When it comes to hotel management, consistency is your key to success. Guests expect a cohesive experience from start to finish . One of the best ways to do this is by using standard operating procedures (SOPs).
When you’re short on time - or staff - it can be hard to set aside time to create SOPs. That’s why we’ve put together this guide. Read on to find out how to create an effective SOP and use them to get the most out of every staff member.
Standard operating procedures (SOPs) are step-by-step instructions for an activity or process.
SOPs are used throughout the hospitality industry to ensure that various tasks achieve the desired outcome. For example, a housekeeping SOP might define a procedure for flipping rooms after checkout for optimal cleanliness.
SOPs are used in various areas or departments of a hotel, including:
Standard operating procedures enable staff to carry out responsibilities safely and consistently.
The benefits of having a hotel SOP for each task or department are wide-reaching:
Creating standard operating procedures might seem daunting - especially if you’ve never done it before. Once you get going, however, you’ll see it’s not as scary or complicated as you thought.
And once done, you might just see your hotel staff’s performance skyrocket.
Identify which task or process the SOP will cover. Some will be more important than others, like fire or food safety. Some, in addition, might be more complicated, confusing, or high-risk.
Once you’ve decided which task the SOP is for, you need to determine your goals and objectives for the procedure. It could be consistency, better customer service, or improved safety.
Define your audience. Are there any language barriers? Is this a new way of working or a small update?
Before you outline your SOP, do your research. First, look at what your hotel is already doing. What are the areas for improvement? What are staff members doing well? Work with your department heads to understand their perspective.
Then, gather as much information as you can about what other hotels are doing. You could look for this online, or do some competitor research.
Look into industry standards and how you can match or exceed them. This research will ensure your SOPs are as good as they can be.
Laying out each step of your SOP, including timeframes, tools, and materials will make your job easier later on.
Decide on what format you’ll use. Some SOPs, depending on the complexity of the task, work better as visual aides, while others will require more detail.
Outlining reduces the risk of having to rewrite or spend too much time reworking the SOP. If you need approval, it may be worthwhile getting it at this stage instead of stage 6.
Keep in mind that SOPs, no matter the format you use, require accuracy and clarity. Make it easy for your staff members to follow and use concise language.
Find ways to incorporate images and consider the design of the document. Believe it or not, using a few graphic design principles makes a big difference. You might not be creating this document for guests or clients, but the care you put into your SOPs will resonate with your workforce.
Send the SOP to the relevant stakeholders and have them provide honest feedback. Act on their suggestions and refine the document.
Get the SOP approved by a senior manager and then implement. It’s a great feeling but don’t stop now! You’re not quite finished.
Now you need to monitor and evaluate its effectiveness. Put it to the test by using it to train or onboard, or survey your staff to find out their thoughts.
Finally, the best SOPs are those that are regularly updated. As terms and conditions and technologies change, your SOPs must change too.
How technology can help you create SOPs
The right technology and software can help you create high-quality, accurate, and effective SOPs. Some Hotel property management systems (PMS) , such as Planet PMS, allow you to set mandatory fields to ensure users follow procedure.
In addition, some PMS systems offer reporting and analytics, allowing you to analyze existing procedures and identify areas of improvement.