From Behind the scenes to Frontline

Hotel housekeeping has always been a silent behind the scenes function. We will remember the time when they moved around discreetly to be as invisible as possible, to make guests as comfortable as possible in their rooms. Covid-19 has disrupted that function in more ways than one.

Now these ‘silent’ soldiers have become ‘frontline’ warriors – taking up the role of public relations ambassadors who have to gain the trust of their guests who are cautiously making their way back to guestrooms.

While cost will still remain a determining factor for hotel guests in the post-pandemic era, hotels can expect them to demand more health and safety measures. Tim Pelletier, Chief Technology Officer, Hospitality, Amadeus calls them “Generation Clean,” this traveller group with heightened cleanliness expectations that also may influence their booking decisions. And not without reason. Guestrooms contain many traps for bacteria – from TV remotes to bedding to bathroom fixtures – and hence can become hotspots for microbial hazards. Hotel housekeeping therefore has this additional responsibility of allaying guest fears regarding Covid-19 protocols and being transparent about sanitisation measures.

Another notable disruption is the fast tracking of contactless technology that allows for mobile check-ins and room service. While some brands like Hilton, were working on this long before the pandemic, with their robotic concierge Connie, the pandemic has compelled other brands, to speed up their plans to adopt technology in hotel operations especially those involving face time with guests.

In Covid times, Housekeeping will have to walk the tightrope between the need for contactless operations and direct interaction with the guest. Technology can help here – whether to use PMS data to map cleaning schedules, instantly communicate room status, or provide quick guest preferences history. Yes, technology can improve productivity and accuracy of housekeeping operations – a requisite in the post-Covid world.

Thankfully innovative companies have developed tech solutions that can take the load off the housekeeping staff without compromising on their job definition. You can meet some of them in our next issue dedicated to Hotel Technology.

So look out for our next issue.

In the meantime, Stay Safe. Get Vaccinated.