- •Contents
- •Preface
- •Acknowledgments
- •Founders of the Hotel Industry
- •E. M. Statler
- •Conrad Hilton
- •Cesar Ritz
- •William Waldorf Astor and John Jacob Astor IV
- •Kemmons Wilson
- •Ernest Henderson and Robert Moore
- •Ray Schultz
- •Historical Developments
- •Atrium Concept
- •Select-Service Hotels
- •Technological Advances
- •Marketing Emphasis
- •Total Quality Management
- •Major Reorganization, 1987–1988
- •Hotel Investment
- •September 11, 2001
- •Economic Downturn of the Late 2000s
- •Overview of the Hotel Industry
- •Types of Lodging Facilities
- •Hotels
- •Motels
- •All-suites
- •Select-service Hotels
- •Extended-stay Hotels
- •Market Orientation
- •Sales Indicators
- •Occupancy
- •Average Daily Rate (Average Room Rate)
- •Yield Percentage
- •RevPAR (Revenue per Available Room)
- •Levels of Service
- •Business Affiliations
- •Chain Affiliation
- •Referral Property
- •Company-owned Property
- •Management Contract Property
- •Brands
- •Independent Properties
- •Trends That Foster Growth
- •Leisure Time
- •The Me/Pleasure Concept
- •Discretionary Income
- •Family Size/Household Size
- •Business Travel
- •Female Business Travel
- •Travel as Experience
- •Career Development
- •Educational Preparation
- •Work Experience
- •Professional Memberships
- •Ports of Entry
- •Researching Growth Areas in the Hospitality Industry
- •Solution to Opening Dilemma
- •Chapter Recap
- •End-of-Chapter Questions
- •Notes
- •Key Words
- •Organization of Lodging Properties
- •Organization Charts
- •Typical Job Responsibilities of Department Managers
- •General Manager
- •Assistant General Manager
- •Food and Beverage Director
- •Physical Plant Engineer
- •Executive Housekeeper
- •Human Resources Manager
- •Marketing and Sales Director
- •Front Office Manager
- •Controller
- •Director of Security
- •Parking Garage Manager
- •Organization of the Front Office Department
- •Typical Front Office Organization
- •Select-service Hotel Front Office Organization
- •Function of the Front Office Manager
- •Job Analysis and Job Description
- •The Art of Supervising
- •Staffing the Front Office
- •Solution to Opening Dilemma
- •Chapter Recap
- •End-of-Chapter Questions
- •Key Words
- •Role of the Front Office in Interdepartmental Communications
- •Front Office Interaction with Other Departments in the Hotel
- •Marketing and Sales Department
- •Housekeeping Department
- •Food and Beverage Department
- •Banquet Department
- •Controller
- •Maintenance or Engineering Department
- •Security Department
- •Human Resources Management Department
- •Analyzing the Lines of Communications
- •Situation 1: Marketing and Sales Knows It All—But Didn’t Tell Us
- •Situation 2: Peace and Harmony in 507
- •Situation 3: I Know What You Said, and I Think I Know What You Mean
- •The Role of Total Quality Management in Effective Communication
- •An Example of Total Quality Management in a Hotel
- •Solution to Opening Dilemma
- •Chapter Recap
- •End-of-Chapter Questions
- •Key Words
- •Physical Structure and Positioning of the Front Desk
- •Guest First Impression
- •Creating a Balance Between Guest Flow and Employee Work
- •Selecting a Property Management System
- •Importance of a Needs Analysis
- •Procedure for Performing a Needs Analysis
- •Selecting a Team
- •Analyzing the Flow of Guests through the Hotel
- •Communicating Information
- •Reviewing Administrative Paperwork
- •Management Review of Information
- •Evaluate Needs That Have Been Identified
- •Assessing Needs Based on Findings
- •Choosing Software
- •Choosing Hardware
- •Other PMS Selection Considerations
- •Vendor Claims
- •Hardware Installation Plans
- •Computer Training Programs
- •Backup Power Sources
- •Maintenance Agreement
- •Financial Considerations
- •PMS Applications
- •Reservations
- •Revenue Management
- •Registration
- •Room Status
- •Posting
- •Call Accounting
- •Checkout
- •Night Audit
- •Inquiries/Reports
- •Back Office
- •Housekeeping
- •Food and Beverage
- •Maintenance
- •Security
- •Marketing and Sales
- •Personnel
- •Electronic Mail
- •Time Clock
- •Solution to Opening Dilemma
- •Chapter Recap
- •End-of-Chapter Questions
- •Notes
- •Key Words
- •Importance of a Reservation System
- •Overview of the Reservation System
- •Choice Hotels International
- •Hilton Hotels
- •Marriott International
- •Global Distribution Systems (GDS) in Securing Reservations
- •Role of the Internet in Securing Reservations
- •Background on Room Rates Offered via the Internet
- •Effect of Internet on Pricing Rooms
- •Consumers Response to Use of the Internet—Third-Party Websites
- •Social Media
- •Financial Effects of Third-Party Reservations
- •Types of Reservation Systems
- •Franchisee
- •Referral Member
- •Sources of Reservations
- •Corporate Clients
- •Social/Military/Educational/Religious/Fraternal (SMERF)
- •Meetings/Incentive/Conference/Event (MICE)
- •Group Travelers
- •Leisure Travelers
- •Current Guests
- •Forecasting Reservations
- •Overbooking (Occupancy Management)
- •Revenue Management
- •Processing Guest Reservations
- •Systemwide Reservation Systems
- •Outsourcing Reservations
- •Types of Reservations
- •Reservation Codes
- •Cancellation Codes
- •Blocking Procedure
- •Process of Completing Reservations through a PMS
- •Database Interfaces
- •True Integration
- •Solution to Opening Dilemma
- •Chapter Recap
- •End-of-Chapter Questions
- •Notes
- •Key Words
- •Occupancy Percentage
- •Average Daily Rate
- •RevPAR
- •History of Yield Management
- •Use of Yield Management
- •Revenue Manager
- •Components of Revenue Management
- •Definition of Yield
- •Optimal Occupancy and Optimal Rate
- •Strategies
- •Forecasting
- •Star Report
- •Block-out Periods
- •Systems and Procedures
- •Channel Management
- •Feedback
- •Management Challenges in Using Revenue Management
- •Considerations for Food and Beverage Sales
- •Applications of Revenue Management
- •Scenario 1
- •Scenario 2
- •Scenario 3
- •Solution to Opening Dilemma
- •Chapter Recap
- •End-of-Chapter Questions
- •Notes
- •Key Words
- •Importance of the First Guest Contact
- •Components of the Registration Process
- •Capturing Guest Data
- •Guest Registration Procedure
- •Guest Hospitality
- •Inquiry about Reservation
- •Completion of Registration Card
- •Review Completeness of Registration Card
- •Extension of Guest Credit
- •Room Selection
- •Room Assignment from Inventory
- •Assigning Room Rates
- •Discuss Sales Opportunities
- •Assigning Room Keys
- •Security of the Key System
- •Maintaining the Key System
- •Registration with a PMS
- •Retrieving Reservation Form
- •Checking Room Inventory Option
- •Checking Room Status Option
- •Verifying Room Rate
- •Issuing Room Key
- •Obtaining Reports from the PMS
- •Self-Check-In
- •Solution to Opening Dilemma
- •Chapter Recap
- •End-of-Chapter Questions
- •Notes
- •Key Words
- •Common Bookkeeping Practices
- •Debits and Credits
- •Forms Used to Process Guest Charges and Payments
- •Folio, Transfers, and Paid-out Slips
- •Account Ledgers
- •Guest Ledger and City Ledger
- •Posting Guest Charges and Payments
- •Point-of-sale
- •Room and Tax
- •Transfers and Adjustments
- •Paid-Out
- •Miscellaneous Charges
- •Phone
- •Display Folio
- •Reports
- •Transferring Guest and City Ledgers to Accounts Receivable
- •Solution to Opening Dilemma
- •Chapter Recap
- •End-of-Chapter Questions
- •Key Words
- •Organizing Late Charges to Ensure Accuracy
- •Guest Checkout Procedure
- •Inquiring about Quality of Products and Services
- •Retrieving the Room Key
- •Retrieving and Reviewing the Folio
- •In-room Guest Checkout
- •Determining Method of Payment and Collection
- •Credit Cards
- •Bill-to-account (Direct Billing)
- •Cash and Personal Checks
- •Traveler’s Checks
- •Debit Cards
- •Assisting the Guest with Method of Payment
- •Money Wire
- •Travelers Aid Society
- •Auto Clubs
- •International Currency Exchange
- •Obtaining Future Reservations
- •Filing Documents
- •Relaying Guest Departures to Other Departments
- •Removing Guest Information from the System
- •Transfer of Guest Accounts to the Back Office
- •Checkout Reports Available with a Property Management System
- •Guest Histories
- •ZIP Code or Postal Code
- •Developing Conventions and Conferences
- •FAM Tours
- •Origination of Reservation
- •Frequency of Guest Visit
- •Types of Room Requested
- •Room Rates versus Occupancy Patterns
- •Tracking Social Media
- •Last Impressions of the Hotel
- •Solution to Opening Dilemma
- •Chapter Recap
- •End-of-Chapter Questions
- •Notes
- •Key Words
- •Importance of the Night Audit
- •The Night Auditor
- •The Night Audit Process
- •Posting Room and Tax Charges
- •Assembling Guest Charges and Payments
- •Reconciling Departmental Financial Activities
- •Reconciling Accounts Receivable
- •Running the Trial Balance
- •Goal of Preparing the Night Audit Report
- •Preparing the Night Audit Report
- •Departmental Totals
- •Bank Deposit
- •Accounts Receivable
- •Cashier’s Report
- •Manager’s Report
- •Formulas for Balancing the Night Audit Report
- •Room and Tax
- •Total Restaurant Sales and Sales Tax
- •Tips for Restaurant, Room Service, Banquet, and Lounge Employees
- •Room Service
- •Banquet Sales
- •Banquet Bar and Total Lounge Sales
- •Room Rental
- •Valet
- •Telephone Charges
- •Gift Shop Sales and Tax
- •Vending
- •Parking
- •Total Revenue and Total Write-Offs
- •Cash Sales and Accounts Receivable Balance
- •Credit Cards and Cash Applied to Accounts Receivable
- •Analysis of Accounts Receivable
- •Bank Deposit and Amount Transferred to Accounts Receivable
- •Cashier’s Report
- •Operating Statistics
- •Daily Flash Report
- •Reading the Flash Report
- •Reading the Night Audit
- •Solution to Opening Dilemma
- •Chapter Recap
- •End-of-Chapter Questions
- •Key Words
- •Importance of Hospitality
- •Managing the Delivery of Hospitality
- •Management’s Role
- •The Service Strategy Statement
- •Financial Commitment
- •Total Quality Management Applications
- •Developing a Service Management Program
- •Guest Cycle
- •Moments of Truth in Hotel Service Management
- •Employee Buy-in Concept
- •Screening Employees Who Deliver Hospitality
- •Empowerment
- •Training for Hospitality Management
- •Evaluating the Service Management Program
- •Follow-through
- •Interfacing with Other Departments in Delivering Hospitality
- •Customer Relationship Management
- •Solution to Opening Dilemma
- •Chapter Recap
- •End-of-Chapter Questions
- •Notes
- •Key Words
- •Determining Employee Hospitality Qualities
- •Job Analysis and Job Descriptions
- •Positive Hospitality Character Traits
- •Practicing Promotional Skills
- •Screening for Hospitality Qualities
- •An Outgoing Personality
- •Patience
- •Ability to Accept Constructive Criticism
- •Interest in Selling
- •Developing an Orientation Program
- •Economic Position of the Property in the Community
- •Overview of the Lodging Establishment
- •Employee Handbook
- •Policy and Procedure Manual
- •Introduction to the Front Office Staff
- •Equipment Overview
- •Interdepartmental Cooperation
- •Administering the Orientation Program
- •Selection of Orientation Leader
- •Developing a Training Program
- •Identification of Tasks and Job Management Skills
- •Preparing Step-by-Step Procedures
- •Management Concepts
- •Steps in the Training Process
- •Preparation: Get Ready
- •Delivery: Show Me
- •Administering a Training Program
- •Cross-training
- •Developing a Trainer
- •Job Knowledge
- •Training for Empowerment
- •Americans with Disabilities Act
- •Solution to Opening Dilemma
- •Chapter Recap
- •End-of-Chapter Questions
- •Notes
- •Key Words
- •The Role of the Front Office in Marketing and Sales
- •Planning a Point-of-sale Front Office
- •Set Objectives
- •Brainstorm Areas for Promotion
- •Evaluate Alternatives
- •Devise Incentive Programs
- •Theories of Motivation
- •Douglas McGregor
- •Abraham Maslow
- •Elton Mayo
- •Frederick Herzberg
- •Applying Motivation Theories
- •Maslow
- •Mayo
- •Herzberg
- •Training Programs for a Point-of-sale Front Office
- •Train in Sales Skills
- •Develop an Attitude of Presenting Opportunities
- •Let Employees Experience Hotel Services
- •Use Role-Playing to Create Your Own Training Video
- •Budgeting for a Point-of-sale Front Office
- •Feedback
- •Guest Test
- •Financial Results
- •Planning a Point-of-sale Front Office—An Example
- •Solution to Opening Dilemma
- •Chapter Recap
- •End-of-Chapter Questions
- •Notes
- •Key Words
- •Importance of a Security Department
- •Organization of a Security Department
- •Job Analysis of the Director of Security
- •In-House Security Departments versus Contracted Security
- •Room Key Security
- •Hard-key System
- •Electronic Locks System
- •Smart Card
- •Contactless Electronic Locks
- •Fire Safety
- •General Fire Code Requirements
- •Guest Expectations
- •Fire Safety Plan
- •Employee Training in Fire Safety
- •Guest Instruction in Fire Safety
- •Fire Action Communication Procedure
- •Emergency Communication
- •Developing the Emergency Communication Plan
- •Employee Safety Programs
- •Employee Safety Committee
- •Composition and Activities of the Safety Committee
- •Department Supervisors’ Responsibility
- •Safety Training Programs
- •Solution to Opening Dilemma
- •Chapter Recap
- •End-of-Chapter Questions
- •Notes
- •Key Words
- •Importance of the Housekeeping Department
- •Overview of a Housekeeping Department
- •Relationship of the Executive Housekeeper to the General Manager
- •Management of a Housekeeping Department
- •Room Assignment/Workload
- •Outsourcing Housekeeping Activities
- •Housekeeper’s Report
- •Communication
- •Situation 1: Why Can’t Room Attendants Get Those Rooms Cleaned More Quickly, or, If That Guest Asks One More Time…
- •Inventory Control
- •Fixtures
- •Theft Control of Inventory
- •In-house Laundry versus Outsourced Laundry
- •Occupational Safety and Health Administration
- •Material Safety Data Sheets
- •Americans with Disability Compliance
- •Professional Associations
- •Role of Chief Engineer in a Lodging Property
- •Job Analysis
- •Job Description
- •Technology
- •Managing Maintenance Inter-departmental Communications
- •Energy Management
- •The Greening of the Lodging Industry
- •Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
- •Solution to Opening Dilemma
- •Chapter Recap
- •End-of-Chapter Questions
- •Notes
- •Key Words
- •Glossary
- •Index
C H A P T E R 1 5
Executive Housekeeping
O P E N I N G D I L E M M A
The general manager of the hotel has requested that you come to his
office to talk over last week’s lack of efficiency in your housekeeping
department. Your housekeepers have not met their quota of cleaning
18 rooms per day; they cleaned only 15.5 rooms per day. How are you
going to respond?
Importance of the Housekeeping Department
Guests return to a hotel, in part, because of its cleanliness—not the initial advertising efforts of the hotel marketing department to attract guests with price, product, and service features. This basic operating concept therefore requires special consideration of how the housekeeping and maintenance departments fit into the marketing effort. The focus of this chapter is the executive housekeeper’s management of the people, processes, communications, and interactions that affect guests’ stay. These operational procedures have an enormous impact on the financial position of the hotel. Guests who have a negative first experience—a messy lobby, a dismal-looking bathroom, or worn bedding—will not be impressed; the possibility of a return visit is
C H A P T E R F O C U S P O I N T S
■Importance of the housekeeping department
■Overview of a housekeeping department
■Relationship of an executive housekeeper to the general manager
■Managing a housekeeping department
■Role of chief engineer in a lodging property
■Managing maintenance interdepartmental communications
■Energy management
■The greening of the lodging Industry
424 C H A P T E R 1 5 ■ E X E C U T I V E H O U S E K E E P I N G
slight. Also, negative word-of-mouth advertising will become another problem to manage.
Additionally, this chapter addresses the well-organized, mutually dependent operational aspects of the housekeeping department and the maintenance department, the role of the chief engineer, communications between maintenance and housekeeping, energy management, and the greening in the lodging industry.
The following passage from an article in Hotel Management reflects on the importance of the housekeeping staff in providing an excellent visit for a guest.
The impact of the housekeeping function on the success of a hotel’s operations cannot be underestimated. Although the staff providing this service do not necessarily interact directly with the public, the quality of their work is critical in shaping guests’ memories of their stay. “Housekeeping is an important part of the guest experience,” says Werner Knechtli, general manager at the Radisson SAS Hotel in Berlin. “Other things such as security are important, but what guests really want is to feel at home, to feel comfortable.” Also, as guests become more selective about their accommodation, getting the basics of cleanliness, efficiency and friendly service right becomes more of a challenge. “Guests’ expectations are higher now, particularly in terms of deadlines,” observes Knechtli. “They want their rooms to be ready by the time they come back from breakfast.” Despite the evolution of benchmark standards across the industry, the housekeeping function must be closely managed and constantly reviewed and improved.1
Barbara Worcester also writes about the importance of housekeeping to the guest:
Sheets, blankets, pillows, towels and shower curtains aren’t just soft goods . . . If sheets are soiled, blankets are rough and scratchy, pillows thin and nonsupportive and shower curtains are moldy and stained, the entire image of the hotel is tarnished, and the guest most likely will not return.2
All of this focus on how the housekeeping department can ensure a return visit will also encourage a profitable financial bottom line for the hotel. Now let’s review the organization of the housekeeping department.
Overview of a Housekeeping Department
The housekeeping department is usually organized with an executive housekeeper as its leader. This person’s job, even in select-service properties, is usually rather standard. In full-service hotels, an assistant executive housekeeper with floor supervisors manages the duties of the room attendants (housekeepers or housemen). Also, in select-service as well as full-service hotels, additional housekeepers are assigned to clean and maintain public areas. The responsibility for operating the in-house laundry also falls to the housekeeping department. The staffing of this housekeeping subdepartment includes a supervisor, shift
I M P O R TA N C E O F T H E H O U S E K E E P I N G D E PA R T M E N T 425
F I G U R E 1 5 - 1 Organization chart for a housekeeping department in a large hotel with in-house laundry.
Executive Housekeeper
Attendant Supervisor
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Floor Supervisor |
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Laundry Supervisor |
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Room Attendant—AM Shift |
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Laundry Attendant—AM Shift |
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Room Attendant—PM Shift |
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Laundry Attendant—PM Shift |
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Public Area Attendant |
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supervisors, and attendants. Figure 15-1 is an organization chart of a housekeeping department for a large hotel, while Figure 15-2 is one for a select-service property. Both properties operate an on-site laundry facility.
Shifts vary from hotel to hotel because of guest checkout times. Some executive housekeepers schedule a few room attendants from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and stagger the starting time of other room attendants depending on the size or nature of the group in the hotel. Laundry attendants may start earlier in the day, depending on whether there are banquet and restaurant linens that must be laundered or laundry held from a previous day.
F I G U R E 1 5 - 2 Organization chart for a housekeeping department in a select-service hotel.
General Manager
Executive Housekeeper
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Room Attendant—AM Shift |
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426 C H A P T E R 1 5 ■ E X E C U T I V E H O U S E K E E P I N G
F I G U R E 1 5 - 3
Housekeeping staff provide essential components in guest service.
Relationship of the Executive Housekeeper to the General Manager
The executive housekeeper facilitates the work of the general manager by coordinating operational efforts that affect the customer satisfaction level—which, in turn, has an enormous impact on the financial position of the hotel. For example, when a group of businesspeople that represents $100,000 in gross sales to the hotel is pleased because the executive housekeeper’s staff was able to provide quick turnaround service on room entry the day they arrived, keep the hallways free of room service trays, respond rapidly to requests for extra towels and toiletries, and maintain exceptionally clean bathrooms, then the executive housekeeper’s staff can appreciate how important their role is in producing a profit for the hotel.
Throughout this text, the job analysis is used to trace the administrative and supervisory tasks of a member of the management team. The following job analysis portrays a typical day in the life of an executive housekeeper.
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I M P O R TA N C E O F T H E H O U S E K E E P I N G D E PA R T M E N T 427 |
6:30 a.m. |
Greets laundry staff; reviews banquet laundry; checks voice mail for call- |
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offs |
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Checks for room status to clean; assigns rooms to attendants |
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Calls extra people if needed |
6:50 |
Checks with front office for updated room status report; assigns rooms |
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to attendants |
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Conducts meeting with room attendants for announcements and five- |
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minute stretching/exercising routines |
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Lays out master keys by section and assignment sheets |
7:00 |
Fills guest requests—toothbrushes, hairdryers, towels, cots |
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Checks email |
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Checks deliveries of guest soap, toilet paper, chemicals, coffee, paper, |
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linen, etc. |
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Visits with room attendants at workstations |
7:45 |
Works on projects such as employee schedules and employee insurance |
9:00 |
Meets with laundry supervisor to discuss purchase of new dryer |
9:30 |
Attends staff meeting—discusses upcoming events, occupancy, successes, |
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etc. |
9:35 |
Attends meeting with general manager to discuss new advertising |
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program and how housekeeping department will be involved |
11:15 |
Meets with assistant executive housekeeper on employee motivation |
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program |
12:00 p.m. |
Lunches with front office manager |
12:45 |
Visits with room attendants to discuss condition of bedding |
1:15 |
Meets with director of security to update a fire safety training session |
2:30 |
Meets with front office manager to discuss recent comments on guest |
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checkout |
2:45 |
Prepares a to-do list for next day |
3:00 |
Checks with front office manager on potential house count for |
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tomorrow and next few days |
3:15 |
Revises room attendant schedule for next day |
4:00 |
Departs for the day |
This job analysis indicates the executive housekeeper is focused on the small details of running a department yet at the same time is concerned with the department’s interaction with others, such as the front office and security. The executive housekeeper realizes his or her department provides a service to the guest, and this service relies on good communication efforts with staff and departmental managers.