by Shane Henson — August 26, 2013—If there is one thing a hospitality facilities manager wants to avoid, it is for the word “dirty” and the name of their hotel to be used in the same sentence in an online review. Just one unflattering online review related to cleanliness can have a negative effect on a hotel’s bottom line, keeping potential customers from visiting, and souring the hotel’s reputation, according to Emprise, a support services company in the U.K. specializing in cleaning and security.
The company’s findings are part of a new white paper, which also offers insight into the importance of a clean environment for hotels. As the report notes, cleanliness is the number one concern for customers and one poor review can cost a hotel around 30 customers, which equates to £2,500 per bad review for the average hotelier. Cleanliness is also a leading global driver of value for the hotel sector according to research, and facilities management can play a strategic role in increasing revenues and improving guest retention, Emprise says.
The paper proposes that hotels should actively monitor complaints, compliments, and comments regarding cleanliness, and put processes in place to ensure all activities are carried out to the required standard. The paper suggests that if a hotel were to increase its occupancy rate by just one percent on the back of positive reviews, based on a 70 percent occupancy rate, a 100-room hotel and £100-per-night room rate, it could generate an additional £25,550 revenue per annum.
Another strategy is for hotels to work in partnership with an outsourced supplier, who can bring additional expertise as well as delivering value on the cost of housekeeping services, says Emprise. Although there can appear to hoteliers to be a conflict with the need to save money, working in partnership with an outsourced supplier can actually reduce overheads and increase revenues as well as bring many benefits, including improved methods and cleaning techniques, a flexible approach and reduced management burden with regards to recruitment and training of staff, adds the company.
