GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT Page 41 Nov / Dec , 2022 | TimeSharing Today
How the labor shortage affects legacy resorts
By Lena Combs
Over the last couple of years , the effects of the pandemic , supply-chain issues , the “ Great Resignation ,” and the current historically low unemployment rate have created a vortex in which all industries seem to be experiencing labor shortages . Some might even contend that the hospitality space has been hit disproportionately hard compared to other industries , and legacy vacation-ownership resorts certainly fall into that category .
Some of the most hard-hit positions for resorts to fill are housekeepers , maintenance crew , cooks , and dishwashers . These shortages have caused delayed check-in times , reduced housekeeping for guests and owners , increased wait times for seating and being served in restaurants and bars , and — consequently — sometimes lower ratings in reviews .
Although travelers have the same issues where they live and work , their patience with such inconveniences seems to be limited when traveling .
No magic bullet exists to solve this problem in the short term , but the following discussion offers some suggestions to mitigate the effects on owners and guests as resorts navigate the staffing dilemma .
Tackling the dilemma
No one solution will fit every resort . Each resort , in conjunction with the desires of those who stay there , will need to identify the operating pain points . At times , the goals of each group can differ , so careful attention should be paid to where the issues truly lie . Once those issues and pain points are identified , solutions should be prioritized to create the quickest results possible .
Housekeeping concerns : As all travelers have seen over the last year or more , housekeeping during a stay is almost a thing of the past . Resort operators should make sure that the options and resources available are clearly communicated in several media to set the desired expectation for owners and guests . Excellent communication and setting expectations are crucial to providing a great experience .
Also , many resorts are struggling to clean rooms in time for those beginning their stay to check in upon arrival . For the short term , backing up the check-out time and stretching the check-in time could be viable solutions until the resort can hire enough staff to clean rooms for new arrivals .
Use technology : Resorts can evaluate manual processes and determine if some can be automated . Previous customer-facing positions could potentially be automated affordably , thereby allowing those team members to assist with other tasks , effectively doing more with less .
Some examples are QR codes , touchless check-in , chatbots , and virtual agents . Also , a robust intranet through which team members can communicate with one another easily and reliably
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