Executive Housekeeper Volume 20 Number 1

The Executive

HOUSEKEEPER

Vol 20

No 1

PP322210/00016

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www.livitissue.com.au 2

Publishers LETTER

W

elcome to another edition of Executive Housekeeper.

It’s often said that housekeepers have one of the most important jobs in the hotel. Although they’re often out of sight for guests, it’s their work which everyone sees and needs the most. But it’s no easy job. Along with keeping the hotel to its highest standard, they need to keep on top of a huge roster of staff – each with their own lives to live outside work. Housekeepers must be mentors, motivators and managers for their department. But there’s always something to learn, some way to make their job easier. That’s why this issue focusses on ways you can better manage and train your staff.

Bonnie Tyler once asked, “Where have all the good men gone?” In this issue, our contributor Janet Marletoo asks, “Where have all the managers gone?” She offers some hints as to what a top manager offers, and the steps to becoming one. Another contributor Liz Lycette offers some pointers on how to attract the next generation of staff. She interviews some of her own workers to find out exactly what makes them tick, and shares what you can do to keep them in your hotel.

When it comes to training and developing your staff, Kevin Lucas has you covered. He delves into the government support available for housekeepers wanting to boost their training. Who knew the government had all this help available?

We have a special profile this week – all the way from the outback! They say things are different in the country, and our chat with housekeepers from the ibis Styles in Broken Hill proves it. The extra responsibilities and camaraderie makes for interesting reading. We have other top profiles from the city, too.

More and more, you’ll see people walking around with wearable technology – Apple Watches, Fitbits, etc. But could this be used in hotels? Brendon Granger looks into what the technology is, and how housekeepers can benefit.

Finally, our regular Col Nation discusses fabrics while Brian Clarke looks at cleaning auditing. We also have pieces on sustainable housekeeping and cleaning.

There’s plenty to get through this issue. Enjoy the read.

Regards, Neil Muir

View The Executive Housekeeper online now!

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ADBOURNE PUBLISHING 18/69 Acacia Road Ferntree Gully VIC 3156 PO Box 735, Belgrave, VIC 3160 www.adbourne.com Editorial Contributor Thomas Johnson

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Contents 7

PHAN news

10 SEQPHA news 11 PEHN news 13 Where have all the true managers gone????

Attracting the next generation 16 of Housekeeping Managers

21 Heads up 23 Vocational pathways 24 Choosing fabrics for lounges 27 Sustainable cleaning Cutting through the greenwash 31

36 What is the future of wearable technology in hotels 38 Steve Waugh profile 40 Jenny & Donna profile 42 Talking Dirty: Is eighty the new one hundred 46 Give your guests the 5 star treatment 48 6 ways to boost productivity in cleaning staff 50 Can alkaline chemicals burn stone or tiles?

53 Avoiding burnout 55 Sustainable housekeeping 58 Auditing cleaning 61 How to carry out a deep clean 62 Soap Aid 64 Product news

The Executive

HOUSEKEEPER

Cover images shows The Tank Stream, St Giles Premier Hotel, Sydney

Vol 20

No 1

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PHAN NEWS T

he bad storm in the CBD area didn’t keep away the members of PHAN from attending the bowling evening on the 21st of January at Strike Bowling King Street Wharf. This was the postponed Christmas party and everyone who attended were ready for action with their bowling shoes on by 5.30 pm.

This event was generously sponsored

by Vanity Group who sponsors PHAN members Christmas Party every year.

The action began at around 6 pm and four lanes were allocated for the members. Craig and Mikel from Vanity Group also joined the members on the fun. The 1st game began with the experience players showing the amateurs on how to bowl and hit a STRIKE and the

amateurs were soon catching up.

But there were some real champions like Michael Gilzean, Jan Reed, Keke Stewart and Renugah Jagadisan. Michael and Jan were the stand out champions.

The food was tasty and plentiful.

There was so much food served that the members offered it to the players on the other lanes and they gratefully ate them up. A couple of them from the other groups joined in the fun with us towards the end of the 2nd game as some were complaining of a sore arm from all the efforts. Zarife tried out the no bend technic and was successful in hitting 6-8 pins a few times. The open Bar helped to dampen the sore throats from the

screaming and talking but RSA did not have to come in to play.

One of the service staff helped draw the Raffle prizes donated by Radisson Blu, The Grace Hotel and Park Royal Darling Harbour. After the conclusion of the second game whilst some members called it a day others proceeded to the Karaoke Room. I would say Renugah, Shiranthi, Grace, Nenita and Chona could easily start on new part time job as singers as they were that good.

The members who attended it definitely enjoyed the evening and sure will be added to the events calendar in the future. ď Ž

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PHAN HOTEL VISITS AND DINNER, 3RD MARCH 2016

H

otel Visits have not only become a very important educational event it has proved to be a very popular one amongst the members. The hotels which were visited, were the new Tank Stream Hotel and the newly refurbished Radisson Blu. The members met at the very welcoming hotel lobby of the Tank Stream hotel at 4 pm. The reservations manager Mahfuz and the Housekeeping Manager Jenny met the members in the lobby and treated all the members to a very delicious refreshments served by the F&B staff. This was a very generous gesture by the hotel management and needless to say the members enjoyed it very much and were very happy to receive a gift of amenities as well. After refreshments we spilt up in to two groups, one group went to the Radisson Blu while the others stayed to tour the Tank Stream.

The Tank Stream hotel which opened to doors to the public mid last year showed how wisely space has been used within the property. Mahfuz and Jenny showed different types of rooms in the property.

Fortunately we didn’t have far to go to tour Radisson Blu, we only had to cross the road. Maureen first showed us the rooms which are yet to be renovated and then showed the refurbished ones so that we can all see the obvious changes. The new rooms were looking fresh and modern and easy to maintain. We were also able to see the newly done up function rooms with the matching carpets and lights.

Maureen, Jenny and Mahfuz patiently answered all the questions from the members as you know being housekeepers we always have lot of questions as to how things are done. We were also lucky to have the company of a well-respected ex executive housekeeper Josselyne Henin who has been in the industry for a long time before retiring.

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After the tour the members were treated to a Spanish dinner at Charr Restaurant of Amora Hotel where the food and the service was above 5 star. The dinner was generously sponsored by Ozzie integrated services, AAA and Lawrence Dry Cleaners. ď Ž

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With proven experience in providing the best and efficient service, we are the housekeeping partners of the leading hotels and serviced apartments in Australia.

Contact us now on 02 9571 6811 or 0451 374 970 reception@empirehospitality.com.au I www.empirehospitality.com.au Empire Hospitality Australia Pty Ltd - Suite 102/243 Pyrmont Street - Pyrmont NSW 2009

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SEQPHA NEWS 2

016 started off with our AGM and 1st breakfast of the year at the Sofitel Gold Coast and in March we had an Easter breakfast at QT in Surfers Paradise with two guest speakers and some wonderful prizes along with our Easter Bunny who constantly keeps us entertained.

This year again everyone bought Easter Eggs which were distributed to the local children’s hospital and various charities, it was truly lovely to see how all our members opened there hearts for this special cause, so much chocolate and a lot of happy children.

We have done our events calendar for the year and of course along the way we will be helping various charities and people that are in need of much needed assistance in our community.

This is a very sad time for myself as this will be my last edition that I write, as I have decided to retire and I am a little scared but happy as well. I have been in the Hospitality Industry for 35 wonderful years and nearly 20 years with SEQPHA it has been an amazing voyage, and I know that it takes a group of special people to commit to their jobs on a daily basis, even when the going gets tough and

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BY LIBBY SHARP

believe me we have all experienced that over the years.

I must admit I have kicked a lot of photocopy machines and cursed a lot of computers over the years, I have also been taught the value of having a positive and enthusiastic group of co-workers and all of these people have played a part in making all the hotels I have worked in and of course SEQPHA a happier and more productive place. I have a myriad of experiences, and too many to mention, that have impacted on my life in a memorable and meaningful way.

I will miss the laughter and that very special cup of coffee before the day starts with fellow workers that give you that much needed perspective.

I am extremely grateful for the role that everyone has played throughout the years; they have been very happy years and years that I will always remember. I will still attend various functions with SEQPHA and assist them with their various charities and fundraising. This association has so many wonderful people with big hearts and I feel so privileged to have been associated with each and every one of them.

Thank you to all of you.

The times shared, friendships forged and the incredible successes which we have enjoyed have been and extraordinary part of my life. I wish all of you every success for the future. 

PEHN NEWS DINNER WITH THE PENGUINS

T

he Pehn Annual Christmas party was held in December at Melbourne Sea life aquarium.

Dinner with the penguins – the Christmas tables were set up in the penguin viewing area, the food was lovely and watching the penguins in their habitat during the dinner was amazing.

PEHN IS CELEBRATING THEIR 20TH BIRTHDAY

A fantastic night was had by all. 

T

his year marks the 20th anniversary of Pehn, and plans are well underway for us to celebrate in style. If you are a past member of Pehn, either a committee member, an associate member or a Housekeeping member, please advise of your current email address (pehn.aus@gmail.com) so we can be sure that you receive your invite to this milestone event. We would love to see as many past and present members in attendance on the night.

Friday 24th June – keep this date free in your diary, and your eye on your email for your invite with all the details. 

CLEAN UP AUSTRALIA DAY

P

ehn again participated in Clean up Australia day 2016.

On Sunday the 6th March we headed off to Flagstaff Gardens, rubbish and recycling bags and gloves at the ready. The weather was nice to us this year, unlike the previous year when we all got wet.

Look forwarded to seeing more of our Pehn members helping us Clean up Australia next year. 

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Where have all

THE TRUE MANAGERS GONE????

BY JANET C. MARLETTO

H

is “old school”, then I vote for it because it works!

ave you seen the generational comparison charts on-line lately?

You, know, the one with Baby Boomers on the left, Generation X in the middle and Millennials on the right? There are brief descriptions of each group. Every generation has notable attributes. Although Baby Boomers may not be as collaborative as Gen X, they excel at mentoring.

This trait is not listed for Gen X or Millennials who excel at being selfconfident. So, as Baby Boomers retire from active participation in the work world, there is a definite gap in training, communication, and mentoring.

And, it shows.

How? It shows as novices come aboard.

Token training leaves the newbie to fend for himself. Not wanting to seem inept, he will brush off offers of training from a seasoned staff member who can see the lack of mastery. After a while he may accept some peer support. Too often, that same person will look for work somewhere else instead.

It is rare, anymore, for companies to offer adequate training to temporary or part-time employees. One quality retailer offers forty hours of paid training at an off-site location.

Not surprisingly this same company offers two dollars more per hour for starting pay than required by the state. Consequently, people with strong qualifications are applying for positions with them.

So, a combination of adequate training and fair compensation sets the stage for a stronger operation.

Why don’t more companies adopt this strong foundation approach?

First, it requires foresight and understanding on the highest level in the company. Then, there must be a line item in the budget to allow time and funds for training. If this is not the case, for whatever reason, it will not happen. Or, it will happen sporadically... i.e. ineffectively.

This attitude of support of the bottom from the top is key to mentoring as well.

Staff development ensures future succession and strengthens retention.

Everyone acknowledges that poor retention, better known as turnover, is expensive: over $4,000 per person.

Yet, few companies do anything to retain employees. The investment in training (“train the trainer” as well as training new employees and those new to a position, e.g. even after a promotion, results in more confident employees and happier customers.

The United States Marine Corps is famous for its effective training.

Of course, lives are at stake.

Overlearning, i.e. mastery, is the goal so that reactions are automatic even under pressure. The trainer is rated based on the performance of his trainees. Motivated trainers are part of the equation! If this

Everything is based on performance.

Until a skill can be performed smoothly, it is still being assimilated.

Be it on the battlefield, at a counter, in front of a group or communicating with a client, a potential client, mastery shows. As soon as mastery is reached, more nuances can be added.

Above all, the actions are automatic so that there is no hesitation or stumbling over words or actions. The focus is on the customer, client, guest, or task.

This poise is noticeable and is a symbol of a higher level operation.

Alas, we are noticing less and less of this poise. When we do recognise it, we appreciate it.

(In my article on training for hotel housekeeping, I explain why a three week training period is required for room attendants. The challenge to meet a daily quota and to produce rooms at standard is daunting because charm is also an expectation.

Guests expect to encounter charming room attendants and can mistake focus or intensity as anger. I salute room attendants for accomplishing the standards, the quota, and the charm!)

Effective training by a detail oriented manager or designated trainer makes a difference. The goal is to be clear and consistent so that re-teaching is not an issue. Reinforcement of each concept and task is coupled with repetition. For example, when a new task or concept is introduced and practiced, there is also a review of past tasks. Eventually, all will be smooth. Although time consuming, this methodology increases accuracy and decreases anxiety as long as the trainer is patient and compassionate.

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Instead…

The current crop of “managers” often acts entitled as opposed to responsible. When something is done well, they take credit for it without hesitation. They fool themselves into thinking that everything is all right.

They choose to be blind to gaps in operational duties. If these gaps are pointed out, they deny them or shrug them off. This failure to express concern is interpreted as lack of care for the employees and for the operation as a whole. Morale sags.

Positive reinforcement is rare. People start looking elsewhere for work.

Who wants to work somewhere where quality is not supported or even recognised?

Then negativity takes over and spreads so that positive, productive, inspired people feel attacked by those who resent their effectiveness.

All of this can be avoided by training managers how to be effective by caring for the team more than they care for about themselves.

Interestingly, by doing this, they prosper too because results are better and the manager is noticed in a positive way.

Even in situations where it is obvious that supervisory people need basic training, i.e. more than on-the-job experience. The fact that the positions in question are labelled “non-exempt” says volumes. “Non-exempt” from overtime positions, by definition, rarely require real decision making and are comprised of routine and/or repeated tasks. Only when a position demands creativity, problem-solving, and true decision-making is it categorised as “exempt”. These are salaried positions and not monitored by a time clock.

In some settings, there are only one or two exempt positions. Of course, downsizing has had an effect on staffing level and the number of exempt positions allowed. The staffing squeeze has reached upper positions too. I was taken aback when I tried

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to reach the administrative assistant of an upper echelon executive responsible for multiple operations.

I was informed that this executive has neither administrative assistant nor assistant.

In this age of technology, one person is doing two to four other jobs.

This has become the norm.

Indeed, delegation is not an option: it is a requirement. Every member of the team must carry his load…and then some…for an operation to move smoothly. Assuming that complete training was accomplished on all levels before positions were consolidated and that high performing employees have longevity, it can work.

Autopilot can happen when factors are in positive alignment.

Needless to say, everyone is different.

There are great leaders in every age group. It is just that they are less evident now. “Dilbert” takes on more meaning for more people as the number of incompetent managers or true leader dwindles.

If someone identifies himself as a “leader”, more than likely, he is NOT one. A true leader is a product of years of learning and targeted personal development. By being a perennial student the true leader hones his key traits: humility, integrity, kindness, acceptance, and generosity.

He focuses on priorities and tasks at hand, all the while developing assistants who will eventually be promoted or even replace him. The responsible leader looks toward the future and prepares replacements through mentoring and thorough, rotational training in advance to ease any transitions.

Word will get out that such a rare leader exists. Interested people may apply to work for him or even for his protégés who carry on the tradition of training.

In summary, there is a dearth of trained managers throughout the business world these days. The situation is reflective of generational differences and changing standards.

Standards have loosened everywhere to the point of nonexistence in some cases. Change is a normal part of life. For those of us who appreciate standards and the finesse that can accompany them, the new normal lacks elegance and grace. As long as the bottom line advocates are satisfied, then there is no reason to reinstate standards. Once clientele complains about the missing factors, there could be a chance of tightening up rules and standards.

On the other hand, there is the possibility of “management’ to brush off the comments and blame it on something vague. This is very risky business in the social media world because comments, positive and negative, are seen and distributed almost instantaneously on a global level. The comments of actual customers are taken seriously by potential customers. TripAdvisor is one such site that is taken seriously by all concerned. The wise company monitors sites such as these to be able to respond in a professional and timely way. It sends a negative message when the company does not respond to the report of a troublesome situation. When a company representative responds, there is a positive message sent.

Whether acknowledging a flaw to be corrected and to be used as a training opportunity or expressing appreciation for positive feedback about a pleasing experience, the management has satisfied the customer by validating the comments. Result: the customer will return with pleasure!  Janet C. Marletto is a consultant who can be found on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmarletto She welcomes your feedback! jmarletto@yahoo.com

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Attracting the next generation of Housekeeping Managers INTERVIEW WITH JAY DANG

EXECUTIVE HOUSEKEEPER AT JW MARRIOTT MACAU

AND IVAN IEONG

HOUSEKEEPING MANAGER AT JW MARRIOTT MACAU IN FEBRUARY 2016

I

t’s a huge challenge for those choosing Housekeeping as a career path in the future. JW Marriott Macau opened its 1015 rooms on 27th May 2015. The Housekeeping Team was led by Ivan and Jay to a successful opening with occupancy running in the high 90’s for the first 10 months, the young and dynamic team had the energy and drive to make it all happen.

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BY LIZ LYCETTE What is your career path to date?

Ivan: I was born, grew up and was educated in Macau. In 2010 I graduated from The Blue Mountains Hotel School, Leura, NSW Australia and returned to Macau shortly afterwards to begin my career in hotels. When I first started, I didn’t know which Department would suit me best, at that stage I was leaning more towards Front Office.

I decided to look for a Management trainee job and Mr. Val Cooke from

the school told me about a vacancy for a Rooms Management Trainee position at the Grand Hyatt Macau.

I applied and was accepted for the 1 year position. The first 6 months were in Front Office followed by all other areas in Rooms Division. Just as I finished the traineeship in 2011, a vacancy came up in Housekeeping for an Assistant Manager position.

I took the plunge, this was a huge challenge for me, I had only had 2 months experience in Housekeeping and I was put into this senior role.

Every day was very busy, we had 600 FIT check INS and checkouts.

Because the operation was so fast paced, I had the chance to show the team that I was a “hands on” style of Manager. At that time I told myself not to be embarrassed to ask, I would always get great support from the Room Attendants and the Supervisors whenever I was unsure of what to do next. After 2 ½ years in Housekeeping, In April 2014, I moved back to Front Office as Assistant Manager in April 2014 and In September 2015 I was promoted to Assistant Front Office Manager. But Housekeeping was in my blood. In January 2015, I decided to move to JW Marriott Macau as I was keen to learn more about doing a Hotel opening as a Housekeeping Manager. At that stage I knew I was more interested in Housekeeping than Front Office, I felt I still had a lot more to learn in Housekeeping and let’s face it overall it’s more interesting in Housekeeping than Front Office.

Jay: I was born in Vietnam and went to USA to continue my education including University. In 2011 I graduated from Conrad N. Hilton College in University of Houston with a Bachelor of Arts in Hotel and Restaurant Management. My very first interview after graduating was with Marriott, I felt it was a good fit and I completed my internship after graduating at Marriott’s Desert Spring Villas in Palm Desert, California. This involved 6 months in Housekeeping, with my first role as a Pool Attendant, handing out towels in 48 degree Celsius heat! My other jobs in Housekeeping included stripping rooms and doing the housekeeping office filing. The best part of the 6 months was getting involved in a housekeeping training project when I assisted the Housekeeping Manager to set up a brand new 2 day training programme for all Room Attendants including audio visual and hands on training tools. After 10 months I was promoted to Marriott’s Shadow Ridge in Palm Desert as Bench Manager (this is like a Junior Manager role). The 1 year programme involved 6 months

Top: Jay in the Linen Room Bottom: Ivan in the Laundry

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in Front Office and 6 months in Housekeeping. Then in 2013 I decided to move back to my native Vietnam to take up the role at JW Marriott Hanoi as Pre-opening Housekeeping Manager. This is a role I undertook for 2 years until I was promoted to my current role of Executive Housekeeper at JW Marriott Macau in April 2015.

Why did you choose Housekeeping over Front Office?

Ivan: Housekeeping is more about people management, it involves a diverse range of Associates and organising the team is more challenging than just facing the guest. Besides, Housekeeping has more involvement on the financial side with interesting aspects such as cost control and managing huge budgets.

Jay: The thing I love about Housekeeping is that every day is different. There are always different things happening and different aspects of the operation to focus on. This includes public areas, rooms, laundry and linen. It’s not only about managing the facilities and equipment, it’s really all about managing people.

What is changing the way that Housekeeping operates?

Ivan: It is definitely a lot more about technology than before including eHousekeeping, Guestware and Opera. Such software programmes didn’t exist in the past. My first technology project was to set up the Housekeeping software – Optii keeper at the Grand Hyatt Macau.

Interfaced software systems

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really help the operations; they enhance communications within the Department and with others and it is good to see this is definitely the trend for the future. One advantage of working in Housekeeping is the need to think outside the box. These software programmes are only tools; we are the ones to think of better ways to make the best use of these systems. In the end good use of technology can reduce calls and make everyone more efficient. It is only all about teaching our Associates how best to use them in a way to gain the most benefits.

everything on their Smartphones – room service, guest requests everything… and there will be a need for every Associate to serve the guest with more personalised service.

Room Attendants will become mini concierges and butlers, they will know where the guest can go for dinner and will even be able to make the reservation for the guest.

Jay:

In Macau there are numerous opportunities for promotion and the chance to develop lots of Housekeeping talent in Macau.

There are more opportunities in Housekeeping than any other Departments as the Hotels are big and there are not enough experienced Housekeeping Managers. Nowadays there are lots of innovations in Housekeeping, it’s not just about cleaning. We focus as much on service as we do on cleaning rooms, everything to make the guest happy.

Besides changes and increases in technology I do believe that the service delivered by Housekeeping is changing. There is a lot of competition out there and we need to be constantly trying to come up with better ways to serve the guest. How to provide personalised services in Housekeeping is an ongoing challenge and we have to think every day of how to create more ways to give a memorable Housekeeping service to the guest.

Where do you see it going?

What sort of innovations over the next 10-15 years?

Ivan: Everything is becoming more automatic, there will be a reduction in phone calls, with more effective communication between Front Office and Housekeeping. There will still be a lot of paperwork and unnecessary communication but hopefully this will improve. With issues of room cleanliness high on the agenda introduction of new technology like EcoApps, an organic and natural product used to reduce and remove smells from rooms, will also become more important.

Jay: In the future, the service demands of guests will become higher and higher. We have to come up with new ways to achieve or even exceed gust expectations. Guests will do

How do you think Housekeeping could become more of an attractive option for up and coming Managers of the future.

Ivan:

Jay: When hospitality students graduate they don’t think much about Housekeeping. It’s up to young Managers like Ivan and me to talk to those who have chosen hospitality to explain how we did it and to show them our career path.

What are the 3 main challenges you face in your role today?

Ivan: The main issue in my role is the huge challenge of managing a large resort and utilising limited manpower is a big challenge.

Another issue is managing the quality of performance. Sometimes we have to compromise as it takes time to reach the level of a 5 star operation.

The 3rd main challenge is the arrival and departure pattern of guests in Macau. Guests usually stay only one night, with high occupancies, this

The 2nd main issue is that JW Marriott is an American style of operation which requires lots of guest engagement. In some Asian cultures, this is not the norm so we need constant training and reinforcement to ensure we can deliver.

means heavy check ins and check outs daily with the turnover of rooms happening very quickly.

Jay: One major challenge is training. With Associates from different countries, different backgrounds and zero Housekeeping experience we have to have great training plans to ensure new Associates are efficiently trained and up to the expected standard.

The language barrier both between Associates and with the guest can also be a challenge. Some Associates don’t speak Mandarin while for most of our guests this is their mother tongue. We need to rely on correct transfer of messages and information including potential guest complaints to ensure the operations runs smoothly.

Any advice for those choosing to go down the Housekeeping route in the future? What would you tell them is a “must”?

alongside the team. Don’t be afraid of any of the dirty jobs like cleaning a toilet or a bath. Cleaning is the basis of housekeeping, it is fundamental so you need to learn from the bottom up.

Ask if you don’t know, show you are willing to do it yourself and those you work with will respect you in the long run.

Jay: A “must”? It is all about working hard and having an eagerness to learn new things. Always show a willingness to do any assigned task – this will help you on your way. In Housekeeping if you do well, you will find there is less competition and your path into senior management roles will be swift. 

Ivan: A “must” is that you are prepared to roll up your sleeves and work

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Heads up “

What’d you find there… a penny?” Steve said seeing me stop in my tracks and bend over. I picked it up and showed it to him. “Find a penny, pick it up and all day long you’ll have good luck,” I sang out. We both laughed.

“Only if it’s on heads,” he said.

“I know,” I said putting it back on the ground. “It’s on heads now.”

“I don’t think it works that way,” Steve said. I smiled and nodded following him into the diner.

“Are you gluten free,” I said when we sat down. He wasn’t.

“My kid is,” I said using air quotes. He cocked his head and looked at me.

“You don’t think he is?” I shrugged.

“It doesn’t matter,” I said and then told him about this study I had just read about gluten and how most people who ‘claim’ to have an intolerance for gluten, really don’t.

BY RALPH PETERSON

His waffle came fully dressed with strawberries and whipped cream.

“I love Belgian waffles,” I thought watching him tear into it.

I ate a grape.

When we finished we had to walk up to the cash register to pay. “Let me have those,” I said stopping Steve from dropping the pennies into the tip jar.

He turned and looked at me. “You want my pennies,” he said and then he looked back at the girl behind the counter.

She looked from him to me. Her eyes narrowed a bit over the idea of her not getting all of his loose change and my smile widened. “Give them to me,” I said. He did.

As we went outside, I took each penny and placed them randomly on the ground.

“Heads up?” Steve said.

“Of course,” I said and shot him with my index finger. 

“The thing is, even though most people don’t have an allergy toward gluten, they benefit from eating a gluten free diet.”

“I don’t get it,” Steve said. “So gluten is not good for you?”

I shook my head but before I could finish the waitress came over with coffee. I ordered an egg white and broccoli omelette, no toast with a side of fruit. “You gotta watch that gluten,” Steve said smiling at me. He then ordered a large Belgian waffle, two eggs (sunny side up), a side of home fries and an English muffin. “Take that, gluten,” he said.

“Gluten is fine,” I said. “It’s not the gluten, or even the avoidance of gluten that gives people the benefits from not eating gluten; it is their belief that makes the difference.”

“Ahh,” he said nodding.

“Yes,” I said. “When you believe in something you act a certain way. The scientists who were conducting the study found that those who believed they were allergic to gluten paid closer attention to what they were eating, and therefore made better decisions. Which, in the end, led to lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and the best part, they lost weight. All from the simple act of ‘believing’ they were allergic to gluten.” A glazed look had overtaken Steve’s face. I think I lost him.

“Hence the penny,” I said.

“Oh!” he said. “The penny. That’s what we were talking about.” We both laughed. The waitress came back with our food; a single plate for me and four plates for Steve.

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Vocational Pathways,

TRAINING TO SUCCEED

BY KEVIN LUCAS

With our roles as Executive Housekeepers seeming to encompass more responsibilities than ever before, the recruitment, training and development of our team is one of the areas where we can get support.

T

he Vocational (on the job) formal training through Registered Training Organisations (RTO) is a great way to educate and develop our team and to further develop the skills and education of our successors and allows us further insight into the commitment and drive of those who have identified as wanting to grow their career in professional housekeeping. The training was all done on site at our Hotels, making it easy for all.

For our new comers, there is available government funding of up to $4000.00 (subject to criteria) that you may be able to access to employ and train your new team member; there is support available to help us train and develop our future employees.

This is just one of the tools to help us in the busy day to day running of our department, but none the less a valuable support and resource.

years in my career, I learned valuable and current skills that I use daily in my role as a Group Executive Housekeeper for four apartment hotels in Canberra, and with many of our and colleagues teams undertaking these qualifications in the last year, there has been a strong growth in our department, individual careers and importantly a renewed professional approach to service and leadership.

I for one could not have done this without the support of the government funding. You can check with your local RTO or Australian Apprenticeships Centre to see if you qualify for government funding, or like me you can contact The Housekeeping

School via email on: thehskschool@gmail.com My experience of working with a dedicated team from the RTO, has been rewarding and exciting, and with graduation just weeks away I know that there are many new and existing members of our team that are looking forward to professional recognition.

The other benefit has been the retention of a dedicated team and low turnover, which is something we all need. ď Ž Kevin has just completed an Advanced Diploma in Hospitality, and Certificate IV in Workplace Health and safety, and is currently working on a Diploma in WHS.

Starting with the certificate III in Hospitality and with some RTO’s now placing more of an emphasis on Housekeeping and WHS, this is an ideal way to develop our teams.

For our supervisors and managers, the Certificate IV in Management and Leadership, provides a more detailed focus on the responsibilities and methodology behind successful leadership, and having completed mine last year and even after twenty

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Choosing fabrics

FOR LOUNGES

BY COL NATION

Ever pondered over fabric samples looking for something that is going to look great and suit your decor and budget, only to find that it is a bit like looking at a blank lotto ticket and trying to pick the winning numbers on which you are going to spend your decorating budget. Do you look at performance characteristics of fabrics and do the maths, or do you simply use the pin method like granny does with the form guide, or do you choose the one with the pretty pattern or colour. Get it right and you will have furnishings that are going to look great, wear well and be easy to maintain, but get it wrong and you can end up with a costly mistake with no budget left for fixing up ongoing problems.

N

ow I am not going to choose fabrics for you, that is ultimately your decision.

What I can do is give you some idea of how the various fibres will perform in certain situations. With over 30 years of experience in cleaning and maintaining upholstery I know a thing or two about what will perform under normal use conditions.

Moisture from humidity and sweat can lead to biodegradation of vegetable based fibres because bacteria or mould see it all as food. Gasses such as ozone can cause problems with dyes, and of course cleaning products can also have deleterious effects as well. So basing a decision purely on the Martindale Rub Test can lead to some costly mistakes.

Interior designers are familiar with the Martindale Rub Test. This is a mechanical test that rubs fabrics for 10 or 20 thousand or more rubs to test the mechanical durability of a fabric.

Fabrics are placed on a machine that rubs back and forth for “X� amount of times and the samples under test are compared to standards. Basically this is a mechanical backside to simulate sliding on and off chairs. The more rubs it can handle the longer it should last. The only problem is this does not take into account soiling and environmental conditions that may affect certain fibres.

Is the most expensive fabric going to last? This is certainly not always the case. A silk fabric may look and feel great and will certainly perform well on a Martindale test, but add some grit and moisture and you have a whole new problem.

Some fabrics can fall apart after short period of time because they degrade from biological or environmental reasons. Sunlight can cause damage to some fibres. This may be anything from colour loss due to fading up to the chemical breakdown of the polymers (plastics) used in the fibres.

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There are three main groups of fibres.

Think animal vegetable or mineral.

There are Natural fibres obtained from animal such as wool and silk. There are plant fibres such as cotton, linen and jute. Then there are manmade fibres that can be made from mineral oils, coal or natural gas such as polypropylene, nylon, polyester and acrylic. These are the plastic fibres. But there is another group of manmade fibres that are made from plants such as rayon (viscose) and acetate Let’s start with the plant fibres.

Cotton comes from the seed and flower of the cotton plant, a relative of the Hibiscus plant. The flower produces fine stands that can be harvested and spun into yarn and then woven into fabric. Linen comes from the stem of the flax plant. The plant is cut and left to dry in the paddock, the fibres are what is left after everything else has biodegraded. Jute and Hemp are obtained in a similar way.

These fibres are not quite white, they contain a little bit of a chemical called Lignocellulose, a brown chemical that helps bind the plants cells. When vegetable fabric gets wet, especially in the presence of an alkaline cleaning product, some of this brown colour can be released and this settles in the fabric at the high tide mark of the spill or cleaned spot causing the typical cleaning ring.

Plant fibres have some great characteristics. They feel good, they are cool in the summer and warm in the winter and can be dyed in a wide range of colours. But because they start off nearly white and then dyed, they do have the tendency to lose colour by fading, or they can simply lose colour by wearing off the surface and may be subject to colour run when cleaned. They are highly absorbent to both water based and oily soils and prolonged exposure to

moisture during humid weather can cause a rapid deterioration of the fibres from microbes.

Animal fibres are wool and silk. These are very strong fibres and withstand a fair bit of wear and tear, but colours may be a bit unstable. These are also highly absorbent to both water and oils and can be quite chemically sensitive. Silk and wool fabrics can be quite expensive but are the best choice if fire is an issue. Neither will support combustion, but will burn if ignited. This is a great quality for public areas where fire could be disastrous. An example where wool’s fire resistance would be advantageous would be aircraft seats or cinema seats.

Semi-synthetic or re-constituted cellulose fibres, Rayon and Acetate.

These are fibres produced from plant material. They can have some of the properties of plant fibres but may be more subject to deterioration in the presence of alkalis or even just moisture.

Synthetic fibres. These are the plastic fibres and like other plastics are very tolerant to chemistry and biology.

Nylon is a great carpet fibre but is rarely used in upholstery fabrics.

Polypropylene is light weight and very resistant to chemical attack but melts easily and is easily physically damaged.

Acrylic is still around but has lost a lot of popularity. It can be quite course but is easy to clean and holds its colour well.

Polyester is a probably the most versatile of all the synthetic fibres.

It blends very well with cotton. It can be blended as loose fibre to make a blended yarn or it can be used in pure form with other yarns such as cotton to make a variety of textures and patterns using just the variety of feel and appearance. Cotton tends to be dull while polyester can have a shiny look like silk. This can be used to make a physical pattern to add to any coloured pattern.

A blend of cotton and polyester makes a great serviceable fabric.

Army camouflage uniforms are made with this blend of fibre. The cotton is cool in the tropics but the polyester keeps it durable, even in the jungle where cotton by itself or wool would simply rot away completely. We don’t need naked soldiers running around the jungle. This is something to think about for fabrics in humid conditions. This means pretty much anywhere in Coastal regions, especially Queensland and Northern New South Wales and wet areas of any hotel where drink or food spills are more likely.

Just about any blend of fibre will be serviceable to a certain extent but the one I would advise to steer clear of is any fabric containing a re-constituted cellulose fibre such as Rayon, sometimes called Viscose as it is made by mulching down plant material and processing into a viscous liquid that is then extruded through acetic acid to solidify into a fibre. This fibre is easily damaged with just the moisture from the sweat in the palm of your hand. Bacteria see it as a ready food source and it doesn’t take long before the rayon components of the weave start to break down. Sometimes just exposure to the elements will cause a breakdown of the rayon fibre.

Top: Top half of a chair is unaffected as it was covered with an antimacassa cover.

Bottom: The effect of light and humidity causing deterioration on the rayon locking yarn that holds the rest of the fabric together. The rayon fibre has completely degenerated to the point that the cotton and polyester are now floating free.

But whatever fabric you choose for furnishings, just remember that they need to be cleaned regularly if you want them to last. Clean upholstery looks better and lasts a lot longer, but make sure your cleaner is well versed on how to clean upholstery and has the right detergents and equipment as there can be a few traps for those who are ill prepared.  Col Nation is a specialty cleaning industry veteran with well over 30 years of experience.

Colin is the owner of Abbsolve Services, a specialist cleaning service based on the Sunshine Coast in sunny Queensland. He also does industry training and trains in carpet and upholstery cleaning and leather cleaning.

Visit his website at www.abbsolve.com.au for more tips on cleaning and maintenance.

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Sustainable cleaning

A TOP PRIORITY FOR HOUSEKEEPING MANAGERS

BY ALICIA FENWICK, SENIOR MANAGER BRAND MARKETING RUBBERMAID COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS

Housekeeping Managers are constantly striving to ensure their properties perform at a superior level. Optimising efficiency and increasing productivity are usually top of mind when establishing new processes for managing large hotels and resorts.

A

s we move into 2016, another operational aspect that has been cast into the spotlight is the introduction of environmentally sustainable practices.

A key part of being environmentally sustainable is implementing green cleaning processes to reduce the properties footprint on the environment. Reducing chemical usage, limiting water use and encouraging guests and staff to recycle are all important techniques to ensure your business is environmentally sustainable.

Within Hotel Management circles, we’re also seeing an emerging focus on obtaining strong ratings through the likes of National Australia Building Environment Rating System (NABERS). One way businesses are looking to increase their ratings, is through curbing water usage and waste reduction.

With the rise of ‘chemical free cleaning’, sometimes referred to as ‘green’ or ‘sustainable cleaning’, housekeeping managers are reviewing cleaning methods and products with environmentally friendly ingredients.

There are a number of ways managers can implement green cleaning, from

their choice of detergents to the implementation of a system that removes chemicals all together.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF SUSTAINABLE CLEANING? For many of our clients, the most immediate benefit is a reduction in water and chemical consumption.

While maintaining a clean and hygienic environment is the main driver, a secondary and often instant benefit is a cost saving in these areas, resulting from sustainable cleaning. Implementing a sustainable system can also result in increased productivity and greater efficiency, as a reduction in the use of chemicals eliminates previously required steps of the cleaning process.

Here are four reasons why sustainable cleaning should be a key part of your property management program in 2016: 1. Sharp reduction in the use of chemicals As sustainable cleaning practices become more important to housekeeping managers, there is a shift away from the use of harsh chemicals to reduce their negative

impact on the environment. Too often housekeeping managers rely on chemicals to provide a thorough clean, however there are alternatives.

Microfibre has fast gained attention because of its ability to remove fine particles, bacteria, microbes, and oils hidden in surface crevices, that cotton sponges or cloths typically cannot reach. Microfibre products remove microbes, with less water, and without the need to use harsh chemicals that often kill but don’t remove bacteria.

In some cases, the use of microfibre allows chemicals to be cut out of the cleaning process, with up to a 95% reduction in chemical volume used.

Microfibre, when used in conjunction with chemicals or steam, is a ‘fail-safe’ option because the chemical or steam kills the microbe and the microfibre removes it from the surface. This ensures the bacteria does not spread and at the same time, eliminates the food source for other bacteria.

2. Minimising water usage Traditionally, when cleaning a property there is often a reliance on water, however a considerable amount of this

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valuable resource is wasted through mopping or cleaning surfaces with a wet cloth.

For many housekeeping managers, now is the time to start taking measures to decrease water usage by introducing innovative cleaning methods. Not only will limiting water usage cut operational costs for the property, it will decrease the business’ impact on the environment.

An important step towards curbing water usage is to use products, such as microfibre cloths, which drastically reduce the amount of water required for a thorough clean.

Microfibre products give managers the advantage of doing less with more, contributing to the goal of sustainable cleaning.

In addition to cleaning with microfibre, there are other steps managers can take to reduce water usage: • Fix leaking taps • Choose efficient showers, toilets, taps, plumbing, and appliances that save water • Consider using rainwater storage tanks • Reuse water where possible to reduce the consumption of clean water where it is not needed (e.g. Cleaning floors) • Check the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards scheme to find information about the water efficiency of products

These simple steps towards curbing water usage are essential for facilities to achieve top recognition for sustainable cleaning.

3. Encourage recycling to reduce waste costs Managing waste within a hotel involves anything from the promotion of recycling to guests and staff, to the strategic placement of bins around common areas. An efficient waste management system not only stores rubbish, it can help reduce operational cost. Sustainable cleaning coupled with waste management creates a working environment that is more cost effective and hygienic.

Getting guests involved in recycling can be difficult and often housekeeping managers need to come up with solutions to encourage them. The following tips can help you promote recycling with guests: • Place bins on each floor and room for recyclables • Use educational posters that detail the environmental benefits of recycling • Ensure bins are clearly labelled to identify what types of waste they should hold 4. Be compliant and industry leading As housekeeping managers become more aware of sustainable cleaning practices, there will be an inevitable increase in the importance of adhering to stronger environmental guidelines such as NABERS. This is an active step toward improving a properties environmental footprint.

The NABERS star rating represents a properties operational performance, using 12 months of measured performance information, such as energy or water bills, or a waste audit. A NABERS accredited rating can help hotels and resorts meet guest expectations for greener buildings and encourages best practice by providing realistic benchmarks that encourage operators to minimise their impact on the environment. A 4+ star NABERS rating can help identify cost saving opportunities and property managers can use NABERS to measure the performance of their hotels and resorts.

Properties that are designed and built with sustainability in mind improve their competitive advantage to attract guests.

FUTURE PROOFING YOUR FACILITY In Australia, the healthcare sector has helped spearhead sustainable and green cleaning, and we are now starting to see the same developments in the hospitality and property management sectors. With a number of successful green cleaning and microfibre case studies starting to emerge, housekeeping managers are actively seeking out more information on how to transform their cleaning processes.

Driven by an appetite for higher levels of cleanliness, greater efficiency, cost savings and increased compliance, it won’t be long before sustainable cleaning becomes the norm, and these new innovative cleaning technologies are used throughout Australia. 

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E

stablished for over 25 years, RapidClean is a national organisation represented by over 45 stores. Collectively our Group turn over is in excess of $90M per year, employs over 150 people and has over 100 vehicles on the road.

Our business is made up of cleaning supply experts operating their own stores. RapidClean’s aim is to provide our customers with the support of a national organisation while providing a local service, offering a single sourcing, cost effective one-stop-shop solution. Our stores stock all the major brands of industrial, commercial and environmentally friendly products.

OUR SUPPLIERS RapidClean has an extensive group of suppliers, providing products and services to our stores. RapidClean only selects the best suppliers and products to put on the shelves and we stand by the quality of the products we stock. Our co-operative buying power gives us the ability to offer our customers excellent prices on high quality products.

WHY CHOOSE RAPIDCLEAN? Established for over 30 years • We have over 45 stores in Australia and can supply nationally

• We are Australian owned and all profits stay in Australia • We have a huge range of cleaning and packaging supplies • We stock the best brands from the best suppliers • We sell and service cleaning equipment • We offer National Accounts for large customers • Our products are commercial quality • Huge buying power which enables us to pass on the savings to customers. 

RapidClean is an Australian owned national company with over 45 stores throughout Australia. The business is made up of cleaning supply experts operating their own stores. Our stores stock major brands of industrial, commercial and environmentally friendly cleaning and packaging products.

The RapidClean team pride themselves on delivering the best cleaning products and honest advice at the most cost effective price. Our aim is to provide our customers with the support of a national organisation while providing a local service, single source, cost effective one-stop-shop solution.

OVER 45 STORES

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Cutting through

THE GREENWASH

BY EMMA BERTHOLD FOR GOOD ENVIRONMENTAL CHOICE AUSTRALIA

We’ve all seen products claiming to be “all natural” lining supermarket shelves. But we’re not fooled. We’re getting better at recognising “greenwash”, where manufacturers make claims about a product’s environmental and/or health attributes with dubious authenticity.

B

ut what about our purchases outside of the supermarket – especially those made for business? Cutting through the greenwash in these industries can be a bit trickier to navigate.

Consider some examples from the architectural and building industries.

Natural tile and stone, for example, are perceived as being fairly ecofriendly thanks to their origins. But environmentally, they can cause a lot of damage, requiring vast amounts of energy to source the raw materials, with all the various impacts of mining and quarrying to consider as well.

It’s a similar story for products made from wood. It’s important to make sure timber hasn’t been sourced from environmentally-damaging practices, and FSC or PEFC certification is one method of ensuring this.

Take care when choosing carpet made from wool fibres. Although natural wool fibre has many benefits over synthetic alternatives, including natural stain-resistant properties and biodegradability, they may be treated with solvents and detergents during processing to remove greasy material, which can contribute to pollution of waterways if not properly treated.

In addition, they may be treated with fungicides and insecticides that are often synthetic chemicals harmful to human health.

Your choice of cleaning products is another area to watch out for.

Products claiming to be eco-friendly, green, and “chemical-free” are

everywhere, but often there’s nothing more than attractive packaging to support those claims. Cleaning products can have a variety of harmful effects on the surrounding environment and human health, depending on what substances they contain, and can affect indoor air quality in particular. It pays to do due diligence when choosing a supplier of cleaning products or services.

Of course, there are plenty of products on the market that are made from all of these materials and are perfectly fine for health and the environment.

The challenge is finding out which products make the cut, and which products are hiding behind clever marketing.

The easiest way to know for sure whether a product’s green claims are genuine is to look for evidence of third-party certification. The scheme run by Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA), for example, demonstrates that any environmental or health claims made about a product are true. It also means the product has gone through a robust auditing process to make sure it meets all the environmental, health and social impact criteria of the relevant GECA standard.

are a step above Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) that many are becoming aware of in the industry. EPDs simply report on the environmental performance of a product (which could be anything ranging from bad to excellent) and leave the complex process of comparisons and decision making to purchasers. EPDs are also limited to environmental aspects and do not cover social or ethical concerns.

Next time you find yourself seeking a “green” product, think about whether it’s truly a better choice – and check for third-party evidence that it genuinely has a lower impact. 

In addition to providing credibility to claims, ecolabels also communicate to the purchaser that the certified products meet superior environmental, health and social performance standards when compared to others in the same product category in the market. This means they

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WELCOME TO

THE TANK STREAM

ST GILES PREMIER HOTEL, SYDNEY

The Tank Stream Hotel, is a new 280 room four star hotel housed in a heritage listed 1960s building adorned with Wombeyan Marble.

The Tank Stream is the latest addition to the growing St Giles chain of international hotels strategically located across 4 continents in key gateway cities around the world.

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What is the future

OF WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY IN HOTELS

BY BRENDON GRANGER

If you’re at all interested in technology – whether it is for work or just for fun – you’ll know the future that all the big tech companies are working towards is wearable technology.

The release of the Apple Watch earlier this year just goes to show that users are still looking for the next new and exciting piece of tech to own... and now wear.

I

n retrospect, wearable technology is not a new idea. How long have you been wearing a digital watch or used a Bluetooth headset?

And while these are examples of technology that you wear, they are distinctly different from what we now know as ‘wearable tech.’

The distinction being that wearable tech interacts with you and your surroundings; from measuring your heart rate to opening your hotel room door.

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WHY INTRODUCE WEARABLE TECH INTO HOTELS? Like the introduction of any new technology, a large part of it could well just be a trend. The excitement around the release of this new technology could lessen in the coming years – although many said the same about tablets.

In order for new technology to be introduced effectively and adopted throughout brands, it needs to add

real value to the guest experience.

And wearable technology is slowly showing signs of being able to do so.

Wearable technology is a new way to interact and engage with guests and provide them with a new and valued service. It also has the potential to allow staff to provide a more efficient and personalised service to guests.

WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY ALREADY IN HOTELS Ever since the boom of mobile technology, travellers and guests

have been turning to their hand-held devices for more and more things.

Everything from booking rooms, to ordering room service to, more recently, unlocking their hotel room doors. Starwood Hotels developed a hotel app that uses Bluetooth technology to allow guests to unlock 30,000 of their recently upgraded rooms, across 150 of their hotels – including Starwood’s Aloft, Element and W brands.

The Starwood app has since been adapted for smartwatches, offering preferred guests many of the same advantages – such as notifications, ordering items and loyalty programmes. The convenience afforded to guests by having access to hotel services right there on their wrists, can help brands such as Starwood to improve both their guest satisfaction and boost their RevPAR (revenue per available room) through technology.

Other hotel brands such as Westin Hotels & Resorts and Walt Disney World Resort have taken a slightly different approach in offering their own specialised devices to guests as they arrive. Westin has been known to lend out sleep-sensing wristbands to aid guests’ well-being, and Walt Disney World Resort now offers guests the ‘MagicBand’ which grants guests access to the theme park and hotel as well as a way to make purchases.

Disney can then use the aggregate data from the bands to create a better, more “magical” experience for their guests.

APPLICATIONS OF WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY FOR HOTEL STAFF Many of the benefits of wearable technology have been guest-focused, offering them easier access to apps and information. However some of the real potential value of wearable technology would come when it can be applied to hotel staff – which in turn would enhance the guest experience.

Mobile technology – while definitely useful and efficient – is not always

practical for every member of the hotel staff.

MAINTENANCE The reliance of many maintenance and engineering staff on out-dated two-way radios is, in large part, due to the fact that a mobile phone or tablet is just not practical in their work environment. Many a mobile will have been dropped, smashed or stepped on by a maintenance staff member when working on a physically demanding job. Therefore, for staff in those roles the benefits of a handsfree system that they can glance at could be endless. They could receive messages and updates about new and outstanding jobs, update their work orders and even keep a record of time spent on each individual task.

HOUSEKEEPING This is another role in which it is not that practical for hotel staff to carry around mobile devices. With wearable technology, housekeeping staff could receive guest requests, track orders and send updates all from their smartwatch.

WAIT STAFF Tablet technology has been fairly universally adopted in the hospitality industry, with reservations and guest lists often created and accessed on a tablet. This is a less practical option for wait staff, especially in highprofile or high-volume outlets, where their role is centred on receiving and delivering orders. A smartwatch could easily display orders and notifications that busy wait staff and bartenders could look at and respond to without being encumbered with a tablet or mobile phone.

WEARABLE TECH TO CREATE THE ULTIMATE GUEST EXPERIENCE Staff-focused wearable technology has as yet not been developed within the hotel industry. However, wearable technology has been experimented with by other travel and tourism industries – most notably with Virgin Atlantic. During a pilot scheme launched last year, concierge staff

in Virgin Atlantic’s Upper Class Wing used Google Glass and other wearable tech to assess the improvement to customer service that technology could provide. The results of which led the airline to announce a new partnership with Sony earlier this year to bring its Smartwatch wearable tech to airline staff in an effort to further improve customer service; suggesting that we could see staff-focused wearable tech in the hotel industry sooner than we think.

Whether wearable tech is just a trend or becomes the industry norm, it is another way that technology can add to the ultimate guest experience.

Guests are looking for ways in which a hotel or hospitality outlet makes them feel unique and special, and increasing the ways in which guests can communicate with a hotel brand is a key way to do that. 

AUTHOR/BIO – BRENDON GRANGER With a great passion for all things hotels, but in particular technology and a desire to help others his role as director at Technology4Hotels allows him to do both.

Brendon has worked with hundreds of hotels to help them with their in-room technology. In the last few years he has helped them to increase guest satisfaction, strengthen guest loyalty and encourage repeat bookings as well as win awards such as the best business hotel, best city hotel, best upscale hotel and best luxury hotel in Australasia.

Always going the extra mile, Brendon began his hospitality career over twenty five years ago working in 5 star hotels whilst completing his Bachelor of Business in Hotel Management.

He has held various management positions within 5 star hotels, worked as a consultant in both hotel feasibility and technology and has an extensive background in hotel technology.

Those of you that have meet Brendon know that he has had a smartwatch for the past two years. He has found it invaluable in staying upto-date with what is going on in his business.

It was his passion for both his smartwatch and hotel technology that was the stimulus for this article. Based on his experience he can foresee the value of wearable technology once it is applied to hotel staff.

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Steve Waugh

PROFILE

Leaving local government at the end of 2010 Steve moved into the private sector, working at digital firm DDSN in sales and production management before moving to become General Manager and Franchise Manager for a naturopathic clinic that specialised in treating complex skin conditions.

His first foray into Hospitality Housekeeping was at the Sebel, Docklands, Melbourne working for the Lexy Group managing the cleaning of 400 apartments in different buildings across the Docklands precinct. As Group General Manager he was responsible for an eclectic mix of housekeeping services, commercial/industrial cleaning and even a small café in Tarneit.

S

Steve’s biggest challenge at his current employ is balancing the need for quality and speed whilst ensuring costs are controlled. He describes himself as a proactive, hands-on manager and as an interviewer I witnessed this first hand.

His challenges start by having to work in a building where there are multiple separate property titles, so defining the boundaries as to who does what, when and how was a major hurdle when designing the cleaning program. The building was previously operated by another hotel group before the individual owners took back management of their apartments.

One of the biggest assets Steve has to manage the upkeep of the rooms is an app which allows all his room attendants to scan each room via an iPod Touch, and take photographs before and after cleaning. All room information is stored on these apps so the floor supervisor can see which rooms are ready for checking and also lets the supervisor know of any issues in the rooms that would require follow up (missing stock, special requests, etc.). This app can also allow for direct reporting of maintenance issues directly to the maintenance staff for their action.

teve Waugh has taken a rather unusual path to his career as General Manager of Hotel Cleaning Pty Ltd. and the environment that the firm operates in is also quite unusual. His company manages the cleaning of apartments at the Treasury on Collins apartment hotel in Melbourne as well as caretaking services for the building.

Many of the apartments are leased by the hotel for a return on investment to the owner. Between the Owners Corporation, hotel operator, restaurant operator and residents, effective stakeholder management is key to ensuring the different owners get the results they expect.

Steve is a man of many talents and a diverse background. Born in New Zealand his family moved to Brunei when he was 13. He moved to Melbourne, completing Year 12 and then attending Victoria University where he studied human movement graduating with a degree in Physical Education.

After leaving university, he worked for 10 years in local government with roles in IT, economic development, corporate planning and risk management. He has run IT training programs for waste management workers, hosted business breakfasts for the corporate sector and managed the delivery of award-winning annual reports.

He completed his Masters in Business Administration at Melbourne Business School with a research paper on the needs of small business and was part of the LG Pro Emerging Leaders program in 2009.

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All information is stored on the cloud so should an iPod be lost or damaged, the information can be recalled!

Steve’s personal motivation and tremendous energy comes from achieving positive guest feedback and being able to develop and grow his own people. He boasts that trip advisor website rates the cleaning and guest service as a 4.5/5 from his team. His personal cleaning tip is to look at things a second time from a different angle.

Steve is intending to grow the business and take on more hotels. In his spare time, he is on the board of Little Athletics Victoria as their Director of Business Assurance.

He completed the Melbourne Ironman in 2015 and enjoys a range of sports. He is married and has 3 primary school children who he admits keep him busy!!

Steve has obvious unlimited energy which is on display for all to see and meet the challenges of his role. 

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Jenny & Donna

PROFILE

“It’s fantastic to be recognised for the work you do.

Some take it for granted, but most people take the time to give really positive feedback to us and the managers.”

Jenny tells the story of one guest who knitted her a scarf to thank her for her service.

“She was an older lady who had lost her phone charger – she’s not the first and we have a whole box of them! But she was staying at the hotel for an extended period. To say ‘thank you’ for finding the charger and the work we were doing, she knitted me a scarf to keep.”

SILVER SERVICE IN THE SILVER CITY

A

housekeeper’s job is always frantic. There’s a tight turnaround to get the sheets washed, floors vacuumed and amenities restocked. And today is no different for Jenny and Donna.

“It’s busy as always, I’ve only got ten minutes,” Jenny says as we meet at the ibis Styles in Broken Hill – one of the most prestigious hotels in the famous outback mining town. Donna comes in soon after and we sit in the hotel’s restaurant S-Que, which itself is one of the town’s best places to dine. So does the country change the industry for housekeepers?

“It’s so much more personal in the country,” Jenny says.

“You have your regulars much more often, and the way you work with management is much closer than in the city.”

“It’s like we’re one big family,” Donna says. “If we have a problem or if something goes wrong, we call a ‘family meeting’ to talk it out!”

One of the other differences in the ibis Styles is how all four housekeepers are on equal footing. Unlike major hotels in the cities, there is no ‘executive housekeeper’.

They all share responsibilities and work eye-to-eye, and they’re all of a similar age. Their other colleagues, Sharon and Jill, are busy cleaning the rooms while we take a moment to chat.

Donna is a born and bred Broken Hill local (they call them ‘A graders’ out here – anyone from out of town is a B or C grader). She’s been at the ibis Styles for seven years after spending 21 years at the Southern Cross Hotel on the other side of town. She was a cook and waitress before making the switch to housekeeping, but she says the feedback is what she loves most about the job.

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Jenny grew up in Melbourne but moved to Broken Hill 25 years ago. She’s been at the ibis Styles for the past 15 years. “I don’t think I could go back to the city,” Jenny says.

It’s a far cry from Melbourne. Broken Hill is in the far west of New South Wales and, despite being in a different state, Adelaide is the closest major city and acts as the town’s de facto capital. Broken Hill even runs on SA time!

“I’ve seen plenty of changes here,” Jenny says. “I’ve seen (the hotel) go from the Mine Host to the Accor All Seasons and rebranded again by Accor to the Ibis Styles.

My routines stay pretty much the same and I always work to the highest standard, but what your guests expect from then hotel has changed. Guests want more products available to them, and better quality ones. It’s not just putting out new soap, there’s a whole lot more to consider now.”

The ibis Styles was rebranded as Accor in 2009. The 42room hotel is on Argent Street – the town’s main strip – and is within walking distance to many mining museums and art galleries. The housekeepers say the clientele has changed since the rebranding with a shift away from elderly travellers on bus tours to corporate guests in town for business. But this hasn’t changed their attitude to housekeeping.

“Keeping the highest standards has always been my thing,” Jenny says. “It doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor, here as a tourist or for business, or whether you stay here once or often. You always give each guest the best service you can.”

“It’s so important,” Donna agrees. “Our busiest time is during winter, I guess people want to skip the heat! But we also have a lot of people come into town for muscle car runs (a charity fundraiser), the St. Pat’s Races (the

town’s major horse race) and Broken Heel (a weekendlong tribute to Priscilla: Queen of the Desert).”

The hotel still regularly checks in older guests. Many of those guests are train travellers. They catch the Indian Pacific which connects Sydney and Adelaide, but stops in Broken Hill. Older travellers are drawn to the city because it’s easy to get around and has a rich history.

Broken Hill, after all, is the world’s longest running mining town and the birthplace of the world’s biggest mining company – BHP Billiton. They call it the ‘Silver City’ because of the huge silver deposits still being dug up more than a Century later.

The job suits Jenny and Donna because it allows flexible work hours. They usually start at 9 am and are finished by 1 pm, leaving plenty of time for other endeavours.

Outside work, Jenny enjoys gardening and Donna plays competitive darts and quarts.

Sitting down to chat about the job is a new experience for the three of us. It’s an insight into how housekeepers work in the outback and its different challenges and rewards. It’s also an opportunity for Jenny and Donna to realise how important their work is.

Jenny and Donna admit they don’t do it for the attention, and were surprised to be asked for the profile. But after a chat about their achievements and loyalty to the hotel over the years, both housekeepers realised how important their work is. Housekeepers are, after all, responsible for the first and longest-lasting impression of a hotel. Their owners, Dana and Mick, agree they are their most valuable staff. They give me endless praise about the four housekeepers for both their personality and the work they do. Yet Jenny and Donna remain humble as ever.

“It’s always about keeping the highest standard,” they say. “We just want to do the best we can for the people who stay here.” 

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TALKING DIRTY

Is eighty the new one hundred

BY RALPH PETERSON

“

What is wrong with this hallway,” I said looking up and down the main corridor. It looked great.

The floors were highly polished, there were no markings on the walls, no foul odours, or high dust anywhere.

However, during her last facility tour, Karen, the administrator, gave the hallway a two out of a possible five.

“This hallway is fine,” she said starting to walk away. I looked after her, then back down at my notes.

“Just a sec,” I said turning the inspection report towards her so she could see the score. “You gave this hallway a two,” I said. She smiled without meaning to. “I mean, the hallway can’t be a two and be fine,” I said. She looked around and nodded.

“You’re right,” she said. “I may have judged this one too harshly. Move it up to a three.” She said, turning to continue the tour. I stopped her.

“Karen,” I said. “What can we do to get this hallway to be a five?” She shook her head from side to side.

“Nothing,” she said. “There is no such thing as a five.” With that she turned on her heels and continued walking.

“No such thing as a five?” I mimicked in disbelief. I look back down at the inspection sheet and took in some air.

Letting it out slowly, I change the two to a three and then ran to catch up with her.

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Karen is in her late 20’s, a new administrator in charge of a 120 bed rehab centre in a busy suburb.

Every month, in addition to our own inspection processes, we ask the administrator to go on a facility tour with our manager. The facility tours are graded from one, (the worst), to five, (the best) and are supposed to judge one thing; is the building clean.

Ever since Karen has started (3 months now) our facility tour scores have been going down. Two days ago she gave us the lowest score we have ever received (a 52 out of a possible 100), which prompted the need for a performance improvement plan (PIP) and my visit.

dietary aid who was setting up for lunch. She smiled back.

“It’s not perfect,” Karen said. “Nothing is ever perfect.”

“Who is shooting for perfection,” I said exasperated. “The question isn’t about perfection, it’s about clean vs. dirty.

And more to the point, if it isn’t clean, or clean enough, to find out what we can do to make it cleaner. So that you are satisfied.” Karen held my gaze, formulating a response but I didn’t give her time.

As we toured we found plenty of issues; cobwebs in room 4c, fans with a lot of buildup, cubicle curtains that needed to be changed and toilet bases that could use a good scrubbing. However, we also found a lot of things that were clean and shiny and dust and odour free. We walked into the main dining room and looked around. On the unit inspection Karen had rated it as a three.

“With all due respect,” I said thinking about the last three months of unit inspections and how the scores keep getting worse and worse; and how she is fortuitously missing the bigger picture. “We are talking about housekeeping here. Housekeeping in a very busy, 120 bed nursing home.

A nursing home that has, in addition to 120 residents, more than 100 staff, dozens of visitors, more than 60 bathrooms, 10,000 square feet of floor care, and literally hundreds of nooks and crannies and places that collect dust and dirt every single day.

“I don’t understand,” I said looking around. “The tables clean, the chairs are clean, the floors are buffed, there are no cobwebs and there are no spots or spills on the walls.” Karen didn’t look at me; instead she kept walking around the room looking, hoping, to find an issue. “It doesn’t smell bad,” I continued. “In fact, it smells pretty good.” I smiled at a

“It is so large of an operation that the only thing I can guarantee is that right now, this very minute, there is someone in this nursing home that is making a mess. They just marked up a wall, or spilled coffee, or brought in mud on their feet, or missed the trash can (and didn’t bend over to pick it up), or they just used a cubicle curtain for more than just privacy, and

TALKING DIRTY

don’t even get me started on what is happening in probably a half dozen bathrooms right now.” Karen gave me a half smile and a knowing shrug.

I get animated when I talk and I realised when I finished my hands had stopped in mid-air. My right hand was still stretched out, pointing to countless, unseen dirty bathrooms in the distance. I dropped my hands, found my pockets and leaned back against the nearest wall.

The idea that everything has to be perfect, or 100% is nothing new and even though it difficult to deal with in a clean vs. dirty environment, when it comes to performance based pay, it can be extremely tough to deal with.

Case in point: A few months after I was promoted to my current position I got into a heated discussion with my boss over bonus pay. The promotion came with an attractive pay and benefits package that included performance based bonuses.

However, right from the beginning, I have never received 100% of my bonuses. It didn’t seem to matter how hard I worked, or how great the performance was, the most I ever received was 80%.

“Look,” he said after I kept arguing the point. “No one ever gets 100% of their bonus pay; ever. 80% is about the max that anyone gets.” I stared at him, wide eyed. “In fact, most people don’t even make 80%,” he said, as a matter of fact.

“Eighty percent,” I said slowly. I knew I couldn’t hide the look of confusion and disgust on my face so I didn’t even try. “Eighty percent,” I said again, more to myself than to him. “I didn’t sign up for 80% of the pay package that I was guaranteed.”

“You were not guaranteed that you would receive 100% of your bonuses,” he said dismissing my exasperation. ”100% is what you work towards. It’s what keeps you working.”

“But you just said I’ll never get it.”

“No one does.”

“I don’t understand,” I said.

“What don’t you understand? We have to give you something to work towards. Something that will keep you motivated, so that you keep working harder every day.”

“You do know that I’m not an ass, right?” I said. He looked at me blank faced.

“A donkey!” I said. “You do know that I’m not a donkey, right?” He smiled.

“No one is calling you a donkey.”

“Sure you are,” I said. I slid my hands into my back pockets in an attempt to keep them from flailing around. I was fuming. “You are saying that I need some unattainable carrot to be dangled in front of my face in order to get me to stay motivated, to work hard; and to do my job.”

“We all do,” he said.

I remember sitting there, understanding what he was saying, not liking it, not exactly believing it, but then again, I wasn’t able to entirely rule it out either. We all need goals, and things to work toward, but when it becomes clear that whatever it is that you are working toward is unattainable, do you keep moving… keep working… even though you know it will never be enough… never be right… never be 100%?

Karen had enough of the tour and my lecture and grabbed the inspection sheet I had set on one of the dining room tables. She began rereading her notes and making adjustments to her original scores. As she did, Alice, one of my long time housekeepers walked past the dining room and stopped, waiting for me to notice her. When I did she looked at me and mouthed, “Is everything okay?” I smiled and nodded. “Everything is great,” I silently mouthed back.

“At the end of the day these inspections and facility tours are a necessary component that ensures that we are doing what we are supposed to be doing,” I said. Karen looked up and nodded. “I get it. We all get it. However, what these inspection forms do not take into account is that people need a win. We, the housekeeping department, needs a win. We all work very hard, cleaning up after hundreds of people a day; many of whom have no regard for the condition they leave a room or an area. Which is fine. That is our job.

“But then you just add insult to injury by saying, not only do we never get it right, but that we never can get it right.

I mean, if 80% is the most anyone can ever get, if 80% is the cleanest this place will ever be, then isn’t 80% the new 100%?” Karen nodded in spite of herself; agreeing.

“I know what you are thinking,” I continued. “I know what the rationale is not wanting to give 100%. I know that it seems like if you give someone 100%, then you are saying that they are perfect and that they are doing everything right and therefore no longer need to work hard, but I’m begging you to consider the other side of this.

“You know that there are a lot of areas in this facility that are as clean as they can be. Just as we know that there are areas that need more work. You don’t need to dangle a carrot in front of our faces to get us to do the right thing, to work harder, and clean more.

And even if you do, keep in mind that the donkey gets to enjoy the carrot in the end. Not a piece of the carrot.

Not eighty percent of the carrot.

The donkey gets the whole carrot.

Karen looked at me and laughed.

“The donkey,” she said and I smiled.

“That’s right,” I said. “Even the donkey.” 

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GIVE YOUR GUESTS THE

5 Star Treatment

BY INTERIOR DESIGNER FOR WWW.HOTELJAZZ.COM.AU

More & more people are travelling the world for business & pleasure, and so they are spending more & more time away from home. The result is that they are craving the luxuries and comforts of their home whilst still wanting to feel spoilt and cared for.

G

ive your guest a taste of luxury to make them feel more at home by adding some 5 star touches and comforts. The following items, while relatively inexpensive can create a luxury feel and enhance their overall stay.

Some of these items in particular are targeting the Generation X (born 1965-1980) who, studies have shown, are the largest spending travelling group today. They enjoy luxury items, brand names, options and travel convenience.

APPEAL TO THEIR VANITY A simple but sometimes overlooked luxury item, whether or not you’re a 5 or 3 star property, is a Vanity Mirror.

One of the most highly recorded complaints is that guests, particularly women cannot see properly in a bathroom. With an illuminated Vanity Mirror, that problem is solved, regardless of how low your lighting is in the bathroom. Other items that are now expected as a given are; Hand held good quality hairdryers and a toilet brush. Fogless Shower Shaving Mirrors are also becoming more popular, particularly for the Gen X. Vanity Beauty Mirror

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To appeal to that “spoil me” desire in your Guests. A branded well-known Amenity Range is a great idea. Eg: Aveda is a respected and well-known beautiful Spa range. They have an Aveda Amenity Hotel Range. As do Peter Morrissey, L’Occitane, Molton Brown, Roger & Gallet.

Another idea is to keep the Amenities in the overall look & feel of the hotel, for example, if you are a sophisticated city hotel, go for a brand that replicates that image in its styling & philosophy. A retreat in the tropics could incorporate a spa range & natural products.

BONUS POINTS It’s always nice to over deliver in terms of your guest’s expectations. A lovely range of Coffee, Coffee Plunger or even Pod Coffee Machine and an ice bucket are great small touches, which don’t cost you much but mean the world to these well travelled guests.

As well or as the Coffee Machine idea, one step above that which is trending at the moment is to have a lovely selection of teas on a tray on the bed or a table for your guests to enjoy. T2 & other boutique tea & coffee companies have individually wrapped versions that you could offer your guests. Combine this with a stylish Tray and tea Pot and you have a point of difference that is sure to be remembered.

WRAP ME UP Wrap up your guests in Quality robes.

Soft and warm, indulgent and cuddly.

They also can be branded and leave a ‘if you love it, buy it’ note with them so if your guests want to take them with them at the end of their stay the items can be charged to their room.

A nice way of discouraging the items being taken is offering them as a purchasable item.

individual character to a design or to the flavour of a property.

Laundry Bags or Laundry baskets in an apartment.

These items include the obvious such as lovely coordinated artwork, specialty lamps and patterned bed or lounge cushions to inject vibrancy, interest or a mood in the room/space.

Additional pillows and a Choice of Pillow types, blankets or a throw.

FEEL AT HOME

FLOWERS & FOLIAGE

Designer “homewares” such as vases, decorator bowls & artworks, help create the overall feel of your accommodation & add to the feeling of a home away from home. They may seem like superfluous extras, but in fact these are what brings the whole concept of colour, décor and design, together. These are the Luxuries and ‘window dressings’ your guests want. They are comfortable, show thoughtfulness and luxury in the presentation of the room and add the

Flowers & foliage add a fresh feel to the room. If you don’t have the time or budget to be constantly replacing fresh flowers, an option is to add a “faux” version with a realistic look & feel. This is a lovely touch particularly in the bathroom or a sideboard.

OTHER SUGGESTIONS INCLUDE:

STIMULATE THE SENSES Though we would not recommend putting candles in the rooms as a safety precaution, having a signature scented candle burning in the reception areas & the public areas provokes a feeling of luxury & prestige.

You may also want to provide the option for your guest to purchase your signature scent to take home with them. 

Additional Phone Hand set in Bathroom.

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6 ways to boost productivity

IN CLEANING STAFF

BY JOHN PARKER, ALPHACLEAN

T

here are a number of surefire ways to boost productivity in any team. The two main aspects to focus on when boosting productivity in cleaning staff is to look at the staff involved and the existing procedures that are already in place.

Some effective tips for boosting productivity in your cleaning staff include:

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT While your staff may have all of the tools on hand to complete the job, do they understand exactly how to use the resources available to them?

Training is an essential part of any job and cleaning should be viewed no differently. With the right training and knowledge, staff are able to use the tools and products they have on hand more effectively. This will result in a faster cleaning process, that doesn’t compromise on the quality of the result.

On-the-job training is an ideal way for cleaners to learn how to complete each task effectively and efficiently.

You can organise for new cleaning staff to be guided through their tasks by an experienced cleaner who knows what’s required and always works to the highest standard – just ensure to outline your expectations clearly, to both the trainee and the trainer.

Case Study: Approaching motivation differently Certificates from TAFEs and registered training providers can also be useful in boosting efficiency, knowledge and motivation in cleaning staff.

For example, Derek Christian, owner

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of My Maid Service in the U.S, a house cleaning service, found that employees had an average tenure of only 4 months with his company – productivity and motivation was obviously low.

Christian fixed this problem by paying for extra training for his cleaning staff.

This meant, while they worked for him, they could upskill and also work towards entering a line of work they’d ultimately like to pursue. In order to make the most of his program, staff needed to sign up to working with My Maid Service for two years.

The result? Happier, motivated, more productive staff – that had a reason to stay on board.

WORK WITH QUALITY CLEANING PRODUCTS AND TOOLS Often if poor quality cleaning products are used, the time taken to clean can be significantly longer than necessary.

Investing in high quality cleaning products and tools can make a marked difference to the time taken to complete any cleaning job, as well as your employees’ attitude in using them.

SET GOALS AND MEASURE PERFORMANCE Setting goals and rewards are a great way to engage staff in improving productivity on the job. First off, outline a strategy to help boost productivity overall, and then set milestone goals for individual staff members to help fulfil that strategy.

Make sure each goal is measurable in terms of speed and quality – and,

most importantly, ensure those staff members who meet their targets are rewarded.

COMMUNICATE CLEARLY WITH WORKERS Transparency is key in increasing understanding between you and your team, and ensuring they are on board with the reasons for, and ways to, improve productivity across the business. Cleaners should be informed of why a boost in productivity is required and then any positive changes made should always be acknowledged and met with praise. Incentives are a powerful way to reward staff and boost morale in the workplace. Think about cash incentives, movie tickets or a paid day off work!

CREATE THE RIGHT WORKING ENVIRONMENT Employees will work harder if they feel valued. An employee should be confident that you will always have their back, and their best interests at heart. Even if one employee appears to be doing a better job than a colleague, all employees need to be treated equally.

LEAD BY EXAMPLE Leading by example is one important way to boost productivity. Even as a supervisor, if your cleaning staff see you slacking off, they will want to do the same. Be productive yourself, support your staff in getting the job done, and generate a feeling of energy and positivity within the work environment. 

UVC LIGHT HAS BEEN USED FOR STERILISATION AND AIR AND WATER PURIFICATION FOR DECADES With the advent of deep space missions and the space station, NASA had to find a way of prolonging the life of fresh produce which was being destroyed by ethylene gas produced by the ripening process.

Hence the birth of the Photo Catalytic Oxidation (PCO) Technology.

A few companies in the US took on the technology, and by conducting further research, have found that it could not only eliminate ethylene, but had the capacity to eliminate mould spores, bacteria, VOCs, MVOCs, viruses, smoke, odours and many other allergens.

Unlike Ozone producing machines, these air purifiers can be used in the presence of humans and pets with no detrimental effects.

Using the imported US made components, Air Oasis (Australia) has started producing a range of Australian made air scrubbers, aimed at the hospitality industry, gymnasium, clubs and other venues where fast and high volume air purification is required. These air scrubbers are custom built to suit any client requirements.

The HCT355 is fitted with 3 filters, a Merv8 dust filter, a Merv13 HEPA filter and an active carbon filter.

Also in the package, there is 2 14inch AHPCO cells and it’s powered by a German made fan capable of producing 3000 cubic metres of air per hour. This should clean the air in an average hotel room in the 30 minutes it takes a housekeeper to service it.

Air Oasis was one of those companies that took on the technology, and improved it by developing their own Advanced Hydrated Photo Catalytic Oxidation (AHPCO). For the past 20 years they have been producing different models of air purifiers that have been sold in several countries including Australia.

IQ Inov8 Pty Ltd trading as: Air

Oasis (Australia)

ABN: 57 490 551 752

PO Box 300 Thornleigh NSW 2120, Australia T: +(61) 1300 79 11 39 F: +(612) 9979 2100 E: info@airoasis.com.au w: www.airoasis.com.au 49

Can alkaline chemicals

BURN STONE OR TILES?

BY GARRY PHILLIPS, THE TILE EXPERT (WWW.THETILEEXPERT.COM); FOUNDER OF SLIQUE INTERNATIONAL AND TILE CLEANING PRODUCTS

It’s common knowledge that acid will damage many natural stone types, particularly those with a high level of calcium content such as marble and limestone. As a result, there are many high-alkaline cleaning products around that provide a great intensive clean without the risk of damaging these surfaces. But there is ONE surface where the opposite is true – where any high-alkaline product will produce a chemical burn, just like an acid burn.

The surface is engineered stone.

made from engineered stone are now available.

WHERE IS ENGINEERED STONE USED? It’s often found in shopping malls, department stores, and large commercial buildings – engineered stone is an ideal flooring anywhere that experiences high levels of foot traffic or other wear.

Engineered stone is also experiencing massive growth in the benchtop market, with hard-wearing engineered options competing against traditional natural stone benchtops such as granite and marble.

Burn mark on Caesarstone

WHAT IS ENGINEERED STONE?

E

ngineered stone is exactly as its name implies – a manmade stone that has been engineered to have certain characteristics. It combines the beauty of natural stone (commonly crushed marble or quartz) with the durability, resilience and stain-resistance of a polymer resin or occasionally a cement mix.

Engineered marble surfaces are often used as indoor flooring and walls, while quartz-based products are regularly used for benchtops and may be known by brand names such as

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Caesarstone, Quarella, Rover, Corian, and many more.

ENGINEERED STONE VS TERRAZZO, WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? Engineered stone is technically a Terrazzo, however the main difference is in the manufacturing. Terrazzo has been around for many hundreds of years and is formed using cement with natural stone chips in a single pouring.

Engineered stone is produced in a workshop using much smaller natural stone pieces (often crushed stone rather than chips) and is produced in either blocks or slabs. Even tiles

ACID VS ALKALINE. CAN ALKALINE CHEMICALS REALLY CAUSE BURNED STONE? Yes – but ONLY on engineered stone.

The high alkaline reacts with the resin compound rather than the stone particles, and causes a burn mark that could easily be mistaken for an acid burn. It looks like a dull area on the surface, often with a change in colour (usually fading).

CLEANING ENGINEERED STONE When cleaning or treating an engineered stone, it’s important

Left: Burn on Caesarstone Middle: Burn on Caesarstone from alkaline chemicals

coatings also provide additional wearability and a choice of finish ranging from low- to high-shine.

Right: Burned stone – Caesarstone cleaned with alkaline chemicals

to choose products that are compatible with both components of the surface – the natural stone, and the polymer resin. It really means that pH neutral chemicals are essential for cleaning engineered stone, as high acids will ‘burn’ the marble (not so much the quartz), while high alkalines will ‘burn’ the resin.

Take care with high speed buffing machines, as they can also ‘burn’ the resin.Weatherdon A slowhalf speed 200-300RPM page Mountie.pdf 1 14/03/2016 machine is fine, but a 2000RPM

machine will quickly burn the edges of an engineered stone floor, even without the use of an alkaline chemical. This mechanical burn is just as difficult to restore as a chemical burn.

RESTORING BURNED STONE

The risk of burned stone makes the application of correct coating systems for protection very important, especially in a commercial environment. A protective coating over the engineered stone will remove 1:53:05 PM the risk of chemical damage. These

Burned stone can often be repolished, but not always. Even these very resilient surfaces can be permanently damaged. The ease of restoration will depend on the colour (darker colours are harder to restore than lighter ones) and the depth of the burn.

The deeper the burn, the harder it will be to restore. 

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52

Avoiding burnout

BY DEAN MINETT

It struck me recently that I have now been working in the hospitality for over 35 years!

Constantly!

N

ot only have I been working but others tell me that in the past I may have demonstrated all the characteristics of a workaholic.

These range from staying on in the office or on the computer just that little bit longer “just to catch up on a few things”, to constantly checking my phone “just in case” an email had come through that demanded my attention.

When my children were younger my eldest son even remonstrated with my wife whilst I was on the phone as we were heading into Dreamworld, asking why the hell I was on the phone when I was on holiday!

It was a sobering comment.

The fact is, most people take their job seriously and care about doing a good job, whether self-employed or employed by others and find it difficult to turn off. Executive burnout is a big challenge in our industry and there are large numbers of managers leaving for this reason.

It was said that the latter part of the 20th century was going to see a much greater emphasis on leisure time as we reduced our working week. The big question was what would we do with it and it was envisaged that there would be great new industries growing up

around this phenomenon. Fast forward to the 21st century – it didn’t happen!

In fact, instead of finding new ways to spend our leisure time, companies came up with new ways to reduce staff and automate. Shareholders are demanding a higher return on their investments especially with lower interest rates, and hence many companies have to squeeze even more dollars out of existing structures or teams.

I recently met up with an acquaintance who is a farmer in regional Australia and he was explaining how he and his wife are trying to run their farm biodynamically. They try and avoid the use of chemicals, and use their land more sensibly. He said that whereas most of his neighbours had grown he stayed at around 540 acres otherwise he would need bigger machinery and be under more pressure to use pesticides, both of which would inflict long-term damage on the environment. Seems a little bit like modern business to me.

I still remember my basic school lessons where we learned about the various rotation systems for farming, whereby crops were not merely sown one year after another in the same field, but in fact were rotated to either allow one field to rest a year, or

alternatively, were sown with different types of crops (wheat, turnips, barley, clover) so that different nutrients were absorbed each year and the others could recover. Clearly this was designed to get the maximum benefit from and extend the life of, limited resources.

Now I think it highly unlikely that management in hospitality and tourism could allow themselves one year rest every three or four (although it is attractive!), however I think it is logical that we should allow ourselves time away from work, even if we are doing different work and using different parts of our brains or bodies.

I for one have (mostly) learned that whilst work is important, I am no good to my employer or family if I am over sown and have all the useful bits sucked out of me.

More importantly we need to address the same concerns with our teams, ensuring not only that they work hard, but that they too have their useful life extended through sensible resource management.

Anyone for clover?  Dean Minett operates Minett Consulting, providing advice to developers, owners and operators of hotels and serviced apartments across Australia.

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Sustainable

HOUSEKEEPING

BY SOUDI NOORI, DIRECTOR OF SAFETY AND RISK ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS1 CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL MEMBER OF SAFETY INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA

INTRODUCTION

P

opulation growth on earth, climate change, resource reduction, and rising energy costs, these worldwide issues are centre of business today.

Human population on earth has increased and changes in the balance of natural cycles have had a negative impact on both humans and other living systems. There is now abundant scientific evidence that humanity is living unsustainably.2 The “World Business Council for Sustainable Development” states that “business cannot succeed in societies that fail”.3 Sustainability is the capacity to endure. The simple definition “sustainability is improving the quality of human life while living within the carrying capacity of supporting eco-systems”.4 Hospitality industry should recognise its environmental responsibility and plan towards a sustainable future.

Being sustainable in hospitality industry is very challenging because; (a) hospitality is about consumption and sustainability is mostly about conservation (b) h otels consume a lot of energy, water and produce a lot of waste.

How can we be more efficient about energy, water, and waste?

By implementing a sustainability strategy we will drastically reduce our exposure to many of the current and future risks to our business. Hotels should establish a clear environmental policy which focuses on key environmental issues such as, energy and water efficiency, waste reduction, minimising pollution and it will involve all departments.

The different departments of hotels are:

hotel premises. The security guards are responsible for this purpose.

HOUSE KEEPING DEPARTMENT: This department is for the management of cleanliness of the hotel and public areas, cleanliness of the linens and uniforms etc.

The Housekeeping Department is responsible for the perfect care of all guest rooms and public spaces.

The four major areas of responsibilities for the executive housekeeper are as follows:

MAINTENANCE & ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT: This department is responsible for the repair and maintenance of the hotel equipments, electricity, plumbing, carpentry, masonry etc.

• Leadership of people, equipment, and supplies • Cleanliness and servicing the guest rooms and public areas • Operating the department according to financial guidelines prescribed by the general manager

FOOD AND BEVERAGE DEPARTMENT: This department prepares the food and beverage as per the guests order in the hotel. There are different skilful chefs in the hotel for cooking and preparing the dishes.

• Keeping records of supplies and equipment to control inventory

F&B SERVICE DEPARTMENT: This departments means different outlets in the hotels like coffee shops, speciality restaurants, bars etc where food and beverage are served to guests.

• Reduce the use of powered equipment for maintenance where possible

LAUNDRY DEPARTMENT: This department is responsible for the cleaning and maintaining guests and hotel staffs, as well as hotels launderable items in the hotel.

• Reduce unnecessary water use for cleaning of areas

HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT: This department is responsible for the hiring and firing of the staff,providing uniforms checking attendance, organising training and providing the rights of the employees.

PURCHASE DEPARTMENT: Purchase department is responsible for the purchase of all the required items in the hotels.

SECURITY DEPARTMENT: This department is responsible for the providing the safety and security for all the guests as well as staffs and the

Sustainability goals and procedures should:

• Specify the use of environmentallypreferred equipment and products for cleaning activities

• Capture rinse water where feasible or as required per local regulations • Specify the use of environmentallypreferred products for painting and building repair

SUSTAINABLE HOUSEKEEPING EQUIPMENT Sustainable Housekeeping Equipment is generally defined as highperformance cleaning equipment that minimises environmental impacts and contributes to worker safety as well as improved indoor air quality.

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While high-performance equipment can be more expensive than conventional equipment, the hotel will likely realise benefits in terms of improved cleanliness, reduced noise and particulate emissions, reduced maintenance and repairs, and improved staff productivity and ergonomics.

Standards and product availability will vary by country and region.

The list below is a summary provided of recognised best practices and standards for sustainable housekeeping equipment.

General equipment criteria and housekeeping best practices 1. Implement a program for the use of cleaning equipment that reduces building contaminants and minimises potential impacts to the environment, worker safety and building finishes.

2. Choose equipment designed with safeguards, such as rollers or rubber bumpers, to reduce potential damage to building surfaces.

3. If available, choose cleaning equipment that uses no chemicals and replaces conventional equipment where chemical use is necessary.

C. C hoose vacuum cleaners that operate with a sound level of less than 70dBA. D. Choose a centralised vacuum system that exhausts outdoors and is directed away from building air intakes and any occupied areas.

This system should perform within the same requirements for vacuum cleaners.

Carpet extraction equipment: A. Choose high performance models with high soil removal efficiency B. C hoose high performance models with high water removal capability.

C. D irty water left in the carpet can be a source of fungal growth and can prolong the drying process.

D. Choose high performance models that do not harm the texture of the carpet pile.

Floor maintenance equipment: (including electric and batterypowered floor bluffers and burnishers) A. Choose models equipped with vacuums, guards and/or other devices for capturing fine particulates.

4. Keep vendor specification sheets for each type of equipment in use

B. C hoose models that operate with a sound level of less than 70dBA.

5. Keep a record for all powered cleaning equipment to document the date of equipment purchase and all repair and maintenance activities.

C. P ropane-powered floor equipment

EQUIPMENTSPECIFIC CRITERIA In general, choose ergonomically designed models to minimise vibration, noise, and user fatigue.

Vacuum cleaners: A. Choose high performance vacuum cleaners that effectively remove and contain soil while containing dust particles and dirt. Consider vacuum cleaners with maximum release of no more than 100 micrograms of dust particles per cubic meter.

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B. C hoose high performance vacuum cleaners that do not harm the texture of the carpet pile.

a. Choose models with highefficiency, low-emission engines. b. C hoose models that operate with a sound level of less than 90dBA. D. Automated scrubbing machines a. Choose models equipped with variable-speed feed pumps. b. C hoose models with on-board chemical metering to optimise the use of cleaning fluids.

E. Battery-powered equipment a. Choose models that can be equipped with environmentally preferable gel batteries.

Sustainability performance will be measured and evaluated by tracking

the following information and performance metrics: 1. L isting of equipment used by hotel and vendors, including equipment description and comparison to sustainability criteria.

2. L isting of cleaning products purchased and used by hotel staff or vendors, including product description and relevant sustainability criteria or ecolabel.

3. E stimated water use for exterior cleaning activity and reductions achieved through conservation measures.

4. L isting of exterior paints and sealants purchased and used by hotel staff or vendors for repair and maintenance activities, including product description and relevant sustainability criteria or ecolabel.

5. A hard copy of all logs and related equipment information will be kept in a central office location for purposes of viewing and analysing information to develop a profile of the hardscape maintenance program.

6. S afety Data Sheets (SDSs) or equivalent documentation listing general chemical compositions and hazards, shall be maintained for all products used. A log of all cleaning and maintenance chemicals used or stored in the building shall be maintained. A copy of the SDS sheets and product cut sheets should be kept with the log, which is maintained in the engineering office.  Safety and Risk Engineering Solutions (SRES) can assist you with preparation of sustainability plan and audit.

REFERENCES 1. www.sres-australia.com.au, Tel: 1300 721 348 2. Earth Policy Institute Natural Systems. www.earth-policy.org, Data Center.

Retrieved on: 2009-11-07 3. WBCSD’s 10 messages by which to operate World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Accessed 2009-04-06.

4. IUCN/UNEP/WWF (1991). “Caring for the Earth: A Strategy for Sustainable Living.”

Gland, Switzerland. Retrieved on: 200903-29.

KeyWatcher

BY DAVID ISHAK, AST PTY LTD

EXPANDED ELECTRONIC KEY CONTROL WITH CUSTOM MANAGEMENT REPORTS

access control system will know which users have keys and which do not. A user who has taken a specific key from KeyWatcher can be denied egress from the facility until the key is returned – and selected management can be alerted via email if a key has not been returned on time.

KeyWatcher Illuminated is a modular, scalable integrated key control and management solution that’s designed for interoperability with access control and other systems.

With a built-in keypad and up to 2,000 assignable user codes with PINs (Personal Identification Numbers), KeyWatcher provides unmatched flexibility. The system allows administrators the discretion to appoint one of five different levels of access for each employee.

SMARTKEYS Key Control Data from Smart Keys Keys are secured to a Smartkeys which features an identification microchip and 1/8” stainless steel locking ring for additional security and functionality. Available in several different colours (black, brown, white, grey, red, yellow, blue, and green). This allows for keys to be organised by colour, which can be useful when utilising several KeyWatchers in a facility, or designating one group of keys from another within the system.

THE INTEGRATED ACCESS CONTROL SOLUTION KeyWatcher is designed for complete interactivity with your other business systems. For example, by integrating your KeyWatcher system with your access control system, your

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57

Auditing Cleaning

TO DETERMINE VALUE FOR MONEY

BY BRIAN CLARK, CEO FM CONTRACT SOLUTIONS PTY LTD CIMAS TECHNOLOGIES PTY LTD

Cleaning is often complained about but rarely are complaints quantified on a realistic performance rating scale. Consequently, when cleaning is audited, the performance criteria is often subjective and potentially adversarial, while the outcomes can be manipulated by either the service provider or the customer to provide predetermined ratings rather than a realistic performance appraisal.

T

he first step to a fair and realistic cleaning auditing system is to develop and implement a detailed cleaning scope which includes the tasks and the frequency and also a concise descriptions of expected outcomes for each task (Key Performance Measure or KPM). This removes much of the subjectivity as there is a clear description of the standards that are expected with the cleaning program.

The next step is to determine the frequency and timing of your audits. It is critical that your Audit program provides a consistent and realistic picture of service delivery and auditing should be both spontaneous and focussed. Both the cleaning service provider and the customer need to develop auditing plans which ensure that all areas of the facility are audited over a period with focus on high risk, high traffic areas and areas where consistently high standards are required.

Auditing program timetables should not be made available to cleaning Service Providers nor should they be warned of impending audits to ensure that the audit provides an accurate sample of cleaning standards. The timing of the audit is also important and ideally should be conducted as soon as possible after cleaning has finished. However, an experienced auditor can audit building condition at any time as they are able to determine what tasks are being neglected by the build up of soil e.g. Carpet spots and stains, floor scrubbing, toilet cleaning, dust levels, grime and cobwebs.

The overriding factor is development and interpretation of the scoring system. A good scoring system should be easily understood by all parties and allow some leeway for the contractor. There are many scoring systems utilised.

They include:

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• Pass/Fail. This system is often used in critical areas such as health care and food service. It is best applied to high touch features and specific critical tasks. However, Pass/ Fail is brutal and patently unfair if applied with a broad brush to areas rather than individual features. When Pass/ fail applied to each individual feature audits can become onerous and time consuming.

• 1 – 5 Scale. This is often used in contracts. However, it has significant drawbacks. Firstly, there is a 20% difference between possible scores so the minimum KPI that you can set is 80% (4 out of 5). Coupled with that is the human tendency to mark down, rather than mark up, which limits your ability to set high benchmarks that are actually achievable. Consequently, the minimum standard is generally set at 3/5, which is only 60%. From a value for money perspective, a KPI of 60% represents $600K of measurable service delivery on a million-dollar contract and allows less scrupulous contractors a lot of leeway to pull labour and maximise profits at your expense.

• 1-10 Scale. This is much more flexible in that it allows the setting of high benchmarks of up to 90% while negating the tendency to mark down rather than mark up. It can be adapted further by allowing half points in the higher end of the quality scale such as 9.5 out of 10 (95%).

The key factor in any scoring system is the development and implementation of an easily interpreted scoring scale which marks down incrementally based on the quality of service delivered. For instance, a task that is completed to the standard should be scored at 10/10. However, if the task has been completed but has fall backs such as streaks, smears or missed areas the scoring system should clearly outline the score level that can be achieved.

An example of a 1 -10 scoring scale can be seen in the diagram opposite.

The final piece of the puzzle is your auditing tool. Paper based audits are a thing of the past. As well as being clumsy and onerous, they do not provide real time information on issues and rectification procedures. It is critical that you utilise a designed for purpose audit and contract management software platform such as CiMAS from Cimas Technologies (www.cimassystems.com.au).

If your cleaning is contracted out, It is critical that Executive Housekeepers implement their own auditing tool, rather that have the contractor supply their proprietary system.

Providing the software means that you manage & control the software and the data and retain the information, the audit forms and the scoring scale when contracts change hands.

Now for some balance. Internal auditing programs can go off track easily. The cleaning supervisor or contractor will always rate themselves higher while Housekeeping Management will usually rate lower in the scale. It is critical that your auditing system is designed and implemented as a part of a continuous improvement culture rather than a punitive process. An electronic audit program will quickly highlight deficiencies and opportunities for improvement, wether it be program changes, training or process improvements.

Balance is provided when third party auditors are employed. This brings in objectivity – they will only rate what they see with no other influences, which is handy if there is a dispute with your contractors. Experienced Third Party auditors can also pick up issues that others don’t and may be able to provide cost effective solutions. Professional Audit Services can also establish a baseline standard for your facility prior to, or at the change of a contract.

A continuous audit program for cleaning using designedfor-purpose Software will provide increased flexibility, improve standards and save you money. Best of all it gives visibility to and highlights the value of your cleaning program and fosters continuous improvement. ď Ž For more information on Auditing and audit software or if you require third party audits at your facility please contact me brianc@fmcontractsolutions.com.au or call +61 (0) 448 341 935.

59

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60

HOW TO CARRY OUT

a deep clean

BY MURRAY MCDONALD

For most accommodation facilities, cleaning is carried out on a regular basis. However, what can be overlooked is providing that “deep clean”. There is a lot more to an efficient clean than wiping down surfaces, dusting and keeping areas looking tidy. A deep clean is required to ensure guests are in an environment that is hygienic and healthy.

T

he following are key factors to keep in mind in order to provide a deep clean.

MATTRESSES

Changing and washing bedding is a regular housekeeping responsibly.

Yet, the mattress itself can often be overlooked. When a mattress is treated with a high temperature steam, it kills all bacteria, as well as kills or prevents bed bug infestation.

It’s important that housekeepers ensure that the steam equipment they are using produces a “dry” steam vapour. The dry component of the steam will allow for mattresses to dry in minutes, not hours or days. It also prevents dampness, which can be a breeding ground for mould build up.

A typical dry steam vapour should produce around 5% moisture content.

BATHROOMS It’s common knowledge that a bathroom is a key area that requires regular cleaning. However, it’s the way a bathroom is cleaned that prevents it from receiving a “deep clean”.

A bathroom should be cleaned using the correct “workflow”. A correct workflow simply means to clean in the right order or process. In a bathroom, cleaning should start from the door.

The cleaning should then occur in a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction, and follow a logic such as light switch to basin to shower to toilet. The toilet should always be left last.

Another important bathroom cleaning factor is to not overlook drains.

Clogging of drains is a sign that a bathroom hasn’t been given a deep clean. Using a steam plunger tool attached to a steam cleaning machine will instantly and effectively unclog drains, deodorise and sanitise.

REMOVE ALL PERMANENT OBJECTS A key activity involved in providing a deep clean is to remove all objects that are normally fixed to the floor, but that can be moved. These include objects such as desks, chairs, cabinets and shelves.

Removing these objects will allow for greater access to areas that are not regularly cleaned. Although having objects on top of a floor’s surface ultimately protects the floor from becoming stained, the edges and corners around the object still get dirt build up. Dust and grime can easily accumulate around these fixed objects, and sometimes removing the object is the only effective way to ensure the floor receives a thorough clean.

and dirt from getting into the building and reduce the number of times the daily cleaning of these areas needs to occur.

High traffic areas also result in spots and stains that are difficult to remove, particularly when left for long periods of time. Liquid spills, such as teas, coffees and other drinks that fall onto carpet fabric should be pre sprayed to flush and remove the contaminate.

Once the spots and spills are pre spayed, then it should be extracted through a flush and rinse process using water and agitation to the pile of the carpet. A floorscrubber is a great way that this agitation can be done automatically, rather than manually. Ensure the floorscrubber you are using leaves the carpet dry.  Murray McDonald has over 25 years experience in the distribution of cleaning machine equipment for the accommodation industry and is Director of Duplex Cleaning Machines.

Visit www.duplexcleaning.com.au

KNOW THE HIGH TRAFFIC PATHS It’s also important to look at high traffic areas such as corridors and waiting rooms. These are high traffic areas that regularly accumulate shoe prints and scuff marks.

Having matting in the appropriate areas will reduce in ground soils

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SOAP AID

BY BARBARA SARGEANT, LEAD AMBASSADOR, SOAP AID

Soap Aid is a not-for-profit organisation that exists to save and improve the lives of children in disadvantaged communities through the facilitation of improved hygiene practices around the use of soap and to contribute to a reduction in environmental degradation through soap recycling.



UPDATE

M

any of you may have heard about Soap Aid and indeed many of you and your hotels are participating in the collection of used soap for such a worthwhile project. In the last few months, Soap Aid has expanded into Canberra, the Gold Coast and now also Perth, with active Rotary representation.

Melbourne and Sydney have now over 200 hotels collectively, registered as participating and the amount of soap saved is growing substantially.

We hope soon to be able to service Adelaide, Brisbane and also New Zealand.

Each 5 x 20gm bars of soap that are saved are recycled to make 1 piece of 100gm soap which goes to help saving lives. For example if you manage a 200 room hotel and you have an average of 50 check outs per day and assuming each room has 1 used bar of soap, it should be possible to save 1 kg of soap per day minimum.

If you would like to participate in Soap Aid or if you are already saving soap and have not registered you can do so by visiting www.soapaid.org and click “Get involved“ and sign up. When this is done, you will receive labels for the room attendant trollies, service areas and the full return boxes along with the “How to Guide“ which directs you through the simple procedure.

It is important to package the used soap correctly prior to collection by our volunteers and to ensure we can provide feedback on your progress, make sure the return box label has your hotel name and address clearly

62

marked. Full boxes should weigh no more than 12kgs so they can be easily handled and when you have six or more boxes, call for pick up. The full boxes should be free of rubbish like shower caps, pens, bottle, tissues and rubber gloves, etc!



Soap Aid is committed to saving lives with your help. Thank you!  Top: Correct packaging Bottom: Incorrect packaging

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Product NEWS LIVI® DISCUSSES INDUSTRY TRENDS IN HYGIENE AND WASHROOM SOLUTIONS Guests may choose their accommodation based on its location or amenities, but it’s the bathroom that can really make or break their experience. With online reviews on the rise across the net, property owners and managers need to choose products that exceed guest expectations in both hygiene and presentation.

Livi offers a commercial suite of innovative washroom and hygiene solutions for the hotel, restaurant and catering (HORECA), cleaning and janitorial, educational and aged care industries. Its range of toilet tissue, facial tissues, hand towels and dispensers cater to every budget, with a choice of economy, executive and premium luxury tiers that provide a high-quality product at an affordable price. ®

According to Livi® Category Marketing Manager Joshua Hastings, the competitive nature of the hospitality industry has led to a rise in quality upgrading and choice for property owners and managers across Australia.

“We are seeing a renewed focus on quality from our clients and we design our products to exceed these expectations, without exceeding their budget,” Hastings said. “High-quality toilet tissue is one of the best ways to make guests feel right at home when they’re away from home, which is why we produce a selection of toilet tissue and hand towels that are both functional and sustainable.”

NEW COMPACT KETTLE New from Weatherdon is the wonderfully compact and delightfully practical Nero Bambino Kettle.

Exclusively designed and manufactured to meet the demands of the hospitality industry, the stylish and hardworking 0.9l Nero Bambino Kettle is fast, cordless and at only 19 cm high, just right to fit under the guestbathroom taps, as that’s where most kettles are filled.

The four-cup Bambino saves time, water and power and the clear red light translates to ‘On’ in anyone’s language.

Available in black or white, the Bambino adds an edge to any décor and presents as clean, hygienic and modern.

The Nero Bambino Kettle is just one of 15 high quality and durable kettles made by the company with 40 years of specialist expertise, the Weatherdon Corporation.

All meet Australian and New Zealand safety standards and have a 12 month warranty.

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Livi® is committed to providing products that help clients achieve their sustainability targets. All tissue products are PEFC certified and made from virgin fibre, while its toilet tissue is dispersible and 100% biodegradable, to keep the plumbing of its clients’ properties in optimal condition.

Hastings offers the following tissue tips for property owners and managers who are looking to deliver an exceptional guest experience in their bathrooms and washrooms: • When choosing toilet tissue, it’s important to consider the right combination of softness and strength for your budget.

The layer or number of ‘plies’ adds to strength, while embossing technology adds softness and bulk to the roll.

• Consider the expectations of guests in premium luxury properties, by providing individually-wrapped rolls for hygiene and presentation, and 3-ply tissue with embossing for superior softness.

• In room hypoallergenic facial tissues give your guests peace of mind, while lightly fragranced (on the core) toilet tissue rolls deliver a pleasant bathroom aroma.

• Give guests the ultimate reassurance of a superior clean, by topping off your bathroom assets with a toilet hygiene seal.

Livi® is proudly manufactured by Solaris Paper, an Australian managed and operated provider of innovative tissue and hygiene solutions.

For more information on Livi® products and distributors, call 1300 832 883.

For more information please visit www.weatherdon.com.au, email sales@weatherdon.com.au or call (02) 9906 2202.

SWISSTRADE For Swisstrade, being a leader in the Australian guest amenity market means charting new territory and pushing the boundaries. It is essential to have a view to where the market is heading, as well as understanding guest’s expectations, hotelier’s wishes and observing retail trends.

Our research among Australia’s leading hotels shows, that operators are disillusioned with the majority of guest amenity ranges currently available for the higher end hotel segment. Many International retail brands are too costly and more affordable products are either not of quality or are pretending to be Australian by using native ingredients, but are in fact made somewhere in China.

Best of all, the SUKIN Hotel Collection offers numerous accolades that will show you care for the environment and a sustainable accommodation industry in this country: • 100% Carbon Neutral Certified • 100% Natural Botanical Extracts • 100% Plant Based Ingredients • 100% Biodegradable Products • Biodegradable and Recyclable Packaging • No Testing on Animals • No Sulphates, Parabens or SLS For further information contact Swisstrade Pty Ltd on (02) 9979 1500 or info@swisstrade.com.au

With this in mind Swisstrade has collaborated with Australia’s fastest growing and best selling hair and skin care brand SUKIN ORGANICS and launched the highly successful and environmentally conscious SUKIN Hotel Collection. With SUKIN we offer a competitively priced, 100% natural toiletries range, which is Carbon Neutral, contains all organic ingredients and best of all; is made right here in Australia!

Furthermore, SUKIN’s strong brand recognition and retail presence leads to many guests, whether domestic or international, to purchasing these iconic Australian beauty products for their home use.

With SUKIN Hotel Guest Amenities you now have available a high-end body & hair care range for your guests to enjoy and remember, while supporting and maintaining jobs right here in Australia.

AMENITIES AUSTRALIA Amenities Australia are a leading and trusted supplier of luxury hotel amenities in Australia. Our hotel guest supplies range from exotic bath & body collections, essential toiletries that are aromatic and indulging, and other guest amenities that are known for their impeccable quality and skin sensitive formulations. We stock most of our products that range from premium hotel amenities to hotel pens, quality linen products, room access cards, and other ecofriendly guest amenities.

We are committed to protecting and enhancing our eco system in every way we can. We believe our hoteliers, clients, and guests at your hotels would also feel the same.

We have, therefore, amassed a wonderful collection of natural, eco-friendly, and bio-degradable hotel amenities and supplies that feature natural ingredients and are free of harmful chemicals. Please contact us to know more about our eco-friendly hotel amenities.

from around the world in all our range of hotel amenities so your guests can invariably feel indulged every time they stay at resorts, hotels, motels, spas, inns, and bed & breakfasts.

Our expertly blended formulations of fragrances, result of years of passion, skill, and experience, are never tested on animals.

Join hands with us to give your guests that unmatched and truly indulging experience they expect from you.

Light up your hotel rooms, bathrooms, and beds with our luxury hotel amenities that are low cost. Never fear you might run short of those aromatic shampoos, body wash, conditioners, and so forth as we cover your back since we always hold stock of our products.

Write to us at sales@amenitiesaustralia.com.au or call us at +61 2 9620 9888 to for your bulk orders.

Quality is paramount to us, and we give utmost care to ensure that your guests get a distinctive experience when using our high quality bathroom amenities. May we pride ourselves in saying we use only exotic and rare ingredients

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IT’S ALL ABOUT THE HOT AIR

With a competitive price, for such a small package, it can easily satisfy any budget constraint.

Meet the newest member to the Nero hair dryer family.

Available in cartons of 6 with the product code 7411702.

The Nero SNUG has burst onto the mountable hair dryer scene with its smooth lines, racy curves, ergonomic design and ease of use. This little pocket rocket is compact in size and doesn’t take up much room, either on a wall or in a drawer.

With a metal base plate with three point of contact, the SNUG will sit in its position and not move at all. SNUG in size, SNUG in fit.

The SNUG comes with two speed settings and safety shut off feature, this little hair dryer can get the job done safely.

TASKI BY SEALED AIR, DIVERSEY CARE Total Solutions in Carpet Care Customers today understand the importance of proper carpet care, but may not know which cleaning method best fits their needs. The marketplace offers a wide variety of carpet solutions including tools, chemicals and machines making the process even more time consuming for customers. Others have decided to contract that service elsewhere as they are faced with large capital investments and training their staff on proper usage.

The labour saving combination of Diversey Care’s recently launched TASKI TAPI carpet care range and TASKI ProCarpet 45 machine will deliver you the results you desire and improved productivity and profit.

The leading edge TASKI® Tapi Carpet Care range comprises of a Shampoo, Extract, Spotter, Defoam and Gum remover for intermediate and deep cleaning of carpets and upholstery. This range contains Odour Neutralising Technology (ONT) for effective malodour neutralisation and long lasting fragrance. The products are also Woolsafe approved and has been independently tested to reduce allergens in carpets.

The TASKI® Procarpet 45 complements the TASKI® Tapi Carpet Care range as an innovative two-in-one carpet cleaning machine with interim encapsulation and deep extraction capabilities through a simple switch of a button, depending on the cleaning application required. “This removes the need to purchase separate machines. The machine will also eliminate the need for costly outside contract services. The machine also allows customers

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Product features: • 1400W • Two speed setting • Flexible spiral cord • Compact design • Wall and drawer mountable • Safety shut-off feature Specifications: • Base unit dimension 125mm (W) x 170mm (H) x 60mm (D) • Hair dryer dimension 72.5mm (W) x 180mm (H) x 100mm (D) • Base plate dimensions 90mm (W) x105mm (H) x 1.5mm (D) For more information please visit www.weatherdon.com.au, email sales@weatherdon.com.au or call (02) 9906 2202.

to clean when it makes sense for them, versus having to schedule an appointment”, highlights Margaret Bosworth, Product Manager. The machine is built to last requiring little maintenance giving customers a better return on their investment.

The TASKI TAPI carpet care range and TASKI ProCarpet 45 machine combines what customers’ need for proper carpet care into a total solution that is simple to use, flexible and promotes productivity while delivering excellent performance and results.

As part of Diversey’s full range of chemicals and tools, customers will be able to take advantage our expertise and knowledge in carpet care.

Contact us for a FREE demonstration AU: 1800 647 779 • NZ: 0800 803 615 AU: aucustserv@sealedair.com NZ:customerservices.nz@sealedair.com

Making the right choice for the environment is easy with Jasol.

Jasol’s EC range of cleaning and sanitising products makes it easy to be environmentally responsible. They’re made almost entirely from renewable plant resources rather than oil-based ingredients. They’re non-caustic, readily biodegradable and are certified

by GECA (Good Environmental Choice Australia). This sustainable, comprehensive range is the smart environmental choice for all your cleaning needs.

For more information on the complete range call 1800 334 679 or visit jasol.com.au/environmentalchoice

JSL-2014a CPv2.2-2012 Cleaning Products

environmental choice product range

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THE FINEST LINENS IN THE WORLD Frette, the name synonymous with luxury linen, is now available to luxury hotels and lodges in Australia and New Zealand exclusively through International Interior Images. Founded in 1860 and still based in Monza, Italy, Frette started as a table linen and home products manufacturer.

Since then, Frette has been a trend setting supplier of linens to top hotels, spas, restaurants, cruise ships and airlines around the world.

Frette offers the option of customisation from design and monograms to matching fabrics and colours in bedding, bath and table linens. Whether for a Great Barrier Reef Resort, a luxury New Zealand Lodge, or an Urban Boutique Hotel, there is something for everyone at Frette.

From Raffles to The Ritz and from Qatar Airways to the Venice Simplon Orient Express, since the late 1800’s, Frette has supplied quality bed, bath, spa and table linens to leading names in the hospitality industry.

Frette, the finest linen in the world, has dressed the beds of the world’s most prestigious hotels across the globe.

 Bed Linens  Table Linens  Towelling  Robes Available for Hotels in Australia and New Zealand exclusively from:

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International Interior Images 8 Phillip Crt, Port Melbourne, Victoria 3207 Australia +61 3 9673 1444 info@interior-images.com.au