You need to be in control of just these 5 things to be on top of your business. Try it

My Pain:

Am I in complete control of my operations?

Are my systems ensuring that my guests are being served exactly as expected?

Is my business outlook healthy?

Is my room occupancy & revenues ok?

Are my outstanding’s in place?

My experience:

First step before you think of control you have to ensure the process is in place. Process should be robust and ensure they work flawlessly even in your absence.

• Clearly defined roles & responsibilities of your manpower. Ensuring no conflict of work and interests.
• Ensuring your operation team is adhering to a proper check-in process and making the guest comfortable.
• Ensure Check-out process is in place. Includes checking the room for anything left behind by the customer or anything damaged or missing. Invoice done timely and ensuring all items billed.
• Ensuring guest requirements are being responded promptly.
• Ensuring Hygiene is being maintained at your serviced apartments
• Ensure Food quality is as per your standards
• Ensure Maintenance AMC are done periodically
• Ensure pesticides fumigation is done timely
• Ensuring payments are being done to your vendors timely
• Ensuring Marketing activities of prospect calling are happening.

Once the above process is in place these are 5 things that I monitor to ensure that I am in complete control of my Serviced apartment or Hotel operation management.

• Surprise Audit: This is a continuous process. I drop in at the property and check/observe following things in my Service apartments in Bangalore. And for Chennai Serviced apartment, I give one surprise visit every month.
  1. Taste food being served on that day
  2. See how the dining table has been laid
  3. Check on the mannerism of my staff towards the guest
  4. Spot check a done-up room to check on functioning of all appliances, TV and look for cleanliness
  5. Check on the quality of washed linen
  6. Check on the boys grooming and dress
  7. Check on the cleanliness & Hygiene levels
  8. Talk to the guests

• Customer feedback: I take every customer negative feedback very seriously. I will not rest till I go to the root and resolve. Speed is critical and then getting back to the customer with your corrective actions. My team knows how seriously I take complaints. From time to time I call up my regular clients to take feedback & suggestions.
• Daily Operations Report: I have a complete dash board report on occupancy & future bookings on the google sheet. My supervisor also provides me with daily cash collection report
• Sales Activity: I use Salesforce CRM and remain updated on leads, Prospects & Bookings.
• Outstanding: I check personally every week. Up to 30 – 45days my supervisor does the follow-up and after 45 days I get involved personally.

My Conclusion:

Trust me today I am running 3 separate serviced apartments with inventory of 50 rooms in two cities. I get ample time to attend Yoga & Pilate classes, participate in community work, attend and take classes in my spiritual organisation. Daily morning and evening walk. And have a sound sleep. Your comments are welcome.