Hotel supplies are a critical area when it comes to the operation of a hotel or resort. If supplies are not procured from the right places in the right manner, it can have a serious negative impact on profitability. Fortunately, there are a few things that owners and operators of these businesses can do if they are looking to ensure that they have a food supply system that helps control their overhead.

Hotel Supplies and Guest Reviews: Things to Consider

Understanding The Supplier Impact

The network of supply organizations that works together to bring supplies to customers can be an intricate one that is difficult to understand, especially for those that are new to the resort business. With a tightening economy, more and more owners are starting to consider their distribution networks and how these networks impact the bottom line of their business. For owners or operators looking to minimize their food costs when choosing a supplier, there are a few characteristics to keep in mind while picking the proper distributors.

• Geographic Considerations: How far away from your hotel or resort is your potential supplier? Buying local will often be more cost effective than importing your supplies over a great distance, since local suppliers require less transit to get their supplies to their destination. Further, buying local is more environmentally efficient, since it reduces harmful emissions from commercial vehicles and other modes of transportation.
• Quality of Products: How good are the products that your food supplier is providing? It is not a good idea to sacrifice quality for price, as you may end up paying much more in costs if there is a sanitation issue at your hotel because of problems with your food supplier
• Reputation and Service: These two areas will help you get an idea of how easy it will be to interact with the company in question. Will they be able to provide you with answers to questions that you have if something goes wrong with a shipment? What has their past track record been like when it comes to shipping out food service products? Have they had any safety issues on record? These are all questions that will help you better understand the company that you are working with.

These three areas are the main considerations when choosing your hotel’s food service supplier. An even more critical practice to help you reduce the costs of food services in your hotel supplies budget is keeping a close eye on what is happening with your distribution chain as a whole.

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Staying Vigilant About Your Supplies

Gathering and analyzing intelligence on your supply chain is critical for success with lowering your food supply costs. At Inbound Logistics, Amy Roach Partridge uses the example of Del Taco, a fast food company that has recently begun to pay closer attention to their supply chain costs. Janet Erickson is now the company’s executive vice president of supply chain and has a team in place to help her lower Del Taco’s food costs as the company looks to expand across the nation.

Whether you have numerous hotel locations or not, carefully choosing a supplier and monitoring your supply activity will help you reduce the cost of your hotel supplies and keep your guests happy.