338.3: Managing Housekeeping Operations Third Edition Chapter 1 Case Study 1 VIP Gets Lost in the Service Shuffle, or How the ABC Hotel Dropped the Ball Monday 10:00 A.M. The eight o'clock Monday-morning sales meeting had been more tedious than most, Ms Sarah Salesperson thought as she made her way back to her office. She poured herself a cup of coffee before sitting at her computer to compose a memo. The director of sales had hammered away at one of her pet themes that moming: "The secret to sales is, Don't drop the balli I suppose she's right, Sarah mused as she began to type, dropping the ball is cortainly easy enough to do at a 600-room hotel. In light of the morning meeting, she thought it might be wise to send a note about Mr Bigbucks to Ray Smith, the front office manager Mr. Bigbucks was a director at XYZ Corporation, an international firm that could moan $500,000 or more in room bookings in the next two years if Mr Bigbucks could be persuaded to place some of his group meetings and other business with the hotel. He was due to arrive at 1.30 PM today, and Sarah wanted everything to be perfect for him Dear Ray Just wanted to remind you that Mr Bigbucks of the XYZ Corporation is arriving at 1:30 PM today for an overnight stay. Please make sure he gets the full VIP treatment. I've chatted with him on the phone a fow times, and will meet with him in person next month about the possibility of booking some business with the hotel, but I won't be able to connect with him this visit-I'm flying to Dallas this morning Don't worry--remembered to fill out the VIP forms this time and everybody should have them by now! Sincerely, Sarah 10:30 AM letul-hes from the Internet can contain viruses. Unless you need to edit, it's safer to stay in Protected View SCRIPTION EXPIRED Most of the features of Word have been disabled. Reactivate Frable Editing 10:30 AM To make doubly sure Ray understood the importance of Mr. Bigbucks, Sarah walked down to the front office to deliver her memo in person, but Ray was not at his desk Oh wel he'll probably be back ina minute, she thought. She left the memo on Ray's chair so he would notice first thing 11:10 AM Ray finally escaped for a few minutes from a meeting the general manager called that morning, and went straight to his desk to check for messages. He read Sarah's memo and decided to drop it off at the front desk on his way back to the meeting 11:20 AM At the front desk, Evert was trying to stay calm and friendly despite the crowd milling in the lobby He had only boon a front desk agent for three wooks and still got nervous when our buses pulled up outside the hotel. That morning two groups, the American Society of Poets and the Plate Glass Producers, were checking in this aftemoon the American Pharmaceutical Association would arrive for a four-day regional meeting Evort didn't even notice Ray until Ray tapped him on the shoulder "Make sure housekeeping knows about this "Ray said, and placed Sarah's memo beside Evort's computer keyboard. Everall tumed and nodded while continuing to check in a guest 11:45 AM Evert took advantage of all to read what Ray had dropped of He quickly picked up a walkie-talkie and called all the necutive housekeeper Glit's Evart at the front desk. We've got a VIP.ME Rahvert this channemmin mandat in 200 words BI O Type here to search PROTECTED VIEW Be careful--files from the Internet can contain viruses. Unless you need to edit, it's safer to stay in Protected View Enable Editing SUBSCRIPTION EXPIRED Most of the features of Word have been disabled. Reactivate 11:45 AM Evert took advantage of all to road whal Ray had dropped off. He quickly picked up a walkie-talkie and called Gail, the executive housekeeper. "Hi Gail, it's Evort at the front desk. We've got a VIP, M. Bigbucks, arriving at 130 this afternoon I'm changing room 816 from clean and ready to 'out of order until you can give it the VIP treatment, OK? Thanks." 11:50 AM Why I always at the other end of the hotel when I got a call like this? Gal thought as she hurried to the employee lunchroom And why is it always when my staff is cating lunch or taking a break? She asked Mary and Teresa, two of her best room attendants, to interrupt their lunches and follow her to room 816. As the three of them were waking to the linen closet to get fresh bedspreads and blankets, she caled Roger, the head of maintenance and engineering, and asked him to send someone to 816 Then she called George in the kitchen "George, this is Gol Are the amenities for 816 readyr George and he was just finishing up and someone would drop them off soon 1:20 PM Gail stood in the doorway and cast a critical eye over room 816 one last time. The quiet and order she surveyed were in sharp contrast to the noise and bustle of the last hour and a hall A small army had descended on the suite and performed all the tasks needed to transforma estroom from merely excellent to perfect "As Mr Thompson, the hotel general manager, had sad to Galon more than one occasion, your job to put the wow factor in every VIP room. When they open that guestroom door for the first time, that's what I want them to think Wow SS Gal reviewed her informal "wow"checkles in her mind. The clean bed linen, ankets, and bespread wore upgraded to freshly ironed shoots, new blankets, and a new bedspread Mary edged the compet with a whisk broom to get every speck of dust, the furniture was pulled out and the carpet cured underneath and the chair and chair cushions were vacuumed. Then the carpet was spot cleaned Al the drawers in the bedroom and bathroom were wood out to make sure no dust or how was hiding As the and checked over all the room's mechanicals While he was checking the bathroom, he noticed a small replace the old one. Nothing in the room made of wood escaped the polishing clothes. Al around 100PM about two feet high containing cheese, crackers, a bottle of wine, frut, nuts, and broad sacks interaced with packets of hard candy made by the hotel che Personalised matchbooks embossed with Me Ribucks's inals, a vase offresh-out flowers, and a git edged role signed by Mr. Thompson himself completed the amenities. The installation of the sparkling new todo seat was completed just on minutes before - O Type here to search Home Insert Design Layout References Mailings Review View Tell me what you want to do PROTECTED VIEW Be careful-files from the Internet can contain viruses. Unless you need to edit, it's safer to stay in Protected View Enable Editing SUBSCRIPTION EXPIRED Most of the features of Word have been disabled. Reactivate GAZETWORTHYWK para o as the last touch, and couldn't think of a thing she had messed Room 816's ready' she called in to the front desk, and went off to see if she could sneak in a few bites of lunch 4:35 PM Mr. Bigbucks arrived at the hotel looking a bit rumpled from the long plano trip and the face de shared with four other people. The hotel lobby was crowded with pharmacists and tale arriving poets checking in at the conventions desk. He walked up to an unoccupied spot along the regular front desk area and waited until a front desk agent could break away from the group check in "Good atmoon welcome to the ABC Hotel my name is Joan. How can help your "Hi my name is Bigbucks I have a reservation for tonight Let me check that for youThe computer keys liked quickly. "Yes, you'll be staying for one night. Do you need help with your longer "No, I have just one small tog" Joan finished the check in process, smiling and remembering to make frequent eye contact, and gave MY Bigbucks the key packed to room 616 4:40 PM When Mr Bigbucks opened the door to 616, he was midy disappointed to find nothing wasting for min the room The room was spots and fresh, but at most hools he found flowers, chocolates, maybe a note to welcome im Here nothing Maybe it's because I'm only staying on the thought, although o Type here to search