Tips of the Week | December 29, 2023

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Hotel Best Practices from a Family-Owned, Third-Party Hotel Management Company

Motivational Quote of the Week
​"Don't watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going." -Sam Levenson

• Hotel team application: Motivate your employees to stay focused and driven throughout their shifts. Remind them that the hotel's success depends on their consistent effort and commitment to guest satisfaction.​

Click 'Read More" (below, if necessary) to view the rest of this week's digest of tips and best practices for hotel maintenance, management, housekeeping/laundry, and front desk from the team at Jackson Hotel Management company in Virginia. Click here to learn more about our hotel management services. 

Maintenance Tip of the Week
Safety Signage and Wayfinding

• Explanation: Proper signage helps guests navigate the property safely and easily.
• Impact: Guest safety, improved guest experience, and reduced liability risks.

Steps:

• Conduct a thorough assessment of the hotel's layout to identify areas that require safety signage and wayfinding.
• Design and install clear and informative signage in key locations, including emergency exits, stairwells, and hazards.
• Ensure that signage meets local safety and accessibility standards.
• Educate staff about the location and importance of safety signage and emergency procedures.
• Regularly inspect and maintain safety signage to ensure visibility and legibility.
• Provide regular training sessions to staff about the interpretation and significance of various safety signs.
• Engage guests in safety awareness through clear and informative in-room materials, usually on the back of the guest room door.
• Evaluate guest feedback and observations to identify additional signage needs or improvements.
• Continuously update signage and wayfinding strategies based on evolving safety standards and guest needs.

Management Tip of the Week
Regular Team Huddles

• Explanation: Short daily meetings foster communication and alignment within the team.
• Impact: Improved communication, streamlined operations, and potential for enhanced guest experiences.

Steps:

• Schedule daily or weekly team huddles at consistent times.
• Set an agenda for each huddle to keep discussions focused.
• Encourage open and transparent communication during huddles.
• Use huddles to share updates, address challenges, and set priorities.
• Ensure that action items and follow-ups are documented and tracked.
• Invite team members to contribute agenda topics for huddles.
• Rotate the facilitator role to encourage participation and engagement.
• Allocate time for team bonding or informal discussions during huddles.
• Adapt huddle frequency or structure based on hotel needs.

Housekeeping/Laundry Tip of the Week
HOUSEKEEPING - Effective Communication with Front Desk

• Explanation: Regular communication with the front desk facilitates timely room readiness and guest satisfaction.
• Impact: Improved guest experience, efficient check-ins, and reduced wait times.

Steps:

• Establish a regular communication protocol between the housekeeping and front desk teams.
• Implement a system for updating the status of guest rooms (e.g., clean, in progress, vacant) in real-time.
• Use digital communication tools or radios for instant communication between departments.
• Schedule recurring meetings or huddles between housekeeping and front desk staff to discuss best practices.
• Share information about early check-ins, late check-outs, and room changes promptly.
• Provide front desk staff with clear guidelines on managing guest expectations regarding room readiness.
• Encourage front desk staff to communicate guest feedback or special requests to the housekeeping team.
• Monitor and track key performance indicators (KPIs) related to room turnover times and guest satisfaction.
• Continuously evaluate and refine communication processes to enhance guest experiences.

Front Desk Tip of the Week
Use of Guest Feedback for Improvement

• Explanation: Listening to guest feedback helps identify areas for improvement and innovation.
• Impact: Enhanced guest satisfaction, ongoing refinement of services, and improved loyalty.

Steps:

• Establish a system for collecting and categorizing guest feedback.
• Train front desk staff to encourage guests to provide feedback during their stay.
• Implement regular feedback review sessions with staff to identify improvement opportunities.
• Assign responsibility for addressing specific feedback and tracking progress.
• Share guest feedback trends with relevant hotel departments to drive improvements.
• Monitor changes in guest satisfaction and overall guest perception as a result of feedback-driven improvements.
• Continuously refine feedback collection and analysis processes based on evolving guest expectations.