The
products and systems for bedrooms and bathrooms.
But what do they expect from a chemical cleaner? Which is their favourite brand? What product will they use to clean the bath or the walls? Caterer spoke to a cross-section of housekeepers around the country. Their comments provide a useful snapshot of current thinking in housekeeping departments.
PACKAGE
Some things were mentioned repeatedly by our interviewees. The "complete package" service, including staff training, health and safety consultancy and after-sales cleaning advice was popular with most of our respondents - some housekeepers identified this as the main reason for selecting a particular supplier. While this service is not unique to any particular manufacturer, a well-crafted pitch often catches a hotel's custom.
PRICING
Competitive pricing is also key, with the seemingly lower prices from own-label suppliers finding favour in smaller hotels.
Otherwise, decisions varied according to the preferences of managers and housekeepers. Some preferred to use the same supplier across a range of needs, saying this provided a consistency in cleaning and made staff training easier. Others used a variety of cleaners to give a better result. In some regions, own-label suppliers won trade on their apparent ability to provide a more flexible delivery service than that offered by larger brand-name manufacturers.
Other housekeepers find brand-name suppliers offer an equally flexible service. But despite the preference for manufacturers that supply chemicals to the customer - a trend identified during our research - preliminary data for a new survey due out this month from market research organisation Marketpower is expected to show that these contractors capture less than 5% of the market, at least in washroom consumables.
This is a selection of comments and facts gathered in our survey.
BARBARA BUSH
Head housekeeper, Lancaster House hotel, Lancaster
Number of rooms: 80
Ownership: English Lakes hotel chain
Main cleaning materials supplier: Lever
Estimated monthly spend: £330-£500
Spend per room: £4.12-£6.25
BARBARA Bush, one of the nominees for Caterer & Hotelkeeper's Housekeeper of the Year Award 1994, uses the Shield range of Lever products for bedrooms and bathrooms. Ceilings and tiled surfaces are cleaned with a detergent from this range, while soft furnishings are dry-cleaned. Other floor surfaces - which are carpeted - are cleaned by the Powergen System 7 extraction and injection cleaner, using solutions from the manufacturer.
Bush says she "doesn't like too many suppliers", and pronounces herself satisfied with the product quality and service provided by Lever. She singles out the staff training Lever offers as part of her package, adding that Lever acts as adviser on the hotel's compliance with the 1989 CoSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) regulations, and has helped the hotel draw up its policy on risk assessment.
She switched to Lever after a six-month trial at the hotel - before that she changed regularly between Lever, Diversey and Kleeneze. Bush rates compact storage as a key factor in favour of Lever - the manufacturer supplies the Cubafill system, which comprises 13 bottles of each type of chemical in one box. "Lever is cheaper, not as bulky and gives good delivery," she says.
Although she believes Lever offers "better back-up and value for money than smaller companies", Bush is always on the look-out for other products. "I try own-label products now and again when the budget comes up to check if we are getting the best value for money from branded products."
SARAHSHENTALL
Proprietor, Kinloch House hotel, Tayside
Number of rooms: 21
Ownership: Independent, family-owned
Main cleaning materials supplier: Diversey
Estimated monthly spend: £125
Spend per room: £5.95
SARAH Shentall uses "mostly Diversey Housekeeping range products - about 90%" for bedroom and bathrooms.
Again, the after-sales services provided are rated as highly as, if not higher than, the quality of the product. Diversey offers training for staff, and Shentall says that this, combined with a continuity in chemicals, eases the job of housekeeping. "Regardless of staff changes, using the same brand means the right product is used on the right thing. This is better for cleanliness and easier for the staff," she says.
Before using Diversey, Kinloch House used a number of branded and own-label cleaning materials supplied by a local wholesaler. Though she now refuses to use own-label cleaners in bathrooms, Shentall uses them for hotel laundry, which is done on-site. Own-label and other branded cleaners are also used in the kitchen.
MURIELGORDON
Head housekeeper, Skean Dhu Altens hotel, Aberdeen
Number of rooms: 221
Ownership: Mount Charlotte Thistle
Main cleaning materials suppliers: Diversey, Lever, own-label
Estimated monthly spend: £1,083
Spend per room: £4.88
MURIEL Gordon is in charge of the maintenance and cleaning of all the bedrooms in this Scottish hotel. Purchasing for the housekeeping department is the responsibility of Rachel Grant, food and beverage controller.
Diversey is used for most bathroom and bedroom cleaning, while Lever is used in the on-site laundry. Own-label products are preferred for some bathroom cleaning and unusual cleaning tasks. "We use small companies for bits and pieces. If someone comes along with an amazing glass cleaner, we'll try it," says Grant. Paper products are supplied by Fort Stirling, a local paper producer.
Gordon and her housekeeping staff use Diversey sanitiser for sinks and baths, and locally manufactured Stagchem Lumus T toilet cleaner. Marks on soft furnishings are removed with Diversey sanitiser; stubborn stains are dry cleaned. Carpet floors are cleaned with Hydromist carpet shampoo.
Diversey and own-label products are supplied directly by the manufacturer, while Lever chemicals are purchased from a local wholesaler. Grant says the hotel is increasing the use of Diversey products, but will continue to buy own-label and other brands. "If we constantly use the same product, it is not much use. We need to change products from time to time," she says.
LYNNMARSHALL
Head housekeeper, Cresta Court Hotel, Altrincham, Manchester
Number of rooms: 139
Ownership: Independent, privately-owned
Main cleaning materials supplier: Henkel Ecolab
Estimated monthly spend: £290
Spend per room: £2.09
LYNN Marshall keeps 139 bedrooms clean and ready for those who manage to find their way off the M6.
Marshall is now using her second range of Henkel Ecolab products. Until two months ago, she used Ecolab's Housekeeping range; now she has switched to the Oasis range. Both are supplied directly to hotels by Henkel Ecolab.
Marshall says that while she was satisfied with the Housekeeping range, the Oasis chemicals come concentrated in a nine-litre box, which, she says, saves on storage space.
Marshall adds that the liquid chemicals are easily dispensed. She does not need to worry about diluting, as "it is all worked out automatically". As the Oasis range is water-soluble, she does not have to buy the chemicals in ready-to-use trigger bottles. "With Housekeeper, I didn't put a lot in at a time. Oasis is easier to dispense and more economical."
Marshall uses the Oasis range "for everything", including hard surfaces, tiles and washable wallpaper. She uses very few other branded or own-label products, but will always try something new.
KENMILTON
Manager, Clarendon Hotel, Blackheath, London
Number of rooms: 200
Ownership: Independent, privately-owned
Main cleaning materials supplier: Own-label (Alpino Gibbs)
Estimated monthly spend: Not established
Spend per room: Not established
WHILE the Clarendon Hotel looked after runners in April's London Marathon, manager Ken Milton made a dash from Diversey and Lever products to Alpino Gibbs, the London member of Countrywide Catering Distributors.
Milton says the switch was made because of an extremely competitive approach from Alpino Gibbs, which offered "competitive prices and satisfactory quality".
As the changeover is so recent, Milton cannot estimate a monthly spend, but says "the product has been put through its paces and is meeting our needs". Milton is also impressed by the direct delivery from Gibbs.
"We had a few functions, such as the Marathon, and we needed prompt delivery outside the normal working schedule. They obliged," he says.
Milton is consolidating his chemical purchasing and "taking one step at a time". He is, however, on the look-out for other competitive pitches from suppliers. "They might have a good chance of getting our business," he says.
BRIDGEENMcDERMOTT
Housekeeper, Beech Hill Country House hotel, Londonderry
Number of rooms: 17
Ownership: Independent, family-owned
Main cleaning materials supplier: Diversey
Estimated monthly spend: £200
Spend per room: £11.76
THE Beech Hill Country House hotel uses Diversey products for all bedroom and bathroom cleaning - a Diversey stain remover is used on soft furnishings, with difficult dirt removed by dry cleaning.
STELLAPENFOLD
Quality standards officer, Forte Travelodge
Number of rooms: 97 lodges in the UK, 40 rooms in each
Ownership: Chain
Main cleaning materials supplier: Diversey, Lever
Estimated monthly spend: Not applicable
Spend per room: Not applicable
HOUSEKEEPING for each Forte Travelodge is organised centrally from head office. Individual lodges are maintained by a site manager, reception staff and chambermaids, but housekeeping is supervised by Stella Penfold, who visits each lodge on an ongoing basis. Penfold monitors product levels, training of staff and quality of cleaning.
Forte Travelodge again commends the after-sales service provided by Diversey and Lever.
Lever Chlortabs sanitising tablets and Izal toilet cleaner are used for cleaning bathroom hand basins and bedroom crockery.
Sumafoam is used as a general cleaning agent for hard surfaces, bedroom walls and windows, and - in conjunction with Dustbuster - ceilings.
Diversey air fresheners and liquid scented sprays are used in the bedrooms, with persistent aromas dispelled by portable air-conditioners from Zontec.
Diversey also supplies kettle descalers for bedroom hospitality. Own-label products are never used. o
TABLE: Sources of purchase used by caterers for washroom consumables, outlet level
% of respondents
Janitorial Cleaning Cash Grocery Central Others Base
supplies or hygiene and wholesaler stores
wholesaler contractor carry
Hotels 24 3 24 14 24 14 29
Restaurants 19 12 44 6 6 13 32
Pubs 25 45 20 6 2 2 80
Cafés/take-aways 41 - 47 6 - 6 17
Clubs/leisure 34 17 14 10 10 15 29
Staff catering 30 50 - - 10 10 10
Health care 18 16 18 25 20 3 61
Education 31 26 - 13 20 10 39
TOTAL 25 24 24 13 10 4 297
Others include: consortia, laundry companies, retail outlets
This data has not been weighted.
Source: Marketpower
