Hygiene must Balance with the books
I run a one-man operation preparing food, such as fresh sandwiches, for customers and then handling money. Should I be doing this?
This has long been an area of concern and you are open to criticism from your customers. A small operation may not be viable if it employs a cashier who does not handle food, though that is the easiest solution.
Ensure that you take reasonable precaution to protect food (and therefore customers). Pre-prepare and wrap as much as possible so that at service time you are not committed to preparing food.
Where it is necessary to prepare food after handling money then you must wash your hands before preparation on each occasion. The alternative is to put on disposable latex gloves and throw them away each time you use the till. This will prove expensive and just as much a hindrance as constantly washing hands. If you find that customers are too impatient to allow time for good hygiene practice, or queues are becoming unmanageable, then perhaps you should consider a second operative, if only at peak periods.
I am about to put my property on the market and will probably be ready by spring. Is there anything particular you would recommend?
When vendors ring us they want to know the likely level of sale price. The market at present is surprisingly good, but the eventual bank evaluations still seem to be on the cautious side. Planning your proposed sale is extremely important.
Approach a good agent, or even two or three, but remember that most of them are likely to want to handle the property exclusively. It is definitely worthwhile seeing and hearing individual recommendations for your business as no two hotels in this country are alike. The two items which are most important are: first, get your accounts up to date, thus enabling a prospective purchaser to borrow the maximum amount and leave you with a high selling price.
Second, ensure the property is brought up to scratch. I am always happy to tell vendors they ought to paint the outside. It may make thousands of pounds worth of difference to your selling price.
How often is it necessary to stocktake in a 30-room hotel?
The better your systems, controls and disciplines for recording stocks, issues and receipts, the less significant the discrepancies will be. Therefore you will stocktake less frequently.
If you take stock of operating items, such as linens, every three months and the differences between the physical and theoretical stock are insignificant, then consider moving to a six-monthly or even annual stocktake.
The only danger is that irregularities or breakdowns in controls will not be apparent quickly and could perpetuate. Furthermore, there will be more work involved in discovering the reasons for discrepancies.
In cases where record-keeping is more difficult, costly or impracticable, frequent checks need to be made. Food and beverage stocks are prime examples, where accurate stock figures are imperative if the figures are to be interpreted usefully.
Remember there is a staff cost to controlling stocks and stocktaking, and a disruption factor. So look at your exposure in terms of stock value; the staff cost of controlling it; and the timeliness and accuracy of the management information you need to control the business - and carry out stocktaking accordingly.
I realise I am responsible for the safety of my staff, but how can I protect them from the risk of crime?
Employers must take reasonable care to ensure employees are not exposed to unnecessary risks from criminal activity.
Staff working late should have access to telephones or be issued with personal alarms. Install alarms at reception areas where criminals believe money is kept.
Doors and windows in quiet parts of buildings should be firmly secured to prevent entry by criminals.
Consider a secure area where staff can monitor people arriving late. Consider CCTV for remote areas and corridors.
Ensure staff leaving late have transport to get home.
