Motel Owners Volume 15 Number 1

PP 324494/00039

Volume 15 No 1

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

Motel Laundries: Which way do we go!

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motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

Contents

15 5 Message from the Publisher 6 Message from the Minister for Trade & Investment

8 Motel Market 2014 11 Didn’t they tell us that computers and the Internet would make life easier?

15 The 5 most Valuable resources required when selling a motel

19 Motel Laundries: Which way do we go!

23 Microfibre – All the micro details 26 Breakthrough on motel valuations 32 What’s lurking in your SpaBath

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64

34 How to implement a chemical free

60 Clean hands: Old dirt, new dirt 62 Bed Bugs 64 Are you finding your floors harder

cleaning program in your facility

35 Spotless carpets and upholstery 38 Clean floors for leisure & pleasure 43 Identifying stone and tile types NZ Motel market Vs Australia 46 48 TechCollect can solve e-waste problems for the hospitality industry

to clean

68 Bed Presentation: Add simple sophistication with a Bed Shawl

70 77

Pool Heating Product News

50 The “Big” IT trends for the next 5 years

52

otel Owners caught between M tenants & councils

56 Why we should think green when we clean

57

The bathroom Renovation Revolution

Front Cover: Comfort Inn, Parkes International

Advertising Sales

Adbourne PUBLISHING

PO Box 735, Belgrave, VIC 3160

www.adbourne.com

Melbourne: Neil Muir Ph: (03) 9758 1433 Fax: (03) 9758 1432 Email: neil@adbourne.com Adelaide: Robert Spowart PO Box 213, Summertown, SA 5141 Ph: 0488 390 039 Email: robert@adbourne.com

Production: Emily Wallis Tel: (03) 9758 1436 Email: production@adbourne.com Administration: Robyn Fantin Tel: (03) 9758 1431 Email: admin@adbourne.com Marketing: Susan Moore Email: susanmoore@y7mail.com

DISCLAIMER Adbourne Publishing cannot ensure that the advertisers appearing in The Motel Owners Journal comply absolutely with the Trades Practices Act and other consumer legislation. The responsibility is therefore on the person, company or advertising agency submitting the advertisement(s) for publication. Adbourne Publishing reserves the right to refuse any advertisement without stating the reason. No responsibility is accepted for incorrect information contained in advertisements or editorial.

The editor reserves the right to edit, abridge or otherwise alter articles for publication. All original material produced in this magazine remains the property of the publisher and cannot be reproduced without authority. The views of the contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher.

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motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

Messages

Message

from the Publisher

Bed Bugs »» Story on page 62 Do you have

Bed Bugs?

A help guide for the identification of BED BUG infestations

Stephen L. Doggett

W

elcome everyone to this issue of the Motel Owner’s Journal.

The competition for business between motels is hotter than ever.

Computers and the internet allow clients to compare rates, locations and guest reviews, all while getting a visual impression of each motel. Picking up the phone to get that information from each proprietor would take all day! We call on Gary Berman to explain how motels can use technology to stay ahead of the pack and the dangers to look out for. Gary’s advice is invaluable in the competitive motel industry.

Kyle Newbery is an experienced senior valuer working for Australian Valuers.

He gives his views on the current state of our industry.

Our attention turns to motel laundries where Paul Creek looks extensively at inhouse laundries, outsourcing and guest coin laundries. Paul covers the debates over quality, cleaning consistency, cost and hygiene, along with the long-term considerations of your choices. The issue of bed bugs is becoming more concerning for big and small premises alike. Stephen Doggett helps you get around the new Code of Practise for this.

From there, Murray McDonald looks at chemical-free cleaning and how steam can also be used to eradicate bed bugs.

There is nothing worse for your customers than stepping into a room with dirty carpets. We asked Col Nation to give us a run down on the 3 main methods of carpet cleaning. Whilst looking at flooring, slique has given us an article on identifying the many different types of stone and tile, and John Parker of Alphaclean gives his tips on how to keep them clean.

What’s lurking in your spa bath is tackled in this issue, as well as some advice from Derek Hendry about council approvals when renovating or extending your motel. TechCollect solves the common e-waste problems which face the industry and Shenton Aquatic talks about saving money with your swimming pool heating.

Finally Phil Mussett CEO of commercial brokers Biz Aus, gives you the 5 most valuable resources when selling your motel and Catie Langdon of Resort Brokers Australia gives us an excellent article on motel valuations. Whilst across the Tasman we ask Michael Baines, CEO of the Motel Association of New Zealand, to compare our motel industries.

Regards Neil Muir

5

Blah Messages

Message from the Minister

for Trade & Investment

W

e have many features in our country that are the envy of others – stunning beaches, rainforests, and a unique outback.

Australia’s motel owners and operators are fundamental to the industry, enabling tourists to experience the best of what we have to offer, especially in regional Australia.

This plan focuses on four main areas: creating high quality experiences, reducing regulation, producing coordinated marketing campaigns and developing world class infrastructure.

This will make it easier for businesses to invest in new tourism products and refresh existing products, helping to meet the Tourism 2020 Potential.

It is not hard to see why Deloitte Access Economics has identified tourism – or the visitor economy – as one of five “super growth” sectors which have the potential to add $250 billion to national income over the next twenty years.

The Government can already claim a number of achievements, including:

The Government recognises the importance of the tourism industry as one of the key areas that will drive our economy forward, playing a fundamental role in providing jobs, investment and growth in towns and communities across Australia. The industry already supports around 929,000 jobs (directly and indirectly) and contributes $42 billon to Australia’s GDP. It was a very deliberate decision by the Government to include tourism within the Trade and Investment portfolio.

In the coming years and decades it is very clear that it will play a very big part in this field.

That is also why the industry is a part of the Government’s Economic Action Strategy to build a strong, prosperous and secure Australia. As the Minister responsible for tourism, I have a strong plan for seeing that the industry is on track to reach the Tourism 2020 goal of increasing overnight visitor expenditure to between $115 and $140 billion by the year 2020.

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»» Freezing the Passenger Movement Charge which increased under Labor »» Adding chefs to the Skilled Occupation List »» Announcing multiple entry, three-year visas for Chinese business visitors »» Approving additional air access during Chinese New Year to cater for increased visitor demand »» Announcing a trial to allow Singaporean e-passport holders to use SmartGate self-processing facilities in Australia’s eight major airports »» Allowing international visitors attending the Cricket World Cup in 2015 to utilise a single visa »» Ruling out a night-time curfew at Brisbane Airport »» Staging of a series of senior international investment roundtables abroad with a focus on high-grade tourism infrastructure in Australia »» Deciding on a second Sydney airport »» Scrapping the carbon tax which cost

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

the accommodation sector $115 million in its first year.

The recently announced Budget builds on these achievements, with the Government committing: »» $43 million for a new Tourism Demand-Driver Infrastructure Programme to help the states and territories develop key tourism infrastructure to stimulate demand »» $10 million in new funding for the Australia-China Approved Destination Status (ADS) scheme to further improve visitor experiences. China is Australia’s biggest tourism market, worth more than $4 billion annually »» $2 million to support the staging of the successful Australia Week in

China (AWIC) again in 2016. During our hugely successful AWIC in 2014, commercial deals worth close to $1bn were signed, while some other very exciting prospective investments have emerged in sectors such as tourism.

In the last edition of Motel Owner I spoke specifically of my commitment to working with industry to ensure tourism businesses have access to the right skills at the right time. The addition of Chefs on the Skilled Occupation List is just one example of how I have been progressing this key industry concern, with qualified chefs now able to migrate to Australia independently.

In February 2014, the Government announced an independent review of the 457 skilled visa programme to consider how to maintain the integrity

of the programme while avoiding any unnecessary administrative burden on business. Under Tourism 2020, Tourism Ministers have also identified reforms to Working Holiday Maker visas as a priority.

The Government is determined to reduce red tape, implementing a major deregulation agenda to reduce the cost of doing business. This will enable the tourism industry to do what it does best: deliver high quality experiences that attract more people to Australia.

The Hon Andrew Robb MP Minister for Trade and Investment

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Articles

Motel Market 2014 Kyle Newbery AAPI CPV I Senior ​Valuer, Australian Valuers

The Motel market in Australia, like all real estate, suffered through 2008 and 2009 due to the Global Financial Crisis, with a softening in yields as a result. Transaction volumes have decreased since the highs of 2006/2007 due to both restrictive bank lending practices and the lack of buyer interest. This decline was on the back of a market reflecting reduced tariffs and occupancies.

T

he longevity of the resources boom has been brought into question by mining companies as the relatively high cost of doing business in Australia impacts on project viability. As a result, projects have been deferred and in some cases, shelved. The flow-on effects from this slowdown remain uncertain, though it is expected that ancillary services associated with the resources industry will be impacted to some extent.

This has created uncertainty within the Motel market.

Investment buyers remain particularly focused on tenant quality and length of lease terms and are highly yield driven, generally seeking a ‘secondary’ yield with a ‘prime’ yield profile.

Although occupancy rates in regional and rural areas, unsupported by infrastructure and mining projects (or where mining projects are being curbed or put on hold), have generally suffered, transactions of Motels have been strong due to the prevalence of mining, CSG and infrastructure activities.

Corporate demand for out of city Motel accommodation has declined in 2013, however the receding Australian dollar may well see more local tourists holiday domestically. Further, international tourists may also see benefit from the present competitive exchange rates, therefore potentially increasing visitor/ tourist numbers.

However the easing of the official cash rate by the Reserve Bank of Australia appears to have resulted in a welcome

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lift in household confidence, despite mixed signals in major economic indicators in recent times.

Although there are now, in 2014, more obvious signs of economic improvement, with Interest Rates at all-time lows, buoyant retail sales over Christmas, an upbeat residential real estate market, and increasing residential building approvals.

Having said this, not a month goes by without a major company announcing job losses, business closures or profit downgrades (or losses). In January 2014, the Unemployment rate increased by 0.1 percentage point to 6.0% (seasonally adjusted), the highest it has been since 2003. In early March, Qantas announced it was sacking 5,000 workers and culling under-performing routes.

Although on the plus-side, the Australian Dollar (when compared to the US Dollar) was hovering around 90 cents in early 2014, down from the 2012-2013 high of around 110 cents. Over the last year or so the Aussie Dollar has also receded against other major currencies.

The drop in the Aussie Dollar has more than likely added to the increase in the volume of international tourists. The number of short-term visitor arrivals (trend estimate) to Australia in December 2013, as reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, was 7.5% higher than in December 2012.

The Australian tourism sector in general seems to be on the rise after a number

of years battling the effects of the Global Financial Crisis, in addition to natural disasters including floods, droughts, cyclones and bushfires.

Most people in the industry remain cautiously optimistic and business appears to be improving in larger centres and areas with major tourist attractions.

Although some regional areas are still struggling, sentiment remains positive.

Our opinion is that the tourism and accommodation sectors will continue in an optimistic vein supported by a number of significant international events bringing an influx of overseas visitors to Australia over the next 12-18 months. Major events include the G20 Summit, the Cricket World Cup, the AFC Asian Cup, the Netball World Cup, the Pan Pacific Masters Games, and the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, to name a few.

Owners and operators need to be aware of their strengths and weaknesses, and utilise these to optimise their particular niche in the marketplace, and target clientele according. Constant upgrading is mandatory, and the old rule-of-thumb is a major refurbishment every 7 years.

Motels are typically purchased, and therefore valued, in relation to the quality and quantity of their net income stream. Due regard is given to location and access; position and exposure; size and quality of rooms; competition and proximity to services; seasonality of trade and potential for growth; and the ability for further development.

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

With the major events planned, and the tourism sector appearing on an upward trajectory, now is the time to ask whether the business is performing to the best of its merits or is in a position to take advantage of all opportunities. Areas to investigate include:

provided the broad Australian economy with a much needed ‘shot in the arm’ of confidence!

With 2014 now in full swing, I hope you are all seeking to take advantage of this renewed confidence and the many upcoming major events. We are all looking forward to better times ahead.

»» Marketing/advertising budget – is enough being spent and in the right areas? »» Who are our main competitors, and what is our main point of difference? »» Could the occupancy rate being achieved be bettered and how? »» Are tariffs competitive? »» Is the rental rate per room considered appropriate? »» What is the rental rate relative to net profit, and is this acceptable? »» Is the net profit per room acceptable in the marketplace? »» How much is the net profit, and how does it relate to income and expenses as a percentage of turnover? How does this compare to benchmarks? »» How does all of this tie-in with the term remaining on the lease?

These are examples; there are many others; and experienced Owners and Operators will be familiar with these questions.

With the Federal Election in September last year, the incoming Government declared Australia “Once again open for business”.

This positive attitude has

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motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

Didn’t they tell us that computers and the Internet would make life easier? gary Berman I Hospitality Service Solutions

Were we not all told that with the constant advancement of computer technology would make all our jobs easier and less time consuming?

H

ave you found this to be true or in fact the exact opposite?

I talk to more and more motel owners and managers and am constantly amazed at how much more complex the art of managing a motel has become and how many time consuming distractions the average motelier has.

The range of marketing offers, website upgrades, Google first page ranking promises, third party website updates, government contracts etc. etc., properties seem to get on a daily basis, and apart from confusing even the most experienced operators, it is taking valuable time away from what your core business operations such as reception, housekeeping, marketing accounts etc. and can adversely impact your bottom line and profits.

Apart from the fact that you are getting these calls and emails daily, there is also the issue of determining which ones are genuine and which are fake or scams. There are more and more unscrupulous “businesses” out there taking advantage of any perceived weakness they see in an operators knowledge of the internet.

If there was a cost effective way for smaller operators to farm out this work, sort out the worthy items and dismiss the scams and rubbish, I believe moteliers would be able to run a much more effective business and actually start making more money.

I have found that these are some of the areas that keep on coming up and for managers to be on the lookout for: (not all are dodgy or scams but worth seeking advice on or looking more carefully at). »» Google first page rankings offer: How many of you have received an offer to get your property listed on the first page in Google or other search engines?

Sounds good doesn’t it?

Well let me ask you to think about this for a minute.

If everyone could get on Google’s first page as the offer suggests, why would Google even need a second page?.. Now that’s a joke, but seriously, a Google page holds say 20 to 25 listings…so how is it possible for all properties to be on the first page? …It would be a bit crowded and unfortunately impossible.

There are actually a number of ways to improve your Google ranking and get on the best page, and some of these are: »» You can pay for “add-words” where you actually pay a certain amount every time one of your search terms is clicked on, whether a booking is made or not. This can be very expensive in the hospitality space. »» Another way is to invest in SEO (Search Engine Optimisation).

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Articles

This is when key words and terms are added or built into your site. You will normally only get a limited option for of key words, it could be a costly exercise and it does take some time to move up the pages to the home page, if you do ever get there.

There are companies who specialise in SEO, both good and not so good, but you really need to have an understanding of what they are offering and what you’ll get for your money. »» Another way of improving your ranking is called the organic way. This is where you automatically move up the pages when your property or its key words are searched for often enough.

All the above applies to all search engine and general marketing offers, where the rule of thumb is to firstly ensure the offers are from legitimate companies (ask for references or who they have done some work for), ensure you actually understand what they are offering and most importantly if you are OK with these first two rules, ensure you are comfortable with the price.

Don’t sign up for long term contracts until you see some results and if possible ask for a fixed fee so you don’t get any surprises along the way.

Hospitality Service Solutions How mucH valuablE timE arE you wasting EvEry day?

How many so called “marketing” offers are you dealing with daily? which ones are worthwhile, which are not and which are outright scams?

What if someone can take these off your hands and give you your time back.

Gary Berman and his team at Hospitality Service Solutions offer a unique service where they “screen” all your marketing calls, sort out which ones are worthwhile and eliminate the rest.

call gary on 0410 458 166 for a chat and to find out more.

E: gary.berman@bigpond.com 12

Another area to be wary of is offers to design a new website or upgrade your current one.

I’ve been working with a motel who wanted to change their site and it took us weeks to actually get in touch with the company that did it and another lengthy period to get the domain name and details transferred across to the new company.

Domain names are something that everyone has heard of but don’t realise the importance of. You should always own your Domain name and not leave it with your web designer. Your domain name is your website address e.g: Atlasmotel.com, so think about the implications if you don’t own it.

You need to ensure that you have ownership of your domain name, because if you change website companies and they keep the name, where does that leave you? A domain name should not cost more than $40.00 to $70.00 for 2 years, so it’s not expensive One other area to look at is the range of third party websites or OTA’s (Online Travel Agents) who might contact you to be listed with them.

The well known ones here are Wotif, Booking.com etc., but there are new ones coming online virtually every week, so which ones do you list with and why.

Once again there are scammers in this space and all need checking before you go ahead and list. Most sites will not charge a fee to list if they are taking commission as that is how they make their money, so firstly check what their commission is.

To make sure the site itself is legitimate, don’t just see which other properties are listed as they can be added by the company, but call one of two to verify the new site.

The final area I will go info now is Channel Managers, where one of the largest in Australia is Siteminder.

Not only do Channel Managers offer a time saving service by being able to load your rates and availability on one screen for a range of third party sites, but another advantage is that all the reputable channel managers only list reputable Third Party Websites which saves you the time and effort of having to check each one out.

There is a cost to connect with these channel managers and one thing I’ve learnt by running hotels and consulting is that cheaper is not always the way to go in an area as important as this. As with all the other points mentioned above, check out any new channel manager who approaches you with special offers or low fees.

Don’t get me wrong, marketing in all forms are a valuable and necessary part of growing your business, but as with everything you do especially when there is a cost involved you do need to be cautious and make sure your hard earned dollars are going to the right place to achieve the results you are looking for.

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

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motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

The 5 most Valuable resources required when selling a motel Phil Mussett I CEO of BizAus Pty Ltd

Don’t under estimate it. You’re going to need help to pull off the successful sale of your motel.

Here are five important resources to help you

F

or first-time owners, the process of selling a motel may appear to be easy. You simply decide what your motel is worth, list it on a business-for-sale website, and after a period of negotiation with some prospective buyers, agree on a sale price and complete the deal.

In the real world, a motel sale is a complex transaction that requires the skills and expertise of specialists. I recently read an article about managing the emotional toll of selling a business, the article talked about managing the emotional toll, and the importance of creating a buffer between you and prospective buyers. The experienced specialist not only creates an manages emotional distance, but also brings much-needed expertise to the sale process, significantly increasing the likelihood of a timely and profitable sale outcome.

The 5 Resources The mix of support and specialists you require will undoubtedly be influenced by the specific needs and circumstances of your sale. Here are five resources that can almost always improve your ability to achieve your goals during the sale of your motel.

1. Business Brokers The availability of web-based sale resources has fuelled an increasing trend of owners listing their business on business for sale by owner listing sites. While some owners have successfully sold their business on their own, many others have suffered from issues and obstacles that could have been avoided if they had enlisted the assistance of a qualified business broker.

An experienced broker specialises in the confidential identification of prospective buyers and in negotiating favourable terms for their clients.

A good broker also prepares, manages and coordinates the vast amount of documentation associated with the sale of your motel.

In conjunction with you and your accountant a good broker will prepare the presentation of your historical, projected performance and the financial data.

2. Accountants A capable accountant should be one of the first resources you engage as you prepare to sell your motel. Preparing financial statements and performing other finance functions including a Section 52 Statement when required in the case of business sales in Victoria. All this lays the groundwork for a smooth sale process. Accountants also play a central role in another important part of the sale... estimating and managing any tax liability you may face after the sale.

3. Motel Valuers Motel valuation and appraisal requires a very specific skill set that most sellers and some brokers just don’t possess.

In addition to providing an informed appraisal of equipment, real estate and other physical assets, qualified motel valuers can assign value to brands, intellectual property and other types

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of intangible assets... ensuring that you have a fair and accurate gauge of your business worth. It is recommend that you seek a qualified business broker, who can help you determine if a valuation is needed for any element of your business transaction.

There are other good reasons to engage a qualified valuer, buyers will naturally want to buy your motel for less than the asking price. The valuation limits the reduction in offers as the value is documented evidence that qualifies the asking price.

The majority of motel sales depend upon finance. Banks in turn depend upon the report of a professional valuer.

In summary therefore, the best approach to selling many motels is to establish the value by either engaging a valuer or a business broker who uses the same methods as a professional valuer to determine the value of your motel.

4. Business-for-Sale Websites We know how useful the Internet can be as a tool for connecting buyers and sellers in the business-for-sale market.

By listing a business online, marketing reaches larger and more geographically diverse prospective buyers.

Not all business-for-sale websites are equal, in fact there are huge differences in the enquiry results. Advertising on the lowest cost sites in many cases is equivalent to buying a tool that can’t do the job.

5. Solicitors It’s possible to finalise a business sale without the help of a solicitor, but it’s definitely not advisable. The legal details related to a motel sale are substantial, especially when it comes to insulating the seller from liability, so it’s imperative for sellers to use a solicitor with relevant experience. Although you may be more comfortable using your regular business solicitor to finalise the deal, do yourself a favour and secure legal counsel from a lawyer who specialises in business-for-sale transactions.

If you use a business broker, they can usually help you find an appropriate solicitor to assist with the transaction.

Finally, it’s important to thoroughly research and vet all business-for-sale specialists before you make any contractual commitments. In addition to relevant industry experience, make sure your specialists or resource providers have a proven background with similarly sized motels. Although the process of evaluating prospective specialists may seem time-consuming, the payoff is the assurance that you have the best possible resources helping to sell your business, which will hopefully lead to the highest selling price in the shortest amount of time.

Phil Mussett is the CEO of BizAus Pty Ltd Licensed Business Brokers and Commercial Property Agents www.bizaus.com.au phil@bizaus.com.au mobile 0417 113 473

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motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

Motel Laundries

Which way do we go!

Paul Creek I Creek Solutions

Running a motel – OMG the work that needs to be included! Having run a busy motel in the Central West (NSW) back in the 1980’s, I discovered a managers “lot” was not always a happy one. A day filled with endless small tasks that needed completion – and the budget was not always there to cover it. I can get a plumber to fix a washer – the call out fee is one room night, I could get someone to mow the lawns, two room nights! And so on! And so on!

R

unning a motel is often a family business where profits can be achieved through good management and all hands “on deck” to keep costs low. There are jobs that can be managed in house with little effort; there are those that can be done cursing what a plumber would achieve in 5 minutes to my 45 minutes (but I would grin and bear it); and those jobs, which are best outsourced.

Linen is one of those areas that needs to be considered. The purpose of a motel is to provide clean accommodation for a variety of different guests ranging from one night business people, travellers passing through or short/long term holiday makers. Every one expects clean linen.

The housekeeping and laundry processes are critical in any business that is responsible for the accommodation of the general public, be it hotels/motels, health, aged accommodation, hostels or cruise ships etc, ensuring hygiene is well managed.

Quality is an important factor as well. Ironed sheets and pillow cases are a quality factor. While the motel can operate a small ironer – they may be labour intensive and the hourly rates may become exorbitant.

Small low rated motels may not launder sheets but press pillow cases on a small press.

Two factors that come into place are cost and hygiene. However the location of the motel may be too remote for price efficiencies to come into play. The motel size and low occupancy can make an in house laundry viable based on capital outlay.

Decisions of the laundry set up are also based on location and needs: »» Country vs Coastal (additional towels but longer stay with less bed linen change overs) »» Business vs Holiday (the latter maybe multiple people vs single rooms)

The decision is which way to go. There are several options. These are to outsource fully, outsource the sheets/pillow cases while washing the towelling or to undertake everything in house.

»» Long vs Short Stay (regular full daily change overs increasing linen levels)

An example of an on-site laundry (towels only) as supplied by Craig Oldroyd of Richard Jay Laundries

Sean West of Laundry Solutions Australia states that the “tyranny of distance and the lack or competing laundries has an impact on the decision”.

Motel

Occupancy

30 beds 80%

Equipment

Outsourced Costs per month

3 loads per day (In house)

$20,000

$1,579

$20,000 savings over 3 years

Note: These will vary dependent on the machine sizes, staff loading and other work habits. This needs to be fully worked through for each site.

Questions are often asked about the benefits and running of an on premise laundry (OPL). To undertake the process in-house will provide control however when outsourcing, there is a higher level of consistency due to the automation of the process. Consistency can occur in a full OPL, but this is subject to the laundry employee skills.

Linen quality is also important. Good quality linen that is purchased should be part of an overall process. Adequate supplies of linen should be on hand – not to operate a system of strip all the beds quickly and get the beds remade with the same sheets. And it does happen!! Poor quality linen will deteriorate quickly and will need frequent replacing – linen with a high thread count will last longer and have a better feel. It is recommended that a par stock level of at least 2 be available and this will ensure its longevity and will allow housekeeping staff to make beds with their linen supply and not having to wait.

Sean West is often asked by motel owners whether to have an onpremise laundry. He continues to say that an organisation must do the analytical work on whether it is viable and usually noes that costs

19

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motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

per kg are more expensive for the towels, bath mats and hand towels.

Good quality bed linen has higher cotton content and these need finishing on a roller-ironer. A roller-ironer is expensive and takes space.

Therefore Sean recommends after careful consideration, in-house towel laundering and outsourcing bed linen is a positive step.

If a towel is purchased at $10 it may be a false economy in relation to not purchasing a better quality towel at $12 – a higher up-front purchase cost may mean that a repurchase of the cheaper version may be 3 years later resulting in $3.35 per year cost analysis compared to a 5 year life span for a better quality one at $2.40 per year. Replacement should be gradual to ensure that budget is carefully managed and the standard is maintained. If a sheet is washed everyday – it will not last the distance of 3 or 5 years!

Selection of machines should be based on the process and motel requirements. Size is important to ensure laundry assistants are fully occupied. Down time can be costly.

Washers come in two styles hard mounted washers, which are less expensive and the soft mount machines with internal suspension.

The hard mount machines need to be secured to a solid floor and the extraction speed will not reach the levels of a soft mount washer.

The soft mount machines do not require the same floor considerations and generally will have cheaper construction costs for the laundry.

Good extraction has improved outcomes for dryer use. There is less moisture retention in the linen and will dry quickly. A cheaper hard mount machine may result in more energy use.

The selection is based on the workload. The items being laundered: the bed linen and quilts (although the latter may not be regularly washed), towelling, table linen, kitchen and cleaning products. It is important to be able to vary sizes of equipment – a larger motel may have three machines to a smaller site with two. This is to ensure that filling to capacity is maximised. A small machine 12-13 kg may not be suitable for a busy motel of 80 rooms as it would require many continuous wash loads.

In a town where there are several motels, a consortium (joint venture) may be worth pursuing to obtain a good price of linen for all involved.

The varying styles of equipment will also meet the needs of the guests as well as the Motel. »» Domestic – which allows the guest to wash their own items especially if at a coastal location »» Coin operated – with revenue going toward the cost of the equipment and utilities. »» Semi Commercial – has the advantages of durability but may not always guarantee disinfection. Chemical feed, can be managed, but not well controlled.

Note: Are often top loaders and become high water users

»» Commercial (small or large). These are durable and will cater for all loads. They are programmable for automatic chemical feed and will be more accurate with water levels and cycles than the semi commercial machines.

The washing machines are the first stage of the process followed by the washed items being placed into dryers. Depending on the level of extraction in the washers, it will result in the most appropriate dryers being selected. Usually 50% greater capacity dryer drum capacity will be used than the washer size. The smaller the drum size in relation to the washer, the larger the drying time and the more crushed items may be. Dryers will operate on electricity and gas (including LPG) with the latter the best option.

The large capacity is important as not to crush the items being dried especially if the sheets are being washed in house and are not going to be ironed!!

Space is an issue as a laundry does take space and often is an afterthought. It must be designed to prevent poorly selected equipment not suited for the workload, tubs for holding soiled and clean linen (as working off the floor is a safety issue) and storage.

An adequate supply of linen needs to be available to ensure prompt room turnaround and longevity of the linen.

Several companies are in the market for supplying equipment and the underlying message received as a consultant is to ensure reliability and service backup is available.

Steve Borg of Aqualogic, a laundry supplier, echoes this and stresses the value of the supplier being involved in the commissioning and provides all the testing of the programs and equipment. This will include all the relevant training for staff and other operators.

Washing processes are important and for the best results on the wash and use of machines is to keep them filled to capacity. Under loading can cause damage to the drums as well as increase the cost of utilities per kg.

There is no right or wrong way of a laundry process. Cost and quality are the key issues. A popular process including high rise international hotels is to outsource the bed linen and keep towelling in-house.

Towelling is manageable with only one person involved where bed linen presents well when it is ironed. If outsourced linen fails the quality test, it can be returned and a credit received where this won’t be the case in an OPL processed piece of linen.

Advantages of outsourcing are that the items processed are quality inspected and any rewash is an operational cost of the contractor.

Rewash in an OPL can be a costly process.

If an OPL is operating, some rewash is acceptable, usually 2-3%, and this becomes part of the process and operational supply cost.

If machines are under-loaded, the chemical usage per kg will increase and lead to early degradation of linen.

Chemical companies will supply product that will be automatically dispensed to the commercial machines. Some laundry companies will organise the programming in conjunction with the chemical supplier however this does create flexibility issues and time delays especially to regional centres. There may be costs generated by the laundry company, which hinders the chemical company. Good chemical suppliers will also include in the supply regular service checks of equipment for efficiency.

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Sarah Hengl, Girbau Australia, “believes machines with a high range of program cycle possibilities available with some pre-programmed cycles are useful”. The pre-programming is based on factory settings and may not be ideal for everyone but is a start. Sarah continued to say that “machines with multiple dosing signals are flexible and that machines should be fully programmable on-site, however download systems can be utilised to program multiple machines if required”.

It is an advantage for chemical companies to be able to program themselves.

The use of coin-operated machines assists a motel to remain efficient while providing a service to its guests. These are usually in addition to a motel’s own in house laundry. They come as a range of washers with matching dryers (8 kg to 24 kg) – including Lavamac, Speed Queen, Maytag and Econowash. The top loader machine will come either as top loader or front loader machines.

In the motel industry, it is more likely a smaller machine will be used – suits one wash loads e.g. Families coming back from the beach (needing to wash the towels and swimming costumes), workers or other travellers who are away from home for long periods.

The option of “do it yourself” laundry is a WIN-WIN situation for the motel owners who will cover utility costs and provide some payback

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22

on the machinery. The guest does not have to send the clothing out at a more expensive rate than $4-$6 (approx.) per load in the washers and the dryers.

The motel may also find the coin-operated machine useful for small internal jobs. They would not use coins but special tokens. Some brands can utilise cashless smart cards.

With the many different operators with varying skill levels, coinoperated machinery is made for easy use. The operators need to use minimal buttons and knobs to operate.

David Bampton of Andrew Barton Laundry Equipment believes “that coin operated machines not only provides a revenue stream for a motel but covers the costly operation of wasted utilities. It also provides an alternative machine for the motel to use if they have smaller loads with tokens. When there is no cost recovery, washing machine users would wash one or two items in a full load. This way, the motel guest will realise this is not efficient and will ensure a fuller load occurs!!!!” Bampton continues “that sales have been up recently as the need for small guest machines with flexibility are required”.

Sustainability is often discussed when comparing one machine to the next. There are machines that have good ratings however with good internal practices, modern machines from all suppliers with their own efficiencies and good programming, leaves very little between each of the suppliers other than the investment cost.

Ozone is a method that allows all washing to be performed in cold water and reduced steps in the process resulting in utility savings of 20-30%. There is usually a lease or purchase cost involved. Many of the chemical companies have cold or warm water wash programs that also allow for the same non-thermal disinfection.

Craig Oldroyd from Richard Jay states “Motel owners who take control of their laundry on-site, places quality control in their hands plus are in charge of the end result. This will ensure supply is available, against non-reliant, plant breakdowns, truck issues etc that a contractor might experience. It allows a specific linen type be purchased as it won’t become mixed with other motels”.

The best option is to obtain independent advice to ensure that calculations of throughput will match the required expectations and budget of the facility. Once the machine capacities and configuration are known, then the motel can go to the market and get the bestvalued machine that will do the job. Each motel has different needs, therefore careful analysis is required. The article does not discuss cost of operations in detail as each motel has different arrangements and potential outcomes would differ. All final installation requirements need to be confirmed by the supplier.

All laundry operations are based on the Australian Standards 4146:2000, which recommends correct processes and disinfection.

Paul Creek consults to the aged, health and hospitality industries throughout Australia and the South Pacific. paulcreek@creeksolutions.com.au or 0425 356 134

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

Microfibre

All the Micro Details James Smith I Diversey

Microfibre cleaning sounds too good to be true. A cloth that uses no chemical and can kill 99% of surface contamination with 1 wipe! You may have had the opportunity to talk to a salesman with their eyes open wide in rapture about the benefits of microfibre cleaning and how we can save the world if only we invest in their system. For people who have been in our industry and seen the flash in the pan cleaning systems before it sounds a bit like a machine that turns lead into gold - too good to be true.

What is Microfibre?

M

icrofibre, as the name suggests, is made up of small fibres. To be classified as a microfibre, the fibre has to be finer than 1/100th of a human hair. Because the fine fibres create an increased surface area, microfibre has the ideal properties for environmental cleaning. To illustrate the advantage of microfibre cleaning, imagine using a broom with only 100 strands to sweep a floor as opposed to a broom with 10000 strands. Microfibre delivers an ultimate clean as the increased surface area picks up virtually all the dirt and dust in its path.

Microfibre cleaning has been used extensively in the cleaning industry since the mid-nineties. The advantages of microfibre are well documented and vast. Unfortunately while cleaning with microfibre has many positive aspects, there are factors that can be overlooked for the proper use and care of your investment.

How do you Wipe a Bench?

To use a microfibre cloth effectively you can’t use the same surface for more than a couple of square meters. To use the cloth to its maximum life involves folding the cloth into half and half again. This creates 8 cleaning surfaces that are swapped every few minutes. It may sound a simple process but it can be hard to train staff the correct technique required instead of using the cloth like a regular scrunched up rag. Training and ongoing supervision is required.

What is Damp Cleaning?

Microfibre can be used dry or damp. Used dry, microfibre uses electrostatic to attract dirt. Used damp, the water will help dissolve the dirt. The question is what is a damp microfibre cloth?

If the cloth is too wet it loses its grip and is as effective as a wet rag, hence finding the balance between damp and too wet can be hard without the correct training.

23

Articles

Laundering your Microfibre This is one of the biggest issues facing microfibre. To effectively re-use your microfibre cloths they have to be laundered correctly.

This involves washing at a high temperature ranging between 60-90 degrees. This is because the synthetic fibres only release the absorbed dirt at high temperature. A simple cost effective solution to this is purchasing a front loader that has an internal element that can reach these high temperatures to launder your cloths correctly. The laundry detergent is also an important factor with cleaning microfibre. Bleaches, fabric softeners and some detergents coat the fibres and reduce their cleaning effectiveness or damage the fibres. This is the reason manufacturers insist using detergents approved for cleaning microfibre.

Disinfectants and Microfibre High quality microfibre used correctly removes 99.9% of surface contamination. For environmental hard surface cleaning it makes logical sense to use microfibre as it has no dwell time needed for chemical disinfectant and is almost instantly dry after damp cleaning. This process requires strict control and auditing. It is not uncommon for facilities to use microfibre damp with a QUAT based disinfectant. This is not a recommended application as

the microfibre absorbs almost all the active QUAT ingredient and neutralises the disinfectant solution. Some chemical suppliers have created a stable hospital grade disinfectant using accelerated hydrogen peroxide (AHP) for use with microfibre to allow complete disinfection.

Choosing Microfibre Microfibre cleaning is a growing trend in our industry. With overall cleaning costs and environmental awareness becoming a bigger consideration, it is worth considering if microfibre is a suitable investment for your business. It is not a matter of buying a box of microfibre cloths and mops and cleaning the way you have before. Using microfibre requires a systematic approach to cleaning and having staff trained in a disciplined way to use it correctly. As always, you get what you pay for. If you have decided to use microfibre make sure it’s suitable for the job at hand and the cloths will last. Do not trust any off hand comments suppliers may say about longevity but rather request the technical data on the equipment. Microfibre is a fantastic tool that is changing the way our industry cleans. Used correctly will provide great results for years to come.

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motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

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Articles

Breakthrough on motel valuations ‘Science’ behind solutions to benefit the industry Catie Langdon I Resort Brokers Australia

New motel valuation formulas developed by an expert panel of industry professionals have the power to boost investment confidence for all stakeholders and provide a secure footing for growth in the motel sector.

P

resented for the first time at a conference convened

by Resort Brokers Australia, the new methods provide systematic calculations to determine a fair price for motel lease extensions, and to value short-term motel leases.

“We have come up with logical models that finally put some science and certainty behind these grey areas of motel valuation,” said Resort Brokers Australia managing director Ian Crooks.

“It is important that the industry gives serious consideration to the work that we have done.

“As the accepted standard, they will strengthen the position of both leaseholders and landlords, while creating a sound, uniform approach easily understood by everyone from professional advisors, financiers and brokers to vendors and buyers.”

Solicitor David Burrough was instrumental in the breakthrough initiative. As partner in charge of the Tourism and Hospitality Division of Brisbane firm Hillhouse Burrough McKeown, he has been advising on all legal issues affecting motels since 1991.

Burrough said the issue of diminishing lease terms had come to the fore in the last five years, as many of his motel clients found the years on older leases counting down.

“We need to recognise the industry is maturing, the number of years left on a great many leases is coming down, and it is something everyone must be thinking about,” he said.

“I spoke with Ian Crooks at Resort Brokers about the fact there was no science behind determining a fair price in negotiations between landlord and motel operator for the granting of a lease extension. Disputes were increasingly inevitable.”

Crooks was already considering the emerging issue. After all, he had years before pioneered the now common system of motel leases, introducing the concept of splitting motels into separate freehold investment and leasehold business opportunities.

Into the expert mix then came Tony Rossiter, a Director of Holmans and specialist in accounting, taxation and financial planning for accommodation industry clients.

“Knowing how critical the issue was, we set about collaborating

26

over probably an 18-month period to consider the matter and come up with solutions,” Burrough said.

“Now we have the results, we need to communicate them to the industry in the hope that they can provide assistance where it is needed.

Resort Brokers’ conference was attended by a cross-section of motel industry identities, including many valuers active in the sector. Burrough said the response was positive.

“A great many questions were asked, and there was considerable interest in the work that we have done.”

Consistent approach vital to price lease extensions A valid system for pricing motel lease extensions has finally been developed to provide business certainty for operators and fair reward for property landlords.

The much-needed price calculation model, developed by Holmans partner Tony Rossiter, in consultation with Resort Brokers Australia and Hillhouse Burrough McKeown, directly relates the value of the proposed extension to the profitability of the leasehold business.

According to Rossiter, the lack of a generally accepted method for calculating extension values has caused uncertainty for all parties, with the potential to destabilise the industry.

“With no consistent methodology applied, premiums paid for additional years have varied widely, with landlords taking differing approaches, or just setting a price they’ve heard was paid elsewhere, even though it bears no relation to their property,” he said.

“In picking figures, there seems to have been little regard for the motel size or indeed the profitability of the business. I’ve seen prices range anywhere from nil to $70,000 per year.

“Such inconsistency is detrimental to everyone – landlord, lessee and the wider industry.”

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

Holmans’ new model recognises the unique nature of a motel lease, compared to other commercial property leases. A formula to facilitate motel lease extensions is vital because the motelier’s business is inextricably linked to the premises.

“A motel freehold can really only have one purpose – operation of a motel,” Rossiter said.

“The goodwill of the business is location-specific, the tenant has goods and chattels tied up in the premises and, at expiry, they can’t simply move and start up elsewhere. So it is vital leaseholders have a sound basis for negotiating with landlords for an extension.

“An extension has value to the operator because it provides them with the opportunity to generate additional profits over the period of the extension.

“So the amount they pay must be a direct function of the value the extension creates in terms of future profits and current capital appreciation, not simply a random amount nominated by the landlord,” he explained.

“The price must fairly recompense the landlord, recognising there is an opportunity cost to them for granting the extension, while providing sufficient financial incentive for the tenant to proceed with the lease extension.”

Benchmark Calculation Method Step 1: Calculate the Adjusted Net Profit of the leasehold motel business. This should be done on a consistent basis, applying accepted industry standards for calculating profit on a ‘for sale’ business.

Step 2: Determine the capitalisation rate appropriate for the business (ideally done by a valuer). Divide the Adjusted Net Profit by the capitalisation rate to determine the value of the motel lease.

Step 3: Calculate the value per unit of chattels owned by the lessee, and multiply by the number of units. Reduce the value of the motel lease by the value of chattels to determine the Goodwill Value of the lease.

Step 4: Calculate 45%* of this amount as the value of the premium for the lease extension. (* In the case of a ‘Freehold Going Concern’, the owner-operator retains 100% of profit. There is widespread industry acceptance that, when a motel is split, the freehold investor (landlord) is paid 45% of the gross profit in rent, while the lessee retains 55% for operating the motel.)

Here’s how it works: Let’s look at an actual example. This calculation applies to a 25-unit motel where 15 years remain on the original 25-year lease. The maintainable Adjusted Net Profit of the leasehold business is $200,000, and the capitalisation rate is 30%.

Chattels are valued at $2,000 per unit. The lessee is seeking a 10-year extension.

Adjusted Net Profit Divided by Cap Rate of = Value of Lease less Value of Chattels

$200,000.00 30% $666,667.00 - $50,000.00 (25 units x $2,000)

= Goodwill Value of Lease

$616,667.00

Divide by original lease term (25) = Multiply by lease extension period (10) =

$24,666.70 $246,667.00

x 45% = Value of Lease Premium

The table below shows the calculated outcomes of this model at varying levels of Adjusted Net Profit, if all other variables remain the same.

MAINTAINABLE ADJUSTED NET PROFIT $

LEASE EXTENSION VALUE PER YEAR $

100,000

5,100

150,000

8,100

200,000

11,100

300,000

17,100

600,000

35,100

111,000.00

Therefore, the value per year of the lease extension equals $11,100.

Timing is important Timing is important to the correct application of this model.

Holmans recommends the optimum window for applying the formula is when the lease has between 15 and 20 years left to run. This happens to be the window when the vast majority of lease extensions are negotiated.

“In our experience, it is unusual for a tenant to seek a lease extension when they have an existing term in excess of 20 years,” Tony Rossiter said. “At that stage, we expect a lease extension would be worth less because it is not necessary for business certainty.

“Conversely, if fewer than 15 years remain, the value of an extension would likely be more than determined by our model,

27

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because the lessee has greater need for the extension.

widely accepted method for valuing shorter leases.

“With each year that goes by without an extension, the underlying value of the lease diminishes at an increasing rate,” he said.

“We hope our approach will underpin and strengthen the industry. It will protect novice motel buyers from paying too much for a depreciating lease and, at the same time, will make short-term leases appealing investment options comparable to longer leases.”

“Which is why our collaboration with Resort Brokers has also yielded a vital solution for valuing short-term leases.”

Price consistency clears the way forward Adoption of these logical formulas for motel lease valuations will be the catalyst for improved relations between leaseholders and landlords. With price consistency will come options for everyone.

“Both landlords and lessees grapple with the issue of lease extensions,” said Resort Brokers MD Ian Crooks. “Now the question of price has been resolved, the path to sound business decisions can be much clearer.”

Should a landlord be averse to granting a lease extension (perhaps for redevelopment or family succession reasons), the leaseholder now has the reassurance of a sound short-term lease valuation formula when it comes time to sell.

When a landlord agrees to an extension, with the fair market price clearly defined, both parties are well placed to make sound financial decisions and payment arrangements.

Should the property be in need of an upgrade (e.g. new bathrooms), one option would be to finance the project using the money paid for the lease extension.

“Then, as part of the lease extension arrangements, there may be an agreement whereby the lease document is varied to state that, on completion, rent will increase by an agreed percentage of the total upgrade cost,” Crooks said.

“So, if $300,000 is spent by the landlord on improvements, annual rent might go up by 10% or $30,000 a year.”

Rent adjustments also provide an option to spread the cost of the lease extension for the leaseholder, and avoid potential tax implications for a landlord receiving a lump sum payment in a single period.

Formula makes short-term leases a valuable option Short-term motel leases will remain viable and valuable thanks to a new valuation formula that protects capital investment and returns, while allowing for goodwill or capital growth.

Resort Brokers Australia and fellow industry experts, financial advisors Holmans and solicitors Hillhouse Burrough McKeown, see a need for a valuation method which will be embraced industrywide to strengthen the long-term viability of motel leasing.

“As a lease term shortens, goodwill begins to erode,” advises Resort Brokers’ sales manager, Trudy Crooks. “Presently there is no protection against this because there hasn’t been a logical and

28

The starting point had to be the already widely recognised formula for calculating the sale price of a standard 30-year lease, i.e. based on the net profit capitalised at an agreed rate, depending on the location and standard of the property.

“Most leases are sold on a 30% return,” Ms Crooks said.

“In desired CBD locations it may be 26 to 30%, while regional locations can show 32 to 40%.

“So we start by calculating the price of a lease as if it were a standard long lease, then divide that price by the number of years remaining on the lease in question. This is vital as buyers look at many different properties, and motels with shorter leases need to be easily compared to those with longer leases.”

The second step addresses a key issue for buyers – the desire to achieve capital growth.

“People buying a business obviously want an annual return, but most also expect to be able to sell the business for more than they paid for it. In the case of short leases with a diminishing term, that is unlikely,” she said.

“So, to be appealing and comparable to other investments, the short-term lease needs to be valued so it shows a greater annual return in lieu of capital appreciation.

“It means you can buy a shorter lease, make bigger returns and, although you sell for a lesser value, you are just as well placed as if you bought a longer lease, made a smaller return, and sold at a higher price.”

Resort Brokers’ new valuation method for short-term leases will open opportunities for people with less capital to invest in motels with much higher turnover and net profit, where the price of a longer lease on a comparable property would have been out of reach.

“This makes short leases great cash flow businesses with strong appeal to a wider market,” Ms Crooks said.

By dividing what we know would be the value if it was a long lease by the number of years remaining, you arrive at a figure representing the extra profit a buyer should earn to compensate for the decreasing value of the asset.

“While they sell for less in the end, they have banked their capital growth along the way.”

Subtracting the ‘extra’ annual return from the total net profit reveals the new ‘true’ business profit of the short lease. Finally, you capitalise this new net profit figure at the appropriate rate to calculate the fair market value of the short-term lease.

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

In the 2013-14 financial year, we sold an accommodation business every 2 days...

So if you want results why not give Resort Brokers Australia a call.

07 3878 3999 resortbrokers.com.au 29

Articles

Method shows real value for buyers Here are two examples illustrating how the short-term lease valuation method is applied:

In 2018, this motel lease has 7 years remaining, and achieves a net profit of $150,000 p.a.

In 2013, a motel lease with 12 years remaining shows a net profit of $150,000 p.a.

Step 1: If this were a new 30-year lease, based on the $150,000 net profit, capitalised at 30% the business would be worth $500,000. (net profit divided by cap rate)

Step 1: If this were a new 30-year lease, based on the $150,000 net profit, capitalised at 30%, the business would be worth $500,000. (net profit divided by cap rate)

Step 2: Divide $500,000 by remaining 7 years = $71,428 p.a. (extra profit earned)

Step 2: Divide $500,000 by remaining 12 years = $41,666 p.a. (extra profit earned)

Step 3: Subtract $71,428 from $150,000 to ascertain the new ‘true’ net profit = $78,572

Step 3: Subtract $41,666 from $150,000 to ascertain the new ‘true’ net profit = $108,333

Step 4: Capitalise the ‘true’ net profit of $78,572 @ 30% to calculate short lease value.

Step 4: Capitalise the ‘true’ net profit of $108,333 @ 30% to calculate short lease value.

SHORT LEASE VALUE = $261,906

SHORT LEASE VALUE = $361,110

Banking growth along the way The average stay in motel businesses is 4-5 years. So, while you may happily buy a 20-year lease, by the time you sell, without an extension, the value will be starting to erode.

Implementing this new formula for valuing shorter leases, will mean buyers can see the opportunity to bank gains during the life of a shortterm lease.

In our examples, the leaseholder who buys in 2013 for $361,110 can sell in 2018 for $261,906 – roughly $100,000 less than the original purchase price.

But, along the way, they have ‘put away’ extra profits (capital growth) of $41,666 p.a. for five years – a total of $208,330 or double the price drop. This, added to the 2018 sale price, shows they have actually realised a total of $470,236.

Having paid $363,000 in 2013… that figure demonstrates a very solid gain.

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advertorial motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

Take control of motel room access with

GuestLock digital locks

M

anaging your own motel can be a very rewarding experience, especially when guests leave happy, promising to visit again soon. Most motel owners strive to provide the best experience possible and work hard to make sure the motel runs efficiently, so that guests can relax and enjoy their stay.

Investing in new technology is one way to improve the guest experience. In recent years technology has had a positive influence on many areas of motel management, including applications for access control. Electronic digital door locks are now commonly used in place of locks and keys because they offer so much more in terms of convenience.

Rather than using a key, fob or card, access is gained by punching in a four-digit code on the keypad.

and time-consuming for the motel owner, is inconvenient for the guest. By comparison, if the code on an electronic digital lock is compromised, it can be changed on the door in seconds.

codes. When a guest leaves the motel, the manager or cleaning staff can access the room using their code, and delete the guest code at the same time. The door is now locked until activated by the next guest.

Codelocks is the first digital lock manufacturer to design locks specifically for securing motel guest room doors. Codelocks has two electronic locks in the GuestLock range, available with either a knob or lever handle.

Just as a guest would select his/her own code for the room safe, guests select their own personal four-digit access code on arrival.

They do this by first entering a unique lock identification number for their room, followed by their code.

Each GuestLock comes with its own step-bystep installation and programming manual, and using a local locksmith or handy man, the locks can be fitted, and up and running very quickly. Depending on the model, once in place a GuestLock will provide 80,000 openings from two AA batteries or 200,000 openings from four AA batteries.

The access code can also be sent in advance of the guests’ arrival, which means that the motel owner does not necessarily have to be present when the guests arrive. This feature is very useful if the guests are booked in for a late arrival.

Room key management is a concern for many motel owners because keys have a habit of going missing. Simply replacing the key does not necessarily regain ‘control’ of the lock. To Each lock has a Master Code and can store do this properly, a new key cylinder should up to 20 Sub-Master Codes, allowing cleaning be fitted – which, as well as being costly motel owners half page ad _Layout 1 09/07/2014 20:03 Page 2 and maintenance staff to be given their own

Imagine.

GuestLock is a stylish and simple access control solution, designed to help motel owners provide a professional and efficient service. The locks are much easier and more convenient for everyone to use; guests don’t have to worry about carrying room keys around and motel owners save money on replacement locks and keys.

For more information on products in the GuestLock range visit http://www.codelocks.com.au/ guestlock.html, call 1800 052131 or email sales@codelocks.com.au

Never having to issue a guest room key again!

No keys required.

GuestLock is a stylish and simple access control solution. Guests simply enter their own four-digit code for immediate access. No keys or cards to use or lose!

1800 052 131

sales@codelocks.com.au

www.codelocks.com.au

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Articles

What’s lurking in your SpaBath Marslie Smits I Sales & Marketing, Rubbedin Pty Ltd

Since the 2nd century BC, baths have been a common method of relaxation. Today they are a million-dollar industry. Spa pools are provided in most fitness centres and resorts; Spabaths (sometimes referred to as whirlpool baths) are found in hotels, homes and healthcare centres. There is no wonder why people are drawn to warm water: the heat opens pores, relieves aches and pains, and provides a sense of comfort for those looking for a temporary escape. But attention spabath users: That water you’re leisurely soaking in could be some of the filthiest and nastiest in the world.

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veryone knows the dangers that may be lurking in a pedicure spa; when it comes to spabaths, you need to be just as careful. Bathing where strangers have bathed before may not be such a restful experience. When you step into a spabath, you are stepping into a pool of potential health hazards, because lurking in the pipes are the remnants of previous bather’s skin cells, body oils, body secretions, hair, dirt and soap scum.

These “materials” make excellent breeding grounds for bacteria, fungus and yeast.

What’s frightening is the amount of different bacteria and fungus found in spabaths, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, E.coli, Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger & Microsporum canis. Some of them can cause serious and even irreversible health problems, such as urinary tract infections, gastro-intestinal infections, septicaemia, folliculitis, skin infections & rashes, eye and ear infections, staph, herpes, pneumonia and Legionnaire’s Disease, a potentially fatal form of pneumonia caused by the legionella bacteria. You don’t have to be in the spabath either; people can be exposed by just being close enough to it to breath in the fine spray created. Newborn babies, people with skin conditions, the elderly, and individuals who are immunocompromised are particularly at risk of infection from bacteria that may be found in spa bath water.

A study by a Texas A&M University microbiologist, Rita B. Moyes, showed that

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spabaths can be a breeding ground for dozens of types of bacteria, many of them potential pathogens, and such water can be a ground zero for infectious diseases.

43 water samples, from both private and public spabaths, were tested. All 43 had bacterial growth ranging from mild to red-level dangerous. 95% showed the presence of faecal derived bacteria, while 81% had fungi, 56% had Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 36% had Legionella bacteria and 34% contained staphylococcus.

To get some idea of how much bacteria are in spabath pipes, Moyes says that “A normal teaspoon of tap water contains an average of about 138 bacteria, with many samples not having any bacteria at all.

But the same teaspoon of spabath water contains an average of more than 2.17 million bacteria.”

The main reason that spabaths are a prime breeding ground for potentially harmful bacteria is the lining of the pipes and a lack of a disinfection or filtration system.

Unlike spas and spapools, which have filters and are constantly filled with heated and chemically treated water that kills bacteria, spabaths are used for bathing.

They have no filter and are filled with untreated tap water and drained after each use. Spabaths can have 4 to 8 meters of plumbing lines that can hold stagnant water. Even though spabaths must be installed according to Australian Standard AS 3861 so that the water drains from the pump when released from the bath,

residue remains within the damp and dark circulation system and pipes until the next time someone uses the bath. This warm stagnant water is full of harmful bacteria and when left sitting in the pipes, the bacteria multiply. They produce, and become protected by, a biofilm: a slimy protective film that can be resistance to bleach, detergents and in some cases, antibiotics. When the jets are then switched on again, this build-up of biofilm breaks loose and harmful bacteria, soap scum, hair, dead skin, body oil, dirt, and faeces get blown out of the pipes, into the air and the “clean” bathwater where a person is soaking. The person taking the bath is now subject to inhaling and ingesting bacteria, along with immersing themselves in a variety of pathogens that can infect open wounds.

So what can you do to protect your guests?

There have been many cases across the globe, where guests have contracted Legionnaire’s Disease from contaminated water sources. In 2011, after the death of a guest in 2008, a golf and leisure resort near Dundee, Scotland, was fined £120,000 for failing to control the Legionella bacteria in their hot tubs and water systems. In 2012, 2 guests of a Chicago Hotel died. In 2013, 3 guests in a Spanish hotel died... the list continues and unfortunately all died as a result of contaminated water sources.

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

With proper maintenance spabaths can be a safe, wonderful way to relax, however they must be cleaned and degreased on a regular basis to prevent cross infection, and to protect all guests from acquiring a serious or fatal disease. Some State Health Departments recommend that commercial facilities’ spabaths (hotels, bed and breakfasts, beauty salons etc.) should be cleaned and degreased after each use, with a commercially formulated solution to ensure they remain clean and bacteria free.

Unfortunately, many think that you can clean a spabath by using powdered dish washing detergent, disinfectants or even bleach. Not only are they ineffective in removing oily bath and body residue, they are often unable penetrate the biofilm that harbors the dangerous bacteria. There have been multiple studies on chlorine for treating biofilm, all coming to the same conclusion: chlorine cannot penetrate and remove biofilm. Even some antimicrobial

products fail to penetrate past the surface layers of biofilm. Some manufacturers do not recommend bleach as it may eventually dry out the internal gaskets.

So what should you use and how do you use it?

Scale, soap scum and body residues aren’t the problem; bacteria and the biofilm are the problem. By removing the biofilm in the plumbing system, you are also removing the bacteria in the system, making the spabath much cleaner and safer to use. Treating biofilm must be done with a chemical specifically designed to clean & degrease. When used according to the manufacturer’s directions, the product should remove all body fats and debris adhered to the internal piping. Choose a product that also has a sanitising and deodorising action, so that the pipes remain clean and the smell of dirty pipes

is removed until the bath is used again.

Some spabath cleaners & degreasers are biodegradable, chlorine free and Septic and Grey Water safe, making them a safer option. They are easy to use too: simply added to a filled spabath and run the jets for 5-10 minutes. You may need longer if the bath has not been flushed out for a while. After a short while, brown sludgelike foam will start to accumulate on the surface of the bath water. Once the product has been flushed through the pipe system, turn off the pump, drain the bath, refill and run the jets once more to ensure you have completely flushed all the buildup out. Finish by wiping of the interior of bath with a damp cloth and rinse with the tap running.

To find out more about Health Dept Guidelines on Spabaths, contact your local State Health Dept.

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Articles

chemical free cleaning program in your facility

How to implement a

Murray McDonald I Director of Duplex Cleaning Machines

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he 3000 year old mop, chemicals and bucket method is fast becoming a process of the past for the accommodation and housekeeping industry.

Over the last 15 years, the push for chemical free cleaning has increased dramatically, both domestically and commercially, and in a variety of industries. One of the leading industries in this movement is the accommodation sector, with the term “green cleaning” becoming more widespread.

Among the reasons for the chemical free shift is the need for better cleaning efficiency and sanitisation through the use of a sustainable technology known as steam technology and microfibre. As well as this, more guests and staff are developing allergies to chemical disinfectants, making steam cleaning a popular alternative.

All types of accommodation facilities can implement a sustainable cleaning routine that covers key priority areas. Here are three priority areas of an accommodation facility where housekeepers can implement a chemical free cleaning program in their facility.

Mattresses, upholstery and furniture When it comes to chemical free cleaning of upholstery, furniture and mattresses, it’s important that whatever method is used, it needs to leave the surface thermally sanitised and deodorised, as well as caters for the removal of bed bugs.

Bed bugs are difficult to kill and get rid of and are developing immunities to common pesticides. Therefore sustainable technology is now the key exterminator. It’s biologically impossible to develop immunity to extreme heat. They are extremely vulnerable to heat with high temperature steam of over +155ºC instantly kills bed bugs and gets rid of their eggs.

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In order to effectively sterilise upholstery and mattresses, high temperature steam at +155 degrees Celsius will not only eliminate bed bugs, but kill all bacteria and remove mould.

It’s suggested to find steam cleaners that are at 5% water content, therefore the steam that is produced is “dry” steam, which won’t leave your surfaces damp and risk further mould growth.

In regards to tools and attachments to complete these cleaning applications, using a lance to expose infestations to extreme heat can be extremely effective in cracks such as baseboards, windowsills, door jams, bed frames, and around telephone jacks to get rid of bed bugs and kill bed bug infestations including bedbug eggs.

Using a tool with a microfibre attachment is the most effective way to trap the high temperatures produced by the steam. This technique allows the tool to be moved around quickly on top of and around infested areas effectively getting rid of bed bugs. The use of the microfibre cloth has been proven to work several cms from the steam head allowing the steam to kill bed bugs in harder to reach areas providing a better extermination. Use this method on mattresses, sofas between cushions box springs and other fabric objects to efficiently use the steam to instantly kill bed bugs and get rid of bed bug egg

Carpets Cleaning carpets in an accommodation environment can be tedious work and an OH&S issue if the incorrect processes are used. Chemicals are no longer an effective way for carpet cleaning with much of the chemical being left behind in the carpet fibres to attract dirt and cause allergies to patrons.

When the dirt gets trapped within

the fibres, stains often reappear within weeks of cleaning.

When implementing a high temperature steam process for carpet cleaning, find a method that achieves the 4 in 1 process that is required for a high standard carpet clean – wash, scrub, steam and dry. Again, just like the process of cleaning upholstery, the steam used needs to be a “dry steam vapour”. This is so the carpet is dry in minutes eliminating downtime and the risk of mould build up.

Bathrooms Using high temperature steam and microfibre in the bathroom not only will produce an “infection control cleaning” standard of clean but could also take just 5 minutes to complete.

Traditionally bathrooms have been cleaned using the old spray and wipe method with strong chemical disinfectants. Steam at +155 degrees Celsius and 94% dry, can deodorise and sanitise a bathroom as temperature that high eliminates all bacteria. The heat also thermally melts grime and destroys moulds spores and the pressure blasts grime out of hard to reach areas.

The most efficient way to clean a typical sized bathroom with steam is combining steam with a nylon detailing brush and a steam mini mop with some type of microfibre pad.

The lance will provide a jet of high pressure concentrated steam and the brush is used to detail clean smaller areas like taps, drains, rails, toilets etc. The Steam Mini Mop is used to clean the larger areas like floors, walls and shower recesses.

Murray McDonald is Director of Duplex Cleaning Machines and has over 20 years experience in improving cleaning standards through chemical free solutions for thousands of accommodation facilities.

Visit www.duplexcleaning.com.au

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

Spotless carpets and upholstery Colin Nation I ABBsolve

“Spotless.” It something we like to hear from our guests isn’t it. “The place was spotless!” I often see that comment written in guest books and hotel reviews on the internet when a guest really likes what they see.

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ust one dark spot on a light coloured carpet can take the focus off an otherwise beautifully clean room. A light spot on a dark carpet can have exactly the same effect. All it takes is just one spot on the carpet to bring down the whole image you are trying to create. I wrote about this about two years ago and thought I might take another look to see if there is anything that has changed to help you maintain your image.

Liberty

QV6

There is a saying in the carpet industry that “Carpets don’t wear out, they ugly out.”

What do we mean by ugly out? When a carpet is purchased, it is chosen for its particular characteristics, colour, texture, pattern and style. It becomes ugly when soiling or stains change that look. Carpet is generally the canvas that all other decorating is based on and is one of the

more expensive components of the decor yet is the one component that is often difficult to deal with. Paint is cheap by comparison and wall colours can easily be changed, ornaments and furnishings can be changed or moved about, but the carpet remains the underlying backdrop that will govern the choice of decor.

EUROGEM steam cleaning appliances...

Professional

• • • • •

Discreet D.I.Y in-house treatment Chemical Free Leaves room odourless & refreshed Saves downtime on rooms – ready for use immediately Cleans & sanitises mattresses, curtains, upholstery, tiles, carpets etc • Includes various attachments & instructional DVD • Steam Pressure 4.5 Bar 65PSI • Sanitises and deodorises

Euro4000 QUALITY

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EUROPEAN DESIGNED & D ANUFACTURE

the

power of steam

For further information nationally contact:

1300 137 057

www.eurogem.com.au Email: sales@eurogem.com.au

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Articles

Now ugly is just colour. It can be colour missing, as in a faded or bleached spot on a carpet, or it can be colour added, such as a red wine stain on a plain carpet. It could just be a dirty grey or brown mark from a spill or it could be an overall dull dingy appearance.

A carpet can be brand new, but still look ugly after the very first guest has had an accident with some red wine. Your carpet and upholstery will start to ugly out, long before it wears out, and the deterioration in appearance starts from day one. Soiling gathers on your furnishings mostly in a very gradual way. Fumes from pollution, cooking fumes, sweaty feet, sweaty people and of course cigarettes can add fats, oils and soils bit by bit. This gradual build up of soiling is not always noticed until you move a piece of furniture and you realise just how ugly your carpets are becoming. But a spill, spot or stain looks ugly immediately and is easily noticed by you as well as your guests.

Believe it or not, nearly all of these problems can be fixed at a far less cost than replacement of the carpet. Some are easier than others and can be carried out by in-house staff, but others will require specialist services like those I offer in my own specialist stain removal service on the Sunshine Coast.

A well planned maintenance program is the key to maintaining a high level of appearance and keeping the decor looking spotless. We can plan cleaning on a regular basis and program our occupancy around this, but spills can happen at any time and invariably happen the day after the carpet has been cleaned. To help you with planning I will answer some Frequently Asked Questions.

“How often should carpets be cleaned?”

This can depend on the type of soiling and the proximity of the source, but generally 6 monthly is great to keep the oily soils to a minimum.

“What’s wrong with oily soiling”. There are four types of soils, dry soils, water soluble, fats / oils and dyes. Dry soils are easily removed with normal vacuuming. Water soluble soils become dry soils when all of the water has evaporated away. Oily soils build up in a carpet and this starts to glue the dry soils to the carpet which makes your vacuuming less effective and a waste of time and money. Dyes are just that, dyes.

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“What is the best method for cleaning carpet?” You will have heard of “steam cleaning’ and ‘dry cleaning’ but in actual practice, neither of these actually exist as a viable carpet cleaning system.

scrubbing machine fitted with soft brushes or non absorbent pads to dislodge soiling form the fibre where it dries into a fine crystalline state that is easily removed with subsequent regular vacuuming. It is fast to dry, gives a very high level of appearance, works well on a variety of oily stains and best of all is very quiet and with the right cleaning solutions this methods gives long lasting results so cleaning frequency is reduced.

Steam Cleaning. Steam cleaning is more correctly called ‘Hot Water Extraction’. This is where a detergent solution is applied to the carpet and this detergent is then rinsed with a spray of hot water and extracted from the carpet with a special vacuum extractor. This method has the potential to remove bigger volumes of soil and deal with a large variety of stains, but can take a while to dry and needs a skilled operator to get great results.

“How do we deal with spots and stains?”

Usually we don’t find these until our guests have vacated and they have often dried out.

Many spots are just the residue of a water based spill such as the beer, wine, soft drinks and the like and these can often be treated with just water. It is already water soluble so most times you can treat them with just a small spray of water then blot it up with a paper towel.

There is a large variety of low moisture cleaning methods as well. Absorbent Compound, Rotary Bonnet Cleaning (sometimes erroneously called ‘Dry cleaning’) and Encapsulation Shampoo to name a few.

So I will explain each of these in turn.

If this doesn’t work then you can try a carpet spotter but make sure your spotter is WoolSafe Approved. The WoolSafe Organisation is a worldwide certification for cleaning products for use on wool carpet.

If it is safe on wool then it is going to be safe on other fibres as well. Follow the directions from the manufacturer and use a blotting action only. And if this doesn’t work then it is probably a dye stain that will need some specialist treatments. Call one of the WoolSafe Certified Operators from the WoolSafe App which is available to download free. https://itunes.apple. com/gb/app/woolsafe-carpet-stain-cleaning/ id619653871?mt=8

We need dyes to make the carpet whatever colour it is but spills of dyes are not going to be removed with normal cleaning procedures and requires the services of a specialist stain remover, like me.

Absorbent Compound. There is a huge variety of products on the market but basically they are a solvent or detergent soaked powder type material that is spread on the carpet, agitated in, and then vacuumed out when dry. This is the fastest method to dry, but can be limited in its effectiveness. It needs to be used very frequently to maintain a carpet and this can be quite costly.

Rotary Bonnet (so called Dry Cleaning). This method is favoured by a lot of franchises due to the low cost of equipment and simplicity of training. A standard low speed floor polishing machine fitted with a soft pad is used. First a water based detergent is applied to the carpet and the bonnet is spun over the carpet to absorb some soiling into the spinning bonnet. It is relatively easy to do and fast to dry but will have limited effect on heavy soils and stains.

Encapsulation shampoo. This is a variation of the old Wet Foam Shampoo method but relies on a new breed of crystallising polymer shampoos rather than the old detergent based shampoos that lead to rapid re-soiling. The encapsulating cleaning solution is applied to the carpet through a

So the next time you see an ugly spot on a carpet don’t ignore it and hope it will go away, it won’t. There is help available, you just have to know who to ask and the WoolSafe App gives you the contacts.

Now there is no excuse not to keep your furnishings spotless.

The writer Colin Nation is carpet cleaning industry veteran with over 30 years of practical experience in carpet, upholstery and rug cleaning and specialist stain removal. Colin runs Abbsolve Services, a specialist stain removal service on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and also conducts specialist training in carpet cleaning and stain removal. For further information on stain removal or training contact Colin on 0417 756 100 or email info@abbsolve.com.au

advertorial motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

Time Out Internet does it again with guest Wifi for a second time with Motel Owner!

Judy Senn I Director, Time Out Internet

“

We’d been using Time Out Internet since May 2013 at the Nicholas Royal Motel our sixteen room site in Hay, NSW, advises owner, Andrew Cronin. Time Out Internet had proven great value for money, has very good features and we are able to advertise and offer free internet and also sell some wifi to make money as well. It was really easy to install at the Nicholas Royal Motel and Time Out Internet were available to speak to during the installation if we needed help. We receive updates and improvements all the time and our guests find it very simple to use. Our guests can call Time Out Internet directly 7 days a week if they have a problems connecting which is fantastic service and leaves us to focus on the motel and what we do best.

Peter and Judy have great knowledge of their product and took the time to explain and researched our property for the best results and it provides us with peace of mind especially if something untoward was to happen on our internet connection which we are responsible for, we know we are protected.

When we acquired a second motel in Ballarat, Bell Tower Inn with 67 rooms, restaurant and conference facilities, we had no hesitation in having Time Out Internet provide us with a Guest Wifi solution.

We had a data cabler install the system using an installation guide supplied by Time Out Internet who was also available via telephone throughout the installation if we needed any help.”

Time Out Internet is a company that provides Guest Wifi and Internet Management Solutions to those businesses who wish to provide an efficient guest wifi service to their customers. This 100% Australianowned business is based in Queensland on the Sunshine Coast and was launched in 2011 by Peter Trollope and Judy Senn, with over 30 years combined IT experience between them.

has proven to be very reliable and support calls have been few. In addition, the admin area (Access Control Server) is very easy to use and you can access from any device, anywhere as long as you have an Internet connection so you can add users or increase data limits while off site.”

The Time Out Internet Access Control Server is supported and maintained by Time Out Internet and all updates to the server, enhancements to the system, added features and functions are included in the annual pricing.

“We recommend Time Out Internet to any motel looking for an easy to install and use, cost effective and hassle free solution.”

Andrew concludes.

Does your Guest Wifi have your customers jumping for joy?

They will with Time Out Internet Guest Wifi!

They recognised a gap in the commercial market for easy to use and cost effective Wifi Hotspot, Guest Wifi and Internet Management System solutions. “There was no other affordable and easy to use system I could find that seems to be able to control Internet usage to this extent. Nothing that covered all devices that can be connected to the Internet,” explained Peter Trollope, the developer of Time Out Internet.

When Andrew was asked what their overall experience with Time Out Internet has been like, he replied without hesitation: “Peter and Judy have been great. In a motel it is very important for Internet problems to be rectified immediately as a lot of guests just want to be connected wherever they are and some will require Wifi for work purposes. However, the Time Out Internet Guest Wifi system

THE GUEST WIFI EXPERTS

p: 1300 55 77 54 e: judy@timeoutinternet.com www.timeoutinternet.com

Call or email for a no obligation site assessment*

* Not every site can be scoped remotely.

37

Articles

Clean floors for leisure & pleasure John Parker I Alphaclean

Paying guests, visitors and facility users rightly expect motel flooring to be clean and pristine at all times.

John Parker, director of marketing for Alphaclean, explains why different surfaces and materials require different types of care.

W

hether you run a large hotel, or a more compact motel, making sure that your clients and guests are happy with every aspect of your service and surroundings is crucial – so cleanliness has to be a top priority.

Social media now allows people to share their displeasure at what they feel is substandard treatment with the world in an instant. Similarly, online review sites let members of the public rate facilities on many aspects – including hygiene and cleanliness – so a critical tweet or bad score can result in unwelcome publicity and a subsequent downturn in business.

Dirty floors and inappropriate cleaning equipment or methods can also increase the risk of slips, trips and falls, in turn inviting negative press coverage and, in extreme circumstances, large insurance claims.

However, with the right equipment and cleaning regimes in place, motels can ensure that their flooring stays clean and safe for all of their clients. Running a business in the hospitality sector has always had its specific challenges. With so many issues to consider – health and safety being just one of them – managers and owners can’t hope to be experts in every single field. That’s why partnering with a trusted and knowledgeable cleaning equipment supplier, or contract cleaner with experience in these sectors, is a good idea.

Adaptable methods & machines We know that flooring surfaces change from location to location within hotels and motels, from carpeting in corridors and bedrooms, to vinyl or tiles in bathrooms or kitchen areas, for example; so cleaning equipment has to be adaptable if it is going

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motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

tasks very effectively, as well as producing a high shine on hard floors. In order tackle different cleaning tasks, the right speed and pad or brush must be selected correctly. To maximise investment dual speed machines can offer a flexible solution.

to be cost effective and deliver results.

Health and safety implications for the cleaning regimes themselves should also be front of mind, as things like wet floors and trailing power leads pose a significant risk of injury to staff, clients or guests. This is particularly relevant to hotels and motels, as members of the public are using the facilities at all times of the day and night, so interaction with cleaning staff is inevitable.

Giving your operatives equipment that reduces these risks is therefore advisable, and today’s cleaning machines offer not only better results, but also increased safety too. Some scrubber dryers have now evolved to leave floors clean and dry in one pass – guarding against slips – and cordless versions eliminate the need for trailing leads, addressing the trip issue.

Many machines are now lighter, smaller and easier to manoeuvre, with the added ability to switch brushes and tackle a range of different surfaces. High pressure scrubber dryers are particularly effective on non-slip safety flooring, and also work well on tiles, which have grout lines.

In places where people are looking to relax and unwind, such as hotels and motels, noise is another important issue to consider. Clients and guests do not want to be disturbed by high-pitched machinery or other intrusive noises and activities, and many of today’s most modern and up-to-date cleaning machines will take this into account.

Hotels and motels need cleaning regimes that are robust and regular to ensure facilities are always looking and performing at their best, enhancing the visitor experience for guests or delegates.

A polished performance for hard floors Rotary polishers and burnishers are more versatile than many people think, as they are able to tackle a number of cleaning

A variable speed rotary can be used to scrub any water-resistant hard floor, such as concrete, tile, stone or slate, and it can also strip existing polish off a surface. Spray cleaning and buffing to erase scuff marks and dirt is possible, as is the task they are most commonly known for – imparting a high gloss to any smooth surface that should be glossy, be it marble, terrazzo or oak parquet which would be carried out by a machine that is capable of at least 1000 rpm.

All the different tasks that a rotary burnisher can, in theory, be used for should be carried out with the correct colour-coded pad for the job, and at the correct rotational speed. The main guide is, the lighter the colour of the pad, the softer it is. Light coloured pads are for polishing and scrubbing; medium for daily scrubbing and light stripping; and dark for heavy duty stripping. It is vitally important that you get this right, because using the wrong combination of pad and speed will not get the results your customer wants. In extreme circumstances you could actually damage the floor surface, a result that is unlikely to generate repeat business.

Polishing machines that can multi-task are becoming more and more popular, given the number of different locations in which they are used. Not only do they need to polish quickly and efficiently to the highest standards, they also need to have other qualities depending on the situation. For example, if you are cleaning in the daytime, quietness could be desirable. Health and safety matters are also important, not only for cleaning operatives, but also for guests and other staff members or visitors. Minimising slips, trips and falls is a must so cordless battery-powered machines with no trailing leads provide a good solution.

Food for thought when it comes to floor care

food to be prepared and served in a safe and hygienic manner. This is a particularly critical issue because an outbreak of food poisoning can have a devastating personal effect on individual guests and staff; and this has a knock-on effect for the professional reputation of the venue itself.

In rooms where food is prepared, treated or processed floor surfaces should be maintained in a sound condition, be easy to clean - and disinfect, when necessary.

Impervious materials, which do not allow fluid to pass through, are therefore most suitable, with non-absorbent, washable and non-toxic qualities also important when it comes to commercial kitchen flooring.

Scrubber dryers are a good choice for this type of location as they have the ability to clean right into the grain of slip-resistant flooring, and in between tiles. Many models also have the facility to change brushes, allowing machines to adapt easily to each surface or task required – be it normal maintenance or intensive, ‘deep’ cleaning. Cordless versions make sense as they do away with trailing cables, which can be an additional safety hazard, and those that leave the floor dry and ready to walk on in the quickest time possible should also be favoured.

When planning cleaning regimes in your kitchen and dining areas, activities should take into account both routine, regular maintenance, and more responsive ‘emergency’ situations. In this way you can ensure that your premises are hygienically clean and safe.

There’s no doubt that flooring in hotels and motels has to stand up to a lot of harsh treatment, so cleaning has to be thorough and regular in order to maintain the high standards that guests and clients expect. However, with such a wide range of cleaning equipment available, catering for every need and specialist surface, this is perfectly achievable, ensuring that your guests will always receive a warm welcome.

For further information, contact John Parker at Alphaclean on 1300 655 598. www.alphaclean.com.au

People staying in hotels rightly expect their

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Viggo 1

速 速

Your hotel TV, Your Hotel TV much smarter!

Just Got Much Viggo delivers the first cloud-managed smart TV, uniquely designed for hotels and the hospitality Smarter industry.

Welcome to a new era of in-room hospitality.

info@viggo.tv | www.viggo.tv

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motel owners Journal With Viggo Smart TV you get interactive THE AUSTRALIAN

Your hotel TV

Android-based Smart TV, including

unleashed.

hotel information and services, local attractions and eConcierge picks, Internet and web applications, games, music, movies and more.

Welcome, Guest

Local

V

19:30 PM

34o C

Movies

Web

Games

Hotel

Television

Flights

H.24.B

Nimbar | Thai Cuisine

Music

Happy Hour at The Hotel Bar 17:00-19:30...

iggo combines extensive hospitality industry experience and

•

leading technology expertise to deliver the first cloud-based

With Viggo,

smart TV, designed for

your hotel TV =

Plug and play hotel media solution leveraging existing universal TV channels and Wireless Infrastructure – Wi-Fi theorunique needs hotels.

CAT5, COAX, IPTV or of DVB-T (Minimum TCO).

•

Cloud-based managed service media for anytime, anywhere With Viggo, hotels can now offer the ultimate experience

online luxury.

on every in-room TV -

remote hotel content management and delivery. Always updated,ano upgrades creating new andrequired. differentiated smart

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Branded, targeted in-room marketing for new revenue generating opportunities, inside and outside of your hotel.

Scalable, room by room growth, future proof.

Really simple 3 minute setup, 12-month equipment warranty, tiered services as well as do-it-yourself content management.

Dom Vaiano | Managing Director | PROEL Group Pty Ltd e: dom@proelgroup.com.au; w: www.proelgroup.com.au m: 0418 133 580; p: 1300 0 PROEL (1300 077 635)

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Articles

It’s your choice.

Choice Hotels® is the largest mid-market franchised hotel group in Australasia with more than 270 hotels, motels, resorts and serviced apartments, under the Econo Lodge®, Comfort™, Quality™ and Clarion® brands and the Ascend Hotel Collection®.

What Choice franchisees are saying “Choice Hotels are very relationship focussed as well as being very friendly and very receptive to our needs and wants. From the get go they treated us as “people in business”.

When we purchased the property, we knew we needed the backing of a really good brand. Being coastal Victoria, we also felt we needed the ability to attract both the Corporate and the Leisure market. Choice Hotels ticked both these boxes hands down.

Having not worked in the hospitality industry before purchasing this property, we quickly dismissed the idea of being Stand Alone branded and I should point out that 2 years in and having learnt so much already, we would still not consider ever going stand alone or recommend any one else doing so regardless of their experience.

Choice Hotels are there to help you succeed and profiteer. They have never been pushy, yet are always incredibly responsive. It really doesn’t matter whom I ring (and believe me, I ring them all) from senior team members to the Choice sales team who provide assistance with Corporate negotiations to the Call Forwarding team to our Franchise Services Manager. They are all there to help and assist with any question big or small (I ask a lot of questions and I must get draining, but none of them show it).

“We looked at a number of brands and decided to affiliate with Choice due to their strong reputation and commitment to franchisee success. We have experienced enormous efforts from the Choice team into key areas which benefit our business including sales, marketing, branding, support and general business intelligence. Since joining we have seen a steady increase in growth due to the broad reach of the online network in particularly the corporate sector resulting with a strong increase in yield. The relationship with Choice has been fantastic. The company has a great systematic approach to running its business and this format suits us extremely well.”

Eric Visscher Hotel Operations Manager Quality Hotel Taylors Lakes

Rooms Revenue, occupancy and Tariffs are all breaking records and that’s despite this property previously being managed by other brands. I don’t believe we would be achieving these results if we were not with Choice Hotels, nor do I believe we would see these results if Choice Hotels didn’t work as hard as they do on our business and the constant nurturing of our relationship.”

Gene Seabrook Owner of Quality Suites Deep Blue Warrnambool

www.choicehotels.com.au

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Quality Suites Deep Blue Warnambool

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

Identifying stone and tile types:

a simple guide Garry Phillips I Managing Director of Slique, Australasia’s stone and tile-care experts

Identifying the type of stone or tile is the first step to being able to clean or treat it effectively. But it’s not as easy as it sounds. There are many different kinds of natural stone, as well as an endless range of man-made tiles that are designed to look just like natural stone. This guide is designed to help you figure out what kind of surface you’re dealing with.

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en years ago, tiles looked like tiles.

They were quite obvious, and quite distinct from stone. However over the last 5 years manufacturers have been striving very hard to replicate natural stone in a man-made format.

Replicated stone has now become so accurate that it can be very difficult to tell what is natural stone, and what is man-made. It is easy to be fooled. The good news is that if you identify a tile as a natural stone, and clean or treat it as a natural stone, you won’t do any damage.

The cleaning work may not be particularly effective, but at least it won’t be an expensive restoration issue!

First, take the following steps to identify whether a surface is natural or man-made:

1. Look at the back The simplest way to confirm whether a tile is natural or man-made is to turn it over. Find a spare tile if one is available, and look at the back. If it has a uniform cross-hatch grid pattern on the back, or imprinted writing, then it’s man-made.

However if the front looks generally like the back (perhaps with a rougher finish) then it’s much more likely to be natural stone.

2. Look at the edges If spare tiles aren’t available, it’s also possible to find clues by looking closely at the edge of a laid tile. If it looks like it has saw marks or machine marks, it’s more

likely to be natural stone. Man-made tiles are usually fairly uniform in colour and texture, and have edges that are either sharper (as with a porcelain tile), or more curved with a raised central section (as with a ceramic tile).

3. Look for patterns Take a step back, and look at the whole surface to see if there are any repeated patterns. Nature does not repeat – every natural stone is unique. However manmade replications will have a repeating pattern. The higher the quality tile, the less frequently the pattern will repeat, so you may need to look at the surface as a whole to identify them.

If these steps don’t give any indication of stone/tile type, it’s time to refer to our guides below.

Guide to natural stone: Marble Marble is famous for the veining pattern that runs through every piece in a nonrepeating pattern.

As well as veining, marble will have natural variations in colour and gloss level across the surface.

Common marble colours include white, white and grey (Carrara/Calacatta), and beige (Crema Marfil).

Strong coloured marble is also available, including greens, reds and blacks, but these are less common.

The best identifier that they are marble is the heavy veining pattern that usually covers them. The rarity of these colours makes them more expensive, so they tend to be used in feature areas, benchtops, and vanities, and usually come in a high shine finish.

Limestone Limestone is often beige, light brown, or light grey in colour. Limestone doesn’t have strong veining, but it does have what looks like a colour wash: the natural colour varies through the stone.

Limestone is often provided in satin or semi satin finishes, and occasionally matt.

If it’s polished to any degree, it won’t show the same level of gloss consistency across the surface as marble.

Limestone is occasionally mistaken for marble. This isn’t an issue, as both are calcium-based stones and therefore are generally cleaned and treated using similar methods. You are unlikely to damage limestone by cleaning it as though it’s marble, and vice versa.

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Articles

Travertine

stone, therefore it can achieve a much finer, higher-polished finish.

Granite is generally supplied in a polished finish in most internal installations. If it’s a polished natural stone, and it’s a full strong colour with visible grains but without veining, it’s likely to be granite.

To identify travertine, look for the holes.

Travertine, in its natural (unfilled) state, has decent-sized pock marks covering the surface that can be bigger than a 50c piece. Travertine is usually provided ‘filled’, where a matching colour filler such as a grout or epoxy is used to fill in the pock marks.

Travertine is most commonly available in beige or light brown, and popular finishes include semi satin or matt.

Basalt/Bluestone This grey to dark grey stone has a blue tinge to it, hence its name.

Basalt / Bluestone has consistent colouring, without veining, and can be seen to be quite grainy on the surface.

On close inspection, you may also be able to see minute visible pores. Bluestone is usually provided in a matt or rough finish such as bush hammered or flamed.

Basalt / Bluestone can be mistaken for granite – and sometimes it’s even sold as granite. However its characteristics are quite different from granite and it cannot be cleaned or treated in the same way without potentially damaging it.

Granite Granite comes in every colour you can imagine, but the most common are darker colours such as blacks, reds, and sometimes blue. Lighter colours such as whites, golds and beiges are also available. Granite has a grainy structure, but without the visible pores you see in basalt / bluestone – it’s a much denser

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Sandstone If it’s the colour of sand, looks like sand, and feels like sand, it’s likely to be sandstone. Sandstone is very grainy, and is made of extremely fine sand grains.

Sandstone always comes in earthy colours such as yellows, beiges, browns and greys, and it can sometimes have strong veining where other minerals have mixed with the sand as the stone has been created.

Sandstone does not polish well, so it is almost always provided in a matt finish.

Sandstone can sometimes be mistaken for limestone, but it doesn’t respond to cleaning in the same way so care should be taken to identify it properly.

Slate Slate is easily identifiable by the distinctive layered surface texturing that is exclusive to slate. In terms of colours, it is usually grey or black, but can occasionally be red, yellow or even greenish. Slate is often treated with a coating system during installation, so if it’s a dark coloured layered-looking stone with a surface coating applied, it’s probably slate.

Guide to man-made tiles & stone: Porcelain/ceramic tiles There is an infinite variety of colour and patterns in porcelain and ceramic tiles. If the tile is clearly a tile (like a white ceramic

tile, for example) it’s easy to identify.

But if it’s replicating a natural stone, it’s much harder to tell. As the tile is coming out of a man-made mold there will be a repeating pattern – in less expensive tiles this could be repeating per tile, and in more expensive it could be over a dozen or more tiles before it repeats.

Ceramic and porcelain tiles generally have a smooth, non-textured surface. Sizes cover everything from tiny mosaics to large 1200mm x 1200mm tiles.

If it’s a man-made tile with sharp, square edges, it’s likely to be a full-bodied porcelain tile. If it has slightly rounded edges and a glazed finish, it’s probably a ceramic tile.

Mosaics Tiny tiles, these can be virtually any material (glass and metal are common) but most often they are either ceramic or porcelain tiles. Mosaics are invariably glazed, with a consistent pattern and colour. They’re likely to be artificial colours (mosaics don’t usually try to replicate natural stone) and are commonly used on features.

Terracotta Terracotta literally means ‘baked earth’, and that’s what it is – baked clay.

Terracotta can be identified by the distinctive earth colouring, with orange, yellowy-brown, and earthy reds being most common. Terracotta often comes in smaller sizes, 400 x 400mm and smaller. If you turn a terracotta tile over, there will be visible extrusion patterns across the whole tile where it has been squeezed out of the mold, or if it has been hand-molded it will have misshaped edges. Terracotta is always a matt finish unless it has had a coating applied.

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

Terrazzo

Engineered stone

Safe maintenance

Terrazzo is a composite made of a mixture of lime and stone chips. It can be supplied as tiles, or less commonly it can be poured in slabs on the floor.

Terrazzo has no veining, but the stone chips or pieces are visible in the surface.

Terrazzo is usually a semi satin or matt finish.

These are the brandname stones such as Caesarstone, Quarella, Rover, Essastone, Quantum Quartz and so on.

They are basically a resin-based terrazzo (composite of stone dust or chips and a resin) marketed under a specific name.

Engineered stone is most commonly used on benchtops and vanities where acid damage and etching is an issue for a natural stone surface. Engineered stone is also commonly used on commercial flooring.

If you’ve identified the stone or tile you’re dealing with, you can now make sure you’re caring for it in the right way.

Slique’s website has a full range of Care Guideline maintenance instructions for every stone and tile type.

Terrazzo can also be supplied in a polished finish if it is made with a resin (rather than lime), but this is generally only used in commercial environments such as shopping malls.

Companies that make engineered stone are now very accurately replicating natural stone that can easily be mistaken for the real thing.

If you haven’t been able to identify the stone or tile type, but you have a shortlist of possibilities, start with the most sensitive natural stone options. That way you won’t unwittingly do any damage. If the treatment doesn’t work, then move onto the next possibility – ending with the man-made options – until you eventually find a solution that works.

Slique can be contacted: In Australia at www.slique.com.au, email info@slique.com.au or call 1800 754 783 In New Zealand at www.slique.co.nz, email info@slique.co.nz or call 0800 754 783

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Articles

NZ Motel market Vs Australia Michael Baines I CEO MANZ

As our closest neighbour, we asked Michael Baines, CEO of MANZ, to give us a run down on how the NZ motel market compares to our own.

G

reetings from New Zealand! We are settling into winter here and snow has fallen on the Alps. Those areas that have a strong ski contingent are gearing up, whereas the rest of the industry is looking to do all the repairs and maintenance and capital works that have either been deferred or put off.

age of 56. It is an industry of experienced individuals who have done reasonably well in a previous profession and are now looking for a change of lifestyle or the ability to work for themselves. Most of our members are husband and wife teams and they live where they work and work where they live.

The motel sector in New Zealand is in reasonably good heart. We have come out of the global financial crisis and are seeing consistent growth in most areas of New Zealand.

The bulk of the motel offer in New Zealand is self-contained and serviced. Very few properties are over two stories. You can park outside for free and most have some form of in-room kitchen facility which allows the guest to either cater for themselves, or make their choice about where they go out to eat.

It always is important to note that when we talk about the New Zealand economy there are vast regional differences in the way they perform. Eighty percent of New Zealand is going reasonably well, thank you. However, 20% is still struggling from a lack of visitors and lack of economic activity in the area.

The Motel Association of New Zealand represents about 65% of all the motels in New Zealand and our membership stretches from the very north of the North Island to Stewart Island at the bottom of the South Island. The average size of an Association member motel is approximately 16 units. Eighty percent of the businesses are owned as leasehold.

Fifteen percent is owner/operator and 5% are managed. A large part of the value in a motel is in the intangibles; the goodwill and the length of the lease, which means the banks will only lend against the tangibles, so we are an industry of very high personal equity in the motel. The demographic of the motel owners in New Zealand is quite interesting with an average entry age of 52 and an average

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Currently, the ratio is about 70% domestic travellers and 30% international travellers but that 30% is also 30% of the international commercial bed nights sold in New Zealand, so motels are a substantial player in the international visitor market. We are delighted to say that a good chunk of our international visitors come from Australia on self-drive holidays.

Our domestic component is divided roughly 50/50 between commercial travellers and domestic travellers visiting friends and family, attending events or on holiday.

We have seen radical change over the last five years with a movement towards online travel agents which has really moved from a limited exposure to commissioned sales to a far higher exposure on rooms sold with a commission component. Obviously, under the prevailing economic conditions it has been difficult to move prices out.

Consequently, any increase in expense has been at the expense of profitability. The sale of Wotif is a concern, but I suspect that their less than stellar attitude to room providers may have had a part to play in their value drop of late.

A major issue in New Zealand, promoted by the growth of the internet, is the availability of domestic accommodation competing directly with the commercial accommodation market. As an Association we have spent many, many hours, days and weeks talking with local authorities (councils) about the unfairness of the way councils operate their charging regimes when differentiating costs attributable to domestic accommodation and commercial accommodation. We have also spent time explaining to them their culpability if something disastrous actually happened in a B&B or Holiday Home operating in the local authority’s area, if council does nothing to ensure that the health and safety standards for domestic accommodation selling nightly are the same as they mandate for commercial accommodation.

This has been an interesting exercise and has to be done on a council by council basis, because it is not an issue where central government are interested. The Government has devolved responsibility back to the local councils. There are 72 local councils in New Zealand which means our work is cut out getting them all to change their views.

We have a great little Association running in New Zealand, looking after the motel industry. We concentrate on education, assistance, support, benefits and

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

advocacy. We have a high embedded knowledge base inside the Association on most issues relating to the industry and the size of the Association means that we have a number of business partners who can offer members a distinct benefit. We do try, and like to think we give our members an unfair advantage, and we say this unashamedly.

The General Election takes place this year and as we run up to the election there is an awful amount of rhetoric going between the parties about what they will and won’t do. It would appear, at this point in time, that the incumbents will be returned, but with our proportional voting system it will probably be some form of coalition and will undoubtedly be reasonably close.

It does mean, of course, that the current government can’t make promises and then say “we didn’t know” afterwards.

Currently, we are preparing for the Association’s annual conference, this year to be held in Taupo. We have a small trade

fair attached to the conference and we do enjoy having the wider motel industry get together with members, Allied members and Associate members; all being part of the festivities and educational process that conference brings.

be popping over the ditch to Aussie to enjoy your hospitality as well.

To all of you in Australia, come over and have a visit. We would love to host you, show you what we have in our beautiful country, and you can rest assured we will

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Articles

TechCollect can solve e-waste problems for the hospitality industry Tim Fullerton I TechCollect

14 April 2014, Melbourne AUSTRALIA – Electronic waste (e-waste) recycling could be made much easier for companies in the hospitality industry as TechCollect, Australia’s only not-for-profit e-waste collection and recycling service, increases its focus on the large volumes of computer and IT waste generated by the corporate world.

T

echCollect is a free national e-waste collection and recycling service funded by over 60 of Australia’s leading technology companies dedicated to responsible recycling, including Toshiba, Lenovo, Fuji Xerox, Panasonic, Epson, Dell, HP and many others. TechCollect is committed to setting the highest Australian standard for responsible recycling of e-waste as the only Government approved, industry backed, not-for-profit recycling service under the National Computer and Television Recycling Scheme (NTCRS).

TechCollect’s focus on the hospitality industry is part of its larger business to business (B2B) campaign to encourage corporates to take stock of their unwanted IT in 2014.

“We’ve already established a strong service to households and small businesses over the last two years, but in 2014 sectors like the hospitality industry, generating high volumes of IT e-waste, are going to get special attention – they have a big problem knowing how to safely and efficiently dispose of their unwanted IT, and we have a great solution,” says Carmel Dollisson, CEO of TechCollect.

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The e-waste collected by TechCollect is manually disassembled into component parts and then further processed back to raw commodities for use in the manufacture of new goods.

Of the high volumes of e-waste it collected in 2013 – over 16,000 tonnes in total –TechCollect recovered more than 90% of raw materials in this way. The process is many times more efficient that refining or mining new commodities, is a better environmental outcome and ensures product does not end up in landfill.

These results have contributed to the overall success of the NTCRS, which combines government regulation with industry action to take responsibility for safe recycling of e-waste. The scheme is funded and run by industry and regulated by the Australian Government to provide householders and small business access to free e-waste recycling services.

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

»» All televisions “We’re looking forward to working collaboratively with the hospitality industry – it really is a win/win situation for everyone”, concluded Carmel Dollisson.

Further information •V isit www.techcollect.com.au for more information about the TechCollect program, and to find your nearest collection site.

• Visit www.environment.gov.au for more information about the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme.

• Call TechCollect on 1300 229 837.

TechCollect is particularly keen to hear from companies in the hospitality industry that regularly and consistently generate high volumes of obsolete IT in their day-to-day business.

“We’re interested in businesses that are regularly accumulating computers, accessories and unwanted TVs in store rooms, under desks or in corners of the office, without a clear plan of what to do with them”, says Dollisson. “We regularly find that many companies don’t even realise how large their stockpiles have become until they actually take the time to stop and think about it, so we’re urging businesses to ask themselves: how much e-waste do we have lying around?”

While TechCollect cannot pick up one-off items or small quantities directly from business locations, where there is sufficient volume it can organise a pick-up service, either as a one-off or on a regular basis. Over the last six months, to name just two diverse examples, the service has collected about 3 tonnes of e-waste from Blacktown Hospital in Sydney and 7 tonnes from Ipswich Turf Club in Queensland.

Companies in the hospitality industry, including bars, cafes, restaurants, hotels and motels are encouraged to call TechCollect on 1300 229 837 to discuss their requirements further.

Alternatively, businesses can find their nearest free TechCollect service at www.techcollect.com.au and drop off their e-waste there. TechCollect recycles the following items: »» All computers (e.g. towers, laptops, tablets, notebooks, palmtops) »» Computer monitors and parts (e.g. internal hard drives and CD hard drives) »» Computer accessories (e.g. cables, mice, keyboards, modems) »» Printers, faxes, scanners and multi-functional devices

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Articles

The “Big” IT trends for the next

5 years: Mobile, Social, Cloud and BYOD Paul Morrall I General Manager M-Learning, The Lennox Institute

Today in this ever more technology-centric world, the dull IT department isn’t thought of as the home of innovation and business leadership. As we see some of the biggest advances in the history of technology impacting our frontline of service delivery that may have to change.

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uch has been written about the speed at which technology is reshaping today’s business landscape, even more so in our industry!

Except that, technology is leaving the traditional business world behind and the reasons are; The scorching pace of external innovation, the opposing path the consumer world has taken from organisational IT support, and the limitations of a top-down adoption.

As a result, there’s a rapidly expanding gap between what the technology world is executing on and what the organisations can deliver. When all’s said and done, businesses must be able to effectively serve the markets they cater to, and doing so means using the same channels and techniques as their partners and customers. Organisations must adapt to succeed and happily, I do believe there are approaches that can be adopted to address this gap.

Mobile: It’s obvious to the casual observer these days that smart mobile devices are seeing widespread use. But projected worldwide sales of tablets and PCs tell an even more dramatic story. By 2015 the tablet market will be 479 million units and the PC market will be only just ahead at 535 million units.

This means tablets alone are going to have effective parity with PCs in just 2 years!

There are challenges to smart device adoption; for some, IT departments have organised themselves around older platforms such as windows, office and Lotus. Their infrastructure, skills, and relationships are largely built around an older generation of IT. Many of the inherent advantages of smart mobile devices are a curse to structured IT. From the app stores to HTML 5, the large and easy to access to the next-gen mobile immediately triggers a security lockdown response (right reaction, wrong response) from IT. Social media: While mobile phones technically have a broader reach than any communications device, social media has already surpassed that workhorse of the modern enterprise, e-mail. Increasingly, the world is using social

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motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

networks and other social media-based services to stay in touch, communicate, and collaborate. For those working closely with CRM process see that they are being overhauled to reflect a fundamentally social world.

The recent sales of both facebook and twitter only endorse the trend of business looking at social media to spread their brand and their products. The message is that organisations are going to, and have every reason to, be using social media as a primary channel in the very near future, if they aren’t already. It’s time to get strategic.

There are challenges to social media adoption; Social media is not an IT competency. Respectfully put, the human interaction portion of social computing is generally not IT’s strong suit. The more significant value propositions of social requires business transformation.

Maintaining a Facebook page and Twitter account is relatively straightforward and necessary, but it usually won’t generate significant growth, revenue, or profits, there are additional elements to the business that need a rethink.

Cloud: Of all the technology trends in this article, cloud computing is one of the more interesting and in my view, now least contentious. While there are more reasons to adopt cloud technologies than just cost reduction, perceptions of performance issues and lack of visibility remain some of the top issues for large organisations. Yet, cloud computing is being adopted steadily for non-mission critical applications and some are now even beginning to downsize their data centres. Business agility, vendor choice, and access to next-generation architectures are all benefits of employing the latest cloud computing architectures, which are often radically advanced compared to their traditional enterprise brethren.

There are challenges to cloud computing adoption; Concerns of control. When jobs depend on IT being up and working, then you can be sure there will be reluctance to adopt the cloud. Reliability and performance perceptions, outages reported by large companies (including

Microsoft) in the past has set back cloud adoption a minor amount.

Bring Your Own device (BYOD): The popularity of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) scenarios is on the increase in Australia. This is a result of more consumers owning powerful mobile devices, such as smartphones, tablets and laptops, which can provide greater freedom, convenience and job satisfaction to employees. BYOD enables organisations to take advantage of new technology faster, and has the potential to reduce hardware costs and improve organisational productivity and flexibility. However, BYOD will introduce new challenges and risks, both to an organisation’s business and the security of its information. Key considerations; Organisations are asking, what are the legal implications? Are there financial implications? What about security? And is there a strong business case to justify any security trade-off?

Despite the fact that organisations large and small should embrace only those technologies that are aligned to achieve their business goals, between now and 2020, we will continue to

find that there is nowhere to hide from the disrupting yet energising effects of technology change. Only those with flexible processes, structures and culture will be able to adjust quickly and will find loaded with opportunity. Innovative working processes are arguably more vital to business model changes than innovation in technology.

From a learning and communications perspective, we are seeing more mobile learning applications being used to focus on delivering real world skill development. Training is becoming truly remote, distance and costs are becoming less important when inducting new employees and contractors. Toolbox talks that took a month to deliver due to a large geographical spread are now accessible to everyone all at the same time and compliance, compliance is no longer a nice to have but paramount in any risk mitigation process.

The future is here... and its good.

For further info contact Paul Morrall: T 02 9621 5988 E paul@lennoxinstitute.org W www.lennoxinstitute.org

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Articles

Motel Owners Caught between tenants & councils Derek Hendry I Managing Director of the HENDRY group

Motel owners run a high risk strategy if their tenant’s motel business lease does not adequately protect the motel owner when the tenant performs “alterations” to their buildings.

Costly Tenants

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otel owners who allow tenants to perform minor building works in their buildings risk being caught out when a council building notice/order materialises, that can force the motel building to undergo a fire safety upgrade of the essential safety measures and systems installed in the building.

Most problems arise due to the lack of expertise offered by “consultants” commissioned to look after a stakeholder’s interests. Motel owners should also be aware that most consultants who are commissioned by a tenant will look after the tenant’s interests first and foremost, and will only work to the project brief provided to by them.

Legislation In each Australian State the legislation differs/ varies for the construction of any alterations to buildings, and therefore, they have differing triggers that can cause the enforced upgrade of a building’s safety measures.

The following is an example of what may occur in Victoria.

Alterations to Buildings Business proprietors (tenants) of motel buildings may want to change their tenancies by either altering the building or their partitioning layout. Depending on the requirements of the business lease regarding building and planning control, tenants must obtain the motel owner’s permission before applying for permits or commencing work.

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This is where the motel owner’s troubles might begin.

Some tenants may not pay sufficient attention to the requirements of their lease, (even where they do exist within the business lease), and a lack of quality control or oversight basically means the tenant is left with a free hand to communicate with consultants, controlling authorities and contractors as they see fit.

The tenant has the potential to cause significant financial grief for the motel owner by not appreciating or being aware of the statutory requirements applicable to a building when initiating an application for a building permit, or where they commence building works. Sometimes a tenant gains an advantage by ignoring these requirements.

One area of major concern contained in the building regulations for the motel owner, is when proposed alterations exceed more than 50 per cent by volume of the motel building or where the motel building has fire safety deficiencies.

Such issues can trigger a requirement for the whole building to comply with all the current regulations, including the current Building Code of Australia.

The Victorian regulations stipulate a three year period for the 50 per cent calculation, whereas other states have no time limits applicable. Some building surveyors include simple partition changes in the volume calculations, while others only calculate the volume associated with a refurbishment which includes significant modification to the building’s essential or fire safety services.

If a tenant is authorised to apply for a construction approval and the “combined” alterations (where previous tenant’s alterations are aggregated) exceed 50 per cent by volume (in the last three years), then the building surveyor may require the whole building to comply with today’s regulations.

Upgrading an existing motel building that have inadequate essential or fire safety measures can be very costly, and the proposed works may even have to be abandoned.

This generally leads to two significant problems for the motel owner. Firstly the tenant is obviously very unhappy, and secondly the municipal building surveyor is made aware of the safety non-compliance situation if the application for a building permit is withdrawn.

If the original application was made directly to the council then the municipal building surveyor will already be aware that the motel building lacks significant essential or fire safety measures.

If the application is made through a private building surveyor (certifier) then legislation requires the certifier to refer “dangerous buildings” to the council for their adjudication, or at least require the certifier to determine the adequacy of the motel building’s essential or fire safety measures in assessing the application.

When a certifier is assessing a building permit application and believes the motel building is unsafe or hazardous for the occupiers and guests, (regardless of the extent of the alterations), then the certifier has a

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Blah

responsibility to advise the council in writing if the application does not already include the requirement that the whole building to be brought into compliance with today’s regulations.

»» Fire Brigade inspects the building and advises council.

The motel building in question may have complied with the Building Code of Australia when it was built, but lacks a number of the essential or fire safety measures that make the building safe to occupy under the current standards.

»» A subdivision of the building is occurring.

Change of Use Dangerous times are ahead for a motel owner who is not adequately versed with a tenant’s intention of changing the use of part of the building.

A tenant may have signed a lease with the motel owner or owner’s agent for the same “occupational” use as the immediate past tenant. The problem for the motel building owner and current tenant is that the previous tenant illegally changed the use of the building.

A change of use in a building causes the controlling authority (building surveyor) to determine whether the whole building is to comply with today’s regulations. This can cause a significant economic impact for most buildings, especially when the building has multiple tenants, (for example, where the motel is leased to one tenant, and the restaurant is leased out to another tenant).

Approvals must be obtained for a change of use and in most cases a new town planning permit is also required to be obtained before a building permit can be issued. The new use of the building, under the planning scheme may be prohibited, further car parking required, or other conditions may be required to be complied with. These further provisions may not be able to be accommodated by the motel building or the site.

As well as the circumstances mentioned above, the following activities can also trigger the upgrade of a motel building due to a change of use: »» Building owners/ tenants consultants making application for minor building approvals. »» Councils building/ town planning departments becoming aware of a change of use. »» Tenant advises the council (wants to opt out of the lease).

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»» Insurance company advises motel owner of illegal use after inspection.

It must be stated that the Building Code of Australia bundles certain building uses and types of buildings into classes. A change of use does not only include a “change of occupancy” (change of classification), such as changing a floor area from an office to a factory, or a warehouse to a factory.

A change of use may also include increasing the hazard (or risk factor) within the building, but not changing the occupancy ( building class).

For example, the immediate past tenant may have had a dress shop (where the shop is classified as a class 6 under the Building Code of Australia), whereas the new tenant might have just completed their fit out of the space for use as a restaurant (where the restaurant is also classified as class 6 under the Building Code of Australia).

In this instance, the change of use WITHIN the classification – class 6, is a material increase in the hazard of the same classification – that is, a much higher standard of fire protection is required in the kitchen area when a sprinkler system is already installed in the building.

Experienced building surveying consultants can advise motel owners of the ramifications they can expect under the Building Act and Regulations in relation to the existing conditions of their building.

The use and intended use proposed and previous alterations to a motel building must all be assessed before advising a client to proceed with even a minor building permit application. If the decision is not to proceed, the motel owner must ensure the work is not performed illegally, as this will only compound the problems for motel owners and tenants when caught out.

Fire Orders When a municipal building surveyor (the council) is made aware that a building is unsafe to occupy, a fire order (notice) can be placed on the motel owner to show cause as to why a building should not be brought up to the standard as stipulated in the fire order.

Once these legal proceedings have begun, the motel owner is well and truly caught in the web.

It is highly recommended that motel owners upgrade the fire safety installations in their buildings to meet today’s regulations, but for all sorts of reasons this may not have been done.

Councils become aware of buildings being inadequately fire protected through various means, which result in fire orders being issued on the property. Council’s awareness is raised by complaints from tenants, disgruntled employees, unhappy guests, neighbours and potential purchasers.

Motel owners, tenants and design consultants often have insufficient knowledge of the regulations when confronted with these situations.

Workcover investigations, minor fire incidents, illegal building works investigations and essential safety measures inspections performed by either the council or the Fire Brigade can also trigger authority actions.

Tenants need firm guidelines (preferably enshrined in their business lease) regarding altering a building and the motel owner should implement a very good quality control system and relevant oversight to protect everyone’s interests.

For the instances where the motel owner is also the motel proprietor, many of the pitfalls listed above will also apply.

About the HENDRY Group Derek Hendry is the Managing Director of the HENDRY group of consulting companies that include HENDRY Building Surveying Consultants, HENDRY Disability Access Consultants, Essential Property Services, Emergency Plan and Work Place Safety Assessors. HENDRY pioneered the private certification system of building approvals in Australia, and the consultancy assists clients nationally in all facets of building control and disability access compliance, essential safety measures audits, emergency planning and workplace occupational safety requirements.

HENDRY publish an e-newsletter entitled ‘Essential Matters” and a suite of web and blog sites designed to assist property practitioners in understanding their regulatory obligations. Visit http://www.hendrygroup.com. au to locate more information relating to your property requirements.

advertorial motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

Do you get frustrated every time you walk into a vacant room and the air conditioner is running flat out on 16 degrees? »» Are your guests running the air conditioner all day upon leaving? »» Do they run it at 16 degrees on hot days and 29 degrees on cold days? »» How much was last summer’s electricity bill and how much of that bill was contributed to air conditioning? »» How much is this winter’s electricity bill going to cost you?

Take Control of your Air Conditioners now!

Now you can control your split system air conditioners costs by simply swapping the existing remote for a new Ultima II universal energy saving remote. You’d be surprised how little they cost!

The Ultima II energy saving remotes have the following new and improved features: »» You select the temperature range »» Selectable 24 hour POWER OFF switch »» Countdown timer »» Tamper proof key pad »» Pseudo temperature display »» Wall bracket and security strap

Thermo Controls continues to deliver innovation and energy saving products that saves money for those in the accommodation industry. Having successfully launched the 2124 energy saving remote in 2010, it quickly became Australia’s number one selling energy saving remote. Despite the impressive sales, there was room for improvement. Thermo Controls listened to their customer’s feedback and invested further into research and development.

The result is a new and improved remote which has evolved to provide a more personalised approach. You as the manager can now set individual temperature ranges and other POWER OFF functions to suit your own requirements. The new remote can be set to any temperature range you desire and comes with an optional POWER OFF timer. The key pad is now tamper proof so guests are unable to alter any of the settings. Only the hotel staff with the correct key combination can make changes. This will give you peace of mind knowing your air conditioner temperature

ranges are set by you and locked by you. Another great feature is the remotes pseudo temperature display. It works by displaying a pseudo temperature reading that is always two degrees above (heating) or two degrees below (cooling) the actual operating temperature of the air conditioner.

The secret is to allow guests to set the temperature on the remote to say 19 degrees all the while the actual temperature being generated is only 21 degrees. Your guest won’t be able to distinguish the difference between 19 and 21 on a hot day, although you will be able to distinguish the difference on your power bill!

Thermo Controls is also currently developing an occupancy sensor device that will turn off the air conditioner if there are no guests is the room. It is still in the trial stage however will be ready for release later this year in time for the warm summer months.

Don’t forget, a 1 degree setback will save 10% energy, a 10% energy saving on your next power bill will put money directly back into your pocket!

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Articles

Why we should think green when we clean Emma Lloyd I Communications Officer at Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA)

W

hat do you use to keep your rooms sparkling clean? Priorities will undoubtedly vary from one hotel to another. Perhaps affordability is the biggest concern to keep running costs down, or maybe it all comes down to how easy a product is to use. It’s a delicate balancing act between cost, versatility, thoroughness, and a host of other factors, but chances are once the perfect product is found, there’s no need to give too much more thought to it. However, it’s worth reconsidering what’s in your hotel or motels’ cleaning products, especially if you’re not sure what they contain.

Most of us don’t know a great deal about the chemicals present in cleaning products – we simply trust that they will do the job and leave surfaces fresher, cleaner and healthier, with a hotel environment free from germs and dirt. In fact, many standard cleaning products contain ingredients that harmful not only to the environment, but to human health as well.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are one example of a health hazard, and they’re common across a wide range of cleaning products and paints. VOCs contribute to poor indoor air quality, lingering in the air all day after the solvents used in cleaning solutions evaporate. They can trigger allergic reactions, headaches, eye irritation, and asthma problems, affecting cleaning staff and guests alike. There’s also a vast amount of chemicals which bear Risk Phrases to declare that a substance may be a carcinogen or harmful to a developing foetus, for example. It’s rare for these hazards to be obvious to those who actually use the product, even if they read the ingredients list.

Another important factor to consider is whether a cleaning product contains palm oil or palm kernel oil. If it foams and suds, there’s a good chance it does. Palm oil and palm kernel oil are found throughout a range

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of supermarket products, and some may be aware of how commonly palm oil is used in chocolate and biscuits. It’s also a popular ingredient in cleaning products thanks to many desirable properties, including having a stable shelf life and adding a rich creaminess to cleaning solutions. Unfortunately, despite palm oil being a cheap and economical choice for manufacturers, the production of palm oil can cause significant deforestation when it’s harvested unsustainably. It can wreak havoc on the environment by devastating orang-utan populations and displacing local communities due to poor harvesting practices.

Even after making the decision to switch to better cleaning products, purchasers should be careful when it comes to evaluating the “green” credentials of what they’re about to buy. Third-party ecolabel programs, such as the one run by Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA), can help when it comes to evaluating these claims. Products have been assessed and their claims verified against strict standards to ensure that the product is better for the environment, better for human health, and is ethically produced.

“Understanding what issues are really important and deciphering what is on the packet can be difficult,” said Rupert Posner, CEO of GECA. “Seeing that a product is GECA certified gives assurance to purchasers that the product’s claims are real and that the product really is a better choice, not just for the environment but also for your health.

Buyers can have confidence that the product has addressed the important environmental and health issues relevant for the product – not just one or two.”

Cleaning products that have been certified against GECA’s cleaning products standard contain minimised VOC content, fewer harmful chemicals, no carcinogens or reproductive toxins, and restrictions on fragrances and

enzymes. “Human health and air quality are increasingly important issues for hotel owners,” said Posner. “Choosing certified products helps eliminate those nasties and improve the air quality. It’s better for guests as well as housekeeping staff.”

GECA certified cleaning products are also better for the environment, with reduced packaging, a limit on environmentally hazardous substances, and they contain only sustainably sourced palm oil products. The whole life cycle of a product is considered, from where the raw materials are sourced right down to how the packaging is disposed of, and ensures an ethical supply chain throughout the process.

There’s growing recognition of the need to have healthier, more environmentallypreferable spaces to live, work and rest in.

The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) now recognises cleaning products and paints under its Green Star Performance tool. The use of products that have been certified and meet particular criteria counts directly towards achieving possible “Green Star” credits, which is a measure of the operational performance of a building.

If your cleaning product of choice claims to be eco-friendly or safer to use, consider contacting the manufacturers and asking them to get certified. “You may be surprised how responsive your supplier is, and you will be doing both companies a favour,” said Posner.

Making the switch to environmentallypreferable cleaning products has an enormous range of benefits for the health of your guests, your cleaning staff, and the environment. Perhaps it’s time to re-think what your hotel uses to scrub out the showers and freshen up the bed linen.

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

The bathroom Renovation

Revolution Amanda Beazley I Managing Director and Designer, John Beazley & Co Pty Ltd Hotel/Motel Fitout Specialists www.johnbeazley.com.au

It’s cyclic! And it must be that time again because it seems that many of our hospitality properties are undertaking bathroom refurbishment programmes.

S

o it prompts the question, why are bathrooms the last item Hotels want to tackle and why do they get left until you “just can’t get away with them”, anymore?

There are a few reasons. Mostly because bathroom refurbs can be noisy, messy and costly. Not to mention the time they take to complete, therefore losing revenue while the rooms are “off-line”.

And usually there are no half measures; it’s all or nothing. Let’s face it, it’s all too much to deal with really!

So how can you go about a bathroom refurb to minimise the pain?... Firstly, if refurbished well, your bathroom lifespan should be well over 12 years so whilst it’s not painless, you shouldn’t have to deal with the pain too often... So choose your finishes and scheme wisely. Let’s break it down and tackle the “design, noise, mess, cost” piece by piece to answer some questions.

The Design: Guests want to have the overwhelming feeling of “clean” when they walk into a hospitality bathroom, even more than rooms. This is difficult to achieve when your bathrooms and tiles are old because, try as you might, grout looks dirty, mould appears and vanities swell or chip. When cleaning the bathroom just doesn’t make it look all ‘shiny’ anymore, it’s time to refurbish. The best way to make a bathroom look clean,

is to use white, large format tiles and light colours with minimal detail. Feature tiles, mosaics, and trend colours, while may look great when you first install, are the first item to look dated. Rather than refurbish to be “on trend”, refurbish to have longevity. Large format tiles on the wall, not only can make a bathroom look larger, they can also minimise the amount of grout and therefore the amount of area for grout to get mould and dirt. Large format rectangle tiles, say 300x600 work great laid in a portrait stacked pattern as it gives height to the bathroom. Alternatively they can be laid landscape to give width.

The floor tile is a little more forgiving if it is a neutral colour rather than white, generally in the tones of the adjoining room carpet so there is a blend from one area to the next. Ceramic Floor tiles are cheaper however if something gets dropped on them they can chip and the colour on the ceramic surface also chips and is noticeable. The longer lasting option, while slightly more expensive, is a vitrified tile where the colour of the tile is consistent all throughout the tile, and whilst they are tougher they can still chip however it is then less noticeable.

Bathrooms are not in-expensive, but it does not make sense to cut corners.

Fixtures and fittings “It’s a trap!”: Again, no point in cost cutting to the point of jeopardising the quality as it will come back to bite you.

Many toilet suites imported from China, may be a lot cheaper however many also have very narrow soil traps that can not cope with Australian pipes and therefore block easily, not a fun problem to deal with. They are often difficult to get parts.

If you are paying anything less than approximately $500 for a toilet suite, chances are it’s not a quality selection.

It is not necessary to purchase overly expensive fittings such as tapware and towel rails but make sure the fixings are of a good quality, secure, they are installed correctly and the “design”, whether that be angular or curved, is consistent across the complete range of your fittings.

“Give me space!”: Remember that space for wet towels in any Accommodation property is essential so if you are limited in free wall space, consider a towel ladder. They are not expensive and a great solution. The age of putting towels on the bed are gone, it comes from “back in the day” when not all rooms had bathrooms, communal bathrooms meant that you had to take your towels to the bathroom from your room, hence the housekeepers left the towels on the beds.

Give your guests plenty of towels and spare toilet rolls in the vanity. Vanity shelf space or open nooks are a great idea, rather than cupboards with doors where they could leave their belongings behind.

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Articles

There are many options for vanities according to your desired look and budget. These range from poly tops, Caesarstone tops, surface mounted bowl with HMR (high moisture resistant) cupboards under, and glass top options.

All are good options as long as they are of a commercial quality.

“Light the way”: Next to cleanliness, lighting in a bathroom is the next most important item according to guest surveys. Overhead lights, such as LED IP rated (rating for wet area) down lights, are necessary, equally important is mirror lighting. Women especially, prefer lighting on the mirror wall, rather than above, for applying makeup. Lighting above and behind the face cause shadows rather than light from the front as per wall lights.

Noise, Mess & Cost “No sugar coating”: I wish I could tell you there was a magic, no mess, no noise solution. Unfortunately no one has developed a trick for that. If you are scabbling back tiles and rewaterproofing there is no sugar coating it, there is going to be mess. HOWEVER a professional refurbishment company will be able to keep this to a minimum and be quick.

The noisy works are the messy works and they should be programmed to happen after 9 am so you are not waking your guests. A full bathroom refurbishment of lets say, 15 bathrooms can be easily achieved in under three weeks for all the rooms. This is inclusive of taking the tiles off the walls and starting new. Out of the 3 week programme the noisy component should only take a few days. And the mess can be easily contained if you have professional tradesmen working for a refurbishment Company who run the programme for you.

What can also assist dramatically to keep the disturbance to your guests at a minimum, is to keep the rooms that you are upgrading together in location. If you can, isolate the row of rooms and put up hoarding, this is easier for both you and the trades.

“A little sugar”: A nice letter to your other guests in the occupied rooms apologising and advising that you are working towards better rooms, will go a long way to helping them understand, common courtesy or a free breakfast fixes everything.

“The ten thousand dollar question”: Full bathroom renovations are not inexpensive if you look at the total cost,

However, once again the cost must be broken down over the many, many years that they will last, without having to do much at all in terms of maintenance.

There is no quick fix, especially for older bathrooms, there is no cheap way around it. A full bathroom refurbishment for an average Hospitality bathrooms (which are usually average in size), will not be less than $10,000. If however your bathrooms are in good condition and are just dated, there may be some viable options.

“Half way”: IF and that is a big IF, your bathrooms are; in sound condition, not too old, meaning tiles are solid and not “drummy”… there are cost savings to be had. It may be viable for you to tile over existing tiles. Here more than ever a professional refurbishment company should manage the programme and advise if feasible. However if suitable, it will save you the cost of taking the tiles off, and so the messy works are limited.

It will save you on tiling costs. You will still need to re-waterproof and re-tile etc.

“Freshen Up”: Another cost saving measure, can be achieved again, if your bathrooms are in good condition and your tiles are also not dated. When the bathroom is just looking tired and dirty, a way to freshen up is to re-grout over

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

existing tile lines. You can also replace the toilet cistern and seat (keeping the bowl which would require more plumbing work) with new, which makes it look like a complete new toilet. A new vanity if needed and new fittings and fixtures and the bathroom looks new for half the cost. The tiling component is really the biggest cost so if your bathrooms just

need a ‘freshen up’ then don’t delay, do the works now and you will find you will get a whole new lease for life from them without the full refurbishment outlay.

for the property and so you will be ready. Don’t leave it till your guests are complaining about the bathrooms, it’s inevitable, it will need to happen.

Of course this won’t last forever and in time you will need to do the Full Refurbishment option. Plan for it, put the works into your reinvestment plan

For advise on your Bathrooms or any other area of Design + Refurbishment, please feel free to contact Amanda from John Beazley & Co, Commercial Design + Fitout Specialists.

refurbishment design + fitout www.johnbeazley.com.au p 02 9642 6622 e enquiries@johnbeazley.com.au

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Articles

Clean hands

old dirt, new dirt Karen Constable I HACCP Australia

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and hygiene is an area which has received a lot of attention lately, both in the heath care industry and in the food industry. As a result, there’s plenty of new research and new technologies around the topic of hand hygiene. Here, we take a look at some old ideas and some new ideas.

Old idea: Washing hands is all about killing bacteria.

New idea: Removing viruses from hands – particularly noroviruses – is an equally important, if not more important, reason to strive for clean hands.

In recent years, norovirus has become the most frequently confirmed food-borne agent in outbreaks of food poisoning, in Australia and also in the USA. The effectiveness of norovirus as a food poisoning agent is partly due to the fact that the infective dose is very low. Human challenge studies show noroviruses to be the most infectious agents ever described. The most common cause of norovirus contamination of food

is from infected food handlers not properly washing their hands after using the toilet.

While Australian food legislation prohibits food handlers from working when suffering from a food-borne illness, norovirus can be present in workers who have no symptoms.

Even those who have recovered from the symptoms can excrete infectious particles for several weeks afterwards. Because virus concentrations in faeces can be very high, it is possible for a single food service worker with dirty hands to infect hundreds of other people. Compared to norovirus, bacteria in low numbers on a food worker’s hands have much less potential to cause a large outbreak of food poisoning.

Old idea: Hand-washing compliance is achieved with training, training, and more training.

New idea: Studies in the health care industry have shown that awareness of the importance of hand washing by personnel such as doctors, does not necessarily lead to more frequent hand washing. Observational studies of behaviour in public toilets and in food preparation environments consistently find low levels of compliance – ranging from 0% to 85% of people washing their hands when they should. The motivation for a person to wash their hands extends far beyond work-place training. Recent research has examined some of the psychological aspects of hand washing behaviour, with interesting results. In fact, having participants in psychological experiments wash their hands causes the subject to feel free from psychological traces of past immoral behaviour, and also provides a change in their attitude to previously made decisions, reducing the need to justify those decisions.

Old idea: Monitoring hand washing means questionnaires and surveys.

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New ideas: Comparing survey results to observations has shown that people consistently say they wash their hands more frequently than they actually do. The iScrub Lite 1.5 is a free app for iphones which can be used by medical professionals to enter data on hand hygiene compliance.

Slightly more Big-Brother-ish is the concept behind a pilot study in a medical centre in Alabama, which uses RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) devices to record individual health care workers’ interactions with soap dispensers.

Old idea: Hot water washing is better.

New idea: Recent research has found no difference in results for hot water and warm water. For a thermal inactivation of microorganisms, the water would need to be so hot that it would burn skin.

Old idea: Washing and drying hands effectively requires adequate time spent, proper use of soaps, and attention paid to areas between fingers, under finger nails and in wrist creases. In addition, proper facilities; a good sized sink which is conveniently placed and supplied with warm running water are mandatory.

New ideas: Stick with the old ideas on this topic. As more research is done on hand cleanliness, results consistently show that the most important aspect of hand washing is the mechanical removal of oil and dirt aided by the surfactant activity of the soap, and the action of the rinsing water. New technologies such as no-touch taps and dispensers reduce the chance of post-washing contamination. They are even thought to improve compliance, as they reduce the need to touch wet hardware after washing, allowing users to walk away with that ‘still clean’ feeling.

Old idea: Antimicrobial soaps are a must.

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

New ideas: Antimicrobial soaps contain compounds that inactivate microorganisms.

In the food industry, quaternary ammonium compounds and Triclosan are commonly used. Novel antimicrobials include silver-ion compounds and antimicrobial extracts from honey and eucalyptus. Recent studies have found antimicrobial soaps are marginally more effective at reducing microbial loads on hands than ordinary soaps. There’s no doubt that the use of antimicrobial soaps provides confidence in high risk food processing applications, however, they don’t increase compliance and they won’t compensate for poor hand-washing techniques. New generation barrier creams can overcome some of the concerns about skin-drying with antimicrobial soaps. Barrier creams which offer a residual anti-microbial effect are also available.

Old idea: Alcohol-based no-rinse sanitisers provide effective anti-bacterial and antiviral activity.

New idea: During the H1N1 pandemic, the

use of alcohol-based sanitisers in a medical setting were found to have little effect against the spread of that particular virus.

However, other studies have shown that this type of product is very effective against cold viruses. When it comes to noroviruses, however, the virus particles lack ‘envelopes’ which some researchers believe causes them to be relatively insensitive to alcohol compared to viruses which have envelopes.

While more work is needed on this topic, there is evidence that alcohol-based hand sanitisers aren’t effective against noroviruses.

Old idea: Wash first, then sanitise.

New idea: Because of low compliance rates with hand washing it has been suggested that providing ‘squirt’ bottles of waterless sanitiser would increase overall hand cleanliness in food preparation and food service operations. This new idea isn’t so good. Hands which are soiled cannot be effectively sanitised, even by a thirty second alcohol rub. In this case, the old idea is definitely the best.

    

 

Be Impressed

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Old idea: Well-washed hands mean clean hands.

New idea: Hands must also be dried properly. The drying step is just as important as washing; damp hands transfer bacteria readily to surfaces, and hands that have been dried using an unhygienic method can become re-contaminated. In addition, slow drying methods result in poor compliance.

Up until recently single-use towels were the only hygienic option, however the new generation ‘blade’ or ‘jet’ style electric dryers have proved to be an effective means of delivering dry, clean hands.

Hand hygiene has always been important to the food industry. The emerging awareness of the risk of norovirus outbreaks means that hand hygiene is becoming more important than ever. There are plenty of new ideas out there when it comes to hand cleanliness, although in some areas the old ideas are still the best. www.haccp.com.au

Furniture & Bedding Packages Custom Designed Furniture made in Australia Audio & Visual Equipment Kitchen & Laundry Appliances Flooring Products including Custom Designed Carpets Window furnishings Kitchens & Bathrooms Painting & Lighting Project management Full turnkey refurbishment specialists Ongoing operational procurement services

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Articles

Bed Bugs

be active by being proactive!

Stephen L. Doggett I Department of Medical Entomology, ICPMR, Pathology West, Westmead Hospital, Westmead NSW 2145

It has now been almost two decades since the start of the bed bug resurgence. During this period these thirsty little blood sucking insects have been biting your guests, and your businesses. Yet despite a huge range of products coming onto the market in recent years with the most outlandish claims on bed bug control, not one by itself will effectively rid you of an infestation, or prevent bed bugs coming into your premise in the first place. However, the key to minimising bed bug impacts is by being proactive rather than reactive.

I

t is unfortunate, and foolish, that many in the accommodation sector have simply chosen to ignore the problem, hoping that control technologies will evolve to magically make the insect disappear. The reality is that bed bugs are here to stay for a long time. There is unlikely to be any silver bullet developed to rid the world of these nuisance pests any time soon, which means that it is a case of not if, but when, you will have this unwanted guest in your facility.

This Ostrich mentality is fraught with danger in a multitude of ways. For example, if bed bugs become established within a facility, the infestation can rapidly spread increasing overall control costs by several magnitudes.

For example, in one staff accommodation complex in Sydney with some 320 rooms, what should have cost $400 for the treatment of one infested room, eventually became $40,000 as the bugs quickly spread throughout the facility to encompass 20% of all rooms over a two year period.

The failure to be proactive on bed bugs means that it is the guest who usually finds the insects when mysterious and extremely itchy bite marks suddenly appear. Not a good situation. Often the less scrupulous hotelier will deny that they should be responsible or even blame the guest for bringing in the bed bugs. Personally I have been involved in numerous cases where the various state Department of Health have been called into investigate guest

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complaints, when the manager of the facility failed to act responsibly.

Across the world there are various web sites where people can log their bed bug experiences and warn others from staying at the same location (e.g. see www.bedbugregistry.com). Expect similar web sites to start here. In the United States, guests who are attacked by bed bugs so often lead to litigation. Most of these cases are resulted out of court as the accommodation provider has failed to provided a duty of care by not being proactive in monitoring for bed bugs. The worrying aspect for Australian accommodation providers, is that there is now a case before the courts. Time will tell who will win the case, but some how I suspect it won’t be the one who provided the infested bed.

Of course this all means that bed bugs are severally damaging reputations and reducing profits.

One would think then, it would be best to prevent bed bugs from coming into a facility in the first place. However, with current technologies this is simply not possible.

Yet a great deal can be done to reduce the risk of bed bugs becoming established and developing into a major fiscal burden.

Broadly speaking there are four phases of a bed bug infestation; the Introduction of the insect, the Establishment of the pest, the Growth of the infestation, and finally the

Spread of the insect. Proactive strategies can be implemented that can combat bed bugs in each of the four phases and these are discussed within the Australian industry standard for bed bug management, ‘A Code of Practice for the Control of Bed Bug Infestation in Australia’ (available free from www.bedbug.org.au). Regular inspections of beds should be a key integral part of a proactive program, although ultimately, no one strategy should be relied upon as bed bug risk reduction involves a multi-disciplinary approach.

It is important that all facilities have as part of their risk management process, a Bed Bug Management policy to minimise the impacts of bed bugs. The policy should cover aspects such as training, documentation of bed bug activity, work health and safety, the eradication processes, and those aspects dealing with the reduction of bed bug risks. To assist those that provide beds for others, a generic policy has been developed by the author of this article. ‘A Bed Bug Management Policy & Procedural Guide for Accommodation Providers’ is available as a free download from: http://medent.usyd. edu.au/bedbug/man_policy.htm. You are welcome to use this policy and to adapt it for your specific circumstances. A bed bug management policy that is adopted and adhered too may also reduce the potential for litigation.

Everyone who provides beds for authors must have a range of resources on bed

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

is printed on high quality gloss paper. Included are images of all life stages, the signs of bed bugs, bite reactions in patients (including the author), as well as shots of where bed bugs can be found. This indispensable guide can help to train you and your staff in bed bug identification and where to find the insects. ‘Do You Have Bed Bugs?’ is only $5 (+P&H) available through http://doyouhavebedbugs.com.

Do you have

Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs are on the increase globally, but how do you know if you have an infestation? More importantly, how can you recognize their signs in order to avoid them in the first place? This guide will help you to identify bed bugs and teach you where they can be found.

An essential guide for pest controllers, accommodation providers, travellers – in fact anyone who wishes to stay bed bug free.

A help guide for the identification of BED BUG infestations

Stephen Doggett is a world authority on bed bugs and their control, and is the principal author of A Code of Practice for the Control of Bed Bug Infestations in Australia.

For all your pest control needs contact:

Stephen L. Doggett

bugs, including the Code and Procedural Guide mentioned above. Just recently the author of this article released a help guide

for the identification of bed bugs, called “Do You Have Bed Bugs”. This 48 page booklet contains over 80 full coloured images, and

The future with bed bugs is unfortunately bleak and it is important that you are not the captain of the sinking ship by allowing bed bugs to bite your guests. By being proactive rather than reactive, it is possible to minimise the effects these little blood suckers have on your business.

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Articles

Are you finding your floors

harder to clean John Taylor I The Cleaning Supply Shop

“My floors are so hard to clean” is a common cry from many Housekeepers particularly when referring to common area and back of house hard floors. There are 2 basic types of floors – “soft floors” which refers to carpets and “hard floors” which refer to just about everything else. You can blame litigation that has caused insurance companies to recommend in the Building Code of Australia and the National Construction Code that floors are slip resistant. The official interpretation is Occupational Health and Safety legislation holds the building designer accountable for under foot safety in public spaces. The product supplier is responsible for supplying flooring fit for the purpose for which it is intended and the facility manager for maintaining the floor compliant to the supplier’s instructions and appropriate industry standards.

T

he appropriate slip standard for Australia is AS 4586 for initial slip tests. This is conducted on newly manufactured samples of flooring materials that have not been installed. There are three main tests for slip resistance; the Tortus and Pendulum both of which can be used after the floor has been laid (AS 4663) and the Ramp test of which there are a couple of variations but both use the same principle. The Ramp test results in an “R” rating which gives an indication of the slip resistance of the floor. The Ramp test is pretty basic but logical. In layman’s terms the test is conducted by laying the flooring to be tested on a ramp, an oil like substance is applied to special shoes on a person who is attached to a harness and the ramp tilted until the person loses traction. A mathematical equation using the weight of the person, the angle of the testing ramp etc is used to determine the “R” rating of the material.

The higher the R rating (the scale is from 9 – 13) the greater the slip resistance. The greater the slip resistance means in many cases the harder it is to clean the floor.

It is difficult to make a smooth, highly polished floor slip resistant. When a shoe comes in contact with the floor, the air and more importantly any water, needs to be squeezed out from under the shoe

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so that the maximum surface of the shoe actually touches the floor. If air and water is trapped under the shoe an aquaplaning effect takes place and a person can very easily lose their balance and fall. If the surface is rough, air and water can escape from under the shoe and full contact can be made.

Coatings can be applied to highly gloss floors to improve their slip resistance. In many cases these are silicates, similar to the make-up of sand or the floor is etched with a powerful acid to create minute holes in the surface. Slip resistant vinyl floors are often called “safety floors” where an abrasive material is embedded in the surface. This technically is called “particle enhancement”. In wood and ceramic look floors, indentations are created.

This means it is very hard to clean the floors with traditional cleaning methods.

Mops tend to shred, traditional floor scrubbers struggle to perform and battery powered machines lose their power prematurely. And the floors tend to look dirtier because they are cleaning the shoes of the people that walk on them or if they are etched the tiny holes fill up with dirt.

A further problem is that automatic floor scrubbers will not pick up the dirty water

efficiently because the squeegee does not properly seal onto the floor, therefore dirty water residue remains on the floor.

Polish cannot be applied to the floor because it will fill up the height variations and render the slip resistance ineffective.

Machinery with aggressive floor pads cannot be used because they will wear out any abrasive material and smooth the surface. The solution can be to use cylindrical brush floor scrubbers. With this type of machine, the very tip of the brush can reach the variations in the height of the floor and because there is only a few centimetres of brush actually on the floor and any time, it does not put excessive strain on the motors of the machine. A

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

particularly those that are manufactured to clean uneven floors. They normally have an abrasive fibre built into the mop that helps get into all the nooks and crannies of the floor. Another cleaning tool for difficult to clean slip resistant floors that is found in everyone’s cleaning cupboard is the innocuous 30 cm soft nylon bristled broom. Again because you are cleaning with the tip of the bristle it will get into the indentations in the floor, whereas the powerful deck scrub with its strong fibres tends to “chatter’ over the top of the floor only cleaning the high spots. very good vacuum system is required to remove the soiled water. However it is to be expected that the squeegee rubbers will wear out earlier than with a smooth floor. Look at microfibre mop heads. They are more expensive than cotton mops but do not shred as quickly as cotton.

Investigate microfibre flat mopping,

Detergents used on abrasive floors should complement the type of cleaning. If a cylindrical brush floor scrubber is used the detergent needs to be low foaming and free rinsing so that it doesn’t leave any residue on the floor. Many floors actually get dirtier because of excessive chemical use. If the chemical is not rinsed properly

from the floor it builds up a sticky residue which attracts dirt. Many establishments use a chemical dilution system where chemical is automatically diluted with water to maintain a constant dilution.

It means every time you fill a bucket or scrubber you are in fact introducing more chemical to the floor. Consider a chemical free day where the floors are rinsed with clean water. For instance “W” for Wednesday could mean “W” for Water only day. Not only will it save money by not using chemicals for a day, it gives the floor a chance to be rinsed and you will be amazed how much chemical residue is in your floors.

Hard floors do not need to be hard to clean, it just needs a rethink of the method. Remember, it is your responsibility under legislation to maintain your floors in a safe condition.

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advertorial motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

Effective Health & Safety Guidelines in the workplace Poor workplace housekeeping is a frequent cause of accidents and employee injuries. By following effective health and safety guidelines the workplace can work to a higher efficacy and can be a safer environment for all.

T

o ensure that employees are informed of the risks, and provided with the necessary information to ensure their health and safety, employers must implement consistent training. To do so, it is essential to be aware of the latest and greatest technologies and cleaning methods available.

the expo takes place at the Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park from the 2-4 September. Presented by the National Cleaning Suppliers Association, CleanScene will attract everything useful to commercial and industrial and facilities management industries, and is the largest trade event of its kind in Australia.

Paul Morrall, General Manager of M-Learning stresses how practical training can increase profit, lift productivity and develop the potential of employees.

He explains that “improving employee productivity and efficiency is fundamental for high performing organisations and training metrics should be used to ensure that training programs work to improve employees’ performance.”

A host of industry experts will be on hand to answer questions, provide insights into trends and developments, these free to attend seminar sessions provide an unparalleled learning experience. For the first time ever, Bill Bassett, Managing Director of Interclean Australasia will present the C.H.I.P Course (Cleaning Hygiene Improvement Process) at CleanScene.

“Combining media elements with welldesigned, interactive exercises enables learners to extend their experience to discover on their own, so that they are no longer passive while information is “fed” to them. Additionally, programs may be designed to include immediate feedback in order to clarify misconceptions before trainees become confused and to provide direct reinforcement for correct responses.”

Mr Bassett sees the value in how new techniques and technologies can be used to more effectively manage labour, without compromising levels of hygiene in healthcare facilities. “For over 10 years I have dreamed of having a training centre where Australia’s best cleaning managers could come together and create better cleaning systems. I wanted a training centre that was setup with various rooms where cleaners could be taught to identify what needed to be cleaned, understood the WH&S and cross contamination challenges facing staff and management, and could take the time to play and trial various ways to find the easiest, fastest, safest way to keep our facilities hygienically clean.”

Mr Morrall adds that “using quantifiable metrics to measure employee’s success with training programs can shed light into the program’s impact on employee performance as a whole. Training programs that include audits, written or hands on assessments for the sole purpose of monitoring training effectiveness can provide readily available performance metrics such as test scores and pass rates for follow up.”

Paul Morrall will speak at the forthcoming CleanScene show, exclusive to Sydney,

Mr Bassett’s hands on seminar will involve volunteers from the audience and highlight through UV lights how to identify the touch point surfaces that need to be cleaned properly, without spreading germs to the next area.

Also speaking at the expo will be Jenny Boymal, Managing Director of Jena Dyco on The Building Blocks of a Better, More Profitable Business in the Service Industries. Using actual industry related case studies, Ms Boymal will provide a practical examination of how even the smallest start up can grow into a highly viable business within 18 months.

CleanScene will also feature over 50 exhibitors and 100’s of new products catering for cleaners, facility managers, government agencies, and purchasing officers. Not only will this event showcase the latest cleaning equipment and supplies, but also a hygiene component relevant to industries beyond the commercial cleaning sector such as health care and hospitality.

Presented by Informa Exhibitions, CleanScene is Australia’s leading show focused on cleaning and hygiene.

Attendance at Cleanscene is free, you can secure your place at the event online now!

Cleanscene is conveniently co-located with Safety in Action Sydney. The largest exhibition of its kind, Safety in Action Sydney is an absolute must attend for anyone whose job involves safety, either theirs, or those around them. Over 4,000 health and safety decision makers from multiple sectors across Australia will be converging on Sydney Olympic Park for the region’s only dedicated workplace health and safety event.

More information on the first national cleaning and hygiene expo can be found at http://www.cleansceneshow.com.au/visitor

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Refurbishment

Bed Presentation Add simple sophistication with a Bed Shawl Erin Coman - Beckett I Design Director, HotelHome Australia

I

n recent years, the accommodation industry in this country has been spoilt with an abundance of new bed covering styles being offered in higher quality Australian made products that have been designed to be fashionable, functional and affordable.

No longer do Australian accommodation properties need to have the same look as everybody else in their area, with lesser quality imported products that were most often not made to withstand commercial use.

Products including Hotel Coverlets, Flat Cap Tops, Luxury Covers and an array of fancy and functional Hotel Cushions have been added to the menu for managers and property owners, all looking for a distinctive and quality bed covering look for their rooms to satisfy today’s more discerning accommodation guest and which also ticked all of the boxes for longevity and laundering and came within budget.

The feedback to Australian manufacturers from this accommodation industry, after many years of being offered boring and older retail

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motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

styled bed covering, was to produce practical and stylish products that could handle rough treatment if necessary, whilst most importantly meeting price criteria and always presenting perfectly to their guests after many years of service.

These very successful bed covering product additions have been woven and manufactured in Australia to commercial specifications for the smarter end of Australian accommodation. The heavy duty commercial specs on this bed covering were mandatory, so that this bed covering could go the long distance and along with all of the other benefits, it would end up being the sensible and most cost effective choice.

This is a bed cover look that can suit the most modern property, with plenty of vibrant colour if required with subtle trims, or naturals trimmed with black and charcoal. No matter what the preferred combination, it is the overall look that paints the total picture required and it becomes the striking focal point of any hotel room. For the more traditional and very sophisticated properties, the soon to be released “cut velvet” styled chenille’s will be a welcome addition to this bed cover style. These latest chenille’s, woven in Australia from the finest Italian yarns, just ooze class and quality. They are also rated heavy duty and are fully washable, taking hotel rooms to a whole new level of style with the benefits of being easy care and very luxurious indeed.

Another bed covering look that is used extensively in some of the world’s best hotels throughout Europe, UK, US and the Middle East, is “The Bed Shawl”. A similar style of product is already seen in some of Australia’s leading hotels, many specified by designers and made from expensive domestic fabrics which can require very special attention in a Hotel environment. The good news is that the new more affordable and commercial version of the Bed Shawl with coordinating hotel quality Cushions, is now available in a wide range of fabrics and finishes for all levels of the Australian accommodation market.

This bed cover style made from semi upholstery fabric, sits at the bottom of a bed, draping over a triple sheet presentation or a white quilt cover. It hangs down past the mattress and partially covers the bed valance with approximately one half of the total bed fully covered.

The Bed Shawl tends to introduce a very simple yet sophisticated and “big look” to a hotel bed. To maximise the effect of this luxurious bed cover style, the correct placement of exposed pillows and cushion styles need to be carefully considered.

The Bed Shawl concept now completes the offering of this wide range of bed covering options to our industry in Australia.

No matter what the style of property, location, or standard of accommodation being targeted, an Australian designed and manufactured bed cover look is waiting to take your property to the next level.

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Pool Feature

Pool Heating David Watson I Shenton Aquatic

During Winter many Hotels and Motels will be heating their swimming pools and spas only to find they are under utilised and effectively an ongoing cost with only a marginal benefit apparent. However being in the Hospitality industry there is an expectation on the hotel the pool is ready to use at all times. So how can you balance these conflicting needs?

I

n this short Article I want to go over the options you may have considered or tried and found effective and other strategies you may find beneficial to assist in reducing the energy consumption of the pool or spa.

Reduce the Temperature Fairly obvious I know, however it is surprising the conflicts that arise over what should be such a simple thing as the pool set temperature.

As a guideline the following are acknowledged internationally as acceptable pool temperatures: »» Competition swimming 24 degrees Celsius »» Leisure swimming 28 degrees Celsius »» Hydrotherapy pools 32 degrees Celsius »» Spas 36 degrees Celsius

ZELBRITE FILTER MEDIA TICKS ALL THE BOXES Better Filtration - Down to 2 Microns Saves Water - Up to 50% Saves Chemicals - Less Top Up Water to Treat Saves on Heating - Less Top Up Water to Heat It is NOT a recycled product & has a far smaller foot print than glass.

Does your current filter media offer you the same savings?

Does it come with all 3 of these approvals?

Often though in our 21st century comfortable lives it is common to see pool temperatures 2 degrees warmer than this guideline, we are obviously going soft.

By reducing your temperature 0.5 degrees you can pick up a significant amount of energy and usually no one will notice a change this small.

Why did our pool-heating bill not decrease when we turned our system off overnight?

The heat lost from the pool needs to be replaced. This replacement will occur whenever the heating system reads the heat is required.

So overnight the pool cools down and requires an amount of energy to return to usual temperature. It does not make any difference whether this energy is trickled in overnight as the losses occur or supplied in great chunks after the pool water has cooled down – the same amount of energy is required either way.

Turning off the circulation system overnight will only save electrical cost no pool heating savings should be anticipated.

For More Information, Contact Peter Rabbidge on (02) 4651 2377 or 0407 078 075 | www.zelbrite.com

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Can we expect our pool-heating energy consumption to decrease by switching our system off overnight?

Turning off the circulation system overnight will only save electrical cost no pool-heating energy savings will result.

In thinking this through the saying kilowatts in to kilowatts out is the way to look at this; for example say overnight the pool temperature falls 3 degrees. Turning the gas heater off wont stop the pool water falling 3 degrees; running the gas heater will still make up the 3 degrees whether this is in 0.5 degree lumps or in one large 3 degree lump.

In other words the 3 degree temperature fall for your pool needs to be made up whichever way you choose to do so. The energy consumption will be the same no matter how that energy is introduced.

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motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

»» For spas don’t forget blowers »» Location of trees, buildings and similar

How can I stop the loss on a Vanishing Edge pool?

In short you cant. You can stop the vanishing edge from working by retrofitting skimmer boxes and diversion valves in the plant room so that when the pool is not in use the pool becomes a skimmer box driven pool rather than a vanishing edge.

I haven’t seen this done but have drawn it up and know it could work.

Why do standard gas heaters seem to fail so often?

Standard pool heaters use copper or Cupronickel for a heat exchanger. In either case the manufacturer always includes a clause in their warranty regarding chemical levels.

Copper and Cupro-Nickel are not chemically inert. If you then introduce automatic chemical dosing in the pool filtration circuit before the heater you wont have a long life expectancy anyway. In any event the pool chemical treatment is slowly negatively impacting the gas heater

What is wrong with the gas heaters we have and why can’t we simply swap to another brand to get better life expectancies?

Unfortunately gas heaters contain a heat exchanger which is constructed from copper or Cupro-nickel. For commercial installations the traditional choice has been Cupro-nickel heat exchangers and naturally these are available in different grades.

However in any event neither copper or Cupro-nickel are immune from chemical attack by standard pool chemicals. This means even with the most robust gas heater available a heat exchanger life of around 5-7 years is not unusual.

Using Titanium heat exchangers in combination with a gas heater is the preferred option on all commercial installations. This removes the possibility of corrosion of the gas heater heat exchanger and enables unlimited use of

pool chemicals. Previously this type of system has been exorbitantly expensive however with the Aqua Demand Heatpac this cost is dramatically reduced.

The real difference will be the 100 kW would run half the time of the 50kW and generally be less prone to breakdown and premature failures.

Control is Important?

Why do you size the pool heating against the surface area and not the volume?

The pool and spa industry as a general rule manufactures for the domestic pool market.

After all this is the larger market and will be of the most interest to a manufacturer. This market is very price driven and as a result control is often adequate but not ideal.

On a backyard pool adequate is fine.

On your pool in your commercial facility adequate may not be cutting it. You may find you have peaks and troughs out of synch with the weather.

Under sizing Equipment Will Help Wont it?

A common misconception is under sizing a pool heating system will save money, after all a 50 kW heater is cheaper than a 100 kW... well yes it will. Absolutely it will save you some up front capital outlay in the first year of purchase.

However it will still require the same amount of kW to heat your pool to the same temperature whichever heater you choose to use.

All your evaporation loss is from the surface of the pool. As a consequence it is more accurate to work sizing from the surface area. For example a dive pool which has a small surface area but a large volume will not need as much heating as the same volume pool with five times the area.

Can a solar system be installed with a Gas Heater or Heatpump?

You can install either typical swimming pool solar collector or evacuated tube if this of interest to you to operate in tandem with the other heating source you choose. There are some control issues here to consider and they are beyond the scope of this article, but could be overcome with off the self control. However either system can be retrofitted in the future if funding allows.

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n today’s marketplace consumer data collection is an art form. Over 15 years in the loyalty and payment space has shown us that a well defined data capture plan with a focus on exceptional customer service is the winning combination. It’s the use of the captured data and the personalised usage of it to improve the customer experience that is the only measurable outcome of a well defined and executed rewards program.

Loyalty programs don’t have to break the bank but they do require investment of time and money. A successful loyalty program will include capturing data through a number of sources be they POS, online, Social media and a number of feedback tools. Successful programs also cover every interaction between client/ customer and your business. It matters not that you provide a great rewards program with the best points or cash back offer when your receptionist fails to answer the phone or is rude. Successful

loyalty programs can make businesses more valuable by providing a measurable goodwill value to the database but they are only one element. At the end of the night, it’s all about the guest and the experience they receive by doing business at your property.

Smart Guest Rewards works with a number of partners and solutions that cover all aspects of your customer service experience and all touch points. Call us, we know you’ll enjoy our experience.

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motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

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motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

Product News

ARRA Accommodation Group Tony Sheer (General Manager) was recently interviewed about the current growth and opportunities in being an ARRA Accommodation Group member.

The National Budget Referral Chain Ltd, trading as the Arra Accommodation Group was established in 1978. During our 36 year history we have earned our credibility as a leading motel referral Group in the accommodation industry. We are considered reputable, reliable and a financially sound organisation that occupies a stable and substantial position within the New Zealand and Australian landscape.

We recently have undergone another growth spurt with our premium brand Paragon, welcoming a number of new members to the Group.

We have also had companies join us, one of which is EBC Leisure Ltd with three motels. The photo below is one of EBC Leisure’s motels, the Olde Tudor Hotel, 229-235 Westbury Road, Launceston, Tasmania, proudly supporting the Paragon brand.

Arra Accommodation Group was established in 2008 as a registered business with three member brands: 1. Paragon Hotels A pattern of excellence 2. Orbit Inns

The space to relax

3. Budget Motels

Affordable comfort

Most motels across the country are self rated, or are star rated by AAA Tourism; these methods may often cause confusion for guests. We have simplified our branding in to the above three categories, which allow people to choose what style of comfort best suits their needs and budget.

• Introduction of the virtual credit card • GDS capability for members Going forward we have a new look directory being launched midyear 2014, and talks have commenced with airline, car and other corporate companies.

We’ve put together fantastic packages giving more options and flexibility to the Paragon, Orbit and Budget brands. There will be more membership services than ever before. The launch of a virtual credit card means instant payment and more control for the members. Social Media will be pushed strongly and a focus on building an even larger loyalty programme will be put in to place. There will be a redesign of websites for ARRA and its members, and an easier to view and use Book Now button. We have an extensive Preferred Supplier list and we’re currently negotiating with more companies to obtain even more deals for our members.

All members are limited by Guarantee and the Non Profit status ensures all funds are put back in to marketing, advertising and the general administration of the Group.

As our head office team evolves and becomes stronger and even more united, our aim is to offer members more services than any stand alone business could obtain and to beat other branded organisations that offer far less for more.

Our sound management and reputation in the accommodation and tourism industry speaks for itself, as does the widespread and strength of our membership network throughout most corners of New Zealand and Australia.

Having owned and operated my own motels and businesses, I have 42 years experience to offer. I know firsthand what moteliers are looking for from being a member of a Group. It is more than just receiving bookings; it’s having:

During the past 12 months the operation has been relocated to the busy Melbourne suburb of Frankston, the gateway to the Mornington Peninsula, with new staff, new procedures and a proactive vision for going forward.

• Someone to talk to about the industry

Some of our achievements during the past 12 months include: • I mprovements and enhancement to our very own channel manager UseRoss – We believe that we are the only Motel Group with its own property management system.

• More bookings through the ARRA website • More corporate accounts • A better user friendly ARRA website • Better IT Support than before with an external backup team on call •A loyalty card membership with over 10,000 offers – ARRA Travel Saver Card • iPhone app improvements

• Someone who is able to help with the ever changing IT world we are in today • Social Media, reviews, blogs etc • Friendships that are forged at state and annual meetings • Co-operative marketing that’s value for money, that only a Group of our size may offer its members • Friendly IT Support that sets up websites for members • The buying power of a Group • Referrals from this Group and its fellow members We understand the importance of filling rooms to have a viable business. ARRA Accommodation Group, ‘Always Accommodating Within Your Budget’.

For more information about the Arra Accommodation Group visit: www.arrahotels.com

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Product News

Pental Ltd Allow your guests to Wash away the city with Country Life Country Life has been part of Australian households and trusted by Australian families for over 50 years. Country Life is a brand of the Australian-based company ‘Pental’, grown from humble beginnings in 1954 to become the largest soap manufacturer in Australia with a portfolio of leading brands across six categories. Pental’s Country Life sells over 4 million soap packs annually in Australia*.

This fresh range will allow your Australian guest to experience a piece of home away from home whilst showing your international guests a small piece of Australia. The Country Life Guest range is a high quality, good value offering which delivers on fresh invigorating fragrance, cleansing & lather from an honest Australian brand.

The Country Life Guest range offers the complete solution for your guest bathrooms. Country Life Shampoos & Conditioner for smooth and shiny hair are available in 20mL tubes or combined Shampoo/Conditioner in a convenient 8mL sachet. Country Life Shower Gel is also available in a 20mL tube, perfect for a relaxing shower or bath. Country Life Bar Soaps, available in a range of sizes are all made in Australia using only the finest ingredients.

Please contact your local food service distributor or Rachel Gade, Pental Ltd for further information- Rachel.Gade@pental.com.au

Weatherdon Weatherdon recently amplified its product range with three 46L / 70L / 115L Bar Fridges.

These fridges are ideal for hotels, apartments and offices. They are a cleverly designed, compact and highly functional unit. 115L fridge has adjustable glass shelving, an inbuilt freezer and a crisper box. The door compartments have sufficient height for storing bottles. It is designed to fit neatly under benches or table-tops. The Nero bar fridges are a practical, reliable and affordable choice for office, apartments and hotel guest room. And for added convenience, the door is reversible so you can customise your fridge to suit your preferences.

FEATURES for 46L Code 744046: -

Compressor style with a 40L fridge and 6L freezer Temperature range 0°C to +10°C Reversible door Slide-out wire shelf One half width door rack & one full width door rack Flat back & adjustable feet, white finish Recessed handle Item Size: 440(W) x 470(D) x 510mm(H)

FEATURES for 70L Code 744070: -

Compressor style with a 64L fridge and 6L freezer Temperature range 0°C to +10°C Reversible door Two slide-out wire shelves One half width door rack & two full width door racks Flat back & adjustable feet, white finish Recessed handle With key lock Item Size: 440(W) x 510(D) x 640mm(H)

FEATURES for 115L Code 744115: -

Compressor style with a 100L fridge and 15L freezer Temperature range 0°C to +10°C Mechanical temp control Direct cooling freezer with removable drip tray underneath Inside door shelf will hold up to four bottles of wine Flat back & adjustable feet, white finish

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- Interior light & removable plastic top - 2 shelves (adjustable) & crisper - With key lock - Box Size: 520(W) x 600(D) x 880mm(H) - Item Size: 490(W) x 560(D) x 840mm(H) - Carton weight: 27kg Carton Quantity: 1 For more information please visit www.weatherdon.com.au or send an email to sales@weatherdon.com.au

New Nero 46L/70L/115L Bar Fridges

motel owners Journal

AusPacific Group

THE AUSTRALIAN

Motel Amenity

Low Price, High quality, Fast Service

Item

Packing

Price

Item

Packing

Price

20g ECO Wrapped Soap

500pcs/carton

$65/carton

50x70 Cotton White Bath Mat

20pcs/carton

$88/carton

30g ECO Wrapped Soap

350pcs/carton

$65/carton

33x33 Cotton White Face Washer

50pcs/carton

$65/carton

20ml ECO Conditioning Shampoo

400pcs/carton

$69/carton

50x70 Cotton White Pillow Case

40pcs/carton

$88/carton

20ml ECO Shampoo

400pcs/carton

$69/carton

Paper Board Door Sign

100pcs/carton

$62/carton

20ml ECO Conditioner

400pcs/carton

$69/carton

Click Pen

500pcs/carton

$125/carton

20ml ECO Body Lotion

400pcs/carton

$69/carton

Twist Pen

500pcs/carton

$125/carton

20ml ECO Shower Gel

400pcs/carton

$69/carton

45x51 18L Clear Guestroom Bag

2000pcs/carton

$70/carton

ECO Shower Cap

250pcs/carton

$53/carton

75x100 75LClear Heavy Duty Bag

400pcs/carton

$70/carton

ECO Sanitary Bag

250pcs/carton

$53/carton

Note Pad 17x10.5 15pages

500pcs/carton

$120/carton

ECO Dental Kit

250pcs/carton

$68/carton

Toilet Seal/Stripe

3000pcs/carton

$72/carton

ECO Shaver Kit

250pcs/carton

$68/carton

Toast Bag 12cmx22cmx5cm

3000pcs/carton

$114/carton

Hotel Slippers

40pairs/carton

$65/carton

Cutlery Bag 7.75cmx25.5cm

3000pcs/carton

$66/carton

40x70 Cotton White Hand Towel

40pcs/carton

$88/carton

Glass Cover 10cmx21cmx4cm

3000pcs/carton

$105/carton

70x140 Cotton White Bath Towel

10pcs/carton

$78/carton

Tray Mat 30cmx50cm

1000pcs/carton

$128/carton

The price is inclusive of GST and freight to all capital cities (not including Darwin) and many Australian towns. Some places need to pay part of delivery cost.

Payment can be made by EFT or cheque within 14 days upon receipt of the products. Please use the invoice number as a reference when making payment.

If you want to inquire, request samples or place an order, please ring us on 02 8809 3402 or send email to info@auspacificgroup.com.au. Tell us the items and amount you want to order together with your name, address and telephone number. We’ll arrange a delivery for you within 2 working days. An invoice will be attached to one of the boxes. Customer pays the returning postage.

AusPacific Group is a Sydney based hotel/motel amenity supplier. It’s one of the Golden Chain and Arra Hospitality Group’s official suppliers. Currently it serves about 850 motels across Australia.

T 02 8809 3402 M 04 2521 9378

E info@auspacificgroup.com.au

W www.auspacificgroup.com.au

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