How to manage housekeepers in short-term rentals

Start with a clear standard

It is difficult to make control fair when the criteria exist only in the manager's head. For each property, write down the cleaning composition, requirements for linen, supplies and photos. Separately indicate the features of the apartment: where the equipment is located, what to check in the equipment, which areas require additional attention.

• Separate must-haves and recommendations.
• Add examples of the desired result in key areas.
• Update instructions when property equipment changes.

One task - one responsible

The task must have an property, an executor, a deadline and a clear scope of work. The employee confirms the appointment and sees only current instructions. The manager understands who is responsible for execution without searching for the latest chat message.

Manage this step in Operly: For housekeepers.

Record the start and end

Start, check-in, and check-in times help you see delays before check-in. Time alone does not prove quality: evaluate it along with the checklist and the result. If work is delayed, it's best to find out about it before the guest gets to the door.

Use a zone checklist

The employee marks the items actually completed, and the manager checks the result using the same criteria. Our detailed list is a good place to start: it covers the bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, hallway and final check.

• Don't overload your list with obvious micro-actions.
• Make critical points mandatory.
• Add a way to report a problem if an item cannot be completed.

Compare before and after photos

Taking pictures before cleaning helps to separate the initial state from the result of the work. Photos after show the readiness of key areas. Determine the angles in advance: general view of the room, bed, kitchen, plumbing and entrance. Frames must relate to a specific task and attempt.

Check and return for correction

After submitting the task, the manager views the checklist and photos. If there is a comment, indicate the specific zone and the expected result. After correction, the employee submits a new attempt for verification; a history of comments and photographs must be maintained. Accept a task only after verification, and not when it says “ready.”

Where does chat help, and where is a workflow needed?

The messenger is convenient for urgent clarification and communication with a person. But when addresses, photographs and statuses of different apartments are mixed in one chat, it is difficult to restore history. The workflow combines an property, task, performer, time, checklist, photos and manager decision; chat remains a communication channel.

Troubleshoot recurring problems

Look not just at an individual cleaning failure, but also at repeated comments about an area or property. Perhaps the problem is incomplete instructions, lack of time between guest stays, or faulty equipment. This review helps improve the process without constant manual supervision.