The past year has been economically challenging for many hotels. As a cost-intensive department, housekeeping is often the first target of strategic optimization and cost reduction. But there’s another way to respond to these issues, and that’s by switching to modern housekeeping tech tools and automation. 

The most frequent challenges in hotel housekeeping

On average, a hotel housekeeper’s daily routine consists of up to 18 tasks. Despite this extensive list, housekeepers dedicate an estimated 15% of their time trying to find the next room that requires their attention. They often rely on clipboards and printed reports as their primary navigational tools. Unbelievable as it is to some, many hotels still rely on antiquated communication methods like walkie-talkies.

Staffing shortages are creating additional pressure on these departments. Housekeeping has been one of the most challenging positions for hotels to fill and it’s impacting the ability to maintain high quality standards. Hotel guests are becoming less tolerant of infrequent room cleanings. This can lead to low-quality scores and poor online reviews, which can have a devastating impact on a hotel’s reputation.

Lack of flexibility is another major issue for hotel housekeeping. Even before the challenges brought on by Covid-19, guests were already pushing for earlier or more flexible check-in times. This shift has placed increased pressure on housekeeping teams to expedite room turnover, prompting the adoption of hotel housekeeping optimization tools.

Reducing costs with hotel housekeeping technology

The current technological landscape offers a transformative alternative: empowering housekeeping staff to use smartphones to access the PMS (Property Management System). While modern housekeeping tools require an initial investment, the potential work hours saved and the enhancement of the overall guest experience make them a smart choice for properties of any size and type.

Hotels embracing digital housekeeping solutions are seeing up to a 70% reduction in internal phone calls and a massive rise in productivity. As the trend of flexible check-in persists, coupled with heightened cleanliness expectations, these tools have become a necessity for forward-thinking hoteliers.

Just consider the following benefits:

  • Improved internal communication. Solutions like Mews Housekeeping support direct communication between various hotel departments, seamless task assignment, guest information updates and efficient collaboration.
  • Streamlined workflow. Predictive technology significantly reduces the time housekeepers spend finding the next room to clean. By automatically mapping daily routes based on guest profiles and hotel needs, these innovations enhance staff productivity and efficiency.
  • Paperless operations .: Shifting from analog task management to online, mobile-first solutions, not only ensures that all teams have access to the latest information but also aids in prioritizing tasks. It’s also good for the environment – and your eco credentials – as it means no unnecessary paper waste.

Modern hotel housekeeping tools enable staff to see which rooms are ready for cleaning, update room statuses post-cleaning and inspection, and even verify the guest's identity before knocking on their door.

Successful room inspections are promptly reflected in real-time at the front desk. This enhanced availability allows receptionists to efficiently adjust bookings without disrupting the continuous workflow of the housekeeping team through frequent re-prioritizations.

Best practices for training and internal adoption

The effectiveness of any new tool, automation, or procedure depends on its adoption by staff.

Involving the team in the process of automating housekeeping workflows is essential. Assign a team member to champion the new solution, oversee training and monitor results.

Contrary to concerns, integrating technology and automation into housekeeping doesn't mean replacing human touch. It's all about empowering staff to spend more time on crucial tasks and less on follow-up and information retrieval.

When introducing a new process or exploring a tech solution, it's crucial to consider the following:

  • Staff benefits. How will the new system benefit your staff? Highlighting advantages for the team ensures higher internal adoption rates.
  • Ease of learning. How easy is it for staff to learn and incorporate the modern technology into their daily routines?
  • Barriers to adoption: Identify potential barriers, such as language differences, and address them proactively.

Clearly communicate your housekeeping efforts

Multiple studies have shown that guests consider cleanliness among the most critical factors when choosing where to stay. So don’t be shy about showcasing your housekeeping efforts.

These steps will ensure your hotel housekeeping procedures gain visibility and convey to guests that cleanliness is your top priority:

  • Homepage highlights: include basic details about your housekeeping procedures on your home page to make the information easily accessible to potential guests.
  • Dedicated webpage: you could also link to a dedicated page on your website with more in-depth information, showing transparency and thoroughness.
  • In-room communication: leave a note in each room detailing the specific hygiene measures taken by housekeepers, providing reassurance directly to guests.
  • Public area signage: display signs in public areas highlighting any sustainability efforts, ensuring guests are informed throughout their stay.
  • Email integration: add a link to your cleaning protocols in confirmation and pre-arrival emails, framing expectations for a seamless guest experience.

Conclusion

Whether you like it or not, the new era of hospitality housekeeping has arrived. By following these steps, hotels can boost efficiency, reduce costs, and elevate the overall guest experience. As the industry continues to evolve, embracing technology and optimizing housekeeping operations will undoubtedly become integral to sustained success in the competitive hospitality landscape.

Discover more about modern hotel housekeeping

Does your property have modern hotel housekeeping? Discover all the benefits for your guests, staff and property – including boosting your bottom line through cost savings and upsells – in our guide, 10 Tips to Improve Your Housekeeping.

Download the guide

About Mews

Mews is the leading platform for the new era of hospitality. Powering over 5,500 customers across more than 85 countries, Mews Hospitality Cloud is designed to streamline operations for modern hoteliers, transform the guest experience and create more profitable businesses. Customers include BWH Hotels, Strawberry, The Social Hub and Airelles Collection. Mews was named Best PMS (2024) and listed among the Best Places to Work in Hotel Tech (2021, 2022, 2024) by Hotel Tech Report, as well as World's Best Hotel PMS Provider (2023) and World's Best Independent Hotel PMS Provider (2022, 2023) by World Travel Tech Awards. Mews has raised $335 million from investors including Goldman Sachs Alternatives, Kinnevik and Notion to transform hospitality.

www.mews.com