housekeeping course Dr. Osman Eitaa.docx

### COURES TITLE: HOUSEKEEPING IN HOTELS 1. Housekeeping Operations 2. Key Roles of Housekeeping Department 3. Organization of Housekeeping Department 4. Duties of Key Positions 5. Relationship Between Housekeeping Department and Other Departments 6. Cleaning Tasks 7. In-room Guest Sup...

### COURES TITLE: HOUSEKEEPING IN HOTELS 1. Housekeeping Operations 2. Key Roles of Housekeeping Department 3. Organization of Housekeeping Department 4. Duties of Key Positions 5. Relationship Between Housekeeping Department and Other Departments 6. Cleaning Tasks 7. In-room Guest Supplies and Amenities 8. Room Status Codes 9. Security Procedures ### #### 1. Housekeeping Operations **ACTIVITY 1** #### #### #### #### #### #### #### #### #### #### #### #### #### #### #### #### #### #### #### 2. Key Roles of Housekeeping Department As a support center, the main duty of housekeeping department is to maintain the cleanliness of the hotel, including both back-of-the-house and front-of-the-house areas. Setting good standards in room cleaning and public area cleaning can ensure a comfortable, safe and hygienic environment for hotel guests and staff in the property. A detail description of the responsibilities of housekeeping department includes the following areas: **Cleaning of Guest Room Floors** -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Guest rooms Corridors Service lift and floor storage areas **Cleaning of Public Areas** Lobby and lifts Public restrooms Recreation facilities, e.g. tennis courts, swimming pools, gymnasiums, club centers Guest self-serviced laundry Business centers Concierge F&B operations, e.g. restaurants and bars Meeting rooms and banqueting halls **Cleaning of Staff Areas** Offices of different departments Staff canteen Changing and locker rooms Storage areas Other Utilities Laundry services Linen and uniform control Gardening Pest control Flower shops #### 3. Organization of Housekeeping Department Figure 1－Housekeeping Organization Chart of a Large-sized - - - - - - - - Towels - Blankets - - - - Tablecloths - Napkins - Cleaning cloths #### ACTIVITY 2 Imagine yourself as the executive housekeeper of a large-sized hotel. Due to the **recent** financial tsunami, your hotel decided to cut cost by streamlining the organization structure. As the Executive Housekeeper, how would you redesign the organizational chart of your department, see Figure 1, to suit the need of your **hotel**? ##### 4. Duties of Key Positions Study the following list of job descriptions for housekeeping staff. Do you think another post in the housekeeping department can take some of the responsibilities of one post up? Why or why not? ##### a) Executive Housekeeper - - - - - Compiles duty rotas, holiday lists, etc.; - Personnel records; - Arranges supervision; - - - Handles complaints; and - Key control. ##### b) Assistant Executive Housekeeper - Assists executive housekeeper in day-to-day operation; - Assumes responsibilities of executive housekeeper in his/her absence; - Revises daily work schedule depending on the occupancy; - Prepares master list for carpet spotting, curtains, etc.; - inspects work to ensure prescribed standard of cleanliness; - Inspects rooms, lobbies and restaurants for cleanliness and also determines need for renovations and makes recommendations; - Coordinates with the front office; and - Screens applicants, trains new employees and recommends disciplinary actions or dismissals. **c) Assistant Housekeeper** - - - - Inspects guest rooms, lobbies and back stairs; - Keeps records of extra work performed by housekeeping department; - Takes inventory; and - ##### d) Floor Supervisor - Checks staff on duty; - Redeployment; - Supervision of staff; - Checks section/floor of rooms by filling in the room inspection list; - Conducts induction and general training; - Orders and issues cleaning materials; - Linen checks; - Maintenance checks; and - Liaises with reception on guest arrivals and departures. ##### e) Room Attendant - Cleans rooms, bathrooms and - Handle dirty and clean linen; - Provide turn-down service; and - Reports faults and maintenance. ##### f) Public Area Supervisor - - - - - ##### g) Cleaner - Maintains the cleanliness and order of the hotel premises; - Spots rugs, carpets, upholstered furniture using vacuum cleaner, broom and shampooing machine; - Keeps corridors dust free; - Moves and arranges furniture; and - Carries out special work assigned by the public area supervisor. ##### h) Tailor and Seamstress - Alters and repairs linens, uniforms, curtains and drapes; - Distributes and measures uniforms for new employees and keeps record; - Discards uniforms and room linen - Keeps records of all discarded items; - Prepares inventory; and - Repairs guest clothing. ##### i) Uniform and Linen Room Attendant - Sorts and counts dirty linen and uniform; - Checks and counts clean linen and uniform; - Issues and receives linen and uniform; and - Assists in inventory taking of all linen/uniform. ###### 5. Relationship Between Housekeeping Department and Other Departments  Figure 2－Relationship of Housekeeping Department with Other Departments ##### a) Front Office ##### b) Engineering ##### c) Security ##### d) Human Resources ##### e) Food and Beverage ##### f) Sales and Marketing ##### g) Purchasing ##### h) Accounts +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **ACTIVITY 3** | | | | | | | | Fill in the right | | | | column with the | | | | correct hotel | | | | department(s)/staff | | | | involved so as to | | | | meet customer needs | | | | in the following | | | | scenarios. | | | +=======================+=======================+=======================+ | **Scenario** | **Department(s)/Staff | | | | ** | | | | | | | | **Involved** | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | 1\. A guest wants to | | | | get a bouquet and | | | | some chocolate for | | | | her girlfriend's | | | | birthday. | | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | 2\. A guest calls | | | | the housekeeping | | | | department to | | | | complain that there | | | | is no hot water in | | | | the bathroom. | | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | 3\. A guest orders | | | | room service. | | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | 4\. A business | | | | traveler discovers | | | | that his personal | | | | computer left in | | | | the guest room has | | | | been stolen. | | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | 5\. An old lady | | | | feels sick in her | | | | room. | | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | | | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ ###### 6. Cleaning Tasks 1. Room Cleaning; and 2. Public Area Cleaning. ##### a) Room Cleaning - Tidy; - Clean; and - Comfortable. i. *Morning Briefing* - How many rooms are required to be cleaned for the day; - Will any large groups or tours come earlier and request for rooms; and - Are there any special cleaning requests, such as the setting up of extra beds before guests' arrivals? ii. *Room Assignment* iii. *Preparations Before Cleaning* - 1^st^ priority －Occupied rooms with 'first service' request - 2^nd^ priority －Check-out rooms which have been blocked for arrivals - 3^rd^ priority －Check-out rooms - 4^th^ priority －Occupied rooms *(iv) Cleaning the Guest Rooms* +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | **Room Cleaning Procedures** | | +===================================+===================================+ | | **Entering the Guest Room**  | | | Follow the industry standard by | | | knocking the door and announcing | | | housekeeping for 3 times before | | | entering the guest room  Park | | | the maid cart properly in front | | | of the door | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | | **Having a First Check and | | | Opening Up the Room**  Open all | | | the lights, TV, air conditioner | | | and refrigerator and check if | | | they are in good condition  | | | Check items in refrigerator  | | | Make sure if no personal | | | belongings are left in the | | | check-out rooms | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | | **Making the Beds** | | | | | |  Replace dirty linens with clean | | | ones | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | | **Cleaning Up the Trash and | | | Dusting the Room** | | | | | |  Collect the trash in the room | | | | | |  Empty and clean the ashtrays if | | | any | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | | **Cleaning the Bathroom** | | | | | |  Clean and disinfect the | | | bathroom | | | | | | - Replace clean towels | | | | | | - Refill guest supplies, e.g. | | | toilet rolls, toothbrush and | | | shower lotion | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | | **Vacuuming** | | | | | |  Vacuum from inside to outer | | | side of the room | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | | **Final Checking and Returning | | | Rooms to Inventory** | | | | | |  Check all the items and setting | | | inside the guest room before | | | leaving | | | | | |  Return rooms to inventory by | | | using the in-room telephone | | | system | | | | | |  Update the room assignment | | | sheet | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ Table 2－Room Cleaning Procedures ##### b) Public Area Cleaning +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | **By Public Attendants** | **'Back-of-the-house' Areas | | | Cleaned** | | | | | | **By Public Attendants** | +===================================+===================================+ | - Lobbies | - Staff changing rooms | | | | | - Elevators and escalators | - Service elevators | | | | | - Restrooms | - Canteen or Cafeteria | | | | | - Parking areas | - Kitchens | | | | | - Restaurants | - Departmental offices | | | | | - Banquet and meeting rooms | - Stairways | | | | | - Gymnasiums and swimming pools | - Store rooms | | | | | - Business Centers | - Laundry and uniform rooms | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ Table 3－Areas Cleaned By Public Area Attendants #### ACTIVITY 4－Carpets Inside the Elevators Some hotels in Hong Kong are using carpets with patterns of 'weekdays' or 'weekends' for their elevators. Try to think about the functions of using such kinds of carpets in hotel operations. ##### 7. In-room Guest Supplies and Amenities +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | - Adapter | - Fan | | | | | - Additional furniture, e.g. | - Heater | | table, chair | | | | - Humidifier | | - Air-purifier | | | | - Iron and ironing board | | - Bed board | | | | - Morning set (tooth brush & | | - Crib/Baby cot | paste...) | | | | | - Dehumidifier | - Rollaway bed | | | | | - Extension cord | - Transformer | | | | | - Extra bedding supplies, e.g. | - Vase | | | | | - pillow, blanket | - Tapes | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ *\* chargeable item* Table 4－The In-room Guest Supplies and Amenities  +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | | **Guest Amenities** | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | 1. | Minibar | | | | | | | 2. | 1. | | | | | | | 3. | 2. | | | | | | | | 3. | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | | | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ ##### 8. Room Status Codes +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **Terminologies** | | **Descriptions** | +=======================+=======================+=======================+ | **Occupied Clean** | OC | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **Occupied Dirty** | OD | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **Vacant Clean** / | | | | | | | | **Ready** | | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **Vacant Dirty** | VD | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **Do Not Disturb** | | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **Out of Order** | | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **Extra Bed** | XB | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **Light Baggage** | LB | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **No Baggage** | NB | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **No Need Service** | NNS | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **Sleep-out** | SO | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **Check-out** | CO | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **Expected** | ED | | | | | | | **Departure** | | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **Inspected Clean** | I | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **Did Not Check** | | | | | | | | **Out** | | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **Late Check-out** | / | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **Skipper** | / | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **Complimentary** | / | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **Stay-over** | / | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **Lock-out** | / | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ Table 5－Room Status Codes and Terminologies ----------- --------------------------- **Cases** **Codes / Terminologies** ----------- --------------------------- Code : -------- -------------------- ----- -- -- -- -- -------------- CO Check-out NB Vacant Dirty DND Do Not Disturb NNS Extra Bed ED Expected Departure OC  ##### 9. Security Procedures ##### a) Handling Guests' Valuables ##### b) Key Control ##### c) Suspicious Person ##### d) Lost and Found - a place or an office that keeps any items found inside the hotel; or - a place or an office where reports of missing items, reported by either guests or staff, are kept and followed up. #### ACTIVITY 7