This is a contribution from Jens-Henning Peters, head of vocational education and training at EHL.
AFTER what has been a dire time for hotels worldwide the industry is slowly rekindling its operations. From December 1 the Singapore Tourism Board will be issuing SingapoRediscovers S$100 credits to all eligible Singapore citizens, encouraging people to spend on staycations, tickets to leisure attractions and local tours. However, increased health and safety concerns teamed with a heightened awareness for all things hygiene and social distancing mean hotels will first have to reassure their clientele that going on holiday is both safe and desirable.
1. Meeting health and safety standards
Arguably, the key factor in instilling trust among consumers is ensuring strict safety standards. It pertains not only to the safety of patrons but also of the hotel staff. Guests want to spend time in an environment in which they feel everyone is looked after – including those tending to their needs.
Providing staff with personal protective equipment in the form of masks and gloves is just the first step. The use of anti-viral cleaning agents, disinfectants and UV light is set to become commonplace.
In addition to touch-free hand sanitiser dispensers we often see these days, hotels are opting for handheld disinfectant spray machines which utilise electrostatic spraying technology to uniformly mist disinfectant throughout spaces. Sophisticated air filtration systems could become a differentiator.
In some instances, national policies provide industry-specific guidance on what these should entail, as is the case for Singapore’s “SG Clean”, launched by National Environment Agency. Under this campaign, hotels must implement the 7-points checklist to receive SG Clean quality mark and be certified to operate.
EHL Advisory Services will also be supporting these new changes and has developed a ready-to-implement package of procedures and training to quickly enable independent hotels and hotel associations to reassure their customers and welcome them back in a safe and checked environment. Once successfully implemented, hotel properties will attain a renewable label that will help them maintain the highest international standards and foster the much-needed consumer confidence in a post-Covid world.
2. Technology for a low-touch experience
Contactless payments and deliveries have long since assumed a starring role in curbing contamination during the pandemic. The hospitality industry will be no different, likely offering exceptionally packaged contactless room service. A low-touch guest experience will be embraced in all its facets, with mobile check-in encouraged even once guests have arrived in the lobby. More and more, room keys will become a thing of the past, with virtual keys on smartphones being a possible way forward.
The technological innovation of all kinds will be drawn upon to facilitate smooth operations with the least possible dependence on members of staff. Hotels are bringing in paperless and contactless digital concierge services, such as an interactive Tapendium digital concierge service by The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, which allows guests to make requests directly using their guest room digital devices. Any existing IT infrastructure will be leveraged to its best potential, with websites or apps utilised to provide real-time updates for all ongoing operations and services.
3. Design adaptations and adjusted service offerings
With social distancing a must at present we have become accustomed to floor markings and barriers. In the same vein, dining tables and loungers are more spaced out and the number of guests in an elevator at any one time defined. For the foreseeable future, hotel staff may need to work from every other workstation in order to satisfy the social distancing requirement. We have started to see buildings and facilities managing the number of people on their sites through density control solutions. In the longer term, hotel design may also evolve to accommodate more health-oriented guest behaviour.
Service offerings may have to be adjusted accordingly. Holiday-goers less eager than usual to brave communal spaces such as spas and gyms may appreciate more one-on-one offerings such as personal training sessions or in-room spa treatments. The sharing spirit will probably be dimmed in general for the time being, with any form of communal access minimised: buffets, minibars, and bellhop and valet services will be momentarily sacrificed.
4. Cleanliness and safety integral to brand identity
Implementing cleanliness and safety measures will be crucial in winning over guests. However, they can only exert pulling power if potential patrons are aware of them. It raises the stakes in corporate communication and puts a considerable onus on employees to ensure visibility. In essence, the virtues of cleanliness and safety must become part of the hotels’ brand identity. A step in this direction could be adding a description of hygiene procedures to each hotel room’s information pack. Giving an overview handout placed on guests’ beds would raise the profile of cleanliness further still.
It is important for hospitality providers not to shy away from scrutiny. On the contrary, practising transparency, perhaps subjecting one’s establishment to association ratings for cleanliness and safety, like in the case of the SG Clean initiative that certifies premises, could help build consumer trust even more.
Communication with staff will also take on new importance. Trainings will be required to ensure employees comply with requirements and arm them with knowledge and to reinforce and show commitment to employees’ safety. It is as much a matter of corporate social responsibility as it is a liability topic. Staff who feel their employer has their best interests and health at heart may be less likely to jump to the conclusion that an infection was picked up at work.
5. The potential for sustainable strategic renewal
The present circumstances may require hoteliers to think beyond the realms of their specialism to incorporate lessons learnt from the medical arena. Setting an “incident command centre”, that will prompt fast coordination and mobilisation of each functions into hotel organigrams best enables teams to deal proactively with any health and safety concerns, while also reacting to and including any new governmental guidelines or medical developments.
In what is perhaps an opportunity for more far-reaching change, hospitality businesses may choose to unlock the potential for sustainable strategic renewal. A reinvigorated appreciation of the importance of service excellence may see the hospitality industry refocus on changes in the customer experience, customer perceptions and consumption patterns and even reassess their asset management. Entire business models and value propositions may be up for debate in the quest to realign with the new reality.
These five changes are immediate priorities that the hospitality sector need to address as governments finalise travel arrangements between countries. Amid the new global context of uncertainty the hospitality industry’s re-emergence will centre on rebuilding consumer trust.
• Featured image credit: surasaki/Getty Images
