Business and uneconomical attitudes

This is often an underestimated matter, but the poor attention we pay to virtuous attitudes leads to, on balance, an economic loss.

In order to control the hotel management, each and every attitude has to be oriented towards the optimization of revenue and the prevention of wastes.

Essentially, what are these uneconomical attitudes and how can each department contribute to reduce such drain?

All the departments waste…

First of all, we can undoubtedly assert that all the departments “waste”, to a greater or lesser extent, and that “any waste is different”. However, some dynamics are common to all the operational realities.

Many times, it’s a matter of attitudes handed down by previous operators, who had decided to work the way that best suited them, maybe because it was easier or for lack of proper rules.

We often underestimate the benefit obtained by investing in advanced technologies or daily maintenance, which could facilitate everybody’s job by saving time and workforce, that could be used in other sectors.

While writing these words I find myself smiling, imagining Mr Receptionist dealing with an unforeseen morning check-in, looking for Ms Housekeeper, whose mobile is out of reach and who never answers the landline as she is always “around” the hotel, thus making me lose time with the Client.
Are you smiling too imagining this scene you have probably seen many times for real?

Maybe, by buying long-range portable radios, we would avoid Mr Receptionist’s morning irritation; also, if we taught Ms Housekeeper to notify of ready and available rooms, the Client would finally receive the deserved service.

We’re obviously talking about an extreme case, described to make you reflect on the wide spectrum of what can be considered as uneconomical attitudes.

Another example suitable to all the departments? The use of paper, pens and so on is indispensable, from the kitchen to the reception.

Have you ever checked stationery costs carefully? Are they in line? If so, based on what parameters?

I would suggest using waste paper, if there are no sensitive information, and demanding that the staff print in black and white, where possible. Moreover, let’s raise awareness among all the employees on a correct use of lights and PC’s, turning them off when they are not required.

Practical exercise: have a look around every department, make a list of uneconomical attitudes and evaluate the benefit you would obtain by applying the adequate remedial action.

Please remember, though, that the procedure you’ll communicate has to be simple and clear. Let’s make the job easier to obtain the best result with the minimum effort. If applying such rule hinders an efficient work, maybe we should reevaluate such action.