Answering the Telephone

Always answer the telephone in line with your hotel’s procedures using the correct phrases and the guest name wherever possible:

Always greet the guest with a pleasant voice.(“Good morning Mr Jones”)
Always identify the department and yourself (“Laundry department, Mary speaking”)
Advise the guest of when the items will be collected. (“John will be along shortly to collect your items Mr Jones – please leave them on the bed if you are leaving the hotel”)
Answer any questions that the guest may have in relation to the service e.g. “What time will my laundry be returned?” or “Is it possible to have the zip replaced on my trousers?”
Have a thorough knowledge of the services that are available to the guest (a two hour pressing service, for example, may incur a surcharge).

If collecting items from the guest’s room:

Always knock on the door (or ring the bell) and identify yourself (the guest may be undressed early in the morning)
Knock again before entering the room. As you enter the room, always identify yourself in a loud and clear voice (“Good morning, laundry service”)
Collect the items quickly and leave the room making sure the door is locked
Cross or tick off the room number on your collection list
Check in each of the bags that there is a completed laundry docket and secure the bag closed so no items can fall out
If the guest has not completed a laundry docket, write the room number/name on the outside of the bag to identify where it came from
Place the bags in your trolley for delivery to either the in-house laundry or the point of collection.

Laundry Runner Sheet

The sheet is completed as items are collected and room numbers should be crossed off once they have been collected with the time written in the last column.

If it is a large hotel, the runner may carry a pager or mobile phone so that they are readily accessible for urgent collections.