48 336 1344
28 99 6 48 336 1344
27 96 6 48 336 1344
26 91 6 48 336 1344
25 89 5 40 280 1120
24 85 5 40 280 1120
23 82 5 40 280 1120
22 78 5 40 280 1120
21 75 5 40 280 1120
20 71 4 32 224 896
19 67 4 32 224 896
18 64 4 32 224 896
17 60 4 32 224 896
16 57 4 32 224 896
15 53 3 24 168 672
14 50 3 24 168 672
13 46 3 24 168 672
12 43 3 24 168 672
11 39 3 24 168 672
10 36 2 16 112 448
9 32 2 16 112 448
8 29 2 16 112 448
7 25 2 16 112 448
6 22 2 16 112 448
5 18 1 8 56 224
4 15 1 8 56 224
3 11 1 8 56 224
2 7 1 8 56 224
1 4 1 8 56 224
0 0 0 0 0 0 base
*This table is for a 353-room hotel with a work criterion of 18 rooms per day to be cleaned
by one GRA.
Job Descriptions (Hospital Environmental Services Departments)

The environmental services department has similar requirements for
job descriptions. The same form for the job description (JD) is used whether
for manager or for worker. The documents remain an essential ingredient
for all departments within the hospital and all departments will use the
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Advanced Accommodation same format. The JD provides a synopsis of the requirements for each job
Operations–II classification. It is used by the human resources department when it recruits
Notes to fill an open position, as reference for a current employee, and as a
resource in conducting performance evaluations.
The structure and number of job descriptions depend on the individual
facility. The human resources department often has a preferred format for
job assignments; the number needed will depend on the size and structure
of the department. Departments that are structured differently may require
more, fewer, or have differing types of job descriptions. The uniqueness
within each facility must be taken into consideration when developing a
job description.
CONVENTIONAL METHODS OF WORKER

SCHEDULING
Not many hotels or hospitals close on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
Worker scheduling would be greatly simplified if such were the case.
Everyone would have weekends and holidays off, and when the doors of
the department were closed, workers and managers alike could relax,
knowing that nothing was happening at the office.
In hotels, hospitals, restaurants, and other seven-day operations,
however, worker scheduling is a major task that must be performed with
absolute regularity. Not only must the manager and supervisor devote time
and forethought to the task of scheduling, but they must also take into
account the needs of people whom they schedule. For example, some
workers may not be able to work on Tuesdays and others want weekends
off; family demands and illness must also be recognized and
accommodated. Add to these concerns the problem of fluctuating occupancy,
which has the greatest effect on housekeeper scheduling, and the manager
has a full-time task that may not allow time for other less repetitive but
more creative tasks.
The manager who schedules a group of individual workers on a
weekly basis and who must adjust schedules on a daily basis may well earn
the label “tied down.” In order to improve this routine of scheduling and
in so doing greatly reduce the time that management has to spend
performing these task, you should try the team system of organization and
scheduling.
A WORD ABOUT TEAM STAFFING

The team system of organization has many advantages. A principal
advantage to the manager is in being able to schedule a group of people
as though it were one entity. It is true that not every person in the
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department can be handled in such a manner, but the majority of employees Conceptual Planning
in a housekeeping department can be grouped for scheduling purposes.
Another advantage of the team system of organization is that co-operation Notes
and workers’ morale will be higher when they are part of a small unit than
when they perform as individuals in a large group of people. A worker
who is a member of a seven-person team is much more likely to relate to
team performance where the impact of a personal contribution can be seen
than to a large organization where he or she is but one of many.
The system of team scheduling and staffing also embraces the idea
that the team will work together and will regularly be off together. Having
assigned teams to work in specific areas of the hotel (red team in the red
division, yellow team in the yellow division, and so on), the teams become
responsible for the entire cleaning function in their areas. The team—which
has a supervisor (senior GRA) in charge, several guestroom attendants
(GRAs) who clean guestrooms, and a section housekeeping aide who assists
and also cleans other areas of the division such as corridors, stairwells, and
elevators—becomes totally responsible for the entire division of the hotel.
Cleaning performance within the division becomes a primary responsibility
of the entire team under the supervisor, and performance is measured on
a team basis rather than an individual basis.
If the premise that each individual worker wants to be a part of a
worthwhile operation is true, team spirit will cause the entire group to
excel. There will always be a few above-average GRAs who excel in room
cleaning and take personal pride in their individual work; however, in the
eyes of the guest, the reputation of the best housekeeper will never be better
than the reputation of the poorest GRAs in the entire group. GRAs, once
they understand that their individual reputations are judged by the
performance of the poorest in the team, will become more willing to help
the poorer performers to improve. It should not be surprising, therefore,
to find many small disciplinary problems such a absenteeism and tardiness
resolved at the team level, because to be absent or late could have a
negative effect on the team’s reputation.
Promoting Teamwork
Even though the entire department is one team, and teamwork must
be fostered at every turn, promoting teamwork within each individual team
requires special effort. Susan C. Bakos offers the following observation:
Most people, management and employees alike, pay lip service to the
teamwork concept. “Teamwork” looks good in company slogans and fits
nicely into speeches. But the word usually means getting someone else to
co-operate with you. Unfortunately, everyone on the “team” feels the same
way!
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Advanced Accommodation Individuals work for the achievement of personal goals; promotions,
Operations–II raises, benefits and recognition. Today’s economy has made competition for
Notes these goals more fierce, with the obvious result; workers are even less
willing to be team players than ever before. And managers often contribute
to this situation by espousing “teamwork” yet rewarding individual
performance.
Bakos continues by saying that managers who follow a teamwork
approach should reward cooperation, and suggests a Manager’s Teamwork
Checklist, which includes the following:
• Rewarding teamwork through (team) praise, choice assignments,
raises, and promotions, just as we would reward individual
performance
• Including teamwork as a part of performance appraisals
• Rotating special assignments, allowing everyone an opportunity to
shine as an individual occasionally
• Understanding team ideas as well as individuals ideas
• Sharing information, decision making, and credit for jobs well done
• Setting an example by cooperating with others
Bakos concludes by indicating that such a Teamwork Checklist helps
make competitive individuals part of a goal oriented group and helps
individuals to put self-interest aside and make company goals first priority.
Teamwork and Seeing teams

Swing (or relief) teams, although not assigned to a regular division
of the hotel, are as accountable as regular teams for performance and for
the condition of jointly used equipment on the days they are scheduled to
work in a given division. This helps resolve problems that come up. For
example, GRAs on occasion complain about the condition of “their” section
after returning from scheduled days off, or about the condition of “their”
maid’s cart, vacuum cleaner, or other equipment. Such complaints are often
resolved when the regular GRA knows exactly who will be cleaning in the
section when the regular team is off. Problems are much easier to talk out
when the same workers face each other and are held accountable for the
condition of jointly used equipment.
As another example, let’s consider the regular GRA on the red team
who works in section 1 five days each week. When the red team is off,
swing team 1 works in the red division, and Jane from that swing team
regularly works in Mary’s section. On a different day, swing team 1 relieves
the yellow team, and Mary and Jane both work in the hotel. Both the them,
as well as their supervisor, thus have the opportunity to talk about section
1 and to discuss and resolve any problems. Also, when plaudits are offered
for the condition of section 1, the red team and swing team 1 receive equal
praise.
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Change Agents Conceptual Planning
David Frank
President Notes
Knowledge Work
David Frank is known as “the high-impact speaker who motivates”. Every year
he presents more than 100 seminars specifically designed for manufacturers and
distributors. He is a nationally recognized authority with over 25 years of
experience in distribution, manufacturing, motivation, leadership, facility
management, indoor air quality, and numerous other areas. He is the president
of Knowledge Worx, a consulting and training firm dedicated to developing
leaders at all levels of the sanitary supply industry. A visionary and leader, he
has worked with the foremost cleaning organizations, manufacturers, and
distributors, gathering experience with all levels of the industry.
Frank is an active member of the International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA)
and has served on Indoor Air Quality committees for the Carpet and Rug
Institute and Underwriters Laboratories. During his tenure on these committees,
he has helped to establish standards for healthy building designs, cleaning
practices, and environmental remediation.
Other advantages of team staffing and scheduling will be discussed

later in the text. Of primary concern at this time is the scheduling of the
staff for work. You can see that scheduling four regular teams, two swing
teams, and the laundry team as a group is simpler than scheduling 49
individual workers. In our model hotel, team scheduling will take care of
the scheduling of 49 workers’ positions. Twelve workers’ positions, however,
will still require individual scheduling.
STANDING ROTATIONAL SCHEDULING AND TIGHT

SCHEDULING (TWO PARTS OF THE TOTAL SYSTEM)
There are two major tasks that must be accomplished in order for the
following complete scheduling system to work. One is the task of
constructing a system for standing rotational scheduling. (The word
“standing” is used to denote a continuous system, and the word
“rotational” to denote the cyclical nature of the system that provides for
two regular days off for people each week and for staff to cover a full
seven-day workweek at 100 per cent occupancy.) The other task is that of
providing tight scheduling, which is a modification of the rotational system
to account for reduced occupancy. This will be accomplished by assigning
extra days off when occupancy is low. The tight schedule is actually a daily
modification of the standing rotational schedule based on occupancy.
In new operations, these two systems are designed before opening and
are then easily implemented on a given start date. In ongoing operations,
these systems may be used, but they require a thorough briefing of staff
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Advanced Accommodation and an understanding by employees before they are implemented. Usually
Operations–II
several weeks must pass after training employees on the scheduling system
Notes so that the one-time shock of shifting from one system to another can be
accommodated. Once the system is designed and employees are properly
prepared, the standing rotational system is implemented on a given start
date, which usually falls on the first day of the property workweek.
Standing Rotational System

Using the model hotel, assume the following work situation:
1. The hotel workweek has been established as beginning on Saturdays
and ending on Fridays.
2. Workers may work no more than five days in any workweek
without drawing overtime pay.
3. Days off will be consecutive unless the employee can be shown an
advantage for having split days off.
4. A condition of employment will be that all team employees must
be willing to work their share of weekends (This can be a condition
of employment, provided it is specified at the time of employment.)
The Work Calendar

The work calendar is divided into seven distinct workweeks. In each
week, teams (or individual employees) will be assigned two regular days
off. Each following week, the days that are assigned off will rotate forward
one day. For example, if the red team is scheduled to be off on Friday and
Saturday of workweek 1, then it will be off Saturday and Sunday of
workweek 2, and Sunday and Monday of workweek 3. This form of rotation
(off days moving forward) continues through the seventh workweek. The
eighth workweek is a repetition of the first workweek, creating a cycle of
workweek schedules that repeats every seventh week. Figure 11 is an
illustration of this system.
Note the seven workweeks, with each day of the week indicated
(workweeks are separated by a vertical line). Note also the horizontal bar
under the regularly assigned days that the worker is scheduled off. As the
weeks progress, the bar moves to the next succeeding days until the days
off are Friday and Saturday. Here the days off split to the opposite ends
of the week. Although days off are split in a particular week, each of these
split days joins the two adjacent days off in the prior week or the
succeeding week, causing the worker to have three days off in a row. This
will happen twice in seven weeks. Note that there are never more or fewer
than two days off in any workweek, even though in most cases the worker
is working six days straight. Now that we have explained the cyclical
method of days off, we can construct workweek 1.
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WORKWEEKS Conceptual Planning
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
SSMTWTF SSMTWTF SSMTWTF SSMTWTF SSMTWTF SSMTWTF SSMTWTF
Notes
All workweeks start on Saturdays and end on Fridays.

Line under two days in each week indicates regular
days off that week.
Long line indicates three consecutive days off.
Fig. 11. The standing rotational scheduling system. Each week in the seven-
week system beings on a Saturday and ends on a Friday. Underlines indicate
regularly assigned days off. Days off rotate forward one day each succeeding
week. In workweek 2, when days off are Friday and Saturday, they must be
split, with Saturday being the first day off in the week and Friday being
the last day off in the same week. Thursday and Friday of workweek 1 join
with Saturday of workweek 2, providing three consecutive days off. The same
happens when workweeks 2 and 3 are combined. This offers a strong selling
point for the system. When the employee’s days off are on the weekend, there
are three days off in a row, yet only two days off in any one workweek,
allowing for a full 40 hours of work in each week. The eighth workweek is
a repeat of workweek 1, hence the cyclical character of the system.
Construction of Workweek
First, let us look at Fig. 12, the Housekeeping Standing Schedule Form
that has been specifically designed for the model hotel. The four regular
teams, laundry staff, two swing teams, and individual positions that must
be staffed are listed. Note that it is the position that is scheduled, not a
specific person.
The color designations—red, yellow, brown, and green—in the column
“Team Position Person” correspond with the divisions of the hotel described
in the House Breakout Plan. If there is no indication in a schedule block,
it means that the team designated by a specific color is working in the
division of that same color designation; for example, the red team working
in the red division will be indicated by a blank schedule block. For the
swing teams, it is necessary to specify, in the appropriate schedule block,
exactly where the swing team is to work. In the standing rotational system,
all members of a given team will be considered as scheduled to work if
the team schedule block is left blank.
We can now construct workweek 1, using Fig. 12 as the scheduling
form.
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Advanced Accommodation HOUSEKEEPING STANDING SCHEDULE
Operations–II
WEEK ________________
Notes Team/Position
Person Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Red
Yellow
Brown
Green
Laundry
Swing Team 1
Swing Team 2
Linen Room
Supervisor
Linen Room
Attendant
Senior Hskpg.
Aide
Public Area
Housekeeper #1
Public Area
Housekeeper #2
A.M. Pub Area

(Relief)
Night
Supervisor
Night
Housekeeper
Night P.A.
Housekeeper #1
Night P.A.
Housekeeper #2
Night P.A.
(Relief)
Fig. 12. Housekeeping standing rotational schedule form.

Step 1. As a starting point, assume that in workweek 1, the red team
will work in the red division on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and
Wednesday, and will be off on Thursday and Friday. On the days off, swing
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team 1 will work in place of the red team. This is indicated on the schedule Conceptual Planning
sheet in Fig. 13.
HOUSEKEEPING STANDING SCHEDULE

Notes
one
WEEK ________
Team/Position
Red Off/ST-1 Off/ST-1
Yellow
Brown
Green
Laundry
Swing Team 1 Red Red
Swing Team 2
Fig. 13. Beginning of preparation of the standing rotational schedule for

workweek 1. The red team is scheduled to work Saturday through Wednesday
and to be off Thursday and Friday. Swing team 1 (ST-1) is scheduled to
work in place of the red team where indicated.
In the Thursday and Friday schedule blocks, note the “off’ and the “ST-
1,” indicating that swing team 1 is working in place of the red team. Note
also that “red” must be placed opposite the Thursday and Friday schedule
blocks for swing team 1.
Step 2. Now that swing team 1 has been scheduled to work on
Thursday and Friday for the red team, it is necessary that the team be kept
working five consecutive days. Given that swing team 1 also relieves the
yellow team two days and works in the laundry one day, its schedule may
now be completed as shown in Fig. 14.
At this point the scheduling of the red team, yellow team, and swing
team 1 has been completed, and one day off for the laundry personnel has
been designated.
Step 3. Swing team 2 is next introduced to give the laundry team its
second day off. The team will also work two days for the brown team and
two days for the green team, giving it five consecutive workdays. (Note
that the off days for both swing teams are now established.) Fig. 15 shows
the completion of the scheduling for all regular teams, the laundry, and both
swing teams.
Step 4. The next step is to schedule individual positions for workweek
1. Note that individual positions are normally referred to as fixed positions,
since their scheduling does not fluctuate based on occupancy. It is logical
for the linen room supervisor and the linen room attendant to be off on
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Operations–II
one
WEEK ________
Notes Team/Position
Red Off/St-1 Off/ST-1
Yellow Off/St-1 Off/ST-1
Brown
Green
Laundry Off/ST-1
Swing Team 1 Yellow Yellow Laundry Off/ Off Red Red
Swing Team 2
Linen Room
Supervision
Linen ...
Fig. 14. Continuation of scheduling system preparation for workweek 1.

Swing team 1 is kept working five days straight by swinging in for the
yellow team on Saturday and Sunday and for the laundry on Monday.
different days. It is also reasonable to have one day in between their days
off to facilitate routine communication and continuity between the two
positions. Similarly, the senior housekeeping aide should not be scheduled
off on the same day as the linen room supervisor. (Even though
management positions do not show on the hourly worker schedule, it is
illogical to schedule them off at the same time. Management positions are
therefore assigned two consecutive days off in such a way that either
manager can cover for the one who is off or who has important obligations
for part of each workday.) Note also that in the case of public area (PA)
housekeepers, the third position provides a relief for the first two positions,
provided the relief is not scheduled off on the same day as public area
housekeepers 1 and 2. There will be one day out of seven when all three
public area housekeepers are on duty. On this particular day, many special
projects can be scheduled and completed that would otherwise require the
hiring of additional personnel. Figure 16 is a logical completion of the
design of workweek 1.
Even though the total staff may be reduced at times, cross-training and
overseeing by other supervisors is used to keep staffing at an optimum.
For example, on days that the night supervisor is off, the head
housekeeping aide or the linen room supervisor might be scheduled to
come in late, thereby being available to take over part of the night
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HOUSEKEEPING STANDING SCHEDULE Conceptual Planning
WEEK ________
one
Team/Position
Notes
Yellow Off/ST-1 Off/ST-1
Brown Off/ST-2 Off/ST-2
Green Off/ST-2 Off/ST-2
Laundry Off/ST-1 Off/ST-2
Swing Team 1 Yellow Yellow Laundry Off/ Off/ Red Red
Swing Team 2 Green Off/ Off/ Laundry Brown Brown Green
Linen Room
Supervisor
Linen Room
Attendant
Senior HSKPG.
Aide
Public Area
Housekeeper #1
Public Area
Housekeeper #2
A.M. Pub Area

(Relief)
Night
Supervisor
Night
Housekeeper
Night P.A.
Housekeeper #1
Night P.A.
Housekeeper #2
Night P.A.
(Relief)
Fig. 15. Completion of team scheduling for workweek 1. Swing team 2 is

scheduled to work for the laundry team on its second consecutive day off;
then it works two days for the brown team and two days for the green team.
Having completed five consecutive days of work in relief, swing team 2 is
then off for two days.
Unit-5
Advanced Accommodation supervisor’s duties. Another possibility is that management might be
Operations–II scheduled to cover for the night supervisor. The rest of the scheduling for
Notes workweek 1 as indicated is therefore one of several logical arrangements.
HOUSEKEEPING STANDING SCHEDULE

WEEK ________
Two
Team/Position
Swing Team 1 Red Yellow Yellow Laundry Off/ Off/ Red
Swing Team 2 Green Green Off/ Off Laundry Brown Brown
Linen Room Off/ Off/

Supervisor
Attendant
Senior HSKPG. Off/ Off/
Aide
Public Area Off/ Off/
Housekeeper #1
Housekeeper #2
A.M. Pub Area Off/ Off/
(Relief)
Night Off/ Off/
Supervisor
Night Off/ Off/
Housekeeper
Night P.A. Off/ Off/
Housekeeper #1
Housekeeper #2
(Relief)
Fig. 16. Completed standing rotational scheduling system for workweek 1.

Days off have been assigned to individual workers not considered part of
housekeeping teams.
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Construction of Workweeks 2 Through 7 Conceptual Planning
Recalling the standing rotational system illustrated in Fig. 17, we can

now construct the rest of the work-weeks. By using the identical form Notes
shown in Fig. 12, the days off expressed in workweek 1 are, in each and
every case, advanced one day on each of the six remaining workweeks.
Similarly to how Fig. 16 shows the complete workweek 1, Fig. 17 represents
the complete workweek 2. Once again, in the case in which days off are
Friday and Saturday, they are at opposite ends of the schedule.
System Posting and Initiation

After the standing rotational system has been designed, all that remains
is posting and initiation. The schedules should be posted on a bulletin board
next to a copy of the Department Staffing Guide on which the incumbents
to all positions are indicated. Remember, these schedule forms are to become
permanent and should therefore be typed and protected with coverings. The
worker only needs to know what position he or she is filling and what
workweek is in effect to know his or her regular days off. Fig. 18 shows
how a Department Staffing Guide and seven weeks of standing rotational
schedules might be displayed on an employee bulletin board within a
housekeeping department.
System initiation is begun on any upcoming day that is designated
by management as the beginning of the workweek (it is Saturday in our
example). Once initiated, the system is in perpetual rotation, requiring only
that someone move a marker every week to indicate what workweek is in
effect.
In a new operation, the system should be initiated several days before
opening. In an ongoing operation, the system should be explained several
weeks before changing to it because of the effect the change may have on
day-off rotation.
Whereas the standing rotational schedule is a permanent system that,
once established and initiated, continues to cycle on its own, the tight
scheduling system is an operational system. It provides simple day-by-day
modifications of the standing rotational schedule that are needed because
of fluctuations in occupancy. The tight schedule pertains only to team
scheduling; it has no effect on the individual positions scheduled (bottom
portion of the standing rotational schedule), in as much as all positions
other than teams are considered fixed and are not affected by occupancy.
Figure 19 is a form especially designed for the model hotel on which
the tight schedule modifications will be shown. Note especially the space
for tomorrow’s date, day, and workweek; and the columns labeled “area”
(division), to which tomorrow’s schedule refers; “team scheduled,”
indicating which team is to work; and “bring in,” which is for a directive
issued to the appropriate supervisor as to how many section housekeepers
within the indicated team are to be used. In this way, management is
Unit-5
Operations–II
Two
WEEK ________
Notes Team/Position
Swing Team 1 Red Yellow Yellow Laundry Off/ Off/ Red
Swing Team 2 Green Green Off Off Laundry Brown Brown

Supervisor

Attendant
Senior HSKPG. Off/ Off/

Aide

Housekeeper #1

Housekeeper #2
A.M. Pub Area Off/ Off/

(Relief)
Night Off/ Off/

Supervisor
Night Off/ Off/

Housekeeper

Housekeeper #1

Housekeeper #1

(Relief)
Fig. 17. Workweek 2 of the standing rotational system. Compare workweeks

1 and 2 and note how regular days off have been rotated forward one day
for each entity to be scheduled. Workweeks 3-7 are prepared in a like manner
by continuing to move days off forward one day each week.
Unit-5
Conceptual Planning
Notes
Fig 18. Bulletin board display of the standing rotational scheduling system
and the department staffing guide.
TIGHT SCHEDULE For ________/________/________
(date) (day) (workweek)
Expected Occupancy % ________ # Rooms ________
Area Team Bring Supervisor Extra Day Others

Scheduled In Assignment Off On Call
1. ________ 1. ________
2. ________ 2. ________
Red 3. ________ 3. ________
Supervisor: 4. ________ 4. ________
5. ________ 5. ________
6. ________ 6. ________
7. ________ 7. ________
Yellow 8. ________ 8. ________
Supervisor: 9. ________ 9. ________
10. ________ 10. ________
11. ________ 11. ________

12. ________ 12. ________
Brown 13. ________ 13. ________
Supervisor: 14. ________ 14. ________
15. ________ 15. ________
16. ________ 16. ________

17. ________ 17. ________
Green 18. ________ 18. ________
Supervisor: 19. ________ 19. ________
20. ________ 20. ________
a. ________ 1. ________
2. ________ 2. ________
Laundry 3. ________ 3. ________
Supervisor: 4. ________ 4. ________
5. ________ 5. ________
Fig. 19. Form used for the model hotel to prepare the tight schedule
Unit-5
Advanced Accommodation delegating to the team supervisor the task of determining which people
Operations–II within the team are to be brought in; said another way, it indicates which
Notes team members are to be scheduled for an extra day off.
Developing the Tight Schedule for a Typical Day

For illustrative purposes, assume that the following hypothetical
situation exists regarding the 353-room model hotel:
1. Tomorrow’s day and date are Thursday, June 16.
2. Tomorrow’s date falls at a time when the standing rotational
schedule is cycling through workweek 2 (Figure 17).
3. Today’s occupancy was 95 per cent, and tomorrow’s occupancy is
forecasted to be 76 per cent (268 rooms expected to be occupied
tonight)
The following steps are required to operationally develop a tight
schedule for tomorrow.
Step 1. At about 4:00 p.m. on the after noon of Wednesday, June 15,
one of the managers of the housekeeping department refers to the standing
rotational schedule (Fig. 17) and notes the following teams scheduled to
work on that date (in workweek 2): red team in red division, yellow team
in yellow division, swing team 2 in brown division, and green team in
green division (the brown team and swing team 1 are scheduled for a
regular day off, and the laundry crew is scheduled to work in the laundry).
This information is then transferred to a copy of the form for tight
scheduling (Fig. 19).
Step 2. The manager contacts the front desk manager and asks for
an estimate of tonight’s occupancy (tomorrow’s workload for the
housekeeping department). The manager is informed that 268 of the hotel’s
353 rooms are expected to be occupied.
Step 3. The housekeeping manager refers to the Table of Personnel
Requirements and notes that 268 rooms reflects a 76 per cent occupancy,
requiring the use of 15 housekeepers.
Step 4. In the “Bring In” column on the tight schedule, the
housekeeping manager indicates as close to an equal distribution as possible
of the 15 housekeepers required to service tomorrow’s occupancy. For
example, three teams bring in four, and one team brings in three of the
five section housekeepers who are permanent members of the indicated
teams.
Step 5. The laundry will be working to service the soiled linen
workload created by today’s occupancy (95 per cent), requiring a full laundry
staff of all five members.
Step 6. Within a period of about 5 minutes, the housekeeping manager
has developed the directive portion of tomorrow’s tight schedule, which is
now posted in a specially designed place adjacent to the standing rotational
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schedule. Fig 20 is copy of the tight schedule prepared for tomorrow’s Conceptual Planning
workday.
Step 7. Within the next 10 or 15 minutes, each senior housekeeper Notes
(supervisor) will note the bring-in requirement for tomorrow and will, on
a fair and equitable basis, determine who (by name) among the team
members will be assigned to work. Similarly, he or she will indicate who
will be assigned an extra day off. Such indications are made on the tight
schedule (Fig. 21), which all employees may refer to for tomorrow’s staffing
needs before the end of today’s workday.
6/16
TIGHT SCHEDULE For ________/________/________
Thursday
(date) (day) (workweek)
76% 268

1. ________ 1. ________
Red 2. ________ 2. ________
Red 3. ________ 3. ________
Supervisor: 4 4. ________ 4. ________
Miller 5. ________ 5. ________
6. ________ 6. ________
Yellow 7. ________ 7. ________
Yellow 8. ________ 8. ________
Supervisor: 4 9. ________ 9. ________
Zones 10. ________ 10. ________
11. ________ 11. ________

Brown 12. ________ 12. ________
Brown 3 13. ________ 13. ________
Supervisor: 14. ________ 14. ________
Foster 15. ________ 15. ________
16. ________ 16. ________

Green 17. ________ 17. ________
Green 4 18. ________ 18. ________
Supervisor: 19. ________ 19. ________
Smith 20. ________ 20. ________
1. ________ 1. ________
Laundry 2. ________ 2. ________
Laundry 5 3. ________ 3. ________
Supervisor: 4. ________ 4. ________
Thomas 5. ________ 5. ________
Fig 20. Tight schedule form based on tomorrow’s forecast occupancy for our
hypothetical situation.
Unit-5
Advanced Accommodation TIGHT SCHEDULE For ________/________/________
6/16 Thursday
Operations–II (date) (day) (workweek)
76%
268
Notes
1. ________
Julia 1. ________
Red 2. ________ 2. ________
Hladya
Red 4 3. ________
Yomme 3. ________
Supervisor: 4. ________
Billie 4. ________
Miller 5. ________
Margaril 5. ________
6. Diazane
________ 6. ________
Yellow 7. ________
Vivtan 7. ________
Yellow 4 8. ________
Marie 8. ________
Supervisor: 9. ________ 9. ________
Janice
Jones 10. Mildard
________ 10. ________
11. Hariot
________ 11. Elevia
________
Brown 12. ________ 12. ________
Brown 3 13. ________
Hammil 13. ________
Jane 14. ________
Foster 15. ________ 15. Mary
________
16. ________ 16. ________

William
Green 17. ________
Gorgia 17. ________
Green 4 18. ________
Tommy 18. ________
Jane 19. ________
Smith 20. ________
Lourise 20. ________
a. Jane
________ 1. ________
Laundry 2. Marie
________ 2. ________
Laundry 5 3. Wilma
________ 3. ________
Supervisor: 4. Helen
________ 4. ________
Thomas 5. ________
Saura 5. ________
Fig. 21. Supervisors complete the tight schedule by indicating who from
among the indicated teams will be working and who will be scheduled for
an extra day off. The completed tight schedule is posted daily next to the
standing rotation scheduling system
Tight scheduling is now complete for Thursday’s workday and is

available for all to see. (Note that the regular laundry staff was off the
previous day.) It will be necessary for the laundry supervisor to call in and
ask about tomorrow’s requirement for workers. The supervisor will specify
by phone how many laundry employees will work from among the
members of the laundry team. The supervisor will then call the team
members and specify tomorrow’s requirement for workers.
Unit-5
When it is known that an annual occupancy of less than about 90 per Conceptual Planning
cent is forecast, 100 per cent staffing is not required; that is, teams need
not be staffed to capacity and may be reduced in size to provide more Notes
scheduled workdays for the staff. It staffing is reduced and occupancy
exceeds the capabilities of the staff, people who are regularly scheduled of
may be offered overtime to fill the gaps.
Control over the Tight Schedule

Recall that the task of specific designation as to who works within each
team has been delegated to each team supervisor. Although this delegation
is job enriching to each supervisor, control must be maintained to ensure
equitable and fair rotation of the assignment of extra days off for team
members. For this reason, each supervisor should be required to maintain
a notebook indicating rotational assignment of extra days off for each
member of the specified team. If questioned by any employee regarding
fairness of assignment, the supervisor must be able to produce a record of
fairness in the designation of extra days off. In many cases, if a team is to
be scheduled down, a request for volunteers to accept an extra day off is
usually all that is needed; in other cases, the extra day off must be assigned.
Records must be kept to indicate that this assignment has been performed
in a fair manner.
Equipment Use Related to the Tight Schedule

There are two major pieces of equipment that are associated with each
room section—maid’s cart and vacuum cleaner. This equipment should be
identified by a number corresponding to the section to which it belongs.
At 100 per cent occupancy, each of the GRAs working in one of the 20
assigned sections will have the exclusive use of the specified equipment.
In this manner, a specific GRA from a regular team and a swing team may
be held accountable for the condition and care of the equipment. At less
than 100 per cent occupancy, however, several sections will not have a GRA
assigned. Note that in Fig. 21, sections 2, 9, 12, 15 and 16 have no one
assigned. This does not mean that there will be no work to perform in those
sections, only that the workers scheduled are to use their assigned
equipment. At a later time, the actual placement of the GRA in a specific
work area will be covered by a procedure known as opening the house.
UNION CONTRACTS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON

SCHEDULING
We have shown you one of the most efficient scheduling techniques
available to executive housekeepers. In real-life situations, however, union
contracts can have an overwhelming effect on scheduling techniques. They
may insist on a guaranteed 40-hour week and the requirement of additional
Unit-5
Advanced Accommodation positions on the labor force rather than cross-trained employees to perform
Operations–II more than one type of task (e.g. housekeeping and laundry).
Notes Executive housekeepers thus have the challenge of presenting to unions
plans that guarantee fairness to current employees as opposed to plans that
pad staffs with unnecessary workers. In most cases, the best argument in
favor of cross-training and scheduling of employees is that a 40-hour job
does not exist and the company will not hire a full-time employee to work
where only 8 or 16 hours of work actually exist. Many union houses are
GRA’S DAILY REPORT

SECTION ________ (18) RMS. AM. PM.
GRA ________________
Billie (18) Wednesday
Day ________ 11/4
Date ________
Room # C/O OCC R Remarks Pickup
1062 1042
1063 1044
1064 1046
1065 1049
1066 1055
1067 1057
1068 1061
1071
1072
1073
1074
1075
1076 Marjorie will do
1077 “ “
1078 “ “
1079 “ “
1081 “ “
1083 “ “
Fig. 22. GRA’s Daily Report for section 4, which has been assigned to Billie,
who has seven pickup rooms. The supervisor opening the house recognizes
that the pickup rooms given to Billie create an overload. Rooms 1076, 1077,
1081, and 1083 have therefore been reassigned to Marjorie, working in
section 5, because they are adjacent to Marjorie’s regular section.
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able to deal with this problem by having a very small cadre of full-time Conceptual Planning
employees and a majority of workers who are considered steady extras
(workers who are not guaranteed 40 hours). Notes
Where union contracts are in force, the executive housekeeper should
work to ensure fairness to employees. If union contracts are not in force,
executive housekeepers should do everything possible to ensure that
workers have fair treatment and adequate wages and benefits.
OTHER FORMS FOR DIRECTING AND CONTROL:

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES
Standardization
Standard operating procedures (SOPs) are written instruments that set
forth specific recurring actions. They are the devices by which procedures
are standardized and are the basis for ready reference as to how to
accomplish specific tasks. The opening-the-house procedure just described
is a prime example of a procedure requiring documentation. The existence
of an SOP on a given subject tacitly prevents deviation from standard
activities until such time as a controlled change takes place. At that time,
a new or revised SOP may be promulgated. SOPs are similar in form, are
numbered, and are usually kept in a reference journal (manual) available
to anyone who will have any responsibility regarding a specific procedure.
SOPs are coded into various departments of the hotel and may be collected
into a master SOP notebook available to the general manager and others
interested in reviewing operational techniques. All SOPs usually begin with
a simple statement of policy, followed by paragraphs indicating directives,
procedures, explanation of forms, records to be kept, positional
responsibilities, and coordinating relationships.
Structured versus Unstructured Operations

Some managers feel that large numbers of controlled SOPs form an
organization that is too highly structured, creating an environment that
stifles initiative. On the contrary, organizations that do not have controlled
processes and procedures usually have as many ways to perform an
operation as there are people working at the tasks. Some employees may
present better ways of accomplishing a task than the manner prescribed in
an SOP. If such is the case, testing of a new procedure may well warrant
the promulgation of a change in procedure, again standardizing to the better
way. SOPs can therefore present a challenge to employees to find better
ways to accomplish tasks. If such participation results, employees may be
given credit for their participation in improving operations.
Unit-5
Advanced Accommodation GRA’S DAILY REPORT
Operations–II
5
SECTION ________ (18) RMS. AM. PM.
Notes GRA ________________
Marjorie (17) Wednesday
Day ____________ 11/4
Date ________
Room # C/O OCC R Remarks Pickup
1085 1076
1087 1077
1091 1078
1093 1081
1095 1083
1096
1097
1098
1099
1100
1101
1102
1103
1104
1105
1106
1107
1108
Fig. 23. GRA’s Daily Report for section 5, which has been assigned to
Marjorie, who has five pickup rooms.
Suitable Subjects for Standard Operating Procedures in Hotels

The following procedural items are suitable for presentation by SOPs.
Note that these procedures recur regularly, are suitable for delegation of
tasks, allow for communication by forms, and are the foundation upon
which change may be made if warranted.
Opening the house
Daily routine
Night activities
Key control
Lost-and-found operations
Unit-5
Inventory control procedures Conceptual Planning
Linen-handling procedures
Time card control Notes
Dilution control for chemicals used in cleaning
Inspection checklists
Standards of performance
Maintenance work-order program
Control of guest loan items
EXAMPLES OF STANDARD OPERATING PROCE-

DURES FOR HOTELS
There are many procedures that may warrant the publication of an SOP.
As examples we present three typical procedures that are standard in almost
all housekeeping departments.
Lost-And-Found Operations
Your Hotel
Anywhere, USA
Standard Operating Procedure 1
Lost-And-Found Operations
Responsibility
A hotel lost-and-found will be operated by the housekeeping
department. No department other than the housekeeping department will
maintain a collection of found items. Any employee finding an item
anywhere in the hotel that appears to be of value will follow his or her
supervisor’s instructions regarding lost items, and each departmental
supervisory staff will ensure that its internal procedures provide for the
orderly flow of found items to the housekeeping department for proper
storage and disposal. The housekeeping department has also been assigned
the task of controlling and coordinating the return of found property to
rightful owners, if such property is inquired about. Under no circumstances
will any employee of the hotel attempt to contact who they think might
be a rightful owner for the return of the property. (For property to be
returned, it must be inquired about.) Nor will any employee admit to seeing
an item or suggesting that such an item may be in the lost-and-found unless
the employee has the item in his or her hand.
Procedure (Items Found)

1. When an item is found during day-shift operations (8.00 a.m.–4.00
p.m.), it will be taken to the linen room office for logging and
custody control.
Unit-5
Advanced Accommodation 2. At other times, items will be turned in to the front desk for custody
Operations–II control.
Notes 3. The linen room supervisor will take any item left at the front desk
both during the swing or grave shift to the linen room for proper
storage and logging.
4. If a purse or wallet is found, it will be inventoried by two (2)
managers, the contents noted in the Log Book (described in the next
section), and the book signed by both managers.
The Lost-And-Found Log

All property turned into the housekeeping department for safekeeping
will be logged in a Lost-and-Found Log Book containing the following
columnar entries: Date/Serial Number/Description of Item/Where Found/
By Whom/Department/Disposition/Cross-Reference/Signature/Remarks.
1. Each item turned in to the housekeeping department will be logged
with the information indicated earlier, noting the date found. The
entry will be assigned a serial number, and a description of the item
will be recorded, along with where it was found, by whom, and in
what department the finder may be located.
2. The item will then be placed in an opaque bag, if possible, and the
bag marked with the Log Book serial number only.
3. The item will then be placed in the lost-and-found storeroom, using
a sequential numbering system to make for easy location.
4. The linen room supervisor or linen room attendant will be
responsible for making all log entries and for maintaining the Log
Book and the lost-and-found storeroom.
5. The linen room supervisor or attendant will ensure that at the close
of the day shift, the Lost-and-Found Log Book is locked inside the
lost-and-found.
Lost-And-Found Enquiries
1. All inquiries about items lost or missing will be referred to the
housekeeping department linen room supervisor or attendant for
processing. Any inquiry made to any employee in the hotel about
a lost item will be referred to the housekeeping office. The business
hours of the lost-and-found will be from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.,
Monday through Friday.
2. Upon the inquiry by a guest about a lost item during day
operations, the linen room supervisor will first check the Lost-and-
Found Log Book. If the item is recorded, he or she will proceed to
the lost-and-found and actually locate the item. Once the supervisor
has the item in hand, he or she may then tell the guest that the
item is in the lost-and-found. If the guest is in the hotel, he or she
Unit-5
will be told how to come to the lost-and-found. Upon presenting Conceptual Planning
him or herself, and after properly describing the item, the guest will
be required to sign the Lost-and-Found Log Book under the column Notes
marked “Disposition.” A name, address, and phone number will be
recorded in the “Disposition” column. The guest may then be given
the item. A reward should never be sought; however, if a reward is
offered, it will be noted in the “Remarks” column of the Log Book.
(The finder may then be called to the housekeeping office to receive
the reward.) Under no condition will a person be told that the item
is in the lost-and-found solely on the strength that it is noted in the
lost-and-found Log. The item must be personally in hand before an
acknowledgment is made that the item is in the lost-and-found.
3. Any inquiries during swing and grave shift operations will be noted
on a lost-and-found inquiry form and left for the linen room
supervisor. If the property is located, the linen room supervisor will
mail the item(s) to the rightful owner.
Items to be Mailed
When a lost item has been positively identified by an inquirer and the
item must be mailed, the item will be packaged for mailing by the
housekeeping department linen room attendant. The mail room will then
be requested to pick up the package for mailing. The person taking the
package for mailing will sign the Lost-and-Found Log Book, assuming
temporary custody of the item.
Control of the Lost-and-Found Storeroom

Strict control of the lost-and-found storeroom will be maintained. The
executive housekeeper or assistant and the linen room supervisor or
attendant will be the only people permitted in the lost-and-found storeroom.
These people will be the only ones permitted to release property from the
lost-and-found storeroom. At the end of each day shift, the linen room
supervisor will ensure that the lost-and-found door is locked.
Disposition of Items Not Claimed

Any item maintained in the lost-and-found will be held for 90 days.
If at the end of this time period the item has not been properly claimed
by its rightful owner, it will be offered to the finder as his or her personal
property. If the finder desires the item, he or she will be issued a hotel
property pass by the housekeeping department authorizing the removal of
the property from the hotel. Should the person not desire the item, it will
be given to a charitable organization such as Opportunity Village or any
other charity that may be designated by the management. Disposition will
be so noted in the Lost-and-Found Log.
Unit-5
Advanced Accommodation Proper Guest Relations
Operations–II
Proper handling of lost-and-found matters for our guests is one of our
Notes best opportunities to further our public image. Every effort should be made
to recognize the concern of our guests and grant them that concern by
offering prompt and efficient service regarding lost items.
CHANGING DOOR LOCKS
Your Hotel
Anywhere, USA
Procedure for Changing Door Locks
Procedure
Whenever the need arises to request a room lock change, the following
procedure will be followed:
1. The manager requesting the lock change will fill out the new Lock
Change Request Form, indicating the room number, the lock cylinder
number, the date, time, and a housekeeper’s name.
2. A security officer will also date and approve the request on the line
provided.
3. If request is made on the day shift, the Lock Change Request form
will be hand-carried to the locksmith, who will sign and receipt for
same. The pink copy will then be left with the locksmith.
4. If request is made on swing or grave shift, the request form will
be brought to the security office. The secretaries will be responsible
for taking the form to the locksmith’s office the next day.
A notation will be made on the report indicating that a lock change
request has been made.
The Lock Change Request Form is a three-part form, and the
distribution is as follows:
White copy Retained by security office
Yellow copy Forwarded to front desk and housekeeping
Pink copy Given to locksmith
There will be occasions when the maintenance of proper security will
require the changing of door locks.
KEY CONTROL
Your Hotel
Anywhere, USA
Key Control
Unit-5
General Conceptual Planning
The control of keys is basic to the security of the hotel and to the safety
of the employees and guests. The security department holds a number of Notes
emergency keys, master keys, and special keys that are subcustodied to
employees authorized to use them on specific occasions. Tight security of
these keys is required, and the security department will establish procedures
for the maintenance of security of these keys.
Procedure
1. The housekeeping department will maintain floor master keys in a
locked key control cabinet.
2. Each of these keys will be identified by a stamping and a tag as to
their use and level of entry and will be listed on the Master Key
Control Chart in the security office.
3. People who have a legitimate need or those involved in an
emergency that warrants the use of such keys will contact the
housekeeping linen room supervisor for assistance.
4. Keys must be signed for on the Master Key Control Chart.
5. Keys returned will be receipted for on the Master Key Control Log
Sheet.
Found Keys
Employees finding keys on the premises must turn them in to the
security department. Employees having knowledge of an unauthorized
person in possession of any key must report such information to the
security department. Employees in possession of an unauthorized key will
be subject to disciplinary action.
Key Assistance for Guests

1. If a guest is locked out of his or her room, has no key, and asks
for assistance, a security officer or manager should be notified.
2. Upon arrival at the guest’s room, the security officer should ask the
guest his or her name and home residence.
3. The security officer may then enter the room, leaving the door open
and asking the guest to remain outside until positive identification
may be obtained.
4. The security officer will then call the front desk and ask the name
and hometown of the guest in the designated room.
5. If the information received by the security officer over the phone
from the front desk coincides with what the security officer was told
by the guest, then the guest may be allowed to enter the room.
There should be no exceptions to this policy. Security officers will write
an incident report any time they are required to let a guest into a room.
Unit-5
Advanced Accommodation General Procedures
Operations–II
Cart Setup
SUBJECT: _______________________________________________________________
Notes Environmental Services
DEPARTMENT: ___________________________ DATE ISSUED: _______________
APPROVED BY: __________________________ DATE EFFECTIVE : ___________
ORIGINATED BY: ________________________ SUPERSEDES DATE: __________
Page 1 of 1.
Prupose: To provide the Environmental 1 toilet swab
Technician with a checklist of 1 high duster
equipment and supplies that will be
1 dust pan
needed to complete a routine job
assignment. (Project work assignments 1 small broom
will require different and/or additional 1 5-gallon mop bucket
equipment and supplies.) 1 small wringer
The following items should appear on 1 10-quart plastic bucket
a properly equipped cleaning cart:
6 containers liquid hand soap
1 dust mop handle
An adequate supply of toilet tissue
1 wet mop handle
An adequate supply of paper
5 (or more) wet mop heads towels
1 (or more) dust mop head 1 gallon of disinfectant with pump
An adequate supply of 23” plastic dispenser or measuring device
bags Rags
An adequate supply of 15” bags Environmental Technicians are
1 plastic bottle equipped with trigger expected to keep cleaning carts
sprayer clean and orderly at all times.
1 bottle liquid abrasive cleaner All cleaning solutions and
1 bottle toilet bowl cleaner chemicals must be labeled clearly
as to contents.
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES ARE NOT TO

RESTRICT INITIATIVE
The extent to which housekeeping department managers choose to
document procedures for reference, standardization, and use in training is
a matter of personal preference and, in most cases, company policy. Most
companies requiring the promulgation of SOPs are usually quick to
emphasize that such SOPs are to be used primarily as guidelines for
operations and should not stifle initiative in the investigation of ways and
means to improve operations. Many hotels are quick to reward employees
who find better ways of performing tasks; some even offer incentive awards
for improvement of procedures. The SOPs may very well become the
framework for operations and, simultaneously, the tool whereby controlled
change may take place.
Unit-5
Use of Machines Conceptual Planning
SUBJECT: _______________________________________________________________
Use and care of wet vacuums
DEPARTMENT: ___________________________
Environmental Services DATE ISSUED: _______________ Notes
Page 1 of 1.
Purpose: To provide supplemental 5. Pull the hose toward you for
instruction to the employee on using maximum effect; lift, extend, and
and caring for a wet pickup vacuum pull toward you; repeat.
safely and efficiently. 6. Be alert as to when the machine is
The Environmental Services full; the automatic float valve will
Department has several models of operate and the machine will not
vacuums designed for wet pickup. pick up any more liquid. There also
They have stainless steel tanks and will be a change in the sound of the
are mounted on wheels. motor when the tank is full.
Procedure: 7. Turn off the machine, disconnect the
1. Place the motor onto the tank and hose, unplug (be careful not to lay
fasten securely; if the motor is not plug on a wet surface), and empty
fastened properly, the machine the tank.
will not operate properly. 8. Clean and dry the inside of the
2. Place a section of hose (not to machine to prevent rust before
exceed 50 feet) into the opening at returning it to its proper storage
the front of the machine and fit area.
securely; the hose will fall out if 9. Run clear water through the hose to
not fastened properly. clean it out.
3. Fit the metal extension into the 10. Damp wipe the hose, cord,
hose at one end and the squeegee squeegee, and outside of the tank
attachment to the other end below and motor.
the curved section. 11. Report any irregularities or
4. Plug the machine in, turn on the maintenance problems to your Area
on/off switch, and place the Manager.
squeegee onto the floor extended 12. Store properly.
in front of you.
Unit-5
Advanced Accommodation Carpet and Upholstery Care
Operations–II
SUBJECT: _______________________________________________________________
Carpet cleaning—Using a Bonnet
Notes DEPARTMENT: ___________________________
Environmental Services DATE ISSUED: _______________
Page 1 of 1.
Purpose: To clean the surface of a 4. Move the machine across the
carpeted area quickly with little square widthwise, then lengthwise,
interference in the operation of the taking care to agitate the entire
area, with minimum wetting and area.
minimum drying time. 5. Repeat this procedure in
Assemble needed equipment: overlapping 4-foot sections until
Vacuum cleaner completed, turning the pad when
soiled; for large areas, you may
Rotary floor machine
need to rinse the pad to remove
Spin yarn pads excess soil and/or use several
Carpet shampoo pads.
Pressure sprayer and/or 2 large 6. Allow to dry before allowing foot
buckets with one wringer. traffic.
Procedure: 7. Clean equipment and store
1. Vacuum area to be cleaned properly.
thoroughly, first across width of Method B:
the room, then lengthwise; this is This differs from A only in
a crucial step—do not omit. application of solution.
2. Mix shampoo solution in a large 1. Prepare solution in a large bucket.
bucket following label directions
2. Fill a second large bucket with
carefully for proper dilution
clear water.
ratios.
3. Soak the yarn pad in the
Method A:
detergent solution and wring
1. Pour solution into the pressure thoroughly.
sprayer.
4. Follow the procedure outlined
2. Work 4-foot squares, spraying the above to clean the carpet,
area thoroughly, but avoid rewetting and turning the pad
overwetting. frequently.
3. Soak the yarn pad in clear water 5. Rinse paid in the clear water to
and wring out thoroughly. Place remove excess soil and prolong its
on carpet and center floor use.
machine over it.
* A bonnet, also called a spin yarn pad, is a thick yarn pad made of cotton or cotton polyester
that fits onto the pad holder of a standard floor machine.
Unit-5
PRELUDE TO STAFFING Conceptual Planning
Staffing is the third sequential function of management. Up until now the

executive housekeeper has been concerned with planning and organizing Notes
the housekeeping department for the impending opening and operations.
Now the executive housekeeper must think about hiring employees within
sufficient time to ensure that three of the activities of staffing—selection
(including interviewing), orientation, and training—may be completed
before opening. Staffing will be a major task of the last two weeks before
opening.
The development of the Area Responsibility Plan and the House
Breakout Plan before opening led to preparation of the Department Staffing
Guide, which will be a major tool in determining the need for employees
in various categories. The housekeeping manager and laundry manager
should now be on board and assisting in the development of various job
descriptions. The hotel human resources department would also have been
preparing for the hiring event. They would have advertised a mass hiring
for all categories of personnel to begin on a certain date about two weeks
before opening.
Even though this chapter reflects a continuation of the executive
housekeeper’s planning for opening operations, the techniques described
apply to any ongoing operation except that the magnitude of selection,
orientation, and training activities will not be as intense. Also, the fourth
activity—development of existing employees—is normally missing in
opening operations but is highly visible in ongoing operations.
JOB SPECIFICATIONS
Job specifications should be written as job descriptions are prepared. Job
specifications are simple statements of what the various incumbents to
positions will be expected to do. An example of a job specification for a
section housekeeper is as follows:
Job Specification—Example
Section Housekeeper (hotels) [often Guestroom Attendant—GRA] The
incumbent will work as a member of a housekeeping team, cleaning and
servicing for occupancy of approximately 18 hotel guestrooms each day.
Work will generally include the tasks of bed making, vacuuming, dusting,
and bathroom cleaning. Incumbent will also be expected to maintain
equipment provided for work and load housekeeper’s cart before the end
of each day’s operation. Section housekeepers must be willing to work their
share of weekends and be dependable in coming to work each day
scheduled.
[Any special qualifications, such as ability to speak a foreign language,
might also be listed.]
Unit-5
Advanced Accommodation EMPLOYEE REQUISITION
Operations–II
Once job specifications have been developed for every position, employee
Notes requisitions are prepared for first hirings (and for any follow-up needs for
the human resources department). Fig. 24 is an example of an Employee
Requisition. Note the designation as to whether the requisition is for a new
or a replacement position and the number of employees required for a
specific requisition number. The human resources department will advertise,
take applications, and screen to fill each requisition by number until all
positions are filled. For example, the first requisition for GRAs may be for
20 GRAs. The human resources department will continue to advertise for,
take applications, and screen employees for the housekeeping department
and will provide candidates for interview by department managers until
20 GRAs are hired. Should any be hired and require replacing, a new
employee requisition will be required.
STAFFING HOUSEKEEPING POSITIONS

There are several activities involved in staffing a housekeeping operation.
Executive housekeepers must select and interview employees, participate in
an orientation program, train newly hired employees, and develop
employees for future growth. Each of these activities will now be discussed.
Selecting Employees
Sources of Employees
Each area of the United States has its own demographic situations that
affect the availability of suitable employees for involvement in housekeeping
or environmental service operations. For example, in one area, an
exceptionally high response rate from people seeking food service work may
occur and a low response rate from people seeking housekeeping
positions may occur. In another area, the reverse may be true, and people
interested in housekeeping work may far outnumber those interested in
food service.
Surveys among hotels or hospitals in your area will indicate the best
source for various classifications of employees. Advertising campaigns that
will reach these employees are the best method of locating suitable people.
Major classified ads associated with mass hirings will specify the need
for food service personnel, front desk clerks, food servers, housekeeping
personnel, and maintenance people. Such ads may yield surprising
results.
Unit-5
Conceptual Planning
EMPLOYEE REQUISITION
Requisition No. _________________
Date _________________ Department ___________________
Notes
Position _______________________________________________________________
(Number and Title)
New ________ Replacement ____________ Number required ________________
Classification __________________________________________________________
(Full-time, Part-time, Temporary, Pool)
Working hours ________________ Estimated no. of hours/week _____________
Desired starting date ___________________________________________________
Starting rate of pay ________________________________ Base rate __________
Specification (General description of duties)

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Special qualifications (desired or required)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
________________________________
_____________ Department Manager
Fig. 24. Employee requisition, used to ask for one or more

employees for a specific job.
If the volume of response for housekeeping personnel is insufficient
to provide a suitable hiring base, the following sources may be investigated.
1. Local employment agencies
2. Flyers posted on community bulletin boards
3. Local church organizations
4. Neighborhood canvass for friends of recently hired employees
5. Direct radio appeals to local homemakers
6. Organizations for underprivileged ethnic minorities, and mentally
disabled people (It should be noted that many mentally disabled
persons are completely capable of performing simple housekeeping
tasks and are dependable and responsible people seeking an
opportunity to perform in a productive capacity.)
Unit-5
Advanced Accommodation If these sources do not produce the volume of applicants necessary to
Operations–II develop a staff, it may become necessary to search for employees in distant
Notes areas and to provide regular transportation for them to and from work.
If aliens are hired, the department manager must take great care to
ensure that they are legal residents of this country and that their green cards
are valid. More than one hotel department manager has had an entire staff
swept away by the Department of Immigration after hiring people who
were illegal aliens. Such unfortunate action has required the immediate
assistance of all available employees (including management) to fill in.
Processing Applicants
Whether you are involved in a mass hiring or in the recruiting of a
single employee, a systematic and courteous procedure for processing
applicants is essential. For example, in the opening of the Los Angeles
Airport Marriott, 11,000 applicants were processed to fill approximately 850
positions in a period of about two weeks. The magnitude of such an
operation required a near assembly-line technique, but a personable and
positive experience for the applicants still had to be maintained.
The efficient handling of lines of employees, courteous attendance,
personal concern for employee desires, and reference to suitable
departments for those unfamiliar with what the hotel or hospital has to
offer all become earmarks for how the company will treat its employees.
The key to proper handling of applicants is the use of a control system
whereby employees are conducted through the steps of application,
prescreening and if qualified, reference to a department for interview.
Fig. 25 is a typical processing record that helps ensure fair and efficient
handling of each applicant.
Note the opportunity for employees to express their desires for a
specific type of employment. Even though an employee may desire
involvement in one classification of work, he or she may be hired for
employment in a different department. Also, employees might not be aware
of the possibilities available in a particular department at the time of
application or may be unable to locate in desired departments at the time
of mass hirings. Employees who perform well should therefore be given
the opportunity to transfer to other departments when the opportunities
arise.
According to laws regulated by federal and state Fair Employment
Practices Agencies (FEPA), no person may be denied the opportunity to
submit application for employment for a position of his or her choosing.
Not only is the law strict on this point, but companies in any way
benefiting from interstate commerce (such as hotels and hospitals) may not
discriminate in the hiring of people based on race, color, national origin,
or religious preference. Although specific hours and days of the week may
be specified, it is a generally accepted fact that hotels and hospitals must
Unit-5
Conceptual Planning
PROCESSING RECORD FOR
EMPLOYEE CANDIATE
Name ____________________________________ Position desired Notes
Address __________________________________ ____________________
Phone ____________________________________ Date of application
Hours when can be reached _______________ ____________________
Record of human resources department prescreening
Date __________ By _______________ Recommended for _______________
(Position)
Screening code __________

Department interview endorsement
Date interviewed _______________ Interviewed by _______________
Comments ______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Recommendations _______________________________________________________
Hire __________ Refer to _______________ Department—Fire
References checked by interviewing department _______________
(Yes/No)
Who was contacted?
1. ______________________________
2. ______________________________
3. ______________________________
NOTE: Reference will be checked on all people offered employment. The
human resources department will make reference checks on all candidates before
making offers if requested by the interviewing departments. No offiers will be
extended before completion of satisfactory reference checks.
Disposition
Offer extended __________ Accepted/Denied __________
(date)
Will report to work on _____
Application filed ________________________________________
(Date/By)
Fig. 25. Processing Record for Employee Candiate, used to keep track of an
applicant’s progress through the employment process.
maintain personnel operations that provide the opportunity for people to

submit applications without prejudice.
Prescreening Applicants
The prescreening interview is a staff function normally provided to
all hotel or hospital departments by the human resources section of the
Unit-5
Advanced Accommodation organization. Prescreening is a preliminary interview process in which
Operations–II unqualified applicants—those applicants who do not meet the criteria for
Notes a job as specified in the job specification–special qualifications—are selected
(or screened) out. For example, an applicant for a secretarial job that
requires the incumbent to take shorthand and be able to type 60 words a
minute may be screened out if the applicant is not able to pass a relevant
typing and shorthand test. The results of prescreening are usually coded
for internal use and are indicated on the Applicant Processing Record
(Fig. 25).
If a candidate is screened out by the personnel section, he or she
should be told the reason immediately and thanked for applying for
employment.
Applicants who are not screened out should either be referred to a
specific department for interview or, if all immediate positions are filled,
have their applications placed in a department pending file for future
reference. All applicants should be told that hiring decisions will be made
by individual department managers based on the best qualifications from
among those interviewed.
A suggested agenda for a prescreening interview is as follows:
1. The initial contact should be cordial and helpful. Many employees
are lost at this stage because of inefficient systems established for
handling applicants.
2. During the prescreening interview, try to determine what the
employee is seeking, whether such a position is available, or, if not,
when such a position might become available.
3. Review the work history as stated on the application to determine
whether the applicant meets the obvious physical and mental
qualifications, as well as important human qualifications such as
emotional stability, personality, honesty, integrity, and reliability.
4. Do not waste time if the applicant is obviously not qualified or if
no immediate position is available. When potential vacancies or a
backlog of applicants exists, inform the candidate. Be efficient in
stating this to the applicant. Always make sure that the applicant
gives you a phone number in order that he or she may be called
at some future date. Because most applicants seeking employment
are actively seeking immediate work, applications more than 30 days
old are usually worthless.
5. If at all possible, an immediate interview by the department
manager should be held after screening. If this is not possible, a
definite appointment should be made for the candidate’s interview
as soon as possible.
Unit-5
The Interview Conceptual Planning
An interview should be conducted by a manager of the department

to which the applicant has been referred. In ongoing operations, it is often Notes
wise to also allow the supervisor for whom the new employee will work
to visit with the candidate in order that the supervisor may gain a feel for
how it would be to work together. The supervisor’s view should be
considered, since a harmonious relationship at the working level is
important. Although the acceptance of an employee remains a prerogative
of management, it would be unwise to accept an employee into a position
when the supervisor has reservations about the applicant.
Certain personal characteristics should be explored when interviewing
an employee. Some of these characteristics are native skills, stability,
reliability, experience, attitude toward employment, personality, physical
traits, stamina, age, sex, education, previous training, initiative, alertness,
appearance and personal cleanliness. Although employers may not
discriminate against race, sex, age, religion, and nationality, overall
considerations may involve the capability to lift heavy objects, enter men’s
or women’s restrooms, and so on. In a housekeeping (or environmental
services) department, people should be employed who find enjoyment in
housework at home. Remember that character and personality can not be
completely judged from a person’s appearance. Also, it should be expected
that a person’s appearance will never be better than when that person is
applying for a job.
Letters of recommendation and references should be carefully
considered. Seldom will a letter of recommendation be adverse, whereas a
telephone call might be most revealing.
If it were necessary to select the most important step in the selection
process, interviewing would be it. Interviewing is the step that separates
those who will be employed from those who will not. Poor interviewing
techniques can make the process more difficult and may produce a result
that can be both frustrating and damaging for both parties. In addition,
inadequate interviewing will result in gaining incorrect information, being
confused about what has been said, suppression of information, and,
in some circumstances, complete withdrawal from the process by the
candidate.
The following is a well-accepted list of the steps for a successful
interview process:
1. Be prepared. Have a checklist of significant questions ready to ask
the candidate. Such questions may be prepared from the body of
the job description. This preparation will allow the interviewer to
assume the initiative in the interview.
2. Find a proper place to conduct the interview. The applicant should be
made to feel comfortable. The interview should be conducted in a
Unit-5
Advanced Accommodation quiet, relaxing atmosphere where there is privacy that will bring
Operations–II about a confidential conversation.
Notes 3. Practice. People who conduct interviews should practice interviewing
skills periodically. Several managers may get together and discuss
interviewing techniques that are to be used.
4. Be tactful and courteous. Put the applicant at ease, but also control
the discussion and lead to important questions.
5. Be knowledgeable. Be thoroughly familiar with the position for which
the applicant is interviewing in order that all of the applicant’s
questions may be answered. Also, have a significant background
knowledge in order that general information about the company
may be given.
6. Listen. Encourage the applicant to talk. This may be done by asking
questions that are not likely to be answered by a yes or no. If people
are comfortable and are asked questions about themselves, they fill
usually speak freely and give information that specific questions will
not always bring out. Applicants will usually talk if there is a feeling
that they are not being misunderstood.
7. Observe. Much can be learned about an applicant just be observing
reactions to questions, attitudes about work, and, specifically,
attitudes about providing service to others. Observation is a vital
step in the interviewing process.
Interview Pitfalls
Perhaps of equal importance to the interviewing technique are the
following pitfalls, which should be avoided while interviewing.
1. Having a feeling that the employee will be just right based on a
few outstanding characteristics rather than on the sum of all
characteristics noted.
2. Being influenced by neatness, grooming, expensive clothes, and an
extroverted personality—none of which has much to do with
housekeeping competency.
3. Over generalizing, whereby interviewers assume too much from a
single remark (for instance, an applicant’s assurance that he or she
“really wants to work”).
4. Hiring the “boomer”, that is, the person who always wants to work
in a new property; unfortunately, this type of person changes jobs
whenever a new property opens.
5. Projecting your own background and social status into the job
requirements. Which school the applicant attended or whether the
applicant has the “proper look” is beside the point. It is job
performance that is going to count.
Unit-5
6. Confusing strengths with weaknesses, and vice versa. What is Conceptual Planning
construed by one person to be over aggressiveness might be
interpreted by another as confidence, ambition, and potential for
leadership, the last two traits being in chronic short supply in most
Notes
housekeeping departments. These are the very characteristics that
make it possible for management to promote from within and
develop new supervisors and managers.
7. Being impressed by a smooth talker—or the reverse: assuming that
silence reflects strength and wisdom. The interviewer should
concentrate on what the applicant is saying rather than on how it
is being said, then decide whether his or her personality will fit into
the organization.
8. Being tempted by overqualified applicants. People with experience
and education that far exceed the job requirements may be unable
for some reason to get jobs commensurate with their backgrounds.
Even if such applicants are not concealing skeletons in the closet,
they still tend to become frustrated and dissatisfied with jobs far
below their level of abilities.
The applications of the techniques and avoidance of the pitfalls will
be valuable tools in the selection of competent personnel for the
housekeeping and environmental service departments.
For many years, the approach of many managers was to write a job
description and then fill it by attempting to find the perfect person. This
approach may overlook many qualified people, such as disadvantaged
people or slow learners. Job descriptions may be analyzed in two ways
when filling positions: (1) what is actually required to do the work, and
(2) what is desirable. Is the ability to read or write really necessary for the
job? Is the ability to learn quickly really necessary? A person who does not
read or write or who is a slow learner can be trained and can make an
excellent employee. True, it may take additional time, but the reward will
be a loyal employee as well as less turnover. It has been proven many times
that those who are disadvantaged or slightly retarded, once trained, will
perform consistently well for longer periods. There are agencies who seek
out companies that will try to hire such people.
Results of the Interview

If the results of an interview are negative and rejection is indicated,
the candidate should be informed as soon as possible. A pleasant statement,
such as “Others interviewed appear to be more qualified,” is usually
sufficient. This information can be handled in a straightforward and
courteous manner and in such a way that the candidate will appreciate the
time that has been taken during the interview.
When the results of the interview are positive, a statement indicating
a favourable impression is most encouraging. However, no commitment
should be made until a reference check has been conducted.
Unit-5
Advanced Accommodation Reference Checks
Operations–II
In many cases, reference checks are made only to verify that what has
Notes been said in the application and interview is in fact true. Many times
applicants are reluctant to explain in detail why previous employment
situations have come to an end. It is more important to hear the actual truth
about a prior termination from the applicant than it is to hear that they
simply have been terminated. Reference checks, in order of desirability, are
as follows:
1. Personal (face-to-face) meetings with previous employers are the
least available but provide the most accurate information when they
can be arranged.
2. Telephone discussions are the next best and most often used
approach. For all positions, an in-depth conversation by telephone
between the potential new manager and the prior manager is most
desirable; otherwise a simple verification of data is sufficient to
ensure honesty.
3. The least desirable reference is the written recommendation, because
managers are extremely reluctant to state a frank and honest opinion
that may later be used against them in court.
Applicants who are rated successful at an interview should be told that
a check of their references will be conducted, and, pending favorable
responses, they will be contacted by the personnel department within two
days. Applicants who are currently employed normally ask that their
current employer not be contacted for a reference check. This request should
be honored at all times. Applicants who are currently working usually want
to give proper notice to their current employers. If the applicant chooses
not to give notice, chances are no notice will be given at the time he or
she leaves your hotel.
In some cases, the applicant gives notice and, upon doing so, is “cut
loose” immediately. If such is the case, the applicant should be told to
contact the department manager immediately in order that the employee
may be put to work as soon as possible.
Interview Skills versus Turnover

There is no perfect interviewer, interviewee, or resultant hiring or
rejection decision in regard to an applicant. We can only hope to improve
our interviewing skills in order that the greatest degree of success in
employee retention can be obtained. The executive housekeeper should
expect that 25 per cent of initial hires into a housekeeping department will
not be employed for more than three months. (This is primarily because
the housekeeping skills are easily learned and the position is paid at or
near minimum wage.) Some new housekeeping departments have as much
as a 75 per cent turnover rate in the first three months of operation.
Unit-5
Certainly this figure can be improved upon with adequate attention to the Conceptual Planning
interviewing and selection processes. However, regardless of the outcome
of the interview, the processing record (Fig. 25) should be properly endorsed Notes
and returned to the personnel department for processing.
Orientation
A carefully planned, concerned, and informational orientation program
is significant to the first impressions that a new employee will have about
the hospital or hotel in general and the housekeeping department in
particular. Too often, a new employee is told where the work area and
restroom are, given a cursory explanation of the job, then put to work. It
is not uncommon to find managers putting employees to work who have
not even been processed into the organization, an unfortunate situation that
is usually discovered on payday when three is no paycheck for the new
employee. Such blatant disregard for the concerns of the employee can only
lead to a poor perception of the company. A planned orientation program
will eliminate this type of activity and will bring the employee into the
company with personal concern and with a greater possibility for a
successful relationship.
A good orientation program is usually made up of four phases:
employee acquisition, receipt of an employee’s handbook, tour of the facility,
and an orientation meeting.
Employee Acquisition
Once a person is accepted for employment, the applicant is told to
report for work at a given time and place, and that place should be the
personnel department. Pre employment procedures can take as much as
one-half day, and department managers eager to start new employees to
work should allow time for a proper employee acquisition into the
organization. Fig. 26 is an Employment Checklist similar to those used by
most personnel offices to ensure that nothing is overlooked in assimilating
a new person into the organization.
At this time, it should be ensured that the application is complete and
any additional information pertaining to employment history that may be
necessary to obtain the necessary work permits and credentials is on hand.
Usually, the security department records the entry of a new employee into
the staff and provides instructions regarding use of employee entrances,
removing parcels from the premises, and employee parking areas.
Application for work permits, and drug testing, will be scheduled where
applicable. All documents required by the hotel’s health and welfare insurer
should be completed, and instructions should be given about immediately
reporting accidents, no matter how slight, to supervisors. The federal
government requires that every employer submit a W-4 (withholding
statement) for each employee on the payroll. The employee must complete
Unit-5
Operations–II EMPLOYMENT CHECKLIST
Name ____________________________________ Social Security number _______
Notes Address ________________________________________________________________
City __________________________ State __________________ Zip _________
Item Complete
Application ____________________________
Employment history ____________________________
Security identification ____________________________
(Health card/Work permit)
Health and welfare documents ____________________________
W-4 forms submitted ____________________________
Deductions from pay (if any) ____________________________
(union, state income tax)
Hotel employee handbook issued ____________________________
(acknowledgement received)
Data processing
Personnel action from filled out ____________________________
Employee payroll number assigned ____________________________
Wage dept. classification number ____________________________
Application for name tag
(First name only except for management) ____________________________
Employee has been turned over to _______________________________________
in the _________________ department for training and department orientation.
Property orientation meeting has been scheduled for this employee on
_______________________________.
Personnel supervisor Receiving department
__________________ __________________
Signature Supervisor signature
Fig. 26. Employment Checklist. Once an applicant has been prescreened and
interviewed, has had references checked, and has received an offter of
employment, the checklist is used to ensure completion of data required to
place the employee on the payroll.
this document and give it to the company. Mandatory deductions from pay
should be explained (federal and state income tax and Social Security FICA),
as should other deductions that may be required or desired. At this time,
some form of personal action document is usually initiated for the new
employee and is placed in the employee’s permanent record. Fig. 26 is an
example of such a form.
Fig. 27 is a computer-printed document called a Personnel Action Form
(PAF) indicating all data that are required about the new employee. Note
Unit-5
Conceptual Planning
Notes
COMPANY
PERSONNEL DATE PRINTED SEQ
SOCIAL SECURITY NO NO. DIVISION

ACTION FORM
LAST NAME FIRST NAME M.I.
ADDRESS CITY STATE PIN CODE
TELEPHONE BIRTHDATE EMPLOYMENT DATE EEO WORKMAN’S TYPE STATUS

COMP
PERM FULL POOL

TEMP PART
PRIMARY RATE
JOB DESCRIPTION JOB RATE REASON
JOB NO. ACCT NO PAY CLASS
CODE EFFECTIVE DATE NEXT REVIEW PAY CODE SCHEDULE HRS
HOURLY WEEKLY SEMI

SALARY Bi-WEEKLY MONTH
LAST JOB RATE

STATE STATE MARITAL FED STATE
LAST REVIEW EMPL RES STATUS DEP DEP
NEXT TO LAST JOB RATE

MARRIED
SINGLE
TAX INFORMATION
FEDERAL STATE MUNICIPAL COUNTY OTHER
AMOUNT % STD. AMOUNT % STD AMOUNT % STD AMOUNT % STD AMOUNT % STD
DISTRIBUTION EDUCATION GROUP INSURANCE

COST
CENTER REPORT DEPT NO DEPARTMENT LEVEL VAS GRAD DED. AMOUNT CLASS EFFECTIVE DATE TYPE COVERAGE
GRADE COLLEGE
HIGH POST
DEDUCTIONS CHANGE TO
NO. DESCRIPTION FIXED AMOUNT % LIMIT FIXED AMOUNT % LIMIT EMPLOYEE OK
TERMINATION LEAVE OF ABSENCE

LAST DAY WORKED REASON REHIRE VOL EFFECTIVE DATE REASON LOA RETURN DATE DATE RETURNED
TO WORK
YES YES
NO
CONO NO
REASON CODES
RATE CHANGE VOLUNTARY TERMINATION INVOLUNTARY TERMINATION LEAVE OF ABSENCE CODES
10. PERFORMANCE REVIEW 21. ACCEPT OTHER EMPOLOYMENT 50. CHRONIC TARDINESS OR ABSENTEEISM 81. STD – PREGNANCY
11. PROBATIONARY INCREASE 22. SEEK OTHER EMPLOYMENT 51. VIOLATION OF COMPANY RULES. 82. STD – MEDICAL
12. EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT 23. GO INTO OR OPERATE OWN OR FAMILY BUSINESS 52. DOCUMENTED UNSATISFACTORY PERFORMANCE 83. UNPAID MEDICAL
13. MERIT 24. TRANSFER TO ANOTHER DIVISION/SUBSIDIARY 53. NOT QUALITIED FOR POSITION 84. UNPAID PERSONAL
14. WAGE ADJUSTMENT 25. ATTEND SCHOOL 54. INSUBORDINATION 85. UNPAID PREGNANCY
15. LATERAL TRANSFER 26. DISSATISFIED WITH JOB (SALARY, HOURS, DUTIES, DONDITIONS) 55. MISCONDUCT 86. MILITARY
16. ADDED DUTIES 27. UNABLE TO COPE WITH PRESSURES OF JOB 56. UNAUTHORIZED POSSESSION OR REMOVAL OF COMPANY PROPERTY 87. JURY/COURT SERVICE
17. PROMOTION 57. REASONS OF CHARACTER OR INTEGRITY
28. UNABLE TO RELATE WITH SUPERVISOR, SUBORDINATES OR 88. WORK MANS COMP
18. DEMOTION CO-WORKERS 58. LACK OF INTEREST AND/OR ATTIDUE
INCREASE DENIAL 89. TEMPORARY LAYOFF
19. 59. UNABLE TO RELATE TO SUPERVISOR SUBORDINATES OR
20. CORRECT OR CHANGE 29. QUIT AFTER REPREMAND OR UNFAVOURABLE REVIEW CO-WORKERS 90. LTD
INFORMATION 30. QUIT WITHOUT NOTICE/REASON UNKNOWN 60. END OF TEMPORARY POSITION.
31. FAILURE TO APPEAR OR CALL OFF ON THREE CONSECUTIVE SHIFTS 61. JOB ELIMINATION
32. FAMILY OR DOMESTIC OBLIGATIONS. 62. VANDATORY RETIREMENT
33. TO BE MARRIED 63. PLANNED REDUCTION IN FORCE/PERMANENT LAYOFF.
34. RELOCATE TO MORE DISIRABLE AREA 64. RESIGNATION IN LIEU OF DISCHARGE/MUTUAL
35. SPOUSE TRANSFERAED 65. TRANSFER TO ANOTHER DIVISION/SUBSIDIARY.
36. TRANSPORTATION DIFFICULTIES. 66. WORK RELATED ACCIDENT/ILLNESS.
37. MENTAL/PHYSICAL CONDITION 67. UNSATISFACTORY COMPLETION OF PROBATIONARY PERIOD
38. PREGNANCY 68. POOL STATUS/HAS NOT WORKED IN THREE MONTHS.
39. MILITARY
40. FAILURE TO RETURN FROM LEAVE OF ABSENCE
41. VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT
42. DEATH
SUPERVISOR DATE SIGNED
AUTHORIZED APPROVAL DATE SIGNED WDS DATE
Fig. 27. Personnel Action Form (PAF) is a data-processing form used to

collect and store information about an employee. Note the various bits of
information collected.
Unit-5
Advanced Accommodation the permanent information that will be carried on file. The PAF is serially
Operations–II numbered, is created from data stored on magnetic discs, and maintained
Notes in the employee’s personnel file. When a change has to be made, such as
job title, marital status, or rate of pay, the PAF is retrieved from the
employee’s record, changes are made under the item to be changed, and
the corrected PAF is used to change the data in the computer storage. Once
new information is stored, a new PAF is created and placed in the
employee’s record to await the next need for processing. A long-time
employee might have many PAFs stored in the personnel file.
When either regular or special performance appraisals are given, the
last (most current) PAF will be used to record the appraisal. Figure 28 is a
standard form used to record such appraisals, as well as written warnings
and matters involving terminations. These forms are usually found on the
reverse side of the PAF. Since performance appraisals may signify a raise
Strengths
Objectives
1. MET NOT MET N/A
2. MET NOT MET N/A
3. MET NOT MET N/A
Weaknesses
Counseled action
What the employee will do to improve performance.
What the supervisor will do to assist in improving performance.
Estimate ready for promotion on ________________________________________
Written warning reevaluate not later than ____________________________
Termination reason _____________________________________________________

Signature of evaluator __________________________ Date ______________
Action reviewed by _____________________________ Date ______________
Employee signature _____________________________ Date ______________
Employee comment
Fig. 28. The reverse side of the PAF may be used to record performance
appraisals, written warnings, or matters involving terminations.
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in pay, the appropriate pay increase information would be indicated on the Conceptual Planning
front side of the PAF (Fig. 27). All recordings on PAFs whether on one side
or both, require the submission of data, storage of information, and creation Notes
of a new PAF to be stored in the employee’s record.
The PAF and performance appraisal system should be thoroughly
explained to the new employee, along with assignment of a payroll number.
The employer should also explain how and when the staff is paid and
when the first pays check may be expected.
The Employee Handbook

The new employee should be provided with a copy of the hotel or
hospital employee’s handbook and should be told to read it thoroughly.
Since the new housekeeping employee is not working just for the
housekeeping department but is to become integrated as a member of the
entire staff, reading this handbook is extremely important to ensure that
proper instructions in the rules and regulations of the hotel are presented.
The handbook should be developed in such a ways to inspire the new
employee to become a fully participating member of the organization. Note
the tone of the welcoming letter and the manner in which the rules and
regulations are presented.
Familiarization Tour of the Facilities

Upon completion of the acquisition phase, a facility tour should be
conducted for one or all new employees. For new facilities, access to the
property should be gained within about one week before opening, and
many new employees can be taken on a tour simultaneously. It is possible
for employees to work in the hotel housekeeping department for years and
never to have visited the showroom, dining rooms, ballrooms, or even the
executive office areas. A tour of the complete facility melds employees into
the total organization, and a complete informative tour should never be
neglected.
For ongoing operations, after acquisition, the new employee may be
turned over to a department supervisor, who becomes the tour director. An
appreciation of the total involvement of each employee is strengthened
when a facilities tour is complete and thorough. If necessary, the property
tour might be postponed until after the orientation meeting; however, the
orientation activity of staffing is not complete until a property tour is
conducted.
Orientation Meeting
The orientation meeting should not be conducted until the employee
has had an opportunity to become at least partially familiar with the
surroundings. After approximately two weeks, the employee will have many
questions about experiences, the new job, training, and the rules and
Unit-5
Advanced Accommodation regulations listed in the Property and Department Handbooks. Employee
Operations–II orientation meetings that are scheduled too soon fail to answer many
Notes questions that will develop within the first two weeks of employment.
The meeting should be held in a comfortable setting, with refreshments
provided. It is usually conducted by the director of human resources and
is attended by as many of the facility managers as possible. Most certainly,
the general manager or hospital administration members of the executive
committee, the security director, and the new employees’ department heads
should attend. Each of these managers should have an opportunity to
welcome the new employees and give them a chance to associate names
with faces. All managers and new employees should wear name tags. In
orientation meetings, a brief history of the company and company goals
should be presented.
A planned orientation meeting should not be concluded without
someone stressing the importance of each position. Every position must
have a purpose behind it and is therefore important to the overall
functioning of the facility. An excellent statement of this philosophy was
once offered by a general manager who said, “The person mopping a floor
in the kitchen at 3:00 a.m. is just as valuable to this operation as I am —
we just do different things.”
The orientation meeting should be scheduled to allow for many
questions. And there should be someone in attendance who can answer all
of them.
Although the new employee will be gaining confidence and security
in the position as training ends and work is actually performed, informal
orientation may continue for quite some time. The formal orientation,
however, ends with the orientation meeting (although the facility tour may
be conducted after the meeting). Finally, it should be remembered that good
orientation procedures lead to worker satisfaction and help quiet the
anxieties and fears that a new employee may have. When a good
orientation is neglected, the seeds of dissatisfaction are planted.
TRAINING
General
The efficiency and economy with which any department will operate
will depend on the ability of each member of the organization to do his
or her job. Such ability will depend in part on past experiences, but more
commonly it can be credited to the type and quality of training offered.
Employees, regardless of past experiences, always need some degree of
training before starting a new job.
Small institutions may try to avoid training by hiring people who are
already trained in the general functions with which they will be involved.
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However, most institutions recognize the need for training that is Conceptual Planning
specifically oriented toward the new experience, and will have a
documented training program. Notes
Some employers of housekeeping personnel find it easier to train
completely unskilled and untrained personnel. In such cases, bad or
undesirable practices do not have to be trained out of an employee.
Previous experience and education should, however, be analyzed and
considered in the training of each new employee in order that efficiencies
in training can be recognized. If an understanding of department standards
and policies can be demonstrated by a new employee, that portion of
training may be shortened or modified. However, skill and ability must be
demonstrated before training can be altered. Finally, training is the best
method to communicate the company’s way of doing things, without which
the new employee may do work contrary to company policy.
First Training
First training of a new employee actually starts with a continuation
of department orientation. When a new employee is turned over to the
housekeeping or environmental services department, orientation usually
continues by familiarizing the employee with department rules and regulations.
Many housekeeping departments have their own department employee
handbooks. Although these handbooks are for completely different types
of organizations, the substance of their publications is essentially the same;
both are designed to familiarize each new employee with his or her
surroundings. Handbooks should be written in such a way as to inspire
employees to become team members, committed to company objectives.
A Systematic Approach to Training

Training may be defined as those activities that are designed to help
on employee begin performing tasks for which he or she is hired or to help
the employee improve performance in a job already assigned. The purpose
of training is to enable an employee to begin an assigned job or to improve
upon techniques already in use.
In hotel or hospital housekeeping operations, there are three basic areas
in which training activity should take place; skills, attitudes, and
knowledge.
Skills Training. A sample list of skills in which a basic housekeeping
employee must be trained follows:
1. Bed making: Specific techniques; company policy
2. Vacuuming: Techniques; use and care of equipment
3. Dusting: Techniques; use of products
4. Window and mirror cleaning: Techniques and products
5. Setup awareness: Room setups; what a properly serviced room should
look like
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Advanced Accommodation 6. Bathroom cleaning: Tub and toilet sanitation; appearance; methods of
Operations–II cleaning and results desired
Notes 7. Daily routine: An orderly procedure for the conduct of the day’s
work; daily communications
8. Caring for and using equipment: Housekeeper cart; loading
9. Industrial safety: Product use; guest safety; fire and other emergencies
The best reference for the skills that require training is the job
description for which the person is being trained.
Attitude Guidance. Employees need guidance in their attitudes about
work that must be done. They need to be guided in their thinking about
rooms that may present a unique problem in cleaning. Attitudes among
section housekeepers need to be such that, occasionally, when rooms require
extra effort to be brought back to standard, it is viewed as being a part of
rendering service to the guest who paid to enjoy the room. Carol Mondesir,
director of housekeeping, Sheraton Centre, Toronto, states that:
A hotel is meant to be enjoyed and, occasionally, the rooms are left
quite messed up. However, as long as they’re not vandalized, it’s part of
the territory. The whole idea of being in the hospitality business is to make
the guest’s stay as pleasant as possible. The rooms are there to be enjoyed.
Positive relationships with various agencies and people also need to
be developed.
The following is a list of areas in which attitude guidance is important:
1. The guest/patient
2. The department manager and immediate supervisor
3. A guestroom that is in a state of great disarray
4. The hotel and company
5. The uniform
6. Appearance
7. Personal hygiene
Meeting Standards. The most important task of the trainer is to prepare
new employees to meet standards. With this aim in mind, sequence of
performance in cleaning a guestroom is most important in order that
efficiency in accomplishing day-to-day tasks may be developed. In addition,
the best method of accomplishing a task should be presented to the new
trainee. Once the task has been learned, the next thing is to meet standards,
which may not necessarily mean doing the job the way the person has been
trained.
Knowledge Training. Areas of knowledge in which the employee needs
to be trained are as follows:
1. Thorough knowledge of the hotel layout; employee must be able to
give directions and to tell the guest about the hotel, restaurants, and
other facilities.
Unit-5
2. Knowledge of employee rights and benefits. Conceptual Planning
3. Understanding of grievance procedure.
4. Knowing top managers by sight and by name. Notes
Ongoing Training
There is a need to conduct ongoing training for all employees,
regardless of how long they have been members of the department. There
are two instances when additional training is needed: (1) the purchase of
new equipment, and (2) change in or unusual employee behaviour while
on the job.
When new equipment is purchased, employees need to know how the
new equipment differs from present equipment, what new skills or
knowledge are required to operate the equipment, who will need this
knowledge, and when. New equipment may also require new attitudes
about work habits.
Employee behaviour while on the job that is seen as an indicator for
additional training may be divided into two categories: events that the
manager witnesses and events that the manager is told about by the
employees.
Events that the manager witnesses that indicate a need for training are
frequent employee absence, considerable spoilage of products, carelessness,
a high rate of accidents, and resisting direction by supervisors.
Events that the manager might be told about that indicate a need for
training are that something doesn’t work right (product isn’t any good),
something is dangerous to work with, something is making work harder.
Although training is vital for any organization to function at top
efficiency, it is expensive. The money and man-hours expended must
therefore be worth the investment. There must be a balance between the
dollars spent training employees and the benefits of productivity and high-
efficiency performance. A simple method of determining the need for
training is to measure performance of workers. Find out what is going on
at present on the job, and match this performance with what should be
happening. The difference, if any, describes how much training is needed.
In conducting performance analysis, the following question should be
asked: Could the employee do the job or task if his or her life depended
on the result? If the employee could not do the job even if his or her life
depended on the outcome, there is a deficiency of knowledge (DK). If the
employee could have done the job if his or her life depended on the
outcome, but did not, there is a deficiency of execution (DE). Some of the
causes of deficiencies of execution include task interference, lack of feedback
(employee doesn’t know when the job is being performed correctly or
incorrectly), and the balance of consequences (some employees like doing
certain tasks better than others).
Unit-5
Advanced Accommodation If either deficiency of knowledge or deficiency of execution exists,
Operations–II training must be conducted. The approach or the method of training may
Notes differ, however. Deficiencies of knowledge can be corrected by training the
employee to do the job, then observing and correcting as necessary until
the task is proficiently performed. Deficiency of execution is usually
corrected by searching for the underlying cause of lack of performance, not
by teaching the actual task.
Training Methods
There are numerous methods or ways to conduct training. Each method
has its own advantages and disadvantages, which must be weighed in the
light of benefits to be gained. Some methods are more expensive than others
but are also more effective in terms of time required for comprehension and
proficiency that must be developed. Several useful methods of training
housekeeping personnel are listed and discussed.
On-the-Job Training. Using on-the-job training (OJT), a technique in
which “learning by doing” is the advantage, the instructor demonstrates
the procedure and then watches the students perform it. With this
technique, one instructor can handle several students. In housekeeping
operations, the instructor is usually a GRA who is doing the instructing in
the rooms that have been assigned for cleaning that day. The OJT method
is not operationally productive until the student is proficient enough in the
training tasks to absorb part of the operational load.
Simulation Training. With simulation training, a model room
(unrented) is set up and used to train several employees. Whereas OJT
requires progress toward daily production of ready rooms, simulation
requires that the model room not be rented. In addition, the trainer is not
productive in cleaning ready rooms. The advantages of simulation training
are that it allows the training process to be stopped, discussed, and repeated
if necessary. Simulation is an excellent method, provided the trainer’s time
is paid for out of training funds, and clean room production is not
necessary during the workday.
Coach-Pupil Method. The coach-pupil method is similar to OJT except
that each instructor has only one student (a one-to-one relationship). This
method is desired, provided that there are enough qualified instructors to
have several training units in progress at the same time.
Lectures. The lecture method reaches the largest number of students
per instructor. Practically all training programs use this type of instruction
for certain segments. Unfortunately, the lecture method can be the dullest
training technique, and therefore requires instructors who are gifted in
presentation capabilities. In addition, space for lectures may be difficult to
obtain and may require special facilities.
Conferences. The conference method of instruction is often referred to
as workshop training. This technique involves a group of students who
Unit-5
formulate ideas, do problem solving, and report on projects. The conference Conceptual Planning
or workshop technique is excellent for supervisory training.
Demonstrations. When new products or equipment are being intro- Notes
duced, demonstrations are excellent. Many demonstrations may be
conducted by vendors and purveyours as a part of the sale of equipment
and products. Difficulties may arise when language barriers exist. It is also
important that no more information be presented than can be absorbed in
a reasonable period of time; otherwise misunderstandings may arise.
Training Aids
Many hotels use training aids in a conference room, or post messages
on an employee bulletin board. Aside from the usual training aids such as
chalkboards, bulletin boards, charts, graphs, and diagrams, photographs can
supply clear and accurate references for how rooms should be set up,
maids’ carts loaded, and routines accomplished. Most housekeeping
operations have films on guest contact and courtesy that may also be used
in training. Motion pictures speak directly to many people who may not
understand proper procedures from reading about them. Many training
techniques may be combined to develope a well-rounded training plan.
Development
It is possible to have two students sitting side by side in a classroom,
with one being trained and the other being developed. Recall that the
definition of training is preparing a person to do a job for which he or she
is hired or to improve upon performance of a current job. Development is
preparing a person for advancement for to assume greater responsibility.
The techniques are the same, but the end result is quite different. Whereas
training begins after orientation of an employee who is hired to do a
specific job, upon introduction of new equipment, or upon observation and
communication with employees indicating a need for training, development
begins with the identification of a specific employee who has shown
potential for advancement. Training for promotion or to improve potential
is in fact development and must always include a much neglected type of
training—supervisory training.
Many forms of developmental training may be given on the property;
other forms might include sending candidates to schools and seminars.
Developmental training is associated primarily with supervisors and
managerial development and may encompass many types of experiences.
Figure 6 is an example of a developmental training program for a
junior manager who will soon become involved in housekeeping
department management. Note the various developmental tasks that the
trainee must perform over a period of 12 months.
Development of individuals within the organization looks to future
potential and promotion of employees. Specifically, those employees who
Unit-5
Advanced Accommodation demonstrate leadership potential should be developed through supervisory
Operations–II training for advancement to positions of greater responsibility.
Notes Unfortunately, many outstanding workers have their performance rewarded
by promotion but are given no development training. The excellent section
housekeeper who is advanced to the position of senior housekeeper who
is advanced to the position of senior housekeeper without the benefit of
supervisory training is quickly seen to be unhappy and frustrated and may
possibly become a loss to the department. It is therefore most essential that
individual potential be developed in an orderly and systematic manner, or
else this potential may never be recognized.
While undergoing managerial development as specified in Fig. 29,
student and management alike should not lose sight of the primary aim
of the program, which is the learning and potential development of the
trainee, not departmental production. Even though there will be times that
the trainee may be given specific responsibilities to oversee operations, clean
guestrooms, or service public areas, advantage should not be taken of the
trainee or the situation to the detriment of the development function.
Development of new growth in the trainee becomes difficult when the
training instructor or coordinator is not only developing a new manager
but is also being held responsible for the production of some aspect of
housekeeping operations.
Records and Reports

Whether you are conducting a training or a development program,
suitable records of training progress should be maintained both by the
training supervisor and the student. Periodic evaluations of the student’s
progress should be conducted, and successful completion of the program
should be recognized. Public recognition of achievement will inspire the
newly trained or developed employee to achieve standards of performance
and to strive for advancement.
Once an employee is trained or developed and his or her satisfactory
performance has been recognized and recorded, the person should perform
satisfactorily to standards. Future performance may be based on beginning
performance after training. If an employee’s performance begins to fall short
of standards and expectations, there has to be a reason other than lack of
skills. The reason for unsatisfactory performance must then be sought out
and addressed. This type of follow-up is not possible unless suitable records
of training and development are maintained and used for comparison.
Evaluation and Performance Appraisal

Although evaluation and performance appraisal for employees will
occur as work progresses, it is not uncommon to find the design of systems
for appraisal as part of organization and staffing functions. This is true
because first appraisal and evaluation occurs during training, which is an
Unit-5
activity of staffing. Once trainees begin to have their performance appraised, Conceptual Planning
the methods used will continue throughout employment. As a part of
training, new employees should be told how, when, and by whom their Notes
performances will be evaluated, and should be advised that questions
regarding their performance will be regularly answered.
Probationary Period
Initial employment should be probationary in nature, allowing the new
employee to improve efficiency to where the designated number of rooms
cleaned per day can be achieved in a probationary period (about three
months). Should a large number of employees be unable to achieve the
standard within that time, the standard should be investigated. Should only
one or two employees be unable to meet the standard of rooms cleaned
per day, an evaluation of the employee in training should either reveal the
reason why or indicate the employee as unsuitable for further retention.
An employee who, after suitable training, cannot meet a reasonable
performance standard should not be allowed to continue employment.
Similarly, an employee who has met required performance standards in the
specified probationary period should be continued into regular employment
status and thus achieve a reasonable degree of security in employment.
Evaluation
Evaluation of personnel is an attempt to measure selected traits,
characteristics, and productivity. Unfortunately, evaluations are generally
objective in nature, and raters are seldom trained in the art of subjective
evaluation. Initiative, self-control, and leadership ability do not lend
themselves to measurement; therefore such characteristics are estimated.
How well they are estimated depends to a great extent on the person doing
the estimating. Two raters using the same form and rating the same person
will probably arrive at different conclusions.
HOTEL HOUSEKEEPING MANAGEMENT TRAINEE PROGRAM

DEVELOPMENT TRAINING SCHEDULE
Dates For ___________________________________
(Name)
ADVISOR PROJECT TASKS
Linen room attendant Time: 1 Month
Concepts:
Maintenance orders
Handling and processing telephone calls, including
communication with guest and other hotel
departments
Handling of C/O, VIP rooms, preregistration rooms
and in-order as well as out-of-order rooms
Unit-5
A.M. Room attendant Time: 2 weeks
Operations–II
How to clean a guest room
Notes P. M . Room attendant Time: 2 weeks
Daily procedure and night turndown service
Floor supervisor Time: 3 months
How to inspect a room
Opening and closing and other daily procedures
Training supervisor
Training of four new employees
Follow-up procedure
Orientation booklet
Head supervisor
Additional duties and responsibilities
Laundry manager Time: 3 months
Concepts:
Products, equipment, costs, profit, maintenance
Washer Products used, equipment breakdowns
Linen sorter Poundage figures
Valet pressor Priorities and procedures
Valet runner Duties
Laundry worker Counting
Chief engineer Time: 2 months
Concepts:
To learn all duties and responsibilities of all
housekeepers and public area personnel
Head housekeeper
Scheduling
End-of-month ordering of supplies
A.M. Cleaner Restaurant and lobby cleaning
P. M . Housekeeper Gamedeck procedure
Second floor and front office cleaning
Grounds people Waterfall and pool cleaning
Tennis courts and garden court
Window washer Procedure
Floor housekeeper Stocking linen rooms on floors
Lobby attendant Detailed lobby procedure
Assistant director of housekeeping Time: 1 month

Concepts:
Payroll—Time cards
Daily labor analysis
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Conceptual Planning
Daily scheduling of room attendants
Employee interviews
Notes
Director of housekeeping Time: 1 month
Concepts:
Staffing
Renovation programs
Budget and capital improvement items
Selection and ordering of supplies
Maintaining records—inventory—maintenance
status
Exit interviews
Training and retraining subordinates
Handling employee grievances
Guest complaints
Employee disciplinary action and work
performance history
Motivation of employees (incentive programs)
Safety programs
Linen ordering, sizes, and storage
Uniform ordering
Purchase of equipment
Procedures for monthly and yearly general
cleaning
Fig. 29. Hotel Housekeeping Management Trainee Program Development

Training Schedule, used to cycle the trainee through the various functions
involved in a hotel housekeeping department. Note the position of the person
who will coach the development in the various skills, and the time expected
to be spent in each area.
Certain policies on the use of evaluations should be established so that
they are understood by both the person doing the evaluating and the
person being evaluated. These policies must be established and
disseminated by management. In order to establish such policies, the
following questions, among others, must be answered and communicated
to all those involved in the evaluation: What will evaluations be used for?
Will evaluations influence promotions, become a part of the employee’s
record, be used as periodic checks, or be used for counseling and guidance?
What qualities are going to be evaluated? Who is going to be evaluated?
Who will do the evaluating?
Reliable evaluations require careful planning and take considerable
time, skill, and work. An evaluation must be understood by the employee.
Unit-5
Advanced Accommodation Evaluation should be used at the end of a probationary period, and
Operations–II the employee must understand at the beginning of the period that he or
Notes she will be observed and evaluated. Each item, as well as what impact the
evaluation will have on future employment, should be explained to the
employee. People undergoing periodic evaluations, such as at the end of
one year’s employment, should also know why evaluations are being
conducted and what may result from the evaluation. In both situations, the
evaluation should be used for counseling and guidance so that performance
may be improved upon or corrected if necessary. Certainly, strong points
should be pointed out. An employee should be made aware of good as well
as not-so-good evaluations.
Evaluations should be made for a purpose and not for the sake of an
exercise. They should ultimately be used as management tools. Evaluations
should be developed to fit the policies of the particular institution using it
and the particular position being evaluated. The same evaluation may not
be suitable for every position.
An example of an evaluation—a performance appraisal form—is
presented in Fig. 28.
Outsourcing
In certain locales, such as isolated resorts, hotels are tempted to use
contract labor because the local market does not support the necessary
number of workers, particularly in housekeeping. Advocates of outsourcing
are quick to point out the advantages of the practice. Scarce workers are
provided to the property, and there is no need to provide expensive
employee benefits. The entire staffing function is assumed by the contractor.
There are no worries regarding recruiting, selecting, hiring, orienting, or
even training the employees. Merely issue them uniforms and send them
off to clean rooms. Some employers may even be willing to relax their
responsibilities regarding employment law such as immigration and
naturalization requirements.
Management should never forget that once a contracted employee dons
a company uniform, the guest believes (and has no reason not to) that
person is an employee of the hotel. The guest also believes the hotel has
made every reasonable effort to screen that person in the hiring process to
ensure that he or she is of good moral character, who has the best interest
of the guest at heart.
Unfortunately, there have been several incidents in which the
outsourced employees did not quite have the best interest of the guest in
their hearts. There have been more than a few cases in which outsourced
workers were wanted felons who inflicted considerable bodily harm on
guests during the performance of their duties. A number of these incidents
have resulted in lawsuits, with awards against the hotel in the millions of
dollars.
Unit-5
This author does not recommend outsourcing in housekeeping, and Conceptual Planning
cautions operators who ignore this advice to keep their guard up and
continue to meet their legal and ethical responsibilities regarding employees Notes
and employment law.
EMPLOYEE WELFARE AND DISCIPLINE

Two of the most important functions or duties of a good team leader is
ensuring the welfare of subordinates and maintaining discipline.
Employee Welfare
Good employees are hard to come by. Once found, it is up to the
executive housekeeper to be concerned with their welfare in order that they
stay. Each employee should be recognized as an individual and not just as
another pair of hands. The executive housekeeper should know all
employees by name and also know something of their lives beyond their
work, as this knowledge will enable her to understand, sympathize, and
make allowances for individual performance, when necessary. Welfare
should also cover the families of the workers, especially in India, where
because of strong family ties, the well-being of workers is closely affected
by their family’s welfare.
The executive housekeeper should aim at gaining maximum at
minimum cost through a loyal and cooperative workforce. There are certain
needs of employees that need to be addressed in order to achieve this aim.
These are often referred to as ‘staff welfare provisions’. These welfare
services may fall under either the statutory requirements guided by various
acts formulated by the Government of India or those over and above the
legal minimum requirements. The latter are referred to as ‘fringe benefits’
or ‘perks’, and employers are not legally bound to provide them. Staff
welfare provisions address various needs, falling under these heads:
• Physical needs
• Physiological needs
• Psychosocial needs
Physical needs. This refers to the need for comfort at work, for which
welfare activities are directed towards provision of:
• Proper lighting for good visibility
• Optimum temperature and humidity control for comfort
• Fresh air free from bad odours, toxic gases, and so on, ensured
through good ventilation systems
• Low noise levels
• A clean, sanitary environment
• Safety procedures and safety devices
Unit-5
Advanced Accommodation • Well-designed equipment and furniture
Operations–II
• Clean uniforms
Notes Physiological needs. Satisfying these optimally calls for the provision
of the following:
• Safe drinking water
• Mess facilities
• Rest periods and rooms/areas designated for the purpose
• Clean toilets
• Medical facilities
• Recreational facilities
Psycho-social needs. These include the following:
• Adequate wage payments
• Pension, provident fund, insurance and loan facilities
• Accommodation
• Transport facilities
• Infant creches for working mothers
• Working hours when the person is working with other people rather
than alone
• Leisure and holidays
• Counselling services to address and obviate stress
• Training and development opportunities
• Paid holidays, sick leave, and medical reimbursements
• Maternity and paternity leave, the latter being a recent trend in India
and given only by a few corporate companies yet
Discipline
At some point, most managers are faced with the unpleasant but
necessary task of disciplining an employee. In some instances, problems
may be corrected without a formal disciplinary process. When a manager
fails to address improper behaviour, the behaviour is reinforced and
encouraged. Overlooking these problems may set the stage for accusations
of favouritism, discrimination, and unfair practices. Every well-run company
must have rules and regulations governing the conduct of its employees
in order to achieve the company’s objectives.
In the housekeeping department, the executive housekeeper should not
make more rules for her staff than are necessary, but those that she makes
must be enforced. The executive housekeeper must at all times act as an
example to her staff, keep a cool head, and ensure that discipline is
maintained at a reasonable level, consistent with management policy.
Unit-5
Discipline should be imposed in case of problems in the following Conceptual Planning
issues/areas:
• Attendance Notes
• Working hours
• Uniforms
• Smoking
• Care and use of hotel property
• Safety procedures
• Following instructions
• Standard of cleanliness
• Working areas
• Restroom usage
• Alcohol and drugs
• Security procedures
• Hotel facilities
• Standards of appearance
• Telephone usage
• Lost-and-found items
• Deadly weapons
Employees must adhere to the rules and regulations governing these
issues.
Disciplinary Action
There may be recourse to one of the following courses of action in
disciplining, as and when necessary.
Informal counselling. Before setting out to take disciplinary action, get
to know the reason behind the concerned employee’s behaviour, especially
if the person has never had a negative record before. If the problem is
understood, some accepted alternative could be worked out without
affecting others or the course of work. Many a times, an informal
counselling session is enough to set things right.
Progressive formal discipline. If after counselling, the employee still
does not change the culpable behaviour, start with the progressive formal
disciplinary process. This constitutes the following actions, executed one
level at a time for each repetition of the offending behaviour:
(a) Spoken warning
(b) Written warning
(c) Suspension
(d) Termination
Unit-5
Advanced Accommodation To be consistently fair in the application of rules and deliver equitable
Operations–II treatment to all employees, a system of issuing written warnings must be
developed, such as to offer constructive criticism and provide the employee
Notes with an opportunity to improve or correct a disciplinary problem. A written
warning is issued for any violation of rules or for sub-standard work and
is signed by the manager as well as the employee concerned. If the
employee is not in the probationary period of employment and has been
confirmed on the payroll of the company, as a disciplinary action, he may
be discharged from duties if he has been given three written warnings for
the same or different offences over a single year.
Certain recommended behaviours on the part of a leader when taking
disciplinary action are listed below.
Do...
• conduct a thorough investigation of the incident.
• document the action taken.
• be firm, fair, and consistent.
• stick to the decision.
• be mindful of the unwritten rules of the organization.
• support the employee, though not the behaviour.
Conducting a Disciplinary Conference

These are the steps to be taken when meeting with an employee over
disciplinary concerns:
1. Review the personnel file of the employee being disciplined.
2. Greet the employee; create a warm, receptive atmosphere. Explain
the purpose of the conference.
3. Review the problem in a specific and objective manner.
4. Give the employee a chance to explain the problem from his
perspective. Listen.
5. Ask the employee to develop a plan of action to correct the
undesirable behaviour.
6. Summarize commitments agreed to clearly. Establish a follow-up
date.
7. Explain the need for written documentation. Allow the employee to
read and sign the disciplinary report.
8. Explain what the next course of action will be if the undesirable
behaviour persists.
9. Concluding the conference is a critical part. The employee may be
upset. This is a good time to express confidence in the employee
and to reassure him/her that you will be available to help in any
way possible.
10. The written documentation signed by both parties must be
forwarded to the personnel department and filed in the employee’s
226 Self-Instructional Material personnel file.
Unit-5
Notes

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CONTROLLING EXPENSES–

Guest satisfaction is one measure of the housekeeping department’s

BUDGET AND BUDGET PROCEDURES

Budget Formulation (The Once-a-Year Subroutine)

Top Management’s Input to the Budget

The Budget Cycle

The Budgeting Subroutine

Budget Year 1 75 7413 105 778,365 2.7 6.6

Wage department no. Wage category

Fig. 3. A wage classification system for budgeting and accounting purposes

Fig. 4. Budget justification for man-hour utilization is used to support

Budgeting Supplies and Other Controllables

Page 1 Performance Budget Notes

1 Linen Expense $ 81,372 0.7% $ 85,447 0.83%

PHASES OF BUDGETING CONTROL

APPRAISE PERFORMANCE AND

A general objective is a statement of intent in the widest possible terms,

Year Period Period YTD YTD Notes

Fig. 7. Rooms Department Period Statement indicating progress toward the

CASH FLOW BUDGET

Current Year Current

The Operating Budget Preparation Process

Categories of Operating Budgets

Questions Regarding Current Practices

The Reasons for Budgeting

The Financial Goals

For the Future–Tips for Improvement

In addition, the low responses of 24.6 per cent reporting performing

CALCULATING EXPENSES FOR THE OPERATING

Tracking Labor Needs

Fig. 10. Productivity is important in calculating the amount of labor hours

Forecasting Labor Costs

Job Job Daily MTD

Calculating Supply Costs

Estimating Expenses for Contract Services

Operating Budget as Control Tools

While comparing actual and budgeted expenses, the executive

Controlling Operating Expenses

Cost Control in Specific Area

Total Suites Expense

Fig. 12. Income statements should show a breakdown of financial

Averting Deficit Spending

Principles of Purchasing Notes

Total-supply purchasing: In this type of purchasing, all required items Notes

Cleaning and Guest Supplies

Care should be taken in counting linen to ensure that unexplained

Item Number Counted

Net Present Value

Internal Rate of Return

Modified Internal Rate of Return

Equivalent Annuity Method

Calculating Expenses for the Capital Budget

Planning for Renovation

Rooms Division/Marketing Department

Setting Realistic Goals

Prioritizing Budget Items

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET – 500 ROOM HOTEL

The Dangers of Over-Budgeting

MAKING BUDGET CUTS

Cutting Supply Costs

Finding Better Pricing

Reducing Labor Costs

Cutting a substantial number of room attendants is not an option. If Notes