Does your business have Standard Operating Procedures and if not, why not?
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are vital in hospitality as they help to keep operations running smoothly, safely, consistently and efficiently.
An SOP is a group of requirements or instructions developed for a company to help sites carry out routine operations. They relate to day-to-day operations, such as guest interactions, and reflect both the needs of individual businesses and the local regulations.
How to write a Standard Operating Procedure for a hospitality business?
Here are some steps to take to set up an SOP:
- Identify the areas of the business which could benefit from a standard set of procedures
- Identify the key tasks and which department is responsible for what
- Identify the end-user to ensure ease of use, relevance and accuracy
- Seek input, observe the most effective way of completing a task and document it
With SOPs in place, you can aim to achieve efficiency, a high standard of service and uniformity of performance.
After the Standard Operating Procedure is drawn up and implemented, how are they reviewed?
Once the SOP is set up, it is important to regularly review them to ensure they remain relevant, efficient, up to date and user-friendly. Consider the following:
- Are the SOPs up to date?
- Is there anything that has been missed off that may be useful?
- Are there areas of the business that are different depending on the site?
- Are there particular sites that give you new ideas to roll out to the rest of the group?
Remember that with SOPs you are able to implement changes across the group.
Inconsistencies in service quality or procedures are a concern for any hospitality business, as this can have a negative influence on customer experience – thereby affect repeat custom. With well thought out SOPs in place, you can aim to achieve efficiency, a high standard of service, uniformity of performance, and an enhanced guest experience.
Here at Capcon, we use our wealth of knowledge across the hospitality sector to help draw up effective SOPs for businesses. Talk to us about our tailored solutions to help you achieve the best for your guests and for your business.
