Hoa Sen University

Vatel Program - Hotel & Tourism Business School

FINAL ASSIGNMENT
[HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY ENVIRONMENT
– HOUSEKEEPING]

[ENV 201]

Student: Nguyen Thuy Duong

Class: MD2 - 2019

Date: 22/05/2021
 Topic: Provide advice to guest

Housekeeping department plays a crucial role in a hotel or resort. Normally, people think
that a housekeeping job is cleaning the room only but it is not totally true. More than that, the
housekeeping department works toward the guest’s satisfaction, bringing them safety and
comfort during their stays.  One of the important responsibilities of housekeeping staff is to
provide advice to guests which means providing assistance and information to satisfy their
requests. There are some aspects of it that you need to understand deeply in order to fulfill the
guest’s requirements in the best way as well as can show your professionalism as a housekeeping
team member.
For many guests, this is the first time they stay at the hotel or the hotel is new to them so
that they are not sure what is available to use in the room. Many guests will request directly to
the staff so it is easy to handle but some guests may not directly tell what they need so the staff
need to recognize the sign that may indicate the guest requirements in order to take action
immediately. There is a list of items and services related to the housekeeping department that
guests may require such as additional equipment, extra towers or blankets, and areas that need to
be re-cleaned, etc. Sometimes, the guest will ask questions about the services and equipment
while the housekeeper is in the room.  As a professional staff member, it is important to
acknowledge the services and products to provide guests with advice, information or suggestions
to make their stay more enjoyable.
Some guests are not familiar with the items delivered to or already in the room, they will
need help from the staff. As a housekeeper, it is better to know how to operate all the in-room
items so that you can explain to the guest in the most complete and detailed way. Additionally,
many guests are not good in English so it is hard for the staff to explain the instructions in a
manner that they can understand. There is a very good way of doing this is through instruction
sheets which are in different languages or use symbols and pictures to explain how they are used.
One of the best ways to help the guest know how to use the items is demonstion. The
instruction should be demonstrated in a clear and concise manner so that the guest can
understand and be able to do it themselves. Some areas that the housekeepers need to be mindful
of when providing demonstrations such as showing where the in-room instructions are, explain
step-by-step and be prepared to repeat the explanation if needed, let the guest try out when you
are there and encourage them to contact you again if they have further problems. It is important
for housekeeping staff to make sure the guest is competent to use the items they want before you
leave. It shows that not only you care for the guest but also your professionalism toward the
guests.
The most important role of housekeeping staff is to ensure the guest room is clean and tidy.
However, every housekeeping staff member is required to have basic knowledge and skills of all
items in the guest room as well as how to use them. Not only the items in-room, staff members
also need to know basic service provided in the hotel. But, staff members will not always be able
to fully describe in detail all the guest requirements. So, when the guest requires information that
is beyond your ability, do not hesitate to seek help from an appropriate person who can be the
manager or staff from other departments. That person will come and give an explanation directly
to the guest or over the phone or explain to the housekeeping staff, who will relay information to
the guest or provide information in printed format such as maps, brochures and so on. All of
which must be done promptly. The housekeeping members need to work closely with other
departments in order to update the information and things going on in the hotel. Hence, they can
give the information to the guest and fulfil their demands. 
In the hospitality industry, there is one common assessment method is audit. There will be
“mystery guests” who come and stay at the hotel. They act as normal guests and experience all
the hotel’s services. Meanwhile, they will observe and evaluate the staff performance. For the
part of providing advice to guests, they will check whether the housekeepers know all the items
in the room and how to use this, follow the hotel's standards, understand and be able to give
suggestions to them. Through the assessment, it will show the staff competence and where they
need to improve. It is actually an interesting and challenging evaluating method. Another
common technique is getting feedback from the guests. In the feedback, the manager can see the
level of guest’s satisfaction, if the employees perform well. Therefore, they can find the best
strategy to enhance the services.
In conclusion, the housekeeping department is critical to the hotel’s success. Housekeeping
staff members are responsible for maintaining cleanliness and quality of the hotel, as well as
creating a welcoming atmosphere and courteous, reliable service for the guests during their stay.
Beside maintaining the guest room at a high standard of cleanliness, housekeepers are
responsible for providing advice to the guest. When the guests struggle in using any equipment
in the room, housekeepers will come and provide the instructions to the guests. To be an
excellent housekeeper, it is important to be competent in using all items associated with the
housekeeping department and confidently demonstrate to the guests. Through all the practices
and interactions, housekeeping staff members will enhance their abilities, bring satisfaction and
develop positive relationships with the guests and boost the reputation of the hotel.