Shortening room preparation time by 13 minutes
At Hotel Skalny Potok, we trained a team of 12 housekeepers. New carts and a change in work sequence allowed for handling 19% more guests at the peak of the season.
At the start of the 2024 summer season, Hotel Skalny Potok faced delays in issuing keys. Guests waited in the lobby, and the cleaning staff worked in chaos, which ruined the facility's reviews. We implemented a specific work reorganization plan that saved the hotel's image and improved financial results.
The challenge
In May 2024, the average cleaning time for a Standard room was as much as 42 minutes. With 45 rooms and a 12-person team, the crew could not make it by 3:00 PM. This caused an average of 8 complaints a week regarding unready rooms.
Losses on free drinks and discounts for waiting guests amounted to nearly 1,840 PLN per month. Honestly, morale in the team was terrible because employees felt overloaded, even though they worked overtime. Numbers don't lie – the hotel was losing money on every uncollected room.
Our approach
For 4 days we observed work on the floors with a watch in hand and a notebook. It turned out that housekeepers waste an average of 8.5 minutes returning to the warehouse for forgotten towels or cleaning supplies. In June 2024, we conducted 3 practical sessions directly in the rooms, instead of boring lectures in a conference room.
We focused on eliminating unnecessary steps. We introduced a "clean cart" system and a precise path for moving around the room. The team had to learn that every second of putting down the vacuum in the same place matters at a scale of 45 residential units.
The solution
We purchased 7 ergonomic Splast carts with precise division into chemicals, textiles, and waste. Each person received a laminated checklist attached to the cart, which eliminated errors when checking minibars.
We introduced a new bed-making technique that limits mattress circumventions from 9 to 4 movements. We also modified the fault reporting system – now a housekeeper reports a technical fault through a quick message, which saves time on running to the reception. No more wasting goods – chemical dispensers precisely measure concentrates.
Results
After 8 weeks of implementation, cleaning time dropped stably to 29 minutes per room. The team is less tired, and the hotel accepts 19.4% more guests in the Saturday rotation without hiring extra people. The job was done on time, and the standard of cleanliness rose, which is visible in online ratings.
Timeline
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May 15, 2024Zero audit and work time measurement on hotel floors
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June 2, 2024Ergonomics workshops and new bedding technique for 12 people
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June 14, 2024Equipment replacement with system carts and checklist implementation
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July 20, 2024Final results verification and stabilization of new processes
"Honestly, I didn't believe that changing carts and the arrangement of the cloth would change anything. Now the girls finish work at 2:30 PM and don't run in circles pointlessly. Job done on time, and guests aren't camping in the lobby."