Blog PostsLodging
Guests want to know if your hotel supports sustainable practices. Even if they are not demanding eco-friendly options, hotel guest seem to relate favorably to companies with a mission to practice sustainability.
Guests also feel good about themselves when they make a difference for the environment. According to data from the J.D. Power and Associates North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study, as highlighted in an article on the CNN Travel website, nearly 90 percent of hotel guests are offered the chance to do something sustainable during their stays. The two-thirds that voluntarily participate describe a higher level of satisfaction than guests that do not participate.
Strategic sourcing of products and appliances that actually help reduce energy and water costs may have been seen as unnecessary a decade or more ago. But today, hotel owners find value in containing operational expenses, supporting corporate sustainable guidelines and inviting guest to participate. In turn, your hotel will benefit in enhanced customer satisfaction as just one return on the investment. Here are 6 ways an operation can be sustainable. Each department head should consider ways their team can support efforts related to:
- Recycling
- Choosing renewable energy
- Searching out energy efficient activities
- Engaging in waste reduction
- Conserving natural resources
- Eliminating or controlling toxic substances
Progressive hotel operators are interested in what is trending because they naturally want to be relevant. They want to promote sustainability for a variety of reasons: Some operators are dedicated to the cause and want to do their part in being environmentally friendly, while others simply want to attract guests and go with the current trend.
There are many operations that have found an easy way to access energy-efficient products by engaging an experienced strategic sourcing partner. Source1 Purchasing helps you connect with suppliers you know and trust for sustainable products and services for every department, including food and beverage, maintenance, housekeeping and the front office.
According to a report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a 10 percent reduction in energy use by the lodging industry could bring a savings of $745 million annually. Full-service hotels could generate $2 more revenue per room night, and limited-service properties could generate 60 cents more revenue per room night. Strategic sourcing is a way to access the products and services hotels need to support sustainable practices.
Hotel brands have been trying to increase guest satisfaction through eco-friendly options for quite a while. According to a 2012 survey by the American Hotel and Lodging Association, more than 75 %of U.S. hotels offer linen and towel reuse, 59 % have recycling options for guests and personnel and 46 % have a program in place for saving water.
Learning what is important to guests is a big factor in competing with other hotels regardless of the size of your property. Challenge your department heads to find new and innovative ways to blend guest satisfaction with a goal to reduce your ecological footprint. Source1 helps you keep your operation sustainable by providing you with suppliers to meet all of your purchasing and procurement needs.
