One of the most important parts of the hotel experience is room service. Regardless of the flag, when problems exist, they often lead back to similar issues, which is rather amazing, considering they are fairly easy fixes. They may eat up some extra labor, but the number of sales NOT lost will more than make up for costs.
Service Tips for Room Service
Dedicated Phone Attendant for Room Service
Nothing is more frustrating for a hotel guest than calling down to room service only to have the phone ring a dozen times without a backup system. When the server goes to deliver the order or pick up the food, the phones are left unattended.
The solution is simple, have a dedicated operator specifically for room service. This person should be fully trained on the menu and be in touch with both the kitchen and servers so he or she can offer a time of delivery that can be met.
Keep Your Promises
This covers the time of delivery to special orders. If you pull a door tag with a 7:30 a.m. delivery time, make sure the food is there in that delivery window. If a guest has a special modification, make sure the kitchen is okay with it before promising the guest it can be done.
Deliver Warm, Not Dry
Getting the food to the guest as fresh and hot as possible may be the biggest challenge of any room service operation, especially when servers are taking multiple trays up to various floors. For individual trays, consider using warming blankets or thermal holders. When hot boxes are needed, make sure there is water in the box to keep the moisture in the air. Another trick is to use a warm, damp towel over the cloche for hot food orders.
Visuals Always Work Best
Create photos of the different types of setups that would be used and have them readily available for servers in the room service staging area. This ensured every server delivered the tray the same exact way, every time.
Beverage Service
Liquids are always challenging on a moving tray, so hold off serving any liquid until you arrive at the room. This includes drinks such as water and iced tea. For soft drinks, even though the overall cost is a bit more, cans or bottles look better than showing up with a drink where the ice is melted and covered with saran wrap.
Presenting Food
While there will be some guests that just want their food dropped off, the server should present the food when possible. This not only adds a nice service touch but also ensures the guest is getting exactly what they ordered. In addition, it presents an opportunity for the guest to ask any questions they have about their order.
Follow Up Calls
A quick follow-up call should take place within 10 minutes of the order having been dropped off. This can be done by the phone attendant after the server notifies them of delivery. If there is a problem, make sure it is taken care of ASAP, just as you would if there was a problem with a guest seated in the restaurant. This is especially true if more than one entrée was ordered, as you want to make sure everyone is eating at the same time.
Promoting Room Service Sales with Amenity Packages
Guests love convenience, and that includes bundled packages that have everything they want for one price. This should go far beyond breakfast, lunch, and dinner combos. Themed breaks for room service are an easy way to increase sales.
For instance, create a movie package that includes candy, popcorn, soft drinks/wine, and the cost of a movie rental. During football season, create a “Fan” break that includes wings and beer.
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