Hotel Experiences During COVID: To say that COVID has caused us all to make changes in both our business and personal lives would be an understatement. When it comes to the Restaurant Industry, many new steps have been taken to continue bringing in the cash flow needed to pay a handful of employees and keep the lights on. The transition from going out to a sit-down meal to carry out or grab-and-go has been remarkable. I applaud them all and hope that I’ve supported enough of them locally to help.
In a similar fashion, local craft breweries have found new ways to get their beers out; some buying vehicles and delivering it themselves having lost the most profitable line of their business in draught sales as demand plummeted at local establishments, hopefully, to return soon enough. I have personally purchased as many Gift Certificates online as I could in an effort to help my customers stay afloat during these times.
Now, what has the Hotel Industry done? – extraordinarily little in my eyes.
First, in many cases, they have discontinued coffee and tea service in their lobbies. Next, in some cases they have removed coffee makers from the rooms, citing local ordinances. Of course, they have also stopped serving what they used to call “breakfast” in the morning, which is understandable; however, why not look outside the box to come up with a solution? Did any of them speak with nearby restaurant owners who would have done anything for sales and offer a special delivery service, perhaps every 30 minutes or something? That would have been a win-win!
No, instead they stand behind their plexiglass and can’t even say Good Morning to you as you toss your room key into a box while leaving, often because they are playing games on their phones.
It reminds me of when I once sold laundry chemicals to a hotel that “rented by the hour” years ago. I was shocked then when I saw my first front desk that was surrounded by glass. I did not understand then as I do now that the glass does more than prevent a virus or germs from being passed from one person to another. It can also be used by the establishment as a barrier to customer service between them and their customers.
My last question is why can’t hotels put the remote controls for their TVs in plastic zip lock bags with stickers to indicate they have been sanitized? What is the cost of a zip lock bag and the effort to do this?
I recently complained through the glass barrier to the General Manager at a hotel I was staying at regarding the condition of my room and its noisy toilet. He said he would “look into it” and thanked me for “letting him know” It wasn’t until I left that I realized he never asked what room I was in. Later, I saw the maintenance man going into another room with his mask around his neck, so I just went and checked out instead.
Thanks for reading about my Hotel Experiences During COVID. If you operate a hotel and would like me to come and critique your establishment for both cleanliness and customer service, I am available.
Check out my website www.hospitalitycleaning101.com for more information.