Hotel services finally have their own academy

In hotels around the world, housekeeping - in other words cleaning common areas, rooms and bathrooms, maintaining equipment and décor, managing bed and bath linens and putting out extra touches - is often considered an insignificant part of the organisation. Ismael Hafidi, CEO of Elite Hospitality, provider of hotel services in Belgium, has devised a method to increase the efficiency of employees behind the scenes, resulting in better quality and more appreciation for work. 

Ismael Hafidi, who has a long experience of managing hotels, knows that the success of an establishment largely depends on the consistency and accuracy of service.

"The hotel industry attracted me from a young age. I remember doing student jobs as a night receptionist," he says with a smile. "Since then, I have taken on all kinds of other responsibilities in this sector. It seemed like a good idea to build a multi-service offering to give hotels the support they need. This allows hoteliers to take their worries out of their hands. We therefore set up training courses for beginners and in-service training for existing staff. Initially, the courses were delivered by hotel staff in meeting rooms of certain hotels."

New skills 

One thing led to another and the need arose to set up a specific structure. In spring 2024, a fully-fledged training academy was created, the Hospitality Academy by Elite Hospitality, with the first two branches in Brussels and La Louvière. The aim is to train and upskill teams on an ongoing basis. This includes raising awareness of the need to excel in all circumstances in order to meet the highest standards of hospitality and customer service. Hotels that have a contract with Elite Hospitality are required to have their employees attend at least one training course per year. "The purpose of the training is to familiarise staff with new skills," explains Ismael Hafidi. "And to make staff aware of the ecological aspect of their work. For example, they are advised to use microfibre cloths already impregnated with cleaning products without harmful substances. Courses are given on pest detection - just think of the plaguing wave of bedbugs - and on the latest disinfection protocols."

The cleanliness score

Partnership agreements with hoteliers include a Service Level Agreement. This agreement includes performance indicators that respond to needs and constraints. "The good news is the gradual improvement in the cleanliness score awarded by customers of our partner hotels. Now it is also the case that we would be penalised if they did not," adds Ismael Hafidi.

Elite Hospitality has developed a specific application, RoomChecking. This ensures communication between the various actors: housekeeping, reception, technical maintenance, management and Elite Hospitality itself. "The person responsible for inspecting servants and chambermaids can monitor the progress of work in the rooms in real time. An item forgotten by a guest, a defect or a shortage is immediately brought to the attention of the governess supervising the team."

Elite Hospitality has some 30 clients including the Domaine des Hautes Fagnes, Orange Hotel, Pairi Daiza, the eco-friendly WeCareHotels, Ibis, ...