- Sep 30, 2009
- 9,950
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- Real Name
- bob middleton
- Business Location
- United States
I thought I would throw a bit of info out there on Hotels. I been getting several pm's and phone calls on the subject. Basically this may help someone realize what they are getting into. And once the job is set maybe help first day go a little smoother with less trial and error. There is plenty more to deal with but this is basic stuff.
Firstly I suggest minimum #4 blower. Lower usage blower's may not have the cfm's to run 3-400 feet of vac line at the rate you need it to for hotel cleaning production. You could do it, but you will want more if you get several hotels.
A machine for encap. This is for that room they throw in there that's on the other side of the hotel. No need to worry about explaining encap process. Go clean the room and shut door. Beats the hell outta dragging hoses over to another section. My point is , I have never been ask how I cleaned a room after I start account. Its done, it looks great, its on bill. And a porty is nice if you are doing a bunch of furniture and carpet same day. but also requires extra man to run it. its odd but it happens. usually we just use TM for everything. with the odd encap.Some guys are using cimex on halls with great success. I actually suggest starting with HWE the first trip then do what you want. When we start one , the carpets are always horrid and not like cdg. A good rinse is in order.
Some of these points I make will also help in marketing GM's. Its what they want to hear and see. .
If they do " in house". Carpet will be loaded with soap and dirt. Charge more if you can. Because they most likely will only use you when they absolutely have to. And carpet will be rank. OK to let them know. Once monthly cleanings are started price can be adjusted. I have no problem making them hire me back to get a better price. DO what you feel you need though. I am a little leery of promises to use me and "keep me busy" comments at first. But if they say I want a monthly visit then go ahead and price it like that. The really good accounts are twice a month or more. I am talking a full day of work each visit.
One thing to really think about is working solo or not . Solo, may work for a while but. There's lots of equipment to deal with. Hose runs are always long. Just back and forth to the TM takes up precious time. And Time is limited by guest check in and out. I don't like to be there when too many people are walking around. Count on 11 a.m. to 4 pm and on the hotels that do not block rooms for you. You have to get the rooms done by 2 or 3 pm and then finish up working on halls. I prefer they block them but some are just to busy and they need those rooms later that night. If they block the rooms then you can work longer. I do it all the time. These are much easier to deal with. Last thing you want is a complaint about damp carpet by a guest.
Fans are big help and they really like to see you using them.. I put a phoenix axle fan in hall on one end, and leapfrog 3 fans in doorways in the rooms as we clean.
Luggage racks are your very best friend. We load everything, but fans including hoses first trip (200- 250 feet is a common load) . I go back down . He opens room doors and puts out door stops and treats coffee stains. Some places have a window on the end you can drop hoses from. But you will have to have tool to open them because they have a stopper. So then I run hoses from the truck to connect to what we carried up on luggage rack. Hook up water and start TM. He pre-sprays and I wait to idle up and check the gauge's with wand down so I see everything is operating properly. Important because you cant even hear the TM up there. and its a long way to check. Everything's going and I head back up to make money.
Hose pulling is very important as well. Wand will be moving in and out of rooms and hall way is narrow so he comes back pretty fast. You don't want him walking his own hose back too much. So keep them off of him. You will loose hours and be wasted with no hose puller. Keep the wand on the carpet.
Standard items list for me , all in one bag - Coffee remover, red remover, all solve, a fairly strong peroxide spotter (for post treatments) , crap load of door stops in a coffee can, B&D steamer, a couple rags, 4 bottled waters to go in room fridge, Extra powder prespray in a small cup for HF fill up's. That is about all you need for several hours work.
Some questions to ask
Ask if rooms will be blocked till next day after cleaning?
If they have a problem with grouping rooms together for you?
If you will be able to clean hallway while cleaning rooms?.
if they pick up or vacuum prior?
What are the slowest days of the week? This is important. Everybody wants Sunday or Monday. But I have too many to just clean those 2 days. So I have be quick if cleaning on a busy day. And get carpet dry in rooms for those that need to rent them that night
Although it sucks, Sunday is prolly the best day for money scooping at hotels. I have a couple that let me hit ANY vacant rooms along the way so Sundays can be huge.
Remember hacks don't take time to remove stains in carpet very well. The cheap guy they were using most likely left stains everywhere and made them deal with it. This will elevate your status with a GM more than you can imagine. Get every stain out possible. Coffee is the big one. Reds happen too but coffee and tea will be a everyday thing. Treat them when opening doors.
I am always looking for ways to make cleaning hotels easier. If anyone has a idea. I'd like to hear it.
Anybody needing any advice. I'd be glad to help. I'm not a guru on marketing other than I know how to get referrals by taking care of the accounts I have. I am now at a point were operational side is really important. Smoothing any rough edges in my process.
Recently added a portable live solution hose reel. Sits right on the luggage rack. And slack can be rolled up while cleaning. We sit it at the top of the stairs or by a window. Holds 200'. From there I just drop a line down to TM. REALLY want to make a portable vac reel with castors that will fit on a elevator and lock back down in trailer for transport. This is extreme . but you have to be extreme to clean several hotels and bank good money while not killing yourself in the process.
Rolling up hoses off the hose reel on the ground then unrolling for cleaning and rolling back up for elevator then back on the hose reel EVERY TRIP!!! . 2 to 3 times a week. You see my point.
Cimex is a game changer for hotels, and I will be incorporating one as soon as possible. But I don't think you can get away with using it 100% .I don't see that anyways. I am thinking 50% would be fantastic and more realistic. But still very good option to have.
Firstly I suggest minimum #4 blower. Lower usage blower's may not have the cfm's to run 3-400 feet of vac line at the rate you need it to for hotel cleaning production. You could do it, but you will want more if you get several hotels.
A machine for encap. This is for that room they throw in there that's on the other side of the hotel. No need to worry about explaining encap process. Go clean the room and shut door. Beats the hell outta dragging hoses over to another section. My point is , I have never been ask how I cleaned a room after I start account. Its done, it looks great, its on bill. And a porty is nice if you are doing a bunch of furniture and carpet same day. but also requires extra man to run it. its odd but it happens. usually we just use TM for everything. with the odd encap.Some guys are using cimex on halls with great success. I actually suggest starting with HWE the first trip then do what you want. When we start one , the carpets are always horrid and not like cdg. A good rinse is in order.
Some of these points I make will also help in marketing GM's. Its what they want to hear and see. .
If they do " in house". Carpet will be loaded with soap and dirt. Charge more if you can. Because they most likely will only use you when they absolutely have to. And carpet will be rank. OK to let them know. Once monthly cleanings are started price can be adjusted. I have no problem making them hire me back to get a better price. DO what you feel you need though. I am a little leery of promises to use me and "keep me busy" comments at first. But if they say I want a monthly visit then go ahead and price it like that. The really good accounts are twice a month or more. I am talking a full day of work each visit.
One thing to really think about is working solo or not . Solo, may work for a while but. There's lots of equipment to deal with. Hose runs are always long. Just back and forth to the TM takes up precious time. And Time is limited by guest check in and out. I don't like to be there when too many people are walking around. Count on 11 a.m. to 4 pm and on the hotels that do not block rooms for you. You have to get the rooms done by 2 or 3 pm and then finish up working on halls. I prefer they block them but some are just to busy and they need those rooms later that night. If they block the rooms then you can work longer. I do it all the time. These are much easier to deal with. Last thing you want is a complaint about damp carpet by a guest.
Fans are big help and they really like to see you using them.. I put a phoenix axle fan in hall on one end, and leapfrog 3 fans in doorways in the rooms as we clean.
Luggage racks are your very best friend. We load everything, but fans including hoses first trip (200- 250 feet is a common load) . I go back down . He opens room doors and puts out door stops and treats coffee stains. Some places have a window on the end you can drop hoses from. But you will have to have tool to open them because they have a stopper. So then I run hoses from the truck to connect to what we carried up on luggage rack. Hook up water and start TM. He pre-sprays and I wait to idle up and check the gauge's with wand down so I see everything is operating properly. Important because you cant even hear the TM up there. and its a long way to check. Everything's going and I head back up to make money.
Hose pulling is very important as well. Wand will be moving in and out of rooms and hall way is narrow so he comes back pretty fast. You don't want him walking his own hose back too much. So keep them off of him. You will loose hours and be wasted with no hose puller. Keep the wand on the carpet.
Standard items list for me , all in one bag - Coffee remover, red remover, all solve, a fairly strong peroxide spotter (for post treatments) , crap load of door stops in a coffee can, B&D steamer, a couple rags, 4 bottled waters to go in room fridge, Extra powder prespray in a small cup for HF fill up's. That is about all you need for several hours work.
Some questions to ask
Ask if rooms will be blocked till next day after cleaning?
If they have a problem with grouping rooms together for you?
If you will be able to clean hallway while cleaning rooms?.
if they pick up or vacuum prior?
What are the slowest days of the week? This is important. Everybody wants Sunday or Monday. But I have too many to just clean those 2 days. So I have be quick if cleaning on a busy day. And get carpet dry in rooms for those that need to rent them that night
Although it sucks, Sunday is prolly the best day for money scooping at hotels. I have a couple that let me hit ANY vacant rooms along the way so Sundays can be huge.
Remember hacks don't take time to remove stains in carpet very well. The cheap guy they were using most likely left stains everywhere and made them deal with it. This will elevate your status with a GM more than you can imagine. Get every stain out possible. Coffee is the big one. Reds happen too but coffee and tea will be a everyday thing. Treat them when opening doors.
I am always looking for ways to make cleaning hotels easier. If anyone has a idea. I'd like to hear it.
Anybody needing any advice. I'd be glad to help. I'm not a guru on marketing other than I know how to get referrals by taking care of the accounts I have. I am now at a point were operational side is really important. Smoothing any rough edges in my process.
Recently added a portable live solution hose reel. Sits right on the luggage rack. And slack can be rolled up while cleaning. We sit it at the top of the stairs or by a window. Holds 200'. From there I just drop a line down to TM. REALLY want to make a portable vac reel with castors that will fit on a elevator and lock back down in trailer for transport. This is extreme . but you have to be extreme to clean several hotels and bank good money while not killing yourself in the process.
Rolling up hoses off the hose reel on the ground then unrolling for cleaning and rolling back up for elevator then back on the hose reel EVERY TRIP!!! . 2 to 3 times a week. You see my point.
Cimex is a game changer for hotels, and I will be incorporating one as soon as possible. But I don't think you can get away with using it 100% .I don't see that anyways. I am thinking 50% would be fantastic and more realistic. But still very good option to have.
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