Proper cleaning: The key to customer satisfaction and loyalty

A high standard of cleanliness is essential in the hospitality industry. Nothing can match a guest’s pleasure at a spotless and tidy room. It’s a pre-requisite for charging a fair rate and in creating a loyal customer base. Poor cleaning has an immediate impact. Negative first impressions remain regardless of high standards of service provided elsewhere. 

A UK study investigating the importance of cleanliness discovered dirty bedsheets were most likely to make guests walk out, followed by a dirty bathroom, or a room which smells.¹ 

Dissatisfaction spreads rapidly through negative social media sentiment. It’s extremely difficult to counter reputational damage, with 75 percent of guests stating they would leave a bad review online if their hotel was unclean.²

Even the very best hotels are susceptible. Exceeding high standards 24-7 creates specific cleaning challenges, requiring specialist knowledge to ensure high levels of hygiene. From targeting odours and keeping high traffic areas immaculate, to undertaking regular deep cleaning, hotels can improve satisfaction levels and differentiate themselves.  

In-house staff often lack time and expertise to do this, creating a significant gap between routine tasks and work that consistently improves and maintains the highest standards of cleanliness. Hotels are changing their business models toward providing multipurpose spaces which will also attract locals and tourists. With the value of clean impacting on the productivity and wellbeing of guests, cleaners and housekeeping will need to be well-trained for this new requirement. 

The solution is to partner with the right facility services provider. This equips hotels with the cutting-edge cleaning techniques, tools, chemicals and strategies necessary to ensure critical safety and maintenance. 

The ISSA Accredited Auditing Professional course enables cleaning services providers or in-house operations to gain the essential knowledge and skills for a successful quality assurance programme. Learning how to build audits and undertake cleaning inspections provides the ongoing evaluation that delivers continuous cleaning improvement to international standards. A welcoming and clean environment is essential to improve customer satisfaction, drive repeat business and build brand in hospitality. 

For more about ISSA AAP certification contact: emea@issa.com 

References
1 https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/hotel-dirty-bedsheets-unclean-online-reviews-pg-a9094661.html Report on study commissioned by P&G Professional in the UK
2 https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/hotel-dirty-bedsheets-unclean-online-reviews-pg-a9094661.html