RTK-Palvelu is responsible for the property maintenance of twenty Sokos Hotels and Radisson BLU hotels of Sokotel Oy in the Helsinki metropolitan area, Tampere and Oulu. The service, which was previously produced by the inhouse SOK Real Estate property maintenance service was transferred to RTK-Palvelu as a result of a business transfer in 2018. The services were outsourced to improve the quality of the customer experience and operations.
– At this point, basic maintenance man services were already far from our actual core services, as SOK Real Estate produces specialist operative property management services. The company’s tasks include taking care of the property administration, energy efficiency, construction as well as property management and maintenance for the S Group. Transferring operative property maintenance services to RTK-Palvelu came naturally and made a lot of sense, as maintenance services were part of the core business of RTK-Palvelu, Otto Oksanen, president of SOK Real Estate, explains about the background of the business transfer.
Comprehensive competence ensures high-quality service
SOK Real Estate began searching for a suitable partner from among a few candidates in October 2017, and had made a decision to choose RTK-Palvelu in summer 2018. The selection put emphasis on both the big picture and particularly the company’s service pledge for hotel business as well as aspects related to employee career paths and wellbeing.
The parties have been able to stake out the direction for the new partnership and, each month, the companies see how the business transfer is benefitting everyone involved: Sokotel Oy engaging in the hotel business, SOK, and RTK-Palvelu.
– From a customer perspective, the change has clearly improved the service. We wanted to find a partner that understands the property maintenance business and manages and develops its operations in collaboration with its personnel. RTK-Palvelu has succeeded well in fulfilling this wish and, as our partner, they have the best understanding of the needs of property management in hotel business, Oksanen says.
Positive changes have already been noticed in service efficiency. According to Oksanen, the overall number of tasks and services completed has grown. During this year, the company received no critical feedback of RTK-Palvelu’s operations.
– Getting things into such a good shape in such a short time has required major efforts from RTK Services. The start of this year has proven that they have the best competence and drive for the job, Oksanen says.
Reviving employees’ career paths
As part of the business transfer, all previous property maintenance employees of SOK Real Estate were transferred to working under RTK-Palvelu. As a working environment, RTK-Palvelu also provides these employees with new opportunities for development and training.
– While transitions and changes like these always cause some challenge and uncertainties, RTK-Palvelu was also the best alternative for the employees transferred to the company. RTK-Palvelu had already planned its training paths and as a working community, the company also provides property maintenance employees with wider opportunities compared to those that SOK could ever offer to its property maintenance staff. Overall, we believe that our long-term cooperation agreement with RTK-Palvelu will further improve the customer experience in our hotels in the long run, Oksanen summarises.