The hotel industry is a challenging one, given the number of hours that need to be put in and the sheer variety of responsibilities all staff members are tasked with. But that’s also what makes it so exciting and rewarding. The key lies in building a hotel team that’s as productive and efficient as possible. And if you don’t think that’s possible due to a lack of time or ever-expectant guests, think again.
Here are five amazingly simple but effective productivity tips for independent hoteliers.
Stick to regular hours
How many times have team members at your hotel worked ‘above and beyond’ by staying or starting well outside their set hours?
Sometimes, this is unavailable in hotels, but if it becomes a regular thing, productivity levels will drop. This might sound counterintuitive but working hard isn’t always working smart.
Try and ensure that your team sticks to their governed hours as much as possible. In doing so, they’ll be happier, less tired and far more productive.
Ditch the paperwork
It’s amazing to think that the hospitality industry is still driven by a significant amount of paper in the digital age.
If you’ve invested wisely in technology, you’ll have tools like your hotel property management software (PMS) that are designed to make your team more productive.
The paperless office is admittedly some way in the distance, but by identifying processes that are slowed down significantly by printing stuff that could be digitised, you’ll close significant gaps in productivity.
Try stand-up meetings
Hotel teams need to have meetings, but they shouldn’t dominate your days.
If you’re regularly cursing the fact that team meetings go on forever, try daily stand-up meetings instead. These are, typically, limited to ten minutes and literally require all in attendance to stand up for the duration.
This ensures people are tuned in, energetic and aware of how little time they have to get across anything important. It’ll take some getting used to, but ten-minute stand-up meetings could transform your day instead of becoming an irritant for everyone.
Lean on automation technology
There are probably tasks you all undertake each day that are laborious and identical every time.
Such tasks are prime candidates for automation, and there are plenty of software solutions out there to help you in that regard.
For instance, your PMS or accounting systems may have the ability to take on tasks that humans simply don’t need to have on their to-do lists. Adjusting rates continually or paying supplier invoices are just two examples of tasks that are probably best left to ‘the machines’.
Don’t let email rule the roost
Email remains an important communication tool, but it is so often misused.
The important thing to remember is that email isn’t a method by which people can get hold of you immediately. It’s there to send longer messages, attachments and information that needs to be read at some stage.
If your team is using email to communicate constantly with one another, they’re misusing it and wasting valuable time. If a telephone call or chat in person makes more sense – leave email well alone.
Wrapping up
The modern hotel market is competitive, but if you work on your productivity tactics, your hotel will stand a far better chance of delivering an amazing guest experience.
Finishing your to-do list each day is so satisfying, and we hope our tips above help both you and your team become more productive than you ever thought possible.
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CMS Hospitality holds over 30 years of experience in delivering hospitality software solutions. CMS offers the most complete solution in hospitality software, whether you’re running a hotel, a resort or a hostel. Our highly experienced support and installations team holds a unique understanding of the hospitality industry and will aim to provide software that suits your property’s needs.
Call us today at (+61) 2 9440 9711, or email us at sales@cmshospitality.com. We will be happy to guide you to the CMS Hospitality solution that’s right for you.