The idea of room service is more than just a food delivery service. Many hotels offer food delivery, but luxury hotels offer a higher level option that can be considered true room service. In full-service and luxury hotels many guests expect this higher-level service option, and they’re willing to pay for it. Many women who travel alone prefer this option, as do guests who want to work in their room or watch television. By offering this level of service, your hotel can drive higher revenues per guest and attract a wider range of customers.
Many guests see room service as a premium level option that reflects the luxury of a hotel brand. It doesn’t just include the delivery of the food, but also a luxury experience. The food should be perfect, a choice of condiments be provided and it should be available at the right time. The key, however, is in the delivery. The server presents the food, removes the cover and places the tray in a comfortable location for the guest. Dessert can then be offered for a short while later, and removal of the dishes can be arranged. It’s this service and hospitality that really builds the experience. It’s the collection of the room service when the customer is finished that can cause an issue.
Often guests just put the trolley back in the hallway, but if the hotel isn’t aware of this and doesn’t collect it then it can make the place look messy and disorganised. Different strategies have been tried by hotels to solve this, such as asking guests to call for collection, or calling 45-60 minutes after delivery to see if it is ready for collection. At times these methods can work, but ultimately it is down to all staff within the hotel to keep an eye out for room service trolleys left in the hallways and remove them swiftly. This can work if staff stay vigilant. Therefore, motivated and committed management to train and motivate the hotel’s staff is imperative if you want to be known to provide that higher level of service. This shouldn’t differ whether you are a mid-range hotel or one that provides first-class luxury. The differences should come via the menu, the prices, the service setting, the servers’ uniforms and the quality of the room furnishings.
Within a range of hotels, the quality of the service and what the server says and does should be recognisably from the same planet. This service isn’t, however, restricted just to food. The entire experience will reflect the guest’s perception of your hotel. It’s important to ensure that guests are provided with everything they may need, such as plenty of towels and toiletries. However good the personal service is, if the guest isn’t given the basic necessities that they expect, then it could put them off a future booking. One hotel that is known to take this service to the next level is the Savoy. It has a long-standing ethos of ‘personal service naturally’ and has developed its own school to train its professionals to give this high-level of service. It trains staff as butlers, offering a new generation of service to guests.
The idea is that guests are offered the discretion of a traditional English butler, with the efficiency of a 21st century personal assistant. This service is offered to all guests who are staying in suites at the Savoy, and includes in-suite check-in and orientation, a welcome drink on arrival, a packing service, complimentary pressing of two items, personalised wake-up call with tea and coffee, in-suite dining, secretarial services, a personal shopper, a dressing service, facilitation and management of in-suite receptions or dinner parties and airport transfer arrangement.
The Savoy takes room service to the next level with this provision, and offers guests a premium experience which is often sought after at luxury hotels. This also provides the opportunity for large increases in revenue for hotels. Not only can they charge a premium price for the service offered, but also the food and drink that is provided. In addition, this service will generally come with the expectation of a tip, which could even be included within the bill. While the tip goes to the servers and not the hotel itself, this monetary incentive will often ensure that staff consistently offer the best level of service. This service can then give the hotel a reputation that will bring in even more guests. Ultimately, by offering a luxury room service experience, hotels give themselves the opportunity to really boost revenue, while offering better training and benefits to staff.
