Choosing a linen supplier isn’t a process that should be rushed. The company you choose will be responsible for supplying your hotel or venue with a fundamental part of your everyday business – if you don’t have clean linen, you cannot sell your rooms.
In a research report conducted by CLEAN, we got under the sheets with 1,000 UK hotel guests to understand what makes them smile in the bedroom and generates a thumbs up during their stay. When asked what would make them rethink a return visit, 89% were put off by badly made beds and dated linen. Unsurprisingly, almost three quarters of people rated ‘cleanliness in all areas’ as a top factor when looking for a great hotel room experience, closely followed by clean, crisp and freshly pressed bed linen which was a top factor for more than half of respondents.
This proves the importance of high quality linen. So, to help guide you through finding the right solution for your business, we’ve outlined some key things to consider…
Reliability
One of the first things to consider when looking at appointing a new linen provider is how reliable they will be. Take note of its size, the locations of its laundries and their operational capacities. CLEAN has seven commercial laundries across the country and our approach to route optimisation supports our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint (a 39% reduction so far) and helps our drivers deliver linen to customers when, and where, they need it. If one of our sites experiences an unexpected spike during a peak operating period, another site can seamlessly meet the additional demand with minimal impact on the customer.
Due to the ongoing investments we are making into our laundries and business infrastructure, CLEAN’s service is both reliable and consistent. Many of our customers are hotels and without clean linen they simply aren’t able to sell bedrooms. With this being such a crucial element, it’s vital that operators always have a reliable supply whether that is provided externally or not. The reassurance CLEAN provides through its network of modern laundries and the carefully considered logistics of each customer delivery is unrivalled when compared to an on-premise laundry or a much smaller provider. Having seen the laundry industry evolve over its 131-year heritage and deepened its understanding of hotel operations, CLEAN provides peace of mind that there is a contingency plan in place should something go wrong. Whether a fire in the hotel’s own laundry room or adverse weather conditions that could restrict smaller vehicles, CLEAN identifies the best-placed laundry to fulfil the delivery and ensures the impact of any issue on the customer is minimised.
Customer service
Knowing you’re receiving the best possible support and advice is key when you’re investing in a new supplier partnership. CLEAN dedicates time and resource to working closely with its customers to provide staff training and encourage fluidity in communication between the hotel or venue and its dedicated account manager. CLEAN’s own linen experts often work with housekeeping teams to provide training on the extensive range of products available and handy methods that can be applied to increase operational efficiency.
A tailored offering
Another consideration is knowing the full offering of your linen supplier. Offering a range of thread counts, sizes, styles and weights across three core product ranges means that you can tailor the bed and bath linen requirements to the needs of your guests or customers. CLEAN’s customers often take a ‘pick and mix’ approach when choosing from our extensive product range to create a bespoke solution that fits the precise requirements and budget of the business.
The design offering
Just because linen and towelling is a mandatory part of a guest bedroom and bathroom, it doesn’t mean it needs to be dull. If design is a priority for your hotel, ensure that the linen suppliers you’re considering can supply you with a range of appropriate designs to fit. Whether you’re looking for a traditional plain percale (a closely woven fine cotton fabric) or a contemporary satin stripe, CLEAN offers a range of linen looks to suit your business’ style.
The thread count of the products
One of the biggest myths surrounding linen is that a high thread count indicates that the product is of a superior quality. Although this stands with domestic linen, this isn’t necessarily true when it comes to a commercial standard. If the linen is made from a mediocre quality cotton, regardless of the thread count, the product will never feel of a high standard. As mentioned in the first point, the products also need to be able to cope with the commercial laundry process without hindering the standard. For this reason, CLEAN offers linen with a range of different thread counts to offer a premium feel to all products while also safeguarding its shelf life.
How the cotton has been sourced
The last thing to consider when choosing a provider is the origin of the cotton used in their products. This will offer you peace of mind that the linen on offer has been ethically sourced and produced. Cotton of a standard that can comfortably withstand the commercial laundry process is vital when looking for value and a quality finish when in situ. Each of CLEAN’s products have been ethically sourced and our team personally visit the mills processing the raw cotton to guarantee it is up to CLEAN’s high standards.
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