Content about Management

SAN JOSE, Calif. — There often comes a time when hotels examine their on-premise laundry and decide whether to keep processing their linens in-house or to outsource. Reasons can range from aging equipment and escalating labor and utility costs to pressure from unions and/or outgrowing the allocated space. The luxurious 800-room Fairmont San Jose recently faced this dilemma. With equipment replacement imminent, the pounds-per-operator-hour number low, and labor costs rising, the hotel decided to take a hard look at its options.

Processing up to 16,000 pounds per day, Fairmont looked into the option of outsourcing by evaluating bids from several local linen service providers. Simultaneously, the hotel reached out to equipment distributors and manufacturers for their input on design, equipment recommendations, laundry assessment, and pricing. Western State Design was awarded the contract to supply, install and commission new flatwork finishing equipment from Chicago Dryer Co.

The Fairmont San Jose decided to take a three-phase approach to replacing its laundry equipment, with finishing equipment being the first phase. Western State Design’s Phil Charlton and Mike Boelk worked diligently with hotel management—Assistant Director of Housekeeping Jason Lustbader and Chief Engineer Larry Wick—to ensure a successful project and to provide the facts and figures in support of why reinvesting in new equipment and keeping the laundry in-house made economic sense.

The long-term partnership between the hotel and the distributor plus Fairmont’s proven success with Chicago® equipment at other properties around the world provided an extra level of confidence that the laundry renovation would go smoothly and deliver the promised results.

New equipment includes a Chicago King Edge Vac CT, Century 2-roll 5200 CT Steam Ironer, Skyline S-16 CT Folder, and Stacker. The complete flatwork system was designed with CHI•Touch, a state-of-art, PC-based, color touch-screen control.

The CHI•Touch easy-to-use graphical interface provides operators, floor management and service teams at the Fairmont San Jose with real-time information to maximize productivity and machinery uptime. The system on all three pieces of equipment allows the ironing line to function more seamlessly than ever before. An operator simply touches the screen at the feeder to select any of the property’s seven programs and the ironer and folder adjust accordingly. The color touch screens indicate simply and clearly what is happening in each machine component.

Installing the new flatwork finishing system has eliminated the Fairmont’s need to pre-condition sheets, increased processing speed (from 65 feet per minute on the old system to 138 FPM on the new system), eliminated three FTEs at the ironing line, and reduced flatwork finishing operating hours by roughly 50% (from 10-16 hours per day to 6-8 hours per day).

The Fairmont San Jose triple-sheets its beds and commonly has the need to process up to 3,000 sheets per day on a full turn with the Chicago flatwork system, which also handles all of its table linen, pillowcases and napkins.

The Fairmont San Jose made an educated choice to keep its laundry in-house and is realizing the savings and efficiency resulting from investing in the first all-CHI•Touch ironing line in the country. The property is now able to effectively process at the speed and cost of a well-automated and efficient commercial laundry, while controlling and producing linen quality that consistently meets the high standards of the hotel’s rooms and food-and-beverage management, project managers say.

COMPARING IN-HOUSE TO COMMERCIAL

Whether an on-premise laundry is benefiting a hotel by providing better service at lower cost or is a financial burden to the property is unique to each location. Several variables—such as floor space, equipment age, utilities, access, and property location—need to be considered. Additionally, true operating costs and the outsourcing provider’s proposal need to be compared dollar for dollar. What to purchase and from who are also key questions to answer.

Equipment providers that can offer turnkey solutions are likely the best choice, but often are not easy to find. The decision as to whether investing in in-house operations is prudent and offers the required monthly savings ultimately belongs to hotel management and ownership. These are some items to consider:

• In-house laundries generally benefit from maintaining lower par levels, reducing overall linen cost and inventory while freeing up valuable storage space
• Tighter quality-control measures can usually be met when processing in-house, resulting in brighter whites, less staining, a higher-quality finish, and longer linen life
• Some commercial laundry service providers do not process food-and-beverage linen or uniforms, creating the need to use two or more outsource companies
• A commercial service in need of increasing production to process a wide variety of quality and linen types may use stronger chemicals, acids, alkaline and bleach, which can weaken fabrics and increase discard quantities
• Does the linen service provider have a contingency plan for power outage, flood, fire, or other disaster that could interrupt service?

In some cases, it may make economic sense to outsource, or a hotel may need an outside linen service provider to meet its excess demand or for emergency service, and there are many reputable linen service companies to meet these demands. It is necessary, however, to periodically visit the laundry provider to check on the process, chemicals and detergents being used and the quality of finishing and folding. It’s also important to check the water source to ensure the water is soft and will not discolor or damage the linen.

PHASE TWO AND THREE IN WORKS

The Fairmont San Jose carefully followed this evaluation process and chose to keep its laundry in-house, saving at least 12 full-time jobs within the hotel and local economy. Today, its efficient laundry operation meets the quality demands of a top-rated hospitality property.

Moving forward, the hotel will complete the planned second and third phases to revamp the remainder of its laundry services and provide the state-of-the-art property in the heart of Silicon Valley with a laundry that will meet its needs for many years to come.

CHICAGO — Getting employees to assume ownership with respect to their responsibilities starts at the top. The ability of senior managers to demonstrate they are leaders by recognizing the importance of recognition and encouragement plays a vital role in driving employees and programs to assume ownership. But some managers impose an external, often-limiting structure on employees, which can result in low morale and wreak havoc with expectations.

The world we live in today has undergone rapid, disruptive changes. What were once accepted norms are being thrown out the window! New ideas, working philosophy and creed are replacing the old. This means that your employability and survivability in your organization are based on your ability to take ownership of what you are doing. Even if you are employed by someone else, you are as much the owner as your employer. Taking ownership of what you do internalizes that part of the job and energizes you.

People working within organizations are sometimes simply running around and doing things the right way. They are efficient but not really effective. They keep to organizational protocols and practices and do not question their validity or the need to change. After a time, whatever they’re doing becomes a sort of “acceptable practice” and a general state of inertia sets in. If you’ve reached this kind of state, it’s about time that you question your values, identify your vision, and try to figure out whether you are doing the right thing by staying on or if you should move on.

The traditional approach of long-term employability is being challenged today. Many organizations now offer shorter contract terms so they have the option of selecting and keeping those employees that they feel are assets. Not knowing whether your organization wants you after your contract runs out could create a sense of dissonance and lack of conviction on your part.

If you feel that you can be an asset to your organization and are keen to stay on, take ownership of your job. Change your paradigm from the traditional “I work for the organization” to one in which you believe “the organization is working for me.” Learn to see yourself as the owner, no matter where you stand in your organization. Achieving this mental perspective will automatically allow you to start to contribute effectively.

But what traits are essential to create a sense of responsibility?

BE RELIABLE

When we buy any item, we want to ensure that it is reliable. We do this for one simple reason—so it will serve our purpose and not give us problems. Likewise, reliability is a personal quality that you should develop. When you are reliable, you become your own boss. You will also become an indispensable asset of your organization, assuming it recognizes what you do and how you do it. You will be someone whom the organization feels can help drive it to success.

BE RESPONSIBLE

Learn to take responsibility for your own actions. Respond to a situation rather than react to it. Taking responsibility will show that you are a person of high integrity and conviction. Others will look up to you and value your opinion and the decisions that you’ve got to make.

You can develop this quality by volunteering to take on a certain task rather than waiting to be asked. Sometimes, people who feel they aren’t wanted wait to be asked under the belief it will elevate them to a higher level of importance. This is certainly a quality of a person suffering from an inferiority complex. You don’t have to feel that way. Dive into your workload with passion and give it your best. Do this regularly and people in your organization will take notice, one way or another.

Taking responsibility generates confidence and boosts self-esteem. When you feel this way, you inevitably develop the next quality that will make you personally successful.

BE OPEN AND SMART

This will ensure that you are not easily swayed by what others say about your organization and you. Learn to be open to constructive criticism that allows you to self-analyze and improve personal and professional qualities. But don’t fall prey to your organization’s “emotional werewolves” who tend to zap your sense of self-awareness and make you feel as if you are wasting your time with the company.

You can become more open and smart by clearly establishing your goals and synchronizing them with organizational goals. If you are unable to do this, it may mean that you can’t see what your organization is working toward; this will definitely lead to a clash. It might be a good idea to move on. But if you believe that you can change your mindset and work in sync with your organization’s vision, then you need to develop the next quality.

BE GOAL-ORIENTED

You can lose sight of your goals and purpose in life if you find yourself stuck in a rut and thinking that you’re just plain unlucky. This is nothing more than a negative state of mind. Get tough and make your own luck. Learn how to work within limitations and maximize your productivity. I’ve never heard of any organization that has abundant resources. One way or another, there will be some sort of shortage. See what you can do to exploit the resources available at your disposal. Think creatively and make sure that whatever you have works for you.

The fact that you are still employed is a testament to the fact that your organization believes in your ability. It is up to you to drive your organization from wherever you are.

Leaders empower their staff to take on additional responsibilities. Leaders should also maintain an open environment that allows communication to flourish so that everyone knows their job. And they should develop a habit of connecting emotionally so that the staff sees them not only as their superior but someone whom they can trust and rely upon.

Lastly, if you consider yourself a manager, never be critical of an employee in front of others. Not only will you look like an idiot, doing so will distinguish you as a poor manager who cares only for yourself. Learn to roll up your sleeves and work with your employees, not against them.

CHICAGO — Laundry services managers find dependability to be a highly valued trait in their employees, according to the results of this month’s AmericanLaundryNews.com Wire survey.

Roughly 43% of managers who responded to the survey say dependability is the trait they value most in an employee. Next most valued is trustworthiness (20%), followed by being a team player (16.7%) and having a positive attitude (13.3%).

Managers are less in agreement about the undesirable traits that are the surest way for an employee to tick them off. No. 1 is unreliability, chosen by 26.7%. Equal shares of 16.7% dislike the actions of employees who don’t follow the rules or who don’t work well with others.

Disloyalty (13.3%), lacking initiative (10%), being unmotivated (6.7%) and failing to meet goals/deadlines (6.7%) are some other sure-to-tick-off traits.

Roughly 43% of respondents say they directly supervise fewer than 10 employees day to day. Another 23.3% supervise 10 to 25 employees, and another 20% supervise 26-50 workers. The remaining 13.3% oversee 51 to 75 employees. No one who took the survey supervises more than 75 employees.

More than half of respondents (53.3%) say their job title falls under laundry management. Others fall under “other” (20%), general administration (13.3%), environmental services (6.7%), housekeeping (3.3%) and purchasing (3.3%).

Seventy percent of respondents received formal management training before they were named a manager.

While the Wire survey presents a snapshot of readers’ viewpoints at a particular moment, it should not be considered scientific.

Subscribers to Wire e-mails—distributed twice weekly—are invited to take a brief industry survey anonymously online each month. All managers and administrators of institutional/OPL, cooperative, commercial and industrial laundries are encouraged to participate, as a greater number of responses will help to better define operator opinions and industry trends.

To sign up for the Wire, click the “Subscriptions” button at the top right-hand corner of this page and follow the instructions.

“Equipment, chemicals, etc., play a huge part in our laundry’s success, but our most important asset is our people. We have to work well as a team. In what ways can I improve my team-building skills and learn how to spot trouble that could drag down staff morale and curtail production?”

Consulting Services: David Chadsey, Capital Equipment Consulting, Winter Haven, Fla.

The truth is everybody wants to be part of a group. It is part of our DNA. No matter who you are or what you do, you want to be on a winning team.

Great organizations understand this natural inclination, and they build on it. Team building in the workplace not only increases productivity and return, it adds to the personal fulfillment of all those who work for you. When those people leave at the end of the day (or their shift), the successful corporate team is further magnified to all the families represented in your organization. In my house, when Momma’s happy, everybody’s happy.

Team Identity

Your team needs to have an identity. What do you want your organization to be known for? Quality Linen On Time Every Day? Amazing Customer Service? Or maybe Efficiency and Speed to Market?

If your parent organization has a corporate identity, your department can align itself with this overall team concept. The first step in team building is team identity; it is the core of whom you are and what your team members strive to achieve.

In the 1970s, an unusual group of Pittsburgh Steelers defensive linemen became known as the Steel Curtain. Just like you, there were days when those fellas did not want to come to work. They got tired. They got hurt. But they had an identity as a unit that would not compromise control of the line of scrimmage. Something special rose up in them based on that identity that is still recognized 35 years later.

Communicate the Vision

From initial employee orientation, through training and regular staff meetings, managers need to communicate the vision of the team’s identity. Policies and practices should be reinforced by the purpose.

“We answer the phone before the third ring because we have the best customer service in the industry.”

“Our production standard on the small-piece folder is 800 pool towels per hour because we are committed to on-time delivery.”

“We monitor wash water temperatures and chemistry because we are committed to quality.”

Whether you love or hate Walmart, you know it has low prices. The team has an identity that is reinforced by all levels of management every day.

Communicating the team vision is critical. As a leader and manager, if you can effectively communicate your identity and vision, your people will amaze you. Well-coached team members will step up and fulfill corporate vision in areas you may not have even addressed.

Execute the Plan

This is the hard part. I have never met a laundry operator who wanted a reputation for getting “Most of the Linen Clean Most of the Time.” Nobody has the goal of “Delivery Guaranteed On-Time, Except When We’re Late.”

Executing the team plan requires a systematic approach to performance. There are a lot of resources available to help you formally execute your plan. Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, ISO 9000 and Miller Heiman are a few that have been popular in recent years across a wide range of industry sectors. Accessing professional, process-oriented support will provide your organization with the structure to help build a successful team.

Equipment Manufacturing: Chuck Anderson, Ellis Corp., San Diego, Calif.

The greatest attribute of any manager is the ability to understand and be understood. Open communication is the best way to improve employee morale and spot trouble.

Praise motivates people! Research shows that in order to increase motivation and ensure top performance, we need to praise at least five times more often than we find fault or criticize. Try not to praise and criticize in the same meeting or conversation. I encourage you to go out and find at least two employees to praise today!

Be consistent and timely. Whether you have daily, weekly or monthly meetings, stay on time and follow up on previous goals and achievements. If action items are not repeatedly addressed, the team will feel the meetings are a waste of time.

Be certain that the purpose and objectives of the team are clearly defined. The team must be aligned around common objectives. People enjoy working toward a clearly defined goal. Write the major objectives on a whiteboard each week to keep the team focused.

Share information and delegate. Many times team leaders or managers have a difficult time delegating and/or sharing information because they fear losing their authority. But if leaders don’t delegate and share information, they lose their time, energy and ability to lead.

Continuously coach and support the development of your team leaders. This may involve hiring outside professionals, or sending your team leaders to “boot camp,” but this will pay dividends in a more productive and motivated team.

Encourage suggestions and ideas. Maybe you have been looking into how to improve production in a certain area. The person doing the work may actually already have the idea since they are involved in the task each day.

Get involved! Make time this week to roll up your sleeves and work the ironer for a couple hours or help load and unload the washers and dryers. This will build camaraderie with your employees and help break down barriers.

Tomorrow: Answers from the uniforms and commercial laundry sectors.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Industrial laundry equipment manufacturer G.A. Braun recently installed a new call-management software system to establish new levels of customer service through its Service Support Help Desk.

“Our goal is to improve customer response time, increase customer satisfaction and improve communication both internally and externally,” says David Clark, Braun’s vice president of after-market operations. “This is a resolution system—a question-and-answer process solution.”

An AmericanLaundryNews.com Exclusive

CHICAGO — In the environment we work in, it is imperative that we all reexamine what we are doing and how we are doing it. Stress levels in just about any workplace are on the rise, but we can all play a major role in reducing them.

It’s in a manager’s best interest to keep stress levels in his or her workplace to a minimum. Managers must be positive role models, especially in stressful times.

An AmericanLaundryNews.com Exclusive

CHICAGO — As we enter the new year, I first want to thank all of you who read my columns on AmericanLaundryNews.com. I appreciate your comments and suggestions.

Let’s continue our discussion about leadership. We all must have an honest understanding of who we are, what we know, and what we can do to add leadership value to our organizations. Keep in mind that it is the followers, not the leader or someone else, who determine if the leader is successful.

I have had numerous discussions with my fellow laundry managers in recent years about job security. This certainly has been a hot topic around the country. Can you stay at a job too long? Is the concept of working for just one or two employers during your career a thing of the past?

Our discussions revealed three key issues:

ASCERTAINING MARKET VALUE

“How can we tell if we’re getting our money’s worth from the textiles we’re using? What are the characteristics of a high-quality textile after it has been processed a dozen times, 50 times, or more? And can item type — flatwork or garment — actually influence textile durability?”

Textiles — Elizabeth Easter, Ph.D., University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky.

“To ensure that the laundry I manage is achieving top production on an ongoing basis, what records should I be keeping and why? Do you track anything out of the norm?”

Healthcare Laundry: Dianna Aracich, Wheeling Hospital, Wheeling, W.Va.

“There is consistent pressure to produce goods at a rapid pace, based on directives to meet certain individual production figures, but I’m concerned that we’re sacrificing quality for quantity. Can you offer suggestions for how we can balance the two?”

Textiles: Elizabeth Easter, Ph.D., University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky.

SHELTON, Conn. — Lubbert Supply Co. LLC has started full operation at its new warehousing and manufacturing facility here.

“With our new facility strategically located in Shelton, Conn., we are able to provide better service to our customers in North America,” says Eric Lubbert, president of Lubbert Supply.