Raising Productivity by Making Work Easier, Smarter and Safer

Chilled Water Dispensers

The hotel has an extensive banqueting operation and on daily basis, about 20% of total resort guests are attendees of events and functions (range from 30 – 300 persons).

Previously:

• serve all guests with ice-water from jugs filled with ice cubes and cold water.
• hotel had two high energy consumption large ice-cube producing machines placed on two different building levels
• staff had to queue at ice-cube machines, then fill up the jugs with water at another location, then return to meeting rooms and ballroom to serve guests

A focus group was form by staff from the Banqueting and Engineering departments, and it was decided to replace these ice-cube machines with industrial chilled water dispensers which can supply high volume of chilled water at consistent temperature.

Currently:

• staff fill up jugs with only chilled water from one source point [Easier]
• without ice-cubes, each jug can contain more water and serve more guests [Smarter]

1. productivity increase with less travelling time spent on filling and re-filling water jugs
2. better guest service as staff can spend more time serving and engaging guests
3. energy-saving as the chilled water dispenses consume less energy than ice-cube producing machines
4. environment impact with less carbon footprint from lower energy consumption chilled water dispenser
5. cost savings as chilled water dispenser are priced lower than ice- cube machines

Equarius Hotel and Beach Villas

Process Improvement

The hotel’s housekeeping team continuously reviews their daily operations to improve processes to increase productivity and achieve Guest + Team Member Satisfaction. Following were implemented:

• replaced push trolley with ‘mobile pantry’ buggy which allows packing of more cleaning equipment, amenities and linen supplies required for outdoor cleaning. It also has built-in flaps to keep room attendants dry when they move around in wet weather. They used to walk multiple trips with push trolley for daily cleaning [Easier, Safer]

• Removed mini bar counter glass shelf which are hardly utilised; and glass lampshades at bedside and washroom. Both fixtures collect dust easily and are of breakable material. Removing it does not compromise functionality but saves cost and prevent workplace injury [Easier, Safer]

• Covered gap in bed headboard frame and gap under vanity counter which made cleaning easier, faster and safer as the gaps trap dirt [Easier, Safer]

• Alternative flower arrangements in rooms which reduce maintenance time of floral without compromising  room décor theme [Easier, Smarter]

1. increase productivity in daily routine cleaning and maintenance projects
2. Increase in positive guest feedback and overall guest satisfaction with shorter waiting time for rooms and higher quality of room cleanliness
3. higher staff morale as room attendants appreciate the efforts from supervisors to improve their work environment and help them be more productive

Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre

Merging of Stewarding and Room Service Department

Hotel cross-trained staff in both teams and transfer experienced Manager and Captains from Room Service to hotel’s Coffee House where there is higher guest interaction level and require higher productivity level. Both team members are able to grow in a new job scope. [Smarter]

1. increase in Guest Satisfaction Scores in both Breakfast Experience and Room Service Overall Experience
2. multi-skill staff who are able to grow on their jobs

Operation Process Improvement

The hotel’s housekeeping team explored ideas to fine-tune daily work processes to increase productivity:

• changed the placement of bathrobes, from hanging it on hangers and tying the cord nearly around the bathrobe to placing freshly-cleaned and pre-folded bathrobes in wardrobe. This reduces time spent on handling bathrobe and result in quicker room turnover. Also, guests who need hangers but not use bathrobes will remove it from hangers, but removed bathrobes will be sent for washing. There is cost savings on laundry expenses without unnecessary washing. [Easier, Smarter]

• removed bed spread which were impractical and changed method in bed making (from folding duvet to pulling it straight and covered it with pillow), which saves time and yet gives a crisp look. Rooms were turnover faster and laundry expenses reduced [Easier, Smarter]

• Removed bathroom cabinet and foot stool in bathroom which were hardly utilised by guests. Time spent on cleaning and checking guest does not leave behind items in cabinets was saved, resulting in quicker room turnover. [Easier, Smarter]

• Reduced number of bottled water and towels in room as there was noticeable wastage. More space in housekeeping trolleys to place other amenities and linen supplies save time in stocking up, and room turnover is faster. Guests’ request for more bottled water or towels will be acceded and hence guest stay experience is not compromised. [Easier, Smarter]

• Changed floor cleaner for shower stall to one that is more effective hence making cleaning easier and less strenuous for housekeeping attendants [Easier, Safer]

• Replaced bin liners with plastic bags make clearing of trash faster and more hygienic, and guests need not use their own plastic bags to line the dustbins. [Easier]

1. increase productivity in daily work routine of housekeeping attendants with reduced cleaning time for all rooms
2. increase in overall guest satisfaction due to shorter waiting time for their room upon arrival
3. motivated staff as housekeeping attendants appreciate the efforts from supervisors to improve their daily work routine and help them be more productive

Amara Singapore Hotel

Manpower People Scheduler System

Automating the process of generating employee work schedules, capturing attendance, recording of staff meals, payment to part-timers, and wages. It has big impact on monitoring and maximisation of manpower resource. [Easier, Smarter]

1. greater efficiency with reduction in paperwork, automation of approval cycle, integration of staff personal details such as leave records
2. manpower optimisation for better efficiency in room cleaning, higher rate of room occupancy and higher manpower productivity

Crowne Plaza Changi Airport Hotel

Productivity Uplift

To uplift the productivity of room attendants by multi-skilling them to be able to handle specialised area cleaning besides general room cleaning. A team of six were sent for training on various machines and chemical applications, and they were deployed to clean rooms in two guest floors. The team members are given autonomy to manage their work and flexibility to complete the tasks within a specified time period. [Smarter]

1. reduction in down time of room
2. improved guest satisfaction with reduction in waiting time for

Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium

Security-Concierge Cross Deployment

The hotel expanded the job scope of security officers to include concierge and bell services.

• Security staff underwent concierge training and bell services training.

• Job scope of bell staff also expanded to cover security duties and five underwent WSQ Security Industry Regulatory Department (SIRD) security training and on-the-job security training.

The two functions complement each other in providing enhanced customer service. With the cross-deployment initiative, service delivery improved with reduction in processing time by 8-10 minutes. Both teams also clock in shorter overtime hours as they can cover each other’s duties. [Smarter]

1. reduction on overtime hours hence staff are less fatigue and more productive
2. better career progression for staff with expanded job scope with multi-skill
3. increase in guest satisfaction level with shorter service delivery time

Swissotel the Stamford

Streamline Shift System

The housekeeping staff in the evening shift was converted from buddy system to solo system which reduce number of manpower required for the evening shift work and reinforce individual’s responsibility for quality of room cleaning. [Smarter]

1. increase in staff productivity with savings in man hours for the same tasks
2. higher guest satisfaction and mystery shopping scores with higher level of room cleanliness