Monthly Archives: May 2010

New committee for PHAN

The Professional Housekeepers Association of NSW (PHAN) has chosen their new committee for this year. The AGM was held earlier this month. The committee members are as follows:

The PHAN committee meeting was held on 7th May at the Sydney Harbour Marriott. Also present at the meeting were Liz Lycette as Public Officer and Josselyne Henin, visiting President of the Sister Housekeepers Association of French speaking part of Switzerland. Welcome to the 2010 PHAN committee!

Back row: left to right: Liz Lycette, Zarife Melick, Tina Tian, Lalini de Silva, Rachel Bonham (invited guest) Maureen Jolowicz, Grace Esogon. Seated left to right : Nela Neves, Chona Ogilvie, Josselyne Henin, Kamila Smirski

Tip: Carpet Stains – nail polish or glue

After a recent linkedin discussion on how to treat red wine stains on carpet we decided to post a series of tips to help you get rid of the toughest carpet stains.

Nail polish or glue:
You need the following equipment and products:
Fine-toothed metal nit comb, tissue, cotton balls, acetone, hairdryer, cloth, methylated spirits; or super glue removing liquids.

Wrap a fine-toothed metal nit comb in a tissue so the teeth come through the tissue. Don’t use a plastic comb as the acetone will melt it. Place the comb at a angle to the base of the carpet and wedge it underneath the stain. Dip a cotton ball in acetone and rub it over the top of the stain row by row, using a clean cotton ball for each row. Acetone can affect the carpet so make sure it doesn’t penetrate the base. Replace the tissue if it is wet. This is a slow process and may have to be repeated several times. If it is an epoxy resin stain, warm it first with a hairdryer. Then dip a cloth in boiling water, wring it and lay it over the stain until the cloth starts to cool. Then pinch and pull the cloth to remove as much of the resin as possible. Repeat this a few times before using acetone. To get rid of the smell of acetone, use methylated spirits and water. You can use acetone to remove superglue from carpet but it takes a long time. Try superglue removing liquids for a quicker result.

Source: Spotless by Shanon Lush and Jennifer Fleming

Setting up and successfully running a 100% non smoking Hotel

The Westin Sydney contains 416 guest rooms, a large ballroom and function space and many F&B outlets and was at the time of this interview the only Sydney 5 star hotel operating entirely as a non-smoking Hotel. I met Assumpta McDonald, Executive Housekeeper at the Westin Sydney to discuss how she set up and successfully continues to run a 100% non smoking Hotel including all guest rooms and public areas and if she had any help or advice for those going into the non smoking arena. By Liz Lycette

LL: Where did the initial idea of an entire smoke-free hotel originate?

AM: The first directive was initiated by the Westin Head office in North America, where there are many non smoking hotels operating, however the Management team at the Westin Sydney were the ones to drive this initiative here in Australia, making it the success it is today.

LL: What procedures had to be put in place before beginning?

AM: After Head Office in North America had gathered a large amount of feedback from their customers; Westin Hotels in the Pacific region were approached and asked who would like to participate. Westin Sydney joined the programme along with Westin Melbourne and Westin Fiji.

At first surveys were sent out to all corporate clients and guests, asking for their comments and the overwhelming response was a resounding yes to 100% non smoking.

The Management team then decided on a start date to implement the 100% non-smoking policy. Once the date of 1^st July 2006 had been set, a full marketing campaign was implemented to advice all clients and guests of the changes to the operation. The sales team contacted all their clients and regular guests were sent letters from the General Managers office.

Due to constant customer demand, most of our 416 rooms were already non smoking, leaving us only with 36 smoking rooms on 2 floors to converting 2 floors a year; this.

A systematic plan was agreed to convert these remaining rooms to non smoking in conjunction with the annual spring cleaning programme which kept a cap on costs and spending.

Smoking rooms were taken out of the Property Management System and Reservations advised all guests at the time of their reservation that the Hotel was 100% non smoking.

Information banners were placed in the lobby, guests given small cards together with their key cards at check in and verbally informed by the Front Office staff. Guest room letters signed by the General Manager went into all rooms 2 weeks prior to starting and there was also signage placed in the guest lifts. It was critical to let everyone know what was happening well in advance.

LL: What did you need to do in the rooms in order to prepare them as non-smoking rooms?

AM: We did a full spring clean, similar to the preventative maintenance programme with Engineering, carpets and upholstery were shampooed, bedding cleaned, including relining of all pillows and cleaning of doona inserts. Corridor carpets were also cleaned using a deodorising chemical method which helped remove residual smells. Engineering changed all the air conditioning filters. A provision had been put into the Capital Expenditure Budget for new beds so this was also done at the time of the conversion to non-smoking.

LL: Now that you are a smoke free hotel, what happens if a guest is found to be smoking in the room? What is the full procedure?

AM: The Housekeeping team are the “eyes and noses” of the operation, and all Associates are trained in detecting the residues of smoking. Should evidence of smoking be found, the Room Attendant contacts their Supervisor who in turn alerts the Manager on Duty. The “evidence”, be it a cigarette butt in the bin, in a bottle or in the toilet bowl is removed by 2 staff members and kept until the case has been resolved. A message is left with the guest to contact the Manager on Duty who then handles the case. It is essential the Manager on Duty acts swiftly so the evidence can be removed and kept safely and the Room Attendant can proceed to clean the room.

Once the Manager on Duty has discussed the incident with the guest, they are then charged a cleaning fee of $200.00. Naturally this process needs to be handled with the utmost sensitivity and delicacy. This fee doesn’t cover the full actual cost but is meant more as a deterrent to the guest. The room then has to be put ‘out of order’ to shampoo the carpet, upholstery and conduct the usual full spring clean before it can be relet.

LL: What are the advantages of a non smoking policy?

AM: Guest feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and all the staff really love it too. In particular the rooms are easier to clean, no dirty ashtrays to clean, there is no damage from cigarette burns and no need to sanitise and cope with smoky smell after a smoking guest has checked out. There has been no lost business due to the policy, in fact there is an increase in business from those guests preferring the 100% smoke free environment.

LL: And what are the challenges and any disadvantages?

AM: A few guests have objected, however the positive feedback has far outweighed the negative comments. The initial cost to set-up non smoking floors including the full spring clean can also be expensive if this is not planned and budgeted. There is also the additional cost of all the collateral and the costs of communicating the changes to all the guests and corporate clients to be considered.

LL: Finally, what words of advise could you share to someone thinking of implementing a 100% non-smoking Hotel?

AM: Firstly plan well in advance. Convert your rooms from smoking to non-smoking gradually, there is less impact on the P&L and combine it with an existing spring cleaning/ preventative maintenance programme.

The initiative must also be a Hotel wide team effort, everyone from the GM down must be 100% behind the idea to ensure success, and everyone needs to be strictly complying with all the procedures. This requires full support from all to be a total success but the benefits are worth the effort.

For more information email: info@lycetteandassociates.com

In Memoriam – Ina Whitehead

It is with great sadness that we announce the untimely passing of our colleague and friend Ina Whitehead, L&A associate since 2005. She died on Saturday 8 May after a long and courageous battle with melanoma, surrounded by her family. We like to pass on our condolences to Ina’s family and all who knew her. She will be greatly missed by all.

L&A guest speaker at the 7 Star Conference – The Hotel Show

L&A has been invited to speak at the 7 Star Conference in Dubai this month.

The Seven Star Conference will find place in the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre from 18 – 20 May and is a part of the annual Hotel Show exhibition, which attracts over 1,000 exhibitors and more than 13,000 visitors over the three days.

The central themes for this year’s Conference are Design Trends, Technology and the Future, Food & Beverage trends and Marketing and Profitability.  The subjects covered are created to encourage delegates to Design, Develop, Discuss and Debate.

The Seven Star Conference in previous years has featured acknowledged industry experts from all over the world and attracted more than 1,000 delegates each year. The conference programme over the three days covers a range of topics such as training staff, food and beverage trends, design, colour and architecture styles and influences for the Gulf Region.

We are delighted to join the 7 Star Conference as a guest speaker. Our segment is scheduled for 20^th May and the topic we are going to cover is: “Staff Productivity Management in Housekeeping”.

Traditionally, the Housekeeping Department is one of the largest in a Hotel operation. Housekeeping labour and related costs is one of the biggest expense lines on the Rooms Division P&L. How financially savvy is the Executive Housekeeper and how well do they understand how to look at productivity as a useful and effective tool to save costs? New technology and innovation in materials have emerged to significantly increase housekeeping efficiency and effectiveness with proven bottom line benefits.

Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you are attending the Hotel Show, perhaps we can meet up. Email info@lycetteandassociates.com

elearning programme for housekeepers will become reality!

Lycette & Associates in conjunction with Balfour College and the Professional Housekeepers Association of NSW (PHAN) is delighted to announce the successful application for NSW 2010 E-learning Innovations funding.

The selection process for 2010 was highly competitive and we were picked from 150 project applications.

The project is called Hospitalit-E and aims to empower and up-skill Housekeeping Managers in financial management competencies. Typically Housekeeping Managers in resorts, hotels, apartments, aged-care facilities and hospitals are:

• managing up to 200 staff with large budgets (in the millions).
• recruited internally
• learn on-the-job
• unqualified

A skills gap has been identified in finance where Housekeepers are held accountable for budgetary issues.  Attending face-to-face training is a challenge due to long working hours and geographically dispersed learners.  Furthermore it doesn’t prepare learners to use technologies in their workplace – fast becoming a mandatory requirement.

The project addresses these issues by piloting an online learning program. The course includes three units of competency in finance, which is part of the Certificate IV Hospitality course. It also incorporates opportunities for recognition of prior learning.

Watch this space!!!

L&A assists Optii with training at the newly opened Crowne Plaza Adelaide

Optii Keeper, the new Housekeeping software from Optii Solutions was recently installed at the newly opened Crowne Plaza in Adelaide. L&A was there to assist with the training of the Crowne Plaza’s housekeeping personnel. The housekeeping team received instruction in the use of handheld terminals (PDA’s) and the how to make the most of Optii Keeper’s software.

The soft opening of the 352 room hotel took place on 8 April. Liz Lycette and Soenke Weiss were the first paying guests to check into the hotel.

Back at Nikko in Bali for follow-up

Agnes continues her ongoing Housekeeping support at Hotel Nikko in Bali with some hands-on assistance in implementing the use of microfibre cleaning technology at the hotel. The use of microfibre reduces chemicals and as well as water consumption. Hotel Nikko is one of the first hotels in Bali to use this environmentally friendly cleaning technology.

Two-Day workshop for Swiss-Belhotel International in Jakarta

Swiss Behotel Housekeepers from around Indonesia came together in Jakarta for a 2-Day Lycette & Associates workshop.

Swiss-Behotel International manages hotels in Asia and the Middle East including Indonesia Medan, Batam (2 hotels), Jakarta (2 operating hotel),  Bandung, Semarang, Surabaya, Bogor (2011), Banjarmasin, Samarinda, Tarakan, Palangka Raya (2010), Balikpapan (2011),  Bali (2 operating hotels, 1 hotel will open in 2011), Manado, Palu, Kendari (2010), Ambon (2010), Manokwari, Jayapura, Merauke (2011).

L&A’s Liz Lycette and Agnes Zlotek-Petit ran the 2-day course together to update the 23 housekeepers on quality control, cost control and housekeeping operations.

Interview with Brenda Olson, Executive Housekeeper – Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa

A Q&A session with Brenda Olson, Executive Housekeeper at Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, conducted by Liz Lycette.

Q: Where were you born and where did you grow up? Go to School?

A: I was born in Coos Bay, Oregon USA. My family stayed in USA until I was 3 and then we moved to Australia. My mom is an Aussie and my dad American. My mom went off on an overseas adventure early in her life and ended up meeting my dad in Spain where they married, moved to the USA had 3 kids and thought Australia would be a great place to raise us. I have lived in Coober Pedy in Western Australia and later near Windsor in the Lower Blue Mountains. I went to school in Penrith west of Sydney.

Q: What was your career path until your first Executive Housekeeper position?

A: I first worked in Hospitality at Australia’s Wonderland after a while I started working in Visual Merchandising. I did this for 12 years in the Sydney Metro area.

Q: Where have you been Executive Housekeeper? Hotel? City? Country? Number of rooms? Challenges of each position?

A: Like my mom I took off on an overseas adventure to the USA, ended up in Alaska where it was more about the location and experience than the actual job. I applied to be a Housekeeper, and was accepted. Soon after I was promoted to a Supervisor and then asked back as an Assistant Manager the following season. I loved the job and the atmosphere so much I applied for the Executive Housekeeping Manager position and was successful! I have been in that position for the past 6 years.

The McKinley Chalet Resort is on the boarder of Denali National Park right in the middle of Alaska, USA. The Resort has 480 rooms, room set up of TW/DB mini suites, 2 x Queen rooms and King rooms. On any given day there was at least 53 Housekeeping employees needed to operate the resort – Assistant Managers x 3, Supervisors x 12, HSK x 52, Housemen x 5, and PAC x 6. Most of the seasonal employees were from eastern European countries like Russia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Poland also Dominica Republic and USA Students, they worked on a 4-month visa.

Challenges were staffing accordingly.  Opening and closing the resort, motivating the staff and keeping morale high, check out time of 10am and new arrivals at noon meant a short turnover time between rooms, team work & organisation was key.

Q: What was your last position in Alaska like? How long were you there and what made you come back to Australia?

A: My position as the Executive Housekeeping Manger was certainly challenging at times. Working a seasonal property, opening the property from being closed for 7 months to ensuring everyone was trained in enough time for our first guests, losing staff during the season, to closing down the property. I loved meeting new people every season from all over the globe.

I worked in Denali at the McKinley Chalet Resort for 6 years.

The decision to return back to Australia was certainly a hard one. I worked 10 months out of 12 so we came home to Australia every 2 years or so seeking a warmer climate for the winter. It got harder to leave family & friends each time, so we decided to see what opportunities opened up in Australia for us before our return tickets to Alaska were due.

Q: Why did you choose Housekeeping?

A: I think Housekeeping choose me  - I like to clean, I like things in order and I like an end result. Housekeeping appeared as a great opportunity in Alaska for me to live and work in such an unbelievable environment. Not many can say they clean rooms where moose and grizzly bears walk by …

Q: What do you love most about it? And what is the hardest part of being a Housekeeper?

A: The hardest part of housekeeping is being the ‘unsung hero’s’ in a hotel, being unappreciated or under paid.

What I love most about Housekeeping – guest satisfaction, seeing an end result, the closeness within the team

Q: When did you join Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa? What are your first impressions from the first 2 weeks?

A: I joined Wolgan Valley Resort in February 2010. My first impressions were surreal, everything was organised, policies and procedures were in place and the property was amazing

Q: What are the biggest 3 challenges? Working in a remote property?

A: Staff retention, isolation, boredom etc. Dust is a huge challenge, it blows in from everywhere!

Communication with other departments. a sense of urgency or lack thereof.

Q: Describe Wolgan Valley – setup – number of rooms? Physical layout? Housekeeping staffing and structure of setup of staff. Public areas?

Room rates? What type of guests?

A: Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa is Australia’s first luxury conservation-based resort. Located on Australia’s Great Dividing Range, within the heart of the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. The resort occupies only 2% of the 4,000 acres.

This secluded resort features 40 individual suites surrounded by private decks, each having it’s own indoor/outdoor swimming pool, separate living and sleeping areas, luxurious en suite bathroom and double sided fireplace.

The Housekeeping Department has a staffing of 14 – breaks down to Executive Housekeeping Manager, Supervisor, 4 PAC and 8 Suite Attendants. Generally we have 2 am PAC and 2 pm they do our turndown service that all guests receive during their stay. Our suites are like being in your own home so the timeline of cleaning them is around 45 min – 1 hour, larger suites 11/2 hours.

Room rates vary from $1,660 up

Our guests come from all over Australia and the world.