The calm after the storm didn’t last long, as Kristen and I were off to the large suites for some room turning. I cleaned the kitchen top-to-bottom, dusted, vacuumed, put new linens on the bed, and inflated an Aero bed for the incoming guests. I was then given the go-ahead to turn a room by myself. Joyce gave me the Scallop Chamber, which is the largest room in the main house. Here was my opportunity to show Joyce that I was coachable and could take on the monumental task of a thorough cleaning.Lesson number one that I learned: gather and organize what you’re going to need, so you don’t have to make too many trips. The Scallop Chamber is on the third floor, and I discovered that what I needed (if it wasn’t stocked in the housekeeping cabinet and linen closet) could have been on floor two, floor one or the basement. There is definitely a method to the madness of housekeeping. You have to anticipate all that you’re going to need. Working a three-floor house can be exhausting, which motivates you to think wisely about how you approach these kinds of projects. Three or four trips up and down the stairs will have you thinking about efficiency! And, what an appreciation I now have for the laundry chute! Open the little door in the wall…drop the dirty linens…voila! They magically appear in the basement, right where you want it all! Unbelievable. Everyone should be so lucky.

I also learned from Kristen that there are lint rollers, and then there are lint rollers. She uses them on the floor in the bathrooms to pick up hair that the naked eye will usually miss. I asked her, “But how do you deal with a wet floor? Won’t the tape just get wet and stop picking up stuff?” Kristen proceeded to take the next three minutes to explain that not all lint rollers are created equal, and that some will actually continue to pick up hair even when wet! Yes it is true ladies and gentlemen – the perfect lint roller exists (according to Kristen), and I intend to contact the company directly to discuss a formal endorsement with PAII.

So I learned that housekeeping takes a long time – if you’re going to do it right. While I cleaned rooms today, I could see where a tired innkeeper might decide to cut corners or not bend over to get the Swifter under the sideboard. In the name of getting done and on to the next thing, it would be tempting to cut corners. I made sure that I cleaned the Scallop Chamber as best as I could, but I’m not sure I could hold that same level of dedication day-in and day-out. It made me think that truly GOOD housekeepers must be very hard to find. I have a new appreciation for the sessions at the PAII conference on speed cleaning and time-saving tips. I couldn’t imagine having to turn over every room on this property on the same day. Something would have to give. The cookie jar might go empty for a few hours.

Joyce came up to the room to inspect my work, just after I lent her a hand in finishing up her room. I was hoping the gesture might weigh on her judgment of my performance. She walked around the entire room, running her finger over nearly everything to check for dust. She kept coming up empty. (Nice work, Mr. Karen, is what I was saying to myself). The true test would come with how well I made the bed and how clean the bathroom was. The bed was exactly how it was supposed to be, including hospital corners, which I mastered on the first try. See below.

I was worried about the bathroom. What if I missed a stray hair? What if I left streaks on the mirror? What if I didn’t dry off the shower curtain all the way?Luckily, when Joyce first entered the room, she had a good feeling about how I did overall. The bed looked perfect, with the down comforter covering the queen size bed to just the right points all around. The pillows stood up sharply at the head of the bed, and even the Teddy bear looked to be fairly content. The bed making passed her standards of excellence. In the bathroom, Joyce closely inspected everything and began to say what I great job I had done. She was genuinely proud of the work I did. We started moving towards the door to leave, when she went back into the bathroom to check one more thing. This is the point when my readers can see what is about to happen. Joyce found the spot where I had neglected to clean – there was dust on top of the tissue box! Well, if that’s the worst she could find, I think I still earn my certificate.
The finished product:

The Scallop Chamber
I also met Julie today, Joyce’s part-time assistant innkeeper. All three ladies who work for Joyce, and with whom I’ve worked in my short time here, are rock solid. Joyce is very lucky. Because Joyce has such good staff, she PROBABLY doesn’t have to bust her tail as hard as she does. But she does anyway. It sets a great example to the staff, and Joyce probably wouldn’t have it any other way. Nevertheless, I’ve learned the value of good help. Many innkeepers I’ve met share the sentiment that “innkeeping would be great, if it wasn’t for staff.” I suppose staffing is a double-edged sword. Managing people can be tough, but if done well through good hiring practices, solid training and a dose of daily enjoyment and levity, I think the pros far out way the cons – if you can afford it. This places hums like a well-oiled machine, at least as far as the guests can see, is because the staff stay on their game. I can see that Joyce probably sleeps well at night, because she has good people working with her. Joyce also apparently has a phenomenal interim innkeeper, which is so important. Joyce can find time to focus on herse
lf, her marriage or whatever else she wants to focus on. She can put the spatula down and walk away for chunks of time – that’s a very good thing.I told Joyce and her husband, Steve, over dinner tonight that I have incredible respect for innkeepers that wake up every day and do this. I imagine some folks do this seven days a week throughout the year. Time zone changes notwithstanding, I’ve been doing this for two and a half days, and am exhausted. My muscles ache. My eyelids are heavy. I’ve eaten poorly, because of limited options and time shortage. Running a large trade association has it’s challenges, but you know what? If I woke up feeling poor or decided I wanted to take a day off to spend with my wife and daughter, I could do that with relative ease. My work will be waiting for me when I return, and I could knock a few things out on my Blackberry. The thought occurred to me today that the guests just keep coming and coming and coming – whether you’re ready or not! Well, that is of course if you’re doing a good job. So, if you’re feeling under the weather, you still have to get your rear out of bed and deliver. That is tough! My hat is off to you.

One thing I see a need for, by watching Joyce work throughout the day and go from room to room to room, is something that will help an innkeeper accomplish multiple things while on the move. I am starting to think that all the reservation requests, lists of daily tasks, tracking of guests in a database, viewing room availability and whatever else I’m forgetting cannot necessarily be managed by one software program on the computer. As mentioned in a previous post, Joyce uses a paper-based system to get a lot done. As much of a technophile as I am, I get Joyce’s system. It works well. Joyce has to move to get the job done. She may be dusting a dresser on the third floor, when someone calls to inquire about staying here next month. She can’t get down to her computer at that very moment. Wouldn’t it be nice if all the technology she needed could be available simultaneously on her laptop computer and a hand held device, and also hosted online?

That reminds me. One of the lessons I’m taking back to the PAII office is the need to develop practical programs and services that help you do your job better, more quickly and more efficiently. We won’t lose site of publishing research and educating you on best practices, but I now have a little fire under me to deliver some practical solutions to all the little things that make your job that much more difficult. I’m making lots of notes while I’m here!

The day started for me with a 6:15 a.m. rise, phone call to my wife and daughter on the east coast, quick shower and shave and then walking ten feet to the inn’s kitchen to get ready for the 8:00 a.m. breakfast. Since Joyce tells guests that breakfast is served between 8 and 9, we get some folks downstairs at 7:55 a.m. and others roll up to the table at 8:50 a.m. I find that it’s not that bad, if you do a good job prepping and picking the right menu items. In addition to a choice of coffees, teas and orange/banana juice, we served “Heavenly Bananas” (fresh bananas covered in an orange sour cream sauce), homemade granola and a “crab, artichoke heart egg puff” with Hollandaise sauce and asparagus tips on top. Oh, and some roasted rosemary pototoes. We served sixteen guests, spread out over three different rooms. Joyce did the cooking, and Rhea and I served all the guests, poured the beverages and made sure all the guests were happy. Since we prepped the potatoes and sour cream sauce the night before, as well as set the dining room table, we were able to roll pretty well in the morning. It was amazing to watch how quickly the dirty dishes piled up in the kitchen.

I really enjoyed chatting with the guests, and I found myself trying to figure out where the line was between being engaging and being a pest. I discovered one of the guests has a daughter that actually graduated from my high school back in Georgia – the same year as me! Another guest lived in Collingswood, New Jersey, which is three miles away from the PAII headquarters. It was a fun morning. I enjoyed interacting with the guests. To see how much they were enjoying themselves, and knowing that I was playing a part in that experience was very satisfying. I had an “ah-ha” moment. THIS is why innkeepers love innkeeping! Oh, and because of the food too. Joyce made a few extra crab dishes, and it was delectable. So was her granola and coffee. I’m somewhat of a foodie – like most innkeepers – so that is definitely a plus to being in this industry. Seeing and being part of all the preparation and work that goes into serving a wonderful meal in a handsome setting made me feel sorry for the guests who don’t take advantage of the meal. One of the business travelers had to miss the breakfast (like I sometimes do when staying at inns while traveling for PAII), and I felt she didn’t really get the experience.

One thing that amazes me is hearing how familiar Joyce is with her customers. She knows and remembers people very well, and that helps greatly in delivering a personalized experience. She gets a lot of repeat guests in a city that is not short on choices! It’s little wonder why our friends at BedandBreakfast.com named her inn among the top ten urban inns in 2007.

After the last guest left the breakfast table, which was around 10:30 a.m., we tackled the dishes. Joyce said, “It’s going to be a three load day.” When cooking, my instinct is to wash things as I go, which includes loading the dishwasher as I am finished with something that needs to go through the machine. When serving breakfast for 16 people, it’s not always possible to do that, so there is quite a pile waiting for your attention. But I also learned that it’s not always best to “load as you go,” because you really can’t maximize the space in the appliance. When you have a kitchen full of dishes, you can pick and choose more carefully what dishes should go where. Since the washer takes about 50 minutes to wash and sanitize, I didn’t happily succumb to the idea that it would take three hours to conquer all the dishes. I’m sure if Joyce had room in the kitchen for a second dish washer, she’d probably get one.

After cleaning and straightening all the rooms downstairs, Joyce and I went through “the list.” We had to prepare for a few check-ins and work on tidying and turning the rooms. At 11:30 a.m., she had her monthly conference call with Allison and Scott Crumpton of Whitestone Marketing to review the results of Joyce’s marketing plan. I sat in on the call and was able to view some pretty sophisticated reports that show where Joyce is getting her online business from, which online directories seem to be working well (and which are not), the effectiveness of Google pay-per-clicks and more. I was impressed by the work Whitestone is doing for Joyce. She runs a successful business, but is not resting on her laurels. The Crumptons are helping Joyce stay fresh and on top of the internet marketing game.

After our conference call, I secretly wondered when we would be having lunch – but my gut told me it would be a while…if at all. Joyce and I then turned our attention to housekeeping duties. As an urban inn, most (if not all) of Joyce’s guests leave the property for most of the day. Rarely does she have someone hanging around, so it makes tackling the rooms a bit easier. Rhea took on all the “turns,” or the rooms which needed a more thorough cleaning and changing. Joyce and I took on the “tidies,” which involves a lighter cleaning and straightening of the rooms in which guests are still staying that same evening. We straightened beds, fluffed pillows, cleaned showers/toilets/floors/sinks in the bathrooms, emptied trash, replenished bottled water, and vacuumed.

The shots many of you were waiting to see: the PAII CEO on his hands and knees cleaning a bathroom floor. And yes, I hunted for, found and disposed of any stray body hairs our lovely guests decided to leave behind in the bathroom. Not the most savory aspect of the job, but a necessary one. This will surely be brought up during my annual performance review with the PAII board of directors!
And…a nearly perfect triangle of tissue paper. Always a nice reminder to the guests that we were here…we cleaned your mess…and we took the time to make the TP look nice for you.

After our cleaning duties were completed, Joyce and I sat down for a bite to eat. I think it was close to 3 p.m. by time I “forced” Joyce to sit down and join me for a meal and some conversation. We chatte
d about her local and state B&B associations, and of course – PAII. At 3 p.m. sharp, one of the new guests arrived – someone affiliated with the University of Washington. Joyce has done a phenomenal job building relationships with many of the departments and divisions on campus, and the Chambered Nautilus has become a favorite choice for many academics and other visitors to the university.

I had to ask myself, as we continued to conquer the day’s labor, “what is most appealing to me about running an inn?” I already mentioned the interactions with and being a source of happiness for the guests…and the good food that is part of your life. What I also find very appealing is the constant problem-solving nature of the job. I don’t just mean all the curve balls that get thrown your way during the day; I mean the pursuit of a more efficient, productive way of accomplishing the tasks you know are coming your way. I gained a new appreciation for all the sessions we host at the PAII Conference & Trade Show on time-saving techniques or ways to better organize your life and inn. How could I do this more quickly and better, without sacrificing quality? What recipes lend themselves well to a very busy kitchen? For example, I wanted to set all three tables the night before, but Joyce said to only set the dining room table. It didn’t occur to me that guests would likely mess with the other two tables before the next morning, since they were in the common areas. It’s something relatively minor, but saves a lot of time the next morning. Only through experience could you learn something like that. To that point, I noticed that Joyce goes back and forth between paper and computer to run the inn. The system works for her, but we both wondered how much time could be saved if she could manage more electronically. Time is the most precious commodity. If we could free up 15 to 30 minutes in her day on account of finding redundancies or other pockets of inefficiency, it would be a major coup. If I had more time with her, I would want to figure out how we could integrate all of the information-tracking into a simpler system. I don’t think our industry could ever have too many efficiency experts!

Another thing I have had the good fortune of observing: just because an innkeeper has “staff,” doesn’t mean he or she doesn’t work just as hard as an innkeeper without staff. Joyce busts her butt all day long, even though she has about four people who help her throughout the week at different intervals. Well, at this point, that is what my intuition tells me. I am strongly considering making this experience a once or twice per year thing for me. Next time, I will likely choose an inn with fewer rooms and that is run solely by the owner/operator – just to see the contrasts and similarities. I think my intuition is right, though, on this point. I think the level of dedication and work ethic has more to do with the innkeeper than the number of rooms or staff people.

So my day ended with the duties of folding a ton of sheets and pillow cases, ironing the napkins and placemats for tomorrow, setting the dining room table and sweeping some of the exterior areas. Oh, I almost forgot to share one of the highlights of my day. Making the cookies! I am a cookie nut, so I had been hounding Joyce about making sure we keep the cookie jar fully stocked – which meant ensuring we replenished the back-up stock. If this picture below doesn’t make you want to pour a large glass of ice-cold milk, I don’t know what would!

I was able to knock off work “early” today, after eleven busy hours. The subsequent three or four hours are now being spent on this blog and preparing for a meeting this Thursday with the Seattle B&B Association, at which I will deliver a “state of the industry” speech to about 30 innkeepers. There is no doubt in my mind this experience is making me a better CEO for PAII. Money and time well-spent.

I’m a bit tired right now (still on East coast time), so forgive me if I leave out some details of my afternoon and evening. I met two of the housekeepers – a couple of young ladies who seemed to really enjoy what they do and being in the inn, Kristin and Rhea. I think that’s a testament to Joyce’s virtues as a boss and co-worker. Joyce gave me a quick tour of the place and gave me a stream-of-consciousness, on-site training. When I arrived, she was expecting a fairly full house. In less than an hour, more reservations came in and the house was to be full this evening. Sixteen people for breakfast. One dog and one five-month old little girl to get ready for.

Joyce and I thoroughly reviewed her daily check list of duties, check-in/check-out lists, responded to reservation requests via Webervation emails, discussed rationale behind her policies and procedures, planned the next day’s housekeeping responsibilities (in which I will take part), emptied the dishwasher, interacted with guests as they came in and out of the inn, straightened up the living room, set the dining room table for tomorrow morning, chatted about the guests past and present, and got down to some quick ironing when we realized the linen napkins had not been pressed. See below for the awesome machine I was able to use. I had no idea what this was when I first saw it.

A Miele Rotary Iron

I took to rotary ironing like a champ. Not to brag, but Joyce was quite impressed (no pun intended) with how quickly and proficiently I jumped into this challenge. Truth be told, with some good tunes playing in the background, I could probably do this all day long. For the most riveting 45 second video you have EVER seen, see below for yours truly in action on the rotary iron. You’ll never be the same.

Rotary Iron

Later, I was able to pitch-in with the breakfast prep work by preparing the cream sauce that will be part of the fruit dish. I helped several arriving guests get checked-in, haul their luggage up the 27 steps from the street level to the front door and try to be as engaging as possible – but without letting on that I am not from Seattle. I was just waiting for someone to ask me about the area. I don’t want to let on that I’m the trade association CEO. Joyce introduces me as her assistant for the week. Joyce and I then prepared for the late arrivals, and we left for dinner and grocery shopping.

We had a nice, quick Italian meal, over which Joyce explained the ups and downs of being an innkeeper. Besides the hours and face-to-face interactions, there are some similarities between innkeeping and association management. In particular is the diversity of people and their expectations one encounters. But, that will be a blog post for another day.

After only one day, I’m learning some good stuff. First and foremost, a good exhaustive check-list of daily responsibilities is paramount to staying organized. Joyce seems to be a religious follower of “the list.” This is a good thing. With all the interruptions we encountered as we tried getting through the list, it would be impossible to run a busy inn like this without some source of consistency. This list provides the needed day-to-day consistencey. The phone rings. The doorbell rings. A glance at the computer then requires an immediate response to some emails. We chat for a while about whatever important details occur to Joyce that pertain to my education. We lose track every five minutes of what we were working on – and it all works out, because we have “the list” to go back to.

I’ve learned two other important lessons. The first is that group bookings are not for every inn or every innkeeper. Prior to my visit with Joyce, I would have assumed that any innkeeper would be foolish to turn down an offer to book the entire inn for one or two nights, even if it was over a weekend. It never occured to me that an innkeeper would likely have to turn away a great deal of business by doing so, such as those guests who want to stay three, four or more nights, which overlap the nights the group wants the inn. Plus, large groups tend to get into a pack mentality and take over every corner of the inn as though it is their own home. And, of course, they want a really good price. I can now understand the concept of a “group premium” instead of a “group discount.” Joyce runs an urban inn, so her occupancy is very high compared to the average B&B. She is in a position where she can turn away such requests for monopolizing the inn. She readily admits that groups could very well be the bread-and-butter for other innkeepers, and that is great. For the msot part, it’s just not her thing.

I also gained more respect for the “reservation request” process, rather than real-time reservations. Heretofore, I have naturally been a strong advocate of real time reservations. I’ve been fearful for the innkeepers who could be turning away business, because their reaction time to reservation requests might not be good enough for the time-starved, instant-gratification-requiring consumer. Watching and listening to Joyce interact with prospective customers on the phone – and hearing all the unique requests or situations presented to her – I can see why innkeepers still highly prefer the opportunity to engage a customer in more detail before confirming a reservation. WIth inventory levels as they are in our industry (let’s say about 6 rooms per night), it still remains possible to take requests. Someone mentioned to me recently that innkeepers can still have that all-important conversation on the phone AFTER a real-time reservation, as long as you’re collecting the customer’s phone numbers and inform them your intent to contact them. But, that would mean you – the innkeeper – having to track down the guest who preferred the relative anonymity and speed of using the internet to seal the deal. From what I saw today at the Chambered Nautlius, who has time to do that? And, it doesn’t really seem like you can convey all that you want to convey in a confirmation email. That phone interaction still seems to be paramount to the customer experience.

Off to bed for this innkeeper-in-training. I’ll be up at the crack of dawn to finish setting the tables,as I get ready to serve a wonderful meal to some hungry guests. How one does this seven days a week is beyond me at this point.