Essential checklist for smart facilities management

Key points: Operational readiness checklist for smart facilities management

• Use the off-season to get ahead: Quiet periods are the ideal time to identify and fix maintenance issues before increased guest numbers put pressure on facilities.
• Be operational-ready: Tackle major repairs and infrastructure upgrades early to reduce guest disruption.
• Don’t make quick-fix repairs in peak season: These are often temporary and can be costly – and can also tend to impact overall guest satisfaction.
• Make a checklist: Create operational checklists for each area of the property, ensuring nothing gets overlooked, including cleaning, facility presentation and maintenance systems.
• Check your cleaning supply: Use the previous season’s cleaning supply and maintenance stock levels as a baseline to help you resupply.
• Prevent customer complaints: Being operational-ready for when peak season hits could help ease negative customer feedback or dissatisfaction. You want guests to return.
• Review problem areas: Review guest feedback to help identify potential problem areas to address.

Prepare yourself for peak season

Full-capacity occupancy. Back-to-back check-ins. Guests using every onsite facility at once. For holiday accommodation providers, this is what peak season looks like.

But low season isn’t the time to stand idly by. Instead, use this time as the perfect window to carry out operational facilities management checks and essential maintenance ahead of busier periods.

Tip: Always wear the appropriate safety equipment (safety glasses, gloves and a mask, for example) when required on the job. Always follow the instructions for the product or equipment.

Why busier periods expose previously unnoticed issues

Increased guest numbers during peak season can unearth issues that may have gone unnoticed during quieter months.

Amenity blocks, for example, may appear to function perfectly well during off-season. But underlying issues can quickly become exposed during higher usage periods, making preventative maintenance crucial.

Why prevention is easier (and cheaper!) than reacting to issues

To minimise complaints during high season, major maintenance works and infrastructure upgrades should ideally happen during quieter periods, when they’re less likely to inconvenience a high volume of guests. This could include:

• maintenance on the property’s electrical systems
• carry out repairs on big-ticket accommodation items.

How to approach operational checks before peak season

Every guest touchpoint should undergo an operational check before high season – even though the number of tasks, both great and small, can feel insurmountable.

Try creating checklists for each and every aspect that needs to be reviewed. Checklists should be made for each of the following (at a minimum):

• Guest accommodation
• Amenity blocks
• On-site facilities
• Reception areas

Camp kitchens and barbecues, for example, would be assessed against a rigorous checklist to ensure guests’ comfort and safety when using them.

Checklists could include testing each piece of cooking equipment to ensure it’s functioning, tagging all appliances, and noting any faulty items in need of replacement. And don’t forget to add an intensive deep clean in anticipation of heavy, sustained use in summer.

Safety hazards should also form part of these checklists. For example, ensure all steps have stair treads and that slippery surfaces have anti-slip textures installed around them.

Do a deep clean in the lead up to peak season

The time between guest arrival and departure places a major constraint on accommodation cleaning during the high season. To minimise disruption, perform a deep clean in the lead-up to peak season, including glass windows, skylights and sliding doors.

Examine your rubbish areas and bays in off-season

When the park is heaving with guests, bins can quickly become overloaded. Before peak time, examine your rubbish areas and bin bays, ensuring you have functional vermin- and bird-proof bins positioned around the park to sustain a higher volume of guests.

Audit cleaning products and maintenance supplies

The quieter season is also a chance to forecast the amount of maintenance supplies and cleaning consumables needed for when demand increases. Auditing supply quantities from previous peak seasons and using them as a stock baseline helps ensure you’re well-prepared for busier months.

Why addressing operational issues can improve guest satisfaction

Identifying potential problems before peak season increases the chance of a smooth stay – and the best intel often comes from guests themselves. Take note of departure surveys and make sure you chat to guests regularly to gain an understanding of pain points.

Prepare for dry periods with water retention tanks

For accommodation operators in New Zealand, preparing for peak season can also mean planning for drier conditions and potential water restrictions.

Installing or upgrading water retention tanks can help make better use of rainfall, giving your property an extra water source for gardens, outdoor cleaning and general maintenance. It’s a practical way to build resilience into your facilities management plan, while helping keep shared spaces and guest areas looking their best during periods of reduced rainfall.

Be proactive, and think like a guest

Ultimately, it’s about being on the front foot long before the majority of guests arrive. Put yourself in their shoes and prepare accordingly.

† Available to order online or at the Special Orders Desk