Travelers are always looking for ways to save on their hotel room. You can tell by all the deal websites available. But hotels are also always trying to find ways they can reduce their costs. For them, it can make the difference between profiting and falling into the red. Their guests might be trying to scrimp and save. But they’re attempting to do the same while encouraging their guests to spend more. There are a number of different methods hoteliers use to cut their costs. They need to avoid adversely affecting the experience they offer their guests. Many of the solutions they use are green initiatives that also benefit the environment.
Water and Energy Efficiency
Green projects will help to save any business money. Hotels around the world have been trying to be greener. Cutting down costs for energy and water can help to save a hotel a lot of money. But it’s often an initiative they have to ask guests to get involved with too. The hotel and its staff can lead the way by reducing their usage of water, electricity and gas. One thing most hotels do is require a key card to turn on the electricity in a room. So nothing is left running when the guest leaves. Using alternative energy, such as solar panels, is also an excellent idea. However, it’s also important to ask guests to contribute. They can be asked to reuse their towels, for example.
Waste Reduction
Throwing out too much waste can be expensive for a hotel. They may have to pay more to dispose of their waste, and they lose money by not using things they have bought. One of the places a hotel should focus their efforts to reduce waste is in their restaurant. It’s essential that everything in the kitchen is used to its full potential. For example, trimmings and offcuts should be used to make stock, rather than immediately thrown away. Hoteliers can also encourage recycling among both staff and guests. As well as helping to save money, it makes the hotel look good too. Kitchen scraps can be composted instead of thrown away. They can be used for the hotel’s various landscaping needs or restaurant kitchen garden.
Finding the Right Suppliers
Choosing the best suppliers can make a big difference to how much a hotel spends in a year. By working with the best firms to suit them, they can ensure they get a great deal on anything they need to order in. For example, they often need to spend a lot of money on linen, such as sheets and tablecloths for hotels and spas. Hotels can save money by being able to buy what they need in bulk or smaller numbers whenever necessary. Having an account with their preferred suppliers makes it easier to secure better prices. Renting supplies can also be a good idea in some cases, helping to reduce costs in the short-term.
Going Digital
Choosing to use a range of digital services for guests and behind the scenes is another way hotels save. One significant change in many hotels is offering digital publications for their guests. This can be in addition to or instead of paper newspapers and magazines. Guests can download their favorite publications to their smartphone or tablet, which is much cheaper for the hotel. It also saves on recycling costs, as it means that old copies of publications aren’t left behind. Hoteliers can also save money behind the scenes by using digital technology in their office. They can avoid printing things unnecessarily and safeguard their business with cloud computing.
Bookings
Hotels are always at risk of losing money through cancellations. That’s why they often overbook. This sometimes leads to having to find guests accommodation elsewhere, which can be inconvenient. One of the ways they save money is by locking in a booking straight away. This method is used especially for special offers, when the guest must pay on booking to secure a deal. Another option is to have the cancellation fee as the cost of the room, even if the guest doesn’t have to pay right away. It’s also a good idea for hotels to use booking sites to fill their empty rooms. Websites with last-minute deals help hotels to avoid empty rooms and losing out on money.
Hotels use a range of methods to try and save money on a daily basis. As well as reducing costs on their own, encouraging guests to be green also plays a significant role.
