The Ramada Jarvis hotel in Solihull switched to Jonmaster ultra microfibre cleaning and reduced its reliance on chemicals, improved overall cleaning performance and promoted stronger sustainability credentials to customers.
Andy Cole, general manager at the hotel estimates that payback on their investment was achieved in less than six months.
“We had looked into the potential cost savings and sustainability benefits of switching to ultra microfibre and we worked with Diversey because they offered a professional solution with the right products, training and support to help us achieve our objectives,” says Andrew Cole.
Situated close to the NEC, Birmingham Airport and major tourist attractions ensures that this 145 bedroom and conference hotel is very busy, serving around 120,000 guests every year.
Efficient and effective cleaning is key in providing the levels of hygiene and service that the hotel insists upon and guests expect.
Like all hotels in the group, Ramada Solihull participates in the Green Tourism Business Scheme and Andrew Cole, as the group’s regional environmental co-ordinator, is always on the look out for the “greener” option.
After meeting with Diversey, Andrew Cole worked with the in-house cleaning team of 20 to assess cleaning operations and prepare a cost justification for Jonmaster. This took into account the cost of purchasing the cloths, looking after them properly and other factors over an eighteen month timeframe. Crucially the analysis included the reduction in chemical use and potential improvements in productivity.
Diversey’s hotels ambassador Liz Smith-Mills visited to assess the working practices and offer guidance on improved performance. By switching to Jonmaster the hotel reduced the number of chemicals from seven to two: toilet cleaner and air freshener. Productivity is improved mainly because cleaning with cloths alone makes the process simpler and staff spend less time mixing chemicals for each task and carrying heavy mops and buckets to and from preparation and disposal areas. The result is that each member of the team can clean one extra room every day, a seven per cent increase critical to the cost justification.
The reduction in chemicals has many benefits. Less storage space is required and less management time is spent checking and re-ordering supplies. It is easier to train staff because processes are simpler. COSSH training, for example, has been cut by around two hours per employee. This has helped the hotel to reduce its staff induction period from two weeks to one.
One of the challenges was to convince experienced staff that the new system would allow them to do their work more easily and get better results. Staff were engaged with the project from the start and the hotel managers and Diversey’s own microfibre support specialist Terry Burt took time to explain the various benefits and provide appropriate training. The hotel carried out a full microbiological test on site and this showed that areas cleaned with microfibre were cleaner than those areas cleaned with chemicals.
“The staff generally don’t like change but after the training they were excited about using ultra microfibre,” says Andrew Cole.
The implementation started with bedrooms in January 2009, a relatively quiet period, and the hotel has since introduced Jonmaster into all areas, including bars, with the exception of the kitchens. In addition to the projected savings the hotel has realised other benefits. For example, because there is no longer any chemical residue on furniture and tables these are less likely to suffer from burn-in marks caused by hot tableware. This allowed the hotel to reduce linen usage with an approximate saving of around £10,000 on tablecloths and laundry services. Moreover, table preparation times are greatly reduced which is vital during breakfast and other busy periods.
“We’ve also noticed that many areas look a lot cleaner because the cloths gradually eat into existing dirt and stains,” says Andrew Cole.
The proper use and care of the cloths has been vital. Diversey guarantees the cloths for a minimum of 500 washes if they are laundered in line with its recommendations. There is no onsite laundry so the hotel bought a basic domestic washing machine. Diversey recommended a suitable washing powder from its extensive range. These costs were factored into the cost-justification. The hotel expects its cloths will last for at least 18 months.
From the start the hotel recognised it needed to be well organised to get the best performance from the cloths. Each team member effectively has two sets of cloths, allowing one to be used while the other is laundered. Cloths are colour coded so that staff can quickly and easily identify which is to be used for each type of surface. The cloths are kept in bags with each cleaner’s name on and stored securely in the housekeeping office when not in use. This helps to promote a greater sense of ownership and responsibility among staff. There is no need to dry the cloths after laundering because ultra microfibre is at its most efficient when damp and used again within 12 hours.
“Since we started using microfibre we have received no complaints about the cleanliness of rooms,” says Andrew Cole. “The cloths still look like new too.”
The hotel has continued to monitor the performance of the cloths and the cleaning team to ensure everything is being done properly. The implementation at Solihull was followed closely by the group and was treated as a real-life trial. The success at Solihull was such that Ramada Jarvis has subsequently introduced Jonmaster to eight more hotels in the group with similar benefits. It is currently assessing the potential to roll out the system to more of its 42 hotels around the country.
About Diversey: Diversey, Inc. is committed to a cleaner, healthier future. Its products, systems and expertise make food, drink and facilities safer and more hygienic for consumers and for building occupants. With sales into more than 175 countries, Diversey is a leading global provider of commercial cleaning, sanitation and hygiene solutions. The company serves customers in the building management, lodging, food service, retail, health care, and food and beverage sectors. Diversey is headquartered in Sturtevant, Wisconsin, USA. Diversey, Inc. is formerly JohnsonDiversey, Inc. To learn more, visit www.diversey.com.
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