Being eco-savvy is no longer a trend. It has become a lifestyle, dictating consumer attitudes and spending habits, even decisions when it comes to traveling. According to a recent survey, guest satisfaction is substantially higher among guests who report being aware of their hotel’s green programs and seven out of 10 consumers prefer to patronize a business that demonstrates a commitment to the environment. While many eco-friendly efforts take time and money, small and easy conservation measures are having just as much of an impact on satisfying and retaining guests and contributing to a healthy bottom line. One of these easy steps is green cleaning or using products and methods that reduce health and environmental impacts.
When choosing to take eco-friendly maintenance measures for your hotel, here are some things to consider:
• Look for green-certified cleaning products—An easy and reliable way to identify green cleaners is to choose products certified by respected third-party agencies, such as Green Seal and the U.S. EPA’s Design for the Environment. One reason why this is important is that a lot of manufacturers make misleading claims about their products being natural or green. You can trust that certified products meet a very high standard. Green cleaning products that are certified by organizations like Green Seal allow hotels to gain points toward Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance. To help you make an informed decision when it comes to purchasing green cleaning products, visit http://www.epa.gov/epp/pubs/cleaning.htm#what for a list of environmentally preferable attributes.
• Promote your green cleaning practices—Awareness of green programs has a strong impact on overall hotel guest satisfaction. According to a report from J.D. Powers and Associates, satisfaction is significantly higher among guests who report being aware of their hotel’s green programs compared with guests who are unaware of them. Make sure your green programs are clearly featured on your website, in signage throughout the hotel and guestrooms, at the front desk, and in subscriber e-mails or mailers.
• Apply for green lodging certification—If your hotel has several green maintenance practices in place or plans to implement a number of eco-friendly programs in the future, consider pursuing a green lodging certification that emphasizes or highlights green cleaning as a component. The use of green cleaners, for example, can help your hotel fulfill some of the entry level requirements for green lodging certification programs. Once a hotel is certified, guests will have a third-party assurance that it is living up to its environmental promise.
• Supply gentler cleaners to employees—Recent studies suggest that chemical cleaners can have a negative impact on people’s health. Consider stocking all-natural green cleaners instead and everyone will benefit from a safer and healthier environment, with the improvement of indoor air quality, a reduction in allergens and chemical gases and less exposure to toxic chemicals.
With some experts believing that green cleaning will soon take over the market and become the norm, hotel managers must strongly consider implementing eco-friendly maintenance measures. The benefits of green cleaning your hotel—including attracting new guests, increasing guest satisfaction and promoting employee health and safety—are immeasurable.
Lynda Lurie is the marketing manager of Green Works Concentrates, a new natural line of commercial cleaning products by The Clorox Company that is made with plant and mineral-based biodegradable cleaning ingredients.
