2022
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Is it the perfect time to outsource?
By Mandy Clarke, Editor
Why do many accommodation providers make the decision to outsource their housekeeping tasks, jobs, or even the whole department? Convenience, flexibility, and cost savings are three good reasons to outsource, but since the pandemic many businesses also realise the importance of tapping into hygiene expertise, of employing passionate cleaning professionals and implementing a systemised approach to hygiene quality control. Operators admit that even a whiff of dirt can lead to online criticism and a slight germ concern can be a ‘worst-case scenario’. In this era a bad hygiene review can do irreparable damage, kicking a business right in the bottom line. That’s why it’s so important to employ people who are keen to give the ‘white glove’ treatment to every corner of a property. For this level of scrutiny staff must be properly trained,
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AccomNews - Winter 2022
An outsource company concentrates on providing housekeeping expertise, systems, and hygiene management
care about their role, possess talents, skills, and a desire to flawlessly execute all the physically demanding cleaning services required to exceed guest hygiene expectations. In 2022 with expectations at an all-time high this is no mean feat. On top of that, as the industry tries to return to a ‘new normal’ it is also encountering one of the worst staffing crises it has ever faced. Accommodation businesses large and small, across the whole sector are struggling to recruit, and housekeepers
and chefs are top of the list of job vacancies that are hard to fill. Faced with these issues, even more accommodation businesses are looking to outsource housekeeping service providers for some, or all of their cleaning duties. Once made, this decision can also offer significant cost savings, because expenditure can be pared down to the service required and overhead costs can be shared. Note that expert housekeeping specialists do not come cheap.
HOUSEKEEPING
Talking about why accommodation businesses choose to outsource, Mark Watson, the General Manager of Jani King Australasia Hospitality told AccomNews: “We find that housekeeping is usually the first department that businesses decide to outsource because of its high turnover rate. The main benefits of outsourcing are to help reduce direct wages, recruitment, and training costs. “Most outsource service providers work by contract and offer a fixed cost; therefore, any fluctuations will be in line with revenue. The savings made on time, effort, manpower, operating,
Mark Watson General Manager, Jani King Australasia Hospitality
