Hospitality has been and still is a “people business”, and while the introduction of technology in hotels has at times raised questions about if robots are taking over, and the end to the people-first approach is inevitable. But hospitality will always be people-led, and the best technologies focus on empowering employees to do what they do best.
This is also the case when considering technology for engineering and maintenance. Staff needs to focus on being productive whether it’s routine maintenance or ad-hoc repairs. Preventative maintenance takes a proactive and forward-looking approach to ensuring that hotel facilities and equipment are maintained to a high standard so guests have the best possible experience. Hotel managers need control and visibility over all elements of hotel operations; this ranges from housekeeping to equipment and hotel system maintenance. Preventative maintenance helps extend the life of assets and when combined with technology it can enable asset managers to make informed decisions based on costs, time, efficiency, and profitability. Just single digit percent improvements for assets and equipment can have a big impact on profitability.
In this blog, we will break down the key benefits of preventative maintenance for hotel operations teams.
Extend Asset life
By implementing technology that can provide visibility into maintenance operations, hoteliers can take control of their operation and make better business decisions. Optii’s Preventative Maintenance module gives engineers and maintenance staff the tools they need to manage projects and assets effectively. The solution’s data also enables hoteliers to make informed decisions about which assets to invest in based on performance, maintenance cost, and capital expenditure. The technology’s simple and intuitive user interface allows hoteliers to track assets by their usage and repair frequency across multiple properties, helping to not only take preventative measures but also guide future investments.
Preventative maintenance also extends the lifespan of assets by ensuring that equipment is regularly maintained and kept in good condition. As all assets have been accounted for, it enables them to be fixed on an ongoing basis which is more cost-effective and time-efficient than needing extensive repairs all at once.
Productivity and Team Performance
Having predictable maintenance schedules ensures that repair and labor costs are integrated into a hotel’s budget. The ability to track each engineer's performance is valuable because it shows who may require additional training and where there may be gaps in the team's performance.
Optii’s Preventative Maintenance modules’ tracking functionalities improve the performance and productivity of team members. With increased transparency over maintenance operations, hotel managers can better reward engineers for their work as well as give constructive feedback. It also makes planning maintenance easier as assets can be tracked and monitored based on how often they are used and fixed.
Equipping maintenance staff with mobile devices, allows them to stay mobile and on the go. The ability to auto-generate and assign jobs means tasks are optimized based on scheduling needs and business requirements. Automation, also means repetitive administrative tasks are kept at a minimum, further increasing productivity of team members. The technology can provide unique insight into the average cost of each job which is crucial for managers looking to have control over income and P&L.
Manage Standards and Regulations
Having visibility over each team member’s activity means standards can be maintained and regulations followed. With Optii's intuitive platform, hotel managers can easily see which tasks need addressing and allocate jobs accordingly. Managers can’t be everywhere at once which is why the ability to view multiple properties and projects through a single platform is essential for smooth hotel operations.
In many hotels, preventative maintenance is managed by outdated methods like pen and paper or Excel spreadsheets. These manual and tedious processes are susceptible to human error and can negatively impact team productivity and therefore the guest experience. Leveraging Optii’s new checklist functionality helps set and maintain standards by incorporating them into jobs and tracking completion for greater accountability.
Improved Guest Experience
With online reviews continuing to be prevalent, a poor guest experience has the potential to leave a lasting negative impression, damaging the hotel’s reputation long after the guest has left. With a solution such as Optii’s Preventative Maintenance module, hoteliers can enhance the hotel's appearance, cleanliness, and function which translates to an elevated guest experience. Ensuring the hotel always operates at its best will promote greater guest satisfaction and loyalty.
Improved Insight and Decision-making
Hotel management technology gives hoteliers more control and visibility to balance scheduled and ad-hoc tasks. The technology automatically generates and assigns jobs based on project rules, schedules, and business requirements. As a result, it increases productivity through better management of hotel resources.
Through Optii's in-depth reporting on engineer performance, productivity, and cost analysis, hoteliers can better understand team productivity, strengths, and bottlenecks and take steps to improve their hotel operations.
Preventative maintenance is critical to all effective hotel operations because it lowers costs, increases guest satisfaction, decreases downtime, and provides data-driven insights to boost productivity and profitability. Hoteliers can take a proactive approach to the upkeep of all facilities and equipment and ensure all assets work efficiently. By investing in modern preventative maintenance technology, hoteliers can improve operational effectiveness, increase profitability, and give their customers an excellent experience.
