SabeeApp Smart Solutions in practice: Housekeeping App

I often think back to those days when I was still working as a hotel manager. Today, as a member of the SabeeApp team, I know and see by the example of our clients, how much simpler and more efficient my hotel work would’ve been if I’d been able to use these innovative, automated systems. I would like to tell you a bit about this topic today through real-life examples and show you what the processes and workflows at the hotel would be like with SabeeApp.

Housekeeping App in practice

• Morning reports and daily worksheet 

1. Without SabeeApp Smart Solutions: the receptionist or housekeeping manager will start the day by printing out the reports needed to prepare the daily worksheet. These reports have to be reviewed, interpreted, and the worksheet filled in manually based on them. This process takes at least 15 minutes each morning and besides being time-consuming, gives plenty of room for error.
   
   
2. With SabeeApp Smart Solutions: This workflow can be greatly simplified with the Housekeeping App. The innovative application automatically generates the related reports for daily cleaning tasks that can be kept up-to-date in real-time without having to do anything.

• Assigning daily tasks and morning meetings

1. Once the report is complete, the next step is to assign the rooms and other tasks to the housekeeping staff. This is typically done on a paper-based worksheet, which again leaves room for errors and complicates making changes that might happen during the day. I believe this task takes approximately 20-30 minutes every day based on the occupancy of the hotel. So about 45 minutes have passed since working hours started in the morning and the cleaning staff has so far only dealt with administration or waited to get their work assigned.
   
   
2. On the other hand, our system is dead simple. All general room-related and ad hoc daily tasks can be assigned directly to the housekeeping staff from the Housekeeping App, and the status of the rooms can be monitored and updated continuously in real-time. This saves a significant amount of time - about 15-20 minutes a day - for the supervisor which can be used to check the cleanliness of the rooms instead of administering them.

• The chambermaid's job

1. Cleaning standards and keeping them up-to-date is one of the most important tasks when it comes to housekeeping’s responsibilities. Traditionally, these standards have been taught to cleaning staff members during training. Nowadays, however, with ever-changing staff, it is becoming increasingly difficult to teach these standards and make the staff comply with them. More attention and control are needed from supervisors, but even with significant effort, rooms are often not cleaned properly.
   
   This problem by itself can ruin a guest’s overall hotel experience, leaving them with an irreparably bad impression, which will certainly be addressed in the form of a review on one or more online platforms.
   
   
2. When we designed our Housekeeping app, we strived to put a tool in your hand that helps you and the housekeeping staff to stay on top of cleaning standards and create useful checklists at the same time. With the latest update of the Housekeeping app, this is now not just a plan but a reality. With our new checklist feature, maids no longer have to memorize the cleaning steps, and supervisors can be sure that the cleaning process complies with the highest standards.

• Room status updates

1. For work processes to run smoothly, both the front desk and the housekeeping need to be aware of all rooms’ statuses. Unfortunately, information can get easily stuck, reaching the person in charge is often slow or late. Their ways of communication are inefficient and time-consuming: trying to reach out in person, on the phone, in chat, on the walkie-talkie. This is anything but efficient work.
   
   
2. Our SabeeApp Housekeeping application provides real-time updates for faster communication and the ability to get the job done more efficiently. The housekeeping staff can update the status of the room in the system immediately after it is done, which the receptionist can check at any time via SabeeApp PMS. With the Housekeeping app, there are no more unnecessary phone calls between the staff members or long waits at the front desk for the guests.

• Supervising processes

1. Once the chambermaid is ready with the room assigned to her, the person in charge has to check and approve the room before it is given to the guest. If the supervisor finds everything appropriate, the room will be marked as clean on their worksheet and will be reported in some way from the above to the reception. However, if the cleaning of the room does not comply with the hotel's standards, the maid will have to go back and fix or do whatever is required.
   
   This, while it may sound simple, is in reality a time-consuming and tedious process, as the supervisor has to find the person who cleaned the room and explain what the problem was each and every time.
   
   
2. Conversely, if the entire housekeeping staff uses our SabeeApp Housekeeping app, the processes get way more simplified:
   
   -  If the rooms are clean, the only thing the supervisor has to do after checking is mark them clean in the app. The system automatically updates the room status in the reception's PMS system.
   
   -  Of course, the app also has an easy-to-use function in case the room needs additional cleaning. The supervisor can send an immediate notification directly to the maid’s phone detailing what needs to be fixed. Communication is in written form, which can later be reviewed, analyzed and used to optimize cleaning processes.

• Minibar refilling

1. Checking and refilling the minibar is often the last and least important step. It can be problematic because the guest may have consumed something but their account has already been closed or they left by the time this information reaches the front desk.
   
   
2. Another new feature of our Housekeeping app is the minibar refill feature. The person in charge of refilling the minibar can add the refilled goods directly to the guest's folio. This avoids unnecessary paper usage, gets one task done in the workload, and prevents guests from leaving without paying for their minibar consumption.

• Additional tasks

1. During the day-to-day operation there are countless ad-hoc tasks that are only indirectly related to cleaning, but the housekeeping staff wastes a lot of time on them due to outdated communication processes. For example problems found that require maintenance in the rooms or reporting items left behind by guests.
   
   
2. With our SabeeApp Housekeeping app, employees in the relevant department can check and report everything in real time. Not only written but also photographic evidence can be attached to each case to help avoid misunderstandings and loss of important information.

Final words

It is obvious that our Housekeeping application can simplify the daily housekeeping process and save you valuable time on administration. Next week Front Office Manager and GuestAdvisor will be in the spotlight to show you how they can help you provide outstanding guest experience.