In November 2018, Hotel Derlon, a four-star hotel on the Onze Lieve Vrouweplein in Maastricht, started to work with us. Due to a shortage of quality staff, housekeeping vacancies were becoming increasingly difficult to fill. We asked Sione Götte, General Manager at Hotel Derlon, about her experiences with our platform.
Hotel Derlon is situated on one of the most beautiful squares in the Netherlands; the Onze Lieve Vrouweplein in Maastricht. The hotel has 50 rooms, a restaurant and a unique museum with 200 years of Roman sanctuary.
Why did you start working with us?
"Recently, we noticed that it was increasingly difficult to find good housekeeping staff. We received many applications for vacancies, but the quality was insufficient. This is a growing problem, not only in our hotel, but throughout Maastricht. With December approaching and the hustle and bustle in the hotel, we foresaw a problem. In November, we therefore put a number of shifts online to try out Temper. Within a few hours, I already had an experienced FreeFlexer eager to take on a job!"
Do you think the number of registrations on a shift has anything to do with when you post it online?
"Yes, especially in December we regularly needed people for both weekends and weekdays. Many of the FreeFlexers in our flexpool work, besides at Hotel Derlon, also at other hospitality companies in Maastricht. They like to plan shifts about a month in advance. This gives them the freedom to plan their work and free time. If I post my shifts on the platform well in advance, there is a great chance that they will be taken up."
How do you try to be an attractive client for FreeFlexers?
"We always try to respond immediately when a FreeFlexer applies for a shift. I do this by sending a personal e-mail in which I say how happy I am with the application. The FreeFlexer then does not have to wait for a few weeks, but knows immediately where he or she stands. In addition, we never overrun on an assignment, so you never have to work overtime. I also try to approve the hours immediately after the checkout, so that the FreeFlexer is paid quickly."
In a short time you have built a strong flexpool . How did you achieve that?
"We have a nice permanent team and a good working atmosphere, which makes the FreeFlexers feel welcome. It doesn't matter if you take 5 minutes longer to clean the room, as long as it's done right. We currently have 6 nice ladies in our flexpool that we are very happy with."
Would you recommend our platform to other hospitality establishments?
"Absolutely. Through Temper, I can select who I want for a job, which is very nice. You can see in advance how often someone has worked, and how often they have been on time. This way you can make a good estimate of the quality of the FreeFlexer. In addition, the level is much higher than when you hire someone via a secondment agency. FreeFlexers consciously choose to do a shift and this is reflected in their motivation. I think we are also lucky to be based in Maastricht. With the Hotel Management School just around the corner, there are a lot of top people here."
Also work at Hotel Derlon? Sign up quickly and check whether there are any jobs available.
Would you like to use FreeFlexers for your restaurant, shop or hotel? Check out the possibilities at temper.works/personnel.
