Provide Supplementary Advise

As mentioned before, housekeeping staff are required to be familiar with the use of items and equipment in the guest room keeping in mind that the primary role of housekeeping is to ensure that the room is clean.

Items

There are many items in the room, either readily available items or items that can be delivered to the room. Some of these items may be:

• Technologically advanced items – computers, data projectors, internet access

• Mechanically advanced items – televisions, refrigerators, air conditioners

Although housekeeping staff should have basic knowledge on how to operate this equipment, it is rare that a staff would have a sound knowledge of the inner workings of every equipment and therefore not expected to demonstrate every aspect of the items.

Services

Guests may require information on events or activities in the local community of the establishment. Since staff members do not necessarily come from the local community, answering this in detail is not expected.

What is expected is at least a general knowledge of events and activities in the local community.

Access “experts” to provide service

When guests need assistance that is not within your skills and knowledge, it is better to seek the help of experts to provide further information and advice.

This must be done quickly and may require the expert to:

• Demonstrate to the guest personally what needs to be done or explain via phone

• Provide the information to a staff member and that staff member would then relay the information to the guest

• Provide information by handing out instruction manuals, brochures, maps