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Linen: how to buy, how to care for and keep up on inventory. It all goes to the bottom line Published November 4, 2009 by Margit Whitlock, AIA Resort operation is where to find your last hidden dollar. Efficiency and management are essential tools in running a tight ship in the resort business. One aspect often over looked is linen and terry consumption. Between poor product selection, poor quality control in the laundering and inventory control issues, and thefts, internally and by guests, a resort can have a significant swing to their bottom line. The industry has moved rapidly to respond to the consumer’s desire for affordable luxury. In doing so, many resorts are upgrading their linen and terry program. Are they making the right choices, do they know how to care for the upgraded quality and can they manage the inventory to reduce costs?
Here are some important things to keep in mind when processing laundry. The room attendant should note stained linen when removed from the guest room, separate it so that it will be noticed right away when it arrives in the laundry area later. Regular soiled laundry should be separated by type, percale, terry, and others such as spreads, etc. Within those groups the heavily soiled laundry should also be separated so that all laundry is not washed with the heaviest concentrations of chemical and suffer the extra wash cycles. Control the heat of your dryers, as polyester blends will shrink and pucker at high temperatures. Linen should never be placed on the floor. The floor soils linen and contributed to wear. Unsealed concrete and some other surfaces will stain or change the pH (Acidity/alkalinity) of the linen at the point of contact. When the wash is complete, move the laundry to the dryers as soon as possible. In a properly planned laundry there are typically two dryers for every washer. With this mix of equipment, drying time will be approximately the same as washing time, linen will tumble loosely, and dry out without being beat up as much in the dryer. Be sure to use the proper cool down cycle and remove the linen as soon as possible to reduce wrinkling. Linen should be folded immediately and allowed to rest overnight. Yes, rest! The rest allows linen to iron itself and become wrinkle-free. The person folding the laundry should watch carefully as s/he folds to observe stains and excessive wear or fraying. Inventory Management and Inventory Control – is there a difference? An adequate linen inventory is essential for the efficient operation of a housekeeping department. Having at least two and a half times the linen necessary to set up all the rooms once is called having 2.5 par. This multiple does not apply to mattress pads, bed spreads, shower curtains, pillows, etc. For these items 1.2 to 1.5 par is usually sufficient. Effective linen inventory management is the result of outstanding inventory control and inventory management. What is the difference between “inventory control” and “inventory management?” Inventory control involves managing your linen inventory that is already in your laundry and housekeeping rooms. That is, knowing what linen is “out there,” how much you have of each item, and where it is. Inventory management involves determining when to order linen and how much to order. Inventory management includes all of the activities of forecasting and replenishment. The benefits are:
Inventory should be taken monthly and include a count for the linen en route from your supplier. Subtract the resulting inventory from the 2.5 par and order that quantity. Most items come in dozens and packed a minimum of five dozen to the case. Round up to get full cases. Build up to three par if you have a busy season immediately ahead of you. If you are ordering custom linens make sure you are four months ahead in ordering to allow for manufacturing and delivery. Finally, the laundry and housekeeping areas must be immaculate. This is not only where you demonstrate to your staff what the standard is for the entire hotel, but also the way you should treat your employees. You want them to have pride in their hotel and their work area. Just because it is out of sight of the guest doesn’t mean it can be ignored. Keep the area so that it functions efficiently and you are proud for your guests. Our recommendation is to watch over this aspect of your operation closely. There are a few good resources for computer management including RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) systems that is next generation technology to incorporate into your management system. The RFID system needs to be coordinated into the manufacturing process. Whatever your resort is doing now to control costs and maintain quality we highly recommend a full assessment of your housekeeping standards and specifically the linen and terry component of your business. Every dollar counts and the effort will pay off. |
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