Hotels Have Complex Cleaning Challenges During the Pandemic
Hotels face complex challenges when it comes to creating secure environments where visitors feel they’re being taken care of during COVID-19. The very nature of the hotel business can make customers feel uneasy about a stay. Transmission is more likely indoors. The quick turnaround time between guests limits the time for cleaning and disinfecting each room. Plus, hotel guests come from all over the country to stay.
However, customers do say that emphasizing hygiene is one thing hotels can do to make them feel safer. Facility managers who focus intently on creating clean and welcoming spaces and showing customers they take their health and safety seriously have the opportunity to get ahead of the competition. Not only will guests feel comfortable during their stays in the short term, but they will also likely remember your diligence and become repeat customers in the long term, potentially even recommending the hotel to friends and family.
Establishing trust and goodwill with hotel guests
The following strategies can showcase your attention to detail, compassion, and professionalism when it comes to creating comfortable spaces for your guests during COVID-19:
1. Prioritize cleaning when occupancy is low. Occupancy can be unpredictable for hotels, especially during COVID-19. One week might be quiet with few guests, while the next is bustling. This can make scheduling cleaning difficult, but one thing you can do to make the most of it is preparing to take advantage of the downtime.
Whenever you have a dip in occupancy, ask all of your staff members to go into cleaning action. All personnel can help keep high-touch surfaces spotless and sanitized. For example, keep cleaning supplies and disinfectants at the front desk so clerks can wipe down surfaces in the lobby when they aren’t helping customers. Guests who notice will appreciate the extra effort to keep spaces spotless.
Our technicians at MilliCare can help with these downtime deep cleans by professionally treating hard and soft surfaces, including carpets, upholstered furnishings, textile walls, and nonporous floors. Our team uses OSHA-compliant, EPA-registered List N disinfectants to enhance hygiene. Our disinfectant solution, Sporicidin, has been tested to ensure it won’t cause yellowing or residual buildup on your carpets and textiles. On hard surfaces, Sporicidin can resist bacterial buildup for up to six months.
2. Encourage guests to practice safe behavior. While your guests will appreciate seeing staff members taking cleaning seriously, they’ll also want to see other guests practicing safe social distancing, mask-wearing, and hand-sanitizing. A great way to encourage social distancing is to use entryway mats that remind guests to stay 6 feet apart upon entering the building and demonstrate what that distance looks like. You can also hang signage around the facility to encourage mask-wearing and distancing, especially in tighter spaces like elevators and hallways.
Providing guests with the supplies they need to sanitize their hands frequently will make them feel well taken care of, too. Set up sanitizing stations with hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes near highly trafficked areas like the lobby, outside of elevators, and near vending machines.
3. Tell guests what’s been cleaned. When front desk clerks hand guests their keys or a card with the Wi-Fi password upon check-in, consider also giving them a similar one-sheet or infographic outlining your room cleaning processes. Talk about what surfaces and items have been cleaned, the products you’ve used, and your cleaning frequency.
These visual checklists accomplish two goals. They can both lessen the likelihood of your front desk team being bombarded with questions about your cleaning practices and help ensure guests that you take their health and wellness seriously.
Operating a hotel during the pandemic isn’t just about providing superior hospitality and comfort. It’s also about improving your guests’ overall confidence and security. And when you make guests feel good, they’ll reward you with return visits and referrals.