Care Strategies of Linen and Guest Satisfaction among Hotels in Upper East Region of Ghana

Abstract

Purpose: The care of linen is paramount in hotel operations for its sustainability. The study sought to investigate linen care strategies in some selected star-category hotels in the Upper East Region of Ghana. The objectives of the study were to examine the strategies used in the care of linen and their effect on guest satisfaction and to test if a relationship exists between them. Materials and Methods: The study employed descriptive survey design by the use of quantitative and qualitative approaches. Through purposive sampling, a sample size of 52 hotel employees was selected from 24 star-rated hotels. Structured questionnaire and observations were used to collect data. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 was used for the data analysis. Means and standard deviations were used for the descriptive statistics. Multiple linear regression was employed for the inferential statistics. The hypothesis was tested at a 5% significance level. Thus, data were presented in tables and text for both descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings: The study findings were that hotels operated On-premise laundry systems. Outsourcing of linen from commercial service providers was absent. Linen inventory control was done through stock-taking and record-keeping. Hotels followed the laundry processes (sorting dirty clothes, putting dirty apparel in a machine or hand wash, applying detergent, drying the washed articles on the line or in a tumble dryer, ironing, folding and storage of laundered articles) but were not diligent with the manufacturer’s instructions. The linen reuse programme was mostly not through designed cards. Available laundry tools/equipment were laundry bins, washing machines/extractors, washing basins, drying lines, ironing boards and irons. Tools/equipment not available were tables/shelves for sorting linen, tumbler dryers, calendaring machines, industrial steam irons and a laundry folder. Linen care strategies had a significant effect on guest satisfaction (R = 0.671, R2 = 0.451, F = 3.828,  p = 0.001). The hypothesis that linen care strategies do not have any significant effect on guest satisfaction among hotels in the Upper East Region of Ghana was rejected (P = 0.0001< 0.05). Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study employed Management Administrative Theory and Practice Theory. Through the application of management functions, thus, forecasting and planning, organising, commanding, coordinating and controlling; hotel leaderships are in a better position to increase efficiency through the creation of organisational structures. Through the administrative structures, housekeeping supervisors can suggest and monitor the care and maintenance of linen. About the Practice theory, if hotels identify linen care strategies that make sense to their operations and do so religiously through principles and procedures; higher standards of various care strategies could be attained to promote the hotel business.