How To Reduce Hotel Housekeeping Labour Costs & Increase Efficiencies

Hotel rooms host countless guests each year, but no guest wants their room to feel used, which is why the role of housekeeping is vital. Good housekeeping is an invisible service, in that guests typically only take notice when your team doesn’t meet the expected standard of cleanliness.

Being close to hoteliers right across the country, the feedback we have been receiving has been clear - the biggest challenge right now is lack of available labour due to COVID-19, particularly in the housekeeping department. Housekeepers perform the most physically demanding work. Cleaning an average of 10 to 14 rooms a day, it takes approximately 45 minutes for a housekeeping attendant to completely clean a room, while a basic turn-down service may take less time.

To run a smooth operation having a productive, dynamic housekeeping team is key. From the cleanliness of the rooms to the politeness of the staff these aspects will impact how guests review your hotel, and ultimately your success. So, how long has it been since you examined your room preparation and cleaning processes? If you can save 2 minutes of your housekeeping team’s time per room it can have a huge impact on reducing costs.

Here are the top 5 things hotels can look at to increase efficiencies, and in turn save labour costs:

1. Are your housekeepers constantly having to go back to the trolley while they are cleaning the rooms?

To increase efficiency and reduce the back and forth time, our all-purpose caddy is a great portable solution. It allows your staff to keep the essentials in one place and is handy when on the go:

- Holds up to four bottles
- 2 separate compartments - Easy to sort items
- Sturdy Handle – Easy to carry
- It’s made of plastic so it’s easy to clean!

2. How many times does your team go back to the housekeeping department or storage pantry because the trolleys aren’t maximising efficiency?

It’s up to business owners to ensure a safe working environment for their staff and having the right trolleys to reduce strains, pains and disruptions is vital. No matter your need we’ve got the perfect trolley for your operation. Our range of housekeeping trolleys come in many shapes and sizes for various purposes and are easy to manoeuvre. If your requirements are unique we can customise your trolleys to ensure maximum efficiency.

3. How efficient are your vacuum cleaners? Do they perform well?

Deliver an exceptional cleaning experience every time with our industry-approved vacuums that are engineered to take on wear and tear. With innovative features like a lighter weight in hand, portability, and manoeuvrability your team will have minimal interruptions. Plus, the durability of our machines ensures low maintenance costs which will save you money over time.

4. What does your hotel do with those half-empty shampoo bottles? How much time does it take housekeeping to routinely collect them every day?

While single-use toiletry bottles have been a staple part of the traditional hotel experience the amount of waste that gets generated has received heavy criticism, not to mention the amount of time it takes to remove and dispose of. Choosing the right bathroom amenities used to be an afterthought for hotels, but now businesses understand the importance of selecting a system that meets sustainability requirements, doesn’t lose sight of cost-effectiveness and enhances the guest experience.

Our bathroom soap dispenser ranges make life easy for everyone. Our contemporary tamper-proof, multi-use, press and wash systems are paving a new way forward. And the great news is once the dispenser bottles have reached their end of life it doesn’t mean they have to be thrown in the trash. We’ve created The Hotel WEKA, an end-to-end recycling program, to stop used plastic toiletry bottles and tubes from going into the seas or landfills. The recycled plastic is remolded into componentry that is used to build new concrete floors across New Zealand. Our environmental partnership helps fight the global battle against single-use plastic and is a great story your guests will love. 

5. Astro Concierge, a “first-ever” Management Service

The extra time required to manage orders from various suppliers to maximise cost savings and ensure continuity of supply is taking housekeeping management’s time and resources... but it doesn't have to anymore!

It’s a proven fact that providing your team with the right gear, the right tools and the most effective solutions will make their job easier and increase morale. In our quest to make it easy, we created Astro Concierge, a “first-ever” Management Service, that simplifies the complex and brings consistency and confidence into your business. This unique solution is designed to help you effectively manage your hotel’s housekeeping time and labour costs, increase performance and boost revenue with ease. 

Implementing Astro Concierge will help your housekeeping team:

- Streamline budgeting and forecasting
- Reduce cash flow & stock challenges
- Save time by ordering from one supplier
- Spend time where they add the most value
- And much more…

Astro Concierge helps your hotel to unlock its full potential and lets your team focus on what matters…. Like getting the rooms ship-shape to delight customers and deliver a superior guest experience.

To learn more you can schedule time with one of our experts. We’d love to help you on your journey!

Contact us here  >>

About Astro Hospitality:

With 20 years of industry experience, Astro Hospitality has evolved into one of New Zealand’s largest and most reputable hotel and motel guest room specialists. Bringing together a collection of high-quality brands, products and services Astro empowers hoteliers and moteliers to provide a superior guest experience.