Technology and How It Has Improved Housekeeping Operations

Technology and how it has amend Housekeeping Operations A Thesis Submitted By Ler ane McDonald (ID)-10T10553 In oertone Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science In Tourism, hospitality, & Entertainment attention Excelsior Community College Date February 28, 2013 According to dictionary. reference. com engine agency is the branch of knowledge that deals with the creation and use of technical means and their interrelation with life, society, and the environment, drawing upon much(prenominal) subjects as industrial arts, engineering, applied science, and pure science.Technology place withal be referred to as the making, modification, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems, and methods of organization, in order to solve a problem, purify a preexisting solution to a problem. Technology likewise refers to the appealingness of such(prenominal) tools, including machinery, modifications, arrangements and procedures. Tech nologies signifi smoketly affect tender-hearted resources as well as other argonas of the Hotel application, to a greater extent so the Housekeeping Department/ area.Housekeeping is the act of change the rooms and furnishings of rooms. It is one of the legion(predicate) duties included in the term Housekeeping. around duties included in the Housekeeping Operations are, but not expressage to Disposing of rubbish Changing & washing bed delineatens Cleaning dirty surfaces/areas Dusting and vacuuming Removing leaves from rainf solely gutters Washing windows and sweeping doormats. The Housekeeping Operations Department is responsible for the modify and he upkeep of the Hotels lymph glands areas, to ensure the areas look burst, safer and easier for clients/ thickening to be accommodated. The keep department plays a very important and vital lineament in the hotel industry, without such a department lime scale can build up on taps, mold grows in wet areas, bacterial action mak e the garbage disposal and toilet smell and cobwebs accumulate. slightly items that are mutu solelyy found in the Housekeeping department are Vacuum Cleaners Brooms Mops and Sponges Detergents Disinfectants Bleach etc.There are several technologies that have helped to raise and make the housework department more efficient. Information and converses engineering (ICT), is often employ as an extended synonym for discipline applied science (IT), but is a more specific term that stresses the role of interrelated communications and the integration of telecommunications (telephone lines and wireless signals), computers as well as undeniable enterprise package, middleware, storage, and audio-visual systems, which enable users to access, store, transmit, and manipulate information.This speaks to the many different types of equipment/infrastructure that can be found embedded within the hotel industry to make bring in the Housekeeping Department/area more effective and efficient. slightly of these are, but not limited to PA strategy Pagers/fax intercom Inventory Management System Intranet/internet/computers and Biometric System Innovations in the communication system such as the use of the intercom system which is much like the Private Branch Exchange (PBX) makes it easier for the foregoing desk to contact the housekeeping department for any request.Using one line for multiple telephones, you only deprivation to dial a phone number that only requires three-digits or quad which is assigned to every department of the hotel. The use of the desktop is very common in the current generation of hotel services. In contrast to the previous hotels, they used manual handwriting, and that in any case entails a lot of papers that could possible count up a lot of work space. With the use of the computer hardware system, which includes, the keyboard, the monitor, the mouse, and certain pre-installed application into the computer, paperwork and writing may not necess ary.There is in any case software known as the Navis Housekeeping Management system which is used by the housekeeping department to properly monitor room statuses and cleaning of rooms. in one case rooms have be cleaned, the information is entered into the Navis Housekeeping Management System which will allow easy access by housekeeping and the front desk department, by doing this both departments are able to know the rooms that are available and also their status.These kinds of hardware also help in the exacting monitoring of guests reservation which the housekeeping department have access to so that they will be aware of the amount of guests that have made reservations. This information is vital as it allows the housekeeping department to prepare the rooms early and also to ensure that enough rooms are available to foregather the demands. This type of engineering also assists with scheduling of housekeeping stave and also to ensure par stock amounts are up to date.Green Techno logy speaks to the environmental applied science (envirotech), clean engineering (cleantech) is the application of one or more of environmental science, green chemistry, environmental monitoring and electronic devices to monitor, model and prolong the natural environment and resources, and to curb the negative impacts of human involvement on the environment depletion. Green Technology is also used to describe sustainable vital stick generation technologies such as photovoltaics, wind turbines, bioreactors and solar systems.Sustainable development is the core of environmental technologies. The term environmental technology is also used to describe a class of electronic devices that can enkindle sustainable management of resources. Green technology is being introduced in all sectors of production and more so in companies and the hotel industry is one such sector. Green technology not only benefits the hotel but it also helps the guest to appreciate the hotel and its environs mor e. Below are a a few(prenominal) localise quotes from which were taken from ecomall. om about different green technology that are being instituted at some hotels. 1. Every dayspring at our front desk you will hear our guests remark in wonder over how well they slept last night, general manager Natalie Marquis says. I recollect one reason we get this strong positive feedback is because we stopped using chemical pesticides 20 years past. Our rooms are ecologically fresh, which allows the human body to relax, enabling our guests to experience a better sleep than in other hotels that use pesticides and toxic cleaning chemicals, or even in the guests own homes. 2. Patricia Griffin, president of the Green Hotel Association. She started the association 15 years ago after visiting Europe and learning how hotel quests respond positively to requests for non-daily tatter and towel cycling as a way to save energy and water, and reduce the use of cleaning products. Today you will find her associations desk separate in hotel rooms across America, suggesting to guests that they help the environment by not requesting daily towel and bed-linen cleaning.Various types of technologies are being implemented so as to assist a hotel to become more eco-friendly, one such technology which was substantial is the first environmentally smart hotel, yes Smart Hotel The Sheraton Rittenhouse is setting a precedent, and is part of an industry that is keen on cleaning for health, and for the environment. The hotel uses 100 percent organic cotton bed-sheets, chemical-free laundry cycles, energy-efficient light bulbs, and palm trees in the foyer with a superb oxygenation rate.Also the lobbys reception desk is made from recycled dada bottles. A source from the Hotels housekeeping trading operations department also disclosed that all cleaning chemicals are all non-toxic, water-based, hypoallergenic and biodegradable. Green-cleaning products also hold up to lower regulatory costs, be cause managers have less toxic chemicals to track and fewer chemical-related injuries added our source. Global Trends in housekeeping speaks to various activities and planned implementations.There are many different trends that are emerging not just within the hotel industry but specifically the housekeeping department. A few trends within the housekeeping department have been identified and are illustrated below. 1. PureRooms- a new-sprung(prenominal)ly club from the US introduced the group to allergy friendly rooms. PureRooms prepare and treat guest rooms the process removes up to 99% of pollutants from the air, to let your guests breathe easy. It also protects from irritants such as mould, viruses, bacteria, pollen, and yeast to eliminating odours at the source and leaving the room smelling fresh.Rooms treated by PureRooms can be sold with a surcharge. The treatments include all air conditioning units cleaned and treated with the installation of tea tree oil in the drip pan of the a/c unit, all surfaces in the room treated with PURE clean solution, spunky ozone shock treatment, PURE shield bacteria barrier, installation in every room of the electronic air purifier and allergy friendly bed encasements. 2. sexual Scents- an Australian invention of guest products that have an aromatherapy component to their manufacture.Ironing board covers which streamer with subtle smells of herbs are a part of this companys line of products along with other products such as pillow inserts. 3. Optii Solutions- introduced a new Housekeeping software system Optii Keeper, which revolutionizes the way housekeeping operates. This is the worlds first automated, profound housekeeping solution for hotels developed by Hoteliers for Hoteliers and with Housekeepers for Housekeepers in conjunction with worldwide Hotel Group. Optii Keeper has proven to save up to 20% of housekeeping payroll costs and up to 40% of Supervisor time.It eliminates 80% of phone calls amid front offic e and housekeeping departments and creates a motivating environment by fairly spreading workloads among team members (http//www. optiisolutions. com/en/index. php? id=1, 2012). This helps to improve quality and staff morale and the system saves at least two hours every morning by automating the room allocation process at the push of a button. The housekeeping management team can see in historical time if the housekeeping teams are ahead of schedule, on time or behind schedule and the system virtually eliminates the current expense of overstaffing or understaffing by forecasting staffing needs.Conclusion Modern technology is a driving force behind the overall development and sustainability of many sectors and the tourism sector is one such, which has benefited immensely from the advancement in technology, more specifically the housekeeping operations of hotels. Information and conferences Technology (ICT) is one such advancement in technology which has positively impacted the house keeping department. Technology has also helped to better manage the housekeeping departments more effectively and efficiently.Green technology is another ingredient that has greatly impacted the operations of the housekeeping department through programs such as eco-friendly rooms and smart hotels. Advancement in Green technology has helped the housekeeping department manage its resources better. With more and more hotels adopting Green technology this sees them becoming more environmentally friendly. Global trends also impacts on the operations of the housekeeping department, as new technologies have and are being developed to improve the overall efficiency of housekeeping operations.Trends such as new and improved technologies that foster effective communication between housekeeping and all other departments, advanced equipment such as washers that do everything from dispensing of cleaning agents in correct amounts and the correct type of linen, are just a few global trends which have emerged within the housekeeping department. In concluding, the housekeeping department has been impacted by technology in many ways. The advancements in technology have allowed the housekeeping to be more efficient and effective in performing its functions to the highest level.References Books and Printed Document Brewer, P. et al. (2008). Current and Future Use in the Hospitality Industry. Bunduhn, R. (2010). Hotel Industry Urged to get Technology Up to Speed. The National Gretzel, U. et al. (2010). Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2010. SpringerWienNewYork. Ferdinand Berger &SohneGesellschaftm. b. H. , 3580 Horn, Austria Internet sources (n. d. ). Retrieved from http//www. entrepreneur. com/article/201838 (n. d. ). Retrieved from http//www. ecomall. com/greenshopping/1greencleaning. htm