446 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
guide dog, do not pet or play with the animal. It is performing a job and should not be distracted.
Training in the housekeeping department involves teaching housekeepers to leave guests’ personal belongings precisely where they were found once the guestroom has been cleaned. The hand-held showerhead must be left hanging, furniture must not be repositioned, and hallways must be kept clear to allow movement.
If guests request a guide to get to their room, an employee should offer an arm or shoulder and provide verbal commentary while proceeding through the hotel. For example: “The elevator is 20 paces to your right. Your guest room is three doors past the elevator on the left. The key card slot is located two inches above the door handle.”
Specific quantifiable directions are crucial to the visually impaired. Staff should explain where emergency exits are located relative to the guest’s room and note the numbers to dial on the telephone to reach the front desk and other services. Be clear in terms of directions. Don’t say “over there.”18
Professional Associations
The American Hotel & Lodging Association’s (AH&LA) Educational Institute (EI) offers a Certified Hospitality Housekeeping Executive (CHHE) program for executive housekeepers. AH&LA is headquartered in Washington, DC, for its 10,000 property members, and is prominent in supporting hoteliers with their operations, education, communications, and lobby efforts. The website for the AH&LA is www.ahla.com/index.asp, and the website for the EI is www.ei-ahla.org/.
The International Executive Housekeepers Association (IEHA), located in Westerville, Ohio, provides an opportunity for executive housekeepers to earn status in their profession as Certified Executive Housekeeper (CEH) and Registered Executive Housekeeper (REH). Its membership in 2010 was 3500 within 75 chapters internationally. The IEHA offers its membership Executive Housekeeping Today as their monthly trade publication and newsletter. Their website address is www.ieha.org/.
Role of Chief Engineer in a Lodging Property
The chief engineer or plant engineer, mentioned in chapter 2, is the person responsible for the operation and maintenance of the physical plant and who establishes an effective preventive maintenance program. This position encompasses some of the following duties: managing electricians, plumbers, heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning contractors, and general repair personnel; developing preventative maintenance and energy savings plans; interacting with all departments, in particular housekeeping and the front office, to maintain guest room optimal operational and access; and providing overall knowledge of building structure, equipment, and environment control.
R O L E O F C H I E F E N G I N E E R I N A L O D G I N G P R O P E R T Y 447
Job Analysis
Let’s review a job analysis of the chief engineer of a full-service hotel:
7:00 a.m. |
Meets with the night auditor to review any equipment failures, heating/ |
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ventilation/air-conditioning problems from the previous evening. |
7:30 |
Visits with the sales office to check on the incoming reservations for the |
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day. |
7:45 |
Greets the first-shift maintenance workers and discusses workload for |
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the day. Prepares work assignments and talks about details of completing |
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assignments. |
8:15 |
Reviews the preventative maintenance plan and determines which goals |
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will be accomplished today. |
8:30 |
Meets with the executive housekeeper to identify potential problem areas |
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of which the maintenance staff should be aware. |
9:00 |
Returns to office to work on the planning document for a new elevator |
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installation. |
10:30 |
Checks with the chef to determine if a new dishwasher is working |
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properly. Both of them schedule a time to develop a training session for |
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food service employees to address additional questions they may have. |
11:00 |
Stops by the front desk to ask staff if there are any emergencies from |
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guests. |
11:15 |
Works on a forecasting sheet for the coming week. Prepares preliminary |
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schedule and anticipated payroll. |
12:30 p.m. |
Lunches with an architect to discuss floor plan for remodeling parking |
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garage. |
1:30 |
Works with the controller on budgetary targets for the next month. |
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Receives feedback on budget targets from last month. |
2:00 |
Meets with the general manager to discuss development of the next fiscal |
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budget. |
3:00 |
Greets the second-shift maintenance workers, relays operational |
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information, and discusses workload for the day. Prepares work |
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assignments and talks about details of completing assignments. |
3:30 |
Works on energy-saving plan draft for presentation tomorrow at the |
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Safety Committee meeting. |
4:00 |
Responds to a request for help from a maintenance worker who needs |
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assistance repairing a leaking toilet. |
5:00 |
Checks with the banquet manager if the air conditioning is adequate for |
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tonight’s function. |
448 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
5:30 |
Sends an email requesting a list of rooms to be placed out of order to |
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front office manager and executive housekeeper for next week to have |
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walls painted. |
5:45 |
Reviews all work order request forms that were completed today. |
6:15 |
Reviews preventive maintenance plan and determines which goals were |
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met today. |
6:45 |
Prepares to-do schedule for tomorrow. |
This job analysis reveals the chief engineer is actively involved with the maintenance staff and the hotel staff. Planning, supervising, and communicating are essential aspects of this person’s role in the management team.
Job Description
The following general job description summarizes the administrative and operational responsibilities of a chief engineer of a lodging property. Note, as you review the tasks found in this job description, refer to the previous section on job analysis.
Title: Chief Engineer
Reports To: General Manager
Planning
1.Coordinates preventative maintenance plan on all heating, ventilation, airconditioning, and food service equipment safety.
2.Coordinates any repair orders from all departments such as guest rooms and food service.
3.Prepares budget for engineering department to include supplies and labor, etc.
4.Maintains cost control procedures on all costs associated with budget items.
5.Contributes to physical planning and development of property. Participates as active member of executive team.
6.Coordinates energy-saving plan for property. Involves hotel employees to promote an energy-saving attitude.
7.Coordinates room blocks and room repairs on a daily basis.
8.Cooperates with all national, state, and local laws affecting guests and employees with regard to safety and employment.
Supervising
1.Supervises work crew on daily tasks, prepares daily schedule, prepares work assignments, and assists crew members with tasks as needed.
Communicating
1.Communicates with various department heads in the lodging property concerning operational concerns such as equipment failures, heating/ventilation/
