Building guest confidence in cleanliness is essential for successful operations. A recent OnePoll survey found that four in five guests feel more comfortable staying at places with clearly defined cleaning programs.¹

The ESC program provides the training, procedures and practices to help your hotel deliver a higher level of cleanliness and exceed guest expectations. Key indicators of cleanliness, such as fresh scents, clean floors and surfaces, white linens and shining wares, enhance the guest experience and encourage repeat visits. The commitment to cleanliness becomes even more tangible when it’s reinforced by visible on-site signage.

Your business, employees, and guests can rely on cleaning, hygiene and food safety protocols meticulously crafted by our RD&E, Food Safety and Public Health experts. These protocols are designed to help ensure compliance with CDC, FDA, and local health authority guidelines, and drive risk reduction through training and regular audits.

It’s been a privilege for me to watch this program positively impacting our customers during the past few years. A recent case study² comparing four national hotel brand locations before and after implementing ESC services revealed that the program can improve guest satisfaction, Health Department Inspection scores, and employee retention all at once:

• 16% fewer negative cleanliness mentions
• 16% higher review ratings
• 5% fewer critical Health Department Inspection mentions

ESC is helping customers overcome labor and operational challenges by integrating simple, high-performance programs that speed up cleaning processes, drive efficiency and boost productivity.

For example, one of our customers — who operates hotels in high-traffic tourism markets across the country —needed a guest-facing program that would provide reassurance of health and safety practices during and following the pandemic. We identified gaps in their safety training and compliance processes. We then implemented the ESC program which consisted of robust cleaning and safety protocols to bridge those gaps, enabling a swift operational restart. Today, ESC is a key operational monitoring tool for this customer’s leadership team.

The ESC program provides comprehensive visibility and reporting on operational factors that can negatively impact the guest experience. Additionally, our EcoSure™ Brand Protection Advisors provide real-time coaching and audits to help identify risks, maintain compliance standards and enable the property team to resolve issues promptly.

ESC ultimately empowered this customer with independent oversight of its properties, helping to identify and address operational gaps and trends targeted through training and reinforcement. The program provides a proactive approach to engaging with each property and promotes adherence to specific brand standards and safety needs.

Clean hotels start with dedicated staff equipped with proper training and tools. However, the industry continues to face challenges due to labor shortages and high employee turnover rates.

There are several factors at play when it comes to employee retention in the lodging industry, but research has shown that a safe, healthy workplace environment is key. The ESC seal helps provide that reassurance. Survey results³ reveal that ESC helps hotels not only earn guests but also retain and empower employees:

• 87% of employees believe ESC creates safer, healthier workplaces
• 80% say they will stay because of ESC

Part of what makes ESC so effective is its emphasis on optimizing operations with easy-to-follow programs that enhance efficiency and performance. The training employees receive prioritizes safety and promotes continuous improvement.

Ultimately, the demand for premium experiences will remain a predominant trend in the industry. With this desire comes heightened expectations, influencing decision-making for industry leaders. The ESC seal fosters trust among your business, your valued guests and your employees, which can significantly impact your brand’s growth in the years ahead.

To learn more about how Ecolab Science Certified™ can elevate your operation, visit sciencecertified.ecolab.com.