Whether you’re the proprietor of a quaint bed and breakfast or the general manager of a 500-room luxury hotel, when you’re in the hospitality industry you know the details matter. Now more than ever before, people have a variety of choices when it comes to where to stay. Small towns have budget hotels, roadside motels and old homes converted into full-service bed and breakfast inns and large cities have accommodations ranging from 5-star luxury hotels to unrated motels and motor inns. No matter where they stay, people notice the details and amenities. From well-lit parking lots and sturdy luggage racks to pleasing views and clean carpets, everything matters to some degree.
People stay in different hotels for different reasons. For some, a road side motor lodge will do as their only desire is to grab a few hours’ sleep. For others, newly married couples for example, luxury hotel accommodations are their preference as they want to honeymoon in luxury. Are they paying for bar soap or body wash, thread bare sheets or 400-count luxury sheets, gourmet coffee or instant coffee? If you are the person buying supplies for your hotel, you know what level of amenities your guests are paying for.
Every hotel is different. Some buy the cheapest supplies they can get away with. Others buy the very best available either because they want to impress their guests or because they want to offer top of the line amenities; some hotels invest in high quality supplies for both reasons. From ashtrays to hangers and bed sheets to toiletries, many supply buyers know they can get that quality without spending a lot of money. A clean bathroom and a hot shower on a less-than-great day will impress a hotel guest in the same way a bathroom with dirty corners and a damp smell will drive them away quickly as they encourage anyone who will listen to stay elsewhere.
People who work in hotels know that their guests pay attention to the detail. Some people are white glove people meaning they run their fingers over window sills and the tops of frames and take their shoes of to test carpet cleanliness. Others care about a comfortable bed, a great view and general cleanliness. From the general manager to the receptionist, every member of a hotel’s staff knows that controlling what they can is important and making improvements where they can to compensate for a deficiency that’s out of their control will help. Investing in quality hotel supplies such as large, fluffy pool towels and sturdy housekeeping supply carts, improves the average guest’s experience.
When you’re the person who buys the hotel supplies, buying quality, well-priced supplies is not only a great idea, it’s a business necessity as much as it boosts guest services tremendously. When you can get quality at a great price, everybody wins and your business grows. The supply budget stays in line and the guests are happy, which is, ultimately, what matters. Today the average traveler has hundreds of choices when it comes to lodging and they know it so providing high quality supplies whenever possible is a must.