- Free Version: Available for teams of up to 10
- Pricing: Premium plan $24/month (with free 30-day trial period)
- Platforms supported: Available on mobile app (iOS and Android) or a web-based software
Why use SafetyCulture?
SafetyCulture is a housekeeping app that helps housekeeping managers and employees fulfill and manage all their cleaning tasks. Using SafetyCulture’s mobile checklists, housekeeping managers can conduct inspections from anywhere around their facilities and upload their reports to the cloud. The cleaning checklists on the SafetyCulture app can also be used for other aspects of housekeeping, such as employee management and work logs, making it a very versatile tool for frontliners in the housekeeping industry.
Features:
- Free customizable templates for use in the Public Library
- Scheduled cleaning tasks and inspections
- Make announcements or reminders using Heads Up
- Shareable templates and completed cleaning checks via weblink, Word, or PDF
- Analytical reports available after each inspection
Why use Flexkeeping?
Flexkeeping is a housekeeping app and cleaning app that focuses on communication in a housekeeping team or facility. Using the app, you can easily see who is in charge of cleaning which rooms and facilities at a given time, as well as assign each staff member or team to a certain subtask of cleaning, such as managing linens, polishing furniture, and repairing facilities.
Features:
- Task delegation and automation
- Automatic translations for messages in different languages
- Allows you to view everyone’s task at a glance
- Free Version: Contact flexkeeping for more information.
- Pricing: Contact flexkeeping for more information.
- Platforms supported: Web client and mobile app for iOS and Android available.
Why use Spotless?
Spotless is an iOS-only housekeeping app focused on helping people manage their cleaning tasks. It can be used by individuals and housekeeping managers alike to keep track of what places need to be cleaned as well as set reminders for them.
Features:
- Ability to create lists for each room in your building
- Reminders for scheduled cleaning times
- To-do lists
- Free Version: Contact Spotless for more information.
- Pricing: Contact Spotless for more information.
- Platforms supported: Available on IOS
Why use Tody?
Tody, as a housekeeper app, aims to help families manage their cleaning tasks by turning them into visual proofs. This app helps sort your cleaning tasks per room or zone, and with each completed task, you can view your progress through a colored bar much like a game’s progress bar.
Features:
- Game-like visuals
- In-app notes
- Graphic history of cleaning tasks done
- Free Version: Free for Android.
- Pricing: $9.99 for iOS. Free for Android with optional in-app purchases.
- Platforms supported: Available on IOS and Android.
Why use ALICE?
ALICE is a hospitality operations software platform with dedicated features for each aspect of managing a hospitality business. As a housekeeping app, it helps promote easier communication between staff with real-time mobile and auto room assignments and updates. The app also allows for personal chats between guests and staff for the guests’ needs and the organization’s announcements. ALICE is best used by managers who want to improve both staff and guest communication.
Features:
- Automated hotel text messages for guests
- Accessible to everyone in the organization
- Dedicated services for workers at the front desk, as well as those working on maintenance, engineering, and delivery
- Free Version: Contact Alice for more information.
- Pricing: Dependent on the organization’s needs.
- Platforms supported: Web and mobile app for iOS and Android.
Why use Sweepy?
Sweepy is one of the house cleaning apps that help you track your chores and treat cleaning as a game. You can set how dirty or clean a task and a timer for how long you should work on it, helping you manage your time wisely. This can also help train kids on how to help with housekeeping.
Features:
- Ranking board based on how much cleaning you’ve done
- Ability to set the frequency of task
- Multi-device sync
- Free Version: Available.
- Pricing: Paid version starts at $2.99 a month.
- Platforms supported: Available on IOS and Android.
Why use Beekeeper?
Beekeeper is a management software for customer-facing or frontline employees used across many industries. As a housekeeping app, it is used to manage employees at the front desk, room service, kitchen, and cleaning. Through the app, managers and employees can communicate issues through chats, training videos, and digital bulletin boards.
Features:
- Collaboration on a peer-to-peer and cross-departmental level
- Automated onboarding
- Integrations with different work software and social media platforms
- Free Version: Contact Beekeeper for more information.
- Pricing: Prices will depend on the organization's needs.
- Platforms supported: Web and mobile app available for IOS and Android. Desktop version for Mac, Windows, and Linux also available.
Why use FieldCamp?
FieldCamp is a service scheduling and management software that aims to have workers use less paper to use and manage their time better. With FieldCamp, hotels and other hospitality establishments can track their cleaners as well as dispatch them to different locations as needed by sending them the location and the details of the guests they need to attend to.
Features:
- Data encryption
- Revenue reports
- Voice to text feature
- Free Version: Contact FieldCamp for more information.
- Pricing: Prices start at $29 a month for one user.
- Platforms supported: Web client and mobile app for iOS and Android available.
Why use MEWS?
Mews is a PMS that hopes to automate the documentation process of all housekeeping tasks. The software allows staff to manage reservations, rooms, and cleaning schedules in the cloud and reflect any changes to them in real time. With this cleaning schedule app, managers can assign cleaning times based on the guest list and supervise the current workload of their staff.
Features:
- Real-time syncing and status updates
- Workload list of all employees is visible at a glance
- Internal chat
- Free Version: Contact MEWS for more information.
- Pricing: Starts at $8.09 monthly, but can increase depending on organization's needs.
- Platforms supported: Web client and mobile app for iOS and Android available.
What is a Housekeeping App?
A housekeeping app, also known as a cleaning app or a housekeeping software, is an application used in the hospitality industry to check the different aspects of hotel operations. Housekeeping apps are primarily used for the round-the-clock inspections of hotel premises and spot checks of the guest rooms once they’re vacated. With an app for cleaning and housekeeping, hotel staff can easily make sure that the facilities are spotless and up to standard, and also check the office and work areas to eliminate hazards and promote overall health and safety for both employees and guests.
Housekeeping App Advantages
Housekeeping is a tedious undertaking because it’s one of the factors that determines your brand’s reputation. Your primary responsibility as a hotel manager is to ensure that housekeeping is done right—but how? Below are the primary advantages of utilizing housekeeping apps:
Mobile
A housekeeping app allows you to complete inspections on the go, often with just one hand. It can serve as a digital checklist for housekeepers to help ensure that they don’t miss any critical or minor tasks. Hotel or hospitality managers can also use a mobile app when performing room inspections to make sure that housekeeping quality is always up to standard.
Versatile
A housekeeping app can be customized to match your business needs. Features may vary per app, but they are generally designed to cater to the various needs and preferences of each customer.
Paperless
Housekeeping apps can store information in the cloud so finding your templates, files, and reports are easier. A simple search query on the app can give you access in seconds.
Data-driven
Apps compile data efficiently. The good ones even display statistical data so hotel managers can identify problem areas and take corrective and preventive actions promptly.
Choose the Best Housekeeping App
From the outside in, the management of a housekeeping process may seem similar across organizations. There are subtle differences, however, that can help determine if a digital solution can help you maximize time and optimize your processes if you’re better off sticking to what’s familiar, i.e., clipboards and paper checklists.
Organization size
Smaller organizations may find that paper checklists are sufficient for their needs, especially if they’ve already developed a filing system that makes storing and retrieving previous housekeeping records easier for everyone involved. However, larger organizations may find that paper checklists become tons of paperwork that can be costly to store and maintain. With a digital checklist, it is also easier to collaborate. In such cases, a housekeeping app may be the way to go.
Budget constraints
When considering the cost of an app, take into account the costs you incur using a paper checklist, i.e., the money you spend on printer maintenance, paper, ink, etc., to see if you might be saving money when you pay for a housekeeping app when using PDFs instead.
Connectivity requirements
There are housekeeping apps that allow for offline inspections, though, so they may be worth checking out. Take note that, at the very least, you will need to set up an intranet connection to fully take advantage of the “paperless system” offered by an app.
Tools needed
There are apps that have low minimum system requirements and can be used on older mobile phones or devices. Check all available options before deciding on a housekeeping app or staying with a paper housekeeping checklist so you don’t miss out on a solution that may improve your current system and streamline your workflow.
Ultimately, the decision to use a housekeeping app or stick to a paper housekeeping checklist depends on your current workflow. Re-evaluate your housekeeping workflow and see if going digital can help improve or enhance it.
Roselin Manawis