Leading smart FM solutions provider HITEK Services, which is part of the Farnek group of companies, has launched Housekeeping Plus, a smart mobile application, which provides an efficient and cost-effective solution for the hospitality sector.
The app which has been designed specifically for hotels, resorts and property management companies, efficiently streamlines housekeeping operations and automates workflow, through superior connectivity.
Javeria Aijaz, Managing Director of HITEK, commented, “With recruitment issues, operational efficiency, cost saving and meeting guest expectations, essential to the success of every hotel, this app can transform traditional housekeeping operations.
“Gone are the days when management would have to wait for housekeeping staff to complete printed checklists and room allocation sheets, this can all be done digitally through the app.”
“Housekeepers can sign off digitally on any completed tasks, with the visibility of room conditions for supervisors and management. This ensures accountability, with real-time updates, which helps front office assign rooms instantly to guests.”
The app can configure and assign locations, and frequency of service giving users immediate access to information such as automated room assignments, tasks, checklists and updates, directly on their devices, without any need for paper requests or in-person meetings.
Room inventory reports are another key feature that can be managed using the smart app. It not only records when rooms have been fully serviced, but it can also identify inventory buying trends.
By installing QR codes in every room, it makes starting and finishing housekeeping tasks even more efficient, because housekeepers no longer have to manually feed in location information. It also lets management periodically review individual and or overall manpower productivity.
The app can also interface with the hotel’s Property Management System (PMS) providing a free flow of real-time information about room occupancy and guest movement, giving front office updates on the status of individual rooms.
“In this way, Housekeeping Plus can empower teams and deliver significant benefits, including increased efficiency and cost saving, by optimising schedules through manpower efficiency and improving inter-departmental communication,” said Aijaz.
The app also eliminates the need for printed assignments – with PMS integration, management can access an overview of room occupancy, cleaning status, as well as guest departure and arrivals. Armed with this information, daily cleaning schedules can be created and shared, placing a focus on monitoring tasks completed and outstanding, ensuring that any urgent updates sent directly to each housekeeper’s mobile device, have been actioned.
Throughout their shift, housekeepers mark rooms as completed. Once rooms have been inspected and are ready for guests, their status is updated instantly in the PMS. Subsequently, front office can advise the guest that their room is available for check-in.
With real-time notifications, housekeeping teams can also be alerted instantly to any priorities, with room assignments redistributed accordingly. The same messaging system can also be used to report maintenance issues with supporting images which can then be redirected to engineering and conveniently tracked via PMS.
For Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and checklists to be effective, however, they must be followed by housekeepers and regularly updated. With Housekeeping Plus, compliance is easier to achieve, by creating a central source for SOPs and checklists, which once updated as required are accessible to housekeepers during their shifts.
“Maintaining housekeeping standards is essential to a hotel’s brand values and ultimately to guest satisfaction. Housekeeping Plus ensures that management can monitor SOPs and other checklists, making a quick and easy comparison between individual room types ensuring a consistent level of service delivery,” added Aijaz.
Through daily or shift summaries, real-time dashboards can generate reports that measure performance and productivity, which helps to optimise staff allocation, shift schedules and planning based on occupancy forecasts.
