Types of Guest Requests

There may be many times during a shift when the room attendant will have to handle guest requests and the reasons can vary.

1. Need for items sent to the room

A guest may request services or products such as

• Additional equipment in their room – because they have needs during their stay that are not accommodated by the normal in-room items

• Valet or laundry service – common among long stay guests

• Additional bedding – where the existing bedding is unsuitable, uncomfortable or insufficient

• Extra tea, coffee, sugar and milk sachets – a common request where the guests spend a lot of time in their room

• Extra crockery or cutlery – where the room features a kitchen or kitchenette this is also a common request especially where guests want to entertain in their rooms

• Vases – for flowers that have been delivered to them

• Replacement items such as hair dryers, toasters, irons and electric jugs to replace items that are not working

• Extra bathroom guest supplies – another common request for long- term guests: guests with long hair often ask for extra shampoo and conditioner

• Additional items in compendium – such as letterhead paper, envelopes, postcards, pens, note paper

• Additional towels – to accommodate extra showers or baths taken by the guests: where the property has a swimming pool this is a common request

• Extra hangers for clothes, extra pillows, extra blanket

• A power conversion board – to adapt their electrical equipment to the power supply of the venue: common where the property caters to some international guests

• Ice and ice buckets

Servicing of room

• Rectification cleaning - guests may request an improvement in the servicing of room. They require housekeeping staff to provide remedial service to the room when the original room service is deemed by the guest to be sub-standard

• Clean-up after an in-room party or entertainment

• A special room service where they have spilled something on the floor.

Repairs

• Repair or removal of broken equipment – such as controls for the TV, DVD player, air conditioner, broken bedside lights, free-standing lamps

• Instructions to enable them to work equipment – such as the TV, in-room safe, lights (especially where room cards are needed to activate the power to a room), heating and cooling controls.

Lost and Found

Guests may also contact housekeeping when making a Lost and Found inquiry. They may have found an item in a room they have just been roomed in or they may contact housekeeping after they have departed to inquire about something they have lost.

Housekeeping is often the department that operates the Lost and Found facility for a venue because most Lost and Found items come from guest rooms.

Handling complaints

Ensuring guest comfort may relate not just to issues that can be handled quickly by housekeeping (such as rectification cleaning, a replacement jug for one that‟s not working or extra tea and coffee supplies) but also handle or direct guest requests relating to:

• • Noisy people in the room next doors

  • Poor views from the balcony

  • Noisy pigeons outside the room which stop guests getting to sleep

  • Noisy elevators near the room

  • Lack of facilities in the room

  • Quality of facilities that is below guest expectations

  • Advertising that has created expectations that are not being met.

In most cases housekeeping may not be able to rectify these complaints personally, but they should ensure the appropriate person is contacted in a timely manner.