SITHACS002 – Provide housekeeping services
In this unit you will learn how to;
- Respond to housekeeping requests
- Advise guests on room and housekeeping equipment
Introduction
Depending on the nature of the hospitality establishment guests could, potentially, be paying significant sums of money in order to stay there.
Regardless, however, of the type of establishment, the facilities they offer and the fees they charge, the guest will expect service and they will expect this service to be friendly, professional and prompt.
As a room attendant, then, you will need to understand the features the of housekeeping services and procedures of your organisation.
This might mean;
- Providing information and advice on organisational services, products, and in-room equipment offered by your establishment. This might include meeting special needs such as items for celebrations, lost property enquiries or assisting customers with physical or mental disabilities.
- Knowing the location of the items offered and the organisation’s delivery and pick-up systems. You will also, then, need to know your establishments standard response times so that you can provide items and service promptly.
- Understanding maintenance reporting and follow-up procedures which might include such things as;
- organising repair and maintenance of equipment, fixtures or fittings
- organising rectification cleaning after maintenance has been carried out.
Respond to housekeeping requests
When guests stay in an accommodation establishment they expect the room, the suite, the apartment, the cabin, in fact whatever type of accommodation is provided, to be immaculately clean. Cleaning, it should be noted, is not a guest service; the guest pays to stay in a clean establishment.
In some cases, the size and standard of the establishment will determine the range of items and services which are available to guests from the housekeeping department. It is not uncommon however for smaller exclusive establishments to offer the same and in some cases more items and services to guests than some large ones.
Luxury resorts, for example, may have only a small number luxurious villas or rooms, but the type of items and services offered to guests may be equal to that of any five star hotel. For example, items guests would find in their villas might include bath robes and beach towels, hair-dryers, iron and ironing board and even an aromatherapy oil burner. An evening turn down service and laundry service might be offered and guests would be able to contact housekeeping at most times for replacement beach towels, replenishment of toiletry items or any other items or services offered.
So, just because an establishment is ‘small’ doesn’t mean that services offered are less than those of large chain hotels.
Handle guest requests to required standards
In some establishments items such as hair dryers, irons and ironing boards, additional blankets and pillows are standard items; that is – these items will already be in the room.
When items are not standard in the room the guest will, generally, phone the reception desk to request the item, or service, they require. Reception will, then, accept the initial call from the guest and determine which department is best able to assist with the request. Reception may connect the guest to that department or pass on the request.
Depending on the type of establishment, the list of items they provide to a guest can vary. In general, however, they might include:
- Roll away Beds & Infant Cots — a fold up bed for an extra person or child in the room
- Additional Room Supplies -towels, toilet paper, stationery, bathroom toiletries
- Additional pillows and blankets-including non allergenic
- Feather Pillows/choice of pillows
- Transformers – international guests may have electrical devices of a different voltage
- Bathrobes
- Beach Towels
- TV/Video Player
- Replacement light bulbs
- Replacement of faulty equipment in the room — a faulty hair dryer, a lamp malfunctioning
- Vases
- Bed boards
- Adaptors
- Hot water bottles.
- Personal toiletry items toothbrushes, razors, hairspray. Guests sometimes forget to bring these items with them and will contact Housekeeping to assist them with these items.
Sometimes it isn’t a physical item that is required, but a service that the guest needs. There are a range of such services including (but not limited to);
- Maintenance of an item in the room which the guest would like to be attended to immediately.For example, a leaking tap, in this case Housekeeping would contact the maintenance department or a contractor to fix the problem.
- Laundry Services — Arranging laundering/dry cleaning of … continued in learner guide…
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