Tag: employee engagement

Tips For Giving Thanks to Your Associates

November 19, 2018 / / 1 Comment

We would not be able to provide quality service without the help of our dedicated associates. That is why we have created a work culture that is built on the foundation of associate recognition, celebrations, and engagement. This Thanksgiving, we are sharing some expert tips on how you can give thanks to the associates who work hard to make your business thrive. Want to know the best part about the following tips? They can be used each day throughout the year to recognize a job well done!

  1. A day does not go by without employees giving their all. It is all about leaders giving back and recognizing that hard work as often as possible.
    Popcorn & Cotton Candy (1)
  1. When guests share positive feedback, or a great service rating, spend time researching who made that possible.
  1. Always post and share customer compliments with your team. Take it a step further by including the associates’ photo and highlight details about the recognition.
  1. Write a personalized note of appreciation.  A simple “thank you” is great, though, be specific in how they made a positive impact.  We expect employees to be detailed with their work, so we should be detailed with their feedback.
  1. We all love a surprise treat now and then. Keep some goodie bags handy for that perfect moment to make someone’s day. You can always drop in your personalized note to make it extra special.  Screen Shot 2018-09-17 at 9.32.26 AM (1)
  1. Some accomplishments happen without a manager noticing.  Encourage associates to share and acknowledge other team members whenever possible by creating a post-it board for their notes.
  1. Recognize their special dates outside of work such as work anniversaries or birthdays. More importantly, if they’re working that day, go out of your way to make the day extra special.
  1. Utilize every outlet to share recognition and congratulate team members. At The Service Companies, our leaders have several opportunities to share successes and engage in employee recognition by participating in the following:
  • Mandatory pre-shift meetings each day
  • Weekly recognition in SHINE on You through our company wide SHINE on Shift email
  • #TeamMemberTuesday across our Social Media platforms
  • Monthly recognition of our Top Performers through inspection and incentive programs
  • Quarterly In-brief newsletter
  • Annually through our company wide President’s Awards
  1. With all recognition, be consistent!  Morale can easily decline the moment you forget someone’s special day or don’t recognize a team member’s achievements. Robert Knowles- 70th. Birthday(2) (1)

For more information about how we focus on associate engagement to create a positive work culture at each property, visit https://www.theservicecompanies.com/contact/.

Stephanie Leger, Corporate Compliance Auditor posing with The Service Companies frame

Leaders in Service: Stephanie Leger

April 10, 2018 / / 0 Comments

Our next Leaders in Service series feature is Stephanie Leger, Corporate Compliance Auditor and support for our hotel, casino and resort properties across the country.  Prior to joining our team, Stephanie Leger held a number of roles with The Ritz-Carlton brand, including Hotel Housekeeping Manager, Front Desk Supervisor, and Group Sales Coordinator, and was a Service Evaluator for Forbes Travel Guide, during which time she was trained and certified in over 550 hotel standards and identified service strengths and opportunities for improvement. We have interviewed Stephanie Leger about her time at The Service Companies, her unique background in hotel housekeeping inspections and auditing, and what it takes to succeed and grow within our company. Currently, she is providing operational support and expertise to one of The Service Companies’ luxury hotels in South Beach, Miami.

StephanieLeger_1794What roles have you held while with The Service Companies? How long have you been with us? I’ve been with The Service Companies for two years, during which I’ve lead the team in account openings, helped with the expansion of accounts and evaluated how our accounts align with our company and brand standards. At the property I’m with right now in Miami, we’re running about 45 room attendants each day, and I’ve been training new hotel housekeeping associates every day.

What has kept you on our team, and what do you like most about this company? It’s exciting to be part of a growing company that isn’t just growing in one location, but across the country – over 30 states and counting! We’re also expanding into different calibers of hotels, and I like assisting in creating our company standards as we grow.

What does your job entail? I have a variety of job duties. I travel to our new accounts and assist in setting up the hotel housekeeping department and training newly hired team members. Or, I visit existing accounts and audit the housekeeping department by testing associates’ knowledge and spot checking cleanliness in their rooms.

What do you think makes an Executive Housekeeper successful? Having skills in time management, teamwork and flexibility are important for success.

What do you think is the most important part of your role? Checking in on our current accounts and making sure they performing up to our standards, and if they’re not, assisting them to get them where they need to be.

What would you recommend to someone looking to become an Executive Housekeeper? Learn all the duties of each position of your team. Then as a leader, you’ll be able to understand how each position relies on each other to meet the needs of the guest.

What do you love most about your position? I love visiting our various properties and working with the team to take them to the next level.

How do you stay motivated, and how do you motivate your hotel housekeeping teams? To keep myself motivated, I stay positive. My nickname is giggles; I’m always laughing and in a good mood. Housekeeping can be very challenging, but I use my positive outlook to motivate the team. Also, I work side by side with the team to get the task at hand done.  

Outside of work, how do you spend your time? What are you passionate about and what do you enjoy doing? I enjoy traveling to destinations I’ve never been before and touring the area. When not on the road for work I like to travel to tropical locations and enjoy the outdoors, hiking and fishing.

At The Service Companies, we understand that our people are what makes our company great and enables us to provide our customers Service. Above All.

No matter what level, property or department, you will find exceptional associates who live and breathe our brand and have helped create a strong corporate culture. In the spirit of honoring the people and leaders within our company, we feature and interview our outstanding associates in our series, Leaders in Service.

Leaders in Service: Barbara Johnson

March 27, 2018 / / 0 Comments

Our next feature of the Leaders in Service series is Barbara Johnson, Stewarding Supervisor at one of our casino properties in Shreveport, Louisiana. Barbara has been with the Service Companies for over 10 years, and has shown endless dedication and remarkable leadership.

Barbara Johnson_revised image

How long have you been with The Service Companies?

I’ve been with the company for 11 years, working at two properties in the Shreveport area since I was first hired.

What role(s) have you had here and what is your current position?

I started as an EVS Attendant and was promoted to Supervisor. My background includes working on EVS and Stewarding teams and I work closely with The Service Companies’ customer’s Food & Beverage team here in Shreveport.  

What does your job entail?

My job entails making sure my team is able to do their job, from roll call and pre-shift meetings at the beginning of the shift to making sure my team members are where they need to be and has what they need. I provide my team with everything they need to succeed each day.

How do you stay motivated or how do you motivate your team members/coworkers?

I make sure my team knows that the most important part of their job is about respect for themselves, their team and their guests, and I respect them. I motivate them by making sure they have what they need to do well, and also recognize associates with giveaways and announcements to let them know they are appreciated. This past holiday season, we all pitched in for a Christmas celebration, and I made sure everyone felt included and ate well.

What do you like most about your current role?

I love my team and being around people. I enjoy communicating with them about their jobs and training, making sure they have everything they need to succeed.

You have been with The Service Companies for over 10 years. What has kept you on our team and what do you like most about the company?

I love doing my job and I like my bosses. I enjoy the environment of The Service Companies and being a part of the stewarding team.

We are thrilled to have such a tenured member on our team. Through the years, we imagine you have experienced and learned a great deal. Is there any advice you’d give to a team member who has joined The Service Companies?

I would tell them to have a positive attitude, by happy and cheerful, and get comfortable with their job.

Outside of work, what are you passionate about? What do you do when you are not working?

I like spending time with my friends and family, and being there for them when I’m needed.

At The Service Companies, we understand that our people are what makes our company great and enables us to provide our customers Service. Above All.

No matter what level, property or department, you will find exceptional associates who live and breathe our brand and have helped create a strong corporate culture. In the spirit of honoring the people and leaders within our company, we feature and interview our outstanding associates in our series, Leaders in Service.

Leaders in Service: Kim Eichelberger

August 29, 2017 / / 1 Comment

OKim Eichelberger, Project Director, one of many hospitality jobsur next feature in our Leaders in Service feature is Kim Eichelberger, Project Director for a luxury casino property in Lake Charles, Louisiana. She has been with The Service Companies, having served in a variety of hospitality jobs for over 10 years. We’ve asked her to answer some questions about working for The Service Companies.

 

 

Congratulations on having just celebrated your 10 year anniversary at The Service Companies! What are some of your most memorable moments from your time at the company?

Working for The Service Companies has been memorable in a lot of ways, and I’ve experienced and learned a great amount since I first started. In the last 10 years, I’ve had the opportunity to travel from account to account, running different customers’ housekeeping departments across the country. I’ve met and worked with a number of people, and had the opportunity to work at vacation ownership properties (where you complete unannounced QAs twice a year) and casino properties, where running occupancy is in the high 90s.

What does your role as Project Director entail? What are some of your responsibilities?

As Project Director for our casino customer in Lakes Charles, I am responsible for running the day-to day operations with 99% occupancy almost daily, motivating my employees daily and engaging with them as much as possible with standup meetings. I manage our proprietary portals and productivity trackers, ensuring our cleaning standards are met by the property expectations. I also build relationships with the property managers and participate in weekly and daily meetings with property management since we are one team.

Out of all of the properties you have worked at for The Service Companies, what were the highlights of each?

I have had several hospitality jobs at TSC and worked at several of our properties around the country, but there are a few that were memorable and highlights for me. I worked at one of our hotel accounts in Puerto Rico. It was a challenging project, but the views were amazing. In Key West, another time when I was surrounded by amazing views, we managed three properties from one end of the island to the other, which brought its obstacles to problem solve. Also, I will never forget the roosters in the tress in Key West. Yes, roosters.

I have also worked in Virginia, Myrtle Beach, New Orleans, Iowa, Connecticut, Arizona, Laughlin and now Lake Charles. Each property has had its own demands, and it’s been a great experience. I have loved the traveling, being challenged, and walking away with a sense of accomplishment.

What has kept you excited and passionate about working for The Service Companies for the last 10 years?

I’ve worked for The Service Companies for the past 10 years because I truly enjoy my job and the challenges I’m working to solve. There have been moments in my career that have been quite challenging; however, I try to look at the positive side of any and every event.

How do you motivate your team?

I motivate my team in many ways. We hold celebrations and recognize our associates, but, most of all, I interact with each associate on a personal level.

That’s amazing that you have interacted on a personal level with all 250+ of your associates. How do you keep your casino property running so smoothly while overseeing 1000+ rooms and 250+ associates?

How do I keep the property running so smoothly? It’s one of the toughest hospitality jobs, I must say. Building the relationship with our customer is the key as is a sense of urgency. I’ve been successful by learning this property and being proactive instead of reactive.

What do you enjoy most about being a Project Director?

The daily demands and building relationships with staff and customers.

When you are not working, what do you like to do?

Enjoying the outdoors and fishing.

At The Service Companies, we understand that our people make our company great and enable us to provide our customers Service. Above All. No matter what level, property or department you look, you will find exceptional associates who live and breathe our brand and have helped create a strong corporate culture. In the spirit of honoring the people and leaders within our company, we will feature and interview our outstanding associates in our series, Leaders in Service.

Read Other Posts in Our Leaders In Service Series:

Leaders in Service: Jurond Brazile

July 13, 2017 / / 0 Comments

male hotel houseman, housekeeper, cleaner, public area attendantAt The Service Companies, we understand that our people make our company great and enable us to provide our customers Service. Above All. No matter what level, property or department you look, you will find exceptional associates who live and breathe our brand and have helped create a strong corporate culture. In the spirit of honoring the people and leaders within our company, we will feature and interview our outstanding associates in our series, Leaders in Service.

Our third feature of this series is Jurond Brazile, a Laundry Attendant/Public Area Attendant/Houseman at a hotel in Key West. We’ve asked him to answer some questions about working for The Service Companies:

How long have you been with The Service Companies?

I have been working for The Service Companies for six years.

What role(s) have you had here and what is your current position?

Since I joined, I have held Houseman, Public Area, Laundry, Carpet Cleaning and Housekeeping positions. Currently, I am a Laundry Attendant/Public Area Attendant/Houseman for a vacation ownership resort in Key West, Florida.

What does your job entail?

I do any job that is asked of me. Since my role with The Service Companies includes Hotel Houseman, Laundry and Public Area duties, I help out wherever I am needed within the hotel housekeeping department. I enjoy it.

That is a great attitude to have, and one that we value at The Service Companies. Our last question for you is what do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?

When I’m not working, I like to read books and play sports, particularly soccer and basketball.

Read Other Blog Posts From Our Leaders in Service Series:

Leaders in Service: Ana Rodriguez

April 4, 2017 / / 1 Comment

At The Service Companies, we understand that our people is Ana Rodriguez, Director EVS Cleaning and Housekeeping Operationswhat makes our company great and enables us to provide our customers Service. Above All. No matter at what level, property or department you look, you will find exceptional associates who live and breathe our brand and have helped create a strong corporate culture. In the spirit of honoring the people and leaders within our company, we will feature and interview our outstanding associates in our series, Leaders in Service.

Our first feature of this series is Ana Rodriguez, Director of EVS Cleaning and Housekeeping Operations. We’ve asked her to answer some questions about working for The Service Companies:

How long have you been with The Service Companies?
All together 2 years.

What role have you had here and what is your current position?
I was a Property Manager for The Service Companies in the Housekeeping department at a casino in Bossier City, Louisiana in 2009. I’m currently Director of Operations for EVS Cleaning and Housekeeping at a casino resort on the Las Vegas Strip.

What does your job entail?
My team and I are responsible for the housekeeping operations of a 2200+ room casino hotel, the upkeep of a 20,000 square foot casino and 400+ associates. All this while integrating The Service Companies’ standard practices with our client’s culture and priorities.

How do you motivate your team?
By showing them the power to make a difference that they each have within themselves. We talk about what inspires us, about the amazing leadership that drives our company and why we do what we do. And in times of need, we are there for each other.

What do you like most about being the Director of EVS Cleaning & Housekeeping Operations?
The synergy we have created on this team and having the platform to lead so many people eager for growth. We have a achieved such a synergy that any time one of us is not at their best, the rest of the team reminds each other why we all love what we do.

We are always looking for dedicated and talented employees to join our team. If you’d like to join The Service Companies, apply here.

Read Other Blog Posts in Our Leaders in Service Series

Investing in technology: improved productivity, engagement and service

December 21, 2016 / / 0 Comments

tams-mock-up-on-ipad

The Service Companies’ proprietary TAMS system

Technology has completely transformed each and every one of our daily lives. It has made us more productive, given us greater access to information, and simplified procedures that used to take days, weeks or months to complete. At The Service Companies, we believe that technology is integral to increasing the productivity of our associates, creating best-in-class employee engagement and training programs, and providing the highest quality service to our customers and their guests. As the premier provider of cleaning, staffing and managed services to hotels, casinos and vacation ownership resorts nationwide, The Service Companies has made a significant investment in proprietary technology to increase the efficiency of our Managed and Staffing Services.

Talent Acquisition

Recruitment, training and employee engagement typically involve the most investment of money, time and energy from Housekeeping operational leaders. We recognized that our 30 years of success had provided us invaluable operational and recruiting knowledge that we translated into our own system – Talent Acquisition Metric System (TAMS). In 2016, we launched TAMS, which allows our Talent Acquisition team to create daily task lists focused on ground level recruiting, to analyze historical data on staffing levels for each of our customer’s properties (enabling us to anticipate ebbs and flows), and to review real time dashboards reflecting staffing levels at our properties and regions throughout the country.

Productivity Analysis

The Service Companies has successfully quantified the productivity of their team members. With our proprietary Flash Program portal, our operations leaders and executive team can view and track the productivity of a Housekeeping Department as well as analyze the daily productivity of each Guest Room Attendant. For any Guest Room Attendant that falls below a certain range, we pin point the issue and work on a resolution to increase those scores. Our productivity tool is transferable across the multiple brands we operate within, and comes complete with a mobile site accessible via tablet. Our Executive Housekeepers get real-time, actionable intelligence to help them manage their teams and properties.

Employee On-boarding and Retention Tracking

In 2016, The Service Companies partnered with an external consulting company to collect data and analyze why associates join or don’t join our team or stay for a certain amount of time. The intelligence we gather through this exhaustive analysis of our on-boarding and retention strategies will help us get a clear picture of what we can improve on so that we continue to be the premier employer of hourly associates in the managed service space.

Training

Coming in 2017, The Service Companies will be launching a customized and proprietary training and engagement mobile app, Star Service Training. While we have been utilizing digital training checklists, inspection forms and tools for years, Star Service Training enables us to keep all of the files in one place that our associates can access on their phones to complete. Training will be able to be completed on the app, with our most anticipated augmented reality feature that enables the phone to complete the inspection itself using the camera. Associates will be recognized and rewarded with points, which they will then be able to use to purchase gift cards and items from The Service Companies’ online store. This training app and our other proprietary technology will also be integral to the operations of a new simple, reliable and compliant housekeeping staffing service for hotels and resorts that The Service Companies will be launching in January 2017.

As a large, well-capitalized strategic hospitality partner, we continue to invest in, and help develop, the latest technology to streamline our processes and increase efficiency across all departments of our organization, which also enables our customers to command premium pricing and potentially produces savings.

Sign up to receive notifications as we publish new posts.

Subscribe to receive post notifications.

© 2024 The Service Companies Blog

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑