5. Operations Plan
5.4. Stocks management and purchases
Decoration and Construction Materials (natural resources)
● Handmade Furniture
● Handmade Accessories
Taking into consideration the materials for furniture and accessories, they would be built and elaborated by local artisans which make use of natural resources. Or reuse materials as well.
Some examples of those natural resources are, wicker, mud and excess wood. Also, thus it is not yet specified because is still being in consideration. But, to be clear it would be allocated as decorative elements in specific areas; such as, “Akapacha”, “Sumawa” or Reception Desk as well as in the “Nampi Zone” or Parking Area.
The following data indicates a forecast of stocks and total costs of room amenities for the first 3 years. The number of stocks is increasing in relation to the hotel’s occupancy.
Table 31. Cost and stock eco amenities year 1
Source: own elaboration
Table 32. Cost and stock eco amenities year 2
Source: own elaboration
Table 33. Cost and stock eco amenities year 3
Source: own elaboration
In relation to purchase new orders particularly in the F&B department we will consider the occupancy ratio and bookings. To provide food and drinks to the restaurant and bar, the order of the products will be made weekly. In this way, we will have fresh, seasonal product and it will not spoil. Since the menu we offer is vegan and vegetarian mostly of our suppliers will provide us with fruits, vegetables, eggs, bread and other daily products. We will also get some products like fruits, vegetables and coffee from our own orchards plantation. To make the most of fruits and vegetables peels and organic remains, we will create compost for the orchards.
To carry out the F&B purchases, the restaurant manager and the executive chef will agree to make the order list and contact local suppliers. Everything will be registered in the hotel system so that the GM also has access to these operations.
5.5. Subcontracting
Subcontracting is a necessary tool to carry out the activity without having to assume an excessive fixed cost during the first years of the hotel. That is why Alwa Eco Hotel will subcontract some services that will be specified in the following points:
● El Vagante, a small company that offers adventure activities
● DeChali, Bolivian digital marketing and technology company
● Maintenance staff (freelancers)
● Management and labour advice
● Freelance trainers specialized in yoga, creation of natural products and a professional guide for the coffee route (freelancers)
For adventure activities we will contact a small local business ‘’ El Vagante ’’ that has been offering tourist activities for 5 years in the Coroico area. This organization is created by members of the Santa Rosa de Vagante community, for local, national and international development.
Likewise, they have a good rating on TripAdvisor and are very committed to caring for nature.
We will offer the activity to the client, for each activity sold we will discount a 20% commission for us. The rest of the profits will go directly to the outsourced adventure agency. Once the client has enjoyed the service, weekly we will deliver to the agency the money that belongs to him.
Table 34. Adventure activities commissions
In the previous table, it is mentioned in detail the type of activities that we will offer, the price per activity and commission calculation.
Regarding marketing & advertising ‘’ DeChali ’’ is one of the best agencies in Bolivia. We will need their services for the start of the project about creating the website, google positioning, social media campaign and monitoring. Once the start-up process is finished, during the rest of the days, Michelle in charge of marketing, will be responsible for updating the website, social networks, photography, descriptions on third pages of the hotel.
If at any time we want to carry out an advertising campaign or video spot, we will contact this company again. The price per “De Chali” company will be 304€ per month (2.290 Bs).
As for the maintenance staff, we will hire freelancers. The person will be in charge of controlling, inspecting and arranging the different spaces of the hotel. Each month the maintenance staff will do a 5h review of all the facilities, which will cost 45€/monthly (340bs). If we need of their extra services, we would pay 9€/hour.
Also, we will hire a manager to take charge of the labour issue that would be drafting and preparing contracts, registered and unsubscribed from social security, preparing payrolls, among others. At first, the initial price will be 183,04 € in total. But, because of being for certain period; the price will change and we are contracting a manager who will be paid 40€ monthly (300 Bs).
To offer the rest of the activities / workshops we will hire other professionals such as: yoga teacher (8 € / hour), trainer in the creation of natural products (26 € per 4 hours) and a professional guide for the coffee route (30 € per 2h). Aside to that, to make possible the coffee route, we stay in contact with a family that owns a “Cafetal” and allows us to carry on the tourist activity. So, in a way we are offering an opportunity for them to gain benefits.
5.6. Launching: provisional planning
We estimate that our project will be working in 1 year and 6 months.
Table 35. Gantt Diagram provisional planning
Source: own elaboration
6. Organizational Plan and Human Resources
6.1. Organizational structure
Figure 8. Organizational structure
Source: own elaboration
As it is a small hotel with 20 rooms (treehouses & cabins) and capacity for 52 people. We start
● General Manager: having experience and knowledge of hospitality by working in several hotels; one of the members Maria Jordana will be in charge of managing the hotel.
● Executive chef and cook: the organization of a restaurant is very important and the type of food and service offered. That is why we decided to hire an executive chef to take care of the scandals, to speak with the suppliers, among others. The cook will support the executive chef and both will be in charge of the restaurant services.
● Waiters: They will be in charge of serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, home delivery of food and events. If at any point we complete 100 percent of the occupation, we will hire another waiter.
● Receptionist: At the beginning, we will have one person, in any case and if she or he will need help then Michelle will give support. In this way, we will also have the opportunity to meet our own guests and create a more familiar and close relationship.
● Housekeeper & chambermaids (man/women): The housekeeper will be in charge of distributing the rooms and common areas to clean between the chambermaids.
● Marketing: by having knowledge in online marketing, SEO-SEM positioning, website creation and content creation on social networks. Michelle, who is one of the members, will be in charge of managing the hotel's marketing and advertising.
This will be the initial distribution of the hotel. If the occupancy of the rooms and the number of events increases, in that case and depending on the service we offer, we will hire or subcontract more staff.
6.2. Job descriptions
In this section, we will explain the functions and skills that are required for each job position. On the one hand, Michelle and Maria as partners and owners will coordinate the following activities together:
- Hotel management
- Ensure that all workers are performing correctly, following the hotel's policies and values and offering a good service
- Hotel accounting
- Take care of the initial and continuous training of employees - Negotiate with tour operators
- Set rates according to seasons (revenue management) - Design budgets
- Design short and long term marketing strategies
● Executive Chef
○ Requirements: training in gastronomy, minimum experience of 2 years in a similar position in the hotel sector, specialist in Bolivian and vegan / vegetarian food. Experience in other gastronomic restaurants will be valued. Address close to the company or with flexibility to move. Level of native Spanish and level B2 of English.
○ Functions:
■ Prepare menus considering seasonal availability of food.
■ Verify that the food offered meets the established quality standards.
■ Guide and supervise the cooks in the preparation, cooking, plating and final presentation of the dish.
■ Carry supplies inventory
■ Ensure that the highest standards are met in terms of service, food quality, cleanliness and cost effectiveness.
■ Carry inventory and make the necessary orders for the supply of supplies.
■ Establish a provider network
○ We offer: uniform, continuous training, activities with the rest of the staff (team building) and food. Immediate incorporation. Salary: 3.150bs (420€)
○ Personal skills: ability to innovate, professionality, creativity, proactive, leadership skills, knowing how to work in a team, organized and passionate for gastronomy.
● Cook
○ Requirements: training in gastronomy, minimum experience of 2 years in a similar position in the hotel sector. Knowledge of Bolivian, vegan and vegetarian food. Experience in other gastronomic restaurants will be valued. Address close to the company or with flexibility to move. Level of native Spanish, basic English will be appreciated.
○ Functions:
■ Perform in a qualified, autonomous and responsible manner, the preparation and presentation of dishes following the chef's recommendations.
■ Collaborate in the orders and conservation of raw materials.
■ Prepare, cook and present culinary products.
■ Collaborate in the assembly, service and disassembly of buffets.
■ Collaborate in the planning of menus and menus.
■ Control and take care of the conservation and use of the products put at your disposal.
■ Available to offer cooking classes, easy recipes to prepare vegan / vegetarian food for customers who book this workshop.
○ We offer: uniform, continuous training, activities with the rest of the staff (team building) and food. Immediate incorporation. Salary: 2.200bs (293€)
○ Personal skills: ability to innovate, professionality, creativity, proactive, leadership skills, knowing how to work in a team, organized and passion for gastronomy.
● Waiter/waitress
○ Requirements: Technical degree in restaurant service or other related training, minimum experience of 2 years in a similar position in the hotel sector.
Experience in other gastronomic restaurants will be valued. Address close to the company or with flexibility to move. Level of native Spanish and high level of English, French and German will be valued.
○ Functions:
■ Table setting, cutlery, dishes, glasses
■ Cleaning of dishes, glasses and cutlery
■ Receive customers and deliver the menu
■ Be aware of the client, answer questions about the restaurant's dishes
■ Take notes of food or drink orders and pass information to the bar and kitchen for good coordination.
■ Serve food and drinks
■ Know how to solve any type of inconvenience or problem
■ Prepare accounts
■ Close the cashier
■ Prepare the restaurant for buffet breakfast and special events
○ We offer: uniform, continuous training, activities with the rest of the staff (team building) and food. Immediate incorporation. Salary: 2.200bs (293€)
○ Personal skills: basic math, verbal communication, customer service, resolve conflict, teamwork, friendly, proactive, high energy, sell to customer needs.
● Receptionist
○ Requirements: Degree in tourism and hospitality industry. Minimum experience of 2 years in a similar position in hotels. Experience in other sectors will be valued. Address close to the company or with flexibility to move. Level of native Spanish and high level of English, French and German will be valued.
○ Functions:
■ deal with reservations
■ complete procedures when guests arrive and depart (check - in / out)
■ choose rooms and hand out keys
■ prepare invoices and take payments
■ take and pass messages to guests
■ attend special requests from guests (tourist services, activities, workshops, tourist routes, taxi, etc.)
■ Be able for any guest requests and answer the reservations that enter via Booking.
■ answering questions
■ Capability of solving problems → deal with complaints, issues, etc.
■ accompany the client to his cabin / tree house
○ We offer: uniform, continuous training, activities with the rest of the staff (team building) and food. Immediate incorporation. Salary: 2.350bs (313€)
○ Personal skills: customer service skills, sensitivity and understanding, pay
● Housekeeper (or Housekeeping Supervisor)
○ Requirements: high level diploma or equivalent preferred, knowledge of cleaning and sanitation with green cleaning products. Minimum experience of 2 years in hospitality industry. Address close to the company or with flexibility to move. Level of native Spanish and B2 level of English, French and German will be valued.
○ Functions:
■ Organization and customer service in cleaning
■ Schedule tasks and responsibilities of each staff member and ensure they complete the job satisfactorily
■ Create a daily room report (regarding the occupation, stayovers, etc.)
■ Coordinate this department with others in the hotel. (Front Desk, F&B)
■ Guide and train new employees
■ Do inventory
■ Suggest options to the hotel manager to improve room services.
■ Inspect and control the facilities and rooms
■ Be in charge of laundry → Control of washing processes, set-up of rooms and common areas, cleaning, ironing of uniforms, tablecloths, linen, etc.
○ We offer: uniform, continuous training, activities with the rest of the staff (team building) and food. Immediate incorporation. Salary: 2.370bs (316€)
○ Personal skills: teamwork, attention to detail, customer focus, high listening and communications skills, adaptability, leadership skills, planning and organizing, high level of energy and friendly
● Chambermaid
○ Requirements: Housekeeping training course in hotel accommodations, knowledge of cleaning and sanitation with green cleaning products. Minimum experience of 2 years in hospitality industry. Address close to the company or with flexibility to move. Level of native Spanish and basic English will be valued.
○ Functions:
■ Keep the cabins, tree houses, common areas and the different dependencies thereof in a perfect state of cleanliness and order.
■ Change of bed set up in the rooms. (If requested, turndown service)
■ Supply the bedrooms with the corresponding toiletries (ecological), as well as hotel documents and other accessories and amenities.
■ Keep rooms and service areas in optimal conditions.
■ Carry out ironing and laundry for guests and employees uniforms.
■ Prepare, bring and collect the materials and products needed for the cleaning and maintenance of rooms and common and internal areas.
■ Prepare the rooms for meetings, conventions, etc.
■ Clean the areas and carry out auxiliary tasks.
■ Refill the rooms with the adequate amenities
■ Fill models and daily reports. (From beginning until end of the journey)
■ Organization and execution of tasks in the established time
■ Good customer service and respond to the requests
■ Notification to the housekeeper about any room diligence so they can call the maintenance service.
○ Personal skills: teamwork, attention to detail, customer focus, high listening and communications skills, adaptability, leadership skills, planning and organizing, high level of energy and friendly.
According to that, the following table has been created to gather all the salaries in general for our staff in regards of wages monthly and per year.
Table 36. Net Salary for the staff
Source: Own Source
Regarding the “Social Security Rate” in Bolivia, it is important to state that the adequate percentage value is 22% for employees and 15% for companies. So, in this case, what has been calculated is the Net Salary as seen in the table above. By multiplying the gross salary and the total salary per 22% and then, the result of it multiply it per 15%; it is achieved a total of 643€
of SS for companies the first month of Net Salary. Thus, represents expenses for us that are needed to be paid together with the total Net Salary result.
6.3. Human Resource Policy: selection, management, compensation
For Alwa Eco hotel, the satisfaction, training and professional development of each employee come first. The organizational structure of the hotel is horizontal which means that among all the employees we work as a team. We all share suggestions, experiences, feedback and knowledge to keep a united team and therefore offer better customer service.
● Selection
For the selection of staff our preferences will be local and national talent. Regarding the job position it will be published in various job search platforms (Trabajopolis, Opción Empleo, Option, Acción trabajo etc.), in newspapers and in the employment exchange program of tourism and hospitality universities. Therefore, people applying for each position should contact us by email or phone. These people will then be invited to an interview with the hotel director and her partner.
During the selection process, the atmosphere we want to transmit closeness and receptive. So, that the candidate can feel free to fearlessly ask about working conditions, wages, benefits and others. People applying must be able to explain themselves, answer questions with confidence, talk about their work experience, motivations, studies and goals. In this way, the selectors will know if this person shares the same values of the eco hotel.
Once the interviews are over, there will be a selection of the best candidates that we consider to be suitable for the job. To finish we will communicate directly with the chosen applicants and we will agree on a day to sign the contract.
Then, the terms of the contract will be explained in detail in addition to the work requirements that have already been explained, and your wages and compensation will vary depending on the job, hours and days worked, vacations, etc. We will offer an unlimited contract and candidates must pass a 3-month trial period except for subcontracted employees. During those months, the company and employees may terminate the agreement without any implied penalty. The clauses section will depend on the country in relation to the regulations and legislation established for the "Hospitality Industry", as well as the legislation established for the employee.
Therefore, this aspect is related to the protection of indigenous communities, against racism, decolonization, cultures, languages, among others. If at any time there is an accident during the working day, it will be covered and paid by the hotel.
In terms of free time, the periods provided will depend on the following reasons such as vacation, sick leave, pregnancy, etc. To cover these people there will be substitutes who will do
Christmas, New Years, Carnival, etc. will be respected by the hotel. [See Annex nº9 on holidays in Bolivia].
Regarding subcontracted companies and individuals the hotel will work closely with them. They will also pass an interview to learn about their work experience and personal and professional skills. Decide if we will collaborate and negotiate payments and commissions. If the occupancy rate and the demand for services increases throughout the years, it would be possible to hire them and make them part of the eco hotel staff.
Trainings
The hotel managers (Michelle and Maria) will maintain close and continuous communication with their employees. For us, it is important that our team receive training to keep abreast of new trends in tourism, expand their knowledge and offer a better service. That is why Alwa Eco Hotel has thought about the following formations for the team:
- Hotel operational training to guarantee a high-quality service.
- Every time there is a new employee there will be a small welcome meeting that will be organized by the hotel staff.
- Talks on sustainability, responsible tourism, care and respect for the local community and local heritage.
- Reinforcement with language classes, especially English, French and German.
- Informative and practical class on the use of ecological cleaning products.
- Talks and dynamic activities on gender equality - Attendance at tourism fairs
● Compensations
The compensation process will be agreed with the hotel director and her partner. In terms of seniority, we will reward our most loyal employees with an 8% bonus on their annual salary every four years. The following table represents this explanation.