Hospitality Management: Challenges and Trends

This assignment delves into the evolving landscape of hospitality management research. It analyzes a collection of scholarly articles highlighting key themes such as customer experience management, rural tourism, waste disposal practices, and the impact of technological advancements on the industry. The analysis emphasizes understanding current research gaps and future directions in this dynamic field.

RUNNING HEAD: Accommodation Management 0
Accommodation Management

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Contents
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................2
Housekeeping department.....................................................................................................................2
Role, task and functions of Housekeeping management........................................................................2
Role of customer and customer needs...................................................................................................4
Steps of Accommodation manager........................................................................................................5
Outsourcing cleaning staff in housekeeping department........................................................................5
Recommendations.................................................................................................................................6
Conclusion.............................................................................................................................................7
References.............................................................................................................................................8

Accommodation Management 2
Introduction
In this report as a consultant I have taken Housekeeping department to explain role of
outsource services and how an organisation can be benefitted from outsourcing.
Housekeeping department takes charge of cleaning in the accommodation. It makes stay of
customers pleasant by providing services from their check-in to check-out. The department
outsource service to reduce cost and resources of the department. The housekeeping
department is part of accommodation management. Accommodation is one of the basic
necessities of travellers. It is responsible for the efficient running of a hotel. It provides
shelter to guests and includes safety and wellbeing of guests. The management is responsible
for training of staff, quality standards, recruitment and cleaning (MartíSelva & Puertas,
2017). It also deals with budgetary matters, HR issues and makes staff aware about policies
and procedures.
Housekeeping department
Housekeeping management is the important part in hotel and is linked with front office
management. The housekeeping management takes care of cleaning in rooms and public area.
The department is also responsible for maintenance and up keep of rooms. Generally the
housekeeping management is responsible for cleaning of rooms, lobbies and washrooms. It
also carries necessary functions to upgrade housekeeping operation and ensures efficiency of
department (Ofodile, 2015).
Role, task and functions of Housekeeping management
Housekeeping is an important part of the experience and satisfaction of guests. The
contribution of housekeeping in the revenue of a hotel can be evaluated from the higher sale
of rooms. The staff of housekeeping is responsible for the cleaning of rooms, lobbies,
washrooms and public area. The housekeeping maintains cleaning on daily basis. The
management makes stay of guests pleasant by taking care of them from check-in to check-out
(Hakim, Mohsen & Bakr, 2014). The main functions are cleanliness, pest control, bed
making, linen management and maintenance of hotel. Laundry is also the part of
housekeeping service. Functions of Housekeeping management are:
Cleaning rooms and public area:

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Other than rooms, the housekeeping management is equally responsible for cleaning lobbies,
floor, elevators, lifts, offices, stairs, terrace, washrooms and front office area. The staff need
to repeat service whenever required or according to the policy of department. Cleaning is the
main attraction for any traveller.
Laundry services:
The staff handles laundry of hotel and in some cases the staff need to handle guest laundry
too. The hotel charges extra for providing such service. The laundry department also carries
task of cleaning linen such as washing and ironing.
Bed making:
The staff also takes charge of bed making. It is the duty of housekeeping and it provides extra
comfort to the guests.
Linen management:
There are many types of clothes used in hotels like towels, bed sheets, curtains, table covers,
napkins etc. So, the linen management takes charge from purchasing of linen to laundry,
storage and supply. They deliver linen in all departments of hotel and carries repair works if
required.
Safety and security:
The housekeeping staff ensures protection of guests during their stay at hotel. They take care
of personal belonging of guests. They are also trained to tackle natural calamities by taking
preventive measures (Anthonisz, 2014).
Key control:
It is the major task of housekeeping staff to handle keys capably. The keys should be handled
safely before check-in and check-out of room.
Pest control:
Pest control is the important service of housekeeping. Pest control is used to save from the
harmful effects of rats, lizards and cockroaches running around.
Engineering work and maintenance:

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The engineering work and maintenance includes checking hotel equipment, water supply,
furniture and condition of building. This department focuses on the safety issues and
minimising risk. It also carries repair work whenever required.
Role of customer and customer needs
Customers are the essence of hospitality management. The task of housekeeping is to provide
service to customers. Once a customer is satisfied with the services of hotels it creates
positive experience. The department maintains high standard of cleaning. Housekeeping staff
is responsible for the cleaning of accommodation (Zhu & Sun, 2017). The department
performs security function by giving high alert to the problem of guests. They also check
taps, tube lights, fans, air conditioners, geysers and electric wires, whether these are in good
working condition or not. They meet the minimum standard of hygiene and maintain
cleaning. They are also responsible for the dry cleaning, linen and laundry services. It also
maintains the appearance of rooms and maintains public area (Pan & Huan, 2017).
Housekeeping maintains expectation of customers by maintaining high level of cleanliness.
Role of customers and customer need in housekeeping management can be understood from
these points:
Cleanliness and hygiene: A high standard of cleanliness is maintained in the accommodation
to keep customers engaged. It puts positive impression on customers. Hygiene is maintained
in the washrooms and pool area.
Privacy: The housekeeping staff makes all the arrangements to ensure privacy of guests. They
are trained the way to behave with guests and are learnt manners to enter the room (Brown,
Arendt & Bosselman, 2014).
Safety: Safety is the major need of guests. Before giving room to guests, staff inquire about
all the safety measures with the help of security services.
Comfortable: Guests feel comfortable in the clean and neat environment. It is the
responsibility of hospitality to make guests feel comfortable by providing all the things
needed by them. Accommodation management makes effort in order to provide support
service which ensures smooth running of hotel. These efforts are maintained regularly
(Köseoglu, Sehitoglu & Craft, 2015).
Décor:

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The housekeeping staff is responsible for maintaining décor. It is the ambience of hotel which
attracts to consumers. So, the staff makes effort in renovating and maintaining the
accommodation area.
Additional services:
The housekeeping department also makes available items from the market which is needed
by the accommodation management on the behalf of customers. They include staff from
supervisors to executives. It also includes gardeners, bellhops, laundry staff, floor managers
and peon.
Complaints: The department also takes care of the lost and found article. If any complaint
comes on this behalf, so housekeeping has to deal with it.
Steps of Accommodation manager
Accommodation manager takes charges of all the responsibilities and keeps a check on the
services of housekeeping department. The steps taken by accommodation manager are:
 Ensures the housekeeping staff is well trained and groomed.
 Accommodation manager prepares duty roster for the staff (Ryan, 2015).
 Keeps check on the rooms and public area to ensure the standard of cleanliness is
maintained.
 The manager also keeps in touch with HR department for the recruitment of staff.
Outsourcing cleaning staff in housekeeping department
Outsourcing is a contract done with outside suppliers. This practice is used by housekeeping
department to hire cleaning staff which helps in reducing cost, saving time and increasing
efficiency. It is an individual company hired to handle activities of housekeeping department.
It is transferring of functions to outsource company. These practice allows department to
focus better on it’s problems and core competence activities. Outsourcing is available to
hotels at fewer prices than the cost paid by them to hire staff. The management aims to
achieve revenue, profits and saving costs with the help of outsource companies. The staff
provided by outsource companies is more skilled and already trained by the company (Wei,
2014). So, the housekeeping department do not have need to waste time on training of staff.
Advantages of outsourcing are:

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Cost saving: Outsourcing results in saving costs, taxes, resources and time of hotel. The hotel
does not have need to conduct recruitment activities. It just contacts to the outsourcing
companies and the company makes available the expert staff at less prices.
Better focus on business: Outsourcing helps the department to better focus on the activities of
business. It saves time of recruiting as well as training of staff.
Customer satisfaction: The guest is more satisfied when the staff is skilled and expert in
dealing problem of customers. Such staff is bound to certain level of service and quality
(Kandampully, Zhang & Jaakkola, 2017).
Operational efficiency: Outsourcing makes the department to more efficient at working. It
gives more exposure to staff. The staff provides higher level of quality.
Outsourcing has more advantages than disadvantages. These disadvantages can lead to risks
and legal exposure:
Quality risk: Outsourcing can also lead to risk and legal exposure. As, sometimes the staff
can be involved in some criminal activity. The staff is also not skilled in the particular
section.
Organisational knowledge: It is also seen that the staff outsourced does not have the same
understanding as regular employees. These employees come in contact with guests, results in
negative experiences (Devrim Yilmaz, 2017).
Quality service: It may also happen that the staff assigned in the department is not able to
perform duties in the particular department. That staff may be expert in activities of other
department. So, their skill should be judged wisely by the outsourcing company.
Recommendations
Housekeeping department uses outsource companies to better perform functions. It also
results in saving costs, time and resources. It enables existing staff to better focus on the core
activities which results in organisational specialisations. The department using outsourcing
has competitive advantage over other competitors in the market. It reduces the workload of
housekeeping department to recruit and train staff (Tuzon–Guarin, 2016). New skill and
better management can be acquired from outsourcing activities. The department can use
outsourcing further to better control managerial activities. Major investments can be avoided

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and flexibility in department can be improved with outsourcing. Moreover it has resulted in
benefit to the housekeeping department.
Conclusion
It can be concluded from the report that housekeeping is important part of accommodation
management and provides the best service from check-in to check-out of guests.
Housekeeping department has important part in the maintenance of accommodation
management. The department is not only responsible for cleaning of rooms; laundry and linen
are also important tasks of department (Gössling & Lane, 2015). Outsourcing is the method
used by department to reduce cost and increase efficiency. It saves time of management in
recruiting and training new staff. The department can better utilise time in important activities
which boosts up the sales.

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References
Anthonisz, A., 2014. Assessing the future of housekeeping operations in Dubai’s five-star
hotel industry–room for innovation?. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, 6(4),
pp.352-361.
Brown, E.A., Arendt, S.W. and Bosselman, R.H., 2014. Hospitality management graduates’
perceptions of career factor importance and career factor experience. International Journal of
Hospitality Management, 37, pp.58-67.
Devrim Yilmaz, Ö., 2017. An undervalued department or a terra incognita? Hotel
housekeeping from the perspectives of executive housekeepers and room
attendants. Turizam: međunarodni znanstveno-stručni časopis, 65(4), pp.450-461.
Gössling, S. and Lane, B., 2015. Rural tourism and the development of Internet-based
accommodation booking platforms: a study in the advantages, dangers and implications of
innovation. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 23(8-9), pp.1386-1403.
Hakim, S.A., Mohsen, A. and Bakr, I., 2014. Knowledge, attitudes and practices of health-
care personnel towards waste disposal management at Ain Shams University Hospitals,
Cairo/Connaissances, attitudes et pratiques des membres du personnel de sante au sujet de la
gestion de l'elimination des dechets au Centre hospitalier universitaire d'Ain Shams au
Caire. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 20(5), p.347.
Kandampully, J., Zhang, T. and Jaakkola, E., 2017. Customer experience management in
hospitality: a literature synthesis, new understanding, and research agenda. International
Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, (just-accepted), pp.00-00.
Köseoglu, M.A., Sehitoglu, Y. and Craft, J., 2015. Academic foundations of hospitality
management research with an emerging country focus: A citation and co-citation
analysis. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 45, pp.130-144.
MartíSelva, L. and Puertas, M., 2017. Characterisation of Spanish tourism by type of
accommodation: a gravity model approach. Investigaciones Turísticas, (13), pp.77-95.
Ofodile, U.E., 2015. Africa and International Arbitration: from Accommodation and
Acceptance to Active Engagement. Transnational Dispute Management (TDM), 12(4).

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Pan, T.J. and Huan, T.C., 2017. It is not about Compensation: Resolving Customer
Complaints in Hospitality Management. In Trade Tales: Decoding Customers' Stories (pp. 7-
13). Emerald Publishing Limited.
Ryan, C., 2015. Trends in hospitality management research: a personal
reflection. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 27(3), pp.340-
361.
Tuzon–Guarin, J.M., 2016. Housekeeping Management Practices and Standards Of Selected
Hotels and Restaurants of Ilocos SUR, Philippines. Browser Download This Paper.
Wei, Q., 2014. Social enterprise influence source——take Beijing Fuping housekeeping as
example. Special Zone Economy, 5, p.079.
Zhu, X. and Sun, C., 2017, January. The Positive Effect of Workplace Accommodation On
Creative Performance. In Academy of Management Proceedings (Vol. 2017, No. 1, p.
15188). Academy of Management.