UNDERSTANDING NATURE OF DEMAND

8/17/2019 UNDERSTANDING NATURE OF DEMAND

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UNIT-3

UNDERSTANDING NATURE OF DEMAND

Introduction

Demand and supply do not always match. The supply of services by a hotel may exceed the

demand from customers in quiet times; demand from customers may exceed the ability of the

hotel to supply the required services during peak times. When supply exceeds demand, a hotel

is left with unused resources: rooms, restaurant seating and conference facilities, among other

things. When demand exceeds supply – and there are no rooms or restaurant seating available –

the hotel may have no other option than to turn potential customers away.

The fact that a service organisation such as a hotel cannot store its services is not problematic –

but only when demand is steady and foreseeable. In reality, service organisations such as hotels

experience demand that varies significantly. This variation can take a number of forms:

Daily variation: The demand levels vary according to time of day: a hotel restaurant is busier

during meal times than during the rest of the day.

Weekly variation: A hotel located in a scenic area away from a city is busier over weekends than

during the week.

Seasonal variation: A resort hotel’s occupancy is higher during holidays than during out-of-

season periods.

Cyclical variation: The demand for hotel accommodation varies according to the economic

conditions in the country or region where the hotel is located.

Unpredictable variation: Demand for hotel accommodation can decrease sharply when a

terrorist attack or natural disaster occurs in proximity to the hotel.


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TRAIN THE TRAINER PROGRAMME ON ROOM DIVISION

Lack of trained manpower is the single most limiting factor for growth of the

hospitality industry.”

One of the main responsibilities of an executive housekeeper is to conduct proper ongoing

training programme for department employees. The task of conducting the training programme

may be assigned to supervisors or talented employees.

Training refers to the planned effort by a company to facilitate employees learning of job-related

competencies, which include knowledge, skills, or behaviours that are critical for successful job

performance.

The goal of training is for employees to master the knowledge, skills & behaviours emphasized in

training programs & to apply them to their day-today activities. It is conditioned by a combination

of the objective necessities in his firm, subjective and personal elements brought out by the

attitudes of managers, and his own conception of his role and personal skills – he and the job

help to make each other.’

It is important for hotel managements to invest in continuous training of their housekeeping staff

and also empower them to take greater initiative in providing guests with a seamless

personalised experience, which adds to customer delight. In a competitive and service-oriented

industry such as ours, it is really the intangibles which differentiate one establishment from the

other. As such, housekeeping is a core part of hotel operations, which must never be overlooked.

The main objectives of training are:

• Develop competencies of employees to improve their performance.

• Help people to grow within the organisation in order that as far as possible, its future Human

resources can be met from within.

• Reduce the learning time for employees starting in new jobs on appointment, transfer or

promotion, and ensure that they become fully competent as quickly and economically as

possible.

Training offers following benefit to hospitality unit

• Benefits to Trainee

o Prepares employees to do their jobs


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o Improves self-confidence

o Improves motivation

o Improves morale

o Prepares for promotion

o Reduces tension and stress

o Provides an opportunity to succeed

• Benefits to the Property

o Increases productivity

o Reduces costs

o Builds a strong employee team

o Decreases safety hazards

o Creates a better image

o Builds repeat business

o Increases referrals

o Attracts potential employees

o Decreases absenteeism

o Reduces turnover

• Benefits to Guests

o Provides high-quality products

o Provides high-quality services

o Makes their visit more pleasant

o Makes them feel they are getting their money’s worth

o Provides a safer visit

TRAIN THE TRAINER

This is essential to prepare trainers who already have skills to proceed to training

implementation. This prepares them to conduct a training needs assessment, develop detailed

plans for training, develop and pilot test a training curriculum, conduct training using more

advanced training techniques, conduct training follow up and evaluate training.


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Do evaluate as you go.

Do be patient.

DON’TS

Don’t talk to the flip chart.

Don’t block the visual aids.

Don’t stand in one spot—move around the room.

Don’t ignore the participants’ comments and feedback (verbal and non-verbal).

Don’t read from the curriculum.

Don’t shout at the participants.


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TRAINING FOR EXECUTIVES

Training is an essential supervisory practice of the executive housekeeper. Each moment and

movement of the staff is under the watchful eye of the guest for the production of hospitalityand the hotel owner for efficiency and safety. The following are the areas for skill training: bed

making, vacuuming, dusting, window and mirror cleaning, setup awareness of the room,

bathroom cleaning, daily routine of the worker, caring for and using equipment and industrial

safety.

These major areas provide focus points where time, labor, safety, and cost savings can be

evaluated.

Training should be viewed as an objective of a goal for delivering hospitality; a plan must be

developed to carry out that objective. How can the executive housekeeper most effectively train

his or her staff?

If so, then the small financial investment in training will pay large rewards. It is important to

provide training to both new and experienced employees. Training gives new employees the

opportunity to strengthen skills brought with them, and it helps them adapt to their new

environment. Training helps employees of all levels of experience take on new responsibilities

with confidence, helping them to be more productive.

TRAINING FOR SUPERVISORS

This focuses on creating strong housekeeping teams through the hiring process to training and

integration within the department.

Supervisors and managers are taught how to motivate their staff towards efficiencies and correct

execution of standards.

It also focuses on best practices for room inspections, managing inspection report data as well as

effective coordination with the Maintenance Department.

It throws light on the best practices for scheduling and executing deep cleaning of a room; forconducting linen inventories, leading into broader instruction of par-stocks and their calculation;

examination of standards and protocols for gratuities and their communication to housekeeping

team members.

TRAINING TO STANDARDS


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Housekeepers set the standard your guests come to expect. At a national or international hotel

chain, continuity of service is required across the brand and guests know what to expect before

they arrive. Independent operators have to ensure their service offer matches or exceeds the

branded groups.

You need to be assured your housekeeping staff are maintaining your guest bedrooms to your

organisation’s standards. Housekeeping apprenticeships will develop skills needed to provide

an excellent standard of accommodation and facilities for guests.

Training will ensure your staff understand the correct allocation of linen, bathroom items and

cleaning materials to maximise efficiency and minimise costs.

UNDERSTANDING NATURE OF DEMAND

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