OK, Hounds. Let’s see you match wits with the crisis counselors.
Watch this four-and-a-half-minute video, an I-team investigation by a TV station in Atlanta, Georgia, that shows the unsanitary way that three local hotels clean dirty drinking glasses and coffee cups.
The team took hidden cameras into guest rooms at three major hotels—Embassy Suites, Holiday Inn and Sheraton Suites—and learned that in all three cases, housekeepers never used soap and hot water to clean the dirty glasses. In fact, the glasses never left the guest rooms.
At the Embassy Suites, for example, a housekeeper put a used glass inside the dirty sink, sprayed a blue liquid on it, and then dried it with a cloth. She held it up to the light to make sure it looked squeeky clean.
In all three cases, when asked to comment, the hotel management never fessed up to any wrongdoing, even though the video shows otherwise and the TV station quoted health officials as saying the cleaning methods were unacceptable. A spokesperson from the Sheraton refused to comment, saying “It’s too controversial an issue.”
If you had been in charge at one of those hotels, and the I-team put you on the hot seat, what would you have said? Would you have commented at all?
Next week, I’ll tell you what the crisis counselors had to say. The Hound whose response most closely matches theirs wins a very cool prize.
About Joan
The Publicity Hound
The Sheraton Hotel company wants to thank the Atlanta TV station for shining a light on our housekeepers’ poor cleaning of drinking glasses. We are embarassed by the disclosure and will introduce a rigorous program to monitor housekeeping practices that insure the health of our guests.
“We are dismayed at what W123′s video showed. Our operating standards call for fresh guestroom glasses and coffee cups for every guest. Our training for housekeepers includes that as part of the guestroom checklist.
“We believe that what the videotape showed was an extraordinary exception. Regardless, all of our housekeepers are being retrained in all procedures, and we have implemented a supervisory step that will insure that fresh glassware is provided daily.”
“Unfortunately, our hotel has uncovered what has been a practice that we do not believe in at all. Our guests safety and comfort is our top priority and we plan on looking into the situation and making some serious changes.”
(Or something like that.)
Could the old adage “turn lemons into lemonade” be applied? Talk to the reporters saying that it is your policy to dishwash all dirty glasses and that is obviously not happening. Then, thank them for obtaining this coverage and bringing it to the hotel’s attention so that we could change the current process to ensure it does follow dishwashing policy and procedure. Then, invite the reporter to further enhance their story and help the hotel correct the problem by being involved and filming the change process. For instance, invite them to the initial meeting with staff when this video is shown so they obtain footage of staff reaction to the hidden camera video and the discussion that takes place after. Then, have the media do a second hidden video test after a month or 2 months when the changes were implemented to ensure that they actually were. Working with the media as a partner instead of an enemy will actually help both parties. They get a better, more in-depth story, the hotel improves their process and both receive PR coverage. Plus, the hotel’s credibility is perceived much higher by admitting the problem right away and dealing with it to solve it. This, in turn would reduce potential negative sales effects and perhaps could actually have a positive affect on sales.
Without actions, save your breath. “It’s too controversial an issue,” to the public means “we don’t care.”
What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.
We are looking into this matter. It’s certainly not the kind of thing we stand for.
If these allegations prove to be true, reprisals will be both serious and swift.
Nothing is more important than the comfort, health and safety of our guests.
I would have advised any hotel concerned to put out a statment like this -
“The health and welfare of our guests is our primary concern. We have immediately instituted measures to ensure that deep-cleaned fresh glasses are placed in all guest rooms, every day. We are investigating the incident shown on film, and appreciate the co-operation of the film-makers in helping to expose unacceptable practices by our staff. We are treating this matter with extreme urgency, and assure all of our guests that we will re-emphasise the need for hygiene with our staff, and increase the number of spot checks carried out by supervisors. We assure all guests that poor hygiene standards will not be tolerated in xxxxx hotels, and that our focus remains on providing guests with a comfortable and worry-free stay”.
No prize needed, since I do a bit of this for a living. Great blog, by the way.
Our policy at BIG HOTEL CHAIN has always been to provide guests with immaculate and safe surroundings in all our facilities. We are appalled at the discovery of this serious breach of that policy. We have immediately begun providing guests with sealed, sterile plastic drinking cups, and will continue this practice until we develop procedures for ensuring properly cleaned and sanitized glassware. Guests who prefer glass may request it from room service to be delivered from the kitchen at no charge.
Thank you so much for this item. Aside from the writing exercise, you’ve alerted me to a serious danger I never would have thought of, and helped me appreciate those flimsy, cheesy plastic things. The link to that video is already whizzing its way through cyberspace to all my serious-traveler friends.
“As manager of _____ hotel, I was troubled by this housekeeping staff member’s practice of improperly ‘cleaning’ the guest rooms’ drinking glasses, not only because it goes against the training that the housekeeping staff members undergo at my hotel, but because it very obviously jeopardizes the health of our guests.
I have personally seen to it that the housekeeping staff member who was caught on tape has been terminated, and that all other housekeeping staff members have been educated about the dangers of improperly cleaning drinking glasses. Our staff has been reminded that all guest room glasses are to be taken to the hotel kitchen and washed in the dishwasher. I am also ensuring that the proper washing and handling procedures are being reinforced to our kitchen staff.
The safety and satisfaction of our guests is my primary concern, and I thank you for bringing this matter to my attention.”
If I had been in charge at one of the hotels, I would never have denied any wrongdoing. The videotape and evidence shows otherwise. I also would not have said “no comment” or refused to comment. What I WOULD have done is acknowledge the situation, acknowledge that there were errors in the housekeeper’s action. I would outline the hotel’s current policy for cleaning glasses and housekeeping, and explain ways that the hotel is taking action to remedy the situation (whether that be through appropriate disciplinary action with staff, new procedures/checks & balances in place, etc.) Overall, admit there was a wrong-doing, accept responsibility, show how the situation and future processes will be made better.
No surprise, as a 20/20 investigation showed ALL hotels, regardless of price only clean their carpets about twice a year! Walk around in your bare feet?
Perhaps we should pay closer attention to the plastic cups/glasses in hotels that are encased in plastic?? Better yet, I bring my own, when traveling by car, just as I bring my own pillow. At least I know I’m the only one using it.
“Firstly, we apologize for what appears to be a serious breach of our housekeeping sanitation policies. We reviewed the footage your iTeam presented with a concerned and a critical eye. Such slipshod housecleaning methods are not an acceptable here at Blahlah Hotels and are definitely not a part of our usual best practices.
Furthermore, we are launching our own internal investigation to purge inappropriate workplace practices. We are also instituting an immediate company-wide update of our already-stringent housekeeping training programs with an added emphasis on sanitation. All employees – not just housekeeping – with be required to participate in this program every six months to continue employment here.
Finally, please know that we at BlahBlah Hotels take the comfort and safety of our guests to be a top priority. We will always strive to improve our service to you and are grateful for this chance to re-emphasize our commitment to excellence and value.
Thank you for your continued support.”
“I’m shocked at this revelation of unhealthy cleaning practices by our staff. I will personally see to it that Embassy Suites take immediate action to investigate this situation and halt these practices that are NOT acceptable by our organization. On behalf of Embassy Suites, I sincerely apologize to our valued clients and assure that, from here on, we will provide the quality of service and cleanliness one would expect in our hotel.”
As a rep of one of the hotels, I would be shocked and amazed at this video. I would say that I would investigate further, and set up procedures so something like this cannot happen again. I would see to it that the staff gets thorough retraining and education on the germ theory. I would say that I would not be going to sleep this night until I had started on reversing the conditions that were shown in this video. I would say I have already started on a notice to all staff about this situation and how they can rememdy it. I will not allow a situation such as this to continue.
I would NOT criticize the video, its makers or the persons shown. If asked, I would say any poor actions on their part (that of the housekeepers) were a result of our lack of training and supervision, and that we are restarting staff retraining immediately. I would be grateful to the video makers for bringing this unsafe sitation to my notice.
I would pledge my personal action to remedy this, and promise all guests that their glasses and cups will be clean in the future, or I will personally pay for their stay with us.
I would first thank the TV show and crew (at a press
meeting in response to the show) for making hotel management aware of the situation. Then I would assure the press and public that a new mandatory cleaning training for all housekeeping staff had now been instituted and any housekeeping staff violating hotel cleaning procedures and standards would be dismissed immediately.
Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention. We value the health and well being of our guests and will update our hotel’s housekeeping policies and procedures immediately.
I would suggest that hotel management take a cue from Oprah and how she handled the sexual abuse issue at her girls’ school. They should take immediate action to review the situation and then take appropriate measures to replace the staff responsible for the unacceptable service. Additional measures could be taken to provide sealed sanitary wipes or sprays in the bathrooms so that guests could swipe the faucets and other surfaces that touch the skin. (Perhaps replacing glasses with disposable cups would be more user friendly under the circumstances–of course, that could lead to criticism about not being eco-friendly, but at least it wouldn’t spread disease.) Regardless of the measures taken, the hotel management would be best served by responding to the public rather than “no comment.”
Top hotel managements needs to get with the training supervisors for these housekeeping staffs to review procedural manuals and training procedures. Management should find out if they have in writing that glasses and cups are to be taken out of the room and to the kitchen for sanitary cleaning at a proper temperature. If not, this step needs to be added to the training for housekeepers. Then, regardless of what is “supposed” to have happened they need to admit that obviously the standards to which the hotel hold themselves have not been met in this case and that appropriate steps will be taken to remendy the issue. The steps should be outlined, if possible. Guests should be appologized to. Of course, the hotel’s legal representation will want to apprise the hotel management of any legal ramifications, but this should not prevent the hotel from taking action steps, such as those suggested above.
I certainly would make a statement … maybe something like this:
We’ve hired an outside firm to access our housekeeping teams. Once the assessment is complete, we will design and implement a training program that will assure that our corporate health and cleanliness standards are implemented in each facility. Additionally, we are hiring more supervisory staff to work with our housekeepers to make sure that procedures are followed precisely. We will call a press conference to report our findings and announce our solution. Please know that this is an important issue for us. We will fix this problem, starting right now.
Initial response from the hotel spokesperson should have been, “I am concerned and we will investigate to learn if this is just an isolated incident.”
“Concern” demonstrates interest and empathy without admitting anything.
“Investigate” demonstrates action.
“Just an isolated incident” are the last words in this quote and thus more likely to stick in people’s minds. We want to downplay the issue.
Next Step
Assuming that is a regular practice this is a marketing opportunity for the hotel. And the first one to move wins.
Remove all the glasses from all the rooms and replace them with individually-wrapped disposable cups. Place cards in the rooms that state, “Individually wrapped for your protection.”
Record the removal of glasses and replacement with the new cups on video. Post the video on You Tube. Tell the I team about the change and congratulate them on bringing this overlooked antiquated industry practice to your attention. Invite the media to visit the hotel and see for themselves.
After thought
This also raises the issue of hidden cameras in hotel rooms – another can of worms.
When you get nailed like that, you have to comment – and be cooperative with the media. If I had been in the hotel manager’s place, and taken a call from the reporter, my first comment to her would have been, “Thank you for bringing this to my attention.” Rather than dodging the issue, which just looks worse, they should have emphasized they take the health and welfare of their guests seriously and will work to immediately fix the problem.
In an official statement to the TV station, the manager should have made these 3 points:
(1) Accept responsibility, but also try to mitigate damage to the company by downplaying the hotel’s responsibility in favor of the individual employees. – Point out that ‘the hotel has official sanitation and safety guidelines in place that specifically require each housekeeper to report all used glasses to the hotel’s industrial dishwasher for sterilization, prior to being reused’ and the ‘housekeeper shown in this video is violating hotel policy and will be terminated immediately.’
(2) Be proactive. Take care of the problem. – Announce to the media that your hotel will ‘launch our own internal investigation of this reported problem to prevent any future malfeasance’ and will ‘immediately discipline any housekeeping staff found to have violated any part of the hotel’s sanitation and safety policies.’ In addition to this, announce further actions to show you will fix the problem, including that you are ‘immediately suspending the use of glassware in the hotel rooms, and will substitute sealed, single-use plastic cups instead’ and ‘hotel management will personally interview each member of our housekeeping staff to thoroughly review the company’s official guidelines on sanitation and safety and require them to sign each page of the corporate policy before being permitted to service guest rooms.’ You could also provide a number for consumers to call if they have further questions for the hotel and handle as many of these calls personally as you can. This wouldn’t be announced publicly, but the manager should also paln to comp or partially comp future hotel stays to guests that call to complain.
(3) Emphasize the hotel’s standing and credibility. – Remind the public that the hotel has been around since whenever, and point out any distinctions that might be relevant to the issue of the hotel’s credibility, responsibility in the community, etc.
Should I have the leeway as a manager of the hotel to put policy in place, this is what I would do and say:
“Since the advent of the videocamera, footage has been captured in every industry in every type of establishment catching employees who act in ways contrary to their training and to the policy of their employers. We are glad that it has come to our attention that we are not immune to such behavior. This footage has prompted us to enact a new procedure at our hotel which will ensure all of our guests a restful stay.
The best way to fight fire is with fire…video with video. We are adding a video camera to the uniform of each member of our cleaning staff. If at any time you question what happened in your room before or during your stay, we will be happy to review the tape with you. We are confident that you will be impressed with the level of service with which your room was serviced.”
I chose this approach because it doesn’t focus on the specific incident which is just one small one that we worry about when going to a hotel. Were the sheets changed? Did they rifle through my suitcase? Was the tub scrubbed? The floor vacuumed? This solution addresses them all and keeps employees on their best behavior at the same time. A bonus would go to employees whose tapes are reviewed and shown to have done a satisfactory job.
Fess up and comment it was all the employees fault.We can’t possibly watch everyone that works here all the time. LOL You know that’s what they will say. :}
I just became sick during a stay at the Embassy Suites in Charlotte, NC. I returned to my room mid-day, and my room was not cleaned, so I decided to continue to work in my room until early evening. The housekeeper came into my room, began to wipe the bathroom down with a “white dirty sponge”, then took the used glasses and coffee cup into the bathroom, which I thought was strange, washed them with the same sponge that was used on the tub, toilet, sink, and placed them back with new covers.
I think the lesson that this road warrior has learned, if the housekeeping carts in the morning has no cup holders on them, then request paper or plastic cups!
Hi
Great video.
This work should be kept going and keep being shown.
Perhaps then hotels would do more to check staff and their cleanliness towards their paying customers.
Keep up the good work.
David