Relationship Between Housekeeping Department and Other Departments in the Hotel

2.2.3 Relationship between the housekeeping department and other departments in the hotel

2.2.3.1 Relationship with other departments

 Relationship between housekeeping and reception

These are two indispensable departments in the hotel's business operations. Because when guests arrive at the hotel, the receptionist is responsible for welcoming guests, finding out the guests' needs, which room they want to stay in, how long they want to stay, what services they want to use... After receiving all the guests' requests, the receptionist informs the housekeeping department about the time, date and time of the guests' arrival, date and time of departure, room type, quantity and services the guests need during their stay. After receiving the reception's notification, the housekeeping department must conduct a clean room inspection, when all aspects of the room's hygiene and safety have been prepared. The housekeeping department must call the reception department to take the guests to their rooms. When guests arrive at the room, the housekeeping staff will briefly introduce the equipment and supplies to the guests, what the guests will be able to use for free and what the guests will have to pay for. At the same time, instruct the guests on how to use the equipment in the room. During the guest's stay, if additional services are used, the housekeeping staff must collect all invoices (with the guest's signature) and bring them to the receptionist so they can pay the guest when leaving the hotel.

 The relationship between the housekeeping team, bar and kitchen.

During the guest's stay, if the guest needs to eat in the room or have food or drinks, the housekeeping staff will notify the kitchen and related departments to serve. After receiving the guest's request, the housekeeping staff will notify the kitchen and bar department to prepare to serve. After receiving the notice from the housekeeping team, the kitchen and bar department must quickly proceed to prepare. After each party and after each day, the housekeeping staff must check the drinks to see how much they have used and how much is left. After that, the housekeeping staff must summarize the amount of drinks that the guest has used, write it on the bill for the guest to sign and send it to the reception desk for payment.

 Relationship between the housekeeping team and the maintenance and repair department

During the process of cleaning the room or checking the equipment in the room and the housekeeping area, if any damage is discovered, the housekeeping staff must notify the maintenance and repair team so that they can promptly check, repair or replace it.

Upon receiving the notification, the repair team must immediately conduct an inspection to handle the situation promptly. After completing the repair and maintenance, the repair team will notify the housekeeping team so that they (the housekeeping department) can re-check and then notify the reception team to prepare to welcome new guests.

 The relationship between the chamber and security.

The housekeeping team is responsible for monitoring order in the guest accommodation area. If any violations, losses, or suspicions are discovered, they must be reported to the security department. The security team must promptly and urgently inspect to take measures to handle the situation while ensuring security, order, and safety of property and the hotel and staff.

 Relationship between housekeeping and accounting

Every day, the housekeeping team is responsible for submitting all invoices related to accommodation business and invoices for purchasing goods, equipment and supplies of the housekeeping department to the finance team so that the finance team can balance expenses and compare invoices with the reception department.

In short, the relationship between the housekeeping department and other departments is a complex task because it has to serve many different types of customers. However, in order for the business to run well and achieve high business efficiency, the housekeeping team needs to improve communication skills and professional expertise.

2.2.3.2 Internal relationships of the chamber department

Housekeeping staff always have a close relationship with each other when performing their duties. Housekeeping staff often coordinate with warehouse staff, laundry staff, public sanitation staff, etc. to form a strong block to work better.

2.2.4 Business results of room service of Saigon Hotel

Table 2.5: Room business performance results in 2015-2016

Target

Unit of measure	Revenue		Compare 2016 vs 2015
Unit of measure	2015	2016	Spread	%
Accommodation revenue	Million Dong	22038	24847	2809	Increase 11.3
Total visitors	People	55429	60781	5352	Increase 8.8
International visitors	People	34682	46986	12304	Up 26.1
Domestic visitors	People	20747	13795	6952	Down 33.3
Number of rooms sold	Room	27309	28251	942	Increase 3.3
Room capacity	%	87	90		Increase by 3

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(Source: Compiled from reports of Saigon Hotel)

* Comment:

Through the above results table, we can see that the revenue from accommodation activities has increased to 2,809 million VND, equivalent to an increase of 11.3% compared to 2015. The above increase is due to the efforts of service quality to attract customers.

We see that the total number of guests in 2016 compared to 2015 increased by 5,352 people/year, which is an increase of 8.8%. Of which, the number of international guests increased by 12,304 people, which is an increase of 26.1%. The hotel's international guests are mainly Japanese, Indian, Chinese, British, etc. In 2016, the number of Japanese guests coming to the hotel increased significantly compared to previous years. The number of international guests coming to the hotel increased like that thanks to the efforts of all staff members of the hotel. However, the number of domestic guests coming to the hotel in 2016 compared to 2015 decreased by 6,952 people, or a decrease of 33.3%. This requires the hotel to have a policy to improve service quality to attract more domestic guests, not only tourists but also business guests.

Room occupancy in 2016 also increased by 3% compared to 2015, specifically from 87% to 90%. This shows that in 2015 and 2016, the hotel has focused on investing in the accommodation business, which is the hotel's main source of revenue. In the future, the hotel will improve the quality of accommodation services to increase revenue from business activities.

2.3 Current status of improving room service quality at Saigon hotels

2.3.1 Current status of facilities

Saigon Hotel is a three-star hotel, so the technical facilities of the housekeeping department must meet the hotel's classification level.

Table 2.6 Room facilities at Saigon Hotel

Equipment system

Bedroom

Bed, bedside table, luggage rack, wardrobe, desk, chair, tea table, TV stand. Foam mattress, mattress cover, foam bed sheet, pillowcase, double-layered wool blanket, telephone, desk lamp, room lamp, bedside lamp, air conditioner, fire alarm, tea set, thermos, glass cup, water filter, ashtray, clothes hanger, slippers, trash can, sewing bag, telephone book, doormat, bed cover, room bell, television, air conditioner, refrigerator, table

salon, fruit tableware, wall painting

Bathroom

Shower, toilet with lid, wash basin, hot and cold shower faucet, soap dispenser, toothbrush cup, towel rack, toilet paper holder, plastic waste bin with lid, face towel, bath towel, laundry bag, shaver, bathtub, hair dryer, electric

phone, emergency call button, shampoo, cotton swabs.

These facilities are fully available in the bedrooms of Saigon Hotel and these facilities are always maintained, cleaned and these equipments work and use very well, always satisfying customers.

Regarding the bathroom equipment, Saigon Hotel also fully meets the standards of its class. The bathroom equipment is cleaned, odorless and the bathroom items always meet the needs of guests.

The equipment in the rooms of Saigon Hotel is arranged synchronously, in a modern style, with high aesthetics and arranged scientifically, fully ensuring the correct classification standards.

In 2013, the hotel was completely renovated and replaced with new equipment.

Rooms, relatively good facilities, modern amenities, this is the strength that the hotel needs to promote. The hotel also regularly repaints the elevator maintenance rooms, air conditioners, replaces magnetic card door batteries... However, over time, some amenities have also degraded, such as customers still complain about the air conditioning system in the room, unstable internet...

2.3.2 On improving the quality of the workforce

The quality of the staff in the housekeeping department in a hotel plays an important role in determining the quality of the hotel's room service. Recognizing this importance, Saigon Hotel has continuously implemented measures to improve the quality of the staff in the housekeeping department:

- The hotel management always creates favorable conditions for employees to work both physically and mentally.

- Provide reasonable incentive policies for employees such as: Salary and bonus policies for employees during monthly holidays, hotel staff have meetings to summarize the work situation, commend and reward those who work well and effectively to encourage the working spirit of employees. Create an equal working environment, a positive working atmosphere. In addition, remind and give reasonable penalties to those who do not strictly comply with the hotel's regulations, those who do not work well, thereby providing remedial measures to avoid repeating mistakes.

2.3.3 On the work of perfecting service procedures

The housekeeping department plays a particularly important role in the process of serving guests staying at the hotel. From the time of welcoming guests and handing over the room to the guests, serving them during their stay until they check out and leave the hotel. The service process includes 4 steps as follows:

Welcome and hand over rooms to guests

Daily room cleaning and in-room guest service

Check and receive room handover from guests as they prepare to check out

Clean the room after the guest has checked out.

Diagram 2.3 Room service process at Saigon Hotel

(Source: Author's synthesis)

Employees follow the service process correctly to ensure good service quality. In addition, managers regularly monitor and have methods for employees to follow standard procedures.

2.3.4 Price

Price is the form of monetary expression of the value of goods and services determined based on the value of use and the customer's perception of the products and services they use. Customers do not necessarily have to buy the highest quality products and services, but they will buy the products and services that give them the most satisfaction. For this reason, hotels are improving the quality of their room service to increase prices reasonably. To determine the most reasonable price for customers without affecting the profit of the room department, managers have relied on the following factors:

 Production costs: The amount of money the hotel spends to buy materials, supplies, pay employees and depreciate assets.

 Product benefits for customers: What customers enjoy when buying the product satisfies their needs or not.

 Market situation and competitive prices: hotels need to consider the demand for products (due to seasonality) and businesses in the same area of operation.

 Hotel objectives: At different times, hotels have different objectives. Therefore, product prices must also change appropriately.

Table 2.7 Room rates at Saigon hotels

Room type

Single	Pair
Superior	2 200 000++	2 400 000++
Deluxe	2 400 000++	2 600 000++
Senior Deluxe	2 600 000++	2 800 000++
Executive	3,000,000++	3 400 000++
Suite	3 400 000++	3 800 000++
Saigon Suite	3 800 000++	4 200 000++

(Source: Saigon Hotel Administration Department)

* Comment:

Like other cities, tourism activities in Ho Chi Minh City are also seasonal, so the hotel room price structure also has relative changes. In fact, the price structure changes depending on many other factors. During peak times, the number of rooms in the area is not enough to meet the needs of guests, the hotel room price can increase by 20%. But in winter, when the number of guests decreases sharply, the hotel has a policy of reducing room prices to 20% of the normal selling price to avoid wasting facilities and labor.

Currently, in Ho Chi Minh City, there are many hotels springing up, businesses not only compete in service quality, labor quality... but also compete in service prices. Therefore, to attract more guests to the hotel, in addition to improving service quality, the reasonableness of prices is something that hotels are very interested in. The price of room service products in the hotel is set by the hotel management. In which, the opinion of the room department head plays an important role. When a price is set, it must be applied in a trial manner to suit the interests of customers and the profits of the hotel.

2.3.5 Other works

* Room service quality assessment

At Saigon Hotel, room service quality assessment is carried out as an effort to further improve the quality of customer service.

Hotel. The method used to evaluate the quality of room service is as follows:

- With the aim of knowing whether the guests are really satisfied with the quality of the hotel's service or not. A questionnaire was designed and given to each customer to collect their opinions. This evaluation is also not very effective and not objective for reasons such as: When the guests receive the questionnaire, but they do not have time to evaluate, they may be very busy for many personal reasons so they do not have time to sit down and think and evaluate or they participate in the evaluation but with an unfriendly attitude, doing it for the sake of it, which may affect the final result.

* Daily quality control work

Every day, after the staff cleans the room, the manager will check to see if the cleanliness standards have been met, if the staff has replenished daily necessities for the guests, or if the staff has forgotten any cleaning tools. And carefully record the errors to correct and take appropriate measures for the offending staff depending on the severity.

Table 2.8 Department Head's Room Inspection Form

Number of rooms

Room status	Test time		Note
Room status	Print	Out	Note
201
202
203
….

* Comment:

The room check form is quite detailed and is carefully recorded by the manager. However, during peak times, there are so many rooms that need to be checked that only the department head and deputy department head can check them. The large amount of work leads to some rooms being left out or checked for the sake of checking. The hotel needs to overcome this situation to improve the quality of room service.