Dear WuBookers, A well-crafted hotel SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) is one of the most valuable tools for keeping hotel operations smooth and consistent. Whether it’s check-ins, cleaning, or handling guest requests, SOPs ensure that your hotel staff delivers the same level of service every time. In this article, we’ll explore what a hotel SOP is, why it’s essential, and how to build one for your property.

What are SOPs for hotels

SOP is an acronym that stands for Standard Operating Procedures. These are instructions dedicated to one or more routine activities and serve to make each step clear even to those performing them for the first time. For this reason, they can take different forms depending on the complexity of the operation and/or the level of detail required. In some cases, they can be a simple checklist, i.e., a step-by-step list of things to do. Or they can be more substantial guidelines, with examples and detailed documentation.

The subject matter can also vary according to need: there can be SOPs dedicated to daily tasks and others that are useful in specific situations, such as the sudden absence of a colleague or the illness of a guest. Typical examples are: check-in/check-out procedures, telephone and/or online reservation management, cleaning protocols, preparation of restaurant dishes and/or room service (if applicable), complaint management.

The purpose of SOPs is to make hotel staff autonomous and ensure that activities proceed without unexpected events and without causing inconvenience to customers, which could potentially lead to negative reviews.

The advantages of SOPs

It is true that developing procedures, however simple, requires time and energy, but the benefits are many:

• they ensure consistency and continuity of quality: customers are all treated in the same way and according to the hotel’s “stylistic” guidelines, thus in a manner consistent with its image and reputation;
• they increase the efficiency of the property: when everyone knows what to do and how to do it, there is no wasted time or unnecessary duplication of tasks; they also reduce the margin for error: if they have been drawn up correctly, there should be no room for doubt or personal interpretation;
• they help to train staff because they serve as a basis (and reminder) for the performance of individual tasks;
• they comply with current legislation and ensure compliance.

They are useful, but where do you start to implement one or more SOPs for your hotel?

How to develop effective SOPs

As mentioned above, SOPs do not have a single, pre-established form: each business defines its own operating criteria and develops them as it sees fit to suit its own pace and style of work. However, there are some best practices that are important to follow in order to be successful.

1. Start with the goal

First, make sure you know why you are doing it or, better yet, what you want to achieve with the SOP. It may be greater speed, safety, efficiency, or quality, or a combination of several aspects. This will also help you identify the areas of work to start with. Not all hotel activities need to be set out in a standard procedure. On the other hand, some critical areas may warrant such intervention: starting with an analysis of your objectives and the current state of affairs is essential.

2. Involve your staff

If your property is already up and running, someone is already taking care of certain tasks, for better or worse. Involving staff is essential to understanding how they approach various tasks, what difficulties they encounter, and what strategies they have adopted over time to manage them. You may discover, for example, that staff need to exchange key information about guests during shift changes, or that telephone reservations are more or less profitable than online reservations, and so on.

All these details will give you a better understanding of how to structure your SOP and what information to include.

3. Define the best support and methods

The right format for your SOP also depends on its audience, so consider the appropriate media and methods, starting with the language. If your staff is multilingual, you will need to provide one or more translations to facilitate understanding.

You can then decide to collect all the SOPs in a single printed manual, to be kept in multiple copies in the various departments or distributed throughout the hotel. Or you can create online guides, accessible to everyone or only to those responsible for specific tasks. Document sharing software (such as Google Workspace or Microsoft SharePoint), cloud storage (Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, etc.) and operations management software (Trello, ClickUp, Asana, etc.) can prove indispensable.

When deciding how to structure your procedures, think about the practical aspects and ask yourself: in what situations will they be used? On a computer, smartphone, or with pen and paper? And what is most convenient for those who need to use them?

4. Write your SOP clearly

Now that you know why you are doing it, what is important to include, and how to structure your SOP, all you have to do is write it. Again, if these are practices that you have not been directly involved in for a while, we recommend that you seek the assistance of more experienced staff to ensure that you do not overlook any important steps (although you can always make corrections later; in fact, we will see shortly that this is essential!).

Use clear language, with simple, unambiguous words and short, straightforward sentences. Whenever possible, use bullet points, which also help visually to orientate the reader and capture essential information at a glance (there isn’t always time to read documentation again and again!).

Any supporting graphic elements, such as photographs, diagrams, and charts, are equally important because they make consultation quick and productive.

5. Develop your SOP clearly

To be truly effective, SOPs must not only be written but also tested and updated periodically: new conditions may arise over time, such as the introduction of new figures or new digital tools. That’s why, in addition to checking that they work once they have been drawn up, you need to go back to them regularly to modify, supplement, or confirm them. A hotel is a living entity and, as such, evolves over time: rules “set in stone” are likely to become obsolete in a short time and be more counterproductive than useful!

Subsequent updates also require the involvement of the staff concerned, who can provide further input and be reassured about the changes taking place.

Well-designed SOPs, applied to the specific cases and needs of each hotel, B&B, or vacation rental, are therefore an excellent resource for improving operations and service. These objectives are also supported by appropriate technology: from PMS to RMS, CRM and CSM, digital software for the hotel industry helps to streamline and speed up many standard processes. The combination of tools and procedures is the key to truly flawless organization.