Workflow Sample: Episode 570: Business Improvement in Hotel Operation (Part 3)

Operation: Information Sharing to Multitasking Full-time Employees

"Overnight front desk work", "work related with Check-out in the morning", and "housekeeping on checked-out guest rooms"...

By visualizing internal information using Workflow, a full-time employee has become capable of various work operations. (Multitasking) That is, information that there was a complaint from a guest is shared with the morning front desk clerk from the night shift staff. And from the front desk clerk who deals with checking-out, information of "guest has checked out" is smoothly shared with housekeepers.

Consequently, full-time employees are now capable of joining works such as for "overnight front desk" or "guest room housekeeping", which used to tend to count on part-timers. And at the same time, phenomenon which part-timers to get "a chance to work as a full-time employment" has emerged. (as an unexpected by-effect)

<Example of work shift for full-timers>

Earlies (7 hrs work, 1hr break)
Lates (7 hrs work, 1hr break)
Overnight (12 hrs work, 1 hr break, deemed as 2 days attendance)

Challenge: Idle Time Still Occurs

However, especially in the late night hours, "idle time" (waiting time) arises inevitably.

If a full-time employee actively participate in 'night shift', he or she ought to undertake 'something productive work' even in the late night hours. So, consulting with a BPM consultant, I decided to challenge "originating a stuff blog" this time. (I also have anxiety that my expectation for "degree of multi-skill" to employees might be too much.)

By the way, there was an opinion that it would be enough to carry out "patrolling work" inside the hotel building more frequently. However, demanding "frequency to unnecessary" can not be said to be "productivity improvement". I suppose that safety is adequately guaranteed by "periodical patrol" already conducted

[Blog Write-Post]

Solution: Writing Blog Draft by Employees

Due to the spread of the Internet, it is no longer uncommon for companies to relate directly with consumers.

Especially, in the service industry accompanying customer service (accommodation industry ・ restaurant / transportation, etc.), the "more detailed information dissemination" by blogs and on SNS might be content that leads to "consumer reviews" and "consumer reliability", rather than "repeated emphasizing" by advertising agencies on major media.

Seasonal decorations at the hotel entrance
Information of temporary open hours of stores in the hotel
Tourist spot around the hotel (events, entertainment etc.)
Reports on detailed hotel facilities (Hot tub, laundromat etc.)

Blog writing work is not only to enhances customer satisfaction, but also helps the staffs to think about what kinds of content gets more "Views" by customers (guests). In other words, it can be said that it is a work which is to raise "consciousness as a professional in customer service" and "communication skills".

Discussion: Beyond the Barriers of Sections

If you assert that "information dissemination is the job of the marketing team", "multi-skills" will not proceed.

However, it is not easy to obtain "all the skills of blog posting" on the other hand. There is also a security problem of the blog system.

So in this Workflow, the posting work to the actual blog system is done only by "marketing staff". That is, as an "employee" job, he or she sends only manuscripts and photos to the Workflow. And "marketing staff" makes a proofreading of misspellings or typo, edits photographic images, or determines to discard manuscripts according with information dissemination policy of hotel.

[Blog Write-Post:"1. Write draft" screen]