By Kacey Bradley
Every hotelier knows the importance of guest satisfaction. A satisfied customer will suggest your business to friends. They might fill out an online review to attract future visitors. They’ll certainly come back themselves if they had a great experience the first time around.
As it turns out, creating this type of loyal, vocal customer is relatively simple. Most guests don’t have a crazy list of demands from their lodging. Instead, they want the basics — and, at the very top of their list of must-haves, you’ll find they want cleanliness.
That means you can deep clean your way to better guest satisfaction. Here’s how to do it.
1. Start With the Floors
Deep cleaning goes beyond plugging in a household vacuum cleaner. Instead, start your hotel cleansing quest by finding a carpet-cleaning provider or learning to do it yourself. The process should incorporate steam, heat and agitation. Then, the deep-cleaning device can extract all of the deep-set dirt from your hotel’s floors. To top it all off, spritz a layer of stain repellent on top of the carpets. These measures should keep the guestroom floors extra clean — your clients will have no qualms with walking around barefoot.
Don’t forget to deep-clean harder surfaces as well. Polishing stone floors will enhance the look of your lobby and other communal areas. Finally, compare the quality of flooring in highly trafficked areas to those where fewer people walk. You might have to re-seal particular spots so that they can withstand the number of visitors walking over them. If your floors look particularly tired, consider replacing them all and maintaining them with a more regular deep-cleaning regimen.
2. Check the Air Conditioning
Guests want to breathe in clean, fresh air throughout their stay. Make air conditioner cleanings part of your regular rotation. Your HVAC maintenance schedule will look different depending on whether you have central air or in-room units. If you operate individual units, you’ll have to disinfect the coils at the back and possibly use a brush to help you remove dirt and debris. You should cleanse and disinfect the air filter, too.
Regardless of how you do so, make sure to clean and disinfect your air conditioning units to dissuade mold and mildew from returning. A thorough cleaning will remove most of the odor-causing bacteria that could make a stay unpleasant.
3. Scour the Walls and Windows
Imagine checking into a gorgeous hotel room, peering out of the window to check out the view — and seeing smudges. While your hotel cleaning regimen likely covers the obvious places — such as the bathroom and bedding — remember to regularly clean and squeegee the windows, as well. A sparkling pane will subtly assure your guests the place is clean.
Touch up the areas around your windows at the same time. Create a schedule to clean and iron curtains or other decorative linens as often as necessary. Keep an eye out for scuffs or chips in the walls, too. Cover and refill them as soon as possible to keep spaces looking fresh and clean.
4. Hire Help
Innkeepers and B&B owners might be able to handle their accommodation’s upkeep solo. Otherwise, you’ll need to hire a cleaning crew who can make all of the above steps possible. Knowing who to trust with this task can seem challenging. Fortunately, though, you can use a few tips and tricks to ensure you choose the right cleaning company for your needs.
For instance, you should be on the lookout for red flags that indicate a company might not be up to the task. Ask if they perform background checks on their staffers. You can then rest assured that honest, hard-working people will clean your hotel and guestrooms.
Make sure the business complies with OSHA, and request a list of certifications like the Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS). It should also provide training and quality assurance standards so you know that cleaning will be done right every time.
The right interview process can pair you with the perfect company to handle your hotel’s cleaning needs. Ticking that box will further ensure your space is as clean as guests want it to be.
5. Maintain the Results
Once you get your hotel to its cleanest state, keep it that way for as long as possible. For starters, place matting in your hotel’s most highly trafficked spaces. This step will protect the flooring from treading that could cause damage to it over time. Plus, mats collect dirt, water and other grime that could otherwise track into your hotel. Of course, make sure you regularly rinse out these mats.
Your cleaning staff must also gain the skills and training they need to maintain the cleanliness your guests expect. Keep their supply room stocked and invest in the quality equipment they need, such as carpet cleaners.
Enjoy Greater Guest Satisfaction and Clean Accommodations
With all of these steps combined, your hotel will be sparkling night and day. Guests who come to see it in person won’t take this attention to detail for granted — they’ll be even more pleased with their stay in such a pristine accommodation.
