Among the reasons for preferring a hotel over others, hygiene is regularly among the most important drivers of choice for potential guests.
HotelMyPassion meets Cristian Fruscione, president of the facility management company Aurea Servizi:
the manager talks about the trends in the sector and the elements capable of making the difference
Hygiene, today as yesterday, is the cornerstone of a hotel’s success. Yes, because – despite the whirlwind increase in services and “pampering” that hotels gradually manage to put in their portfolio for the benefit of their guests – the degree of cleanliness of a hotel remains one of the crucial factors for potential guests in determining the choice of one structure over another.
This is (also) confirmed by the most recent surveys among customers of global OTAs and online comparators, which never fail to include correct housekeeping management in the “top three” of reasons for public preference.
Cristian Fruscione, president of Aurea Servizi, a company that offers outsourced facility management services to the hotel world, knows this well. And that, better than anyone else, he is able to outline for HotelMyPassion the trends in the sector and the criteria to take into account when dealing with the very important “clean-factor”.
HMYP: What is the history of Aurea Servizi?
C.F.: Aurea Servizi is a relatively young company – it was founded in 2015 – but it draws its roots from the tradition of my family, which has been active in the same sector for almost 70 years. Six-seven years ago we started the hotel division, structuring it and making the hotel world a very important branch of the company: a segment which, not by chance, today absorbs around 70% of our turnover.
HMYP: What size is the company today?
C.F.: We work throughout the national territory, mainly in the Central-Northern area, with independent hotels and chains such as BWH Hotels Italia, NH Hotels, Gruppo Una, B&B Hotels… We have around six hundred employees.
HMYP: Among the services you offer, which one is most successful, and why?
C.F.: The most popular service is undoubtedly housekeeping. I believe that our most important characteristic is the ability to decline it from a perspective of full sustainability, both environmental and social. In this sense, we have obtained a large number of certifications, starting from the Ecolabel up to the most recent on gender equality. We are happy to offer completely ecological services, with practically zero impact, while guaranteeing great attention to corporate welfare and the needs of our collaborators.
HMYP: What other services do you offer hoteliers?
C.F.: In addition to housekeeping, we have implemented services such as concierge, porterage, plonge, maintenance… And we are planning a company that will take care of the renovation of spaces as a General Contractor, with turnkey jobs.
HMYP: What is most relevant for a hotelier when it comes to housekeeping?
C.F.: Hoteliers want reliable solutions: they need to be able to count on partners who guarantee a job well done and on time, with clear costs and without anomalies, also from the point of view of collaborator contracts. Often estimates that are too low hide flaws in the correct performance of housekeeping or the conditions of those who work.
HMYP: So reliability is the first driver of choice.
C.F.: Exactly. To complete the picture of a serious company there are also two other elements: the first is that of sustainability which I referred to before, which is very important both on the environmental, social and corporate side. And then there is the criterion of competence: I find that even very important competitors lose out on technical knowledge, on the most suitable systems to apply in individual structures. You cannot work well if you do not take into account the characteristics, spaces and materials of a hotel. And they are skills that are not acquired overnight.
HMYP: Does your sector also suffer from a shortage of personnel, like others in the hotel industry?
C.F.: Yes, it’s a difficulty we all have. Our strength in this sense lies in being a company with many employees but with a very personal approach. I know all my collaborators and I love creating a relationship with each of them. Feeling part of something is essential to working well. A different, deeper attachment is created.
HMYP: What are the channels to contact you?
C.F.: We like to be direct and personal: just contact us on the phone and we are ready to visit anyone who requests a meeting. Which is important to get to know each other, but also to evaluate the type of structure and the needs of the client but above all of my client’s clients.
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