Executive Housekeeper 16_1

The Executive

HOUSEKEEPER Articles:

Stains can be a pain! r Managing fo Success

Vol 16

No 1

PP322210/00016

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Publishers LETTER

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elcome to the first issue of 2012… A little later than expected but not all things go to plan, as everyone running a Housekeeping department would know.

We never tire of thanking all our advertisers for their strong support of your publication, as they do much to make it all possible. Please do support them whenever the opportunity arises.

This issue has a variety of articles that we hope will assist you in running your department. Have you thought about employing a person with a mental disability? There can be a lot of benefits in doing so. Sam Cheadle of Jobsupport discusses this very option.

When it comes to talking management, Bob Harris looks at how to become a successful leader.

Ted Horner discusses some of the technology trends coming into your hotels and we include articles on green cleaning and stain removal.

Also, our front cover and picture spread in this issue is of the new $700 million Surfer’s Paradise Hilton.

In our next edition, we would love to hear from other Executive Housekeepers, maybe about how you’ve tackled a particular problem? Or perhaps you have a funny story to tell!

As we regularly do, we must thank the writers, especially those such as Col Nation, Bridgette Gardner and Dianne Vidler, along with Barbara Sergeant filling in on the Profiles while Thomas Johnson is away in Canada.

Our next issue will be published in July, if there are any subjects you would like to read, or perhaps write about, please phone us, or alternatively email us at admin@adbourne.com to get your story featured.

We look forward to hearing from you and here’s to a successful and fulfilling 2012.

Regards Neil Muir

View The Executive Housekeeper online now!

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Adbourne Publishing 18/69 Acacia Road Ferntree Gully VIC 3156 PO Box 735, Belgrave, VIC 3160 www.adbourne.com Editorial Consultant Max Agnew Editorial Contributor Thomas Johnson

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Contents 6

PHAN Events

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PEHN News

10 FNPHN News 11 SEQPHA News 12 Stains Can Be a Pain 14 Taking Control of Germs 16 Josephine Wallis Executive Housekeepers – Burj Al Arab 19 Managing for Success 23 Don’t Stick Your Head in the Sand 24 Clean Sweep for STAR Ratings 25 The Times They Are a Changing!

28 Introducing Job Support 30 Welcome to Hilton Surfers Paradise 32 Setting Guidelines for Greener Cleaning 36 Leading by Example 41 Joyce Percy Profile 42 Faye Young Profile 45 Del Wilcockson Profile 46 Top Housekeeper Technology Trends in 2012 49 Twists & Turns & Productivity 50 The Hiring Process from Beginning to End 53 Bed Bug Barrier Bites Back at Bed Bugs 54 Choosing Commercial Laundry Equipment 56 Product News

Cover images courtesy of Hilton Surfers Paradise

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PHAN EVENTS On March 18th PHAN held their 8th Annual General meeting, opened by then president Chona Ogilvie. She advised the meeting that the aim of the Association is to share our knowledge and best practices with all members. The association is a not for profit organisation and accordingly the generosity of our sponsors is greatly valued and appreciated.

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hona acknowledged her Committee for 2011/2012 and their passion and devotion to the association as well as their member hotels for the support provided over the year by donating prizes, function space encouragement and permission to attend to Association business.

She introduced the guest Speaker, Mr. Victor Tiffany Head of Hospitality for Echo Entertainment. Victor came to Sydney from New York 3 years ago. He told the meeting it took all of 72 hours to fall in love with his new location.

His career started as a dish washer in his family’s business. He wanted to be a cook and had an amusing and interesting and humbling journey to achieve that goal.

He told of his housekeeping chapter – where he was part of an innovative development wearing shin guards to protect against dangerous furniture as he tried to make beds and turn rooms around in a tight time frame.

His work life has led to regular living “on the job”. His children are growing up with an appreciation of guest room amenities, service and standards.

Living in he advised has helped his understanding of the scope of work provided by Housekeeping to the hotel’s overall success with guests.

He commended the balanced approach of work and life he has seen and experienced in Sydney – healthy living and getting right are so essential to combat the long hours and punishing schedule of all hoteliers.

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Victor was living and working in New York ten years ago during the painful experience of the bombings of the World Trade Centre. The world in New York shut down for days – and has left an indelible mark on him.

He claims it’s an experience that has helped shape him. Sometimes the pain of life does not go away – life is filled with potholes and can be tough.

His perspective on being 5 minutes late for work changed forever.

He told the meeting the three mandatory qualities for hiring in hospitality are attitude, intelligence & skills. In that order – skills can be learned, but the first two people bring with them to the interview. He said one of his funniest worst moments was doing smiling training. He knows a smile lights up everyone’s day – and the guest is supremo, he believes in getting all staff on line with smiling.

There was a presentation of events during 2011/2012. Maureen Jolowicz and Grace Esogon gave a power point presentation of the events of the past year – including The Christmas in July Party at Shangri La, visits to The Star, The Westin, Radisson Blu and The Shangri-La, forum on learning, training and recruitment.

Back row left to right: Helen Hofman (St Marys Cathedral), Catherine Barbeoc’h (Sofitel Wentworth), Frans van Lieshout (TAFE).

Middle row left to right: Lalini de Silva (The Star), Kamila Smirski (The Shangri-La), Zarife Melick (The Menzies), Alex Atkinson (Meriton), Jason D’eath (Parkroyal Darling Harbour).

Front row left to right: Nela Neves (Holiday Inn Darling Harbour), Grace Esogon Sydney Harbor Marriott), Maureen Jolowizc (Radisson Blu).

Vice President: Alex Akerman – Meriton Secretary: Jason Death – Parkroyal Treasurer: Nela Neves – Holiday Inn, Darling Harbour Committee: L alini de Silva – The Star Chona Ogilvie – Sheraton 4 Points Frans van Lieshout – Ryde College of TAFE Helen Hofman – St Marys Cathedral Catherine Barbeoc’h – Sofitel Wentworth Grace Esogon – Sydney Harbour Marriott Zarife Melick – The Menzies Sydney Kamila Smirski – The Shangri-La After a session of brainstorming for events the members came up with the following desired activities: • Hotel visits, Wellness Symposium, Housekeeping Olympics, • Work. Health and Safety workshops – Updating and Training • Best Practice Seminar – Share Knowledge

Next on the agenda was the election of the new committee and officers for 2012/2013. Chona Ogilvie stood down as President and the meeting was chaired by Mavis Hedrik as Public Officer.

• Theatre/Opera/Musical – Group Outings

Nominations were called for and the following elected unanimously:

• Ten Pin Bowling

President: Maureen Jolowicz – Radisson Blu

• Excel spreadsheets training

• Bridge Climb • Clubbing – The New Club at The Star • Community Events: Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Breakfast, Daffodil Cancer Support Morning Tea.

FORUM ON LEARNING, TRAINING & RECRUITMENT IN HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENTS A wonderful opportunity to hear from and have discussions with a range of experts in their field, was taken up by representatives of some of Sydney‘s premier hotels recently.

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eld at Sheraton Four Points and convened by Professional Housekeepers Association of NSW, the forum addressed recruitment, training and further education – specifically geared to Housekeeping Departments.

Sam Cheadle and Kate O’Grady from Job Support together with Elena Naoumenko and Peter Delimitrov from Nova Employment, provided information on the value of employees with a disability. Such areas as repetitive and high turnover positions are excellent opportunities to give a person with an intellectual ability a chance to succeed. Increasingly the community recognises and respects hotels which demonstrate an equal opportunity ethos. Both companies advised of the on-the-job support and training provided to ensure the success of their candidates.

Alex Nugyn gave an impressive presentation on the wide ranging services to the community and commerce provided by Salvation Army Employment Plus in matching needs and resources.

TAFE delegates Tony Jacquet and Karen Laws gave a glimpse into the

diverse courses available for staff working in hospitality and desiring to move to other departments. For new recruits into hospitality, TAFE courses are available that provide recognition for prior learning. With a long association of the hospitality industry, TAFE now provides courses for Diploma, Advanced Diploma, and Bachelor of Hotel – in addition to short courses and workshops. Check out the link below for courses conducted with Charles Sturt University: http://nsf13:8023/ CareersAndLearningPathways/ LearningPathways/NSITafeUniversity/ DegreePrograms.aspx Elisse Cattana from Untamed Learning Solutions spoke of the tailored training provided by them for online learning situation and assignment based training.

After so much learning and a lively discussion on the subject – everyone adjourned to a wonderful buffet at Four Points courtesy of P & R Consultants – who help hotels find whatever amenity or item can possibly be imagined.

Left: Chona Ogilvie, PHAN President.

Middle: Karen Laws (TAFE), Elena Naomenko & Peter Delimitrov (Nova Employment), Elissa Caltana (Untamed Learning Solutions), Sam Cheadle (Job Support), Alex Nugyn (Salvation Army), Kate O’Grady (Job Support).

Right: Seminar audience.

Anyone who would like to join PHAN Membership is from 1st April 2012 – 31st March 2013.

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nnual fee for Executive Housekeepers, Assistant Executives, Senior Supervisors or Housekeeping Managers, Lecturers, Trainers and Teachers of Housekeeping and corporate trainees is $75.

Please make cheques payable to: Professional Housekeepers Association of NSW and post to: PO Box R1221, Royal Exchange, NSW 1225

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PEHN NEWS PEHN welcomes everyone to another year and ha some exciting events planned for 2012.

We continue to assist Housekeeper’s in dealing with current issues by finding specialists to talk about them. A prevailing issue that is a concern worldwide is a pest that makes us all itch by just talking about them, bed bugs, which we can almost call travel bugs, as they get into the hotels by travelling with our guests.

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n Wed 21st March 2012 at Spring Street Conference Centre, Maureen Koegel from Sleep Tight Services was invited to present to PEHN members and friends a Bed Bug Detection weapon that impressed all in attendance, her beagle Chloe who is trained to detect bed bugs not to mention keep quiet inside her transport container, which is very ideal for discreet travel within the hotel.

Maureen’s goal is to educate staff and she started her presentation with information about these pests, effective elimination processes, prevention and the code of practice which can be found in www.bedbug.org, The group was delighted when she demonstrated the effectiveness of

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using the beagle in detecting the presence of the bugs, which were thankfully contained in a cylinder in a bucket, Chloe successfully found and signalled by sitting next to it. Maureen is happy to visit hotels and give a free demonstration. For more information go to Sleep Tight Services website www.sleeptightservices.com.au or contact Maureen Koegel maureenk@sleeptightservices.com.au 0425 780 456.

This was then followed by a short information session

by Tony Abrahams an inventor from bed bug barrier www.bedbugbarrier.com.au, who presented us with some products to prevent bed bugs accessing the bed in a form of valance encasement and caster barrier which he advice to use in conjunction with bed bug killer powder.

For more information on this contact Tony on 0419 777 776 or tony@bedbugbarrier.com

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FNPHN NEWS I

t has been a sad time for us in the FNPHN Association as over the past few weeks we have lost our illustrious leader. Mike Taylor, due to ill health, has resigned his position as President and Rae Read as Vice President has stepped up temporarily into his very large shoes. Over the years Mike has been a driving force within the Association, especially during his time on the Committee, he is and will continue to be very much missed. We all wish him well and hope to continue seeing him at the occasional breakfast his health permitting.

With monthly breakfasts on our calendar we have had some very interesting speakers over the past few months including; Trevor Timms from Success with Attitude, an Inspirational speaker on life in general.

Leanne Peard, Social Media Specialist, explaining how and why we need to make use of the Social Media phenomenon.

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by Rae Read, president

Vlasta Erriksson from Signature Staff, who spoke on HR issues and changes to legislation.

David Burston from Toastmasters, showed us how to deliver an ‘on the spot’ presentation effectively.

Each of these Speakers passed on some valuable and interesting information and tips on their respective fields.

With Chinese New Year over, Cairns is heading into a traditionally quiet period although many of us are still trading with reasonably high occupancies at this stage.

It will be nice to catch our breath so to speak and try to do a little spring cleaning and get into some training programmes before it all starts again for us in June. The hospitality industry in Cairns is very much seasonal. The winter months being our busiest months with a huge amount of domestic travellers looking for a break from the harsher climates of the southern states. Also of course overseas travellers prefer to visit us over those months avoiding the heat, rain and humidity of our summers.

Very warm thanks to all our members who continue to support us through the monthly breakfasts and we look forward to continuing the trend.

SEQPHA NEWS

by Libby Sharp, president

I

t is really hard to believe that three months of the year has gone.

We commenced 2012 on the 7th February with a Breakfast at the Sofitel Broadbeach along with our AGM. Our guest speaker for the Breakfast was Bruce Frey from Frenkel Textiles and also Sandy Sneddon from the Leukemia Foundation. We presented $1000 to Sandy to assist some very deserving people and also $1000 to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary for the sponsorship of our two Koalas’. Again we could not have done this with our support of our wonderful suppliers who kindly donate prizes every month for our raffles.

Sandy has been telling us about so many more young people who are living with Cancer and a big thank you to Wendy the Executive Housekeeper from SeaWorld Nara and Ken Holmes from Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary who always arrange tickets for these young people and who put so many smiles on these young faces. We have assisted so many people last year and not just young ones. What we can do to bring a smile to someone who is so very ill, this takes only our time and that is something that so many of these people don’t have much of.

The new Committee that was voted in for 2012 at the AGM is: Libby Sharp – President Melissa Bent – Treasurer Kerry Dowen – Secretary Geraldine Langston Gavin Lysaght Poppi Farry Cherie Boden Gordon Moffitt Denise Miller Rachael Newberry Wendy Robson Gillian Perkins Mardi Sherman

We have locked in all of our events for 2012 as follows: February

Sofitel Breakfast

March

RACV Resort Breakfast

April Easter Breakfast – Watermark Hotel May Breakfast at Treasury Casino Brisbane June Race Day – Our Favourite Day July Christmas In July at Alto Broadbeach August

Breakfast at Jupiter’s

September Cocktails at the Hyatt Regency October Breakfast at the Novotel – Brisbane

At the end of Jo’s presentation she kindly donated a scholarship to our association.

On behalf of the association I would like to say a big Thank You to A.H. Beard for the donation of a beautiful Queen Bed ensemble and along with our other suppliers that have donated all the accessories to have a complete bed package to the value of $4000.

Raffle tickets have been printed with all the proceeds going to the Leukemia Foundation.

All of our Housekeepers and Suppliers have taken tickets to sell with the big draw at Race Day in June.

All of us at SEQPHA look forward to all our upcoming events for 2012 and a big welcome to all our new Members.

November Christmas party at Alto Broadbeach We had our Breakfast at the RACV Resort at Ashmore on the 15th March with a wonderful turnout and a truly inspirational speaker Jo Smith (Chief Executive Officer) from One Step Further institute of excellence along with Karen Sharp who is the Training Manager. Joe has been in the Industry for over 30 years She is the founding President of One Step Further which was incorporated back in 1996. Joe has consulted with timeshare industry leaders over the past decade from all over the world and in 1998 Jo was awarded the Registered Resort Professional by the American Resort Development Association. This is the highest qualification designation bestowed in the timeshare industry globally, respectfully recognised as the PHD of the timeshare industry. Jo also holds the Adjunct Lecturer at Griffith University, Dept of Sports, Tourism and Hotel Management. For the last 10 years.

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Stains

can be a pain

by Col nation

No matter how well you try to keep your décor looking good you can bet that a little accident can spoil the image you are trying to maintain. If the mirrors, glassware, taps and toilets are shiny and sparkling and the beds are neatly made and furniture is neat and tidy then your décor can look fantastic. But it only takes one stain to bring the whole look down.

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tains on carpet and upholstery can be a real pain in the back pocket. New carpet or upholstery is costly to replace, so here are a few tips to help you remove stains and keep things looking great.

First you have to look at what is a stain. A stain can be classified as ‘something left behind after cleaning’, and cleaning can be classified as ‘the removal of soil’ and soil can be classified as ‘anything foreign to the carpet or upholstery’. Using these classifications we can then start to look at the whole picture and try to understand what soiling actually is and how it can be removed. Then we can look at stains.

There are really only 4 types of soils.

These are dry soils, water soluble soils, oily soils and dyes. Dry soils are easily removed by vacuuming.

A suction only back pack or barrel type vacuum cleaner are okay if you want to do a lot of hard work or you can make the job easier and more effective by using an agitator power head on your standard vacuum cleaner or use a good quality upright vacuum cleaner to make the job easier and quicker. If vacuuming is the only cleaning process that you have available, then stains are anything left behind after vacuuming.

If you have a small hot water extractor spotting machine then you job will be even easier again.

So how do we remove stains?

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First you need to identify the stain.

Ask yourself these questions to get some clues. (a) Is it dry, wet or sticky? (b) What is the colour? (c) Where is the stain and what is the shape? (d) What does it smell like?

Dry could be powdery and a vacuum may do the trick, or it could be a dried out dye type stain in which case it will still be there after vacuuming. It may be water soluble in which case all you need to do is rinse with water. But, if it’s a dye stain then it will still be there.

If it’s wet then it is probably water based and still wet. Blot this up with a paper towel or rinse with the spotting machine. If it is water soluble then it will rinse away with nothing but water.

If it doesn’t rinse away with water, then it is probably a dye stain.

If the stain is sticky, then it could be a partially dried out beverage spill and the sugary residue will rinse away with water, if it is still sticky then it could be oily and may need treatment with a detergent. A detergent will make sticky things soluble, and you can then rinse it away with water. If the stain remains, then it is probably a dye stain.

What is the colour?

Here is a simple guide If it is Black, then it is likely to be an ink or grease. If it is sticky as well then this will confirm the diagnosis. If it is black and not sticky then it is likely to

be a dye stain. This will require the use of a solvent. Be careful because using a detergent may set or spread the stain and turn it into a dye stain.

Brown could be a number of things.

It may be coffee or tea. If it is still wet then a rinse with water may help, if it is dry then a simple rinse with water may help, but anything that remains behind is probably a tannin type dye stain.

But, if it is brown and sticky, then your worst fears could be realised.

Warning! That brown sticky substance might not be chocolate!!! Your sense of smell may come in to play here. And don’t use your bare hands to test for stickiness, put gloves on and use a cloth to test for stickiness. If a brown stain transfers to the cloth then it may contain some oils or fats and you have a good chance of removing the stain with a bit of detergent.

Reds, yellows, orange, blues, greens and purple are usually from beverage spills. The dyes used to colour these drinks are called ‘acid dyes’.

Chefs may use these standard food colourings to prepare colourful cakes and beverage manufacturers will make a variety of coloured drinks using the same acid dyes. But to a carpet manufacturer these very same acid dyes can be used to dye both wool and nylon carpet to achieve a range of colours to suit your decor. Spill a coloured drink on you carpet and you have just dyed it a different colour and no amount of regular cleaning will remove it. This must be removed by professional stain removers using heat

transfer processes, or dye stripping and re-colouring.

Grey stains are most likely to be nothing more than dry soils sticking to a sugary or fatty residue. For these you can simply try a detergent spotter and blot with a cloth until you have removed the stain and the detergent residue. It may be necessary to rinse the remaining detergent residue to prevent it from re-attracting the soil to form another grey spot. Grey marks are by far the most common, and usually the easiest to deal with.

Where is the stain? A red stain in the bedroom near a mirror is likely to be lipstick. Is it sticky? Does it transfer to a dry cloth? If so then it is most likely some form of oily make up and a detergent may very well fix it. A red stain in a lounge room in the shape of a spill could be a drink spill. Try the dry cloth on this and you will find that it does not transfer to the cloth and is therefore probably a dye stain.

So to summarise, we try to work out what the stain is, and then treat it accordingly.

For example. A coffee or tea stain is usually brown, but these are usually wet or dry, not sticky and will not transfer to a dry cloth. Chocolate and faeces are brown, but will usually be sticky and will transfer to a dry cloth. If the stain transfers to a dry cloth then a detergent or solvent can be used. If the stain does not transfer to a dry cloth then rinse it with water, it will either work or it won’t. If it works, then great you have solved your problem, but if it doesn’t then try a detergent spotter, and if that works great. But if water and detergents don’t work then it may be better to call in some professional help as you may only cause permanent damage by trying other treatments.

There is a great spotting guide on the WoolSafe website: www.woolsafe.com.au It lists a variety of stains and some

treatments that may help. You can also look on my own website for our specialty stain removal service www.abbsolve.com.au for a very simple and easy to follow spill removal guide that uses the classification process and provides some simple solutions.

So if spots and stains are being a pain, then follow the simple guidelines and you can help keep your décor looking great.  Col Nation is a carpet cleaning industry veteran with over 30 years of continual hands on experience. He runs a specialty stain removal and upholstery and leather cleaning service “Abbsolve Services” on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and is also a qualified industry trainer.

Colin has his own training company, Nation Training, and does contract training with The Daniels Associates of Australasia Pty Ltd a specialist training organisation in the cleaning and hospitality industries and the WoolSafe Organisation. Colin has written training manuals and has represented the industry on the Standards Australia committees for carpet and upholstery cleaning.

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Taking Control

OF GERMS

by Danielle Harsip

D

uring flu and cold season, the control of bacteria becomes even more important. ln 2009, we saw how quickly germs can spread with the outbreak of H1N1, and we continuously hear about new contagious threats. So, what can we do? We can be proactive. We can use the best products and methods to wipe germs and bacteria away.

Cotton rags and mops are out – microfibre and pre-saturated disinfecting wipes are in.

Microfibre Cloths Cotton rags, although they ap­pear to wipe surfaces clean, actu­ally harbour bacteria and germs and continue to spread those same germs onto new surfaces. Microfibre, on the other hand, is a naturally antibacterial product. It consists of an inter-locking blend of two fibres: Polyester and poly­amide (nylon material). Polyester is great for scrubbing and cleaning, while the polyamide is absorbent and quick drying.

The typical cotton products smear dirt, bacteria and grime, while microfibre actually gets un­derneath the dirt, scrapes it off the surface and traps it until the cloth is washed. Not only is it the most efficient way to clean, but it’s also economical. The cost is relatively low, and if cared for properly (such as not putting the cloth in a hot dryer), microfibre cloths can be washed up to 500 times without any degradation to the cloth.

Microfibre Mops Long gone are the days of using a cotton string mop dipped in a bucket of contaminated water. Just like cotton rags, cotton mops sim­ply smear dirt and germs around, giving the appearance of clean without really cleaning. Microfibre mops come in

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all shapes, types and sizes including both dry and wet mop pads, fringedstyle microfibre dust mops, tube mops (string-like, but easier to rinse than cotton), scrubbing pads and more.

Because of the antibacterial nature of microfibre mops, fewer chemicals and a more diluted formula can he used to clean with. Best of all, microfibre mops do not harbour bacteria, which consequently eliminates the pos­sibility of odour when storing the mop after use.

Colour Code to Stop the Spread of Germs Ensure that the same cloth that is used to clean the toilet seat is not the same one used to clean the faucet by colour coding. Colourcoded cleaning is one of the hottest trends in housekeeping departments around the country. Confusion about which cleaning cloth to use on which surface can be eliminated simply by assigning a colour to each surface or task. Some people even match the colour of the chemical with the colour

of the cloth. It also helps break down existing language barriers within the department.

In areas where the possibility of cross-contamination is very high, it is important that the correct cloth is being used on each surface.

Colour coding dramatically decreases the possibility of cross-contamination, and makes for a much cleaner, more sanitary environment.

Pre-Saturated Antibacterial Wipes What do gyms, hospitals, hotels, schools, shopping centres and arenas all have in common? Along with the switch to microfibre for cleaning, many of these venues are switching to pre-saturated antibac­terial wipes for equipment, hands and surfaces.

Why use pre-saturated wipes?

• Wipes are disposable, there­fore the possibility of cross-contam­ination is virtually eliminated.

• Convenient and efficient way to clean surfaces.

Conventional thinking leads prospective buyers of pre-saturated wipes to believe that they are not cost effective. This is actually not true.

As the popularity and availability of pre-saturated wipes has increased over the years, the price has gone down (unlike cotton rags whose price continues in an upward trend due to worldwide cotton shortages).

• Eliminate the possibility of messy overspray on other surfaces.

• Wipes are pre-saturated with a disinfecting formula, ensuring a consistent amount of disinfectant, in each wipe.

• Many companies that sell disinfecting wipes have an EPA registered “kill-claim,” ensuring that the product they are selling actually kills specific strains of the most contagious bacteria.

Different strains of bacteria from humans and animals con­tinue to arise, and there is no way to stop this from happening. But, we can control the spread of these strains of bacteria by cleaning effi­ciently. Dramatically decrease the spread of infection: Use microfibre instead of cotton and disinfecting wipes instead of paper towels and a spray bottle. n This article was first published in Executive Housekeeping Today, November 2011.

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Josephine Wallis

Executive Housekeepers – Burj Al Arab

By Liz Lycette

Josephine Wallis is in charge of Housekeeping at the Burj Al Arab and knows about the challenges of housekeeping in a 7 star luxury hotel. Burj Al Arab does not have rooms; it has 202 suites, each one arranged over 2 floors. Ranging from a spacious 170 sq m to an astonishing 780 sq m in size, the floor to ceiling glass windows offer simply breathtaking views of the Arabian Gulf. Decorated with lavish textures and exuberant colours, each suite features a sumptuous living and dining area, state of the art entertainment system and office facilities. Their sheer opulence in every tiny detail is underpinned with technology that does everything from controlling the 42 inch Plasma screen TV to closing the curtains. An extensive range of full-size Hermes bathroom amenities, a decadent bath menu with music and oils, and an alternative menu offering a range of 13 pillows to choose from are also provided as standard in all the suites. In this article Josephine shares some of her experiences with us.

What is your cultural background?

I am from a rural farming background.

Where were you born and where did you grow up?

I was born in the UK and grew up on a farm in the county of Lincolnshire – a very quiet part of the UK. What was your career path date?

After college I worked in London for 9 years as a Floor Supervisor and Assistant Housekeeper. I then moved out to Dubai, where I have worked for the past 13 years with the Jumeirah Group.

What was you first role as Executive Housekeeper?

I was Executive Housekeeper at The Jumeirah Beach Club, a 50 suite boutique hotel. After three years I

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moved as Executive Housekeeper to the amazing Burj Al Arab.

daily basis and challenge them to continually improve.

What challenges did that bring?

How many staff are you responsible for?

The main challenge was going from a team of 200 colleagues, which I had at Jumeirah Beach Hotel back to a team of 30 and teaching them how to multi skill.

What is our current position and Hotel? What are your current job responsibilities at your hotel?

Currently I am Executive Housekeeper at the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai responsible for cleaning the inside of the hotel. At the hotel, housekeeping also looks after linen, uniforms and flowers and we have a small on site laundry. That is the practical part of the job, the creative part is then to inspire and motivate the team on a

I oversee a team of 270 colleagues.

And what areas are you responsible for?

Cleaning of suites and public areas, linen, laundry, uniforms and flowers.

What would your typical day be like?

Our very busy time is from 12 noon to 4 pm when we have our back to back departures and arrivals.

What are your top three challenges this week?

I am writing this article just before Valentines Day so I have to ensure I have 5,000 red roses so we can prepare our lobby arrangements.

What criteria?

This will only be successful if you can identify colleagues with passion, drive and commitment for housekeeping.

How did you manage moving country to county?

Dubai was the first overseas country I worked in and after 14 years I am still there so I must have managed OK. How do you deal with different cultures?

I have a team which includes about 15 nationalities and therefore many different cultures but on the whole we all work very well together.

We have a strong company culture which includes 3 hallmarks and 6 guiding principles, one of which is teamwork and these also help in our day to day activities.

How does pre-opening work compare with working in an existing property? What are the top 3 challenges in an opening?

Haven’t experienced a true preopening as have just managed take overs of existing properties.

Going to Middle East from Europe, what are the 3 main differences in your management style?

Secondly, marketing have arranged a photo shoot and they want to cover the infinity swimming pool with rose petals. We are trying to come up with an alternative as if we totally cover the top the petals will damage the pump and filters. Thirdly, food and beverage have ordered large round tablecloths and the laundry are struggling to process them and return to the hotel free of creases. So we are trying to work on a solution.

How did you choose those managers under you?

I like to promote from within and feel this is essential with such a large team.

The major difference was going into a culture where everyone truly wants to do things for you. I’ve found, the Middle East to be a region of the world that prides itself on giving. It’s nice to work in an environment with this as part of their culture. The second main difference is having a team of full time colleagues and working with very few contract staff. The third difference is adapting your management style to work with 80% male and 20% female staff where as in London it was 80% female and 20% male.

What are your top 3 tips for success in Housekeeping Management?

1. Support your colleagues – give them a chance to shine, listen to them and give them time to train.

2. Be a good role model – Be considerate, act calmly, act with integrity and lead by example.

3. Understand your colleagues – Reward them, set them goals, give feedback on their performance and communicate with them.

What advice would you give someone starting out in housekeeping?

Perseverance, perseverance.

Housekeeping is a round the clock commitment and requires discipline to ensure you have great work life/life balance. I’ve found that balance and surrounding myself with a committed and disciplined team means we can all enjoy life as much as our careers.

What do you do for fun?

Last year I bought a bike so in cooler months it is nice to cycle around Palm Island in Dubai. I am also planning to do a vertical marathon in April and climb the fire exit stairs in the hotel twice a week but not sure that is fun!!

How do you think housekeeping management has changed since you started?

For me, housekeeping management is much more about ensuring the guest has a memorable experience each time they stay rather than cleaning standards.

Where do you think it is heading?

At Burj Al Arab, our aim is to create the ultimate experience for all our guests. Providing an experience that lasts a lifetime, is paramount and something we constantly strive for. We never loose sight of that as a goal. n

About Lycette & Associates L&A specialises in all aspects of Housekeeping Management including on-site consulting, training and development workshops including assistance with initial set-up of housekeeping operations at the pre-opening stage. L&A also undertakes customised operational reviews of existing housekeeping operations identifying and improving the effectiveness and efficiency of current departmental procedures. For more information visit www.lycetteandassociates.com or e-mail info@lycetteandassociates.com For more information on the Burj Al Arab visit: http://www.jumeirah.com/hotels-and-resorts/ destinations/dubai/burj-al-arab/

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Managing

for Success Effective strategies to prepare for an audit & establish the proper processes for optimal performance

By Dave Mesko, Cintas Corporation

A

lmost every major hotel chain has an audit system in place. Developed to ensure individual properties meet brand standards, audits typically assess various aspects of the property, from the customer service provided at the front desk to the cleanliness of guest rooms.

Often outcome driven, these surveys analyse surface appearance to determine its cleanliness. For example, auditors may check to see that no hairs have lingered in the bathtub or that there is no evidence of lipstick stains around glasses. But as we all know, just because a surface looks clean, it doesn’t necessarily mean it is clean.

Maintaining truly clean rooms requires not only looking at the end result (e.g. “does the room appear clean?”), but also putting the right programs and processes in place to ensure the desired result is achieved. It also means establishing a culture and environment in your department that positions your housekeeping team for success.

To prepare your hotel for an audit, one of the best things you can do is take an independent audit of your department. By asking a few critical questions, you can ensure that you have the right tools, programs and resources in place to provide a clean and safe environment for guests and staff.

When conducting your audit, key questions to ask include:

Does everyone on staff have the right tools to do their jobs?

As Benjamin Franklin once opined, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” The same can be said about cleaning technology – a small investment can reap rewards in terms of improved productivity and improved health.

The right cleaning tools, like microfibre towels and mops, can improve cleanliness by not leaving lint behind, which can make a surface appear dirty. In addition, proper tools reduce worker strain by easing or eliminating repetitive motions and over exertion. According to the ISSA 540 Cleaning Times, properly equipping housekeepers can enhance productivity by up to 54 percent. Similarly, using the right cleaning chemicals for each surface also improves productivity and provides optimal hygienic results.

Do all housekeepers have adequately stocked supplies?

Within most workplace environments, seniority has its privileges. In the housekeeping department, this typically means more supplies. Housekeepers who have been on staff longer know how to get the tools they need to properly perform their job. Less tenured personnel often have to make do with whatever tools and resources they can find.

Inadequate resources result in one primary issue: productivity loss. This is caused by staff members either using the wrong tool for the job or making frequent trips to storage areas so they can get the proper tool. For example, someone might use a pillow case to wipe down night stands rather than the microfibre cloth provided.

For a housekeeping team to effectively perform, everyone on staff needs to have the same stocked tools and supplies. At the start of each shift, have each housekeeper conduct an inventory of the items stocked in their carts.

Put a system in place that randomly checks supplies and rewards those housekeepers who have the specified items in place.

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Is locked storage available?

To minimise loss and help housekeepers maintain the required supplies, provide the housekeeping team with individually secured storage areas. Without a locked storage, housekeepers can borrow supplies from each other’s cart, which leads to discrepancies between individual inventories. For example, a housekeeper on the night shift may have five microfibre towels while a housekeeper on the day shift may only have one. Secured storage is an easy way to keep housekeepers productive and ensure that they have the tools they need to perform their jobs.

Maintain these areas in either one centralised location within the hotel or on individual floors so housekeepers can easily retrieve their carts before each shift. Ideally, these locked areas should be large enough or close enough to supply areas so they can also easily restock their carts without having to go to a separate area.

How much time should it take to clean a room?

When was the last time you conducted a time audit of each type of room in your hotel? Do you know approximately (within a few minutes) how much time it should take for a housekeeper to finish cleaning a stayover or checkout room?

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While the overall condition of the room will contribute to the total time required to clean it, executive housekeepers should have an approximate idea of the time it takes to clean the different room types throughout the property.

To accomplish this, conduct several time trials throughout each room type and compute the average time spent to clean a room to establish the benchmark. This helps ensure that housekeepers have the necessary amount of time to properly clean each room and are not rushed through the process.

Do the housekeepers understand the proper order of cleaning?

Equipped with a checklist, most housekeepers proceed through room cleaning with a specific order in mind.

Typically, they will strip the bed, vacuum and dust the room before finishing with restroom cleaning.

Without the proper training, housekeepers may not clean the room with any particular sequence in mind. This can lead to dirty, or contaminated, surfaces. For example, if the housekeeper was to dust before vacuuming, the act of vacuuming may kick up dust which would then redeposit on flat surfaces throughout the room.

Cleaning in specific order and with the right tools is particularly important in the restroom. No one wants to

Without the proper training, housekeepers may not clean the room with any particular sequence in mind. This can lead to dirty, or contaminated, surfaces. see a housekeeper clean the sink or glasses with the same towel they just used to clean the toilet.

To reconcile these issues, provide in-services to reinforce the proper order of cleaning. Communicate the value of cleaning with a particular order so they understand why.

Reinforce this training with random checks or tests to make sure the process is understood and followed correctly.

Does the housekeeping staff have the right PPE and know the right way to clean?

proper equipment and training to do the job. This helps reset cleanliness levels to a state that can be more easily maintained by housekeeping on an ongoing basis.

The Importance of Method As an executive housekeeper, what are your personal brand standards? Is your staff adequately positioned for success?

While audits are an effective way of measuring the overall appearance of the facility, it is not the most effective way to measure its true cleanliness. Executive housekeepers who want to make an impact and establish a true signature around the cleanliness of their facility must take into account the methods and processes in place. By streamlining the processes, ensuring that staff receive proper training and equipping them with the correct tools for the job, executive housekeepers can position themselves – and their teams – for success. n With more than 11 years of industry experience, Dave Mesko is Senior Director of Marketing for Cintas, a leading provider of facility service solutions. Dave Mesko can be reached at meskod@cintas.com

There’s no question that housekeeping is an extremely labour intensive and difficult job, and no executive housekeeper wants their staff members to feel any physical ramifications from their work. Aside from general concern for their wellbeing, workers with aches or injuries result in absences – and possible recordable injuries.

To help protect workers, limit injuries and maintain productivity, it is critical to properly train workers on correct cleaning techniques and don them with personal protective equipment (PPE). Seemingly simple tasks like making the bed can result in extensive strain if not done correctly. To limit back strain, train housekeepers to kneel when making beds and provide them with kneepads to prevent them from bending over.

Further, provide workers with other PPE such as rubber gloves. By limiting opportunities for workers to come into direct contact with potentially contaminated surfaces, you help protect them from bacteria that could make them sick.

A healthy and happy housekeeping staff often makes for a productive housekeeping staff.

Do housekeepers have the expertise and equipment required for deep cleaning?

Most housekeepers have an established set of tasks that come along with maintaining rooms at a high level of cleanliness. However, they are typically not trained, equipped and do not have the time to perform a thorough deep cleaning of various surfaces such as carpet, tile, drapery or air conditioning units. Yet, some housekeeping departments stretch their resources to include these duties in their job descriptions.

To maintain a premium level of cleanliness, delegate deep cleaning responsibilities to specialists who have the

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Don’t stick

your Head in the Sand

by Dianne Vidler

W

hen I gained my first role as an Executive Housekeeper, I was filled with fresh energy and new perspective however being a young manager is harder than you might think. I’d never had to deal with so many behavioural issues and it lead me to believe it was because of my youth. It’s not easy to deflect criticism like “you look too young” when you are a young manager. As time went on I soon leant that difficult behaviour is present in every workplace. During your career, you may encounter instances of bullying, controlling, backstabbing, gossiping, complaining, rudeness, lack of motivation, passive aggressiveness, and uncooperative behaviour. It’s your job as a manager to deal with difficult behaviour and maintain a productive environment. But how do you know when employee behaviour is truly difficult and outside the range of normal behaviour? When do you need to take action?

Difficult behaviour becomes problematic when it hinders the work of other people and thereby affects the productivity of a team or group.

To help me identify difficult behaviour, I use a useful evaluation criteria.

Behaviour can be considered difficult and problematic when it interferes with a team’s ability to perform its work, damages team unity, or has an adverse effect on one or more team members.

There are many effects that can ripple out from difficult employee behaviour: • Stress – Stress is one result of having to deal with difficult behaviour.

In fact, stress-related illnesses cost Hotels hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in lost productivity.

• Strained working relationships – Effective teamwork relies on team

members being able to work together easily and freely. Teamwork suffers if team members have to worry about enduring a teammate’s anger, sarcasm, or unreliability.

Aggressiveness, negativity, indecisiveness, and disrespect are examples of difficult behaviours you’ll need to identify and address in order to keep your Hotel running smoothly.

• Negative emotions – Difficult behaviour produces negative emotions in the team members who must endure the behaviour.

Difficult behaviour becomes problematic when it affects other people. To help you identify when difficult behaviour crosses the line and must be addressed, consider three criteria. First, difficult behaviour interferes with a team’s ability to perform its work. Second, difficult behaviour damages team unity. And third, it has an adverse effect on team members. Difficult behaviour has some serious effects on teams and team members – stress, negative emotions, strained working relationships, and reduced creativity and productivity.

As a manager, it’s your job to address difficult behaviour firmly and in a timely manner. If you don’t, the behaviour will only get worse. And your own credibility will be negatively affected.

• Reduced creativity and productivity – To be creative and productive, team members must be able to focus intensively on a problem or process.

Difficult behaviour draws attention to itself and dissipates focus. Ultimately, the Hotels goals may even be in jeopardy if teams aren’t as creative and productive as they should be.

• Loss of credibility – Team members deserve a safe, harmonious, and calm environment in which to do their work.

When the environment is threatened by difficult behaviour, they look to their manager to deal with it. Failure to address the behaviour could cause team members to lose respect for, or belief in, you.

Since the potential effects of difficult behaviour are so severe, it’s crucial for you as a manager to deal with the behaviour firmly and in a timely manner. If you don’t, the behaviour won’t disappear – it’ll get worse.

I had learnt from a great Human Resource manager not get caught up in the staff member blaming another for their behaviour, I’ve learnt over the years to simply advise that were discussing “your” behaviour, it’s a very simple method but it truly works.

Behaviour is the key to achievement.

It is what Managers do or don’t do that makes for a successful team. 

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Clean sweep

for STAR Ratings

by Charles Deuchrass, Marketing Manager, AAA Tourism

A focus on the consumer choice-drivers of cleanliness and quality and a partnership with the Australian Government’s T-QUAL Accreditation program are at the heart of the new Australian STAR Rating Scheme.

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ew research findings reveal that 94% of Australian travellers rate cleanliness as the most important aspect of a STAR Rating.

90% of Australian travellers want the official STAR Rating Scheme in Australia to measure quality.

According to CEO Peter Blackwell, the research findings deliver a clear mandate for the changes that were introduced when the new Scheme was launched in October.

“The old facilities-based model had failed to keep up with consumer demand and had also led to the development of homogenised, over-rated accommodation product in Australia,” he said.

“Our new scheme unashamedly focuses on cleanliness and quality because it is no longer acceptable to just measure the number of facilities a property has to determine a STAR Rating.”

Regardless of a property’s STAR Rating or location, it must be clean.

“The consumer has told us the importance of clean, hygienic accommodation and in order for AAA Tourism and the Auto Clubs to promote STAR Rated properties to domestic travellers – including over 7 million Auto Club members – every single property from one STAR to five, must meet minimum cleaning standards of 75%.”

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Research findings also revealed that travellers define quality as a high standard of provisions and substantiates the decision to measure both quality and condition under the new scheme. As a result, property owners and managers will not be judged simply on the modernity of their facilities but their commitment to maintaining the quality at the level required to achieve a specific standard or STAR Rating.

STAR Rating assessors have undergone intensive training of the new criteria and quality guidelines, which have also been weighted according to their importance to the consumer. Victoria University was commissioned to develop the assessment model, with independent consultants and the RMIT University School of Design developing the quality guidelines and training program.

Despite a challenging commercial environment, the “STARS” remain synonymous with independently assessed and qualified accommodation standards, with 85% of Australian travellers using the symbol when choosing a place to stay. STAR Ratings were also the third most influential source of information behind pictures of accommodation and recommendations from family and friends.

How a STAR Rating is determined

A property’s STAR Rating is now based on the lowest percentage score of the three Key Areas of Assessment – Facilities & Services, Cleanliness, Quality & Condition.

The 4 STAR example above is based on the property’s Quality & Condition score, which is its lowest of the three areas.  For more detailed information on the new STAR Rating Scheme and to download the Standards & Guidelines please visit: www.starratings.com.au

The Times

They are a ChanginG!

by Dean Minett

T

here is a lovely old song from the 60s called Turn Turn Turn, which is based on the Biblical book of Ecclesiastes. Essentially the writer suggests that there is a time for everything in life – to be born, die, plant, reap, weep, laugh… you get the picture. Whilst many people see the song as a plea for peace, I see it as a song reminding us that being alive means experiencing all these things but recognising that nothing last forever so enjoy and experience it now. John Lennon touched on this also with his song Happy Christmas, War is Over when he asked “so this is Christmas and what have you done?”

For many people the New Year is the time that they consider these issues, but for others, Winter is a time of reflection to consider what they have done and what they want to do. At the end of the calendar year, we are often too busy celebrating the end of 12 month’s hard work and so we make half-hearted promises that we forget as soon as the hangover lifts; thinking about this mid-year means there is still at least half a year to implement new ideas when we are still reasonably energised and motivated.

In all societies, Winter is a time for preparation for the Spring to come and, whilst for animals it is a time to

sleep or just stay warm, humans have the capacity to reflect and prepare and change.

So how?

The hardest part for anyone wishing to change is the beginning. That first little step. It is hard but I can tell you it wont happen by just talking about it or making vague little promises. We have to do something.

One way might be to create some time in your calendar for you…just you. Time to sit or walk and think… just think. Buddhists maintain that part of the reason we humans are so unhappy is because we are always

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Dream away... doing, not just being. We are always attached to something or someone…not being aware of the sounds or rhythms around us. So, maybe we could try and focus on us.

Winter is a time where there is not much sunlight and Vitamin D is in short supply so we should absorb whatever sun appears. It is not surprising that many people become sad or depressed during winter as it is cold and we don’t get out much. Indeed, there is even a form of depression called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which affects many people worldwide. Interestingly one of the treatments for this is “bright light therapy” where patients are subjected to intense light, which seems to have a positive effect on their outlook.

Our outlook may not be quite as drastic as experiencing SAD (and many people still experience the Winter Blues) but I don’t think this is a bad thing though. In fact, I am sure that we are biologically intended to have these low periods to allow us time to reflect on life and our journey as I suggested earlier.

OK, so how can we do this whilst still having to work? Well, you could take a walk during your break instead of sitting in the staff room; walk a few extra blocks from the train or park the car a few blocks further away to ensure you grab the sun and light. This has the benefit of pushing the heart and muscles to exercise a little more and of course, lets us see more than just home and work, work and home. We also benefit from greater perspective when we realise that there are other people in the world, there are clouds, rain, sun, birds – beautiful images and people.

..on our Roll Away Beds

The hotel industry is known for being a pressure cooker.

Housekeepers in particular work at the same high level year around because we roster according to occupancy.

Front office, maintenance or sales though are all on a pretty standard level whether the hotel is full or half empty, but housekeepers clean the same number of rooms, day in day out. Doesn’t quite seem fair does it, but then again lots of things aren’t! The question is what to do about it?

Ultimately the answer is up to us. As outlined above though, why not use the coming mid-year period to reflect and renew? We might well find that our work or life isn’t as bad as it could be; or, we might find that we could do better and take steps to do so.

I guess we could just hibernate like the bears and hope it all blows over. The only trouble is when we wake up the only thing that will have changed is the weather.

Is that enough? 

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Introducing

jobsupport

by Sam Cheadle

Phil Tuckerman AM started the Jobsupport service in 1986, back then it was just a demonstration project to see if open employment could work for people with a significant intellectual disability. Up until this point there were no services available to help people gain employment. Generally the only way someone could get paid work is if a family member or family friend gave an individual a go.

T

oday Jobsupport works with over 560 employers across Sydney and Melbourne and the barriers to employing people with disabilities have lessened considerably with the success of Jobsupport.

Jobsupport is a leading Disability Employment Service with federal government rating of 5 stars across every employment service area in Sydney. This year Phil Tuckerman AM has been awarded into the Australian

Brooke Self and The Sebel Resort and Spa

7 years ago The Sebel Resort and Spa Hawkesbury Valley started a relationship with Jobsupport employing Brooke to work in Housekeeping. The Executive Housekeeper helped to identify a suitable role for someone restocking the mini bars in guest’s rooms each

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Order for his service to people with a disability.

The foundations of the service have not changed since 1986. It’s a proven formula that works for this client group. Jobsupport uses an error free training model and provides onsite training as well as ongoing support to clients and employers.

Employing someone with an intellectual disability is still a foreign world to many and the unknown can often prevent someone getting an

opportunity. The onsite vocational training and ongoing support to employers is important for the individual to learn their job correctly, but the non-vocational training is equally important for a successful placement. Jobsupport trainers are onsite for a number of weeks during the initial training period and model appropriate interactions between client, staff and supervisors.

Jobsupport is one of the few services that provides ongoing support

day. The candidate also needed to add information for used items into the reception computer system ready in time for checkout.

More recently Jobsupport are assisting Brooke clearing rooms, restocking housekeeping trolleys and vacuuming corridors.

Jobsupport staff spent time breaking down the tasks into teachable steps and then matched Brooke to the role. Brooke lives locally and had requested hospitality as a suitable option for her.

“I love my Job because I get to meet new people and make new friends.

I enjoy learning and I like to earn money so I can buy things” says Brooke.

A couple of years on Brooke’s role changed and new tasks were introduced. A role was identified working within the laundry folding sheets and towels, pressing pillow slips, as well as using the industrial washers and dryers. Prior to starting her new duties Jobsupport completed a detailed analysis of her new role and then increased their support to facilitate the training.

The Sebel Resort and Spa Hawkesbury Valley have always been very supportive employers.

Sam Cheadle of Jobsupport said “Its employers like this who are willing to give someone a go that really makes the difference. Our clients wouldn’t normally get be able to access open employment that make Jobsupport the leading service that it is today”.

following an initial one to one training period. This gives employers confidence knowing they have support for the entire time someone is employed.

• Release under utilised experienced staff

Employing people with an intellectual disability is more than a ‘feel good’ and can produce benefits such as:

People with intellectual disabilities are part of a minority group of people who really want to work. These are people who love Mondays and hate Fridays, they always greet you with a smile and get enormous satisfaction being one of the team. It’s a great opportunity to give someone with an intellectual

• Stabilise high turnover positions and lower new staff induction costs, loss of productivity

• Ensure routine or repetitive tasks are completed to your specified standards

disability the chance to have a satisfying job, and greatly improve an individual’s quality of life and in turn makes good business sense.

The wider community respects and appreciates companies that give a person with an intellectual disability a chance to succeed.

Employers who are looking to explore an opportunity for someone from Jobsupport should contact Sam Cheadle 02 9150 8888. 

Vili Nisa and The Sofitel Sydney Wentworth (Quotes from Gabrielle Choy – Human Resource Manager) trolleys of any used linen. “This helps Room Attendants as the trolleys are lighter and easier to manoeuvre. It also frees up more time for the Houseman to carry out guest requests”.

Sofitel Sydney Wentworth prides itself upon its diverse workforce.

In 2010 Jobsupport approached Gabrielle Choy of Human Resources.

Gabrielle was more than willing to explore an opportunity for someone with an intellectual disability.

Sofitel Sydney Wentworth were recruiting for a Houseperson at the time. “We discovered that by altering the duties of a vacant position we could accommodate an intellectually disabled candidate. With the guidance of Jobsupport we knew that the duties had to be specific, structured and repetitive. Together with Jobsupport we were able to create a suitable Houseperson Assistant position and employ Vili”.

Vili’s role is to assist the Housepersons by visiting each floor numerous times throughout the day and emptying the room attendant

“Vili is a respected and stable member of our Housekeeping team who we can rely on. We have seen our Housekeeping Ambassadors really come together to support and assist Vili. In fact, all of our ambassadors feel a strong sense of reward knowing that they are making a difference to someone’s life”.

strong ongoing contact with Vili and the Hotel”.

“Sofitel Sydney Wentworth whole heartedly supports the Jobsupport service with the training and ongoing support they provide.

With a little flexibility around position responsibilities and thinking outside of the square, there are many opportunities that could be explored for people with an intellectual disability”.

Vili said “I am happy to work at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth. I love the people I work with and have made some good friends”.

“I like working because with the money I earn I get to go out”.

Jobsupport conducted a detailed analysis of the role prior to the commencement of training Vili. “The Jobsupport trainers spend a lot time getting to know our Housekeeeping staff and were also able to provide us with a candidate who would be a perfect fit to our team. Once Vili was employed, the Jobsupport trainers were extremely helpful and took the time to teach Vili all the elements he needed to know about the job including additional considerations such as how to get to work on the train and where to eat his lunch.

Jobsupport have since maintained

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Welcome to

Hilton Surfers Paradise

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Setting Guidelines

for Greener Cleaning

by Bridget Gardner

T

he concept of ‘green cleaning’, is gaining credence in Australia, with the number of cleaning services and cleaning product suppliers claiming to offer ‘green cleaning’ solutions growing constantly. However, Sustainable cleaning expert, Bridget Gardner, is concerned that without a Nationally accepted definition or Industry Standard that determines exactly what green cleaning entails, the term is in real danger of being watered down to little more than a marketing edge.

In this article, Bridget explains how the Accommodation industry needs to establish clear and measurable outcomes in their housekeeping policies and cleaning contract specifications, if they want their cleaning program to achieve truly environmentally sustainable outcomes, especially if looking to become Earth Check1 Certified, or NABER’s2 rated.

Defining green cleaning As director of Fresh Green Clean (FGC), a Melbourne advisory service specialising in environmentally sustainable cleaning and hygiene practices, I have watched this sharp rise in all things green with a mixture of excitement and apprehension. If organisations believe that green cleaning is simply buying a few products labelled ‘environmentally friendly’, without first putting in place guidelines and a structure that looks at all aspects of the cleaning operations, the result often goes in one of two ways: 1. The products/services claim to offer a green solution but there is no way to determine whether this tokenistic of genuine, or any means to push for further improvements, or; 2. True ‘green cleaning’ products are bought and implemented, but without training or changes to procedures and behaviours, and it all goes pear-shaped – with the product taking the blame.

At FGC, we define Green Cleaning as: ‘The use of cleaning products and processes that can demonstrate hygienically clean outcomes and a substantially reduced risk to health and impact on the environment.’

This is an evidence-based definition, but not a prescriptive or product-centric one. It also places the true objective of any cleaning method up front – it’s got to be able to clean!

Finally, and perhaps importantly, it states that the true aim of green cleaning is to protect the health of your cleaning staff and guests and the greater environment.

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This is where green cleaning becomes sticky. What are the health and environmental concerns related to the cleaning process? And what are the characteristics of a product or process that can demonstrate such risks are being adequately mitigated, or at least significantly reduced?

Is it even possible to address them all, and yet still achieve a viable and effective cleaning program?

Setting a Benchmark To provide a much needed decision making framework, Fresh Green Clean established six key measurable outcomes that underpin our new Green SASH® Benchmark for Safe And Sustainable Hygiene (SASH). We are now developing this into a Green SASH® Partnership Program which facilitates agreement and collaboration between the building owner, managers and cleaning service providers, in order to achieve a high Green SASH rating for the building.

These six measurable outcomes of Green SASH® have been provided below, which I encourage Hotel managers and Housekeepers to use as the foundation of a Green Cleaning Policy, along with some suggested criteria and performance indicators to embed into cleaning tender specifications.* 1. The cleaning methods used in this building must show evidence of causing minimal risk of harm to the health of cleaners and occupants: Evidence is the key here. Trying to discern which ‘green’ product claims are relevant and accurate is mine-field of complexity, of which I am only too familiar. Ecolables set voluntary and internationally accepted Standards and criterion, and although far from perfect, they offer you the assurance of independently audited Certification, and a simple way to measure this outcome.

• Cleaning products should be third party Certified as ‘Environmentally Preferred’ against the Standard by Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA)3 • International equivalent ‘Ecolables’ include: Green Seal (USA); EcoLogo (Canada); Design for the Environment (EPA – USA); and the EU Ecolable (The Flower); note: the label

must be genuine, not a symbol designed and applied by the supplier • The use of 100% chemical-free cleaning methods negate the toxicity question altogether, such as: microfibre technology; diamond buffing pads to replace chemical sealants; or electrolysed water units

3. A high level of hygiene and cleanliness must be achieved via the implementation of effective cleaning and tool maintenance processes: Microfibre cleaning tools have proven benefits such as eliminating chemical use and improving hygiene. However, it is vitally important that this technology, and indeed any cleaning system, be supported with:

2. The cleaning products and equipment used to maintain this building must demonstrate capacity to maintain or improve the indoor air quality:

• Colour-coding systems for cloths, mops, buckets and carrying equipment

Poor indoor air quality can be improved through cleaning by avoiding emitting air pollutants, and by effectively removing dust particulates:

• Sufficient cloth quotas per area

• Products should contain low or no fragrance, and less than 8% Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). VOCs cause low-level ‘smog’ and may be found in spray cleaners, solvents, stain removers, sealants, polish, air-fresheners and fragrances • Vacuum cleaners should have disposable paper bags with HEPA filters (High Efficiency Particulate Air) that capture 99.97% airborne particles of 0.3 microns in size, and; • Dusting should be undertaken with damp or oil impregnated tools

• Correct handling procedures • Clean/soiled tool carrying systems, and; • Correct cloth laundering procedures 4. All materials supplied, and their methods of use, must demonstrate ability to significantly reduce environmental impact and conserve resources: The criterion of Ecolables, as per Outcome 1, covers a range of environmental concerns. Two more schemes offering environmental Certifications have been announced: • Ecospecifiers’ rating program Green Tag™, measures the life-cycle of a cleaning product4

graeme Bausch Health Protection Services Simple

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Simple cleaning is not enough to reduce allergens. Sanitisation is the only proven method that can significantly reduce allergens.

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33

• ACCORD have released their environmental credentials scheme called reconosed™5

green cleaning program need to be defined and formalised in a Green Cleaning Policy for your Hotel.

The following examples are Standards or testing methodologies that can provide you with evidence of low environmental harm:

Finally, it requires expert advice, support and education to ensure any sustainability changes to your cleaning programs are genuine, successful and long-lasting. Fresh Green Clean can help you to achieve this with our proven systems and training programs. 

• Full product Ready Biodegradability tested to the Standard: AS:4351/1996 • Equipment may have evidence of a low Eco Foot-Print or Carbon Foot-Print • Documented evidence of significant water reductions • NP for No Added Phosphorous on domestic laundry detergents • The Smart Approved Water Mark rates cleaning products for water saving capacity6 Finally, installing measured dose dispensers is a simple way to reduce chemical wastage 5. Cleaning equipment and service delivery procedures must demonstrate capacity to significantly reduce energy and fuel consumption.

Bridget Gardner is considered to be Australia’s leading independent expert in the field of Sustainable cleaning practices. She is convener of the ‘Sustainable Cleaning Sub-committee’ for the Cleaning and Hygiene Council of Australia (CHCA), advisor to GECA’s and ecospecifier’s cleaning product Standards, and a technical expert to the GBCA’s Green Star-Performance Rating program. *Green SASH® (Safe And Sustainable Hygiene) is registered to Fresh Green Clean, who own the Copyrights to the six Measurable Outcomes of the Green SASH® Benchmark, as defined in this article. These outcomes have been provided for internal documentation use only. Permission must be obtained from Fresh Green Clean to publicly reprint to reprint any of the Green SASH® Benchmark Outcomes. www.freshgreenclean.com.au bridget@freshgreenclean.com.au

References:

• Energy efficiency is difficult to specify on vacuum cleaners but technical specifications should

1. Earth Check: www.earthcheck.org

• Provide data on energy consumption versus suction

2. NABERs: www.nabers.com.au/hotel.aspx

• Products should be purchased in bulk and in concentrated form to reduce transportation

3. GECA: www.geca.com.au

• Service providers should have carbon-offsetting programs in place 6. Opportunities for recycling the building’s waste must be maximised and waste generated via cleaning must be minimised: • Recyclable waste receptacles should be provided to guests and managed by cleaning staff • The establishment of additional recycling partnerships for the items such as: organics, batteries, light globes and electronic equipment should be part of the green cleaning policy • Chemicals should be purchased in concentrated form with accurate dose dispensers to reduce packaging waste • Canisters should be returned to the supplier for re-use if possible, and; • One-use-only-items should be avoided where possible

Putting it into practice It is important that all levels of management understand that green cleaning is far more than just using a microfibre cloth and a product with a green tick on the label. Top down commitment is essential, and the required outcomes of your

34

About Bridget Gardner

4. Green Tag: www.ecospecifier.com.au/our-services/greentagcertification.aspx 5. Recognised: www.accord.asn.au/envirocreds 6. Smart Watermark: www.smartwatermark.info/home/products.asp?PageID=495&snav=404

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Leading

by example

by Bob Harris

Albert Einstein once said, “Setting an example is not the main means of influencing another, it is the only means.”

I

t is a difficult time to be in a leadership role with the economy being what it is today and the unemployment rate. Those in leadership positions would think that individuals who are employed would be grateful, and would like more ownership of the organisations that employ them.

Most organisations today put a heavy accent on customer service and productivity, and develop and implement service excellence programs that everyone is expected to follow – especially those who have direct contact with the customer. If one were to really study the in­ner workings of a typical for-profit business, it could be noted that as one moves up each rung of the ladder of success, the expectations for following the service excellence program and standards seem to lessen. Many in leadership roles figure it is their right to leave early, take long lunches and come in when it suits them. Sometimes those in leadership roles won’t even respond to emails because they either don’t feel they have to, or they don’t want to put anything in writing that could come back to haunt them.

Those employees on the lower rung see those at the top as the “all-knowing” who feel the busi­ness is only a success because of their knowledge and foresight, and failure only occurs when those in the lower ranks fail to do as they are told. What is interesting here is that even if lower-rung employees follow directions to the letter and fail, failure is still considered to be their fault.

Those on the front lines are keenly aware of the fact that the rules change as you step up each rung on the ladder to success. That is why it is so difficult, if you are in a leadership role, to find those who will follow you as you try to lead by example. You may have all the respect in the world, but if those on top are viewed as ignoring the rules that are passed down and a are setting their own rules, you will only find more staff conspiring lo make sure that the right actions on your part are ineffective. It is not personal as they say, it is just the staffs’ way of getting back at the organisation. Besides, many of them feel they will be around a lot longer than you, since many times

36

Image courtesy of the Library of Congress and Oren Jack Turner, Princeton, N.J.

leadership seems to come and go much more frequently than the staffers.

If a leader asks the team to do something hard or out of the ordinary, they must also be engaged in some level of work that is just as difficult, demanding or that requires an equal level of commit­ment on their part. Leaving early while others are working hard, or treating employees with no respect while punishing them for treating customers poorly is not leading by example.

If you can learn the art of empowering your team you will find that the empowerment will mo­tivate the majority of the team, which makes them feel that they truly matter as a part of the team – which they should. On the other hand, if your team isn’t empowered and motivated in achieving the goals you set, you are more likely to fail. Today, a good leader is an enabling force, helping people and the organisation to perform and develop, which implies that a sophisticated alignment of people’s needs and the aims of the organisation needs to be achieved. Good leadership

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today requires attitude and behaviour that characterise and relate to a person.

Good leaders are followed chiefly because people trust and respect them, rather than the skills they possess.

Leadership is about behaviour first, skills second. This is a simple way to see how leadership is different to management – management is mostly about processes and leadership is mostly about behaviour. A good leader depends on his/her attitudinal qualities, not just management processes. One style of leadership will not necessarily fit every organisation or situation. Some leaders have one style, which is right for certain situations and wrong for others. A good leader can adapt and use different leadership styles for given situations.

A good leader will make sure the team has the tools it needs to complete tasks in a timely manner. Some of your employees, the more mature ones, will see and respect you for what you do. The others will likely just say – who cares?” You can show up to work early every day, work through lunch and breaks, stay later than others do (face time), maintain a professional appearance and attitude,

38

greet everyone with a smile and even assist with the work as needed, and still no one will follow your example unless you sit each person down, lay down the rules and rule with an iron fist. But now you’re just managing and not leading.

Will they follow now? Yes. Will they like it? No. Will you have gained their trust and respect? Definitely not. Will they ruin you should the opportunity present itself? Most definitely.

For your team to embrace and follow modern compassionate, honest, ethical, peaceful and fair principles, they must see these qualities demonstrated in your leadership style. The suggestion that loyalty and a following can be built by simply asking or forcing it is not any basis for effective leader­ship. Prior to expecting anyone to follow, a leader needs to demon­strate a vision and value worthy of a following.

Will you know if it was your staff that did this terrible thing to you? Not likely. Why? Because they outsmarted you. You thought you would lead them out of fear, and all you lead was a workforce wait­ing in the shadows to sabotage you and/or the organisation at the most opportune moment.

Step back and take an honest look at your team. ls it truly

following the goals and objectives you or the organisation have set? lf not, than most likely you did not communicate them properly, and you did not continue to bring them up at meetings or general discussions. You may have let them go by the wayside, figur­ing it was the next level’s respon­sibility to do, not yours.

On the other hand, if you are a leader who has to micromanage the team, back off a little and let members do their job. Ask that they keep you in the loop so you know what progress is being made, what roadblocks they’ve hit (if any) and be ready to jump in and help when needed. Be a resource not a roadblock. Learn to be patient with your team. After you have looked into the mirror at yourself, and have seen that you really don’t give 100 percent every day either, don’t expect your team to. And, if you are trying to reach the next rung, just know that your team knows you are using them to reach that next rung. Remember one thing – you will pass them on your way down, or your way out. lf you are a young leader, make your presence known. Don’t just stand there so people see you, make contributions and help problem solve whenever possible. Always be cordial and smile. Keep any negativity you have to your­self. Be willing to lend a hand or an ear to a team member or peer, even if no one is ever willing to listen to or help you. Be willing to step in and do what it takes to get something done. “Walk the talk” as they say.

All you can do is look in the mirror and know that you are do­ing the best you can. Obtain the tools you and your team need to be successful, and work towards being a fine-oiled machine rather than a disjointed group all going in different directions. And regarding annual evaluations, never – never – surprise an employee with a poor evaluation. Employees who disrupt the team should be aware of any and all issues way before the appraisal ever occurs. If you wait to spring this information all at once it will cause issues with properly engaging your direct reports by being fair and providing opportu­nities for improvement. Besides, is this leading by example, or leading by “I am the boss and can do what I want, anyway I want?”

As a leader, your main priority is to get the job done, whatever the job is. Leaders make things hap­pen by knowing their objectives and having a plan how to achieve them, building a team committed to achieving the objectives and helping each team member to give their best efforts. As Catherine the Great said “... Praise loudly, blame softly.” 

As you work and grow with your team, learn to read them, listen to them and read the situation. Don’t take things at face value because you will be wrong most of the time.

Watch eyes and body language – you will get more out of those things than the spoken word.

Make assignments as needed and communicate constantly.

The more you communicate, the more you will find that somewhere along the line, one of your communica­tions was taken the wrong way and the individual has taken the wrong path. Constant, positive communi­cation will call attention to their error and provide time to nudge the individual back on to the correct path. Don’t step back and let them fail – help them succeed.

Share and discuss the organi­sation’s strategic plan as often as possible. Your team needs to know that by working together and following your lead, it can impact the outcome of the organisation’s strategic plan in a positive manner.

You are not going to win over everyone. Take pride in the fact that you have tried to lead by ex­ample. Admit your mistakes when they occur, and demonstrate how to correct them. I have over and over again spoken about treating the customer as though they were someone you know personally and wanted to impress. Have I won everyone over in every job at every new facility? No, I have not.

Have I learned to not get upset over those personalities that I cannot positively change? Yes, I have.

39

Blah. яБо

40

Joyce Percy

After eight months in Auckland, she moved to Australia with her family to become the Executive Housekeeper at the Boulevard Hotel in Sydney for four and a half years. She left the Boulevard Hotel to manage a motel in Chatswood with a friend for eight months.

T

he song “I’ve been everywhere man” could have been written with Joyce Percy in mind.

Joyce is the Executive Housekeeper at the Outrigger Resort in Surfers Paradise, a 4.5 star, 411 room hotel located in the heart of Surfers Paradise. Joyce’s department employs approximately 52 staff and she has just recently taken the public area cleaning back in house under her total control.

Joyce first started in the industry as a room attendant approximately forty years ago. Originally from New Zealand her first job was at Chateau Tongariro on North Island where her husband worked as a chef. They later moved to South Island working for the then Southern Pacific Hotels (now IHG) during the opening of the Travelodge in picturesque Queenstown in the position of Assistant Housekeeper then after opening was promoted to Executive Housekeeper where she stayed for seven and a half years then transferring to the Auckland Airport Travelodge for the pre opening.

She then transferred to Rotorua before returning to Auckland Travelodge. She has managed to work her way through the ranks from room attendant to supervisor to Assistant Housekeeper and then Executive Housekeeper during this time.

She returned to work for IHG as the Executive Housekeeper on Daydream Island arriving just after a cyclone caused a mud slide which filled the lower rooms with wet mud and needed contractors to dig out these rooms, a great initiation to her new position!!

IN 1990, Joyce went to work at the Gold Coast Travelodge and shortly afterwards the hotel added a second tower and was rebranded as the Park Royal Hotel. After seven and a half years, and in need of a change she travelled to Broome in W.A. to work as the Executive Housekeeper at the Intercontinental Hotel where she stayed for twelve months. In Broome her main challenges were the training of staff of whom 90% were backpackers just passing through, and the purchasing of all Housekeeping supplies. Due to the remoteness of Broome and the unpredictable weather patterns, supplies had to be overstocked consistently and all staff had to be trained how to react during a cyclone.

Whilst there, Joyce experienced a Category 4 cyclone-not your everyday routine for most of us!!

Joyce was then sent by the company to consult for 2 new properties in P.N.G.; the Crowne Plaza and the Holiday Inn spending five weeks at each property. She describes the experience as challenging developing Housekeeping systems whilst endeavouring to train staff who were all new and did not understand the responsibilities of being in the workforce. Joyce says this experience

PROFILE made her develop patience like “I have never known before”. Just getting staff to wear shoes was a novel challenge.

Returning to Australia, she accepted the position as Executive Housekeeper at the Crocodile Resort in Kakadu in the Northern Territory where she says it was as “hot as blazes” working along outdoor corridors in all weathers including the wet season.

After the heat of the Northern Territory she transferred to the cold of Canberra working at the Crowne Plaza for 18 months, followed by Hamilton Island for 18 months. She was transferred to Melbourne to oversee the total Housekeeping operations at the Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn on Flinders and Holiday Inn, Melbourne Airport.

After eighteen months, she returned to the Gold Coast to rejoin the Holiday Inn which this year was sold to the Outrigger group and been rebranded as Outrigger, Surfers Paradise.

She is slowly learning how the new management team operates dealing with new systems and procedures but she is happy to learn. Joyce has also travelled to Korea and Fiji with IHG to help other properties and loved working with the staff who had a great work ethic and were very appreciative of her help.

Her advice to other Housekeepers is to develop an eye for detail and work amongst the staff to know what is happening first hand. She loves the everyday challenges that Housekeeping presents and the satisfaction of seeing things completed.

Joyce was a founding committee member of the South East Queensland Housekeepers’ Association and is still an active member.

Joyce is married with 3 adult children and six grandchildren (five boys and one girl!!). Her hobbies include cooking, gardening and reading. 

41

Faye Young F

aye Young and her Housekeeping department won the best housekeeping operation for the Quest group in Victoria scoring a possible 99.5% for cleanliness and service for 2010.

Faye works as Executive Housekeeper at the Quest Docklands on Bourke St, Melbourne, managing 133 serviced apartments, a combination of studios, 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom units.

Each apartment has a kitchenette, dining space, lounge area and balcony. The hotel also has a conference room but no food and beverage facilities. Faye is responsible for 1 full time supervisor and 27 casual room attendants as well as the co-ordination of all maintenance functions within the property.

Faye had her own Fish and Chip shop some years ago before working as a sales assistant at Stan Cash.

Seeking work through an employment agency she entered the world of hospitality taking her first role as a room attendant at The Pacific International Hotel in Little Bourke St, Melbourne in 2002. During her employment at The Pacific, the Housekeeping department became outsourced to Triangle Hospitality Services who managed several properties in Melbourne.

Recognising her capabilities, Triangle offered her a position as the Housekeeping Supervisor at the Laureate Hotel in Parkville (now the Vibe Hotel). This was a challenging role as the hotel was old and badly in need of a modern refurbishment with an upgrade to basic facilities.

Faye took on the challenge and succeeded in leading the small Housekeeping team under difficult circumstances.

After leaving the Laureate Hotel, she moved to the Medina in South

42

PROFILE Yarra and after a year relocated to Medina St Kilda.

She took on the role as Executive Housekeeper to lead the pre-opening team at The Quest Docklands six years ago and says it is a pleasure to work there as the owners are extremely good to work for respecting the role she has. She believes that guests are becoming more discerning in their demands seeking additional value for money as the economic future is uncertain. Guest comments and complaints are used as training tools to improve staff awareness but as I witnessed there is a genuine interaction with repeat guests.

Faye is looking forward to the challenge of overseeing an upcoming soft refurbishment programme starting in February 2012.

When asked if she had a personal cleaning tip to share, Faye offered up several, a) Use vinegar in kettles to remove the brown residue, b) Elbow grease and c) Placing an ice cube on blood will remove blood stains.

Faye was born in Horsham Victoria and left school after Year 10.

She has 2 children and 5 grandchildren which keep her busy. Her hobbies are gardening and reading. Faye is sure to be at the Quest Docklands for years to come as she truly cares for both the property, and its’ guests and is extremely proud of her dedicated team. 

Faye took on the challenge and succeeded in leading the small Housekeeping team under difficult circumstances.

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Del Wilcockson

PROFILE

D

el was a full time mother until 1987 when she decided to re-enter the workforce by undertaking a six month hospitality management course in Wollongong.

Part of this course involved hands on experience in local establishments working in both Food and Beverage and Front Office.

The enthusiasm, pride and passion that Del Wilcockson has for her role is evident as she speaks about her team and hotel.

Del is the Executive Housekeeper at the Novotel, North Beach, Wollongong in New South Wales.

On completion of her course Del took a position at the then 84 room North Beach Business and Leisure Resort as a casual room attendant where she worked until the end of December 1988 when the hotel closed for renovation. During the renovation period she took casual positions in Wollongong but knew she wanted to return to the hotel and work in Housekeeping.

When the hotel re-opened in August 1989 as the North Beach International, Del was part of the opening team working as a Housekeeping supervisor in the newly renovated property with an additional 120 rooms.

In 1991, the now 204 room hotel was rebranded as the North Beach Park Royal Hotel and Del was offered the position of Assistant Housekeeper.

In 1997, the hotel became the Novotel North Beach and Del became the Executive Housekeeper, a position she still holds. In her own words, Del has closed a hotel, opened a hotel, refurbished a hotel, been involved in rebranding – all without ever leaving the property!!!

After 25 years in the industry, Del still thrives on the daily challenges and the fact that no two days are the same.

She enjoys mentoring staff and sharing both her knowledge and experience with others. Her great reward is seeing members of her team earn promotion citing several staff who have gone on to become Human Resource Managers, Financial Controllers and

Executive Housekeepers (of course).

She describes her philosophy as hands on and loves the rich cultural differences that her 50 staff bring to the workforce. She says a happy team is a productive team and she achieves this with good communication and understanding.

Del manages her own in house laundry, the minibar and all the overnight cleaning without using contractors. She has a carpet and window cleaner on staff and has just added a handyman to her team to assist with general maintenance.

In addition to this, Del has also added to her own role as Executive Housekeeper by overseeing the rostering of the entire hotel and managing annual leave entitlements.

She cites the challenges facing all Executive Housekeepers these days as achieving budgets and maintaining productivity whilst meeting all the legal compliance issues such as Occupational Health and Safety and Workplace Harassment whilst at the same time ensuring all staff are trained and understand their roles with regards to all aspects of the legislation.

She is a member of the N.S.W. PHAN and in 2007 won the “Excellence in Housekeeping” award, an initiative of the PHAN. Del occasionally shares her expertise at other properties within the group being seconded to assist other newly appointed Executive Housekeepers.

When Del has time off, she enjoys gardening, travelling and camping with her husband. She has three adult children and seven grandchildren and says her family will always be her number one priority. 

45

Top Housekeeper Technology

Trends in 2012

by Ted Horner

We asked Ted Horner, a well known hospitality consultant to give us his views on some of the technology trends we will be seeing this year in our hotels.

1. The iPad Revolution This device in my opinion is going to redefine how guests are going to use technology in hotels in the future particularly in the guestroom.

Consider these points: a. It is the fastest selling consumer electronic device in history with Gartner Group predicting that Apple will sell 100 million units by 2012. b. iPad is the first video centric guest internet device. c. It has a very simple GUI (Guest User Interface) and new users both young and old are able to use it almost immediately with little or no training. d. iPad is already placing huge demands on Hotel WiFi systems consuming much more bandwidth and data than in the past with people doing emails etc...

NB. While I have focused on the iPad we cannot forget other tablet devices that are also gaining market share namely the Samsung Galaxy, plus the new Kindle Fire and of course other smart phones that use the Android operating system from Google.

What does this mean for hoteliers? a) Many hotels WiFi systems are suffering from a lack of available bandwidth and as result are getting overloaded as guests wish to download their own content. The result of this is that many guests are

46

complaining about poor download experience and are using sites such as Trip Advisor to express their negative opinions. b) Guests want the same technology experience they have at home or office and if they have a bad experience may not return to hotel. c) With the increasing demand for more bandwidth and the subsequent costs to provide this it is in my opinion going to be difficult for hotels to agree to offer anything other than a limited free WiFi mainly for emails. d) iPads that are made available to guests to use in the guestroom open up a world of new opportunities for hotels to deploy in guestrooms to handle the following applications.

• Room Service ordering (one Five Star Hotel has seen a 13% increase in room service revenue since offering guests the option of ordering room service on the iPad as compared to ordering over the phone. The room service ordering on the iPad is fully integrated with the Point of Sale so once the items are ordered it is automatically sent to the kitchen plus it also posted to the guests folio without any more manual entries required. This integrated process plus the ability to showcase dishes on the iPad with photos plus preparation

notes etc. has in my opinion led to the increase in room service orders.

• Concierge services where the guest has the ability to access the full range of hotel services on the iPad without the need to call down to the concierge desk.

• The iPad can have a range of application software installed on it that is fully integrated with all the in room facilities such as lights, air conditioning, TV, curtains etc. whereby if a guest wishes, can turn on or off these facilities simply by using the iPad application.

• Another advantage of offering in room iPads is the elimination of the printed guest compendiums as these can all be accessed via the iPad. The GM of the hotel I visited believes that he will save between $30-40,000 in annual printing costs as compendiums need to be constantly updated. e) With the above application now available on the iPad, it is my belief that these devices if installed, are going to fundamentally impact the guest user interface (GUI). This will make it simpler for guests to access the in room facilities, as many guest find the TV remote control or the buttons on the wall to turn lights on and off too complex. f) As WiFi becomes the dominant platform for guests to access their applications what does the future hold

providers will meet the expectations of the always connected traveller. Are the smart phone applications that guests can access going to replace the traditional check in experience or the need to use a magnetic card to gain access to a guestroom? Does this now allow hotels to develop new on demand revenue generating opportunities? In the future how will this change the relationship between the guest and the hotel?

3. Cloud Computing

for the historic requirement for multiple Cat 6 cabling to each room? g) Many guests are bringing their own content on the iPad and are happy to watch it on the iPad screen. So does that mean less watching of traditional TV or do hotels need to install expensive IPTV systems at all?

I recently came across this statement which I think sums up the current situation, “Customers will arrive at your hotel and will want what they want when they want it and the key for hotels is provide them with the infrastructure and the bandwidth to achieve this”.

If this is indeed what guests want then how can hotelier’s monetise the investment they make in new wireless access points, increased bandwidth etc. – The answer I believe is to offer tiered bandwidth where guests are offered a range of fees directly related to the amount of bandwidth they require. In other words the bigger the pipe a guest wants the more they should pay?

In summary the iPad has changed the way customers are using technology on the road and while it creates a great challenge for hotels, it is now up to the industry to embrace this device so

Mobile devices are now part of our everyday life and for many travellers they are now replacing the laptop, PC, telephone, kiosk, and boarding pass as part of the booking activity.

A guest’s handheld device is now an integral part of the entire journey, not just from pre-trip planning and booking, but through the actual trip itself.

There has been a lot of talk about this subject and I believe 2012 will be when this technology takes off as a number of PMS vendors release their cloud version, where hotels will have the ability to access their major software applications on a web browser. Cloud computing offers many benefits to hotels not the least is a more cost effective way to deploy technology without the large up front capital expenditure and the need for a lot of hardware on premise.

Furthermore, hotels that adopt this technology will have the opportunity to enter into Service Level Assurance (SLA) agreements with the vendors offering this service, where if predetermined service levels are not, then the contract can either be cancelled at short notice or financial penalties can apply.

According to a recent survey that identifies traveller’s attitudes to mobile services, it shows how emerging mobile technologies will revolutionise each stage of the travel experience in the future:

Wikipedia defines Social Media as “media designed to be disseminated through social interaction, created using highly accessible and scalable publishing techniques.”

guests can have the same download experience they have at home.

2. Mobility

1. Pre-trip (i.e. plan, book and board); 2. At the airport (i.e. lost bags, seating and disruption); 3. On-board (i.e. enhanced services); 4. At the destination (i.e. explore, connect and share experiences) and; 5. Post-trip (i.e. social media for immediate feedback).

These trends will become increasingly important and the challenge will be how hotels and other service

4. Social Media

The reach of Social Media is growing substantially and now hotels are using it more than ever to engage with both new and existing customers.

It is important for hotels to actively monitor comments on Trip Advisor and do not allow negative comments to go unanswered. Also hotels should consider Trip Advisor Apps for Facebook and LinkedIn where they can link up client’s social media platforms and online communities to share information about the hotel where appropriate Facebook has

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Which

bin

do you prefer?

The innocent white one?

created enormous changes in social networks and now with the release of their latest version it is now possible to use Facebook as a booking channel. Recent research from PhocusWright reveals that 66% of travellers are on Facebook and they spend an average of 46 minutes a day over a 30 day period. So based on this why would you not consider using the Facebook booking App to allow your guests to book your hotel on Facebook. Another App is Facebook Places and this provides an excellent tool in providing viral exposure which may assist in generating more web traffic and brand recognition hotels.

Twitter is another social media juggernaut that provides a free tool for guest and hotels to interact with each quickly and effectively.

Hotels need to harness the power of social media in order to stay ahead of their competitors.

The little black one?

The sleek elegant one?

5. Hosted PABX For many hotels one of the largest capital expenditure has been the PABX. In the past, revenue from guest phone calls justified this large capital outlay, but the advent of mobile phones and the cost of making calls from a hotel guest room have left hotels reeling from the costs of providing and maintaining this service.

Hosted PABX provides many benefits not the least is that a new PABX requires minimal up-front costs and a monthly subscription based fee which can be based on the preceding month’s occupancy. There are still some challenges in putting this model together but for the first time it offers an alternative to hotel owners who have a very old PABX which has passed its use by date.

6. Energy Management (EMS) With the cost of electricity continuing to raise, hotels have to start looking seriously at more sophisticated systems than the traditional magnetic stripe cards in the slot.

Hotels that have invested in sensor based occupancy systems, or those where the door lock systems are integrated to the PMS, have shown dramatic reductions in energy bills. When a person leaves a room, the EMS via an occupancy sensor, can detect that no one is in the room and then automatically lower the air conditioning to a designated set back position and also turn all the lights off.

All sizes, colours and styles.

We offer bins for every occasion - see our full range of COMPASS bins on www.weatherdon.com.au www.weatherdon.com.au Unit 8, 12 Frederick Street, St Leonards NSW 2065

WEATHERDON

phone: +61 2 9906 2202 | fax: +61 2 9906 3466 e-mail: sales@weatherdon.com.au

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CORPORATION

ROI on these systems has shown pay back on the investment can be between 2 and 3 years, and can be less if hotels qualify for government rebates on the original investment. ď Ž

Twists & Turns

& productivity

by Shirley Delaberbis

H

ello again… In my return article I would like to reflect on the strangeness of fate. It seems such a long journey that I have taken from when I started my Housekeeping Career back in 1987 in the far north of Queensland with the Quintex Group. Building of one of the first total Luxury Resort complexes in Australia, the Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas Resort, built by the now renowned Mr Christopher Skase, I started here as Executive consultant for Housekeeping, and held this position until everything at the Resort was up and running.

But I digress, my humble apologies. Since then my career has taken many turns and twists, working with and for many companies, and enjoying all the challenges.

I have worked for two major out-sourcing companies both as Housekeeping Manager and also as an Executive in the Management of these Companies. All of this experience, has in my mind, given me a realistic insight into most aspects of the industry.

The following is a little insight as to my career pattern, where I shall explain my opening statement. I have recently taken another turn and, as many in the industry realise, sometimes one must go back to ones roots to find a reality check. It is for this reason that I have taken the position as Executive Housekeeper at the Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley Country Club & Resort, hence my terminology in regards to ‘back to the future’. This Resort is as close to my origins as could possibly be imagined, Golf Course, Bungalows, Huge Function Facilities and all under the one roof, or should I say Umbrella. This is IHG’s jewel in the Hunter Valley, but

the similarities with the Mirage in Port Douglas, and also the Accor Palm Cove Resort in Palm Cove (another of my previous properties), is amazing.

The main difference is how technology has changed in 25 years. The introduction of systems, such the Optii system and other such developments, has made the control of ‘Productivity’ possibly the ‘Scariest’ of words in the industry. However, when used correctly and controlled, it is so much easier and I would estimate up to, and possibly more than, 25% increase in efficiency can and should be achieved.

It is really an eye opener to me and I wonder how this was not brought in, or developed, at a far earlier time.

When you have staff scattered over more than 70 Acres of property, it is really important to know where they are at with their schedules. These systems allow you to know this with amazing results. Tracking their progress is as simple as looking at a computer screen and making a call, how wonderful is technology.

I think back to my days in out-sourcing and wonder how these new systems could have made life so much easier.

But now I am too busy to really contemplate this, so, wishing and hoping that all you fellow Housekeepers out there get into these new systems, make your lives easier and more Professional, and God bless increase your productivity.

Till next time happy Housekeeping. 

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The Hiring Process

FROM BEGINNING TO END

by Scott Williams

R

ecently, I had the good fortune of being upgraded to first class on my flight back from a business trip to Europe. As I sat in my chair, hoping to relax, do some reading, have a nice glass of wine and if possible, catch a few hours of sleep, I met Bob. He was a nice enough gent, but Bob was a talker and I made the mistake of telling him what I do.

Bob is an owner of a mid-sized company that manufactures parts for the automotive industry. Bob grew his dream from his kitchen table to a 2 80-employee, $60 mil­lion business.

While a very good businessman, Bob knew nothing or cared very little about those he hired. “If they show up and work, I am happy. l do not hire them to think,” he said.

Even though Bob’s business was doing well in a depressed economy, Bob averaged a 70-percent turnover with annual on-boarding training costs of more than $250,000. I was amazed this businessman did not understand the impact a new hire can make on the growth or demise of a business.

The basic facts are as follows: The average new hire (entry level) takes approximately 32 hours to hire at a cost of $2800 per new hire (manhour costs). The time commitment and cost goes up with each level in the organisational chart. As it relates to ROI, the average good hire takes six weeks to learn the job and will not be pro­ductive (net profit, production) for three months. In month four, the good hire will return a minimum threefold net production on invest­ment. Conversely, the bad hire is the same as the good hire, for the first three months, but never becomes productive. In fact, by month four, the bad hire averages a net loss to the company. ln short, by the fourth month, the bad hire can remove two to three times the

50

team’s productivity. On top of this, coworkers are upset that this person is still employed, the supervisor(s) is usually the one(s) taking the hit for poor productiv­ity and the new hire is usually frustrated – an all-around loss for everyone.

As Bob explained his situation, I did some quick math and informed Bob that his poor hiring practices are costing him an annual aver­age of about $500,000 in wasted manpower, not mentioning lost productivity.

Bob was astonished!

So, how do you avoid Bob’s di­lemma?

The quick answer is: Take your time and do the job correctly, the first time. It has been my expe­rience that all managers at some point in their career, including my­self, have backed themselves into a corner and made the snap hire hoping the new resource will pull them out of their situation.

Rarely does this ever work the way it was planned. In fact, this was Bob’s key fault. When Bob’s company gets a new client, they need three people for the job; the supervisor knows two employees will not be reliable, so they hire two more to make sure the two unreliable em­ployees are covered and the costly cycle continues.

Steps for Hiring the Correct Employee 1. Is there a true need for the new hire? All too many times managers hire new employees for the wrong reason. They are not looking to elevate their team performance with the new hire, but to throw this new hire at a production/performance problem.

This, as mentioned above, is not only the wrong use for the new hire, but will cause problems. IF there is a true need for a new hire, then move forward.

2. Can you afford a new hire?

A basic and simple question. Many

would love to and do acquire resources only to find they cannot afford to keep them. This not only hurts the new employee (who probably gave up another job), it hurts your community image, your staff and your financial bottom line (hiring costs, separation costs and unemployment).

IF the new hire is budgeted and/or covered finan­cially, then move forward.

3. Do you truly know what this person will do? How do you know this? A current, accurate job description. A job description does not have to be a long, drawn out process. Get a basic template, let your supervisor add or delete, then let two of your key employees who do the job review for accuracy. This will not only give you an accurate job description, but you will have engaged your team in the process. IF you have a current and accurate job description for the new hire, then move forward.

4. Where will you source the new hire? Many see the local newspaper as their old standard. That is exactly how I also see it, an OLD standard.

Very expensive and not very useful.

Most progres­sive, high-performance companies use their in-house resources before spending any money.

Talk to your key performers. Ask who they know and would recommend to come to work for the company. Set up a structured finder’s fee whereby $50 goes to the refer­ral, $100 goes to the person who referred the successful candidate, then they will receive $200 if the new hire successfully completes the 90-day introductory period. Finally, a $100 bonus to the person who referred the new hire who has been with the company for six months, not missed a day of work and has had no discipline issues. With this plan in place, the person who referred the new hire not only has their credibility on the line, but also has some dollars

and informed, move forward with the new hire.

at risk. In short, for $450 you have found a productive new hire that has an immediate mentor (the person who referred them) and a shorter time span until net productive work.

If referrals are not available, utilise the free services at the unemployment office and/or any veteran’s services.

They will look at your job description, find quali­fied candidates and in many cases, pre-screen the candidates for you. You set how many candidates you want to interview and they will send the top candidates that were screened. If you are lucky enough to hire a qualified former member of the armed services, there are nu­merous tax credits and grants you can apply to your financial bottom line: A true win, win. IF you know how you are going to source, then move forward the new hire.

5. Who will be the hiring committee?

Most take the tradi­tional stance, the supervisor and usually the owner or their manager interview and hire.

I say... why? Who knows this job better than those doing the job? l agree the supervisor should have final say, but let two or three staff who do the work and will be working side-by­side with the new hire have a say in the process. Once again, high engagement = high productivity = high profit. I also find that when co-workers are involved, they tend to be more critical during the hiring process, but more willing to help the new hire when they come on board.

This not only shortens the learning/ productively curve, but means more net productive work for the company.

WHEN your hiring team is in place,

6. What will be your selection process?

Way too many managers believe in the “fogged mirror” approach. If the candidate can fog a mirror, they are hired. My friend Bob had this approach and was paying dearly for that er­ror. Wrong, wrong, wrong! I have always found the three interview process to be the most effect. Now, those of you out there saying nasty things to me about how long this will take, I say by not taking the time to do it right, the first time, you will be paying for your error for months if not years. Here is how the selection process should work. (Please Note: For legal means and consistency, all candidates should be asked the same questions by the same member of the hiring team. After the candidates have been pre-screened and the top six have been identified, I bring in the candidates in a round robin format, usually three a day.)

• 1st interview: This should be conducted by a member of management, and very open-ended questions should be asked.

For example, “Tell me about a time when you..., or “give me an example of a time when... ”. Always end the question, with the questions, such as, “What was your role, and what was the outcome?” In most cases, when you ask this type of open­ended question, the candidate does not have the time to prepare an answer they feel you want to hear. I have found by asking this type of question, in this order, most of the “fluff” is removed and you will get a clear understanding of who the candidate is and whether they are a good match. Determine the top three or four candidates, and send them to the associate team for the next round.

• 2nd interview: This should be conducted by two or three of the new hire’s peers. This team is selected by the manager for their knowledge of the job, their experi­ence with the company and their overall performance. In short, they are normally the top performers.

The peer review team (PRT) will have prepared a list of 10 to 20 questions for the candidate. Additionally, the peer review team will determine who will ask each question while the others take notes on the candidates, answers and temperament. The peer review team will select two or three candidates for the final round.

• 3rd and final interview: This should be conducted by the manager and the peer review team together. This is usually a ‘get to know you more and last minute questions about the company’ in­terview. Together the PRT and the manager make their final decision. The decision should then be sent to human resources to send an offer letter and make the necessary ar­rangement for any drug testing or other first-day activities.

Selecting a new hire can be as short or as long of a process as you want it to be. Being crushed with things we must do and the general lack of time, it is always easier to take the “fog the mirror” approach to hiring new employees. Unfortu­nately, as Bob realised, his lack of attention to the hiring process has been costing him millions over the years. In the end, I did get to have my glass of wine. And Bob? Well, Bob went back to his business and decided to redo his entire HR func­tion. In the seven months, we have been working with Bob, turnover bas dropped from 70 percent to 45 percent, with an estimated annual savings on new hiring cost in the range of $425,000.

Bob is happy with the savings, production is up 16 percent and Bob’s managers are tracking for their first bonus in five years. A true win-win. n This article was first published in Executive Housekeeping Today, October 2011.

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Introducing the World’s First Bed Bug Proof Valance LUXURY BED BUG PROOF VALANCE / ENCASEMENT The bed bug proof valance was designed to solve the current bed bug problems that every ensemble bed base faces

Ensemble bases are the No.1 harbourage area for bed bugs because the wooden framework inside provides the perfect harbourage area.

All ensemble bases with a material cover are at risk of bed bug infestations.

Place the bed bug proof valance over the ensemble base for lasting protection.

All ensemble bases that use a standard valance are at risk of bed bug infestations.

Simply remove the valance and replace with the bed bug proof valance.

Can be fitted over current material bases to prevent bed bug infestations

Use in conjunction with our Screw-In barriers and Bed Bug Killer to kill all bed bugs that try to climb up the bed legs or try to exit the bed via the bed legs.

Before

After

Old fashioned, messy & untidy Makes bed making difficult Allows easy bed bug access Makes bed bug inspections difficult Hundreds of harbourage areas Time waster Money waster

Modern, clean, neat & tidy Makes bed making easy Bed bug proof Easy bed bug inspection No harbourage areas Time saver Money saver Can be made in any colour Kill two birds with one stone

www.bedbugbarrier.com.au info@bedbugbarrier.com.au Phone: +61 (0) 400 116 406

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Don’t let the bed bugs bite!

Bed Bug Barrier

Bites Back at Bed Bugs

by Tony Abrahams

In May 2009, property manager Tony Abrahams was seeking a way to effectively remove bed bugs from his properties in St Kilda.

S

ince then Tony has invented several products based on the needs of his clients from hotels, motels, backpackers, private accommodation, residential houses, community housing and hospitals.

Tony’s growing range now includes the Bed Bug Barriers that are placed on the bed legs to kill bed bugs, Bed Bug Barrier Tape which prevents bed bugs accessing the walls, Bed Bug Killer which is a long term solution to bed bug infestations and the latest product which was made specifically for executive housekeepers at the beginning of 2012.

Tony designed the Luxury Bed Bug Proof Bed Wrap/Valance because ensemble bases are the No. 1 harbourage area for bed bugs. The ensemble bases are the perfect harbourage area for bed bugs because they allow bed bugs easy and quick access to their hosts and once inside the base they are protected from chemical treatments.

Tony said one of the biggest problems is that the ensemble bases with a material cover are not bed bug proof and when ensembles get bed bugs they are almost impossible to treat because the bed bugs can live inside the timber frame.

Another problem is that material covered ensemble bases can’t use a standard white bed bug proof cover because it will cover the entire ensemble base leaving a white outer covering.

Tony designed the Luxury Bed Bug Proof Bed Wrap/Valance because ensemble bases are the No. 1 harbourage area for bed bugs.

The answer to both of these problems is the Luxury Bed Bug Proof Bed Wrap/Valance.

It simply stops bed bugs living inside the ensemble base. Bed bugs living inside the ensemble base will die of starvation. It also stops new infestations from living inside the ensemble base.

The Luxury Bed Wrap can be made in any colour to suite the room’s décor.

Another type of bed that hotels use is the ensemble base that uses a valance, these ensembles are bed bug problematic because the valance creates hundreds of harbourage areas for bed bugs and they make detection very difficult.

Again the answer to both of these problems is the Luxury Bed Bug Proof Bed Wrap/Valance.

Simply remove your old valance and replace with the Luxury Bed Bug Proof Bed Wrap/Valance to give your room a classic modern look. It also saves time & energy when making the bed.

No more bending over to adjust the valance!

Latest News – 1300 Pest Control only uses Bed Bug Killer for all their bed bug treatments.

Since the registration of Bed Bug Killer in Sept. 2011, 1300 Pest Control have become the first pest control company in Australia to only use Bed Bug Killer for bed bug treatments.

If you are looking for a pest control company that can offer a long term and eco friendly bed bug solution that does not use toxic chemicals then 1300 Pest Control is now available to solve your bed bug infestations. 

Another problem is that valances also make bed making difficult and can look messy and old fashioned.

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Choosing

commercial laundry Equipment

by Brian Clark

Executive Housekeepers are often responsible for the purchase of smaller capacity laundry equipment, whether coin-operated for guest laundry or manually operated machines for OPL use or to launder mop heads and Microfibre cleaning cloths. As with any equipment purchase, there are many factors to consider including minimising the impact on the environment. Here is a short guide to some of the things to consider when purchasing Commercial Laundry machinery.

Domestic or Commercial quality: A domestic washer and dryer may seem attractive if you buy on price, but in the long run it will cost you more. Domestic washers are designed for around 3000 cycles on average loads whereas commercial washers are designed for more than 20000 cycles on full loads. Domestic warranties either do not apply or are reduced to 90 days in commercial applications and downtime and long term maintenance costs will be far greater. The old adage ‘you get what you pay for’ certainly applies.

Commercial washers are more durably built with heavy duty motors, larger load capacities and offer considerably shorter cycle times than domestic machines meaning that you can wash more in less time.

Capacity and power needs: Larger capacity washers and dryers mean more throughput and greater efficiency in processing your daily wash requirements. An ideal capacity is 10 kg for washers and dryers.

Machines greater than 10 kg capacity are possibly too costly and large for the smaller areas or cleaning rooms. Before you buy, check your power availability as you may also need heavier duty wiring to supply enough power. Commercial dryers, for instance, are designed to dry large loads in 20-40 minutes but require 20 Amp power outlets.

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Water usage: It may be tempting to buy a top load rather than a front load because they are cheaper. However top load washers use a lot more water – as much as 130 litres per wash cycle more than front loading machines – and generate a significant amount more waste water. Both of these are important factors, especially if you are serious about minimising operating costs and reducing your environmental footprint.

Construction: While the machine may look durable on the outside its the inside that creates the problems. Many commercial washers and dryers have enamelled or galvanised steel bowls, which tend to chip and peel and potentially develop rust spots that can stain or damage your fabrics.

Don’t settle for anything less than a Stainless steel bowl – its costs very little extra and has a longer life and much better wash results.

Spin speed and G-Force: The G-Force generated in the spin cycles is a key factor in machine selection but can vary from 220-420 G between brands. Basically the

higher the G-Force the better the rinsing and fabric is far dryer at the end of the wash cycle, meaning less drying time and a dramatic reduction in energy needed to run the dryer.

Look for a washer with over 350 G with programmable spin cycles so that you can program your spin speed and G-Force to suit your fabric or your wash cycle.

Direct Drive Vs Belt drive: New Generation equipment such as the LG Giant C commercial washers feature direct drive motors, which are

far superior in operation to the older belt drive type and generate much lower noise levels. Manufacturer data indicates that belt drive machines use up to 30% more power than direct drive machines and the regular maintenance requirement with belts, pulleys and gearboxes is eliminated in direct drive units, thus driving down operating costs and reducing water and energy consumption.

Programmability: New Generation commercial washers and dryers have programmable cycles and simple one touch operation instead of manually operated buttons and dials. Programming is accessible by the supervisor only and enables customisation of cycle times, spin speeds, no of rinses and water temperature, which means consistent wash outcomes, more throughput and lower overall costs.

Sanitation and chemical management: Manual dosing of

powdered or liquid detergents and sanitisers has inherent issues including pilferage, over use, poor cleaning outcomes, detergent residues in fabric, safety issues and higher costs.

All of these issues can be overcome and detergent costs can be slashed by fitting automatic chemical dosing pumps to your machine. However, not all commercial machines are compatible with detergent dosing pumps and fitment may void warranty so it is important to ensure that the manufacturer or supplier can demonstrate compatibility.

Making space – Stack or stand alone machines: Cleaning rooms are inherently small and it is important that you know the laundry system that you choose will fit and take up minimal space. The easiest solution if you have normal ceiling heights is to purchase stack washer dryers. Stack machines consist of a commercial dryer stacked on top of a commercial washer.

Stacked machines use the floor space

of a single unit and are only available in front loading configurations. Choose stack washers that can be assembled on site as large pre-assembled units may not fit into your doorway.

Service and Parts: As with any machine purchase, it is important to determine the availability and pricing of common consumables.

In Commercial washers and Dryers these including filters, door seals on front loaders, door latches, water solenoids, main boards and pumps and the location of suitably trained service agents.

The principles for choosing onsite laundry equipment to maintain your valuable fabrics are the same as choosing any onsite cleaning equipment. They include durability, productivity, reliability, simplicity, repairability and overall value for money. Follow these simple steps and your choice will be easy. ď Ž

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Product NEWS Numatic Leading the way in energy conservation Everyone is becoming more environmentally friendly and looking at ways in which they can reduce their carbon footprint and with the cost or power continuing to spiral Numatic have been looking at how they can also help.

Two new models have been added to their range the PSP180A and the NSP180A. Both machines look the same except the PSP is blue and the NSP is green. Both have the same

capacity and are fitted with Numatic’s new AutoSave system.

The AutoSave system incorporates a long life low energy motor with 2 operating levels. The NSP has a maximum power level of 800Watts reducing to 500Watts. The PSP operates the same way except maximum wattage is 1200W dropping to 600W. Even at 500W these machines will equal or out-perform 1000W existing designs. Both machines always start in the lower wattage setting which, Numatic estimate will save customers up to 40% of their running costs. But, should extra power be required a simple

flick of a switch does it.

Add to this the fact they are quieter and will last longer and include other new features such as HepaFlo dust bags, a unique cable tidy for easy rewinding of the electric cable, plus if the electric cable should become damaged it is easily replaced, as it simply plugs into the top of the machine. So there you have it, a great conservation story that won’t cost you a penny more.

For more information visit www.intervac.net.au

Weatherdon Website Launch R Weatherdon & Co Pty Ltd is proud to present its new online presence – a fresh, innovative, fast and easy to use online shopping experience in the colours of the new corporate design.

New 5L White Powder Coated Pedal Bin Weatherdon recently amplified its product range with a 5L White Powder Coated Pedal Bin by its own brand Compass.

The Compass product is strong and secure with a foot pedal which provides hands free usage. Its size (205 mm (Dia) x 285 mm (H)) makes it not only ideal for the bathroom, as it fits easily under the basin, but also for health care or food preparation areas.

The Compass bin is made from white powder coated stainless steel and has a capacity of 5 litres. It can be purchased in quantities of 4 and carries the product code 76990502.

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Our website www.weatherdon.com.au has a clear structure, which is fun to use and simplifies the customer’s ordering processes and reduces purchasing costs by cutting down the time it takes to place orders.

Along many other new features, such as “Managing My Quotes”, Weatherdon

New Melamine Rectangular Amenity Tray & Soap Dish

Weatherdon recently launched two new bathroom products under its own brand “Impress”.

Both Impress products are made from high-quality, durable melamine with thick sides to avoid losing items placed on it.

The rectangular Amenity Tray is ideal for bathrooms but also suitable for minibar amenities. It carries the product code 6507602 and may be purchased in quantities of 6. The measurements are 310 mm (L) x 125 mm (W) x 25 mm (H) and the colour is white.

offers special priced products only to its online members.

So, if not already done – get in quick and become a member of Weatherdon’s new online shopping experience to take advantage of these specials and convince yourself that online shopping has never been easier.

The Impress Soap Dish has an elegant square shape and it’s perfect for bathrooms. Customers can find this product under the code 671702 on www.weatherdon.com.au and purchase it in quantities of 12. It comes in the colour white and the sizes are 110 mm (L) x 85 mm (W) x 25 mm (H).

As with all products from Weatherdon Corporation, they are of a high quality and can be relied upon to serve hospitality customers well.

Everything in their extensive range of guestroom products has been designed to cater for the unique needs and demands of hotels and serviced apartments.

For more information please visit www.weatherdon.com.au, email us: sales@weatherdon.com.au or call our friendly team on (02) 9906 2202

Jean Charles Holdings – Hotel Dispensers Jean Charles Holdings would like to introduce to you a cost effective way of upgrading your current guest amenity products, whilst providing your guests with a high quality range of hair and skin care products.

Jean Charles Holdings is an Australian owned company that has been manufacturing hair and skin care products for over 25 years. We now hold a world wide patent design for our exclusive bathroom dispensing system, specifically created for hotels and resort. Our dispensers and products are currently in over 12,000 hotel rooms throughout Australia.

With environmental awareness at its highest, consumers are becoming more concerned about using products that have high packaging waste.

Our hotel dispensers dramatically reduce waste.

How the System operates: • We supply the dispensers and an unlimited supply of all six products for one simple cost based on per occupied room night. The price is calculated on the number of rooms the hotel/motel or resort has and the location.

• During the first week of every month, we will call you and ask for the occupancy for the previous month.

We will invoice you for the occupied room nights only.

• Our standard colours are white marble and cream marble. You choose which of the two best suits your décor.

• Dispensers are provided at no cost to the hotel. Two dispensers are installed per hotel room. If the room has a spa or bathtub separate from the shower or an additional basin, additional dispensers can be installed at no additional cost.

• The system uses cartridges. Once a cartridge is empty your house keepers simply replace it and discard the old one.

The response to our dispensing system has been overwhelming. Feedback has shown that guests are very impressed with this environmentally friendly system and also with the quality of the actual products.

• The dispensers are installed on the walls using double sided tape and silicon only. The walls are not drilled.

This means that the dispensers can be moved/removed at any time without damaging the tiles.

MOLTON BROWN launches new Essentials Collection II

From Paradisiac Pink Pepperpod to Travel-Reviving Cempaka, each exotic plant and mineral ingredient has been sourced for its potency and benefits. The tube design makes a modern statement, with impactful graphics and dynamic shape.

Available exclusively from International Interior Images Molton Brown has long been synonymous with luxury and indulgence. Inspired by exotic locations, Molton Brown prides themselves in making the highest quality products using pure flower, plant and marine extracts sourced from around the globe, for a luxurious bathing experience that nourishes the skin and stimulates the senses.

A bold, streamlined collection of some of Molton Brown’s best-selling body lines.

In keeping with Molton Brown’s commitment to sustainability, the tubes and caps are all 100% recyclable. Your guests can now experience Essentials Collection II exclusively from International Interior

• A complete installation instruction manual is provided at no cost.

• As the products run out, your housekeeping staff simply rings our office and place an order for the stock required. We arrange for the delivery of the goods directly to your nominated location at no charge.

• All the products are manufactured in our factory in Sydney, so availability is not an issue.

Our system offers six products: Shower unit contains: Shampoo, Conditioner, Shower Gel Basin unit contains: Liquid Soap, Hand and Body Lotion, Shaving Cream We know that hotels strive to provide excellent service and exceed guest’s expectations. Undertaking this new innovation in bathroom amenities will not only increase your credibility as an environmentally aware hotel, but it will save you a great deal of money.

If you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact us at http://hoteldispensers.com.au/contact-us

Images – the perfect reflection of a contemporary lifestyle.

For further information regarding our luxury guest amenities please call our friendly Sales Team on (03) 9673 1444 or email info@interior-images.com.au

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dirt and work together in a positive way to maximise the results.

Enzyme Wizard Cleaning Up Australia In what is a significant market trend and one that reflects the move to sustainability, increasing numbers of major city CBD sites are adopting ‘chemical-free enzyme cleaning’.

“The use of enzymes to clean is not new in the industry but in the past has not been totally successful,” explained Clearchoice Products’ principal John Spiers.

“The main reason for this is because different strains of enzymes when put together in a formula attack each other rather than the dirt.“However, Melbourne manufacturer Enzyme Wizard has the technology that allows the different enzyme strains to co-exist together in the same formulation. Consequently, the enzymes can identify all various types of

Kazzam Presenting Kazzam, a smart software designed by a Housekeeper, for the modern day Accommodations operations manager to fine tune the housekeeping department. Kazzam is designed keeping in mind the various activities a housekeeper is responsible for and generates analysis empowering the Manager with accurate data suggesting parameters for improvement, to bring the hotel to a Zero defect level in a Six Sigma approach. It also assists in cost analysis to ensure expenses are maintained within budgets, highlighting cost per occupied room for cleaning or guest supplies, even for individual items.

Kazzam is a unique product that prompts about discrepancies in inventories, defaulting rooms for

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Enzyme Wizard Directors Jamie Flinkier and Raymond Subel have been demonstrating the Enzyme Wizard range to a large number of cleaning companies and institutions over the past two years. It’s said their company’s range has been ‘widely accepted in the Victorian market as the way of the future in chemical free cleaning’.

Some six months ago Sydney’s “BSC Ezko Property Services” conducted trials using Enzyme Wizard products on Sydney CBD sites… and it found clients were very receptive to the trials and to their results.

“It has two main products to clean most surfaces and is chemical free. Ezko embraced the new system where only the enzyme and microfibre cloth are used to clean saving time and money,” Spiers explained, Ezko’s contract manager Harkan Hasam, who oversaw the trials said, “all the applications were better than what was expected.

scheduled activities, Strengths and weakness of the individuals or the department. Training needs for individuals or for the department can also be analysed and records generated for individual training efforts conducted. It also helps in reward and recognition planning of the top performers and generates quantifiable Key Result Areas for individuals assisting in appraisal system.

Generating Snag lists for individual/ comprehensive parameters and

All the cleaners using the product were also very happy as there was no need for colour coding because there are only two products used, one for the floor and one for all the surfaces above the floor.

“It is so easy to use and because it is chemical-free, there is no danger to our cleaners in relation to spills or accidental mixing of harsh chemical.

They love using it.”

There is also a specific Enzyme Wizard range that tackles jobs such as carpets; mould and mildew; and internal drain cleaning i.e., urinals and grease traps.

To top it all Enzyme Wizard in July of this year was awarded DFE (design for the environment) status by the EPA in the USA, which is indicative of its commitment to bringing green cleaning technology to the Australian market.

tracking/ recording lost and found are just a click away.

As the software is Web based, it does not need to be integrated with any existing Property management system. It also empowers the Corporate Housekeeper/ Owner to club two or more hotels for ensuring all units are on the same track. Contact the undersigned for a three month free trial.

For more information contact Manish Jain manish@kazzam.in

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BSB07 Certificate IV in Front Line Management

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