Executive Housekeeping Today - May 2008 - (Page 4)

University Hospitality (continued from previous page) type configurations rather than the traditional dormitory room and hall-type configurations. In addition, services in these housing units are becoming more hospitality-like. One clear example is the incorporation of private bathroom and cleaning services in each room. Rather than sharing one or two common bathrooms per floor, each individual unit has a private bathroom that is cleaned by the custodial staff. On-campus dining is another area faced with the challenge of rising customer expectations. Students and parents represent a broad diversity, and food service operations must meet the expectations of the customers by recognizing and accommodating a multitude of special dining needs. Be Our Guest Non-academic campus activities have also become a prominent factor in college and university operations. Non-student market groups in higher education auxiliary operations range from athletic camps to academic conferences to social guests. Each group has different housing, dining, and facility needs. Identifying and understanding the unique needs of these groups will facilitate service delivery which, if attended to properly, will translate to customer satisfaction. 1. Athletic and youth camps: This is among the most common non-academic activity hosted by colleges and universities. The age range of participants can be as young as pre-school children all the way up to college seniors. These campers are going to need housing arrangements that will accommodate floor chaperones, coaches, and equipment. Housing facilities must also be secure at all times and access restricted to those authorized to enter. It is vital to remember the campers are not the primary customers in this situation—the parents are—and they want to be sure their children are safe. Likewise, you have to consider dining needs. Campers are usually served cafeteria-style and have a variety of options to choose from. Athletic camps are obviously very physically active, and campers will require appropriate nutrition to keep them working hard. 2. Academic conference activities: This requires exploration and accommodation of the needs based on the type and size of the conference. Guests will need a higher level of housing, often in a single-room configuration. Unlike campers, conference guests will require linens on the beds and in the bathrooms. Conference activities will also require a higher level of audio-visual support, along with conference and meeting rooms. Likewise, access to technology for personal use, such as the Internet, will be vital to guests. Most often, conference guests are served meals banquet style. This type of dining service will require a greater number of staff, such as servers and beverage attendants. Again, these services will be more closely related to hospitality food and beverage operations and must be coordinated as such. 3. Social guests: This group is in the minority of non-student market groups, but requires the greatest attention to detail. Social guests may be on campus for a wedding in the Chapel, a family reunion, or a variety of other social activities. These guests will require the auxiliary operations staff to be vigilant in understanding individual expectations and needs. Very often, social guests require coordination of external services with in-house activities. Equipment rentals, linen services, and floral needs are examples. Housing requirements will be expected to rival those of exclusive establishments. The service provided to Hamilton College Chapel is one of the most-used venues for non-academic activities on campus—it hosts over 20 weddings per year. *Photo by Vickers & Beechler, provided by Hamilton College. social guests must be personalized and every accommodation must be seen to. Means to an End Providing good customer service is an elusive pursuit, but not an impossible one. The days of “The customer is always right” have faded into the delicate art of understanding markets, developing services aimed at those markets, and providing products and services appropriate to the markets. Customer service professionals must understand the importance of establishing a shared, and agreed upon, understanding of customer expectations. Extensive discussion with customers regarding needs and wants will facilitate the service professional in developing a clear understanding of customer expectations. Listening to customers, defining expectations, and delivering exceptional service is no longer exclusive to what is traditionally viewed as service industries. Institutions of higher education must take their cue from hospitality operations and adopt a customer-oriented approach to all aspects of operational activities. Casey J. Wick, R.E.H., is the Assistant Director of Physical Plant, Custodial Services, at Hamilton College in Clinton, NY. He may be reached at cwick@ hamilton.edu. W 4 Executive Housekeeping Today/May 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Executive Housekeeping Today - May 2008

Executive Housekeeping Today - May 2008 Contents Executive Corner From Ivory Halls to Four-Star Resorts The Ten-Dollar Test Toward Customer Satisfaction Frugal Housekeeper How Green is Your Laundry Not All Microfiber is Created Equal Feature Article - I.E.H.A. Investigates: Issues in Hotel Housekeeping 2008 Candidate Information IHW Product Information The Green Scene 2008 Convention Information Product Highlights Inside the Industry New Members Joint IEHA/ISSA Members CEH/REH Members Advertisers' Index Calendar of Events Inside I.E.H.A. What I.E.H.A. Has Done For Me

Executive Housekeeping Today - May 2008

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