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Vasim Shaikh
Hospitality is a revenue-generating industry. It provides luxury services like stay, food and entertainment to its clients. There are many divisions in the industry that facilitate the business to run smoothly. One such section is housekeeping. The department is responsible for the upkeep of a property and carries out never-ending duties round the clock to provide clean and hygienic environs to guests inside the hotel.
Be it a five-star or a budget hotel, what matters the most, besides the quality of food, is cleanliness inside the property, which the housekeeping department is responsible for. Like any other unit of the hospitality industry, housekeeping offers ample growth opportunities. Through hard work, one can make a successful career in the field and climb up to the level of the general manager.
Scope
Anyone who aspires to make a career in housekeeping should be adept at multi-tasking. Besides the main housekeeping chores, one also needs to keep a tab on lawn upkeep, laundry operations, cost control and even play the role of guest-relation managers. One also has to ensure that the guests at the hotel have a comfortable stay, because that would retain the client in future.
Customers forward all complaints to the principal housekeeper and it is at this level that all grievances are addressed. Only a few reach the front office or general managers. Apart from this, the housekeeping section also does procuring for a lot of products, especially toiletries. In many hotels, housekeeping division also helps the sales team to generate revenue. The personnel in the housekeeping also have to make sure that room furniture is well maintained and refurbished from time to time.
Job prospects
This department is accountable for cleaning and maintaining hotel building and premises, which include guest rooms, banquet halls, swimming pool, lobbies, etc. Unlike the front office, the department is not very noticeable to the guests, but its presence can be felt very strongly. This department’s sole aim is to make guests’ experiences memorable.
The cleanliness standard plays a vital role in the status of the hotels. One feels comfortable only if the surroundings are clean and in order. Horticulture is one of the most important responsibilities of the housekeeping department. It deals with flower arrangement and maintenance of the garden area as well.
Cleaning is a big deal
Hotels train housekeepers in specific cleaning methods. Those who work in the laundry section are required to iron and fold linen as per precise specifications. Students of hotel management are taught all the necessary procedures during the course.
Housekeepers have to use certain equipments to maintain a guest room. Kits range from vacuum cleaners to dust rags and mops. Housekeepers must store their cleaning carts with enough material to ensure that no time is wasted while retrieving items from the housekeeping division. Room setting is important while preparing a room for hotel guests. It should be such that guests feel at home. Many hotels stock high-end toiletries and branded upholstery to prove their worth. Housekeepers must maintain these standards.
Eligibility & remuneration
Admission to the housekeeping course is merit and entrance-based. Some institutes and colleges conduct entry-level exams to test the candidates’ aptitude and communication skills. Based on this, a student is selected for admission.
After the completion of this course, students get opportunities in areas like hotels, resorts, tour and travel agencies, restaurants, lodges, guesthouses, etc. They can also work as laundryman, linen keeper, tailor, laundry master, executive housekeeper, associate housekeeping manager, etc. in this stream.
Skills required
Without a housekeeping staff, it is impossible to run big hotel. Most housekeepers work in precise areas of housekeeping — ironing and laundering towels, changing sheets and cleaning rooms. Hotel housekeeping includes various responsibilities like emptying trash, cleaning windows and bed making. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts an increase of 12.8 per cent in housekeeping jobs by 2022. As a result, salaries will match global standards.
Work on yourself
Housekeepers must have good communication skills. They must help guests with provision of toiletries. They must attend to clients’ grievances and address them immediately.
It is also advisable to get a hands-on-training with valid certification. Also, hotels always prefer experienced candidates since guest satisfaction is crucial to a successful hospitality business.
—The writer is co-director, CEDP Skill Institute Mumbai