In an extremely slow year for travel, it is not surprising to see staff in hotels wearing multiple hats as hotel management desperately tries to reduce labour costs. I remember going to a particular 5-star hotel in Singapore for its buffet lunch and was served by the Head of Rooms. Through small talk, he mentioned that staff had to be “flexible” and “adaptable” to secure their job, and he’s lucky to even have a job in these trying times.
Photo by Jalitha Hewage on Unsplash
As we approach the 1.5 year mark of living with COVID-19, hotel occupancy rates in the APAC region have yet to fully recover although generally trending upward. To mitigate labour costs, staff are being reallocated to other departments although some hotels have also lost staff to other jobs with the help of government job reskilling schemes. Cross-training staff is the best way to retain valued staff now. The biggest struggle for hotels right now is to keep guests satisfied with the staff they have left. This is a tall order as these remaining staff suffer from pandemic fatigue and at the same time, having to adapt to a different role than what they were used to.
When we talk about staff productivity, we tend to only look at the output or the result - which is whether guests were left satisfied. No doubt, guests should be the priority and by now, we all know that when guests are kept engaged and satisfied, it increases ancillary revenue and keeps guests loyal. It is a no-brainer! Staff productivity automatically translates into hotel revenue! Hence, many hoteliers look for solutions to enhance staff productivity and they turn to technology.
Where does Portier stand?
Photo by Ashwini Chaudhary on Unsplash
Portier positions itself in the crossroads of staff productivity and hotel profitability. We previously covered this in a blog article here. But today, we are going to talk about the non-tangible benefits of employing technology to enhance productivity.
1. Increased Communications between Teams
Technology helps to facilitate better communication between teams and departments. Using Portier as an example, the Portier Chat incorporated in the Portier Platform works the same for staff as compared to Portier Phones found in the guests’ rooms. Our partner hotel will equip their staff with Portier Phones as well and using the chat feature, departments are able to communicate better with each other in real-time.
This internal messaging system calls for accountability within departments too. Using a centralised system to communicate, messages can be stored and employees will have access to them. These interactions can serve as benchmarks to streamline and review processes, ultimately empowering staff productivity.
2. Better Teamwork = Staff Productivity
Just like lubricating cogs in a machine, as processes get streamlined and a clear communication channel is established, departments will begin to run like clockwork. Staff are more sure of their roles and departments solidify trust with one another as they focus on providing the best guest service. A high functioning hotel is powered by teamwork from its various departments boosted by technology.
Perhaps it is time to stop overlooking the non-tangible benefits of staff productivity. Not when it is a crucial element in ultimately bringing in revenue for your hotel, or helping your hotel save costs when processes get streamlined. Take care of your staff and they will take care of your guests.
Comments