The Executive Housekeeper 13_3

The ExecutiveHousEkEEpEr

Volume 13 No. 3PP 322210/00016

Front Cover:Sofitel Brisbane

Central, QLD


3 Publishers’ Message

5 PHAN News

9 PEHN News

11 FNPHN News

13 SEQPHA News

15 How to kill a person with your bare hands!

19 Microfibre Innovations: Cloths and Mops

23 Wild elephants stroll through hotel reception

26 The Heart of Housekeeping

28 L&A associates visit the Burj al Arab in Dubai

30 Housekeeping Olympics held at the Blue Mountains Hotel School

31 How Green is my Chemical?

35 Turbo boost your retirement savings while you can

37 A Passion for Creativity and Quality Succeeds with the Luxury Hotel Sector

Volume 13 No. 3

Contents 41 Water: Nature’s Own Chemical-Free Cleaning Solution

46 Sofitel Brisbane Central

48 Profiles

52 Case Study Into Powder Cleaning vs. Water Extraction

55 Refurbishment Plan – Post Refurb Care

58 Protecting Your Capital Investment By Preventing Floor Failures

60 Good Bugs Eat Dirt

62 Choosing the Right Recruiter

64 Attracting Quality Applicants

67 Weekend Accommodation – the challenge in times of economic turmoil

73 Advantages of on-premise laundries

74 CleanScene sweeps through

75 Product News

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The Executive Housekeeper | Vol 13 No. 3 | 3

Among the stories with a difference in this issue is

one about Mfuwe lodge in Zambia, built right next to a large mango grove. each time the fruit ripens, the grove is visited by a family of elephants. What makes all this a little different is that to get to the ripened fruit, the elephants have to walk through the lobby of the lodge. As our world becomes smaller, this story of the elephants was only a ‘trunk call’ away.

Also within this issue of your publication is an article on recruitment tips, a further study of Microfibre, and a fascinating look at cleaning without chemicals from Activeion, plus many other features. Our front cover is the luxurious Sofitel Brisbane Central.

Publisher’s MessageAs this is our final edition for 2009, may I take this opportunity to thank all of our writers for their efforts, with a special thank you to the regulars Barbara Sergeant, Liz Lycette, Shirley Delaberbis, Dean Minett, Brian Clark and Col Nation. To our advertisers, a big thank you again for being part of the team.

On behalf of all the staff at The Executive Housekeeper, I would like to wish you all a happy and safe festive season.

May I leave you with this special thought: ‘The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree is a family all wrapped up in each other.’ n


Season’s Greetings!


PhANNewsPHAN committee ChangesJust a few changes to the PHAN committee:

The original committee as voted at the AGM was

President Ms Lalini De Silva

Vice President Ms Chona Ogilvie

secretary Ms Grace Esogon

Treasurer Ms Nela Neves

Assistant Treasurer Ms Christine Burnett (resigned now Zarife Melick)

Committee Ms Maureen Jolowicz

Committee Ms Carol Hanna (resigned, now Kevin Ball)

Committee Ms Alex Atkinson

Committee Ms Nicole Salonga (on hold as had baby Mitchell)

Committee Ms Kamila Smirski

Carol Hanna has resigned, her place has been taken by Kevin Ball, now at Fraser Suites and Christine Burnett has resigned as she has moved out of Sydney. Her place on the committee has been taken by Zarife Melick of The Menzies, welcome back to Zarife.

President Lalini de Silva has moved from Fraser Suites to Star City.

Nicole Salonga, Executive Housekeeper at Four Seasons Hotel and PHAN committee member with our first PHAN baby Mitchell, born on Friday 07/08/09 at 12.58am, weighing 4 kilos! Mum and little lad doing well!

The 4th Hotel tour was well attended by 23 PHAN members on Tuesday 18th August.The tour began at Sheraton on the Park, went onto the Grace Hotel and finished at Fraser suites. A great Spanish dinner was enjoyed by all at the Captain Torres Restaurant.

The Valitel Commercial tour and Formula One Hotel tour was held on Wednesday 13th May. 16 attendees at the tour of Valitel commercial laundry and dry cleaning premises as well as Formula One Hotel.

Among the more recent activities of the Professional housekeepers Association of NsW was the successful PhAN innovations

day at the radisson Plaza hotel held on september 8 that focused on trends in green and environmentally friendly products.

It was jointly sponsored by Purerooms, Optii Solutions, Vitric Flooring and Innerscent. It was attended by 31 of our members, with Liz Lycette, our public officer, the compere. Presentations by each of the four companies were followed by cocktails.

On November 12 was the Bed Bug Seminar held by Ecolab.

Forthcoming events to remember include the Suppliers tours taking in accommodation linen tour of the factory, and of course our Annual General Meeting during March.

A total of 89 members with friends and suppliers attended the Pink breakfast organised by Ziva lavecky of Ziva Corporate and hosted by Paul Judge of the state

government department of industry investment on the 47th floor of the MlC Centre.

The view of Sydney from this vantage point was magnificent, with guests feasting on smoked salmon bagels, sundried tomatoes and Bononcini, along with fresh fruit, cup cakes and blueberry mini muffins.

The occasion took the name Pink from the Pink Champagne that flowed. Thanks to the generous support of numerous hotels, accommodation packages and dining experiences were all part of the competition that was included with the breakfast.

The morning’s activities was opened Susan Murray, CEO of the Breast Cancer Association. Melanie Grey, a noted GP on the subject, gave a moving and inspirational talk on women’s health, and more than a few tears were shed when cancer survivors shared their experiences.

It was a morning most of us will not forget in a hurry. Importantly, more than $2,500 was raised for Breast Cancer Research. Well done to all involved. n

10 steps to Effective Personal Organisation WorkshopConducted on Wednesday 15th July from 9.00am – 5.30pm at Novotel Darling Harbour in Sydney by Tim Millett from IPerform

This very popular workshop attracted not only PHAN members but also interest from other colleagues in Hotels.

The event was sponsored by International Hotel Services, Scuttle and Lectronic.

Participants left the workshop with a personal development plan – having a concrete plan of action for personal development at the end of the training which they could then take back and implement in their workplace.

PhANNews


PehNNews

PEHN – Associate NiteA funlfilled nite of games product shows and launches. Chance to network and mingle with Suppliers and see their wares, play games with the Marriott General Manager and be judged by the Marriott HR Manager , who certainly made a career limiting decision, by not letting her GM win.

More next page >

The PehN AgM was held on 1st october 09 at the Crown Promenade Conference Center followed by a

tour of the newly refurbished Crown Towers hotel.

Future Events Planned for 2010(These are just the set Events that are done each year, there are more events that are sponsored by PEHN through the year so this calendar is subject to change):

February Welfare & Wellbeing

March Educational Event

May Associate Member (Supplier) sponsored event

July PEHN Sponsors the Victorian Accommodation Awards for Excellence in Housekeeping – was won this year, by Marian Stratford – Crown Towers Hotel for outstanding contribution to Housekeeping

Bi ennual Housekeeping Awards

Membership Renewals 2010 – 2011

september Annual General Meeting

November The infamous Yearly PEHN Christmas Party

PEHN 2009 – 2010 Committee Members

Monique Russell (Melbourne Marriott) President

Marian Stratford (Crown Towers) Vice President

Jenny Trimboli (Alto on Bourke) secretary

Christina Pak (BlueStone Personnel) Treasurer

Deb DeSmet ( Triangle Z) Committee

Gary Grant (Clean Tec) - Committee (not in Photo)

Karen Bingham (Crown Towers) Committee

Lynabel Carreon (Clarion Gateway Suites) Committee

Margaret Fernandes (Radisson on Flagstaff) Committee (not in photo)

Melissa Starbuck (Sealy) Committee

Vacuum Relay

Pe

hN

New

sTowel Folding Comp Bed Making Relay


The first quarter of this financial year has been very slow for FNPhN. The Far north has been struggling with the financial downturn as i’m sure

all other states are. our membership numbers have declined and this has left us financially strapped.

We continue to enjoy our bi-monthly breakfast meetings Hosted by this Year The Sebel Cairns and The Hotel Cairns. Our focus this year is on Training Development and Mentoring of our Middle management teams in an effort to prepare them for the step up to Executive Housekeeper positions.

Our Guest speaker at our October meeting was Tricia Hill who runs her own training business and who contracts to many well recognized RTO’s. Tricia’s passion about tapping into people’s potential is evident in her presentations and all those who attended the breakfast thoroughly enjoyed it and took away a new perspective on how we can help motivate people to reach that potential they all have.

Tricia has some great ideas on how we as an organisation can assist our upcoming managers become great leaders and we will hopefully be working with her closely in the future to hold more meetings and seminars on the subject.

Our Membership voted to add another class of membership to our organisation with a special resolution being passed at the last meeting. This class allows previous members who may longer meet ordinary membership criteria to re join as “Friends of FNPHN” This allows retired Executive Housekeepers to stay in touch and involved in the organisation and to share their knowledge with new members.

We are looking forward to our Christmas function which this year includes a sunset inlet cruise and dinner on the boardwalk. Scheduled for December 1 this should be a fantastic evening.

The committee (pictured) has also decided to hold our Bus Trip again, this year it will be held on Valentine’s day in February 2010 and we are heading north the Port Douglas in an attempt to lure some of our counterparts there to join our ranks.Other Functions will include our Annual Tradeshow and Awards set down for May next Year.

We would like to wish all a Very Happy Christmas and a safe and Prosperous New Year. n

FNPhNNews By JeAN lAPThorNe

Left to right Mike Taylor (Vice President) , Jean Lapthorne, (Treasurer)Pat Wilson, (Secretary) Carolyn Rasmussen, (President), Rae Read, Mary Roach, Bob Boneham, Committee members.

View online now!The ExecutiveHousEkEEpEr

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seQPhANews

The seQPhA are certainly having a wonderful time this year and with a great committee and the excellent support from our suppliers, it can

only go on to be a greater success.

We had our Breakfast at Conrad Jupiter’s Casino in July and with a great turnout it was such a great morning. Our breakfasts are always so popular. We had Jeff Ryan who looks after the Food and Beverage outlets at the Casino as our Guest speaker and we were all amazed by the amount of meals that are prepared on a daily basis. Jeff gave us some very informative information and kept us entertained with his humour. There were lots of raffles and lucky door prizes and a wonderful time was had by all. Sheila Gobie, the Executive Housekeeper from Conrad’s did a wonderful job in organising this event.

On the 8th September, we had our Trade show at the Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove, followed by a small cocktail party in the evening. Our guest speaker was Jackie Porter, Resident Manager of the Marriott Hotel at Surfers Paradise. Jackie has had such an amazing career and is a delightful lady with a great sense of humour.

What a great day it was, and again it was the great support from our suppliers that made the event so wonderful and also a great learning experience. This will now be a regular event on our calendar; it is amazing at these Trade Shows all the new products that are available and how beneficial they can be.

Again the suppliers donated such wonderful prizes with one lucky lady winning our lucky door prize of a weekend at the Hyatt Regency Coolum.

Big thank you to our wonderful Melissa Bent who again organised a fabulous event and to Gavin Lysaght, Executive Housekeeper at the Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove for his hospitality and all the Hyatt staff that looked after us.

Well our favourite event of the year was our Race Day at the Gold Coast Turf Club which was held in late September. The sun was shining and all the ladies arrived looking glamorous with their wonderful hats. We had awards for the best dressed female and another for the best dressed spunk. Gavin from the Hyatt won this award.

Our Master of Ceremonies Tony Wolff from Gold Coast Fabricare kept us all entertained between races, and our Guest Speaker for the day was Ken Holmes from Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Ken thanked us for the support and donations we have given to the sanctuary and told us about all the new enclosures and animal hospital that is opening at the sanctuary. There were lots of raffles and auctions and another large amount of money was raised for our charities. >

< A great day was had by all.

Again as the year comes to a close I would like to thank Melissa Bent our Treasurer for all the hard work that she puts in and to thank the Committee for all they have done this year, they are a great team and it has been a pleasure working alongside them.

Our next event is our Christmas Party in December, so I take this opportunity to wish all the Housekeepers associations around Australia a safe and happy Christmas and hope that 2010 brings you all good health,joy and happiness.

Libby SharpPresident, SEQPHA


You don’t have to do commando training, or spend years to gain a black belt in

origami or something in order to be able to kill a person with your bare hands. it is in fact a lack of training that will equip you with this deadly skill.

As Australia’s population ages, we have more and more people reaching a mature age. This means that the average age of guests is likely to increase. This then means that more and more people are likely to come into the category of “Vulnerable persons”. These are people with weakened immune systems. Vulnerable persons can also include pregnant ladies, young children and those who are already sick or recovering from treatments.

As we age, our immune system becomes less effective. It means that simple bacterial infections that didn’t bother us in our prime, become very dangerous and can be life threatening if our immune system is no longer able to fight off these bacteria.

So how do we kill someone with our bare hands? Simple, just be like the 50% of people who do not wash their hands after going to the bathroom. This is especially important for food handlers but also for cleaning staff in hospitality.

Bacteria can be spread on dust and in fingerprints. When we touch a light switch, tap, flush button or door knob as we go to use a bathroom, we can pick up germs that others have left behind. We can then pass on these germs to others as we touch other things during the course of the day. It could be a lift button, telephone, computer keyboard, pencil

How to kill a person with your bare hands!By Col NATioN

or other object that we might even put in our mouths. Other people will do the same.

Without knowing it, we might just be spreading an infection that could kill a person with a weakened immune system. So you can see that it is very easy to kill a person with your bare hands.

As our populations average age grows, we need to consider cleaning for health more and more. Our training for cleaning, kitchen and laundry staff needs to also reflect this trend. No more can we just remove the toothpaste marks from the bathroom mirror or polish the glass at the front entry and think we are doing a great job. We now have to start to think more about cleaning for health as well as for appearances.

The Daniels Associates of Australia is a registered training organisation that I do some training with. Their primary target market is the health care sector. When training the cleaning staff in health care facilities, we emphasise the need for infection control cleaning rather than just cleaning for appearances. This means cleaning all the things we touch, and not just the shiny surfaces we see.

This means more than just the mirrors and flush buttons, it means other things that we touch in our daily live going about our daily activities. These can include things such as the TV and air conditioning remotes as well as light switches, door frames, door knobs, telephones and the like. This is important not just in guest rooms but especially staff bathrooms that food service staff may use.

< We also need to train our staff in personal hygiene. Correct hand hygiene is one of the most important infection control procedures we can learn. This might mean that some equipment changes need to be made. For example, single use paper towels dispensers and waste bins may need to be installed. I see these more and more in some hotels I have stayed in recently, but the bins are usually found in the wrong places.

Waste bins need to be at the bathroom door, not just under the paper towel dispensers. This is because we need them to open the door. We will use the facility and wash our hands. (There is a special procedure for that). We then dry them with paper towels. We use the first one to dry the fingers and then use it to turn off the tap. The second one is used to dry the palms and back of the hand and a third to dry the wrists. The third one is kept so that we can use it to open the doors. We then drop this towel in the bin that should be placed near the door and we leave with clean and dry hands.

Cleaning for hygiene also means that we have to look deeper into other cleaning tasks. A quick whiz around with an old backpack vacuum cleaner is not cleaning a carpet. Dusting with a feather duster will achieve nothing more than a re-distribution of the dust. The dust re-settles from both of these activities and we do it all again tomorrow. We need to be thinking about being dust removers not dust movers.

Flu and gastro outbreaks amongst out staff can be a costly problem. Airborne dust provides the transport for airborne pathogens that are the cause of many illnesses. These illnesses are not just confined to

How to kill a person with your bare hands! (continued)

the vulnerable persons. Building and personal hygiene needs to be addressed in all areas of a workplace.

Cleaning for hygiene means removing the dirt that can be seen, as well as the dirt that cannot be seen. This is achieved by using some simple technology. Microfibre cloths that can be used damp or dry to pick up and hold dust, and an upright vacuum cleaner fitted with High Efficiency Particle Air (HEPA) filtration. Some smaller particles of dust can stay suspended in the air for hours. This fine dust is not filtered with normal vacuum cleaners. The fine dust that gets re-circulated each day can contain bacteria that get deposited on surfaces that everyone touches.

Suction-only vacuums tend to only pick up the surface litter from floors. We need upright vacuums that are fitted with agitator bars that lift the soil out of the carpet as well as the surface litter. We than need HEPA filters on the vacuums to trap this dust and remove it from the indoor environment. They provide other benefits as well. Removing the soil keeps the carpet cleaner longer. If we only remove the surface litter, then our expensive carpets get trashed out quicker. Restoration or replacement of carpet costs way more than an upright vacuum cleaner.

Killing off customers is not conducive to creating long term relationships and repeat customers.

Col Nation is a cleaning industry trainer with a long history of experience, especially in carpet technology and maintenance.

The daniels Associates conducts training in Hospitality with a focus on cleaning for health. Check out www.danielsassociates.com.au for more information on training options.

www.woolsafe.com.au can provide a list of highly qualified carpet cleaners that can provide a range of services to both domestic and commercial carpet owners.

Correct hand hygiene is one of the most important infection control procedures we can learn. This might mean that some equipment changes need to be made.

Equipping staff with the right tools and the training in healthy cleaning practices can provide many benefits. Your establishment will not only look cleaner and smell better, it will be a healthier place to stay, live and work. n


Microfibre is a synthetic material that has been around for nearly a decade. Microfibre consists of an interlocking blend of two fibres: polyester and

polyamide. Polyester is an effective scrubbing and cleaning fibre while polyamide is an absorbing, quick-drying fibre. Combining the two is what makes microfibre such a unique and effective material.

The revolutionary technology and effectiveness of the microfibre lies in the construction of each strand. Each microscopic strand of microfibre has been split, creating millions of tiny hooks that attract, absorb, and remove all kinds of dirt, dust, and bacteria from surfaces . Unlike ordinary cotton and paper-wiping products or cotton mops that tend to push or smear dirt and grime, microfibre actually gets underneath the dirt and scrapes it from the surface, eliminating or greatly reducing any need for chemicals.

You may notice that when you hold microfibre in your hand, it creates the sensation that your skin is dry. This sensation is caused by these incredible microscopic fibres trying to scoop up any dirt particles on your hand. Each strand of fibre is shaped like a wedge, trapping the dirt until it is washed. Since the dirt gets trapped in the fibres, the same microfibre can be used for a long period of time, cleaning larger surface areas before having to be laundered. Each square inch of microfibre contains approximately 90,000 fibres.

The two most common blends of microfibre on the market are 80/20 (80 percent polyester, 20 percent polyamide) and 70/30 (70 percent polyester, 30 percent polyamide). Both work very well and there is not a major difference between the two. However, you may find that over time, you or your staff prefer one blend over the other, so it is wise to experiment and see what works best for you.

Cleaning with Microfibre Microfibre Cloths: Microfibre cloths have become one of the most preferred cleaning cloths in the cleaning and housekeeping industry as they can be used for almost any type of cleaning. Microfibre is popular because of its versatility and ability to clean without the use of chemicals. The benefit of using microfibre is that a slightly dampened cloth can easily clean and remove dirt, dust, and bacteria from surfaces. Microfibre cloths are lightweight compared to other cleaning towels and rags and are also less bulky, allowing them to fit into tighter

Microfibre Innovations: Cloths and Mops By eriC gAudeT

spaces and corners. Microfibre cloths are machine washable and available in a Microfibre cloths are lint-free and work extremely well on glass and mirrors When dampened properly, microfibre cloths will not cause streaks. variety of sizes and colours.

Microfibre cloths can also be used to remove wax, grease, fingerprints, sticky residue, lubricants, soap scum, silicone, and moisture. Microfibre is safe on most surfaces and works excellent on electronics, wood, stone, stainless steel, walls, floors, tile, porcelain, countertops, etc. These cloths can also be used on carpets and upholstery as a spotting towel, lifting stains before they set in.

Microfibre cloths are lint-free and also work extremely well on glass and mirrors. The technology of the microfibre allows you to effectively clean windows and mirrors without the use of window cleaner. Microfibre cloths only need to be lightly misted with water. When dampened properly, microfibre cloths will not cause streaks.

Microfibre Mops: With the success and effectiveness of microfibre and improvements in the technology over the years, manufacturers have combined the cleaning abilities of mops with the effectiveness of microfibre to create the newest microfibre product line.

20 | Vol 13 No. 3 | The Executive Housekeeper

Case study: Implementation of Microfibre into an Australian Hotel

When choosing a Microfibre system for your facility, there are many things that you need to assess.

One is the cost involved in implementing this system, against traditional methods; many times this is the main reason behind not initiating a Microfibre system into the work place.

Below I have a case study of a Microfibre system implemented to show that the return of investment can be recouped very quickly through the concept of time, labour, staff and quality control.

BeforeObject: Hotel in Australia.Contract cleaner: N/AFacilities: Hotel check in areas, restaurants, toilets, halls, kitchens, public areas and offices etc.Total cleaning area: 24,800m2

Number of cleaners (converted to full time): 17Total cost for staff: $591,530.00Chemical & equipment: $36,622.00 (6.19 %)Productivity per hour: 182 square meters

AfterNumber of cleaners: 13.5Total cost for staff: $438,336.00Total investment in microfiber concept: $10,000Chemical & equipment: $22,100.00 (5.04 %)Productivity per hour: 230 square meters

Summarylabour savings: $153,194.00 achieved through a slightly changed system. Any staff that did not need to be used to clean floors was re-deployed to look after other areas that did not get enough attention daily within the hotel.

A lot of the cleaning was able to be changed from evening/night work into day cleaning due to the drier methods used with microfibre against the traditional wet mop cleaning systems.

other savings: $14,500.00 on traditional material like disposable mops and chemicals, this allowed the investment of the Microfibre cleaning concept to be paid for by the removal of the traditional methods. This had been paid for in the first year investment in the new concept even if the microfiber mops and cloths will last for minimum 3 years at this location.

The initial concern was due to the number of products disappearing, but with the introduction of an inventory control system, so that the staff had to sign up personally for the products and at the end of each day put them in a mesh bag for laundry.

Overall, the new microfibre cleaning system was appreciated both by the staff and hotel proprietors, for being easier, lighter, more efficient, more environmentally friendly and less chemical usage.

Understanding that with any new concept initially acceptance can be hard but with the right training and implementation process, will allow a smooth changeover of systems.

With staff happier with using the new microfibre system, the hotel management also found that staffs were more enthusiastic and conducive to the working environment.

For any questions or queries regarding microfibre please do not hesitate in calling (02) 9898 1555 or 1800 068 901, or emailing me on [email protected] n

Grant Hickey, Advanced Specialized Equipment

As with microfibre cloths, microfibre mops effectively remove and trap dirt, dust, and bacteria from surfaces, requiring less water and chemicals than traditional mops. Microfibre mops are lighter than many traditional mops and are ergonomically better for you and your staff since they require less water and less labor for effective cleaning. Less water also equates to quicker drying times. Some microfibre mop pads will actually fit onto your existing mop hardware, so you will not have to replace it. The microfibre mop pads can also be easily and conveniently removed after cleaning and are machine washable, preventing any spread of bacteria and eliminating odors.

Microfibre mops are available in a variety of styles, sizes, and colours. Not only are microfibre mops ideal for cleaning floor surfaces , but walls and ceilings as well. Some styles include microfibre looped wet mops, microfibre scrubbing wet mops, microfibre tube mops, and microfibre fringed dry mops. Microfibre looped wet mops provide easy gliding across smooth surfaces such as wood, tile, VCT, and marble, while microfibre scrubbing wet mops work well with slate, stone, and uneven tile. Microfibre tube mops are an ideal replacement for string mops, offering excellent absorbency and scrubbing power. Microfibre fringed dust mops pick up dirt and dust electrostatically rather than pushing it around, thus working better and lasting longer than traditional mops.

Green Cleaning with Microfibre

For facilities interested in Green cleaning, microfibre cloths and mops should be considered. They require less water than traditional rags, cloths, and mops and require little or no chemicals to clean effectively. For those who have a Green initiative, using microfibre would be a significant step in reducing water waste and unnecessary use of chemicals.

Microfibre also absorbs significantly more dirt, dust, and bacteria than an ordinary rag or mop, thus covering more surface area before needing to be laundered. Since microfibre lasts longer before requiring a cleaning, there are longer periods of time between washings, saving energy. Also1 microfibre is lightweight, allowing more cloths and mop heads to be added to each wash cycle. Microfibre cloths and mops also have a much longer life span than ordinary cloths and mops, reducing turnover and waste.

Colour Coding with Microfibre Microfibre cloths and mops are available in a large array of colours and make a great addition to any colour-coding program. Setting up a colour-coding program is a quick, low-cost solution that will help solve some common problems that tend to arise in the cleaning and housekeeping industry. Benefits of colour coding include infection

control, preventing cross contamination, identifying between departments, differentiating for specific tasks, helping to keep track of inventory, simplifying employee training, and helping to bridge any language barriers.

One of the most important aspects of colour coding is the emphasis on infection control and preventing cross contamination. Recently, with everyone focusing on the HINl virus and people being more aware than ever of the ease at which infections and diseases are capable of spreading, it is crucial to make sure you are not a factor in contributing to the spread. By making sure you have a solid colour-coding program in place, you and your staff will help prevent cross contamination by using a different colour microfibre when cleaning a bathroom than you will in let’s say, a common area.

Microfibre is revolutionary and the beauty of it is that you can truly do all of your cleaning with it, no matter where you use it. Whether cleaning in the form of a cloth or mop, supporting a Green initiative, or setting up a colour-coding program, microfibre is an ideal solution. Customers’ expectations are always growing, and with the latest microfibre cloths and mops, you will be sure to fulfill their expectations by providing them with a cleaner facility. n

Eric Gaudet is the Marketing Specialist at ERC Wiping Products, Inc. Reprinted with kind permission from Executive Housekeeping Today, the official journal of the IEHA.

Microfibre Innovations: Cloths and Mops

(continued)


it’s not every day that you see a wild elephant standing next to you at the reception of a hotel. but here in the Mfuwe lodge in the south luangwa National Park in

Zambia, the sight of one or even ten elephants strolling around the lobby is a regular occurrence.

Unwittingly built on the elephant’s traditional path in 1998, the Mfuwe Lodge stands directly en-route to this elephant herd’s favourite food - wild mangoes.

Andy Hogg, 44, Director at the Bushcamp Company that runs the Mfuwe Lodge, has lived in the South Luangwa national park since 1982.

But in his 26 years of dealing with wild animals in the Zambian national park, Andy has never seen such intimate interaction between man and beast. “This is the only place in the world where elephants freely get so close to humans,” says the 44-year-old.

“The elephants start coming through base camp in late November of each year to eat the mangoes from our trees.

Wild elephants stroll through hotel receptionBy JACk FleTCher

“When they are ripe they come through and they stand about for four to six weeks coming back each day or second day to eat the mangoes.”

Living in the 9, 500 square kilometre national park, the ten strong elephant herd are led to the lodge each day by the matriarchal of the herd, Wonky Tusk.

“The most interesting thing about this is that they are wild animals and are certainly not tame,” explains Andy.

“They come through the lodge to eat the fruit.

“There is ten in that herd and it is only that herd that comes through. It is a strange thing.

“The matriarchal in the herd is Wonky Tusk, and she brings the nine others through and they come and go as they please.”

Mfuwe lodge, which is part of the Bushcamp Company, consists of seven camps and the base camp where the elephants come through.

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< Employing 150 staff over the eight camps, the management of the lodge are happy to report that there have been no incidents involving the elephants to date.

“The elephants do get reasonably close to the staff as you can see with the pictures of the elephants near the reception,” he explains.

“But we do not allow the guests to get too close.

“Guests can stand in the lounge are but as long as there is a barrier between the elephants and the guests that is okay.

“The elephants are not aggressive but you don’t want to tempt anything as they are wild animals.

“It is the elephants choice to come into base camp and they have been doing it for the last ten years.

“There are other wild mango trees around and they seem to prefer this one.”

And even thought the lodge was unwittingly built upon the path, Andy says they had no idea the elephants would insist on returning.

“It wasn’t a design mistake - no-one really knew they were going to come through,” he says.

“The lodge was built and then the elephants started coming through afterwards.

“We keep people at a safe distance. They are obviously close enough to see what is going on from pretty close quarters but we also make sure we have staff around to make sure the elephants don’t get too close.

“But as I said they are still wild and still dangerous. They are huge beasts and untamed.

“We have bricks and walls between the elephants and the guests such as the counter and other barriers to stop them getting to people and if they try to there is enough time for people to get away.”

Naturally, the lodge becomes a busier attraction for both elephants and guests during November time.

“We find that we get more people visiting us during the elephant migration because of the unique experience of being so close to wild animals in an unusual environment.,” says Andy.

“But as I said this is a totally natural phenomenon, the elephants come here of their own accord and it is certainly a rare but magnificent sight.” n

Wild elephants stroll through hotel reception

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As in the human anatomy, there are illnesses that can break down the system, and these must be dealt with, with stealth, but when you have a good team they must be rewarded for their good work. Good staff, are like vitamins that lift the whole system, happy staff is the ultimate reward in any business and especially in our industry, I really believe that ours is a hard and, sometimes unappreciated, labour, but when there is a smile on your face and a skip in the step, you will soon realise that the heart is strong and the mind is active and healthy – what more could you ask for from a team…

One must remember that money cannot buy happiness, and that egos are very hard to please, sometimes we have to allow for these imponderables, but to challenge peoples abilities is sometimes more gratifying, for both parties, as the ensuing result can sometimes surprise, I placed myself in exactly this position only recently when I joined the team at IHS (International Hotel Services) as Executive Assistant Manager, furthering my career in Housekeeping Outsourcing in Sydney NSW, as I mentioned in a previous article I really believe that outsourcing is the future in housekeeping and I am welcoming the challenges that are ahead of me in Sydney. n

The Heart of HousekeepingBy shirleY delAberbis

over my many years working in the housekeeping industry, i have many times pondered on what is the secret to having a good and harmonious

housekeeping department, what is the essence of a sucsessful and compertant team that works together to achieve the ultimate – a clean and well presented result, be it a 2 star establishment or 5 star, the end product is quintessential both for the customer and the management.

Consider this: the heart of the housekeeping department are the staff, room attendants, supervisors, executive housekeepers. These are the pulse that keep it all happening. They must realise, that firstly there is no ”I” in team, and that working together is how to achieve the correct results. Let’s then consider that the room attendants are the blood that keeps everything healthy, the supervisors are like the arteries that keep it all together, and the executive housekeeper (housekeeping manager), is the heart that pushes the team to the end result, should any of these parts fail the whole system will also fail.

Optii Keeper re-launches at Hard Rock Hotel, City of Dreams, Macau

optii solutions recently re-launched its great new housekeeping software optii keeper at the hard rock hotel in Macau. liz lycette from

lycette&Associates was there to train the management and staff in the use of this new product.

This busy 400 bedroom casino hotel opened in April this year. Once the Room Attendants and Supervisors were trained in the operation of their individual PDA’s (handheld computers) and the software the department noticed the increased efficiency. It was now possible to reduce rooms on vacant dirty status from 100 at 6.00pm to only 10! The reaction from Grace Chan, Executive Housekeeper at the Hard Rock Hotel after 5 days in operation: “A Big THANK YOU to Optii and Liz to help us fix our 6pm issue in just 3 days. We love Optii”

Lycette&Associates is committed to finding modern solutions to improve Housekeeping operational issues, especially those geared towards increased productivity, improved quality and sustainable practices using the most up to date equipment and products. n

www.optiisolutions.com


This year l&A’s (lycette&Associates) annual strategy meeting was held February 2009 in dubai and attended by associates Tim Millett, liz lycette,

Janine hancox, Angela Petropoulos, Anne Manual, Agnes Zlotek Petit and Meike hofemann Zhang. in depth talks on sales techniques, negotiating skills, tools of the trade, increased productivity and support for l&A associates were discussed, highlighted by a few site inspections, the new masterpiece, Atlantis, The Palm and a fascinating front and back of house tour hosted by Josephine Wallis from the burj al Arab hotel.

The Burj al Arab has an amazing 202 suites, ranging from 170 sq meters for a one-bedded suite to 780 sq meters for the Royal Suite. Each suite benefits from a range of first class flourishes, extensive range of complimentary Hermes including 100ml perfume and latest ranges for him and her and an incredible pillow menu with over 17 options, a flower (including a special romantic turndown with special linen and gifts) and a chocolate menu and a special bath menu including one with caviar, champagne and strawberries.

The hotel employs a total of 1500 staff from 75 countries with 300 working in housekeeping and over 15 nationalities in that department.

Housekeeping looks after cleanliness of all suites and public areas, flowers, uniforms, linen and guest laundry. The housekeeping staff also contributes to the hotel’s major goal of providing guests with the ultimate experience, the “home away from home” feeling.

On average it takes an amazing 80 minutes to clean a one-bedded suite with 2 room attendants and the turndown takes about 35 minutes per suite.

L&A associates visit the Burj al Arab in Dubai

The hotel installed top of the range beds from Duxiana in Sweden with a Pascal system to easily alter the firmness and softness of the bed according to the guest’s preference. All suites have eiderdown duvet with down from the Icelandic eider duck.

The hotel uses the services of a team of 14 florists to look after all floral arrangements. They use about 45,000 roses, 8500 mokara orchids,

1000 cymbidium orchids and 100 phalaenopsis orchids per month. The Royal Suite has over 30 arrangements on display. n

About Lycette&Associates

L&A specialises in all aspects of Housekeeping Management including on-site consulting, training and development workshops including assistance with initial set-up of housekeeping operations at pre-opening. The Company also undertakes customised operational reviews of existing housekeeping operations identifying and further improving the effectiveness and efficiency of current departmental procedures. For more information visit www.lycetteandassociates.com or email [email protected]

About Burj al Arab

The Burj al Arab, Tower of the Arabs) is a luxury hotel located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. At 321 m (1,050 ft), the Burj Al Arab stands on an artificial island 280 m (920 ft) out from Jumeirah Beach and is connected to the mainland by a private curving bridge. It is an iconic structure, designed to symbolize Dubai’s urban transformation and to mimic the sail of a boat. For more information visit: www.jumeirah.com/en/Hotels-and-Resorts/Destinations/Dubai/Burj-Al-Arab

About Atlantis Dubai

Atlantis, The Palm is the flagship resort on The Palm Jumeirah - the first resort to open its doors on Dubai’s revolutionary island. Created by Kerzner International Holdings Limited, a leading international developer and operator of destination resorts, the stunning new 1,539-room resort first welcomed guests in September 2008. The resort encompasses a 46 hectare site with 17 hectares of water themed amusement at AQUAVENTURE, extensive fresh and salt-water pools and lagoon exhibits, an open-air marine habitat, a seemingly endless stretch of beach. For more information visit: www.atlantisthepalm.com

The blue Mountains hotel school held its inaugural housekeeping olympics. Year

2 business degree students were participating in events such as the toilet paper throwing relay, the toilet paper mummy wrapping competition and the famous bed-making relay. liz lycette and Ariane lellmann from lycette&Associates were there to assist with the running of the games, which took place on 1st June 2009 and was modelled on the PhAN olympics held in January this year in sydney.

The students enjoyed the best Housekeeping Games ever and the winning team was rewarded with the coveted Golden Toilet Brush award for outstanding performance.

About BHMS

The Blue Mountains Hotel School is Australian hotel school offering 3-year Bachelor of Business with hands-on practical experience. For more information visit: www.hotelschool.com.au

Housekeeping Olympics held at the Blue Mountains Hotel School


Once upon a time when you pictured green, you pictured rolling grassland, not cleaning chemical. However with climate change and the green revolution, all that has changed and chemical manufacturers are striving for a new, greener image with environmentally friendly products. But just how green are they?

How ‘Green’ is my Chemical?By briAN ClArk Janitech Australasia

www.cleaningconsultant.com.au

The first thing to understand is that environmental impact is a lot more than

just the ingredients. it’s a holistic approach to sustainability centred around protecting people, protecting natural resources and protecting the environment. With this in mind, let’s look at 3 products that that are locally advertised as being ‘green’ and have a closer look at just how ‘green’ they are. The first is from the usA, the second manufactured in sydney and the third from brisbane. For the purpose of the study we will work on 1000 lt of chemical per month (12000 lt per year) being shipped from the place of manufacture to Melbourne and then 100 km to the customer.

1. Label / Marketing Claims. Many green chemicals purport to have ‘natural’ ingredients, but the same could be said of Sarin Gas. Other label claims include ‘Bio-degradable’, ‘Non Toxic’ and ‘meets all VOC requirements’. Unfortunately for consumers, there is no Australian Standard describing what is ‘green’ and without some sort of validating independent certification, label claims are meaningless. It should also be noted that the product may be ‘green’ but the manufacturing facility or their other products may be the planet’s worst nightmare.

2. Packaging & landfill: There is a lot to be said for innovation in packaging and it’s effect on the environment. The US Product is packed in 1 gallon 3.8 lt plastic jugs while the product from Sydney is packed in 5lt plastic containers. The

Brisbane product, on the other hand, is a super-concentrate, and is packed in 640g collapsible plastic spout pouches and initial start-up kits incorporate re-usable dispensing and application system. In all cases the plastic containers are stamped with recycling marks. However, few facilities currently recycle plastic containers and the majority will go straight to land fill. As you can see from the chart, 1000 lt usage per month in conventional packaging can generate over 3500 bottles to landfill and considerable bulk. It should be noted that the amount of non-sustainable, oil-based plastics used in a standard chemical container is many times that of the Brisbane product’s plastic smart packs, which are a strong plastic bag with a screw-top spout.

3. Freight – 90 % of detergent intermediate is water. So in essence, we are freighting a lot of water around the globe. And water means weight and bulk, which when multiplied by the distance travelled from factory to consumer, has a massive effect on non-sustainable fuel burned and the resultant CO2 produced. The figures in the comparison table compare the CO2 produced by all three products using a web-based calculator. As you can see, the US green product, which travels the furthest, produces more than 2.3 tonnes of CO2 per year in transport alone compare to less than 5kg from the Brisbane product.

4. Handling – protecting people. The lighter the package, the less the strain when lifting and handling. If all are packed


< 4 per carton, the 3.8 lt US and 5lt Sydney product weigh approx 16 kg and 20 kg. The Super concentrate from Brisbane weighs less than 640g, which would equate to less than 2.6kg for the equivalent of 20 litres of standard product. Storage requirements are also important aspects when handling chemical. In bulk shipments, 1000 litres of product per month would weigh just over 1 tonne including packaging and take up approximately 2 cubic metres of storage space. The equivalent quantity in Smart pouch super-concentrates weigh only 128 kg, while the storage space required (remembering how small cleaning cupboards are) is approximately 10 % of the bottled equivalents.

5. Approvals – In the absence of comprehensive government regulations or relevant Australian Standards,

consumers are being bombarded with green-wash marketing, often based on irrelevancies. However, there are a number of independent ‘not-for-profit’ green certifying agencies, including Green Seal™ in the USA and GECA™ (Good Environmental Choice Australia), who offer fee-for-service certification and, reportedly, have stringent standards. GECA, for instance, looks not only at the product, but also at the facility and the total operation and environmental impact of the manufacturer. A GECA approval can be a costly and time consuming process, but it’s certification mark offers consumers some protection from green-wash marketing. The Green product from the USA carried no approval marks, while both Australian products examined had GECA approval.

6. Efficacy – The final test of any chemical

Fig 1: Companies like brisbane based earth renewable [www.earth-renewable.com] demonstrate real innovation in manufacturing, formulation, packaging, dispensing systems are essential elements in reducing the environmental impact of cleaning chemicals.

is how well it cleans, its compatibility with surfaces or fibres and its free rinsing characteristics. No matter how ‘green’ your cleaning chemical is, poor cleaning properties can lead to excessive use of water for multiple applications, increased waste water to sewerage and degradation of the material being cleaned, leading to more frequent refurbishment.

Choosing ‘green’ chemical based on label claims may make you feel good but the overall environmental impact may not be any different, or even worse, than the local product you are using now. However, the impact is considerably lessened by innovation in packaging and formulation that minimises the weight, volume and packaging factors. If you really want to make an impact look for innovation, look for independent and buy products that are close to source. n

dolphin Collection® by Clamshell international Pty ltd offers a comprehensive range of

textile products to the accommodation industry in Australia.

All lines of the products are developed, manufactured and marketed by the company, ensuring consistent quality standard and best value for money to our customers.

Our customers include all types of and all star rating properties across Australia, such as international hotels, resorts, motels and serviced apartments. We also service architects, interior designers and outfitting companies for their project needs. Products could be custom made to meet any specific requirement, with the most competitive prices.

Dolphin Collection® – choice, value and a pleasant business experience.

A D V E R TO R I A L


Turbo boost your retirement savings while you can

A range of other factors can also conspire to disrupt retirement savings planning. Time out of the workforce to raise a family, periods of unemployment or extended illness are but a few developments that can present a problem.

is there a logical solution?

The least painful (and most disciplined) option is to use a superannuation salary sacrifice arrangement. For most people in employment this can represent a useful and straightforward method of bolstering their retirement provisions.

The arrangement works like this:

You agree to forego a specified amount of future salary and in return your employer makes additional future super contributions for an equivalent amount. This means your extra long-term saving starts to accrue a small bite at a time, pay by pay.

Salary sacrifice superannuation is also a tax-effective form of remuneration because if the arrangement is put together correctly, no personal income or fringe benefits tax is payable on the extra amount of contribution. You do need to keep in mind the impact of superannuation contribution tax, however your adviser can provide guidance on this issue.

Usually employer contributions under these arrangements are kept within the maximum deductible limits to maintain tax efficiency. These maximum limits can depend upon your age and vary each financial year. Possibly the only other things constraining the level of sacrifice contribution available is the minimum salary requirement under a

relevant industrial award or agreement and the amount you need to live on.

Consider this case study:

Michael is 43 and he and his wife Sarah have been working away at their mortgage for some time. Now they are beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel.

Michael’s employer is currently contributing 10% of his $76,500 remuneration package to superannuation (that is $7,650 per annum). Michael thinks that he may now be able to afford more, but he is not all that happy with the employer’s fund investment options. He discusses the situation with Sarah and his adviser. Together they agree that Michael should now be contributing a minimum 15% of salary.

Michael then talked to his employer and learned that he only needs to complete a simple authority for the superannuation component of his package to be increased. Furthermore, subject to his employer’s agreement, he can have all contributions paid to an alternate superannuation fund if he wishes. Michael and his adviser then complete the authority and an application for his new fund, and inform the employer accordingly.

This article was provided by Planning Partners Financial Planners and superannuation Consultants (Australian Financial services licence No. 222835).

Ph: 03 9830 0366

level 1, 587 Canterbury road surrey hills ViC 3127

www.planningpartners.com.au

The window of opportunity for making a very healthy level of superannuation savings can

close quicker than you think. so grasp opportunities when you can!

Once your mortgage and other financial commitments are manageable, it is usually time to put the pedal down on your super. Those prime income years, between age 35 and 50 in particular, should be used constructively.

However, the task may not always be easy.

These days many couples choose to have children later and as a result, parental financial responsibilities can now often extend well into their late 40s or 50s. Furthermore, as a general proposition, the earnings opportunities for many people over age 50 often begin to decline (particularly in the case of males). So you can be squeezed both ways.

From the next fortnightly pay, Michael’s pre-tax salary is lower by $147.12 but the amount going into his bank account will be lower by only $100.77 (since he will pay $46.35 less personal income tax as well). The $147.12 pre-tax amount was paid directly into Michael’s new super account. This means that Michael’s superannuation contributions for the next year will be $11,475 instead of $7,650 and he has been able to select a fund that meets his needs.

An important thing to remember about all salary sacrifice arrangements is that they must be applied prospectively. That is, you must relate to foregoing future remuneration, otherwise the Commissioner of Taxation might seek to assess the contribution as income.

Superannuation salary sacrifice is just one way in which you can enhance your retirement provisions. You adviser can help determine which method is right for you. n

important information: This information does not take into account the objectives, financial situation or needs of any person. Before making an investment decision, you should consider, with the assistance of a financial adviser, whether it is appropriate in light of your particular objectives, financial situation and needs.

Planning Partners Pty Ltd. Australian Financial Services Licence No. 222835 ABN: 24 943 115 344

Turbo boost your retirement savings while you can (cont’d)

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Visit www.adbourne.com


To claim Val harding is a woman of destiny might be a little presumptuous, but when she first launched her idea of supplying hotels with quality

bath and body care products, she went straight to a highly demanding market – servicing the guest amenity needs of luxury hotels.

Following her relocation to Australia, and opening her new operation, International Interior Images in the Melbourne suburb of Balwyn in 1998, Val was working without a ‘safety’ net or any local contacts, but her tenacity, personality and sheer hard work would ensure her initial and continued success in this field.

Having travelled widely, appreciating what the best hotels overseas had to offer, Val believed she knew exactly the type of in-room amenities guests were coming to prefer when staying at luxury hotels – also recognising that complacency was not an option in this most demanding sector of the market.

She began importing Gilchrist & Soames toiletries from the UK, followed by the high-end Molton Brown brand. Further development included the production of customised ranges and the introduction of Australian-made products, including Val’s own iconic “Serendipity” collection, which also offers a selection of turndown and VIP gifts.

Her business gradually outgrew that Balwyn address, with Interior Images relocating in 2006 to purpose-designed and built offices in Port Melbourne. By that time Val’s daughter Kate, had come on board to work closely with her mother in learning all about the business. These days Kate manages the marketing activities with the Sales & Marketing team and is especially enthusiastic about the early success of her own new brand “All About Me”. In line with its philanthropic values, the company is now donating one cent to the children’s charity TLC for Kids for every tube of “All About Me” product sold. Not bad when you consider across the ranges they are already selling several million tubes of product a year.

International Interior Images has come a long way in just 11 or so years. It maintains well stocked warehouses and logistics centres in Melbourne and Auckland and has established a world-wide distribution network with like-minded partners in USA, Europe and Asia.

On a day to day basis Interior Images usually deals with Executive Housekeepers, Hotel GMs and Purchasing Officers. Their expanding

A Passion for Creativity and Quality Succeeds with the Luxury Hotel SectorBy MAX AgNeW

folio of high end hotel cosmetics now also includes REN and H2k from England, Aigner from Germany and Lather from the US.

In 2007, Val Harding was recognised for her success when winning the Ernst & Young Southern Regional ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ award. Val says this recognition has not happened overnight. From the outset we have always aimed to supply quality products at realistic prices, whilst delivering uncompromising standards of customer service to the hotel industry. n

Val and Kate Harding of International Interior Images


Water – it is what we have used to clean for thousands of years. It is the safest liquid we know and, in fact, we are mostly made of it. Without water, there would be no life on Earth. Water is very familiar to us in our everyday life, but how much do we really know about it?

Water: Nature’s Own Chemical-Free Cleaning Solution By Todd sChAeFFer

Water has very high surface tension, what chemists refer to as “sticky.” This

means water sticks together and forms droplets rather than spreading out in a thin film. great for some things, but not so great for cleaning. Throughout history, we have found that adding cleaning chemicals to water reduces its surface tension and improves its cleaning ability. Chemicals combine with water to help it spread more evenly over a surface to come in contact with more dirt, and actually attract dirt and oil, which helps clean with less work.

What we didn’t always understand was the toxic effects many of these chemicals were having on our bodies and the environment. But times are changing. Recent advances in technology now allow us to activate water’s natural cleaning ability to transform it into a powerful cleaner ñ without adding chemicals. This water activation process can replace many of today’s chemical cleaners, improving our health and our planet’s wellbeing.

Toxic Chemicals in Our Water Using cleaning chemicals means that we are often in contact with substances that are toxic to humans, animals, and the environment. And, those chemicals don’t go away. When a surface is cleaned, some chemical deposit is generally left behind, exposing people to con tinued toxic residue.

Evidence to support eliminating cleaning chemicals is mounting. Several studies link cleaning chemicals and chemical residue. with health and safety risks. A study reported in the Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine demonstrates an increased risk of asthma in adults who are frequently exposed to spray cleaning chemicals. Our environment suffers too. The Clean Water Fund recently released research that indicates Americans pour 32 million pounds of toxic cleaning chemicals down the drain each year.

Although adding toxic chemicals to water does help remove dirt, it appears that it isn’t the best long-term solution to keeping things clean for our health and safety.

Recently, there has been much discussion and many articles pointing to attitudinal shifts related to cleaning products. Increasingly, consumers have concerns about exposure to toxins and want to know more about the effects of the chemicals used around them >


< every day to clean. People are concerned about the impact chemicals have on the health and safety of not only the user, but others exposed to the cleaners as well. And, people are looking for new ways to clean that aren’t harmful to themselves or their environment.

Electrically Activated Water Now, there is hope for a better effective daily cleaner- water. Recent findings show that activating, or adding a slight charge of electricity, to tap water makes it clean better than water in its natural state. And, toxic chemicals can be completely removed from the process.

When electricity is applied to water, it behaves differently. In fact, this activated water performs much like water mixed with cleaning chemicals. But, the process doesn’t require toxic chemicals to be effective.

Professional cleaners are calling activated water “the miracle liquid.” But it’s not new. The idea of applying electricity to water to make it behave differently has been known for years.

The science of activated water begins with a process called electrolysis. Classic electrolysis involves placing two electrodes into water, connecting one electrode to the positive end of a power source and the other electrode to the negative end, like the (+) and (-) of a typical 9 volt battery.

Applying a small amount of electricity to water in a way similar to classic electrolysis actually breaks down the water’s molecules. This process reduces water’s natural surface tension and creates positively and negatively charged water ions. In some applications, it even adds microscopic oxygen gas bubbles that also carry an electrical charge.

When applied to a surface in this new form, water can spread to contact dirt, mimicking the way it does when mixed with chemicals.

The charged ions in the water attach to the dirt and help lift it from the surface. Studies show that electrically activated water cleans as well as, or better than, traditional general-purpose cleaning chemicals. And the electrically activated water is completely safe. It returns to its natural state in about 45 seconds.

Electrically activated water is being applied in the cleaning industry in several ways. Some companies offer wall-mounted systems, a leader in commercial cleaning equipment has incorporated the technology into onboard automatic floor scrubbers, and a recent development incorporates a version of this technology into a convenient hand-held spray device for on-demand portable cleaning.

Uses for electrically activated water are expanding. Already, many professionals use electrically activated water technology to clean in hospitals, schools, universities, hotels, and restaurants. These professionals are turning to the technology as a versatile general-purpose cleaner for many surfaces, including glass, stainless steel, wood, stone, marble, plastic, and carpet. Activated water has been proven to attack soils, stains, grease, grime, soap scum, mold, mildew, and bacteria. And, in some forms, activated water has even been proven to sanitize.

Trends in health and wellness and interest in reducing toxic chemical use, combined with solid scientific support for this technology indicate a rapid shift toward employing activated water as a cleaning solution.

Safer, More Profitable, and Sustainable It’s easy to see why professionals in the cleaning industry might view electrically activated water as a miracle liquid. For people who regularly touch and breathe in typical cleaning chemicals, electrically activated water is a welcome replacement.

According to an EPA-sponsored report, in America alone, each year, six out of every 100 cleaning professionals are injured by the chemicals they use- from burns to the eyes and skin, to injuries from breathing toxic fumes . Activated water frees everyone from serious health risks caused by touching, breathing, or accidental splashing of toxic cleaning chemicals.

Beyond being safer, activated water also helps sustain Greener environments. It eliminates the need for disposal of harmful toxins into the earth. And, it reduces the resources required to manufacture, package, and ship dangerous chemicals. By using activated water, there is no need to purchase bottles of cleaner in any form. This not only eliminates chemical use, but the packaging for these chemicals as well, reducing unnecessary waste in landfills.

Using water technologies instead of chemical cleaners can save professional cleaning companies considerable money each year. Cleaning with activated water eliminates the need for purchasing, receiving, and stocking general-purpose, glass, carpet, and stainless steel cleaners, and sanitizers. Using activated water also dramatically diminishes the time cleaning professionals might spend mixing, filling, and disposing of dangerous chemicals. All that’s needed is tap water to refill each activated water system.

Activated water is an accepted cleaning tool. It works as well as general-purpose cleaning chemicals and contains no toxic chemicals, making it safer and healthier for the people who clean, the people who live and work in the spaces being cleaned, and the environment. In fact, it’s the safest way to clean. Activated water as a cleaning tool is the only way to clean without a chemical-related health warning being required. The combination of health benefits, environmental impact, and cost savings make the use of electrically activated water systems a true game-changer for the future of the cleaning industry. And that should make everyone breathe a lot easier. n

Water: Nature’s Own Chemical-Free Cleaning Solution(continued)

Todd Schaeffer is Vice President and General Manager for Activeion Cleaning Solutions, LLC, a privately held cleaning technology company headquartered in Rogers, Minnesota. The company recently launched the Activeion Pro, the first hand-held cleaner that uses activated water technology to transform tap water into a powerful cleaner.

Les Miles and Allan Napier are Directors of Activeion International Pty Ltd in Australia. Phone: Les 0417 77 66 90, Allan 0488 22 84 84.

For more information, visit www.activeion.com.au


Environmentally Responsible Amenities Available Online

AccAm are growing sustainably with a focus on providing what the customer is looking for.

recently delivering a new, user friendly e-commerce web site to make online ordering simple and fast, allowing you to browse and place orders any time of day or night and even know the freight costs to wherever you might be in Australia. so it is easy to compare quotes without wasting time. With the new customer login system, this makes negotiating the best price as simple as an email or a phone call. simple to get set up and quite easy to use, navigation on the site is also easy and fast.

The purchasing team are always negotiating the best possible price and quality products available in the marketplace to provide their customers with the best value products and most convenient way for them to order. New concepts and ideas are constantly being evaluated and there are more user friendly additions to the website being planned.

Accommodation Amenities has teamed up with other suppliers of hotel products and developed a way to make your purchase process easy and efficient, leaving you time to get on with your daily tasks. Offering choice and convenience in the selection of your liquid soaps and portion controlled guest amenities and soaps.

It will be these points of difference that will distinguish us from others and help us to build ourselves to be unique and outstanding, our core value being to treat customers and suppliers as valuable assets, no matter how big or how small. Motivated by this belief, upon receiving your inquiry, we strive to creative opportunities to meet your individual needs with our endless passion and professional ability.

The new Naturals product range offered this season displays an outstanding quality with its invigorating fruity freshness. The fragrances of citrus, enhanced by the aromas of black currants, delicate apple blossoms, tangy olives and mellow water lily are topped off with warm sandalwood and musk. All blend into a stimulating scent that is alluring, appetizing and appealing. The Naturals character is also reflected in the bottle design: Its dark green colour protects the delicate essential oil fragrances from light and the sealed cap ensures absolute hygiene and safety. The entire product line is subject to stringent production quality requirements and a responsible use of natural resources – as guaranteed by the “Bio” seal of the experienced cosmetics producer.

Ingredient purity and tolerability were the key objectives of the product developers. As a result, the composition of Naturals is based on carefully selected natural plant oils and extracts of organically cultivated sun-ripened olives, lemons and oranges. These essences pamper the skin with precious components such as vitamin C, carotene, bioflavonoids and fruit acids. The perfectly balanced blends of these formulations result in a holistic beauty concept that includes Aromatic Shampoo, Softening Conditioner, Refreshing Shower Gel and Caring Body Lotion 30 ml bottles and a 15 g bar of mild vegetable soap. A special preservative makes these products especially suitable for sensitive skin.

So go ahead and look up the website, www.accam.com.au and whilst you are there it will be a good idea to become a member to take full advantage of the price and service on offer, there is no obligation and you will be rewarded in the long run by the great products and the time saved by shopping online at a time that suits you. n

A D V E R TO R I A L

Accommodation Amenities

(AccAm) has been distributing

guest amenities and personal

care products since 2001.

Focusing on personal care items

makes this business a great

place to find marketplace choice

in guest amenities and personal

care items.

sofitel brisbane Central located above brisbane’s Central rail station is a visual landmark on brisbane’s skyline. 30 storeys high, its rooms boast some of the city’s best views

over Anzac square, the central business district, brisbane river and surrounding hinterlands.

Formerly the Sheraton hotel, Sofitel Brisbane Central went through a multi-

million dollar refurbishment in February 2005 becoming part of the French

hotel portfolio, Sofitel Luxury Hotels. The property underwent a further

renovation in early 2008 to the lobby area, bar and restaurant, ensuring the

property upheld the modern levels of luxury synonymous with the Sofitel

brand.

Visitors to Sofitel Brisbane Central will discover sophistication and elegance

with a touch of French art de réservoir when staying at the luxury property,

while all the ingredients that have made the hotel the epicentre of Brisbane’s

business and social scene have been respected and retained.

The property offers guests several bars and dining choices, including Cuvee

Lounge Bar, Thyme2 Restaurant, Harlequin Jack Bar Bistro and Gaming and

most recently, Prive249 – the hotels newest smart dining concept led by

French Chef De Cuisine Mathieu Astier.

Sofitel Brisbane Central boasts 429 rooms including 101 club rooms and 20

luxurious suites. Sofitel’s exclusive ‘My Bed’ has been introduced to all rooms,

providing a heavenly slumber courtesy of its superior patented design, which

offers the ultimate in softness, comfort and support with its revolutionary

mattress and down feather design.

In March 2006 the hotel opened Club Sofitel on the 30th floor. Midweek

the Club Lounge provides an unprecedented corporate environment for

business executives and by weekend the effects of the panoramic views

and city lights see the lounge become an intimate and reclusive domain for

couples. The five dedicated Club floors offer guests 101 Luxury Club Rooms

and 20 Suites, all with access to the exclusive Lounge. Club Sofitel guests

A NEW ERA OF LUXURY, SOFITEL BRISBANE CENTRAL

have full use to all Club facilities including daily refreshments, media room

access, business facilities and SoFit Gymnasium.

The first international hotel to open in Brisbane, it has long been established

as the city’s crème de le crème venue for meetings, conferences and gala

events. Sofitel Brisbane Central is the largest, fully integrated hotel meeting

facility in Brisbane, with 11 magnificent, technically advanced conference

venues catering from 10 to 1100 delegates.

High speed internet access, video conferencing, technical services and

support teams ensure all events held at Sofitel Brisbane reach the highest of

international standards. Advanced production tools, the hotel ‘theme team’,

state-of-the-art boardrooms and award winning banquet chefs combine to

make a long lasting and unique impression on all attendees.

The decadent Day Spa, Stephanies Spa Retreat is located on level three of

the hotel. With a design and décor reflective of the hotels luxury status, the

Spa is a perfect addition to the hotel and offers guests and clientele a Spa

retreat offering the latest in international treatments and five star services. n


denise Miller is the housekeeping Manager at the Watermark hotel & spa

in surfers Paradise. The Watermark hotel is currently undergoing an extensive refurbishment of its 388 rooms and suites with 278 now completed. Currently the rooms that are yet to be refurbished are rated as a 4½ star property and the rooms that have been refurbished have been awarded 5stars. All the 5 star rooms now have doonas and mattress toppers and denise is currently training all staff so that they are able to service all room types.

Denise was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, U.K. and first came to Australia in 1982 on holiday to visit relatives and loved what she saw. Thinking Australia offered her family a future, she and her husband decided to emigrate arriving in Melbourne where, for many years, they operated a family owned roofing company. In need of a “seachange”, she moved to the Gold Coast sixteen years ago and after a short 3 month holiday started her career in hospitality.

She first started her career as many Housekeeping Managers do, as a room attendant working in Units at Broadbeach for a while and then at the Sea World, Nara Resort for 12 months and then to the Watermark Hotel where she gradually moved up the corporate ladder to become Housekeeping Manager four years ago, this year being her 13th Year with the Watermark Hotel.

Denise’s role sees her manage approximately 80 staff who clean all rooms, the Lobby and Reception, 2 restaurants, Bar & Gaming Lounge, 2 pool areas, the Day Spa, Gym, VIP Lounge, 4 function rooms and a small guest laundry. Housekeeping operates from 6am to 6pm with public areas coverage until 2am. The linen is all contracted out with the exception of pool towels and small items which are washed in house.

Denise cites the major change she has seen in her years in hospitality as the increased attention that is given to Occupational Health and Safety in our industry and where previously staff cleaned 18 or 19 rooms per shift, they now clean 12 or 13 rooms per shift. In addition, Denise has reduced the number of cleaning chemicals that staff use by introducing microfibre technology and “magic blocks” She believes that developing the confidence of staff is paramount to retaining hard working loyal staff and believes in the old adage that you should never ask your staff to do anything which you are not prepared to do yourself.

To improve herself, Denise admits to reading “The Executive Housekeeper” magazine from cover to cover absorbing all the articles and also attends the SEQPHA meetings where she finds the networking, sharing of information and educational seminars invaluable.

Denise is married with three boys aged 30, 26 and 24. She supports the Gold Coast United soccer team, Gold Coast Titans, and relaxes with her husband by watching movies, going out for breakfast on her days off (or to the pub for a quiet drink), and shopping. n

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Denise Millerdeveloping staff confidence is paramount


Tracey reed is the newly appointed executive housekeeper at sofitel

brisbane Central, commencing with the luxury five star hotel in July this year. sofitel brisbane Central is located above Central railway station and boasts 429 rooms, 2 restaurants, 2 bars, 11 conference and function rooms, pool, fitness centre, luxury day spa as well as Club sofitel – one of the largest executive lounges in Australia.

Tracey manages a team of 97 and the department is staffed from 6am to 9.30pm with public areas operating 24 hours a day.

Tracey has been in the hospitality industry for ten years, prior to which she worked as a nurse in aged care, a job which she loved but admits was at times emotionally exhausting.

Being a Sydneysider, Tracey’s first venture into hospitality was as a floor supervisor at the Sydney Pier One Park Royal, where she quickly went through the ranks to become Executive Housekeeper after only six months, a position she retained for more than two years.

Tracey then worked for International Hotel Services in several of their properties including Mount Hotham during the snow season. During her time with International Hotel Services Tracey also took on the role as Operations Manager, in which she was responsible for helping to build the business, adding the Park and Grand Hyatt Hotels in Melbourne along with Hilton on the Park Melbourne to the IHS portfolio.

After four years in the operational position with IHS, Tracey relocated to Hamilton Island as Executive Housekeeper for the island apartments, bungalows and villas. Whilst island life presented many challenges, including the retention of staff - (average length stayed only six months due to visa restrictions), it was all in all a very rewarding

role as the staff consisted of many overseas travellers of different cultures and nationalities.

Tracey loved island life, and says the beautiful weather, location and environment is second to none. Due to personnel reasons Tracey left the island and says it was a very sad decision as her role there was certainly one of the best experiences to this day.

Whilst being relatively new to her position, Tracey hopes to introduce the use of microfiber cloths to her department and says she is very fortunate to have inherited a great team of people.

Tracey hopes to one day become Rooms Division Manager or Front Office Manager, due to her love of dealing with guests face to face. Tracey would like to see more educational courses run for Housekeepers throughout Australia and believes all new Front Office staff should work in Housekeeping for at least a week to develop an understanding of the responsibilities undertaken by the Housekeeping department.

Tracey loves the “French philosophy” that Sofitel offers guests and staff have a French themed lunch every three months to help them understand the French culture and language. Tracey enjoys good support from upper management and the property owners and says that this is vital to a good Housekeeping operation. She is a current member of the SEQPHA and held the position of Secretary for 1 year. Tracey has two grown daughters and two grandchildren whom she adores. In her free time, she is an avid sports fan watching the NRL Titans, netball, swimming and tennis. n

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Tracey Reedenjoying the sofitel’s ‘French Philosophy’


Christina Pak is the executive housekeeper for bluestone recruitment based at the

Crown complex in Melbourne. Christina’s team works in conjunction with the in-house housekeeping team and is responsible daily for the servicing of the Crown hotels.

Christina hails from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where she trained at Stamford gaining her Business Administration and Secretarial studies, a course accredited in the U.K. She arrived in Australia ten years ago and her first role in hotels was as a room attendant in an Accor property. She worked as a room attendant for eight months after which time she was promoted to the position of Housekeeping Supervisor. After eighteen months as a supervisor, Christina became the Assistant Executive Housekeeper. With a need to expand her experience, Christina then joined Jani-King, Australasia as Operations Manager overseeing twelve properties which included a mixture of three and five star properties. In this role she was also responsible for Business Development of the Hotel Divisions, prior joining Bluestone Recruitment in 2006 as Executive Housekeeper.

Having worked in both in-house and outsourced Housekeeping departments, Christina states they both have different advantages. Working in an in-house situation, she cites that there is more exposure to general Housekeeping operations which allows her to learn whilst working for an outsourcing company allows her to learn more about financial aspects, goal setting as well as staff recruitment and its associated issues. All Bluestone staff are inducted by their employer and then again by Crown which ultimately leads to better team work and understanding as well as delivery of a seamless service. Her main challenge like most Executive Housekeepers is sourcing, training and retention of good quality

employees. She enjoys good support from both Crown and Bluestone Recruitment who both provide regular and ongoing training.

To date, Christina has enjoyed her rapid rise up the Housekeeping ladder and does credit her administration training for some of this plus the opportunities that hotels offer. She is the current Treasurer for The PEHN in Victoria and enjoys meeting and networking with new members at functions. She would like to see all General Managers support The PEHN and its objectives which in turn will benefit their Executive Housekeepers and the industry.

Christina is married and has one brother and one sister who remain in Malaysia but who along with the rest of her family keep her very busy cooking and cleaning when they visit and stay with her regularly in Melbourne. In her spare time away from work, Christina enjoys reading books on Christianity and listening to music. n

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Christina PakPehN Treasurer enjoys ongoing support at Crown


executive housekeepers may have seen a recent article on powder cleaning compared to hot Water extraction cleaning in a recent FM link Newsletter

or on the FMlink website http://www.fmlink.com/Marketplace/WhitePapers/Articles/millicare-whitepaper_2009-06.html.

The article is a clever marketing piece written by the Technical Director of the company that makes the powder cleaning product and should be read with that point in mind. What is interesting about the article is that it addresses sustainability in carpet maintenance techniques. There are some wonderful graphs that show the energy efficiency of the dry powder technique compared to hot water extraction and the water saved by using dry powder techniques.

With energy efficiency in mind, it is interesting to compare the methods of Hot Water Extraction (HWE) to those of dry powder products using the ISSA Cleaning productivity rates. The comparison, for simplicity, will not include setup and pack up times.

According to the ISSA, Pre-vacuuming with a 45cm upright takes 17.4 minutes per thousand sq feet. Applying Carpet Pre-Treatment using Pump Tank Sprayer takes 10.20 minutes per 1,000 sq feet and Extraction Cleaning with 11” direct hook-up high-flow machine takes 18.33 mins per1,000 sq ft. http://www.npaper.com/CLEANINGTIMES1104.pdf

Now, lets look at dry powder techniques as a time comparison. Pre-vacuuming with a 45cm upright takes 17.4 minutes per thousand sq feet (Pre-vacuuming is a pre-requisite in all carpet cleaning techniques, especially of you are planning to add more solid material in the cleaning process, and so is pre-spraying in many cases). Now here’s where it gets tricky as there are all sorts of machines to apply, agitate and spread dry powder cleaners. For this case study, we’ll use the ISSA 3 step process. 1. Dry Clean, Spread Dry Cleaning Compound 13.20 mins per 1,000 sq feet. 2. Dry Clean, Agitate Dry Compound with 24” Revolving Brushes Machine 25.20 mins per 1,000 sq ft. 3. Dry Clean Vacuum Up Dry Compound with 18” Twin Motor Upright Vacuum takes 25.00 minutes per 1,000. Now lets compare the maths.

hot Water extraction issA times. Pre-vacuum, Pre-spray and HWE adds up to 45 mins for 1000 sq feet ( approx 93 sq m).

dry Powder method issA times. Pre-Vacuum, Apply, spread/agitate, vacuum comes to 80.8 mins per 1000 sq ft.

Case Study Into Powder Cleaning vs. Water ExtractionBy briAN ClArk Janitech Australasia

Now let’s do our own calculations to compare the costs of these results. Cost is also an important factor, and laboutr is your main variable cost. The fully loaded labour costs to clean with HWE per 1000 sq ft based on a fully loaded labour cost of $AUS24.34 per hour (Courtesy of BSCAA WA http://www.bscaa.asn.au/docs/44/Cost%20Schedule%201%20July%2007.pdf) would be $24..34 x 45/60 = $18.26 PLUS admin, overheads, chemical & a reasonable profit margin if the work was contracted out.

As the article uses 100,000 sq feet for it’s calculations, the cost for a proper clean with HWE, according to ISSA, for 100,000 sq feet of carpet would be $1826 for labour plus profit & overhead.

The labour costs for Dry Powder systems by the same calculation would be $32.78 per 1000 sq ft plus profits, overheads and the cost of the dry powder product. For 100,000 sq ft that comes to $3278 for the labour plus product, profits and overheads or 179% of the labour cost of hWe. Note, that doesn’t include the pre-spray step, which is described in the Australian and New Zealand Carpet maintenance standard AS/.NZS 3733.

Now comes the interesting bit. As the article that inspired this comparison is about sustainability, let’s look at one of the environmental impacts used in the article - power consumption.


The graph in the article shows a tremendous variation in power consumption between the two methods, presumably based on the total power used by the cleaning machines. However, the power that the machines use is insignificant when compared to the power used in lighting and ventilating a commercial building such as a high rise office block while cleaning. Here’s what a graph comparing lighting & ventilation power consumption for HWE to dry Powder cleaning over 100,000 sq ft would probably look like:

As you can see it is significantly different to a graph comparing the power consumption of the machines used. The article also included the power consumption of drying fans. In the case of HWE done by properly trained technicians, drying time would be minimal, but if it were necessary fans can run with the lights turned off!

Finally, let’s not forget that dry powder cleaning, whilst a useful process, is classed under AS/NZ:3733:1995 section 5.4 SURFACE CLEANING, as an interim maintenance process , and, according to the standard, ‘Hot water Injection and extraction cleaning is recommended following no more than three repeated applications of an absorbent compound to ensure that the pile is rinsed free of powder residues and deep seated soil and pollutants…’.

It is easy for a marketer to ‘wash’ a product or a technique to appear better than others and justify the conclusions with facts and figures. As cleaning managers, we need to look carefully at the information provided by manufacturers with vested interests to ensure that any claims for cleaning methodologies are based on data that is factual and relevant to your situation. n

brian Clark is the principal of Janitech Australasia, which provides training, consultancy and management coaching services to the cleaning industry. www.cleaningconsultant.com.au. 0404 944615

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5

Dry powder

HWE

Power consumption AC & LightingHWE Vs Dry Powder Cleaning

Dry powder HWE


Congratulations…you have invested in your property and completed a full Refurbishment, whew! Now lets think about a plan for the future. Undergoing a full refurbishment unfortunately does not mean that it will last forever, however if you have selected wisely in commercial products then it should go the distance. In order to achieve this it is important to put in place a regular Maintenance and Refurbishment plan.

When a Maintenance or refurbishment plan is NoT adopted, eventually

the general standard of the property lowers which in turn lowers your rack rate, occupancy and return guest. This of course then makes it harder to make money and will effect your yield, and the snow ball effect continues until eventually you no longer have the money, but more importantly the trade to invest in your property. if you keep the standard high and maintain as you go you will be rewarded from your investment.

Refurbishment Plan – Post Refurb Care By AMANdA beAZleY

Managing Director and Designer, John Beazley & Co Pty Ltd Hotel/Motel Fitout Specialists www.johnbeazley.com.au

So how long should you expect your products to last?, To give you a basic idea; count on about 3-5 years for soft furnishings such as bedding and upholstery, 6-7 years for beds, carpet and curtains and then you will need to do another full refurb in 10-12 years, including furniture. This does not mean that you have not replaced incidentals and done basic maintenance along the way, this is also essential.

Tips on how to get the most from your refurbishment!

Invest wisely initially using a reputable •Commercial Fitout Company and use Commercial products

Put a plan in place for Maintenance •and Refurbishment, set aside a budget, allocate money and commit to it.

When choosing new products to add to •your rooms in the future “Maintenance Programme”, use products of equal or better quality

Select fabrics and colours that will •work with your design now and have longevity for the future.

Look after your products by fixing or •replacing when damaged, care for them correctly and you will get the most out of them.

Keep the Quality, be Consistent and Cohesive!Unfortunately we see this time and time again; owners and managers replace a bedspread with a lesser quality that was

originally fitted, without the consultation of a Designer and they are not Commercial, pieces of furniture are bought separately and randomly placed in rooms around the property, a light fitting breaks and is replaced with one that does not match at all with the others in the room, a sofa is ruined by a guest and it is replaced with a domestic product and so on and on....

Now can you imagine what the rooms end up looking like? They are basically a mismatch of different types of furniture pieces, not all being of commercial quality, which causes them to wear differently; a domestic product will wear or break a lot faster than a commercial product. The entire feel of the room will be affected by the use of different finishes and colours that may suit the person that chose them but will not necessarily work for an accommodation property, it’s market or location and will not likely work when put together.

It is frustrating for us as professionals to see this type of “quick fix” as it will cause more damage than good to the property and make our job harder and more costly when Refurb time rolls around again. Also, when this happens the whole level of the property is affected, there is no cohesive design and no feel of “quality” products; this is when a lot of properties get in trouble and eagerly try to retain their star rating. Point by point, the ratings assessor will be marking down a property due to these irregularities and inconsistencies. Properties then drop their ratings and tough calls need be made on the overall investment. >


< Love it when a plan comes together!To avoid these issues…introduce a regular Maintenance and Refurbishment Plan. Allocating funds during budget planning each year on what is coming up for replacement, look back on when you invested and refer back to the 3-5, 6-7 and 10-12 year replacement requirements. Also include what you believe is looking dated, tired or worn. It is important to remember that your rooms are only as good as the worst item in them.

An effective Maintenance Plan will involve a regular check of products in the rooms by the Head Housekeeper, Manager or owner, if there is a hole, scratch or burn, something is missing or something is loose, fix or replace it straight away, always buy COMMERCIAL products, these will last longer and will keep better. Buying a domestic product is false economy; if you have done this then you would know its true, cheap at the start but expensive to replace or fix time and time again.

Education is the key!Educating Housekeepers and staff on your Maintenance Plan is also important; every fit out or refurbishment company should include a Maintenance Manual as part of their service. It will assist you with keeping your rooms looking their best. It will include how to care for your products and in particular fabrics. Where to go to replace them and details on specific cleaning instructions. Many a Bedspread has been cleaned at a temperature that is too hot, melting a squashing the fill so you end up with 2mm thick spreads. This can be avoided if your housekeepers and laundry have clear instructions and are educated on the ‘how and when’ to clean. Housekeepers should be encouraged and commended for reporting these inconsistencies as they are noticed, after all they are the ones that see the rooms on a daily basis.

Colour and products for the future of your rooms!Most importantly when choosing colour schemes or product for your Maintenance Programme, leave it to the professionals, advise should not cost you, and take advantage of their wealth of knowledge to ensure every cent you invest makes a difference. It is not as easy as it may seem to take an existing room and colour scheme and introduce

a new product without it looking ‘out of place’. Take bedding for example (as it is usually the first item that needs replacing), a new bed cover should work with the existing colour palette used in carpet, curtains and also upholstery. If designed well initially then it should be achievable. The new item should look like it was considered as part of the overall theme, not like an after-thought. In fact it should not even be noticed by itself, it should work cohesively with the remainder of the design and colour scheme. Once again professional advice is helpful and even if you are only purchasing bedspreads this advice should be made available to you.

Industry professionals should also be in tune and keep up to date with AAAT Guidelines. With changes to the guidelines for certain categories taking place, the advise of professionals is even more crucial, especially considering the importance placed on décor and quality of items. Buying Commercial should not necessarily cost you more and you will ensure you will end up with the correct product in the right application. n

SUMMARY OF POINTERSPlan ahead according to your refurbishment cycles•

Put in place a procedure to check the state and quality of •products and rooms

Leave the designing to the Designers •

ALWAYS BUY COMMERCIAL QUALITY PRODUCTS•

Educate all Housekeepers in the reporting and •maintenance of rooms and products

Follow product care instructions •

Get advise from Specialists in the industry•

Check references and past work from “Specialists” in •the industry


Many companies are finding out why some flooring installations fail and cost

thousands of dollars to tear out and replace. Flooring, no doubt, is one of your biggest capital investments. With increasingly sophisticated methods and tools now available for recognizing and addressing vapor emission and moisture problems, there is an ever-growing awareness of these “down-up” problems of moisture in construction and related industries. The result is that owners and contractors increasingly assume that these “must” be the cause of tile, stone, and VCT failures.

However, there are other widespread causes of hard-surface flooring failures that are little understood, therefore often overlooked. These are the “up-down” (moisture flow direction) problems that are fortunately quite easy and relatively inexpensive to solve by proper protection of the surface at the time of installation, and proper maintenance on an ongoing basis.

Addressing the “up-down” moisture problems at any time in the life of a floor can often also prevent premature floor failures. Ignoring this possible cause of floor failures is not the best way to handle your investments. Also, just hoping to find that right products to use can be a challenge.

Consider that any seamed, grouted, or damaged floor is subject to various types of contamination seeping through junctures to the base substrate. Soap and detergent

Protecting Your Capital Investment By Preventing Floor FailuresBy sTAN ZiMMer

residues, stripping and cleaning agents, oils, salts, and acids can all create conditions for the lifting and buckling of hard-surface floors.

Many common cleaners use a variety of inexpensive compounds that make the products appear to be highly effective, but these compounds can cause severe damage to the flooring adhesive or to the base substrate when they seep into junctures. This is especially true for the popular new low-vac trowel adhesives that all become brittle and are easily broken down by these chemistries:

Popular • citrus-based cleaners contain a product called d-Limonene,

a petroleum-related product that over time will break down adhesives and concrete. (Just soak either in petroleum and it will eventually turn to mush).

Acidic cleaners• that flow through junctures will slowly create an environment that when rewetted can cause concrete and all cementitious products to powder. This powder layer will eventually “lift” as it becomes less and less homogeneous to the substrate.

high ph strippers• (especially those with high amounts of potassium or sodium phosphates) and/or dirty water

that seeps in and remains trapped under the flooring material •can wreak havoc. Spaces below the flooring (and especially spaces between the rubber backing of small bathroom tiles) are ideal sites for mold growth from these contaminates. As mold takes hold and begins to grow, it takes up increasing amounts of space and starts the process of delamination. While many antimicrobial products are helpful, all have a short effective life, and any interruption in treatments will allow mold growth to restart.

Preventing penetration of adverse chemistries into junctures, along with the use of non-damaging, advanced-technology cleaners and strippers can prevent failures of new installations and stop deterioration of existing installations.

The use of cleansers that can actually “float” the contamination “up and out” is important. The vast majority only break “down” the contamination-and “down” is the wrong direction! The chemistries must not be harsh to even sensitive substrates, like polished marble. The cleaning chemistry with this kind of floating action will make it easier to keep the floor grout looking clean and free of germs. Clean floor grouting can also help the guest feel assured that their floor is really clean. (They may ask management what kind of product they are using so they can clean their floors as well as the hotels!)

It is important that the products can clean well without the use of harmful detergents or too high or low pH. Citrus cleaners also leave a sticky residue that can actually hasten re-soiling. Any residue left on the floor after cleaning can, and often does, provide a slip hazard when the floor becomes wet again. Avoiding residues to prevent slip and fall incidents will save the hotel from potential lawsuits due to such accidents. This is even more important when caring for tile around the pool areas. “Slippery when wet” signs may not help you when they discover that the reason for additional slickness was the cleaner being used by the hotel! The most important place where cleaning chemistry can be helpful in protecting the capital investment is around the pool area, and not just in preventing slip/fall incidents.

Chlorine is the most popular choice of pool disinfection. This can be problematic for a ceramic tile-clad pool assembly and walkway. Chlorine is also known as hypochlorous acid; and acidic chemicals can deteriorate cement-based materials used to adhere and grout ceramic tile. Having a neutral-based cleanser with a FDA-approved anti-microbial like Vantocil lB, with its ability to also breakdown oils and then float them to the surface, will go a long way in keeping the pool area tile free from premature failure. The cleanser should also be salt-free so as not to add more salts to the floor that could seep in through the junctures of the tile and grouting. The key to keeping the pool chemistry working is to keep the water clean and by keeping the pool deck free of body oils and other contaminations. This will help make the pool keeper’s job easier.

There are also swimming pool source water concerns to contend with as well. Portland cement-based materials can be affected from water too high in sulfate. Levels above 300 ppm are potentially aggressive to cement-based materials. lf sodium bisulfate (dry acid) is added for pH correction, pool water sulfate levels are likely to be closer to 500 ppm. Sulfate levels in sodium hypochlorite disinfection systems will be even greater than calcium hypochlorite systems.

Again, the thought of having a cleaner that is neutral pH and can help float extra salts up and out of the tile and grouting can be key to preserving floors. I may sound like a broken record, but few cleansers can actually capture the oils and dirt and then float them up so the mop can take them away. It would be adding insult to injury if the cleanser to clean the pool area is one that uses a potentially-damaging chemistries! n

Stan Zimmer is the owner of Water & Salt Consulting, www.wellnesswaterandsalt.com


Microbes are tiny organisms that live everywhere – in and on the air, soil, water,

plants, animals –even us! And most people, especially those who clean, are familiar with antimicrobial products designed to destroy bacteria and germs – i.e., harmful microbes-such as those often connected with flus, disease, and epidemics. Yet, not all bugs are bad.

“Good” (safe) microbes feed on organic contaminants, digesting them and producing enzymes that further degrade the organics (oils, grease, food debris, body waste, and other carbon-based soils) which, in turn, make them even easier for the microbes to digest. This cyclical process continues for as long as favourable conditions, such as moisture and a food supply, exist. If the moisture evaporates and the food source dries up, the microbes go dormant until they are called back into action by water or organic spills.

Good Bugs Eat DirtBy AlleN rATheY

Lois Davis is marketing manager for Novozymes Biologicals Inc., a technology company that works with supply companies to develop microbial products for industry. As such, she is used to explaining what microbials are and how they work in easy-to-understand terms.

“Most people understand enzymes and how they work to break down organics,” Davis says. ‘’What we do is work with the actual microbes to produce these enzymes on site. They are like an intelligent, efficient system that, once activated, can detect the organics present, then produce the enzyme necessary to degrade them.”

This degradation process is ongoing. So, unlike ordinary cleaners that are applied and removed –leaving surfaces immediately susceptible to new and overlooked bacteria – the microbes linger in the surface’s pores, continuing to multiply and out-compete the bad bugs by robbing them of their food source. Better still, these effects are cumulative, which means longer-lasting results and easier subsequent cleaning.

Microbes are definitely efficient cleaners. But alone, their digestion process cannot keep pace with today’s relentless rate of soil build-up. To speed up the digestion process, non-toxic, biodegradable surfactants, emulsifiers, and cleaning chemicals are used as carriers. In addition to providing immediate cleaning capability, these additives accelerate the breakdown of organics and the reproduction of the good microbes.

Of course, like stains and spills themselves, not all microbes are alike. Their environments and food preferences vary.

“Microbes are taken from the natural environment, often sites of contamination where they have developed mechanisms to survive,” Davis says. “For example, you might

look in areas contaminated by hydrocarbons or grease to isolate microbes that break down these compounds.”

Once the specific microbes are found, they are blended for maximum cleaning efficiency.

“Microbial products include a range of microbes,” Davis explains. “For instance, there is a different mix for grease, for floors, for bathrooms, etc. The products for the different areas are formulated based on the organics that can be expected to be encountered.” As you might imagine, pairing microbes and enzymes with the multitudes of organics found in today’s world is no easy task, and one that occupies research teams employed worldwide. The complexity of the task also explains industry’s jubilation over such research triumphs as when the right mix of enzymes capable of digesting diverse organics in a cold-wash water environment was discovered for use in laundry detergent.

Uses Today, scientists have perfected microbial formulations for cleaning use in three general areas:

grease control: • Drains, grease traps, kitchen floors and surfaces, garage floors-anywhere grease, fats, and oils are present.

Cleaning and odour control: •Areas where effective long-term cleaning and odour maintenance and prevention are required, including floors, surfaces, carpets, bathroom fixtures, and trash cans-to name but a few.

Wastewater cleanup and water •clarification: Water and drain lines for sinks and septic systems, as well as clarification of aquariums, ponds, and other bodies of water.

Most people, especially those who clean, are familiar with antimicrobial products designed to destroy bacteria and germs – ie. harmful microbes – such as those often connected with flus, disease and epidemics. Yet, not all bugs are bad.


While all the scientific data and the areas of usefulness may sound impressive, the question remains: What makes microbial products better than other cleaners used in these areas? Or, in real-world terms, what are the tangible benefits?

Probably the best way to answer this is to examine how the advantages of microbial products apply to some of today’s top cleaning challenges.

Green, Mean, and Lean

As the focus on cleaning’s impact – both positive and negative – on human and environmental health intensifies, retailers are under increasing pressure from their customers to provide safer, less toxic, biodegradable cleaning options. Yet, while consumers may talk “Green,” many fear making the shift to environmentally- preferable products, citing ineffectual formulas that leave people spending more time to produce inferior cleaning results. And, in fairness, many of their concerns are legitimately rooted in the often poor performance of environmentally-friendly products of the past. But the past is mostly just that – past.

Microbial products usher in a whole new generation of Green products. They aren’t just safer; they also work. “Microbial products are a very safe, environmentally-friendly technology that often eliminates the need for toxic chemicals altogether,” says Davis. “They usually work with chemicals that are safer and less harsh - those accepted by most Green certification standards, such as Ecologo, Green Seal, and DfE. But they also provide greater efficacy. As we like to say, ‘They put the mean in Green.’”

How mean? Consider that the United Kingdom recently unleashed millions of the tiny organisms to break down radiation and clean the walls and surfaces of nuclear power plants that, too toxic for even highly-trained hazardous material teams to tackle, traditionally have been filled in with cement or simply abandoned. Meanwhile, researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota are successfully “training” good microbes to eat diseased cells before they can multiply to combat some of the most deadly human diseases, including many forms of cancer. Just imagine what these little germs do when they are let loose in your drains, floors, grout, and carpeting!

Besides reducing human exposure to harsh chemicals, microbial products offer other safety advantages. For example, microbial floor care products have long been considered the “secret weapon” for reducing slips and falls and other accidents-and their potential litigation- especially in such sectors as foodservice facilities that are prone to dangerous grease films and build-up. Meanwhile, moisture- loving microbes are especially effective in carpet care, helping break down organics that support the incidence of moulds, allergens, and other illness-causing bacteria. In fact, some leading carpet manufacturers incorporate them right into the carpet’s backing!

Cost SavingsJust as they dispel the myth that environmentally – preferable products are inherently less efficient than their harsher, more toxic counterparts, microbial formulations turn the theory that Green means more expensive on its proverbial head.

For starters, most of these products are competitively priced. Add residual effects that produce longer-lasting results, make subsequent cleaning easier, and require less product use to an extremely long shelf-life, and microbial products prove a far better economic choice compared to shorter-term, less efficient, but equally priced cleaners. And because they often can be used at lower temperatures than other cleaners, microbial products also can lower energy costs.

This said, below are some specific examples of how microbial products can save time and money in key areas:

bathrooms:• Bacteria-eating microbes not only degrade organics on contact, but also, by penetrating into the pores of even hard surfaces, keep working to eliminate residual organics-and their telltale odours.

Floor care: • Countless formulas are made to clean floors, but microbes alone continue to digest grease, spills, and other organics left behind in damp pores, corners, and crevices, leaving floors deep cleaned for easier ongoing maintenance, less slippery, and odour-free.

Carpet care: • Moisture loving microbial products excel at penetrating carpeting,

including its backing and the pores of its subsurface, where traditional carpet cleaners can’t-or don’t have time-to reach. In fact, so effective are these microbes at degrading spills, allergens, and other organics in carpet that most cleaning suppliers recommend and carry microbial-containing products – whether they realize it or not!

Waste receptacles:• Microbial products are a favourite with foodservice, healthcare, and other sectors where unhealthy bacteria and unpleasant odours emanating from Dumpsters, trash cans, and other waste receptacles can jeopardize health-and business.

drain lines: • With repeated use in drains and septic lines, good microbes colonize, driving out bacteria that create clogs and odours and replacing them with a thinner, more active biofilm that continues to degrade organic contaminants. This helps lines remain free-flowing and can even help prevent slow-moving drains from becoming fully clogged catastrophes, thus lessening the need for costly emergency service and repairs.

septic systems: • Used in water treatment for decades, microbes help break down solids and soluble organics, helping to control odours and extend the life of drain fields, as well as clean the water itself.

Often referred to as “nature’s only approved cleaning system,” microbes have been cleaning the world since life began. (“Without them, we’d all be up to our armpits in leaves,” Davis says with a laugh.) And they have been used in wastewater treatment and soil remediation for nearly a half century. Yet, it is relatively recent that these microscopic mouths began munching their way into the hearts – and grease and organics – of the cleaning world. n

A 25-year veteran of the cleaning industry, Allen Rathey is the President of The Housekeeping Channel® and The Healthy House Institute. He may be reached at [email protected].

Reprinted with kind permission from Executive Housekeeping Today, the official journal of the IEHA.


At this critical

time in the economy, businesses need to start preparing for the upturn. it’s time to start planning to recruit

new staff to avoid the ‘war for talent’ and also to be prepared for increased demand of your products and services.

Finding the right recruiter to help you sort your way through job applications is a cost effective and logical solution for all businesses.

An outsourced recruitment agency will assign a consultant to find the right person for your organisation, freeing up your valuable time to concentrate on what you do best - your core business activities, whatever they may be.

Here are seven tips to help you find the right recruiter:

1. get to know the agency – spend some time with the consultant who will be working for you to ensure they understand your individual needs, the industry in which you operate and the role you need filled. It’s also imperative that the consultant knows exactly what you need in an employee, including interpersonal skills, education level and salary expectations. The most important information that is needed cannot be found on a website, it is the culture and environment of your business that makes

Choosing the Right RecruiterBy ToTAl reCruiTMeNT

the difference with finding the “right fit”. It is a waste of your time and money if the candidates the agency sends to you are completely wrong for your business.

2. Check the agency’s first impression – it is a common phrase, but we all know first impressions count. Look at how quickly the agency responds to email and telephone enquiries and the language and manner used by the agency staff. How do the agency staff dress and are they punctual and reliable? Assess how this reflects on your business because, after all, this will be your prospective employee’s first introduction to your organisation.

3. research the agency – find out whether the agency is a member of the relevant industry bodies, such as the Recruitment and Consulting Services Association (RSCA) or Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) and, if applicable, your sector’s association. Read the agency mission statement, vision and values on their website or in their office to ensure they align with your business ideals.

4. how does the agency recruit? It is in your best interests for the agency you choose to have the best candidates for your industry on its books. This goes further than just advertising your position, some recruiters will utilise innovative methods to go further than the “norm” and could include representation at industry networking events so they know what is happening in your industry.

5. What recruitment methods does the agency use? Ask how consultants select candidates before they are sent to their client. Do they just interview the candidates, check references or ask them to complete skills and values tests? Also find out whether these services cost you more, or are included in your fee.

6. do your own reference check – often agencies have testimonials on their websites, or in their marketing materials. Ask for the contact details of clients in your industry so you can see how the agency really operates.

7. good value – get a full run-down of all expected and potential costs so you know exactly what you will be up for. Itemised lists are also helpful for you in evaluating whether you are getting good value for money from the agency.

A good recruiter will listen to your needs, devise an individual recruitment plan and interview appropriate candidates on your behalf to ensure the ideal candidate is found. When choosing a recruiter it is important to remember that while the services do cost money, it saves you time, which every business person knows has dollar value. n

The Total Recruitment Group is one of the fastest growing privately owned employment agencies in Australia, offering recruitment, labour hire and human resource solutions. It specialises in the provision of temporary and permanent employees across the IT, executive and office, financial services, healthcare, government, hospitality, industrial and trades, manufacturing, warehousing, engineering (civil and rail) and mining sectors.


Most recruiting suffers from two major problems:

1. limited analysis of benefits. Recruitment starts with asking some necessary but tough questions. First is “Why would someone want to work here rather than somewhere else”? If your answer is “we pay better”, that won’t be enough. Money will attract people to a job, but it won’t keep them for long.

Everyone comes to work for psychological rewards. These include the feeling of making a difference, working with pleasant, like minded people, feeling appreciated for their efforts, and being part of a productive team. Of course there are the practical factors such as flexible hours, fair pay and working near home.

To attract high quality applicants you must be able to respond to the unspoken question: “What’s in it for me to work with them”? This must be honest. It can only be described by you, and describe it you must.

Attracting Quality ApplicantsBy dr. keN bYrNe

2. Fishing in the Wrong Pond. Suppose you want to catch trout. Your chances of success increase if you fish in a big pond that has lots of trout instead of say, a small pond full of guppies. So too with recruiting. Where are the people who are likely to want to work for you? How likely is it that they are reading a small two line want ad, or checking out the Internet? Sure, some might be, but is that the only pond you want to fish in?

Here are some practical ideas that have proven useful in letting people know about your opportunity. (If you don’t really believe it’s an opportunity, re-read #1 above.)

The shopping Mall. If lots of potentially high quality people are at the mall on Saturday, why not go there? Set up a small stand, and staff it with some of your most enthusiastic people. Some large photos and signage won’t cost much, and can be used repeatedly. Lots of people may pass you by, but a lot will stop for a chat.

develop A recruitment Culture. This means that everyone in the organization, from the top down, sees it as part of their job to be on the look out for good people. This is ongoing regardless of whether you’re actively hiring or not. Ask potential applicants if their details can be added to your confidential “Talent File”. Few will refuse. When openings occur, start your recruitment there. Remember though, all applicants have to complete the (hopefully rigorous) screening process.

good Performers Who have left. People leave for a variety of reasons, and circumstances can change. Keep track of them. Often a phone call some months (or years) down the track can have surprising results. They may even have thought of returning, but felt too shy to ask.

As our

economy

moves closer

to crisis, it may

seem easier to

attract more

applicants.

Despite this, we don’t necessarily

want more people. We want more

of the right people. There’s a big

difference.

develop relationships With Training Facilities. These people want to help their graduates get jobs. If you develop the right relationship, your agency can become the first “port of call” at graduation time.

Create Your own internship. Many programs require students to have some “real world” experience. Providing training usually means some supervision in return for temporary labour. This gives you a chance to identify future talent.

use the Media Creatively. Contact the local radio stations and community newspapers. Invite them to do a story on your facility. You need a snappy topic. Something like “The Rewards of Caring” or “A Job with Real Meaning” should work. Ask them to bring a photographer and have staff available who can talk passionately about their job.

using the economic downturn. Unfortunately, many people will become unemployed. That means that a lot of hard working, loyal people with life experience on their side will be looking for jobs. Many of them might have never thought of working in Aged Care. Contact the company and offer to send over information about your openings. Even better, ask to come and make a brief presentation.

Attracting the best people first means that you can describe how your job will satisfy their psychological needs. The next step is to spread the message in all the places where the best people are now. n

Dr. Ken Byrne is an expert is evaluating job applicants, especially for the aged care and public safety sectors. He is the Director of SAFESELECT.

Email: [email protected]

www.safeselect.net.au

good beds are good for business – and sleepmaker remain Australia’s largest provider of a good night’s sleep to

Australian and international travellers.

Sleepmaker is an iconic bedding manufacturer supplying beds to Australians for 77 years. Sleepmaker are licensed to manufacture global bedding specifications for Simmons, Dunlopillo and Seta using state-of-the-art technology, ensuring this Aussie icon is the best option when selecting beds and bedding for your property.

Sleepmaker are part of the Pacific Brands Commercial Group, embracing Tontine, Sheridan, Actil and Dunlop Flexible Foams.They are the preferred supplier to Accor Hospitality who manage the hotel brands Sofitel, Novotel, Mercure, Ibis, Formule1 and Pullman – the latest in premium corporate accommodation.

Sleepmaker is also the supplier of choice to Shangri La, Westin Hotels, Hyatt Hotels, Hilton Australasia, Toga Medina and Choice Hotels Australasia.

Travellers the world over have a common need when away from home, they seek a good night’s sleep.

Having a good nights sleep is very important when deciding in which hotel to stay the night, a rested happy guest will return year after year to sleep on a great bed.

When selecting the right beds for your property consider the important elements of a good bed – how can you save on your bedding investment?

> Purchase quality bedding as it will cost you less in the long run

> Ask about comfort layers – the comfort layer makes all the difference

> Consider adding healthcare fabric to prevent soiling of the mattress

> Ask about the mattress coil count – the coils are the engine of the mattress

> Enquire about edge support – best when integrated with the mattress manufacture

> Enquire about Zip or Velcro-lok mattresses

> Ask about Easy Care option with ‘no turn’ features

> Ask if the foams are Ultrafresh treated to eliminate mould and mildew

> Make sure the fabric is Fire Retardant

Why choose sleepmaker?• Welistentowhatyouwant.

• Weasklotsofquestions.

• Wediscussalloptionswithyou.

• Wepricewhathasbeenaskedfor,anddeliverwhat has been priced.

• Yourpeaceofmindisourpriority.

• Wecanprovidebeddingaccessoriesin fibre or feather and down.

Sleepmaker provide the convienience of a sales team and manufacturing facilities in every state.

To speak with your local representative please call:

National Paul Hobbs 0412 552 538

NSW Steven Jovanovski 0412 734 206 Claudette Loos 02 9821 7451

Queensland Greg Galletely 0411 094 855

Victoria Mishael Owen 0423 783 536

WA Tom Power Craig 0421 097 256

SA Robert Crawford 0412 106 288

Tasmania Phil Clarke 0412 344 882

lives up to its name


as we have at present is that they have high fixed costs and low variable costs resulting in a high contribution margin (Powers, 1997). This characteristic is great when the market is growing as every extra dollar above breakeven produces a high percentage of profit because of the low variable cost. However, in times of declining markets the reverse is true. The maximization of room sales, therefore, is important to the profitability of a hotel or motel. This has resulted in a lot of research and development in the area of yield management; selling the right capacity to the right customer at the right price (Smith, Leimkubler, & Darrow, 1992). Yield

Weekend Accommodation– the challenge in times of economic turmoilBy dr. TiM loCkYer Department of Tourism Management, The University of Waikato

management involves adjusting room rates to temper demand fluctuations between peak and off-peak seasons, midweek and weekend business. It is often suggested that yield management can improve the financial performance and service provision of hotels by basing decisions on the acceptability of the product and the propensity of the guest to spend. In a period where there is low demand, an extended range of deals may be offered (Jauncy, Mitchell, and Slamet, 1995). This researcher, however, believes that great care needs to be taken when looking at changing room rates to attract additional guess, as experience indicates that this can often result in an overall decline in the whole market. For example research conducted recently by a student found that in real terms many motels and hotels are charging less than they did five years ago, taking into account inflation increases in salaries and wages etc and so aalthough there are positive attributes to yield management there are also a number of negatives, relating to customer perceptions (Huyton, Evans, & Ingold 1997). In addition, as discussed by Powers (1997) accommodation providers need to recognise that there could be long-term impacts on the hotel’s rate structure and image with the guest.

Within the accommodation industry there are a large number of accommodation providers that are placed so they attract numbers of business guests; although there are not as many business guests as there are tourists, business guests are deemed to be the most frequent users (Wearne and

T imes are hard for hotels and motels! Not only is there a world recession which is

changing the way in which businesses operate, the amount of disposable income for potential tourists is diminished and lurking on the horizon is swine flu’ and other nasties with global impacts. Within this trying environment hotels and hotels are constantly challenged by the possibility of declining occupancy and average room rates.

An important characteristic of hotels and motels which does not help in times such


Morrison, 1996). As a result of the importance of this group to hotels and motels a number of recent research projects (Lockyer, 2000; Lockyer 2002) have been undertaken to identify the most desired characteristics in accommodation as illustrated in Table 1. Other research, such as the 2002 National Business Travel Monitor, identified that the three most important attributes sought by business travellers in lodging accommodation are clean, well-maintained rooms, friendly and efficient service, and a safe place to stay (Yesawich, 2002).

In many business-type hotels the number of occupied rooms from Monday to Thursday nights is much higher than for Friday-Sunday (Lomanno, 1998, Lomanno, 1999) and a number of incentives have been used to increase occupancy rates, for example Table 2 illustrates the difference in price charged for the same room.

A number of ways of encouraging more guests to stay during the Friday-Sunday period (Kaven & Allardyce, 1994) have often targeted the leisure/pleasure markets in the weekend (Sogar and Jones, 1993). Wearne and Morrison (1996) classify this leisure/pleasure market into some typical segments that include people visiting friends or relatives (VFR market), honeymoon couples and lovers, pleasure seekers who want to meet someone, play sport, take part in special events or enjoy the night life, and couples on holiday with a planned itinerary. Weekend rates are discounted offers designed to attract people to stay on over a weekend or to attract local people to indulge themselves (Wearne and Morrison, 1996).

To avoid customers always expecting a promotion or special deal it is important not to plan too many and target them very carefully (Munger and Grewal, 2001). Hotels which attempt to increase

their market share by discounting prices run the risk of negative impacts on the profitability of the hotel in the medium and long-term (Kandampully and Suhartanto, 2000).

Another way to increase occupancy is direct mail, a form of promotion “used to generate new customers, maintain the loyalty of existing customers and renew the interest of lapsed customers” (Mawson, 2000, p 100). Some hotels use a direct mail newsletter featuring items about staff, specials and promotional events (Powers, 1997). Wearne and Morrison (1996) believe newsletters must contain items that the receivers are interested in otherwise they serve no greater purpose than that of a brochure. However Wearne and Morrison (1996), claim that newsletters do work well when used in conjunction with “enclosures about special offers and appealing new developments” (p 288). Powers (1997) outlines that the cost per mailout is a shortcoming of direct mail initiatives. Another drawback is its junk mail image (Wearne and Morrison, 1996; Powers, 1997). However the junk mail image can be overcome by “personalisation or by conferring an ‘insider’s’ feel in a newsletter” (Powers, 1997, p 345) where the recipient relates to and receives value from the newsletter.

To gain competitive advantage, Kandampully and Suhartanto, (2000) suggest there are two strategies most commonly used by hotel managers: “low cost leadership through price discounting and developing customer loyalty by providing unique benefits to customers.” (p 346). Competition in the hospitality industry is intense, and it is evident customers seek accommodation that offers best value for money, although McIlroy and Barnett (2000) argue cost is only one factor that influences choice. “Recommendations, positive past experiences and a close relationship” can all lead to guests

returning and remaining loyal (McIlroy and Barnett, 2000, p 347). Kandampully and Suhartanto (2000), define a loyal customer as “a customer who repurchases from the same service provider whenever possible, and who continues to recommend or maintains a positive attitude towards the service provider” (2000, p 346). Customer loyalty is of particular importance to the hotel sector as the hotel industry matures and the intense competition increases (Bowen and Shoemaker, 1998). Kandumpully and Suhartanto (2000) show that customer

satisfaction and service quality are prerequisites for loyalty. “Although keeping customers satisfied is important, loyal customers are more valuable than satisfied customers. A satisfied customer who does not return and spreads no word of mouth has no net present value to the company” (Bowen and Shoemaker, 1998). A study by Kandampully and Suhartanto (2000) indicated that hotel image and satisfaction with housekeeping are the most important factors examined by guests in their decision to “repurchase, recommend and exhibit loyalty” (p 350).

There is a positive relationship between customer loyalty and profitability. Bowen and Shoemaker (1998) show that the even small increases in loyal customers can result in a large increase in profitability. Reicheld and Sasser (1990) found when a business retains just 5 percent more of its customers, profits increase from 25


percent to 125 percent. Loyal customers are less likely to be price sensitive and therefore impact on profitability (Bowen and Shoemaker, 1998).

How this Research was Carried OutIn order to determine those factors that would encourage higher occupancy during the weekend periods, a questionnaire was developed after reviewing remarks from 220 guest comment cards previously completed by guests in a hotel with a high level of business occupancy during weekdays and low occupancy Friday through Saturday. The questionnaire contained three main parts, the first enquiring about the respondents’ use of accommodation, the number of times staying at the specific accommodation, and a two-part open question asking why they would return to stay at the accommodation, or why they would not.

The second section of the questionnaire contained 34 statements and the participants were asked to rank them 1 = Extremely Unimportant to 7 Extremely Important in the selection of accommodation to spend a weekend away. This contained items such as “Close to attraction”, “The size of the unit/room” and “Fresh

muffins on arrival”. The respondents were also asked in the form of an open question if they had any other comments, or items that had been forgotten. The final part of this section asked “What things are important when selecting a weekend away”?

The last part of the survey asked demographic information including age, household income, number of children etc.

Eight hundred surveys were sent out. The choice of persons to whom the survey was sent was derived from the accommodation provider’s electronic data base. This was an extensive data base and every third name was selected until the desired survey size of 800 was met. Where an entry was clearly incorrect the next following record was used.

Results of the SurveyOf the 800 surveys that were sent out to named recipients, seven came back undeliverable, and there were five that were not usable because large sections had not been completed. This resulted in 375 (46.9 percent) usable responses. As is evident from Table 3 males represented 59.2 percent of the respondents. The ages between 31-40 (24.9 percent) 41-50 (31.0 percent) and 51-60 (25.1 percent) had the highest representation in the respondents, with similar percentages from each group. With reference to income, again there was a lot of consistency in the number of respondents from $40,000 up to those over $100,000 with each category in the low twenty percentile. The largest number of respondents (65.1 percent) had no children under 16 living at home, and 74.4 percent of respondents were married.

Table 5 lists the results of the main part of the survey (the 34 Likert-style questions mentioned earlier) showing factors by descending mean. As is illustrated the item with the highest mean was ‘Bathroom Facilities’ (mean 6.31, Very Important) with ‘Comfortable bed’ (mean 6.31, Very Important) receiving the same score. These were followed by ‘Friendly staff ’ (mean 6.11, Very Important) and ‘Security’ (mean 6.04, Very Important). Of particular note is that the first instance of a reference to price is in eighth position: ‘Discount if you stay more than one night’ (mean 5.69, Important) and item nine ‘Discount for returning guests’ (mean 5.64, Important). The four items with the lowest mean scores were, ‘In room dinner’ (mean 3.95, Unimportant), ‘A bottle of wine in room’ (mean 3.46, Unimportant), ‘Fresh muffins on arrival’ (mean 3.46, Unimportant) and ‘Babysitting/Childminding’ (mean 2.70, Very Unimportant).

The data were analysed to see if demographics of the survey participants had an impact on the questions from Table 5. Results showed that ‘Quietness and Privacy’ is more important to those with an income greater than $100,000 per year than others in the survey. Also this same group with an income over $100,000 indicated that ‘Close to restaurants and other night time activities’ along with an ‘Internet/email connection point’ was also statistically more important than other salary ranges. The last difference by income again related to those earning more than $100,000 where the choice between ‘Full cream or trim milk’ was less important than other income groups.

The next analysis, again considered if there was any statistically significant difference by age. The first was in relation to an ‘In room


spa’ - all the participants 41-50 years, 51-60 years and 61-70 years indicated a lower level of importance than the younger participants. Participants aged 21-30 years indicated that ‘In room breakfast’ was statistically more important than other age groups, likewise this same age group also indicated that ‘In room dinner’ was more important than other age groups. In addition this age group indicated that ‘A late departure time’ was also more important than other age groups. The final difference related to ‘Babysitting/Childminding’ where the two oldest groups - 51-60 years and 61-70 years - indicated that it was less important than other age groups.

Marital status was next analysed. For participants who were single, the availability of ‘In-room cooking facilities’ was statistically less important than other groups. Both ‘Customer loyalty cards’ and ‘Discount for

returning guests’ were more important to partners. There were no other differences by marital status.

As it relates to the number of children there were no statistically significant differences.

Any differences by gender were investigated using Independent-sample t-test. This analysis revealed very few differences between males and females: the first, that ‘A bottle of wine in room’ was less important to males than to females, and the second that ‘A monthly newsletter outlining local events’ was less important to males than females.

The last part of the analysis involves the open question, where the respondents were asked “What things are important when selecting a weekend away”. The text from this question was entered into a word processor, saved as a “Text Only” file and then loaded into

CATPAC which is an artificial neural network program used to draw meaning from text.

CATPAC outputs a dendogram (Figure 1) which shows the strength and the relationship between words. There is a strong relationship between “Clean, Location, Comfortable, Friendly and Service”. This seems to indicate there is an importance that the accommodation is clean and comfortable, and that the location is important, that the staff need to be friendly and that the level of service is also important. The next strongest relationship was “Handy and Tidy”. The word “handy”, refers to the location of the establishment, ie close to shops and restaurants etc. The word “tidy” is referring back again to the cleanliness >


A review of some of the techniques that accommodation providers use seems to be dominated by the use of price as the main marketing tool, with some including a free bottle of wine or a meal etc.

What is of importance to management is that price related incentives are not the most important areas which attract a weekend guest. As is evident from Table 4 the factors that the participants indicated were headed by ‘Bathroom facilities’, ‘Comfortable bed’ and ‘Friendly staff ’. The first mention of discount was number eight on the list. This same pattern was evident from both Table 5 and Figure 1 which indicates that price is not the most important issue for people in the selection of weekend accommodation, and that the over-dominance of price in promotion is incorrect. This is also evident from the open question, where price or discount did not appear in the dendogram, but that again the quality of the room, location and the staff were the areas with the strongest relationships.

It is often said that the worst thing the hospitality industry did was to teach the guests to expect a discount. This research confirms that viewpoint. The long term impact of discounting can affect other properties that may join in a type of ‘price war’ which can make all properties less successful. n

ReferencesBowen J. and Shoemaker S., (1998). Loyalty: A strategic commitment. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 1(39), 12-25.

Huyton, J., Evans, P., & Ingold. (1997). The legal and moral issues surrounding the practise of yield management. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 9(2), 84-87.

Jauncy, S., Mitchell, I., and Slamet P., (1995). The meaning and management of yield in hotels. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 4(7), 23-27.

Kandampully and Suhartanto, 2000, Customer loyalty in the hotel industry: the role of customer satisfaction and image. International Journal Of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 6(12), 346-348.

Kaven, W.H., & Allardyce, M. (1994). Dalmahoy’s strategy for success. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 6(35), 86-90.

Lockyer, T. (2000). A New Zealand investigation into factors influencing consumers’ selection of business hotel accommodation. Australian Journal of hospitality Management. 7 (2), 11-24

Lockyer, T. (2002). Business guests’ accommodation selection: the view from both sides. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 14(6), 294-300.

Lomanno, M. V. (1998), Working for the weekend. Hotel and Motel Management, 20(213), 26-27.

Lomanno, M.V. (1999). Holiday lesson: Don’t put all eggs in one basket. Hotel and Motel Management, 6(214), 50-51.

Mawson, S. (2000). The fundamentals of hospitality marketing. London: Continuum.

McIlroy, A. and Barnett, S., (2000). Building customer relationships: do discount cards work? Managing Service Quality, 6(10), 347-355.

Munger, J., and Grewal, D., (2001). The effects of alternative price promotional methods on consumers’ product evaluations and purchase intentions. The Journal of Product and Brand Management. (185-197).

Powers, T. (1997). Marketing hospitality (2nd ed.). Canada: John Wiley and Sons Inc.

Reichheld, F., Sasser, W.E., 1990, “Zero defections: quality comes to services”, Harvard Business Review, 68, 105-11.

Smith, B.C., Leimkubler, J.F., & Darrow, R.M. (1992). Yield management at American Airlines. Interfaces, 22(1), 8-31.

Sogar, D.H., & Jones, M. H. (1993). Attracting business travellers to a resort. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 5(34). 43-47.

Wearne, N. & Morrison, A. (1996). Hospitality marketing. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann Ltd.

Yesawich, P. (2002, June). Guests’ preferences evolve, rest on fundamentals. Hotel and Motel Management, 10(217), 9-10.

of the establishment. The next strongest relationship is that of “Convenient, Town and Staff ”, once again this is emphasising location and the importance of the staff. Of particular note is that price or any discount was not included in the comments made by the survey participants, and that comments were centred on the room: its cleanliness, the location and the staff and their friendliness.

Discussion of Findings and Implications to Hospitality ManagementAs discussed in the introduction the maximum utilisation of the rooms in a hotel or motel is an important part of the profitability of an establishment. Because of the high fixed and low variable cost many establishments have used a variety of yield management approaches to increase occupancy, with the assumption that if the revenue covers the variable costs and contributes towards fixed costs then that is better than no sale at all. This research has been looking at one particular establishment, but as discussed the respondents are representative of the New Zealand population. Some accommodation providers, often because of their location, have high levels of business guest occupancy during the period from Monday to Thursday, but low occupancy over the weekend.

Weekend Accommodation– the challenge in times of economic turmoil


on premise laundries are still considered the most effective if they are well managed – When you outsource the linen operation, you are really at

the beck and call of the supply company. They do what suits them, not what suits you.” When undertaking his Masters in Aged Care Management a few years ago, he chose to look at the ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ of three different models of laundry operations: the internally staffed on-premise laundry (oPl); the oPl staffed by external contractors; and a totally outsourced linen model. Many industry and aged care interviews were undertaken which identified the many strengths and weaknesses of each model.

The best working systems were the two OPL models when good space consideration was given to including an area large enough for an on-site laundry. It has to allow suitable workflows and although the systems are easily implemented – good general laundry knowledge is essential.

“The laundry still needs to be run with staff in senior positions understanding the laundry operation and ensuring it is effective and that staff are not just employed to fill positions but are trained to a competent level. Co-operation between general housekeeping and linen staff is important for the best results to be achieved. It is reliant for cohesive systems to be put in place”. Often senior management have a reasonable knowledge of the laundry processes, others just close the door on the laundry and hope it works right. They are the ones who have the problems.”

Advantages of on-premise laundries

On site laundries provide the biggest advantage as they are more flexible. Urgent requests can be met immediately and costs contained within the facility. Special items such as curtains, mop heads, shower curtains, bedspreads without extra cost can also be cleaned at with ease. This model often provides better feedback about the laundry process too, because the laundry workers are based on-site and are ‘part of the team’.

However these benefits have the potential to cause problems as if they run without systems and are responding to requests – more pillow cases, more towels etc, it will run inefficiently. Selecting and managing staff can prove difficult as well.

“If there is not enough supervision or interest from management, an internal OPL can become a unit unto itself,” says Creek. “The key is that management has to be involved.”

An on premise laundry with contracted staff provides a facility with set costs than can be budgeted into the accounts. It allows some control as emergencies can be responded to easily. When an aged care is fully occupied, the costs then stay consistent – therefore staff can be employed knowing their schedules – however this may be different in hotels and will fluctuate with occupancy levels.

When you enter into one of these contracts, you know that you are for up for a certain amount of money each month,” says Creek. “It’s great for planning and budgeting. The laundry will be owned and bought by the facility and the future costs can be calculated easily as well.” >

Paul Creek worked for 12 years in international hotels and believes he is well placed for providing advice to the hotel industry. A natural progression was to move to the health and aged care industries where quality is important while maintaining cost effectiveness within the laundry and other “hotel service” departments. The hotel training of Creek has resulted in him becoming an independent leader in the health and aged care industry throughout Australia within the laundry industry. Laundry management and the development of sustainable work processes have become a passion and he has been able to provide many substantial savings for large health and aged care facilities. “The basic processes in an aged care laundry are no different than in a hotel” comments Creek, who says “staff costs are built in to the room charges without close scrutiny of the processes”.

By PAul Creek


< “Organisations that adopt this adopt this model will have to pay careful attention to the staffing contracts. Emergencies and poor linen management by the user can easily incur extra costs.” For example, Aged care contract at 3.5 kilos per resident and when this amount is exceeded, the facility will have to pay a set fee over this amount – it will get done but it will cost you!! says Creek.

Creek also warns that contracted staff may be lower paid and have little loyalty to the organisation than employed staff.

Linen hire according to Creek, the most compelling reason for outsourcing linen management is not having the space to run an OPL. He points out that even if the linen

side of the laundry equation is managed externally, personal laundering will still need to be conducted in a small, on-site laundry.

Once again the biggest advantage, of this model is that the costs can be determined at the outset. Another advantage cited by a number of companies Creek interviewed, was that it allows management to focus on their core business.

But this model offers the least flexibility of all.

“When you outsource the linen operation, you are really at the beck and call of the supply company. They do what suits them, not what suits you,” he says. “You may only be able to call in linen every two days

because they make money by keeping their turnaround to a minimum. The more pick-ups you have, the more expensive it gets and that may be inconvenient.”

On the plus-side, external linen providers tend to have high quality standards.

Paul Creek states that although in his studies, it was inclusive as to which system was the most efficient – management needed to be in control of the process – whichever was chosen. n

Contact details: [email protected] 0425 356 134

CleanScene sweeps through

Cleanscene: The National Cleaning & hygiene expo, ran recently in sydney, to massive support from the nation’s cleaning industry.

“CleanScene was superb, it provided an opportunity for professional cleaners and cleaning-intensive industries to meet a range of suppliers simultaneously and to choose from between them the best product for a plethora of cleaning needs” said Marie Kinsella from the Organiser, Australian Exhibitions & Conferences Pty Ltd.

Dedicated CleanScene visitors numbered nearly 1,350, while a further 3,437 attended this inaugural cleaning event from the co-located Safety and Materials Handling shows. Visitors represented a broad range of industries, such as aged care, food/beverage, hospitality, healthcare, government, manufacturing, property/facilities management and waste management.

Andy McCallum from Frontline Cleaning Supplies a visitor from New Zealand was happy with the event “..as a cleaning supply house looking for the latest innovations in the cleaning industry, we found CleanScene to be very interesting and provided challenging innovations, sure to be recognised as best practice in the future..”.

It was not just visitors who were impressed. Exhibitors also thought that CleanScene was exceptional, Murray MacDonald of Duplex Cleaning

Machines mentioned that the Safety Show and the Materials Handling Show alongside CleanScene provided a good visitor mix. “In some industries the OHS person is also responsible for cleaning, so these co-locations work exceptionally well” he explained.

Stephen Waddingham of Edgar Edmonson was similarly impressed “The range and breadth of visitors far surpasses my expectations, the calibre is absolutely excellent” he said.

Alongside the show was the National Cleaning Suppliers Association (NCSA) seminar programme, annual gala dinner and the association also presented a series of awards during the show such as Innovative Product Award won by Australian Soda Blasting Supplies, Best Large Stand won by Tennants, Best Small Stand won by Ionic Systems.

The seminar programme in particular proved to be complimentary, providing an important learning element to the event contributing valuable professional development points to all attendees.

Of CleanScene, the NCSA’s President Gerry Goldberg was also happy “it emulates the best in industry sponsored national trade shows” he said. Of the co-location he stated “CleanScene became part of a really substantial, established show and the buzz, the activity, the noise level filled the air and created a get-up-and-go atmosphere. There was a highly beneficial synergy”.

He continued to state that from the perspective of NCSA members there is no doubt that CleanScene has transformed the exhibiting members from long-held doubts about the value of trade shows to firm believers that CleanScene is here to stay and will, in the future, be immeasurably beneficial to exhibitors and the cleaning industry.

CleanScene: The National Cleaning & Hygiene Expo. The next event will be at Melbourne Exhibition Centre, Melbourne between 5 – 7 April 2011 alongside Safety In Action and Melbourne Materials Handling Shows. For more information, visit www.cleansceneshow.com.au. n


Product NewsThe ExecutiveHousEkEEpEr

Keep it simple with All About Me.

Interior Images is excited to be launching the new Australian owned and inspired All About Me guest amenity collection, available to hotels and resorts looking for a simple and economical way to enchant guests with a stimulating hotel bathing experience.

With an Australian inspired formulation, the All About Me range contains a blend of Indigenous lemongrass and eucalyptus essential oils. The zesty scent is refreshing to the senses, and will provide guests with an invigorating and cleansing experience.

All About Me is also free from artificial colours, does not contain animal-derived ingredients and is not tested on animals. The eco-chic and easy to use flip top tubes are recyclable – making it a smart and environmentally friendly addition to any bathroom.

The All About Me collection features four liquid products available in 30ml size

tubes: Shampoo, Conditioner, Body Wash and Body Lotion. Also available is a triple milled ‘lemongrass’ soap and a ‘Care for Me’ box containing essential necessities, such as shower cap, vanity kit, sanitary bag and mending kit.

Furthermore, for every All About Me tube purchased, one cent will be donated to the Australian charity TLC for Kids. TLC for Kids is devoted to putting smiles back on the faces of sick children, and assisting the families who have put their lives on hold to look after their sick child.

We simply want to make more sick children smile again.

All About Me is now available exclusively from international interior images. For more information on this new range, please contact our sales Team on (03) 9673 1444 or [email protected].

International Interior Images

All About Me

Frenkel Textiles “snag proof” Marathon Towels

The Marathon Towel range supplied by Frenkel Textiles is revolutionising the commercial towel. This is

due to their unique knitted construction. The loops in the 100% combed cotton pile are totally “snag proof” i.e. loops will not pull out. The unique knitting production process prevents the side hems from fraying or bursting! shrinkage is controlled at a maximum of 8% in both the body and header of the towel.

Commercial laundries in Australia have proven that Marathon Towels dry significantly quicker than other commercial towels saving money on gas bills. Another attribute is that stains

release easily. Marathon Towels are cost effective and are “guaranteed” to last twice as long as any other commercial towel. The Marathon Towel Range offers sizes and weights suitable for properties from 3 to 5 Stars.

Tel: 02 93173166Website: www.frenkeltextiles.com.au

Vellux blanketsPlush, soft, velvety and amazingly warm. Once experienced, it is easy to understand why Vellux is America’s favourite blanket, and now is also Australia’s favourite. The lightweight warmth is friendly to all, including those with arthritic joints while children just love its cuddly friendly feel.

No worries about delicate blanket care, Vellux is virtually indestructable and will not shrink, fade, matt or pill from washing, and yes it is guaranteed for 5 years. The lovely softness is even better with every wash, and remember Vellux is valued for its hypo-allergenic properties.

For samples and enquires please contact Vellux Commercial on 1300 VELLUX (1300 835589)

email: [email protected] website: www.vellux-blankets.com.au


Product NewsThe ExecutiveHousEkEEpEr

in producing and being the leader of our specific innovative ideas. Ultimately manufacturing quality products with competitive prices, complemented with friendly and professional service is the cornerstone of our business ethics.

rainbowAir: ‘The Product’RainbowAir Activator 500 was designed for small environments and medium odour control applications. Its maximum ozone output (500 mg/hr), utilising two generator plates, is approximately one half that of the RainbowAir Activator 1000. Boardrooms, hotel/motel rooms, offices and restrooms are a few typical areas for use. Depending upon the room configuration, air flow of the area and type of odour to be treated, 15 000 cubic feet is approximately the RainbowAir Activator 500’s capacity. The 0–60 minute electronic timer allows the user to set the desired time for treatment. The timer shuts itself off.

RainbowAir Activator 1000 has been successful in areas of 30 000 cubic feet. Its fan speed and ozone production capabilities (1000 mg/hr – 1 gram) is ideal for apartments, hotels/motels, rental cars, property management and garbage collection areas. The RainbowAir Activator 1000 has the same quality features as the Activator 500 except that ozone production is twice the output and is equipped with 0–24 hour timer with optional continuous operation.

The Activator 1000 is equipped with four generator plates which are washable and easy to replace.

For more information please call: 1300 132 074 or email: [email protected]

100% pure cotton

European Designer Blanket

“Carlo”, a 100% pure cotton Blanket, designed and woven in Europe. This magnificent woven Blanket, has all of the qualities and design / style / colours you would expect, coming from this part of the world where fashion in high quality cotton is everything.

This style of premium product can be seen in some of the worlds leading Resorts and Hotels. HotelHome has introduced “carlo” for the more discerning end of the Hotel industry, 5 star Resorts, Boutique properties and Luxury apartments.

Sophisticated Designer Blankets of this calibre are beautifully warm and they can also be used as a Bed Wrap, Bed Throw or Bed Runner when neatly folded, while still offering a very sophisticated and modern look on almost any bed style.

“Carlo” is offered in 3 sizes which will cater for all beds from Long Single (Zip Single) to King Bed in colours White and Stone.

Sizes available:

•Single-165x240cm

•Double/Queen-220x240cm

•King-250x240cm

For more detail on “carlo” European Designer Blankets, please contact HotelHome Australia.

www.hotelhome.com.auPhone : 1300 733 737

email : [email protected]

innerscent – “Created with passion, made for success”We’re excited to offer you a range of quality products designed to improve lifestyle and wellbeing.

The Original Innerscent “Herbal” range consists of herbal infused Ironing board underlays and Covers Aromatherapy pillow underlay, Scented Multi-purpose mats and Aromatic wardrobe Pouches.

Our “Antibacterial” products consists of, Business, Work and sports socks, Mattress and pillow protectors, Hand and Gym Towels.

At Innerscent, we are conscious about lifestyle and wellbeing and are continuously committed to research and future development, therefore we are always seeking to perfect and improve our service. It is our policy that we only manufacture and sell products that conform to our stringent standards of purity and quality. We stand firm in our belief that our customers should be able to know and trust the integrity of our Innerscent range of products as a superior choice. Thus, offering a full satisfaction, twelve months quality Assurance Guarantee and a 30-day money back guarantee no questions asked.

Our philosophy is built on our commitment to maintain a solid reputation for customer satisfaction

A U S T R A L I A

“carlo”

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