Motel Owners Journal Volume 16 No. 1

PP 324494/00039

Volume 16 No 1

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

Star Ratings vs Self-Ratings Swimming pools and spas

Scan here & view the magazine online NOW or visit www.adbourne.com/motel

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

Contents

18 5 Message from the Publisher 6 Message from the Minister for Trade & Investment

8 Revenue management 10 Star Ratings vs Self-Ratings 12 Would you book a room on

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40

30 How to implement a

48 Motel wifi 52 BizAus exit plan check 54 6 ways to boost productivity

chemical-free cleaning program in your motel

32 The refurbishment = revenue equation

34 The benefits of sustainable hospitality

your website?

36 Check In Kiosks 14 Motel lighting 38 Profile: Flying high at the 16 Kicking the bleach habit Atherton Hinterland Motel 18 Give your guests the 5 Star treatment 40 5 ways to transform your motel bathroom on a budget 20 How to deliver on your green cleaning commitments 42 Hand hygiene 23 Cleaning with colour 44 Security access technology for the hospitality industry continues 24 Seeing spots to evolve 28 The benefits of using ozone 46 Hotel to Hands: for a clean smelling room

Saving lives with free soap

in cleaning staff

57 LED buyers guide 62 Motel laundries 67 Choosing fabrics for lounges 71 Swimming pools and spas 74 What is the Department of Health looking for in your water?

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Product News PP 324494/00039

Volume 16 No 1

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

Star Ratings vs Self-Ratings Swimming pools and spas

Front Cover: The Atherton Hinterland Motel

Scan here & view the magazine online NOW or visit www.adbourne.com/motel

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: Tarnia Hiosan Tel: (03) 9758 1431 Email: admin@adbourne.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.

Your One Stop Shop For Guestroom Needs

phone: 02 9906 2202 email: sales@weatherdon.com.au

www.weatherdon.com.au

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Messages

Message

from the Publisher

Spot Stains »» Story on page 24

W

elcome to another edition of the Motel Owners Journal.

This issue lands in your lap as the full force of summer gets underway. It’s always a busy time for the hospitality industry, a peak season for holidaymakers exploring the country or catching up with family and friends over Christmas. High on the list of many travellers is the Sunshine State – a destination we are featuring in our profile section.

You’ll notice on the cover the beautiful Tablelands region, south of Cairns.

We speak with the owners of the Atherton Hinterland Motel, where John Napier traded in thirty years of experience as an airline pilot to take the helm of this picturesque establishment.

We discuss the challenges of coming into a completely different industry, and the rewards of providing excellent service to guests.

Our flight path changes to star ratings in hotels – a source of confusion to guests and operators alike. We debunk how the ratings apply to your business, and how to make the most of them.

Technology features heavily in this issue, and for good reason! Recent reports have found guests consider accessible and effective Wi-Fi infrastructure to be as important as other services expected

of a hotel. Plus, your business website needs to constantly update to remain on par with the styles and expectations of those using it at home. Our writers have again contributed their knowledge in these areas.

On another note, we have had significant feedback on our decision to publish the magazine once a year in November.

This change came after fifteen years of publishing twice a year. We have had emails and calls from owners asking whether they had missed an issue, so we are considering whether to return to two issues per year in 2017. Stay tuned on this.

We also want to hear more from you – Which topics do you want coverage of?

Do you know someone who wants to be profiled? Do you know a motel that doesn’t receive a copy of the magazine or wants to receive more than one?

Please let us know.

And remember – electronic copies of the magazine can always be found on our website: www.adbourne.com/motel-owner.html Regards Neil Muir

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Blah Messages

Message from the Minister for Trade, Tourism & Investment

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ncreasing trade and investment is at the heart of the Turnbull Government’s plan to create jobs and support economic growth – and Australia’s booming tourism industry has cemented itself as a core pillar of our economy.

We are seeking to grow overnight As the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, I am a strong voice for the tourism industry around the Cabinet table.

Accounting for 9.6 per cent of Australia’s exports, the $120 billion tourism industry is fulfilling its potential as a super-growth sector underpinning Australia’s economic transition.

We are working with industry to grow overnight expenditure in Australia to $140 billion by the year 2020. For the first time since 2009 we are on track to achieve

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motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

this goal. Annual tourism expenditure is already at a record high of over $97 billion.

With international visitor numbers soaring opportunity abounds for owners and operators of tourism businesses.

The benefits of this surge in spending are shared across the country, with 45 cents in every tourism dollar spent in regional Australia.

Motels are playing an important role in the tourism industry’s growth. Last year, visitors spent 100 million nights in motels, hotels, resorts and motor inns. This included 11 per cent of international visitor nights and an enormous 25 per cent of domestic nights.

In order to maximise the growth potential of this export market, the Turnbull Government is investing in tourism infrastructure, delivering visa and aviation reform, and delivering record funding for Tourism Australia to market Australia overseas.

Over one million Chinese tourists visited our shores last year and forecasts indicate this could grow to two million by the year 2020. Our Prime Minister and the Chinese President have jointly designated 2017 as the Australia-China Year of Tourism.

Our focus on facilitating private sector investment into the tourism sector has contributed to the number of accommodation rooms in the pipeline more than doubling in the last four years.

As a result of our pro-growth policies, the global competitiveness ranking of Australia’s tourism sector has improved from 13th in the world in 2011 to 7th in 2015 according to the World Economic Forum.

Our thriving tourism industry is a testament to the calibre of our people as much as it is Australia’s natural beauty.

There is truly nothing like Australia.

The Hon Steven Ciobo MP Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment

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Articles

Revenue management TAMIE MATTHEWS I www.revenyou.net.au

Not so long ago hotels, motels and other places offering accommodation had a single simple rate, we called it our Rack Rate and it was printed on brochures and in magazines and it was proudly put up out the front of the property for passers-by to see. The rate only changed once each year or so, and regular customers would write letters asking for their room again next year, and they would receive a letter back confirming their reservation and thanking them for coming round again.

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he rest of our sales were made to those passers-by who needed a room for the night and just stopped in. Everyone paid the same, regardless of the time of year, when they booked, and whether they were regular customers who stayed a week every year, or had turned up on the doorstep that night.

Now we have incredibly powerful tools in the internet and online search engines and booking agencies. It was the airlines that first began changing their rates dependent on demand, seasons and the length of time prior to travel. Bargain basement rates could be found if you were prepared to travel off-peak and didn’t mind your seat.

The days of having that one fixed rate advertised everywhere were history. We started to change our room rates depending on the day of the week, events, seasons, demand and so on.

This change in pricing and the need to monitor, adapt to, and predict demand, led to the rise of Revenue Management.

Hoteliers needed someone on their team looking at what was happening and making the decisions on when to change the rate and by how much. As the internet has become an ever more important tool, that Revenue Manager has become the most important person in the business, and they can be the difference between making a profit or a loss, and the difference between filling your hotel or having empty rooms.

Small or large hotel, motel or caravan park, serviced apartment provider or hostel, Revenue Management has become crucial to being successful. We are all trying to sell our rooms for the best rate on any given day. If we don’t sell it today, we don’t get a second chance, the revenue is gone and you can’t sell yesterday’s room. Revenue Management becomes ever more crucial the smaller you are. There is a greater margin for error – 1 unsold room in 20 is a 5% loss, 1 unsold room in 200 is 0.5% loss.

Add that up over a year and you are talking about the difference between refurbishing, adding more staff, or even just keeping the doors open. Think what 5% extra revenue per year would mean for your business.

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Revenue Management has come a long way since those initial days when changing the rate was based on instinct. Now, instinct is still important to making the right decision, but Revenue Managers have a raft of information at their fingertips to help refine that decision. Prior to changing a rate on a specific date, a good Revenue Manager will review and take into consideration the following points: Day of the week: what is the date and day of the week? Where does the date fall in the calendar year? Is it an event date and hence high demand with the area expected to fill? Is it a quiet night and will the hotel be happy to take anything on offer? What did you do last year and the year before? Be aware of what is normal for your establishment and respond accordingly when you are not performing within the parameters of said normality. Plan ahead, if you know that a specific month is traditionally quiet then target a different audience such as tour groups, or use that time to take rooms offline and refurbish. Think outside the box and use package offers to entice a different set of guests.

Lead Time: you do not need an expensive Revenue Management programme to understand your lead time, the online travel agents offer a variety of reports that you can get for free. Look at how long in advance on average your guests generally book. Are you inside this lead time and hence, not likely to get anything more?

Are you outside this average and hence, expecting the bulk of your bookings? Your goal is to increase rates as you steadily move towards the date of arrival but if you are inside your average lead time and still empty, you may need to do something to gain attention and increase booking levels. Try a special offer on your OTA’s, they are quick to load, don’t require any marketing collateral being printed or distributed, and you only pay commission on confirmed bookings.

Availability: how many rooms do you have to sell and how many rooms do other hotels have to sell. It is no longer legal to ring and ask other hotels how many rooms they have to sell, as that is seen as price fixing, but you can look online and make a reasonable assumption. The likes of Booking.com will tell you how many of each room type left to sell on a given day. If there

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

is a lot of availability in a local area and not much demand, you may wish to lower your rates to stimulate demand or you may wish to hold because there is no reason to lower when no-one is booking. You will know your market and you will know what is normal for it.

Booking Window: this refers to lead time and length of time until the actual date of stay. Combine your booking window with your average lead time and availability. Work with all three together – are you inside your average lead time and the date of stay is tomorrow and the town is full, well charge whatever you aspire to charge but if the town is empty, negotiate and take what you can get.

Demand: who is booking you and what are they booking? Chat to your customers and find out what brings them to town, what package are they booking and why? Are you experiencing increased booking levels? Is the phone ringing off the hook and people are booking in droves? If booking levels are up, test the water and put the rates up, if they are down then rates go down.

Don’t make a drastic change, just a few dollars up or down as you are looking for the perfect point where the rate is good and people continue to book.

Events: is there something on in town that you need to know about? Why are people visiting your hotel and your city on that specific day? Some events will drive rate and some will drive occupancy, the best events will drive both resulting in a town with demand for more rooms than they have. This will drive both rate and occupancy as people are prepared to pay anything just to get a room. Know your events and put your rates up as soon as the dates are announced. Follow your local tourist board online and get to know the tourist association so that you are the first and not the last to know when dates are announced.

Cost vs Revenue: Understand your business and the costs involved, as well as the likely revenue from different customers.

There will be a point at which it will cost you more to sell that room (in commission, utilities, housekeeping, staffing and wear & tear) than you make in revenue, you need to know that point.

Different customers bring different levels of add on revenue to your business as well. A customer that uses the restaurant or the bar is worth more to your bottom line.

and get to know their rates, packages, refurbishment schedules, availability, regular clients etc. When they move rates, you follow suit but don’t be afraid to be a leader. You might just be the first to know the dates of next year’s big event and the others haven’t been notified or reacted yet. Check what is happening in the set before you move your rates and when you notice any changes in booking activity. There is no point in being the cheapest and losing potential revenue, nor is their sense in being twice the price when everyone else is cheap. You have to remain with the competition.

Having read through this, you may be feeling quite daunted by the volume of work involved in managing your rates but please don’t be. There are programmes than can email you competitor information on a daily basis, there are tricks to getting the information from your online travel agents on a daily and weekly basis for free. There are people such as myself who work with small independent suppliers to help manage their rates. Once you start actively managing your rates and seeing the increases in revenue, you will wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.

Consider the maths: »» You have a 20 room hotel »» On average you sell 15 rooms per day at an average rate of $100 per night o 365 days x 15 rooms x 100 = $547,500 »» Sell 1 extra room per day/increase your sales by 5% o 365 days x 1 room x 100 = $36,500 additional revenue before we even discuss the increase in average rate because you are making more over events and high demand days What would you do with that extra 5% in revenue?

If you would like to find out more, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Tamie Matthews, www.revenyou.net.au, Ph 0497 864 694, tamie@revenyou.com.au

Competitor Set: if a guest cannot book your hotel for whatever reason, where would they stay instead? If you are not sure, monitor where you are losing bookings to, your online travel agents will have this information and give it to you for free.

They will give you an approximate competitor set that you can then refine. Also pretend to be a guest and look at the likes of Expedia and Booking.com and see where they recommend. There will be a section that says “people who viewed this hotel also viewed”. Remember that a competitor set is not aspirational, it is a realistic set of hotels that guests would use if you were fully booked. You may have hotels in that set that are not geographically close, that is ok. They may have different facilities and not be as nice as you, that is ok. You may also have two or more competitor sets because of different types of travellers, eg: business v leisure. Monitor your competitor set on a regular basis

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Articles

Star Ratings vs Self-Ratings With the rise of online reviews and the ability to self-rate, there is some confusion over what Star Ratings are.

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hen a property promotes itself as being five Star Rated, consumers expect luxury accommodation with all the trimmings, amenities and services to ensure a premium stay. However, unless the 5-star rating has been awarded by the official ratings organisation – Star Ratings Australia – guests may not get quite what they expected.

What are Star Ratings?

A recent study undertaken by global research agency, TNS Research International, found nearly 60% of consumers said that they trust an independent rating, compared to just 5% for self-ratings.

Star Ratings are defined by over 200 criteria determined by what consumers have indicated is important to them. A property can only display the Star Rating symbol if they have been officially accredited. A self-rating, as the name suggests, has been determined by the property themselves.

A property may only advertise a “star” rating if they have been officially accredited to use the Star Ratings trademark.

Self-rated properties typically use other symbols such as circles or descriptive language.

Sarah McCully, General Manager, Star Ratings Australia, explains “due to the nature of a self-rating, it can be very subjective as the rating is not based on specific criteria and is instead determined by the property themselves – as a pure marketing tool. As a result, the property may fail to meet guests expectations and this creates trust issues amongst consumers. By being Star Rated, the property has complete confidence that the rating they promote to their guests is accurate and visitors will enjoy the experience they expected to receive.”

What about online reviews?

While star ratings provide a valuable benchmark for consumers, online reviews are commonly used in the booking process.

Reviews allow consumers to read about other guest experiences, hear about the service they received and get tips and advice.

As a property owner, a negative review can have a substantial effect on business. It is important to manage and respond to online reviews to diffuse any potential reputation damage.

Equally, encouraging guests who have had a positive experience to leave a review will have a significant positive impact on business.

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Case Studies The value of Star Ratings cannot be underestimated for both individually owned properties and franchisees.

Westwood Motor Inn Westwood Motor Inn is a three and a half Star-Rated property in Armidale. Melinda and Allen Smith have run the motor inn for 12 years and believe Star Ratings remains an important aspect for visitors choosing accommodation.

“We believe Star Ratings are an effective way for a customer to get an understanding of what they can expect from the accommodation before they stay. Many self-rated properties are based purely on an opinion, rather than specific standards and criteria,” said Melinda.

Mrs Smith also highlighted other benefits associated with the Star Ratings process, “during the process our reviewer listened to our concerns and gave us valuable advice to improve our property. She had a wealth of knowledge and because of her advice we are looking forward to instigating our improvement plans for our country motel.”

Best Western Australasia Best Western Australasia is a hotel/motel franchise with over 150 properties across Australia, accommodating 145 million guests worldwide every year. Best Western Australasia properties have been Star Rated for over 20 years with properties ranging from 3 to 5 Stars. As part of the membership organisation agreement, every Best Western property must be Star Rated.

Spencer Watson, Head of Operations, Best Western Australasia explains, “the effectiveness of the Star Rating system lies in its reliability and transparency. The simplification of the Star Ratings Australia program allows consumers to simply and effectively clarify accommodation standards.”

“We continue to see Star Ratings provide value to our brand and hotel managers as it standardises what would otherwise be a very confusing and complicated product offering.”

Mr Watson added, “There remains great value in a wellrecognised categorisation for our properties. Many segments of our market, both leisure and corporate, use Star Ratings as a key part of their decision-making process.”

motel owners Journal

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Articles

Would you book a room on your website?

GARY BERMAN I Hospitality Service Solutions

70% of your potential guests view your website images prior to making the buying decision and the quality and quantity of these will greatly influence this decision.

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o have a good look at your website, its images and overall “feel” and then answer honestly, would you book a room at your own property?

If your answer to the above is yes, your images are appealing, they accurately depict your property and you’d definitely book a room, then all good and there’s no need for you to read on.

So, turn the page and enjoy the rest of this excellent publication.

HAVE A GOOD LOOK AT YOUR WEBSITE Would you book a room at your property?

Do you know how many bookings you’re losing for one simple reason... Your website images might not be good enough!

Now for those of you who were slightly hesitant and thought maybe, just maybe, your website could look a little better by improving or changing some of the images, please read on.

You might be surprised to know that you don’t need the very best and most expensive images and you don’t need to show only the best your property has to offer.

While your potential guests expect to see favourable photographs of your property, the vitally important issue here is that they accurately reflect the “star” rating and standard of your property.

You can do more damage by showing the only room with an ocean view as representing every room in your establishment then showing your average room.

There are also issues if furniture is moved around, flowers and other items are added for the shoot where the room looks great but is unrecognisable to the guest when everything is put back in place.

Let’s say it might be best to show what the majority of your property looks like rather than the one or two amazing spots that make it look like something it is not.

70% of potential guests view your website images prior to making the buying decision.

We can help with fixed price affordable photographic packages tailored to the size and needs of your property.

Call Gary on 0410 458 166 for an obligation free chat.

You have nothing to lose but a lot more bookings to gain Hospitality Service Solutions e: gary.berman@bigpond.com www.hospitalityservicesolutions.com.au

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There is nothing worse for a guest arriving at their destination, walking into the foyer and thinking, this looks nothing like the property I booked.

You immediately have a very unhappy guest who will likely not return which is revenue lost and all because of the images on your website.

This is not to say that if you had a honeymoon or Presidential suite, you would not show that in all its glory, but you would point out that this is special and you only have one of these.

So while images that go over the top are not recommended, the same goes for images that are generally poor. Some examples of bad images are: »» They may be too small, which not only looks strange, but makes it difficult for the guest to see what the photograph is showing

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

»» They may be outdated, displaying areas or facilities that do not exist anymore

2. Inferior quality or just really poor images

»» They might show some of the worst areas of your property (yes this does happen), and mainly because someone got lazy and didn’t check the images posted on the website »» While not a bad images but many properties have only a few images on their site where the site could take a lot more.

This goes for all third party websites as well, try and use the maximum amount of images allowed.

Another issue is with the advent of smart phones and the ever improving camera quality; it is getting easier for anyone to point and click thinking they don’t require a professional photographer.

This is a mistake as photographers who specialise in the hospitality industry know much more than just how to take good shots, but also have a good understanding of the correct areas to shoot, the props to use, best time of day etc.

And before you say, I can’t afford a professional photographer, like everything if you shop around you will find a reasonably priced option. (You might even find one who will take part of the fee in accommodation.)

3. Outdated facilities

Here are a few things to consider when looking for a photographer: »» Do they specialise in the hospitality industry? »» Do they have a website and portfolio of shots you can see? »» Are they offering a set amount of images for the price and if so how much are extra shots? »» Will they give you the images on a USB or other format for you to use in any way you want or are they restricting where you use them?

This property has not offered bicycles for a number of years.

»» Do they have references or have they been recommended by other properties?

Many properties do not use sufficient photographs on their own site, nor the maximum allowed on third party sites.

»» How much time do they need to do the shoot which will affect the cost and are there any extra costs you should know about

4. Not enough images

5. Only showing best room or view

»» How long will the turnover be i.e. when will you receive the images.

Finally, here are examples taken of actual websites that show some of the common mistakes discussed above:

1. Pictures too small

Will all rooms have this view, or in fact will ANY rooms have this view?

It is far better to have images that reflect the true picture of your property in a favourable light, rather than over promising and under delivering.

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Articles

Motel lighting BRYAN CHAI I Lamp Replacements

With the advent of LED, the lighting environment and choices available has never been so vast and so confusing. The digitising of the technology has not only made it easier to manufacture, but also allowed for new ‘smart lighting’ technologies to blossom. From wireless control, multi sensored lighting, daylight harvesting to the latest in Li Fi technology, the sky is the limit with the technology.

A

s a result however of the technology, points of failure have increased significantly as well as the learning curve.

Multiple players from all walks of life purporting quality has also made choosing quite difficult, and quality control of the factories mostly from China can be hit and miss at best.

The bad scenario is that these players are pushing either incorrect or bad product into the market, causing bad lighting design, faulty low quality goods that don’t last and at worse illegal or dangerous fixtures.

The good scenario is that with the right advice, is that you can get lighting that can improve the lighting through light efficiency, output, security, ambience and control to name a few.

LRA have been providing free independent lighting advice for the replacement and refurbishment market for over 20 years.

Supplying only from quality track and market proven brands, it has been the mantra of our friendly staff to provide the ‘bright solution’ to your situation and budget.

UPGRADING YOUR LIGHTING? Find the bright solution

FIXTURE Do you want to replace the light fitting?

YES

YES

LIGHTING Is the current lighting design adequate?

NO

RELAMP Replace the lamp

NO

RETROFIT Change lamp type

UPGRADE Look for quality with these certifications

RCM

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New technology

Good lighting design will usually incorporate factors such as light output, objects, reflectance, ambience and colour rendering. Usually designed for a purpose, LRA with its 200 supplier network can work with you to find the right light to preserve this design.

Improvements can be made in a number of areas including, designed lighting, smart technology, ingress protection and security to name a few.

Contact LRA today to discuss your lighting goals and we’ll tailor the bright solution to your needs.

Sometimes the most cost-effective solution is to replace the lamp. Light output can depreciate with time, for example, Mercurcy Vapour lamps lose up to 25% of their lumen output towards the end of their lifespan.

Retrofits are a simple way to achieve higher efficiency while maintaining the existing fixture. Compact fluorescent and LED options are available for a wide range of lamps. A potential downfall is the fixture’s optics may not be utilised correctly.

Upgrading through dedicated LED module systems are becoming increasingly popular. They allow the style of the fitting to be preserved while providing an equivalent or greater output. However, these often require rewiring by a qualified electrician.

LAMPREPLACEMENTS.COM.AU

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ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Industry-leading digital key access platform achieves critical mass in enhancing guest convenience and security at properties around the world.

ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Mobile Access, a highly advanced keyless entry solution developed specifically for the global hotel market, has now been successfully implemented on more than 100.000 guestroom door locks worldwide. An important milestone that demonstrates the rapidly growing demand for digital key functionality, this dramatic increase in the number of installations also confirms ASSA ABLOY Hospitality as the leading provider of mobile access solutions.

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Articles

Kicking the bleach habit BRIDGET GARDNER I Director, Fresh Green Clean

Is chlorine bleach an indispensable part of your cleaning regime? This article busts some well-worn myths about bleach’s cleaning and germ-killing ability in hotels and motels and explains why you should look for safer alternatives.

Myth # 1 – Bleach is a cleaning agent

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here is no doubt that chlorine bleach, or ‘sodium hypochlorite’ to give it its proper name, is an effective bleaching agent. Slap it over your tiling grout and it will brighten the most ingrained grime problems. But while your tiled floor or toilet bowl may look clean, it’s really just a cheat’s clean because all it has done is knocked out the pigment in the grime – the actual soil particles have not gone anywhere.

That’s because despite popular belief, chlorine bleach is not actually a cleaning agent. It does not have the ability to lift soil from a surface. When people mop floors with diluted bleach, any soil that is removed in the process is probably due to the friction of the mop and the elbow grease. As they used to say in hospitals: ‘90% of the cleaning action is achieved with the cleaning tool, water and friction’.

Being highly corrosive, bleach can dissolve some fat molecules but it still needs the presence of a surfactant (detergent) to clean the soil away. Whereas surfactants don’t need the help of bleach in return.

Myth # 2 – Bleaching is the only way to get whiter than white As you may have already discovered, the constant use of chlorine bleach will take the shine off bathroom finishes such as fibreglass, marble, porcelain and even shower glass. This process is actually pitting the surface slightly, allowing more soil and mould to embed in the crevices. So short term gain for long term pain.

Because bleach is highly alkaline (pH12.5), it reacts with calcium deposits that form naturally in water and are also alkaline.

Chlorine makes the calcium stick like concrete to the toilet bowl, damaging the porcelain and causing a rough surface that organic matter can stain – the ‘toilet ring’. That is why toilet cleaner should be acidic – not alkaline.

In fact, most organic stains can be easily removed by allowing extra dwell time and gentle agitation. By that I mean letting the cleaning product sit on the surface a moment before wiping it

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away, and using smarter technology such as a small rotating brush cleaner or steam cleaning equipment.

However for stains that can’t be reached, such as mould trapped under silicon or in old tiling grout, limit the use of bleach to a weekly or fortnightly dose. For removing linen stains, hydrogen peroxide is a less hazardous alternative and usually more successful on organic stains such as blood.

Myth #3 – Household bleach is safer than commercial bleach For some reason, consumer products with pretty labelling appear safer than their commercial counterparts. However it’s still the same poison. Chlorine is Corrosive and Hazardous to skin and eyes. It is highly reactive when mixed with other substances, including oxygen and water, releasing harmful fumes. This makes chlorine harmful to the respiratory system, especially when used in enclosed spaces such as shower cubicles, and doubly-so for workers – and guests – with asthma.

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Mixing chlorine with other cleaning agents, particularly acid-based toilet bowl cleaner or ammonia, creates dangerous chlorine gas.

Yes the same mustard gas that was used in WW1 trenches.

Dust masks will not protect you from chlorine fumes so if you must use it, ensure good ventilation, the extraction fan is on, and wear proper rubber gloves and eye goggles. Never use bleach in a spray atomiser and always dilute it correctly in COLD water.

Or just don’t use it.

Myth #4 – we need bleach to kill the germs The final myth is not whether chlorine bleach can kill germs or not, but rather, that it can be effective given the way it is commonly used. Sodium hypochlorite disinfects by attacking the protein molecules of bacteria. But this is seriously limited if the surface or cleaning tools are dirty. The surface must be cleaned and rinsed prior to applying bleach, which must then be allowed to dwell for at least five minutes before rinsing off again.

Total germ elimination is impossible in accommodation settings anyway. The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) stresses that even in hospitals the aim should be to remove not kill bacteria, by effectively cleaning and drying surfaces. By removing the soil and moisture, you remove the

germs and their food source, thus achieving hygienically clean surfaces.

Importantly, sufficient quantities of cleaning cloths should be provided to allow for fresh cloths in each room, colour-coded to prevent cross-contamination from bathrooms to other areas, then laundered after every use.

In your next bathroom renovation, prevention is far better than the cure. Use mould-resistant grout, ensure the fall of your shower recess prevents water pooling, improve the ventilation and choose a darker colour scheme rather than white on white.

The smell of bleach used to be synonymous with the smell of cleanliness, but for many people these days, it smells like a cover-up.

About the Author Bridget Gardner is Director of Fresh Green Clean, Australia’s leading experts in best practice cleaning programs. Visit their website at: www.freshgreenclean.com.au Note: this article is an updated version of one written by Bridget under the same title in 2011 for Executive Housekeeping magazine.

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Articles

Give your guests the 5 Star

treatment INTERIOR DESIGNER I www.hoteljazz.com.au

More & more people are travelling the world for business & pleasure, and so they are spending more & more time away from home. The result is that they are craving the luxuries and comforts of their home whilst still wanting to feel spoilt and cared for.

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ive your guest a taste of luxury to make them feel more at home by adding some 5 star touches and comforts.

The following items, while relatively inexpensive can create a luxury feel and enhance their overall stay.

Some of these items in particular are targeting the Generation X (born 1965-1980) who, studies have shown, are the largest spending travelling group today. They enjoy luxury items, brand names, options and travel convenience.

A simple but sometimes overlooked luxury item, whether or not you’re a 5 or 3 star property, is a Vanity Mirror. One of the most highly recorded complaints is that guests, particularly women cannot see properly in a bathroom. With an illuminated Vanity Mirror, that problem is solved, regardless of how low your lighting is in the bathroom. Other items that are now expected as a given are; Hand held good quality hairdryers and a toilet brush.

Fogless Shower Shaving Mirrors are also becoming more popular, particularly for the Gen X.

Vanity Beauty Mirror To appeal to that “spoil me” desire in your Guests. A branded well-known Amenity Range is a great idea. Eg: Aveda is a respected and well-known beautiful Spa range. They have an

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Another idea is to keep the Amenities in the overall look & feel of the hotel, for example, if you are a sophisticated city hotel, go for a brand that replicates that image in its styling & philosophy. A retreat in the tropics could incorporate a spa range & natural products.

Appeal to their Vanity

Aveda Amenity Hotel Range. As do Peter Morrissey, L’Occitane, Molton Brown, Roger & Gallet.

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

Bonus Points It’s always nice to over deliver in terms of your guest’s expectations.

A lovely range of Coffee, Coffee Plunger or even Pod Coffee Machine and an ice bucket are great small touches, which don’t cost you much but mean the world to these well travelled guests.

As well or as the Coffee Machine idea, one step above that which is trending at the moment is to have a lovely selection of teas on a tray on the bed or a table for your guests to enjoy. T2 & other boutique tea & coffee companies have individually wrapped versions that you could offer your guests. Combine this with a stylish Tray and tea Pot and you have a point of difference that is sure to be remembered.

Wrap me up Wrap up your guests in Quality robes. Soft and warm, indulgent and cuddly. They also can be branded and leave a ‘if you love it, buy it’ note with them so if your guests want to take them with them at the end of their stay the items can be charged to their room. A nice way of discouraging the items being taken is offering them as a purchasable item.

Feel at home Designer “homewares” such as vases, decorator bowls & artworks, help create the overall feel of your accommodation & add to the feeling of a home away from home. They may seem like superfluous extras, but in fact these are what brings the whole concept of colour, décor and design, together. These are the Luxuries and ‘window dressings’ your guests want. They are comfortable, show thoughtfulness and luxury in the presentation of the room and add the individual character to a design or to the flavour of a property.

These items include the obvious such as lovely coordinated artwork, specialty lamps and patterned bed or lounge cushions to inject vibrancy, interest or a mood in the room/space.

Flowers & foliage Flowers & foliage add a fresh feel to the room. If you don’t have the time or budget to be constantly replacing fresh flowers, an option is to add a “faux” version with a realistic look & feel.

This is a lovely touch particularly in the bathroom or a sideboard.

Other suggestions include: Additional Phone Hand set in Bathroom.

Laundry Bags or Laundry baskets in an apartment.

Additional pillows and a Choice of Pillow types, blankets or a throw.

Stimulate the senses Though we would not recommend putting candles in the rooms as a safety precaution, having a signature scented candle burning in the reception areas & the public areas provokes a feeling of luxury & prestige. You may also want to provide the option for your guest to purchase your signature scent to take home with them.

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Articles

How to deliver on your green cleaning commitments EMMA BERTHOLD I Good Environmental Choice Australia

Switching to “green” cleaning products is one of the easiest changes to make when seeking to improve indoor air quality in a building. Many conventional cleaning products contain a range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can contribute to poor air quality and that may, in turn, trigger allergic reactions, headaches, eye irritation, and asthma problems. There are also many other potentially hazardous substances that can be found in cleaning products, all with their own harmful impacts on human health and the environment.

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o how can those in the housekeeping industry know which products have the lowest impact, but are still effective and efficient cleaners? And, more importantly, how can managers make sure that every member of their cleaning and housekeeping team is aware of these products and the best way to use them?

The benefits of establishing a green cleaning program are well documented. Using green cleaning products helps improve the indoor air quality of a building, which has been linked to better health for guests and staff alike. There are also obvious environmental benefits, and if the building has any sustainability performance requirements, using green cleaning products will contribute towards that as well.

In order to fully reap these benefits, first there is the need for managers to select the right products in the right quantity for any motel or hotel. These then need to be used correctly, with cleaning staff following proper procedures and understanding the reasons behind choosing green products over conventional cleaning solutions.

“Many people are already aware of the benefits of green cleaning programs – but unfortunately, the products that managers are buying aren’t actually being used by cleaning staff in a lot of cases,” says Paula Clasby, Marketing Manager for Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA). “Often it’s simply a case of a cleaning staff member not understanding the importance of green cleaning products, or perceiving them to perhaps be inferior to the conventional products they’ve been using for years already.”

Understanding the sustainability credentials of a product can be difficult, and for someone who may not have a background in the specifics of sustainable cleaners, it can be a challenge to weigh up and compare all the available options.

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The easiest way to make sure a product is truly “green” is to look for evidence of third-party certification. An independent ecolabel, such as the scheme run by GECA, shows that a product has been assessed against health and/or environmental standards and is not simply “greenwashing” (making misleading environmental claims). GECA’s standards also require that all certified products are fit for purpose, ensuring that products aren’t only better for the environment, but that they will be effective cleaning solutions as well.

Once products are selected and purchased, there’s the issue of checking that cleaning staff are not inadvertently using different products in their place. “We’ve heard stories of staff members adding bleach to cleaning units that are designed to use only water, or insisting on using bathroom cleaners with a strong fragrance because that’s perceived as an indicator of an effective clean,” says Paula. ”So it then becomes a matter of making sure that all cleaning staff understand what they’re using and how it will benefit them.”

It’s one thing to understand all the benefits of having a sustainable cleaning program – it’s another to ensure that everyone else shares that understanding. But the extra effort and education required is definitely worthwhile: choosing more sustainable cleaning products will benefit the health of staff and guests alike, as well as being better for the environment.

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

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South Pacific Laundry specialises in the provision of quality linen and supplies for the customer service and hospitality industries

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Adelaide

South Pacific Laundry South Pacific Laundry (SPL) has been a provider of commercial laundry and linen services to the hospitality industry in Melbourne for the last 20 years. Currently, the South Pacific Group is establishing a strong network of modern laundry across Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland with plans for Perth expansion and several more facilities up the East Coast of Australia in 2015. The relocation of our Sydney operations to a new larger facility in Bankstown together with the relocation of our Brunswick plant to Broadmeadows will establish South Pacific Laundry as the single largest privately owned laundry in Australia and in the Southern Hemisphere.

SPL provides: • A 365 day service to all its clientele with a 24 hour turnaround.

• Dedicated account managers and experienced support staff who are available 7 days a week • A dedicated software design package and centralized billing system enables seamless transactions, paperless and customized reports.

• Delivery rationalization systems, providing and streamlining efficient delivery routes which will reduce the company’s carbon footprint.

• Building of partnerships and sharing benefits with the customers from savings made through its constant laundry process innovations and group purchasing power of linen products.

• Dry cleaning, Uniform cleaning services, General building cleaning, Housekeeping services, Dust mat hire and Cleaning services.

• Provision and supplying of Corporate uniforms and customised Amenities.

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Contact Robert Teoh National Public Relations & Marketing P: (03) 9388 5300 M: 0421 716 888

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Coverage Australia wide Pricing Information Contact supplier direct Delivery Free daily delivery within 25km city metropolitan areas Minimum Order Contact supplier direct Full Contact Information South Pacific Laundry 9-23 King William St Broadmeadows VIC 3047 P: (03) 9388 5300 F: (03) 9387 2399 E: customerservice@southpacificlaundry.com.au robert.teoh@southpacificlaundry.com.au

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

Cleaning with Colour

JOHN TAYLOR

Colour coding cleaning products is so simple but the positive ramifications of an effective system are immense.

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o where did colour coding originate? One of the earliest local examples was a pharmaceutical manufacturer trying to break into the Japanese market for toothpaste. The Japanese are fastidious with process and obviously with clean production areas and for the company to get the contract they had to segment areas. It was decided to colour code each area so administration was blue; dirty areas such as toilet blocks were red; warehousing and logistics were black and the production area was colour coded white and so forth. Healthcare was starting to work on a similar principle of colour coding areas to stop cross contamination. It is now mandatory in healthcare to colour code and over the years as colours became standardised – for many years each state had its own system – the cleaning product manufacturers can confidently produce colour coded products.

 ♦

for Microfibre Cleaning Cloths ♦ Microfibre Mop Heads

 

 



Why should hospitality bother with colour coding?

It is already in kitchens. For instance chopping boards and utensils are colour coded to stop the possibility of foods being contaminated particularly with raw and cooked meats.

Housekeeping in rooms can be broken down into ♦ The correct coloured cloth and mop head areas such as the must be used in the allocated area. ♦ A new microfibre cloth and mop head must be bathroom and used for each room. possibly a kitchen ♦ Used cloths are to returned to the laundry at area and the rest the end of each shift. can be classified as general areas. The reason the areas are segregated is the bathroom is where there is a greater likelihood of body fluids that can harbour harmful bacteria or germs that can be transferred between people. Some bacteria can live for days given the optimum conditions of a dark, warm and moist area. If the kitchen has been used for cooking there is a likelihood of grease and fat being present. This can easily be spread to other areas creating slip hazards and/or making surfaces difficult to clean. By colour coding the cleaning products for each area the likelihood of cross contamination is greatly reduced.

Housekeeping has a plethora of colour coded products available if standard colours are used. As healthcare have been using colours for a considerable time it is logical to use the colours available and to stop any confusion, and to take advantage of manufacturers labelling, to align with the healthcare colours.

Some manufacturers are producing wall charts to assist staff and even labelling the products with the area of use. This is a great advantage when training new staff and assisting in an industry where English is often a second language. The standard colours for reusable cleaning equipment are red for bathrooms; green for kitchens and food preparation areas and blue for general areas.

Other colours readily available are yellow and white. Another advantage of using the healthcare colours is if staff have worked in the healthcare industry they are already aware of the colours and a number of other sectors are adopting the colours for instance retail in shopping centres.

The decision determining which colour coded products to use is dependent on the property. A rule of thumb is that if an item is used wet or in a wet area it should be changed after each area e.g. bathrooms, sinks and damp wiping. The use of colour coded microfibre cloths can be very cost effective particularly if an internal laundry is available. Launderable microfibre cloths can vary in price from $2.00 to $7.00. The more expensive cloths have anti-bacterial properties and can be laundered 500+ times that equates to a cost of less than 2 cents per use and good quality microfibre does not require the excessive use of chemicals. The traditional colour coded mop and bucket is giving way to the colour coded microfibre mops/covers with the handle holding an integrated water reservoir, ideal for small areas and the Velcro covers are easily changed after each room if required.

If a laundry is not available there is a host of colour coded disposable wipes on the market. Some of the other colour coded products available include: dust pans and brushes; lobby pans; brooms of all sizes and fibres; many different styles of scrubbing brushes; floor squeegees; aluminium handles; chemical labelling; gloves both reusable and disposable; bins and vacuum cleaners.

Apart from the general housekeeping areas colour coding can be used to define areas. For instance bins to be only used in back of house could be a different colour to those used elsewhere. Items to be used in the gym and pool area could have their own colour and the dock and car park could have items coloured black, which has become the preferred colour for these areas.

It is clear that in the hospitality industry a simple colour coding system has many benefits for both your guests and staff, and can be an effective cost saver.

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Articles

Seeing spots

COL NATION

As I travel around, I often look through the visitor comment books left in some accommodation. One common statement is “The place was spotless”. But it only takes one spot for carpet or furniture not to be spotless any more.

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uests are great. They provide our livelihood if we choose to work in hospitality. But guests are people too, and people have accidents. When we ourselves go on holidays or business trips we sometimes let our hair down and it’s certainly not uncommon for people to relax just a little too much, or drink just a little too much, or eat just a little too much. This is great because, as you well know, this is how the hospitality industry earns a living. So with this in mind we cannot really complain when a guest has a little accident with the red wine, or a larger accident brought on by too much of a good thing and leave us with the spots to clean up afterwards.

Spots and stains on furnishings are a fact of life in this business.

In this article I will hopefully show you a few tips that will help deal with life’s little (or big) accidents.

Spots and stains in carpet can be simply categorised into just four categories. Each category needs to be dealt with differently.

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1: Dry soils – Sand, grit, dust, clothing fibres, skin flakes.

2: Water soluble soils – Sugars, starches and salts.

3: Oily soils – Ice cream, gravy, cooking oils, sun crème, makeup, pollution.

4: Dyes – Artificial dyes like coloured drinks, and natural dyes (tannins) as in tea, coffee, red wine and mineral oxides, like rust.

There are of course, combinations of these points.

But there are some simple rules for stain removal that can help you, your staff and even your guests, deal with most accidental spills.

If it is dry soil, don’t worry, it will vacuum out.

If it is water soluble then it can be removed with just water.

Oily soils need detergents to turn them into a water soluble state that can then be removed with water.

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Dyes are dyes. Dyes will not clean out with normal cleaning.

On wool and nylon carpets, foreign dyes like red cordial will require specialist treatments to de-colour and possibly re-colouring to bring back the original carpet colour. So leave the dye stains to the experts.

Rule 2: Clean like with like. Like dissolves like. You may remember that from high school chemistry. Most of what we eat and drink is water soluble and therefore only water is required because it is already water soluble. Most spills are simply water soluble.

The 2 rules for spot cleaning: Rule 1: Blot, Dilute and Blot.

Rule 2: Clean like with like.

If they are not water soluble then they may be in the oily range and may respond to a simple detergent solution such as a carpet spotter. Detergents are made from oils, whether they are made from mineral oils or things like palm oil, detergents and soaps make oily soils into a water soluble state, so you can now rinse this residue with water.

Rule 1: Blot, dilute blot. Blot up as much of the spill as possible using paper towels or a sponge. If you get to it early you will eliminate most of the problem if not all of it with nothing more than the blotting. Then if there is any stain remaining, dilute it with water (if appropriate, see rule 2). Don’t pour on a bucket of water, just re-wet the area with about the same volume of water as the original spill, if this means drops of spills then use drops of water.

Then blot again. Repeat this until the stain is gone or you get no further improvement.

Then cover the area with a thick wad of paper towel and sit a flat object on the top of the paper towel. Leave this sit over night if possible. This draws any residue up into the towel instead of drying on the surface of the carpet. You then throw the paper towel away along with the stain.

So, fatty or oily spills need detergents. Housekeeping can deal with these using a WoolSafe Approved detergent spotter.

This leaves us with the dyes. Dye stain removal is a specialty area. Don’t use bleaches as these will either dissolve the wool fibres or leave you with a big white mark instead of the little red mark. There are specialists who can deal with these and you can find them on the WoolSafe website at www.woolsafe.org A simple answer to solving guests little accidents is to provide a simple “spill kit” in each guest room.

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Articles

A roll of paper towel or a ‘Slurpee’ sponge and a spray bottle filled with nothing but water. There are no fancy chemicals required. This is all they need to deal with most spills. Many guests will happily clean up their spills if they are given these simple tools. If the kit doesn’t work, then at least they haven’t done any harm or set it in. Cleaning staff or professional cleaners can deal with the remainder later on.

Tea, coffee, wine, beer, soft drink, cordial, alcoholic drinks, milk, and medicines and the like are all simply chemicals such as sugar, starch, flavours, and colouring matter, dissolved in water.

These will often take a minute or two to penetrate into a fibre.

These will dissolve in water if attended to early. Simply blot – dilute – blot and most of the problems are gone.

Sometimes there are fats in the spill such as gravy and milk.

The water soluble component can be removed with the blotting and diluting action but some of the fats and oils may remain.

There is no panic with these as they do not cause damage to the fibres and can be dealt with using detergents later on when cleaning is carried out.

Colouring matter such as the dye in red cordials and the colouring in some alcoholic beverages is usually standard food colouring which is an “acid dye”. Acid dyes are used by carpet manufacturers to dye both wool and nylon carpet. So a red drink spill simply dyes the carpet if left too long on the carpet. Is it any wonder kids run around like lunatics after an afternoon on the red cordial? Applying a detergent to a red cordial spill will only help it penetrate into the fibres where it will become a stain.

But water will simply dilute the cordial without changing the chemistry of the cordial and it will simply blot up into the paper towel.

If a guest can simply blot up a spill with their spill kit sponge or towelling and spray it with water and blot again, then you can eliminate many of your problems.

Simply provide the following directions in your spill kit.

Spill kit directions 1: Blot with paper towel. Do not rub. (or sponge, as the case may be) 2: Spray with water, 3: Blot again with paper towel.

4: If stain remains do not try other treatments, either call reception or leave it for our friendly house keeping staff.

So now you don’t have to see red, or other coloured spots when a guest has an accidental spill and you can save yourself some money and time by giving the guest the power to help themselves and help you keep your place spotless.

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5 reasons your property should be independently Star Rated. #

In a recent study* undertaken by global market research agency, TNS Research International, it was found that consumers place more trust in independently-rated properties than self-rated ones.

The global research study revealed that:

1 2 3 4 5

50% of consumers agree that independent ratings accurately reflect property standards versus only 8% for self ratings.

59% of consumers said that an independent rating is a rating that I can trust versus 5% for self ratings.

So, what’s your Star Rating?^ To have your property independently star rated, contact Star Ratings Australia on 03 9601 3325, via email info@starratings.com.au or visit our website for more information at starratings.com.au

52% of consumers agree that an independent Star Rating is consistent versus 8% for self ratings.

70% of consumers agree that independent Star Ratings are easy for me to understand versus 20% for self ratings.

58% of consumers have stated that an independent Star Rating is influential in my decision versus 8% self ratings.

*2016 TNS Research International. Base: total n=960. Significantly higher than total at 95% confidence level. ^A Star Rating is determined by more than 200 criteria that have been ranked by Australian travellers according to what’s important to them. #Star Ratings is an internationally recognised symbol for quality accommodation standards. It is used in more than 70 countries worldwide and reflects the cleanliness, quality and conditions of guest facilities.

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The benefits of using ozone for a clean smelling room AMANDA NOTT I RainbowAir Australia

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zone is very effective in eliminating odours including tobacco smoke, human and pet odours, food odours, mould and mildew odours, garbage odours, renovation odours and much more. It is not a re-odorant. It totally destroys the offending gases that are the source of everything we smell. Unlike many other deodorising methods, ozone actually searches out and destroys the problem gases. It will react with contaminants in the air, water, fabrics and on other surface of the walls and ceilings. Unlike other types of air purification systems, an ozone generator does not depend on the air passing through the machine to do its job. Ozone generators also produce large quantities of ions via the corona discharge. The ions cause the dust particles to agglomerate, and precipitate from the air leaving a cleaner environment.

What is Ozone?

Ozone is often referred to as nature’s own purifier. It is evident at the seashore, in rain forests and after thunderstorms. We are all thoroughly aware of the protection the ozone layer affords us.

Ozone also referred to as activated oxygen or trivalent oxygen is created naturally in our environment either through electricity, photosynthesis or by ultraviolet radiation from the sun. It makes up approximately 20% of the air we breathe every day. Ozone is created when one of these forces cause Oxygen to split into two

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separate atoms. The freed atom then attaches itself to an O2 molecule, recombining to create Ozone. The word “Ozone” is derived from the Greek word “ozone” which means, “to smell”.

In high levels ozone is bluish in colour, which is why the sky is blue. Ozone was discovered in the late 1800’s and is classified as the second strongest oxidiser in the world. In has been used over the last century to purify water and eliminate a wide range of odours in as a wide range of applications. In the most effective types of product the ozone is generated by high-voltage corona discharge duplicating the way lightning creates it.

How Does Ozone Work To Eliminate Odours?

As ozone is created it floats freely in the air and water. By nature it is an unstable molecule and has a half-life of approximately 20 minutes. Shortly after ozone is created it begins to break back down. It will cast off the first ozone atom, which will recombine with either another oxygen atom, reverting back to simple Oxygen (O2), or it will recombine with another gaseous element forming an inert gas losing all of its odour characteristics. Picture a room full of smoke; it is the phenol gas that is released that is the basis of the odour. It is in the air and on the surface of all areas exposed to the smoke. When introduced to that environment, the ozone quickly breaks down as it combines with the phenol gas molecule destroying all odour characteristics.

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

DO YOUR ROOMS STINK? RainbowAir Activator solves the problem of room odours quickly, easily and economically.

This lightweight, portable unit produces ozone, nature’s most powerful odour-extinguisher. The ozone will penetrate fabrics and furnishings, killing odours such as smoke, mould and mildew, body and food.

Your housekeeper moves the unit from room to room as she cleans, leaving each room fresh smelling and odour free.

Give your guests the clean air they deserve with the RainbowAir Activator. Call for more information.

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www.rainbowair.com.au 29

Articles

How to implement a chemical-free cleaning program in your motel MURRAY MCDONALD I Director of Duplex Cleaning Machines

The 3000 year old mop, chemicals and bucket method is fast becoming a process of the past for the motel industry. Over the last 15 years, the push for chemical free cleaning has increased dramatically, both domestically and commercially. One of the leading industries in this movement is the accommodation sector, with the term “green cleaning” becoming more widespread.

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temperature steam vapour at +160 degrees Celsius will not only eliminate bed bugs, but kill all bacteria and remove mould.

Every motel can implement a sustainable cleaning routine that covers key priority areas. Here are three priority areas of a motel where a chemical-free cleaning program can be implemented.

In regards to tools and attachments to complete these cleaning applications, using a lance to expose infestations to extreme heat

mong 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 vapour technology and microfibre. As well as this, more guests and staff are developing allergies to chemical disinfectants, making steam vapour cleaning a popular alternative.

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. Bed bugs are extremely vulnerable to heat. High temperature steam vapour of +160ºC instantly kills bed bugs and gets rid of their eggs.

In order to effectively sterilise upholstery and mattresses, high

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

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

can be 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 steam vapour.

This technique allows the tool to be moved on top of and around infested areas to get rid of bed bugs.

Carpets Cleaning carpets in motels 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 for guests. When the dirt gets trapped within the fibres, stains often reappear within weeks of cleaning.

When implementing a high temperature steam vapour process for carpet cleaning, find a method that achieves a 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 vapour and microfibre in the bathroom will not only 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. With temperatures that high you can eliminate all bacteria. The heat also thermally melts grime and destroys mould spores and the steam vapour’s pressure blasts grime out of hard to reach areas.

The most efficient way to clean a typical sized bathroom with steam vapour is combining steam with a nylon detailing brush and a steam mini mop. The lance will provide a jet of high pressure concentrated steam vapour and the brush is used to detail clean smaller areas like taps, drains, rails, toilets etc.

The steam mini mop can be used to clean larger areas like floors, walls and shower recesses.

Murray McDonald is Director of Duplex Cleaning Machines and has over 25 years of experience in improving cleaning standards for the accommodation industry through chemical-free solutions. Visit www.duplexcleaning.com.au

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Articles

The refurbishment = revenue equation ALL THE R’s – Revenue, Rack Rate and Refurbishment Race

AMANDA BEAZLEY I Managing Director and Designer, The Beazley Group

We have all heard the old adage “you have to spend money to make money”, well this has never been more true than in our Industry. However luckily enough we have an Equation that adds up and makes sense to prove the theory. No more guess work.

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oteliers, especially the smaller Independent Motels outside of the CBD, and I’m talking about your average 3-4 star Motel of no more than 30 rooms, often run the “Refurbish or run-down” race. They stretch out spending money on refurbishing their Property until it starts to really show signs of being run down. This is because, the Revenue they are getting back from the Property may not be great and so we tend to hold onto what we have. Completely understandable, especially as Occupancy Levels can sometimes be volatile and inconsistent. However, if it is left, just that little bit too long, it effects the Revenue greatly as Occupancy decreases, all of a sudden, instead of being in front of the race, we are playing catch up and trying to make money when we no longer have a worth while product to sell.

The result is: Occupancy Levels drop, you have to drop rack rates to attract Business, that effects Revenue and all of a sudden you no longer have the money to fix the situation = you lose the race. Makes life of the Motelier harder.

So here IS what makes sense… You invest in the Property, Refurbish rooms, even if it is only a half or third of the rooms, you start to charge a slightly higher Rack Rate for those rooms, this in turn increases the Occupancy and the property starts making more money faster, with a better product that you can easily sell, be proud of the Property AND the Investment is paid back in about three years.

Of course this only works if the rooms are refurbished completely, if it’s just a lick of paint or a new bed covering, the impact isn’t enough and the Rack Rate increase can’t be justified. And the Occupancy level wont increase. Likewise, it doesn’t add up to do the refurbishment yourself instead of having a professional Refurbishment Company undertake the work. The process by doing it yourself takes too long and it takes your eye off the Operational side of the Business and the benefits are equaled out making no impact.

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motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

We have recently finished completing a Refurbishment of a property, of just 13 rooms and bathrooms. Previous to the Refurb, the rooms were clean but dated and tired. After Refurbishment, which took 3 weeks in two stages, the rooms were assessed and given an extra star for rating, the owner increased the Rack Rate by a very conservative $10, and all of a sudden the bottom line looks good. The figures add up and the rooms are making money again, not just surviving.

Below is an example of how the Figures look.

AVERAGE MOTEL EXAMPLE – Lets say we only Refurbish 10 Rooms of the 30 Room Motel to assist with Cash Flow 10 Rooms Example

CURRENT

AFTER REFURB

Average Occupancy Rate

60%

70%

Number of Rooms

10

10

Rack Rate

$110 per night

$120

Current Revenue Estimate

$240K

+$66K = $3064K

Cost of Refurbishment

Lets say $12k per room = $120,000

= Rate of Return on Investment

55% Paid back in less than two years.

When you tackle it this way, which is The “IDEAL” approach when you are Refurbishing one third of your rooms, not only do you increase your revenue, you pay back the Investment in less approx 2 years.

It makes sense and is THE IDEAL SOLUTION. With no extra effort from you, the operator. The rooms start making money, the figures look positive and so does the future, but you need to trust in your product, trust the Professionals who are doing your Refurbishment and Invest in your Property before you lose the Race. Going back to where we started, ‘you have to spend money to make money’, but with an equation of Refurbishment = Revenue, it all makes sense.

The next step is to Launch your new rooms into the Market, advertise! Put new photos on your website, let people know in your area and through Social Media than you have newly refurbished Rooms. In no time at all, the decision to Invest in your Investment, will increase your bottom line to the point, that you will need to Refurbish the remainder of the Rooms to keep up with demand. What a great problem to have! All of a sudden your off and running and in front of the Race.

For Further advise on the Refurbishment = Revenue equation, please call Amanda Beazley – Designer and Managing Director, The Beazley Group

refurbishment design + fitout

www.johnbeazley.com.au p 02 9642 6622 e enquiries@johnbeazley.com.au

HYDE PARK INN - NEW SOFT REFURBISHMENT AND BATHROOMS

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Leaders in the field of Hospitality Design and Fitout for over three decades. From small country motels to large hotels, guest rooms to public areas. From Design Consultancy, one-off items to full fitout packages. We offer a turn-key service taking a project through Interior Design, Manufacture, Project Management and Installation.

Call for a consultation, we would love to have a chat.

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I D E A L

S O L U T I O N 12/10/2016 1:28 pm

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Articles

People, Profit, Planet:

The benefits of sustainable hospitality RYAN COLLINS I Recycling Programs Manager, Planet Ark

Waste might not be the most glamorous part of running a business, but when you consider that recycling, reducing waste and making small changes can benefit your business financially, enhance your profile in the community and help the environment, it really is a no-brainer.

F

or example, have you ever considered the true cost of your motel’s waste? Throwing out usable food or toiletries like soap bars or little bottles of shampoo that have been used once by a guest are the same as putting money in the bin. Not only is the business paying for the supply of the food, delivery of toiletries and their subsequent disposal if unused, it is also missing out on revenue and savings opportunities. It’s a triple whammy to the business! For the environment, it means the resources that go into harvesting, transporting, processing and distributing the items have all gone to waste.

If you’re looking for proof that introducing green initiatives is good for business, then there are plenty of examples of businesses across Australia that are reaping the many benefits.

A notable recycling star is the Alto on Bourke in Melbourne.

Alto Hotel has set a high industry standard with its attention and commitment to sustainable initiatives. The Alto Hotel has broken through the barriers to workplace recycling and introduced successful strategies such as staff training and support from management thanks to the General Manager, Gary Stickland.

The initiatives were developed following the establishment of the ‘Alto Green Team’, which is a group of Alto staff interested in and committed to sustainability and achieving positive environmental outcomes for the hotel and its guests.

Some of Alto Hotel’s ‘green initiatives’ have included making 100 per cent of the electricity used wind generated, applying water restrictors to all showers and taps, establishing on-site vegetable scrap composting and eliminating all plastic toiletry bottles and replacing them with refillable, pump action dispensers. Another initiative also includes guest involvement. Guests are given options to not have their towels and linen changed daily and encouraged to separate their waste into recyclable and general waste in their rooms (using a provided dual-chamber bin).

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motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

By making these changes, the hotel has reduced its energy and water consumption and waste to landfill and halved its carbon dioxide output. The hotel’s commitment to sustainability has also seen its occupancy rate increase to 94 per cent and enhanced staff morale, in turn reducing staff turnover.

»» Fit energy-saving globes and room key tags to switch off lights.

Where to start might seem overwhelming, but there is help available for hotels and motels wanting to make positive changes and step into sustainable hospitality. Planet Ark’s BusinessRecycling.com.au website provides a step-by-step toolkit for getting started, including the Choose the Right Recycler Checklist and free signage.

Even a few of these measures can be enough to substantially reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and overheads in the longer term. Financial and environmental benefits are not mutually exclusive and embracing waste reduction and recycling can be a win-win for your business.

»» Implement better inventory control and reduction of unsold product waste.

BusinessRecycling.com.au can also help hoteliers with many issues they might face, including those struggling to find where and how they can recycle the hard items –like mattresses! By using the search function on the website, BusinessRecycling provides a breakdown of locations of mattress recycling facilities in Australia. For example, in Sydney there are 10 drop-off locations alone for mattress recycling.

Government resources are also available, such as the NSW Environment Protection Authority’s Bin Trim tool, which helps you measure the waste generated by your business and gives you tailored information to reduce, reuse and recycle materials.

There’s never been a better time to get started on reuse and recycling than Planet Ark’s National Recycling Week, taking place between 7th and 13th of November 2016.

Don’t forget to check out how your hotel can get involved by visiting recyclingweek.planetark.org.

Further tips Recycling »» Implement a good solution for food waste, which can often be the biggest form of waste. A number of Australian hotels have their own composters, like Alto Hotel in Melbourne, and many pick fresh produce from their gardens. »» Recycle glass, plastic, cardboard, papers, metal, aluminium and textiles. »» Compost grass cuttings and garden waste. »» Reuse grey water in the garden maintenance.

Waste prevention »» Buy container refills as opposed to individual soaps, much of which are wasted. »» Avoid buying disposable products and unnecessary packaging where you can. »» Ask suppliers about take-back or reusable packaging. »» Use rechargeable batteries in TV remotes and devices. »» Use green electricity.

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Articles

Check In Kiosks –

A Technology Update Hospitality Kiosks have come a long way since Check Inn Systems entered the market and sold the first unit in Australia in the October 2000. Starting from a slow beginning, property owners are starting to realise the enormous benefits and rapid payback in both lifestyle and financial returns that our new technology allows.

R

ecent technology changes incorporate and work with all the products and services that customers expect including interfaces to many popular back office systems, locking systems, cloud booking services such as Expedia and Hotels.com. To explain how easy the systems are to use, clients can book on line, walk up to the kiosk to retrieve room keys, cards or get a check in keypad code, and walk in to their rooms. If the room was not prepaid, the kiosk will ask for payment with a live transaction via property managers choice of credit card, debit card or even cash. A receipt is then emailed to the client and the property manager. For extra security, a pre-auth can also be taken.

Security has been a major concern for some property owners situated near pubs or low socio economic areas. To counter these issues, the new generation of kiosks have a range of solutions starting with fully certifying all transactions as valid, taking multiple photos of the party checking in and recording them against the transaction record. A new service recently introduced includes the visual identification of the person checking in against a drivers license or other identity document by a remote operator. This can be the property manager from his lounge room or bedroom or it may be our affiliated emote property management service whereby full time attendants monitor multiple locations simultaneously and can provide one way video and voice assistance if required.

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As an example, if a motel chain has say 20 properties, they can manage all of these from one remote location with one shift operator and an emergency backup operator.

Kiosks now come in a variety of shapes and sizes including wall mount, floor mount with optional advertising screens, flush mounting models for external high security environments and even desktop options for in lobby use.

Hire a 24/7 Receptionist from $9.20* per day motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

*based on current price, amortisation over 4 years and current software maintenance charges

Mini Kiosk now available

Allows Customers to create or complete an online check-in, in less than 2 minutes...

Our popular Mini Kiosk series hold from 16 to 64 keys or room cards.

They are available on a low cost rental plan which includes full ongoing maintenance and upgrades or as a purchase.

Run as standalone or interfaced to popular booking engines or back office systems.

How it works 1. Customer chooses a room 2. Enters their details 3. Customer can order other 4.

5.

6.

Use youre or on smartph release tablet to manage d a key an ookings b your where from anyworld! in the

services, e.g. breakfast, internet...

Pay by credit card which is authorised online A tax invoice is emailed to the customer Collects their room key or card.

Many other options available! www.checkinn.com.au

Email: sales@checkinn.com.au

• Allows collection of keys, room cards or room codes for pre-booked rooms or sells rooms • Shows photos and details of available rooms • Allows customers to stay up to selected number of days • Full EFTPOS and or CASH acceptor available on larger models • Security enhancement through use of optional pre-authorisation • Dispenses room keys or pre-written room cards • Holds 16 keys or cards (optional 64) • Access management reports from reception computer • Security camera attaches photo to transaction record • Green, paper saver. No printer required, receipts are emailed only.

Call us for more details

+61 3 9555 5444

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Profile

Flying high at the Atherton Hinterland Motel

It’s a very strict environment when flying an aeroplane.

What you can say and do is very controlled and routine – and straying from this is a big no-no in the industry. So when former airline pilot John Napier traded in thirty years experience flying aircraft for a shot at running a motel, there was always going to be unknown challenges.

“

I had to follow standard operating procedures in my old job,” John says. “But when I got into the motel, I had to learn how to freely interact with people, how to communicate. It’s very spontaneous in hospitality.”

John now says he has an easier ‘auto pilot’ feel after two years running the Atherton Hinterland Motel in the Tablelands region,

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motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

below Cairns. He runs it with his wife Laura and 16-year-old daughter Esperanza. Laura was a hairdresser before making the switch to motels.

“I eased into it a bit better because hairdressing meant I was interacting with people all day,” Laura says. “But the big difference is instead of chatting to someone for an hour, in the motel you are checking someone in and you have much shorter chats. It was very challenging starting out working 24/7. I have adjusted to it over time but it was a big change. It’s just go, go, go for the whole day and into the night, it’s physically hard.”

Running the Atherton Hinterland Motel is a family show. Laura and Esperanza cook breakfast each morning and dinner most nights for guests, and also look after the cleaning. Esperanza is starting a Certificate III in Hospitality and will do her practical placements at the motel. John looks after the admin, building and property maintenance side of things. Coming from a family of builders, this knowledge is invaluable maintaining the motel in top condition.

“We had a week’s training when the ownership was handed over,” John says. “We learnt how to use the check-in software, invoicing, use EFTPOS, prepare and deliver meals for room service, and generally run the motel. We were so naïve when we started.”

The motel has 17 rooms, including five recently refurbished. There is a freshwater creek and a rainforest area running through the middle of the 2.1-acre property. Guests can see exotic wildlife in the surrounding rainforest, such as owls and tree kangaroos. They’ve recently launched a new website for the motel, too.

Moving to the Tablelands was a big drawcard for the couple, who had moved from Townsville.

“It’s cooler than Cairns and Townsville, we are 2400 feet above sea level and there’s far less humidity, we’ve got waterfalls, rainforests, crystal clear lakes, many animal and birds species,” John said.

“After 30 years in airlines, I wanted to move there because I love this beautiful area. I knew the motel itself from years ago and saw the lease had come up for sale.”

Laura felt the same way, but for different reasons.

“I wanted to get out of hairdressing because of exposure to chemicals every day. They kept making me feel unwell.”

The couple go out of their way for their guests. They offer transport in their own car when guests need to go to places of interest or conduct local business. They take feedback very seriously, and work hard to iron out any flaws in the motel. As Laura says, it’s like bringing someone into your own home. Interestingly, they say they get a lot of Japanese visitors. Some guests are workers doing maintenance work on the roads and powerlines or travel here from western towns to do their shopping. Other guests are young and elderly tourists holidaying in the region and sales reps who are working in the area. Or just guests from as close as Cairns who want a weekend away to enjoy the Atherton Tablelands’ relaxing scenery and beauty.

The motel also hosts students from the local TAFE doing hospitality courses. Students come to clean and service rooms as part of their studies.

The couple admits running the motel takes up most of their time. John still makes time to meet people and be a part of various aero clubs, support local industry and charities, and is mates with local airline pilots based in Cairns but live in the area. He says he “still loves flying – it’s in my blood!” and is even taking up radio-controlled model aircraft as well.

Their plans for the future are to upgrade the rest of the motel as funds allow. There are plans to build up to six more units on the property, which would help fill the accommodation demand during our really busy season.

John, Laura and Esperanza are happy with the changes they’re made.

Life in the Tablelands is a natural paradise and they are settled in their motel. And for former pilot John, there’s no sign of a ‘mayday’ call anytime soon!

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Articles

5 ways to transform your motel bathroom on a budget While guests may choose their accommodation based on its location or amenities, ‘it’s the bathroom that can really make or break their experience, points out Solaris’ Category Marketing Manager, Josh Hastings. The paper manufacturer and marketer believes just a few affordable ways can make an impression where it counts.

1. Bathroom tissue

4. Amenities

hoosing high quality yet affordable toilet paper is one of the easiest ways to make your guests feel right at home. The right bathroom tissue will combine softness with superior strength and breakdown, to keep the plumbing of your guests and your property in tip-top shape.

Your two or three-star property may not be able to offer guests luxury amenities, but it doesn’t mean you can’t make their morning routine a little more pleasant. A few well-placed hooks to hang robes or clothes, a smart-looking bin with a closed lid and a ready supply of facial tissues are always welcome. The ‘Essentials

by LIVI’ facial tissues are hypoallergenic and provide guests with a quality soft tissue, in a convenient cube that is suited to anysized bathroom.

C

The new ‘Jasmine by LIVI’ is a 2-ply soft and absorbent white bathroom tissue that is 100% biodegradable. Each roll is made up of 250 sheets, which are deco leaf embossed for softness and lightly fragranced on the core, not on the tissue. They are available in bales of 48 rolls in convenient packs of four.

2. Toilegami The art of folding toilet paper into origami is known as ‘toilegami’ and has become a feature of motels around the world. It not only lets guests know that the bathroom has been cleaned, but adds a touch of class and personality to the most essential feature of any bathroom. Depending on how creative you are, you can try anything from a standard ‘V’ where the edges of the paper are folded into a triangle, to elaborate pleats or 3D animals.

3. Sustainability Did you know the average accommodation facility uses the equivalent of 29 Olympic swimming pools of water each year?

Using environmentally-friendly products and bathroom fittings will not only help you save on water and energy costs, but also shows guests that your property is committed to protecting the environment.

Make sure your bathroom and toilet tissue is made from 100% virgin fibre and has environmental credentials such as PEFC certification, which is the world’s leading forest certification scheme. It ensures that the paper is sourced from sustainablymanaged forests that adhere with Australian and international environmental laws.

Instead of the standard sign that encourages guests to reuse their towels and enjoy short showers, why not create a quirky message or write a handwritten note that will grab their attention and make a difference.

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Guests often struggle to find space in the bathroom to store their beauty products, hairdryer, toothbrush and razor. A stylish tray or basket is an affordable alternative to shelving and will keep the bathroom neat and tidy during their stay.

5. Towels There’s no doubt that irresistibly soft towels and bath mats are an investment, but they will certainly make an impression on your guests. In addition to size and quality, think about steering away from the traditional white and selecting other neutrals or even a burst of colour.

If you can’t upgrade your linen, you may like to think about how you present towels to guests. Placing a fresh flower on top of a rolled towel can make guests feel special and shows you care about their experience.

Jasmine™ by LIVI is proudly manufactured by Solaris Paper, an Australian managed and operated provider of innovative tissue and hygiene solutions for the hospitality industry. For information and distributors, call 1300 832 883 or visit www.livitissue.com.au

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

www.livitissue.com.au 41

Articles

Hand Hygiene ELIZABETH ORR I Victorian Hand Hygiene Coordinator, VICNISS

The term ‘hand hygiene’ simply means to wash our hands using soap and water or use a product to decontaminate our hands such as antimicrobial solutions, often referred to as hand rubs. Hand hygiene is important to all of us as it helps keep us healthy and prevents transmitting potential harmful germs from our hands to people and the environment we touch.

H

and hygiene is required after touching body fluids such as blood or urine. Washing our hands with soap and water ensuring all surfaces of our hands are covered is very important. Water alone will not remove the germs from your hands, and therefore soap is required to assist the removal of germs from your hands. This will reduce the amount of germs on your hands.

How to Handrub?

RUB HANDS FOR HAND HYGIENE! WASH HANDS WHEN VISIBLY SOILED Duration of the entire procedure: 20-30 seconds

1a

1b

2

Apply a palmful of the product in a cupped hand, covering all surfaces;

3

4

Rub hands palm to palm;

5

Other times hand hygiene is required is before eating meals, after using the bathroom, after blowing your nose, sneezing or coughing, before preparing food, after handling dirty items such as handling rubbish and any other times our hands become dirty.

It is important to recognise the times required to wash or decontaminate your hands and there is two ways to do this.

1. Use soap and water. This may be in the form of nonantimicrobial soap such as a liquid soap or an antibacterial soap that contains an antiseptic.

2. U se a waterless liquid, foam or gel antibacterial solution on your hands (hands rubs).

When cleaning your rooms, washing hands is an important way to ensure the work you are doing is not being lessened by dirty hands. If your hands are visibly soiled, then you are required to wash them using soap and water. If your hands are not visibly soiled, then using a hand rub is preferred as it will remove more germs than soap and water and products are usually less drying on the skin than using soap and water. You should apply moisturiser regularly to keep your hands healthy and prevent them from drying.

The World Health Organisation has developed these posters which demonstrate correct technique with either using soap and water or a hand rub.

Right palm over left dorsum with interlaced fingers and vice versa;

6

Palm to palm with fingers interlaced;

7

Backs of fingers to opposing palms with fingers interlocked;

8

This is an indication of the times you may be required to clean your hands: »» When you enter the motel room »» After removing the used linen

Rotational rubbing of left thumb clasped in right palm and vice versa;

Rotational rubbing, backwards and forwards with clasped fingers of right hand in left palm and vice versa;

Once dry, your hands are safe.

»» If your hands become visibly dirty (required to wash your hands using soap and water) »» After cleaning the bathroom »» After removing the rubbish

All reasonable precautions have been taken by the World Health Organization to verify the information contained in this document. However, the published material is being distributed without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. The responsibility for the interpretation and use of the material lies with the reader. In no event shall the World Health Organization be liable for damages arising from its use.

WHO acknowledges the Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève (HUG), in particular the members of the Infection Control Programme, for their active participation in developing this material.

May 2009

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»» Before you leave the room

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

How to Handwash?

WASH HANDS WHEN VISIBLY SOILED! OTHERWISE, USE HANDRUB Duration of the entire procedure: 40-60 seconds

0

1

Wet hands with water;

3

2

Apply enough soap to cover all hand surfaces;

4

Right palm over left dorsum with interlaced fingers and vice versa;

6

5

Palm to palm with fingers interlaced;

7

Rotational rubbing of left thumb clasped in right palm and vice versa;

9

Rub hands palm to palm;

Backs of fingers to opposing palms with fingers interlocked;

8

Rotational rubbing, backwards and forwards with clasped fingers of right hand in left palm and vice versa;

Rinse hands with water;

10

11

hands becoming contaminated with body fluids or other dirty tasks. They can be overused and be a hindrance to correct hand hygiene. Ideally, once the exposure to body fluids or perceived dirty task has finished, gloves should be removed and hand hygiene performed. In view of hotel room cleaning, gloves may be chosen to be worn during removal of used linen, to clean the bathroom and other perceived tasks where body fluids may be encountered. The gloves should be changed once the task they are being worn for has finished and hand hygiene performed.

The same pair of gloves cannot be worn from the time of entering the room until the room is finished being cleaned. The gloves may become contaminated and therefore are potential to spread germs from one environment to the next simply by touching surfaces with used gloves.

For more information on hand hygiene, visit the Hand Hygiene Australia website at http://www.hha.org.au/home.aspx

About the Author Dry hands thoroughly with a single use towel;

Use towel to turn off faucet;

Your hands are now safe.

Elizabeth is the Victorian hand Hygiene Coordinator and works for VICNISS which is the Victorian Healthcare Associated Infection Surveillance System and is responsible for monitoring surgical site infections in Victorian hospitals. The VICNISS Coordinating Centre collects and analyses data from individual hospitals, and reports quarterly to participants and the Department of Health & Human Services on aggregate, risk adjusted, procedure-specific infection rates.

All reasonable precautions have been taken by the World Health Organization to verify the information contained in this document. However, the published material is being distributed without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. The responsibility for the interpretation and use of the material lies with the reader. In no event shall the World Health Organization be liable for damages arising from its use.

WHO acknowledges the Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève (HUG), in particular the members of the Infection Control Programme, for their active participation in developing this material.

May 2009

Gloves are worn as a barrier to protect the user from their

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Articles

Security access technology for the hospitality industry continues to evolve

MICHAEL BENIKOS I Assa Abloy

The hospitality industry has experienced several significant leaps forward in security access technology in recent years — from being able to offer contactless RFID-based access and related benefits, to providing guests with the ability to unlock guestroom doors using their own personal mobile devices. As lifestyles become increasingly mobile and the demand for quick, self-service solutions has skyrocketed, the accommodation industry have been prompted to adopt amenities that cater to guest desires for more streamlined services, while ensuring that guest safety is maintained at all times.

O

ne of the most widely adopted security access innovations is RFID door lock technology, highly regarded for its cutting-edge security enhancing abilities. When compared to previous magstripe solutions, RFID’s advantages are clear in that it is capable of offering unmatched anti-cloning security through use of an encrypted platform.

Hotels that implement this solution as a result, are able to sidestep many of the commonly known security breach tactics that have made properties still using outdated technology vulnerable. In the rare event that a security-related dispute arises, companies like VingCard lock solutions features audit trail capabilities, allowing hoteliers to quickly discover the access history of each individual lock and minimise liability. Despite being a state-ofthe-art innovation, RFID technology is also increasingly favored for its ability to provide considerable cost savings. Particularly beneficial for properties on a tight budget, RFID keycards serve as an affordable alternative to using traditional metal keys; costing only a fraction of the price to reproduce whenever a guest misplaces one or if you deem that duplicates are needed.

As a truly diverse solution, RFID keys can also come in an array of shapes and sizes that can be tailored to meet a property’s specific needs. A hotel/motel that operates near a beach or close to a theme park for instance, may favour the option of providing guests with RFID wristbands.

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Those hoteliers seeking additional revenue opportunities may also be inclined to leverage RFID’s advantage of being able to serve a multi-functional solution. While predominantly serving as a guestroom key, RFID cards can operate as an alternate and convenient form of payment throughout the property for guests who either forget to bring their wallet, or prefer to leave credit cards and money safely secured in guestroom safes.

Perhaps one of the most influential technologies to affect the guest experience over the past several years has been the rise of personal smart devices. As with other areas of your operation, check-in and guestroom access services have adapted to leverage the diverse functionality of mobile phones and other smart devices. Offering the ability to sidestep long lines at the front desk, platforms such as ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Mobile Access have experienced widespread adoption rates in larger premises and markets around the world.

With ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Mobile Access, guests gain access to a host of services that include the advantage of obtaining a secure digital guestroom access key which allows them to bypass the front desk altogether and go directly to their assigned guestroom to begin enjoying their hotel experience immediately. As a result, today’s travellers are able to begin enjoying their hotel experience immediately. For guests weary of long front desk lines after a lengthy

journey or business travellers on a tight schedule, mobile access represents a vital tool that allows them to take control of their stay and ensure that their satisfaction is maintained. For properties wishing to maintain a competitive edge, hoteliers simply can no longer afford to avoid the need to provide guests with the opportunity to engage in a self-service mobile experience.

When looking back over the past decade, advancements such as RFID and mobile access technology have come about due to the need to address the rapid change in consumer demands. Looking to the future, electronic door lock manufacturers will ultimately continue to innovate newer solutions; ones designed specifically to meet the evolving needs of the hospitality industry and their guests, while maintaining their priority of providing a safe environment and ensuring peace-of-mind.

About ASSA ABLOY Hospitality ASSA ABLOY is the global leader in door opening solutions, dedicated to satisfying end user needs for security, safety and convenience. Since its formation in 1994, ASSA ABLOY has grown from a regional company into an international group with about 46,000 employees, operations in more than 70 countries and sales of SEK 68 billion. In the fast-growing electromechanical security segment, the Group has a leading position in areas such as access control, identification technology, entrance automation and hotel security.

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

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Whatever your taste buds are crying out for Health Pak’s got the brew for you! *Freeze dried, decaffeinated and plunger coffees all roasted by our award winning coffee roaster. *Premium and specialty teas from around the globe blended for the local palette *Artisan hot chocolates. *A large selection of Fairtrade beverages. * A full range of sugars, sweeteners, and creamers to complete your guests’ experience.

Mention you’ve seen this ad and we’ll send you a free sample pack of some of our favourite beverages.

For more information, pricing and free samples please contact E: info@healthpak.com.au P: 1300 652 282 www.healthpak.com.au

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Articles

Hotel to Hands: Saving lives

with free soap Soap Aid is pleased to announce the outstanding achievements of its partnerships with over 300 Australian and New Zealand hotels, motels and accommodation providers.

R

ecently several hotels were recognised for their particular environmental efforts and awarded with Soap Aid’s ‘One Tonne’ Certification.

These awardees achieved the milestone of collecting one tonne of partially used or discarded hotel soap for recycling.

According to Soap Aid’s CEO, Mike Matulick, “Soap Aid’s mission to save children’s lives through improved hygiene whilst positively impacting the environment is made possible with the support of the hotel and accommodation industry. We congratulate and thank each of these hotels and their teams for collecting and recycling 10,000 bars of soap for communities in need”.

Every year 1.4 million children under the age of five die due to the hygiene-related diseases diarrhoea and pneumonia – two illnesses that are entirely preventable.

Handwashing with soap is a simple, effective behaviour that can save lives.

Soap Aid provides free soap and education to improve hand hygiene and prevent the spread of infectious diseases in communities in need.

Soap Aid developed a unique ‘Hotel to Hands’ model and through its partnerships with the hotel industry and Rotary is able to collect, sort, clean and reprocess discarded soap. Soap Aid currently arranges soap collections from Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra and its surroundings, Dubbo, Wagga Wagga, Sydney and Perth.

“We are constantly working to expand our collection areas, however hotels based outside these locations are encouraged to join the community and organise their own returns to Soap Aid’s Melbourne depot,” explains Mike.

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Since its creation in 2011, Soap Aid has produced over 440,000 bars of soap and has distributed to communities in India, Cambodia and Indonesia, as well as 50,000 soap bars to Fiji to support relief efforts after Tropical Cyclone Winston.

This soap has reached 350 boys and 261 girls from four schools on Naviti Island as part of Emergency Hygiene Kits.

of up to 19,500 across schools, households and community facilities.

In Australia, infectious diseases such as trachoma are causing serious health issues in some remote indigenous communities. Trachoma is a contagious bacterial eye infection that causes extreme inflammation, which can lead to blindness.

This year Soap Aid has partnered with WA Country Health Service in its ‘Squeaky Clean Kids Program’. The aim of this program is to reduce the incidence of infectious diseases in remote communities, specifically targeting trachoma infections.

Soap Aid will provide soap and hygiene education resources that aim to reach 63 Aboriginal communities with populations

Donors, supporters, corporate sponsors and hotel partners can keep up to date with the latest news by following and supporting Soap Aid on its social media.

Hotels wanting to join Soap Aid’s ‘Hotel to Hands’ community and help Soap Aid continue its mission and reach more disadvantaged communities, can visit Soap Aid’s website www.soapaid.org and register online.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/soapaidltd/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/soap_aid/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/soap-aid Twitter: twitter.com/SoapAid_Org

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

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Articles

Motel wifi JUDY SENN I Director, Time Out Internet

In this article Judy Senn of Time Out Internet looks into Motel Wifi. We have broken this down into two parts: Part 1 looking at “HOW DO YOU CHOOSE THE CORRECT GUEST WIFI SYSTEM FOR YOUR BUSINESS WHEN YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT WIFI?” and Part 2 focussing on DELIVERING THE WIFI SIGNAL TO YOUR GUESTS – HOW TO CHOOSE THE CORRECT METHOD FOR YOU AND YOUR GUESTS.

Part 1

Free Wifi

s an accommodation provider and business owner there are many different hats you have to wear on a daily basis and “jack of all trades” often springs to mind. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses and you can’t be an expert at everything, particularly when it comes to the ever changing and evolving world of technology; and in this instance – guest wifi.

An amount of free data given to a guest upon arrival is NOT enough to keep them happy for their stay. What if an update has come out for an application and that free data amount you give the guest for their whole stay is eaten up by the update in 5 minutes? You will have a cranky guest.

A

You may have a wifi system already and be looking to upgrade as it is not meeting your businesses needs.

I have compiled some things for you to think about and questions to ask before choosing a wifi system/supplier.

This information is essential when scoping a wifi system to meet your businesses and site requirements.

Installation of the system Ask the wifi supplier these questions before making any decisions: »» If you pay for or pay a monthly fee/lease for the equipment and installation, do you have the ability to provide whatever amount of free data to your guests you want to, when you want to? »» Do you have the ability to sell data –set the price and receive 100% of the revenue? »» If you are not paying anything for the equipment or installation, can you give free wifi and sell some more? »» Can you provide an amount of free data per day per room/unit/ apartment and if so, ask your supplier how much will it cost for you to provide the following amounts of free data per day per room/unit/apartment – 500Mb and 1Gb »» Can the guest autonomously access their login details for the free data or do you have to hand them out from reception? »» Can the guest easily purchase more data at a competitive price? If so can that pricing be changed/lowered by you?

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Microsoft released an update in July that was 250Mb – updates are getting bigger and bigger and most occur automatically when a device connects to a wifi network.

Guests want an amount of free data EVERY day of their stay – you need to be able to give them some free data EVERY day.

The minimum amount of free data you want to be providing your guests is 500Mb of data per day and the amount is only going to go up and very rapidly. Your wifi system needs to have the capability to be able to change as and when you need and it’s imperative that you know what your out of pocket expense is going to be before you choose a wifi supplier!

You do not want any surprises down the track if you have chosen a supplier whose model is to re-coup their overheads as they installed the system for free of charge to you. Which will not give you the flexibility to do what your business requires when you need to – someone has to pay for it – it will be you – and it won’t be cheap!

Conference Facilities/Group Meeting Rooms You must ensure that you meet the needs of conference/meeting attendees and the most important service is wifi connectivity. An average participant arrives at a meeting/conference with three (3) devices that can connect to wifi. Access to the wifi in the facility must be easy, quick and reliable and for the attendees – FREE! Ask the wifi supplier these questions: »» Does the wifi system allow for conference usage? »» If you have a conference facility/meeting rooms, what is the maximum number of concurrent users/devices that may be online in the conference facility at the one time?

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

»» Can you have one login for multiple conference users so that you don’t have to give a separate login to every conference attendee?

Devices are getting smaller and smaller and there has been a saturation of wireless signals into the spectrum that were not there a year, two or three years ago.

»» Can you get a report at the end of the conference with the amount of data used by the conference and charge the conference organiser for the usage?

Because most wifi devices work on 2.4 Ghz range and this frequency is the unlicensed spectrum so any manufacturer can use it for any device that can have a wireless signal attached to it, including remote controls, mice, keyboards, etc. The frequency is only going to get more saturated as more devices become wirelessly accessible.

Before making any decisions, ensure you are comparing apples to apples – every wifi supplier has a different business model. »» Read their testimonials. »» Call their existing customers and find out how their wifi system is going. »» Has it met their business needs? »» Is it easy to use – for them and for their guests? »» How is the support for them and their guests? »» Would they recommend the wifi supplier?

I hope that this helps in your path to finding a wifi supplier for your business. Ask the questions. Gather your information.

Make informed decisions.

Part 2 We now focus on how to get the wifi signal to your guest in a manner that is going to suit your requirements now and into the future by a reputable and accredited supplier, using accredited equipment.

There are all these signals out in the air competing against each other for their piece of the spectrum. What this does is drown your wifi signal the more signals that are out there.

Your external wifi system (hitting your building with wifi from the outside) may have been working extremely well 2 years ago, but you may be finding that the signal strength is degrading and connectivity and transmission from the access point to the device trying to use the wifi, has depleted. There are more wifi signals now between the access point and the device trying to connect – hence depleting and degrading the signal and transmit ability. It is only going to get worse as more and more equipment is being introduced with wireless capability.

So how do you overcome this? You have to bring the access point(s) closer to the devices trying to connect – closer to your guest and you can’t get much closer than in their motel room or holiday unit. By having a device per motel room or unit/apartment you are giving them their own signal to connect to with very little interference from other wireless devices.

The experience for the guest will be better with less drop outs and if you do have a fast internet connection (NBN) the data will flow faster.

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motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

You may not be slated for the NBN for another two to three years but still require a better wifi delivery. By starting to look at going in room now or even moving in room soon, will future proof you for the NBN. The suppliers you speak to should be asking you about the NBN and when you are getting it and advising you of what you can do now and in the future.

There are different ways to deliver the in-room experience. If your building has Cat 5 data cabling for your telephones, these can be used. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a building with Cat 5 data cabling – Cat 3 telephone lines can be utilised if you have an analog PABX system and will still allow your telephones to work. These solutions need to be scoped accordingly and there are certain requirements needed at the site – your wifi vendor/ supplier should be asking you these questions and looking at the most cost effective solution for you depending on what you have for them to work with.

There has been some significant changes in technology this year and the availability of equipment and devices from overseas, particularly China has seen technology now in reach of wifi vendors/suppliers and being able to on sell to you at nonexorbitant prices.

This is VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW. Ensure that the wifi vendor/ supplier you choose is using equipment that is C Ticked/A Ticked/ Compliance Marked for Australian use. If you have equipment installed that has not been approved to be used in Australia, the fines are hefty – thousands and thousands of dollars to you and the wifi vendor/supplier.

Even data cable has to have a C Tick/A Tick/Compliance Approval – this is how strict the enforcement is by ACMA.

Always ensure that the wifi vendor is an accredited data cabler – data cabling is a regulated industry in Australia and again the fines are huge if you are found to have “illegally” laid data cabling. The person doing any data cabling must provide you with a TCA1 form for any new cabling laid. If they do not willingly hand this to you, ask them to give you one and check their accreditation. They should be carrying a credit card sized card with them with their credentials.

Before making any decisions, ensure you compare different solutions. »» Ask if all the equipment being used for your site has a C Tick/A Tick/Compliance Mark (including the data cable) »» Ask the wifi supplier if they are an accredited data cabler and ask for their credentials. »» Call their existing customers and find out how their wifi system is going and was the installation completed professionally. »» Ask them has it met their business needs? »» Ask them how is the support for them and their guests? »» Would they recommend the wifi supplier?

Sometimes the cheaper option is too good to be true.

There is always a catch and you need to be aware of your rights.

Ask the questions and be informed.

For further information regarding this article please contact Judy Senn, Director, Time Out Internet www.timeoutinternet.com 1300 55 77 54.

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Articles

BizAus exit plan check Are you ready to exit?

PHIL MUSSETT

At some point in time every Motel and Management Rights owners will move on.

Y

ou have probably heard that an owner should be thinking about their exit from the day they started or acquired the business. Unfortunately most owners don’t and in many cases they leave money on the table when they exit.

is making a profit its worth a bit more than one making a loss but buyers and particularly their lenders look at a number of other characteristics.

The sooner you start planning your exit, even if its as much as twenty years away, the better. Why because from day one owners must not just think about making profit but building a business that makes a substantial capital gain when they sell.

An extreme example of the irrelevance of historic financials are transactions where companies have never made a profit but sell for multi billion dollar amounts. Why because people buy processes, market trends, future sustainable growth and future earnings.

Many characteristics of a business like past financial performance is somewhat irrelevant to the sale price. Obviously if the business

Complete the following questions to get a guide on how ready you are to exit.

BizAus EXIT PLAN CHECK: Are You Ready to Exit?

Owner: ______________________________ Business: ________________________________ Date: ______________

Scoring

This area has not been addressed.

(0 points)

This needs serious improvement.

(1 point)

This needs some improvement.

(2 points)

This needs minimal improvement.

(3 points)

This area has been fully addressed.

(4 points) Score

1. I know ideally when I want to exit from my business, which is when I am ___________ years old.

2. Of the four ways to exit from a business (pass to it family, sell to outsiders, sell to my employees, or an orderly liquidation), I have clearly determined which method is ideal for me.

3. I have calculated the total after-tax dollar amount I need from my business to achieve personal financial freedom, which is $________________________ net of taxes.

4. I have a written analysis of my exit’s tax impact, and am implementing tactics to address taxes.

5. I have been taking the surplus cash out of my business each year, in a tax favourable manner, in order to increase my personal net worth outside of the business between now and exit.

6. I have implemented available tactics to reduce creditor risk against business and personal assets.

Phil Mussett BizAus Pty Ltd

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motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

Score

7. I have trusted tax, legal, and business advisors who are qualified to help me with my exit plan, and who meet as a group, not less than annually, to address and advance my exit objectives.

8. I have shared my exit objectives with my spouse/partner and my business partner(s). They support my objectives and have little to no concerns. (Score 4 if N/A.) 9. I have a clear vision of what I want to do with my time and talent after exit, and I have no concerns that life after exit will be unfulfilling.

10. The management team can run the business for up to several months without my involvement.

11. Financial statements are timely, accurate, and formatted in a manner consistent with industry and business norms, and audited by an independent accountant.

12. The company follows a written business plan, with detailed financial projections, to pursue significant growth over the next several years. The business plan is aligned with my exit plans.

13. Top employees have formal financial incentives to stay with the business until at least two years past my exit, and have signed non-solicitation and/or non-compete agreements.

Score

14. Our largest customer(s) account(s) for _________% of current top line revenue.

(Scoring: Less than 10% 11-20% 21-30% 31-40% Greater than 40%

=4 =3 =2 =1 = 0)

Phil Mussett BizAus Pty Ltd 15. Written procedures exist for the business’s important sales, operational, and financial processes, allowing us to readily train and cross-train current and future employees.

Total Scoring Analysis 60-54

53-48

Your overall exit planning may be sound

A limited number of areas may need to be addressed.

47-42 Your exit planning may need important improvements.

41-36 Some steps have been taken, but significant areas need attention.

35 - below Your current exit planning may be entirely unable to achieve your goals.

Phil Mussett helps owners of closely held businesses plan for and execute successful exits: achieving financial freedom, creating a sustainable legacy, and exiting on their own terms. To review your score with Phil please call him on 0417 113 473

Phil Mussett BizAus Pty Ltd

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Articles

6 ways to boost productivity in cleaning staff JOHN PARKER I Alphaclean

There are a number of surefire ways to boost productivity in any team. The two main aspects to focus on when boosting productivity in cleaning staff is to look at the staff involved and the existing procedures that are already in place. Some effective tips for boosting productivity in your cleaning staff include:

Training and development

W

hile your staff may have all of the tools on hand to complete the job, do they understand exactly how to use the resources available to them?

Training is an essential part of any job and cleaning should be viewed no differently.

With the right training and knowledge, staff are able to use the tools and products they have on hand more effectively.

This will result in a faster cleaning process, that doesn’t compromise on the quality of the result.

On-the-job training is an ideal way for cleaners to learn how to complete each task effectively and efficiently. You can organise for new cleaning staff to be guided through their tasks by an experienced cleaner who knows what’s required and always works to the highest standard – just ensure to outline your expectations clearly, to both the trainee and the trainer.

Case Study: Approaching motivation differently Certificates from TAFEs and registered training providers can also be useful in boosting efficiency, knowledge and motivation in cleaning staff. For example, Derek Christian, owner of My Maid Service in the U.S, a house cleaning service, found that employees had an average tenure of only 4 months with his company – productivity and motivation was obviously low.

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Christian fixed this problem by paying for extra training for his cleaning staff.

This meant, while they worked for him, they could upskill and also work towards entering a line of work they’d ultimately like to pursue. In order to make the most of his program, staff needed to sign up to working with My Maid Service for two years. The result? Happier, motivated, more productive staff – that had a reason to stay on board.

Work with quality cleaning products and tools Often if poor quality cleaning products are used, the time taken to clean can be significantly longer than necessary.

Investing in high quality cleaning products and tools can make a marked difference to the time taken to complete any cleaning job, as well as your employees’ attitude in using them.

Set goals and measure performance Setting goals and rewards are a great way to engage staff in improving productivity on the job. First off, outline a strategy to help boost productivity overall, and then set milestone goals for individual staff members to help fulfil that strategy. Make sure each goal is measurable in terms of speed and quality – and, most importantly, ensure those staff members who meet their targets are rewarded.

Communicate clearly with workers Transparency is key in increasing understanding between you and your team, and ensuring they are on board with the reasons for, and ways to, improve productivity across the business. Cleaners should be informed of why a boost in productivity is required and then any positive changes made should always be acknowledged and met with praise.

Incentives are a powerful way to reward staff and boost morale in the workplace.

Think about cash incentives, movie tickets or a paid day off work!

Create the right working environment Employees will work harder if they feel valued. An employee should be confident that you will always have their back, and their best interests at heart. Even if one employee appears to be doing a better job than a colleague, all employees need to be treated equally.

Lead by example Leading by example is one important way to boost productivity. Even as a supervisor, if your cleaning staff see you slacking off, they will want to do the same. Be productive yourself, support your staff in getting the job done, and generate a feeling of energy and positivity within the work environment.

advertorial motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

Take control of guest room access with digital door locks Managing a motel, guest house or bed and breakfast can be a very rewarding experience, especially when guests leave happy, promising to visit again soon. Most managers strive to provide the best experience possible and work hard to make sure the hotel runs efficiently, so that guests can relax and enjoy their stay.

I

nvesting in new technology is one way to improve the guest experience.

In recent years’ technology has had a positive influence on many areas of hospitality 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 access is gained by smart card or punching in a four-digit code on the keypad.

Room key management is a concern for many managers because keys have a habit of going missing, and simply replacing the key does not necessarily regain ‘control’ of the lock. To do this properly, a new key cylinder should be fitted – which, as well as being costly and time-consuming, 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.

Codelocks new CL5510 smart lock 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.

The CL5510 makes access control easier, offering flexibility and convenience by providing a range of entry methods including the use of pushbutton code, smart card or smartphone, enabling users to choose the most suitable access method. The lock allows the ability to program via a smartphone, generate and send entry codes for easy access and issue smart cards for alternative entry.

For more information visit www.codelocks.com.au

Advertorial

Who did your customers shower with this morning?

RAY SQUIRES I Commercial Marketing Manager, Elgas

Throughout Australia the biggest single use of fuel in commercial industrial operations is for heating water. LPG is an easy choice as its Efficient, Continuous and Cleaner.

W

ith rising energy costs it can be a balancing act keeping costs down and productivity high. LPG is an extremely cost efficient method of water heating with little energy loss from its production or use. The fast recovery rate of LPG hot water units means the hot water storage tank size can be kept to a minimum too. Because LPG is cleaner burning, lower exhaust emissions make it far healthier for the environment and lowers maintenance costs for your equipment.

In your business you have a enough to do without worrying that there is enough continuous hot water 24 hours a day for your customers not to mention whether your guests rooms are warm enough in the cooler months.

You know that your customers have a had a great day and many want a nice hot shower and neither of you want to be discussing why that isn’t happening because there isn’t enough gas.

Elgas can make sure that your showers ready and your rooms warm 24 hours a day!

Elgas are Australia’s largest supplier of LPG with a wide distribution network, enormous backup of LPG reserves and can provide an optimised energy solution backed by professional advice and expertise.

Wherever you are there is a representative near you with local knowledge and expertise of LPG and appliances.

Copyright © 2013 Elgas Ltd

For more information contact Ray Squires, Commercial Marketing Manager, Elgas, 1300 362 389

Endless LPG Hot Water LPG is an extremely energy efficient method of water heating, with little energy loss from its production or use.

LPG delivers hot water a lot faster too.

You simply turn it on and it flows at a temperature that you can control and unlike other fuels there are no peak and off-peak pricing levels to worry about.

COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL

1300 362 389 www.elgas.com.au 56

There are many different applications for LPG hot water and Elgas will offer you an energy efficient heating method to best suit your requirements.

Hot Water Systems • Your LPG system will work even at freezing temperatures • No worries about peak and off-peak rates with LPG • Space efficient with little visual pollution for better aesthetics Some of the benefits include: • Never have customer complaints about the lack of hot water • LPG hot water systems are quiet. They won’t keep your guests awake at night • No worries about peak and off-peak rates with LPG • No pumps and motors that can break down and require servicing, as is the problem with heat pumps • Even multiple units take up little space and are typically mounted outdoors to save valuable interior space

LEADERS IN LPG SUPPLY • SERVICE • SAFETY

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

LED buyers guide

Save energy, time and money with the right LED purchase

LIGHTING COUNCIL AUSTRALIA

Lighting Council Australia has prepared this guide to educate and assist consumers select safe, suitable, good quality LED lighting products.

L

ED lamps1 and fittings (LEDs) are quickly gaining popularity in household use and there are some excellent LED products available now in Australia. However, examination of LED products found in the Australian market indicates a wide variation in product safety, quality, effectiveness and compatibility. Low quality LEDs may be unsafe, not provide sufficient light, flicker when dimmed, change colour over time, fail prematurely, or not fit into an existing fitting.

LEDs produce similar light output to traditional incandescent and halogen lamps and use much less energy. Incandescent and halogen lamps waste most of the energy they use as heat when they produce light.

LEDs are comparable to the most efficient technologies available and even though more expensive initially will save money and time over their lifetime as they have a long lifetime, use very little energy and do not require regular replacement like halogen lamps.

Some LEDs are able to be dimmed or offer convenient features such as daylight harvesting2, motion sensing and wireless control.

Coloured lighting effects are available with some LEDs. If you decide to update your existing lighting, you have the option of choosing: New LED lamps

New LED downlight fitting3

compatibility regulators and should be visible on the product.

In addition, the brand must be registered on the Australian Government National Equipment Registration System. Unregistered brands and suppliers may be supplying equipment that does not meet Australian standards and regulations.

Brightness (think lumens, not Watts) When buying new LEDs, you should check the lumen output of each LED lamp or fitting to make sure you obtain the brightness you need. Lumens, which are a measure of total light output, should be listed on the product packaging. Higher lumens mean brighter light. The following comparison charts will help you find a suitable replacement.

Traditional incandescent lamps (Watts)

Brightness in lumens (approximate)

100W

1350 lumens

75W

930 lumens

60W

720 lumens

40W

420 lumens

Downlight lamps – MR16 type (Watts)

Brightness in lumens (approximate)

50W##

700 lumens

35W

450 lumens

Downlight lamps – GU10 type (Watts)

Brightness in lumens (approximate)

50W

350 lumens

Beam angle Compliance with regulations The Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM)4 is an important safety mark from Australia’s electrical safety and electro-magnetic

The angle of the beam of light emitted from the lamp or fitting can be important for your application. Check to see if you require a wide or narrow beam angle. A wider beam angle gives a more even spread of light and a beam angle of 60º or

57

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more is recommended for general lighting from downlights.

A narrow beam angle can result in bright spots and shadowing which is not usually desired; however, a narrow beam can be suitable for highlighting a picture, display piece or other feature.

Lamp efficiency Even though LEDs are a very efficient lighting technology, the efficiency of LEDs can vary considerably. Lumens per Watt (lm/W) is the measure of LED efficiency and the higher the number, the more efficient the product.

Colour temperature and colour rendering Personal preference and use dictates choice of LED colour temperature. »» Warm white light is shown as 2700K to 3000K, is close to traditional incandescent and halogen lamp colour and is typically used in living rooms, bedrooms and hallways to create relaxed, warm ambience. »» Cool white light is shown as 4000K and is typically used in the kitchen, study, bathroom, cupboard, office (for alertness) and retail displays. »» Cool daylight white light is shown as 6500K and is typically used in commercial applications, hospitals, retail displays and art studios.

The Colour Rendering Index (CRI) of a lamp or fitting is a measure of a light source’s ability to show object colours realistically or naturally. A CRI of 80 or above should be sought.

Compatibility Check the fitting type, size, beam angle and dimming compatibility of your new LEDs. »» Take an old lamp to compare with the new LED. Check the type and size of the base, beam angle, voltage, overall size and shape of the lamp. Some LED replacement lamps are larger than traditional lamps and may not be compatible with some fittings. »» When buying complete downlight replacement kits you will need to know the hole cut out size. Shop around until you find the right sized LED replacement fitting. »» LED lamps and downlights are now available to replace halogen lamps and 35W halogen downlights. »» Look for LEDs of around 450-500 lumens to achieve similar results to your 35W halogen downlights. »» Make sure that LED downlight replacement fittings come

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with a matching power supply (also known as a driver).

Some will claim to operate on existing halogen transformers but such claims should be treated with caution especially where compatibility with existing dimmers is required. »» Dimmable LED lamps, fittings and downlights are now available. “Dimmable” should be marked on the product packaging. »» Compatibility between existing wall switch dimmers and dimmable LED lamps, fittings or downlights cannot be guaranteed. Universal dimmers are available but even these are not guaranteed to operate all LEDs. Most installed dimmers were originally designed to dim low voltage halogen lamps and it is unlikely that these old dimmers will dim LED lamps in a similar way. Check with the LED supplier for a list of dimmers compatible with their LEDs.

Lighting tips Follow these tips to keep your lighting costs down. »» Switching to LEDs is one of the fastest and easiest ways to cut your energy bills. Switching to LEDs will reduce growth in Australia’s energy demand and avoid carbon emissions. »» Use task lighting to supplement general lighting when needed. »» Lightly coloured walls appear brighter and better lit than dark surfaces. »» Replace incandescent, halogen and fluorescent lamps with LEDs. »» Turn off lights when rooms are not being used. Some lamps have enabled wireless control from a smart device and so may be switched on and off from the device. »» Control outdoor lights with timers, motion sensors or photocells so that lights are not on all night or during the day. If outdoor lights are used for long periods each night, the use of LEDs in these fixtures can save significant energy.

LED flood lights are available (check the beam angle you require). Wireless control of lamps is now also available. »» By replacing your five most used incandescent or halogen lamps with LEDS, you can save between $75 and $95 each year5. »» LEDs are available in sizes compatible with most fittings and they provide the greatest savings when used in fittings that are on for the longest periods each day. »» Dimmers save electricity when lower light levels are set.

Not all dimmers and dimmable LEDs are compatible.

Reputable LED suppliers provide compatibility charts listing dimmer brands and types.

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

Cost comparison tables6 Downlight lamps

Standard lamp type

Average annual operating cost per household downlight#

Average annual operating cost per household lamp* Traditional (old style) incandescent ACE IRM Red (60W)** Pantone® 186

Halogen incandescent (42W)

Good quality CFL (10W)

Good quality LED (6W)

50W halogen

35W halogen lamp

Good quality 7W LED downlight lamp

$18.25##

$16.79

$2.58

CMYK – 0.100.75.4 | RGB – R206 G17 B38 | HTML – #CE1126 ACE IRM Dark Grey Pantone® 425 CMYK – 38.28.21.63 | RGB – R96 G96 B91 | HTML – #333333

* For 60W incandescent lamp and replacements, based on 4 hrs/day of usage, 25c per kWh and including the annualised cost of the lamp (initial cost divided by the lamp life in years) – shown in Australian dollars.

# For 35W and 50W halogen downlights and LED replacement, based on 4 hrs/day of usage, 25c per kWh and including the annualised cost of the lamps (initial cost divided by the lamp life in years) – shown in Australian dollars. Halogen downlights use a great deal of energy including producing a great deal of heat. Low voltage does not mean low energy use.

** Incandescent lamps (40W – 100W) are no longer available for purchase but may still be in use.

## 50W downlight lamps are no longer available for purchase but may still be in use.

$21.90

$17.88

$5.35

$2.88

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Appendix A – Assumptions and calculations for the cost comparison tables Average operating cost per household light fitting, per year

Lifetime and warranty

Standard lamp type*

There are many factors that determine the lifetime of a LED lamp or fitting including light loss and possible failure of components.

Reputable manufacturer claims are based on rigorous testing and are reliable.

A warranty is a voluntary promise of a manufacturer’s confidence that the product will achieve an expected life. Check the warranty conditions and note that any warranty offered with a product is in addition to other rights the consumer may have under the Australian Consumer Law. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (www.accc.gov.au) has information on consumer rights, guarantees and warranties.

Use electrical contractors to install fittings Apart from lamp replacement, a licensed electrical contractor is required to repair, service or install any light fitting, driver (power supply) or dimmer that is attached to the 240V mains power. Electrical contractors are responsible for installation safety and must refuse to install non-compliant products. Sale and installation of non-compliant products or installation by unqualified persons can result in electric shock, fire, penalties and fines.

About Lighting Council Australia Lighting Council Australia is the peak body for Australia’s lighting industry. Its members include manufacturers and suppliers of luminaires, lighting control devices, lamps, solid state (LED) lighting and associated technologies. Lighting Council’s goal is to encourage the use of environmentally appropriate, energy efficient, quality lighting systems.

Traditional (old style) incandescent (60W)

Halogen incandescent (42W)

Good quality CFL (10W)

Good quality LED (6W)

Lamp price

(phased out 2009)

$3.50

$7.00

$7.00

Annual lamp operating hours

1460

Estimated lamp life in years

-

1.37 (2000hrs)

4.1 (6000hrs)

10.3 (15000hrs)

Annual lamp cost

$0 (Can’t replace)

$2.55

$1.70

$0.68

Annual kWh of electricity

87.6kWh

61.32kWh

14.6kWh

8.8kWh

Annual cost of electricity (25c per kWh)

$21.90

$15.33

$3.65

$2.20

Total annual cost (electricity + lamp)

$21.90**

$17.88

$5.35

$2.88

* For 60W incandescent lamp and replacements, based on 4 hrs/day of usage, 25c per kWh and including the annualised cost of the lamp (initial cost divided by the lamp life in years) – shown in Australian dollars. **Incandescent lamps (40W – 100W) are no longer available for purchase but may still be in use.

Downlight lamps# 50W downlight lamp

35W downlight lamp

5.5W LED downlight lamp

Lamp cost

(Phased out 2009)

$5.50

$10

Annual lamp operating hours

1460 hours

Estimated lamp life in years

-

1.37 (2000hrs)

17.1 (25000hrs)

Annual lamp cost

$0 (Can’t replace)

$4.01

$0.58

4. The Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM) demonstrates that the product manufacturer recognises and declares their product meets the Australian electrical safety and electro-magnetic compatibility requirements. Marking requirements are currently in transition and suppliers have until 1 March 2018 for products to be marked.

Annual kWh of electricity

73kWh

51.1kWh

8kWh

Annual cost of electricity (25c per kWh)

$18.25

$12.78

$2.00

5. Based on replacing 60W incandescent or 42W halogen lamps with 6W LEDs with usage averaging 4hrs per day, 25c per kWh, shown in Australian dollars.

Total cost (electricity + lamp)

$18.25##

$16.79

$2.58

6. All information including average market pricing is relevant at the time of publishing. See appendix A for assumptions and calculations.

# For 35W and 50W halogen downlights and LED replacement, based on 4 hrs/day of usage, 25c per kWh and including the annualised cost of the lamps (initial cost divided by the lamp life in years) – shown in Australian dollars. Halogen downlights use a great deal of energy including producing a great deal of heat. Low voltage does not mean low energy use.

See http://www.lightingcouncil.com.au/ for more information.

References 1. Sometimes called ‘light globes’ or ‘light bulbs’, but more correctly referred to as ‘lamps’.

2. Daylight harvesting refers to LEDs that automatically adjust their light level depending on the natural light entering a room to maintain an even light level.

3. A licensed electrician is required to install new fittings.

## 50W downlight lamps are no longer available for purchase but may still be in use.

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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 NSW Central West 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 long 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 and the like, ensuring hygiene is well managed.

It is important for a hotel to know its business. Their level of motels may be considered and this then impacts on the linen used. A budget motel may use as little as 35kgs of linen per week through to a busy more deluxe motel with more frequent changes saving 40-50kgs.

What should be done? If capital allows the flat work sheets should be supplied from outside to ensure crisp ironed sheets are provided as the demand for higher presentation is becoming the standard.

A budget motel may choose to wash their linen in commercial washing machines. The process is simple and quite often is apparent with much of the cotton content varnished.

A motel may choose to launder only their towels as the space requires is minimal compared to a laundry with an ironer. The Return on Investment (ROI) of an ironer may never be realized.

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.

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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 excessive.

Two factors that come into place are cost and hygiene. The location of a motel may be too remote for price efficiencies to occur and the only option is to launder in-house. 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). »» Long vs Short Stay (regular full daily change overs increasing linen levels).

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.

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

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

The rigid mount machines need to be secured to a solid floor and

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

the extraction speed will not reach the levels of a soft mount washer.

The soft mount machines do not require the same floor depth 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.

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.

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 underloaded, 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.

Machines with many 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.

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

Note: These machines are often top loaders and use excessive water.

»» 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 dried in gas 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 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. Also, the large capacity dryer is important to not crush the items being dried especially the sheets are being washed in house and are not going to be ironed.

Companies in the market providing commercial equipment includes IPSO, Girbau, Electrolux brands. Suppliers must be involved in the commissioning and provide all the testing of the programs and equipment. This will include all the relevant training for staff and other operators. The underlying message received as a consultant is to ensure reliability and service backup is always available.

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 service. 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.

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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 this mix now is the MyPro, an 8kg washer that will thermally disinfect unlike the others mentioned.

In the motel industry, it is more likely a smaller machine will be used to suit one wash loads for example, 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.

tokens. Some brands can utilize 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.

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.

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 on the machinery.

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.

The motel may also find the coin-operated machine useful for small internal laundry loads. They would not use coins but special

The best option is to obtain independent advice to ensure that calculations of throughput will match the required

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expectations and budget of the facility. Once the machine capacities and configuration are known, the motel can go to the market and get the best-valued 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, Asia and the South Pacific. paulcreek@creeksolutions.com.au or 0425 356 134

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Choosing fabrics for lounges COL NATION

Ever pondered over fabric samples looking for something that is going to look great and suit your decor and budget, only to find that it is a bit like looking at a blank lotto ticket and trying to pick the winning numbers on which you are going to spend your decorating budget. Do you look at performance characteristics of fabrics and do the maths, or do you simply use the pin method like granny does with the form guide, or do you choose the one with the pretty pattern or colour. Get it right and you will have furnishings that are going to look great, wear well and be easy to maintain, but get it wrong and you can end up with a costly mistake with no budget left for fixing up ongoing problems.

N

ow I am not going to choose fabrics for you, that is ultimately your decision. What I can do is give you some idea of how the various fibres will perform in certain situations. With over 30 years of experience in cleaning and maintaining upholstery I know a thing or two about what will perform under normal use conditions.

Interior designers are familiar with the Martindale Rub Test. This is a mechanical test that rubs fabrics for 10 or 20 thousand or more rubs to test the mechanical durability of a fabric. Fabrics are placed on a machine that rubs back and forth for “X� amount of times and the samples under test are compared to standards.

Basically this is a mechanical backside to simulate sliding on and off chairs. The more rubs it can handle the longer it should last.

The only problem is this does not take into account soiling and environmental conditions that may affect certain fibres.

Some fabrics can fall apart after short period of time because they degrade from biological or environmental reasons. Sunlight can cause damage to some fibres. This may be anything from colour loss due to fading up to the chemical breakdown of the polymers (plastics) used in the fibres. Moisture from humidity and sweat can lead to biodegradation of vegetable based fibres because bacteria or mould see it all as food. Gasses such as

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Articles

ozone can cause problems with dyes, and of course cleaning products can also have deleterious effects as well. So basing a decision purely on the Martindale Rub Test can lead to some costly mistakes.

especially in the presence of an alkaline cleaning product, some of this brown colour can be released and this settles in the fabric at the high tide mark of the spill or cleaned spot causing the typical cleaning ring.

Is the most expensive fabric going to last? This is certainly not always the case. A silk fabric may look and feel great and will certainly perform well on a Martindale test, but add some grit and moisture and you have a whole new problem.

Plant fibres have some great characteristics. They feel good, they are cool in the summer and warm in the winter and can be dyed in a wide range of colours. But because they start off nearly white and then dyed, they do have the tendency to lose colour by fading, or they can simply lose colour by wearing off the surface and may be subject to colour run when cleaned. They are highly absorbent to both water based and oily soils and prolonged exposure to moisture during humid weather can cause a rapid deterioration of the fibres from microbes.

There are three main groups of fibres. Think animal vegetable or mineral. There are Natural fibres obtained from animal such as wool and silk. There are plant fibres such as cotton, linen and jute. Then there are manmade fibres that can be made from mineral oils, coal or natural gas such as polypropylene, nylon, polyester and acrylic. These are the plastic fibres. But there is another group of manmade fibres that are made from plants such as rayon (viscose) and acetate Let’s start with the plant fibres.

Cotton comes from the seed and flower of the cotton plant, a relative of the Hibiscus plant. The flower produces fine stands that can be harvested and spun into yarn and then woven into fabric. Linen comes from the stem of the flax plant. The plant is cut and left to dry in the paddock, the fibres are what is left after everything else has biodegraded. Jute and Hemp are obtained in a similar way. These fibres are not quite white, they contain a little bit of a chemical called Lignocellulose, a brown chemical that helps bind the plants cells. When vegetable fabric gets wet,

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Animal fibres are wool and silk. These are very strong fibres and withstand a fair bit of wear and tear, but colours may be a bit unstable. These are also highly absorbent to both water and oils and can be quite chemically sensitive. Silk and wool fabrics can be quite expensive but are the best choice if fire is an issue.

Neither will support combustion, but will burn if ignited. This is a great quality for public areas where fire could be disastrous.

An example where wool’s fire resistance would be advantageous would be aircraft seats or cinema seats.

Semi-synthetic or re-constituted cellulose fibres, Rayon and Acetate. These are fibres produced from plant material. They can have some of the properties of plant fibres but may be more subject to deterioration in the presence of alkalis or even just moisture.

Synthetic fibres. These are the plastic fibres and like other plastics are very tolerant to chemistry and biology.

Nylon is a great carpet fibre but is rarely used in upholstery fabrics.

Polypropylene is light weight and very resistant to chemical attack but melts easily and is easily physically damaged.

Acrylic is still around but has lost a lot of popularity. It can be quite course but is easy to clean and holds its colour well.

Polyester is a probably the most versatile of all the synthetic fibres. It blends very well with cotton. It can be blended as loose fibre to make a blended yarn or it can be used in pure form with other yarns such as cotton to make a variety of textures and patterns using just the variety of feel and appearance. Cotton tends to be dull while polyester can have a shiny look like silk.

This can be used to make a physical pattern to add to any coloured pattern.

A blend of cotton and polyester makes a great serviceable fabric.

Army camouflage uniforms are made with this blend of fibre. The cotton is cool in the tropics but the polyester keeps it durable, even in the jungle where cotton by itself or wool would simply rot away completely. We don’t need naked soldiers running around the jungle. This is something to think about for fabrics in humid conditions. This means pretty much anywhere in Coastal regions, especially Queensland and Northern New South Wales and wet areas of any hotel where drink or food spills are more likely.

Just about any blend of fibre will be serviceable to a certain extent but the one I would advise to steer clear of is any fabric containing a re-constituted cellulose fibre such as Rayon, sometimes called Viscose as it is made by mulching down plant material and processing into a viscous liquid that is then extruded through acetic acid to solidify into a fibre. This fibre is easily damaged with just the moisture from the sweat in the palm of your hand. Bacteria see it as a ready food source and it doesn’t take long before the rayon components of the weave start to break down. Sometimes just exposure to the elements will cause a breakdown of the rayon fibre.

But whatever fabric you choose for furnishings, just remember that they need to be cleaned regularly if you want them to last.

Clean upholstery looks better and lasts a lot longer, but make sure your cleaner is well versed on how to clean upholstery and has the right detergents and equipment as there can be a few traps for those who are ill prepared.

About the Author Col Nation is a specialty cleaning industry veteran with well over 30 years of experience. Colin is the owner of Abbsolve Services, a specialist cleaning service based on the Sunshine Coast in sunny Queensland. He also does industry training and trains in carpet and upholstery cleaning and leather cleaning. Visit his website at www.abbsolve.com.au for more tips on cleaning and maintenance.

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Swimming pools and spas PAUL WERE I Dontek

Inviting Swimming Pools and Spas are an attractive way for Hotels and Motels to entice new patrons and to keep existing ones. Although an inviting pool or spa may look great, the water temperature must be set to a level where the experience meets expectation, but which one to get?

POOL AND SPA HEATING OPTIONS

A

s there are many options in heating a swimming pool or spa it is advisable to contact a pool heating specialist and have a heat load evaluation to find the most economical and environmentally friendly system. The most common options currently available are:

Solar Solar Heating

Gas

Gas Heater

Solar is an extremely economical way of heating a pool and has a relatively low capital cost. Water is pumped from the pool to a heat collector fitted to the roof that absorbs radiant energy from the sun and returns to the pool. This heat collector can be made in many different styles; some are made from extruded PVC Nitrile or EPDM rubber strip, moulded tube panels, glazed poly panels and more. When year round heating is required a backup system such as Gas or Heat pump is required.

High Efficiency Solar Gas has traditionally been the most common form of pool heating as it is easy to install, has a low capital outlay and can provide rapid heat up times. The heater usually has pool water pumped through a Heat Exchanger which sits above a gas fired burner tray; this heat is transferred to the water and returns to the pool.

Newer style gas heaters utilise fan assistance that aids in the combustion and heat transfer process that increases efficiencies and reduces operating costs. A gas heater is an ideal stand alone system when natural gas is available or the perfect back up for Solar or Heat Pump systems.

High Efficiency Solar

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High Efficiency Solar uses Glass Evacuated Tubes to collect the heat. A number of systems are available; some are even used in conjunction with heat exchangers and shared with the potable water system. This is a very economical system to run and although capital cost appears high, it can be amortised over the two heating systems. A backup system is normally required to guarantee a suitably heated pool.

SMART HEATING CONTROL ELECTRONICS MEANS MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY

Heat Pump

When a gas system is utilised, electronics can be used to accurately control run times, set temperatures and heater cool down times. This ensures energy is not wasted from slow switching mechanical thermostats or thermostats that are fitted within the heaters high temperature cabinets. Peak swimming times are also allowed for.

Even the most economical heating systems for pools and spas can require a back up system and this is where a digital control system can pay dividends. The controller will monitor the most economical way of heating and will switch between heat sources as required.

On Solar Systems the controller will monitor the pool temperature and when heating is required will turn the solar system on if there is solar gain. When auxiliary heating is installed – normally gas or heat pump fitted in conjunction with solar – the controller will determine which heat source is best to use. If heating is required the controller will check solar temperature and if insufficient, it will switch on the auxiliary heater and it will run until the set limit is reached or until there is sufficient solar gain.

If solar gain is insufficient for the water temperature to reach the limit, then both heat sources will run concurrently. When there is enough solar gain to achieve limit the auxiliary heating will be turned off and only the more economical solar heat source will be utilised.

Heat Pump

Heat Pumps have become more common for heating as capital costs have been reduced over the past few years. They can be used as a stand alone system as long as heat load calculations have been performed correctly. Heat pumps are least efficient during the coldest months and it is common practice to have a gas heater as back up for prolonged cold spells.

Heat pumps work like a reversed air conditioner. Instead of taking air from a room or building, removing the heat and returning it, a heat pump takes large quantities of air from the atmosphere, removing the heat contained in the air and transferring this to water from the pool or spa passing through the unit.

The characteristic of the heat pump of absorbing heat value from air means that the unit has a low electrical input relative to its heat transfer. A well designed heat pump will output heat at a rate of around 5:1, relative to its energy input under summer conditions. This greatly reduces total energy consumption.

This factor is called the heat pump’s co-efficient of performance or COP. The capture of solar energy from air means that the heat pump’s output and efficiency will vary with air temperature. Higher efficiency is gained in more temperate locations but heat pumps are capable of maintaining pool temperatures year-round in nearly all areas of Australia and New Zealand.

When Salt Chlorinators are used in multiple or smaller systems, over Chlorination is common as the Filter pump may run for extended hours to keep the Heat Pump going. The controller will turn the Salt Chlorinator off when extended heating times are required, or an electronic monitoring system should be fitted.

HOW TO SAVE ON RUNNING COSTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT When multiple heat sources are utilised it is imperative to set the most economical heat source to a higher temperature setting than the auxiliary temperature setting. Consequently, the cheaper heat source will push the water temperature above the auxiliary setting therefore minimising the auxiliary source’s run time. The greater the temperature difference between the two settings the larger the savings will be. What needs to be considered are the minimum and maximum temperature settings that are comfortable for the user. Commonly used minimum and maximum temperatures are 26 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius respectively, however, this will differ from State to State as pool temperature needs to be set relevant to ambient air temperature to achieve a comfortable level.

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Articles

What is the Department of Health looking for in your water?

POOLWERX

In each state and territory local government Environmental Health Officers (EHO’s) are responsible for protecting the health of the general public. As the regulators of swimming pools, water parks and spa pools, these EHO’s are chartered to protect the guests against unnecessary risks and the spreading of infectious diseases.

T

here are two tiers of legislation, standards and guidelines applicable to owners and operators of water facilities across Australia comprising of State and Local Government levels which cover both fencing (barriers) and water quality. The legislation, standards and guidelines are currently being updated and need to be at the forefront of the minds of operators in order to remain compliant and reduce the risk of incident and possibility of mitigation.

Each State and Territory prescribe their own specific requirements for owners and operators of public pools such as hotels, motels, resorts and holiday accommodation to ensure that water quality within such a pool is of a standard that protects the health of the facilities water and its users.

territory’s legislation, standards and guidelines and operate within those set criteria. Included in these criteria are prescriptive instructions on the requirements for record keeping (log books), chemical analysis, chemical storage and handling, frequency of water testing (both chemical and microbiological), water quality parameters and microbiological pathogen parameters.

Additionally, operators need to be familiar with applicable barrier requirements (if an exemption is not in place) as well as safety signage specifications.

Risk Categorisation/Grouping Each state has its own way of categorising the risk level of the water facility and the water management plan that is needed in order to remain compliant. To understand the risk associated with each pool in your facility (noting that each individual water body should be categorised and assessed individually to reflect its own possible risk and hazard potential), the following elements need to be taken into account, these include but are not limited to; »» facility use type (eg: swim up bar/children’s pool/spray park) »» pool location, both geographically and physically (indoor/outdoor) »» weather events (chemical dilution and contaminant introduction) »» pool temperature »» pool depth »» bather type and

When the requirements are not met, it is not uncommon for water facilities to be closed in order to minimise risk to the health of the facility users. With the impact and availability of modern day social media, these enforced closures can have a dramatic impact on the facilities appeal and attraction to current and future guests.

So what can owners and operators do to remain compliant?

Owners and operators need to be aware of their state or

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»» bather load

Testing Frequency The frequency of water testing required in most states can be determined by the assessed Risk Category or Group that each water body falls into, however, in some instances there is a minimum water testing frequency for any body of water deemed to be used by the public, regardless of its perceived risk.

Additionally, where a body of water is categorised or grouped, this

can escalate with changes in factors such as increased bather loads and introduction of sporting events for example. In summary, once a body of water has been categorised, this categorisation needs to be supported by a Pool Management Plan.

What contaminates the water?

There are vast number of possibilities when it comes to potential water contaminants. These contaminant levels will vary from state to state and also between indoor and outdoor facilities.

Some of the most common contaminants are: Human body fluids (Urine/sweat), Faecal matter, Pharmaceuticals (Lotions, sunscreen, medication), skin cells, animal contaminants (bird droppings, canine hair) and organic matter such as leaves and algae. The most common illnesses found in public water bodies are E. coli, Legionella, Giardia and Cryptosporidium. These contaminants are generally sanitised by a primary (eg chlorine/salt/acid) and secondary sanitiser (UV) in order to ensure sanitisation across most contaminants. In the event of a contamination event, super chlorination is required to treat cryptosporidium and state health departments strongly recommend that users shower prior to entering the pool.

Cryptosporidium The introduction of contaminants is obviously not only limited to human introduction but can be dramatically increased with weather events where rainwater is introduced into the water body. Not only will the introduction of rainwater dilute the chemical levels within the water body but it will also introduce water borne and soil borne contaminants that will disturb the health of the water.

The installation of good quality and continuous dosing and water treatment systems will help to reduce the manual effort required in the maintenance, compliance and ongoing health of your water and infrastructure. Additionally, in some States it is a requirement to have trained technicians it is strongly recommended that the public water facilities be operated and maintained by trained service personnel that possess a Certificate III in Swimming Pool & Spa Service and Certificate IV in Swimming Pool and Spa Service to assist with the ongoing compliance of the facility year round.

R-410A

Conclusion In conclusion, it is essential that owners and operators be familiar with their applicable legislations, standards and guidelines and operate under ‘best practice’ in order to remain compliant when audited by their local EHO’s. These requirements are changing regularly and it is up to the owners and operators to ensure that they are across current criteria. Owners and Operators can help to reduce their risk, reduce the manual intensity of their pool management and create a more attractive feature for their guests by installing high quality automated plant and equipment and ensuring that their facilities are managed and maintained.

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FROM TENNIS COURT

Product News

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motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

Product News MEET THE NEXT GENERATION IN FLOOR CLEANING TECHNOLOGY FOR MOTELS The launch of the ‘Duplex 280 Battery’ Distributors of the Italian brand of accommodation cleaning equipment, Duplex Cleaning Machines, today launched its latest 3-in-1 floorscrubber into the Asia-Pacific region.

Director of Duplex, Murray McDonald, says the newly released Duplex 280 Battery is catered towards smaller hotels and motels where traditional mops and vacuums may be used.

“For smaller hotels and motels that require something more substantial than a mop and bucket due to hygiene and cross contamination reasons, the Duplex 280 Battery will get deep within the pores of a floor surfaces and lift out dirt and bacteria, rather than move it around,” Mr McDonald said.

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operated and will wash, scrub and dry all types of floors in a single pass.

“Nowadays, accommodation facilities are moving towards chemical-free cleaning and this new product requires no chemicals and minimal water use.

“The Duplex 280 Battery is the latest generation of our Duplex Floorscrubber range, which has been in the market for over 25 years and caters to larger hotels and food and beverage facilities. We saw a gap in the market for floor cleaning in smaller sized facilities and we believe the Duplex 280 Battery will fulfil this need.”

For more information, visit www.duplexcleaning.com.au

The straight and curly Motel guests seek out genuine hospitality and bathroom amenities are the way to demonstrate to visitors that you value their business.

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• 1400 watts • 2 speed setting • Spiral cord • Safety release • Drawer or Wall mounts • Platinum white Weatherdon Corporation’s top team of designers and manufacturers are also able to specify standards to meet the unique demands of the hospitality sector.

A family-owned business established in 1975, Weatherdon is the preferred supplier to more than 600 hotels in Australia and New Zealand.

For more information please visit www.weatherdon.com.au

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Product News

New Electroheat PRO is the perfect choice for commercial pool heating applications Waterco announces the release of the Electroheat PRO 100kW heat pump commercial grade pool heater.

A single Electroheat PRO 100 is designed to heat pools up to 250 000 litres and may be manifolded for larger pools. Each Pro 100 requires a flow rate of 500-680 litres/minute and has a Coefficient of Performance of 5.7. Operating with R410A refrigerant the PRO 100’s dual high performance hermetic scroll compressors run at increased efficiency, with less noise and vibration compared with products using other refrigerant types.

“The new generation Electroheat PRO heat pump is the latest advancement in commercial size swimming pool heating,” says Adam Shelley, Zane Solar & Pool Heating Manager. “The PRO 100 has been designed to deliver efficient cost effective large pool heating in an easy to operate and install package.”

The Electroheat PRO 100 features electronically controlled temperature management, continuous digital temperature display, fault diagnostic system and inbuilt protection devices like auto defrost control, flow switch, refrigerant pressure monitoring and compressor protection timer.

Additionally, its powder coat steel cabinet is designed for easy access to major components for scheduled maintenance.

Key features of the Electroheat PRO 100: • 2x 11HP Sanyo hermetic scroll compressors (415V/50Hz/3Ph) • 6 x Titanium heat exchangers • Twin evaporators • R410A Refrigerant • Powder coat heavy gauge steel sheet construction • 80mm (3”) PVC water connection • Built in flow and pressure switches • Output water temperature limited to 400C • Ambient operating range 60C to 400C • Forklift access

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For further information, please contact: Lisa Llewellyn – Llewellyn Communications t: (02) 9970 5312 m: 0419 401 362 e: lisa@llewcom.com.au

motel owners Journal THE AUSTRALIAN

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