Hotel Room Inventory

Making room inventory is a continuous process in any hotel industry. Room inventory is maintained for housekeeping purpose. Actually this term is used in determining how many rooms are currently available in the hotel. Hotel rooms have certain terms which define its status, for example:

• Occupied (the room which is already occupied by the guests).
  
• Stayover (on the current date the guest will not check out).
  
• Out of order (the room unavailable due to a mechanical fault).
  
• Dirty or On Change (though the guest has checked out, but the room is dirty or housekeeping staff has not released the room for occupancy).
  
• Available, Clean or Ready (the room is ready to be occupied anytime).
  

Every hotel must establish standard operating procedures to guarantee the accuracy of room status. By performing the process of room inventory, any hotel also can easily identify the availability of such status of the rooms. The accurate, up-to-date room statuses are not only important for determining the availability of room status, it also work as the appraisal which provides qualitative service with proper accommodation arrangement to guests. The process of room inventory system is basically comprises of an activity whose job is to regularly revise and scrutinize a database for determining the housekeeping status in the hotel.

Though the front office department will be responsible for making reservation, but for having the regular update of housekeeping status the front office department should have to make regular communication with other staffs of housekeeping, maintenance, and reservation department. The front office personnel should also have to be updated about the process of room inventory as it plays a vital role in the operational activity of front office department.

The reservation statuses could be different than housekeeping status. The following lists of reservation statuses and housekeeping statuses are considered as a tool which distinguishes housekeeping status from reservation status.

Housekeeping Room Reservation Status

• Open Available, Clean, or Ready
• Confirmed 4 P.M. Occupied
• Confirmed 6 P.M. Stayover
• Guaranteed Dirty or On Change
• Repair Out of Order

Room booking or making hotel guest booking or reservation is one of the most important services of any hotel. Through providing excellent guest service with well organized accommodation one can ensure continuous relationship and future benefit from the potential guests. Improper service and guest’s dissatisfaction often become responsible for destroying hotel reputation. Front desk’s lack of communication with the housekeeping department and lack of knowledge about room inventory may bring lost of sales. For example front desk personnel may assign a room to a guest which is out of order, dirty room or occupied room. These occurring may create guest inconvenience.

To avoid this inconvenience the housekeeping department should be active and provide cooperation to front desk department. The housekeeping department must converse the room inventory by following a perfect, systematic, and swift approach. The floor supervisor of the housekeeping department must inspect guest room after each guest departure to ensure the cleanliness and proper servicing of the room. Before a new guest arrival, the floor supervisor also should repair if there any physical damage.

Beside the front desk personnel and the floor supervisor the reservations staff also should be updated about the room inventory to ensure confirmed guest reservation and qualitative service. Sometimes some guests require immediate arrangement of room in the hotel for conducting business meeting. In such situation if the reservation staff will become successful to fulfill the requirement then it will enhance the business reputation.

To transfer and communicate the housekeeping status from housekeeping department to front desk there is an orderly system. Such as, continuous scheduled communications from the floor supervisor, maid, or houseman through the telephone, PMS, or personal visits to the front desk. Well organized and speedy manner for transferring this information will ensure guest convenience.

Every department of any hotel should follow the standard operating procedures and maintain proper communication among them to provide guest hospitality and good service to ensure future benefit.