Top quality service

He pampered guests in Barcelona, Dubai and London before joining Nedlin. As a result, Bjorn Dautzenberg knows the hotel industry inside and out. Particularly the luxury segment. In his job as Account manager with Nedlin Hospitality, his experience comes in handy. “You do not compromise on service; you deliver on your promise. Just like we do at Nedlin.”

A world of professional football players, CEOs for major corporations, and impeccable service. Bjorn had barely finished his final hotel school internship when he was offered a job in Dubai. Here, and in the other hotels where he worked, he became familiar with the market’s top segment. Now, he sees the same ambition in Nedlin. Prepared to accept only the best. Delivering on your promises, as best as possible.

Client visits

Clients appreciate his experience in the hospitality industry, Bjorn notes. “When you walk in somewhere new and talk about your experience, you notice that clients have greater confidence in you. You understand about potential issues.” Bjorn’s colleague, Gert Kap, Commercial Director Hospitality, gained a wealth of experience as a former General Manager and Area Manager. As a result, Nedlin is well-acquainted with the dynamic nature of the hospitality industry. Bjorn: “Occasionally, you can go from zero guests to a full house. We have to be able to cater to those rapid changes, with the client’s full confidence –they cannot tell their clients no simply because: ‘There are no linens available."

Usually, he is on the road one or two days per week, visiting clients. Those visits often take Bjorn to wonderful places, like urban Cologne or the Sauerland area. Smiling, he says: “And I get to stay the night!” He visits major hotels three to six times per year. “Just to check in. Are there any new requirements, are there new people we would like to meet?” As a result, Bjorn is familiar with all of his clients’ businesses, which helps him forge a real bond. “I am the point of contact for my client portfolio. I know them, and understand their business. We understand what we can do for one another.”

Client-oriented

For new clients, Bjorn assists in designing the linen process from beginning to end, fully tailored to the situation. If a client only has one lift available, then laundry is not delivered during breakfast or check-in hours, but during a quieter period. And this fine-tuning happens over the course of the years as well. “We can adjust our delivery schedule. For example, during Christmas fairs, we deliver at 3 am instead of 7 am.” Bjorn even pays attention to linen size, because unnecessarily large linens are more expensive to purchase, and also cost more to clean in both water and manhours. He explores every aspect to ensure the level of service is as efficient and excellent as possible.

Short line flexibility

Bjorn focusses mainly on the German market, his colleague Sem Thijssen on the Dutch and Belgian clients. Occasionally, both men face challenges. Bjorn: “Sometimes, you have to deal with force majeure; other times, clients may want the impossible, for example related to product process times. But we always put in maximum effort to ensure clients obtain their laundry in time”.

An important advantage is that the inventory is kept under the same roof as the laundry process. These short lines allow Nedlin to quickly address issues or unusual circumstances. “When a client contacts me, I can switch to production or logistics rapidly. We have far more control”, Bjorn explains. “And clients acknowledge this.” Another advantage is that Nedlin completes orders on a by-client basis. “There is not interaction between different clients’ products. This lets us ensure consistent quality and prevent shortage. Whatever you supply us with will be returned to you.”

Hotel perspective

Bjorn regards the industry to which he dedicated himself many years ago from a hotel perspective as well as from the basis of his own know-how. Does he every miss the hospitality industry? “I began to regret not being able to spend more time with family. Being at work in the weekends and during the holiday seasons.” He thinks briefly, before continuing: “It is a cliché, but no two days are alike with Nedlin. Today, you may be trying to wheel in a prospective new client; tomorrow, you may be trying to convince someone who has been a partner for 20 years. And every day, you make your preparations here, at the office. But the hospitality industry is definitely still a passion of mine”.