For leaders at OPL hotels, or hotels with on property laundry, shutting down your laundry operation and transitioning to outsourcing can be a scary proposition – and we’re not just saying that because it’s almost Halloween.
There are cost considerations, issues of control and vendor selection to weigh, as well as the gamble of impacting guest satisfaction. How can you be sure a laundry provider will meet your high standards?
If you’re considering shutting down your laundry operation or if you’re just curious about the process, here are some outsourcing pros and cons for OPL hotels.
Pro: Laundry At Its Best
You and your staff are the best at providing exceptional guest experiences, from your customer service to your amenities, you’re hard to beat.
The right professional linen services, in turn, are the best at laundry for hotels. They’ve invested in high-tech equipment, well-trained staff and proven quality assurance processes to make sure hotels, resorts and timeshares get the most out of their investment. They’re in the business of protecting your luxury hotel bedding and other linens.
You want guests coming back for more, and the right laundry service will want the same from their customers, namely you.
Con: Loss of Control Over Laundry Process
It’s true that by shutting down your on property laundry, you’re giving up your status as one of the OPL hotels in your area and you’re handing over control of an essential piece of your business to a vendor.
But if you choose that vendor wisely, you’re also handing over the stress. You’re giving up control and gaining the satisfaction of one less thing to worry about.
Pro: No More Commercial Laundry Equipment Costs
Consider your hotel laundry equipment list, including everything from washers and dryers to commercial laundry detergent, and how much all of those things cost to maintain, repair and replace.
Outsourcing means someone else takes on those expenses and the need for upkeep. You’ll also save money on labor and utilities as commercial services handle the same amount of linen for less and pass those savings on to you.
Con: Loss of Equipment as an Asset
If your property is considering a sale now or into the future, shutting down your on property laundry would remove the pieces of that operation as an asset. But keep in mind that the value of hotel laundry machines does depreciate over time, and any buyer would be taking on not just the asset but the cost, too.
Pro: Reclaim Your Laundry’s Real Estate
At OPL hotels, your commercial equipment isn’t just costing you money in terms of maintenance, it’s taking up valuable space that could be used in other ways that could increase your property’s offerings and income.
Hotels that have shut down their laundry operations have converted the space into coffee shops, spas, offices and fitness areas.
Con: Need to Develop a New Revenue Stream
No longer having your OPL will mean it’s time to get creative in terms of repurposing the space. If you don’t already have a new venture in mind, coming up with an alternative will take time.
You aren’t the first property to face these questions, of course, and your outsourcing provider will have a good idea of what similarly sized hotels have done and what you might consider.
Scary in a Good Way
Change is scary, we know, but it’s also a necessary part of growth. No longer being one of the OPL hotels in the world will take some getting used to, but it’s also an opportunity to evolve into something new and to redirect your energy into other parts of the guest experience.
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