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MAINTAIN QUALITYMAINTAIN QUALITY
CUSTOMER /CUSTOMER /
CUSTOMER SERVICECUSTOMER SERVICE
Slide 1
Authentic Indonesian Hospitality
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Areas to Cover
This unit comprises three Elements:
Identify customer/Customer requirements
Ensure delivery of quality products and services
Evaluate customer service.
Slide 2
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Element 1:
Identify Customer
requirements
Slide 3
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Identify Customer requirements
Performance Criteria for this Element are:
Research and assess needs of Customers
Conduct data analysis to identify
deficiencies in service delivery
Identify options to improve service levels.
Slide 4
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Quality Customer service
Regardless of the reason for their visit it is important all
Customers that receive quality service
Quality service is being able to use a combination of
products and services, as a combined offering, that at a
minimum, meets the needs and expectations of all
Customers
(Continued)
Slide 5
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Quality Customer service
Quality customer service is not just associated with 5
star hotels, it is a fundamental aspect of all hospitality
businesses, whether budget or luxury
Simply customer service is important to any business in
any industry
It is about ensuring customers leave your premises
pleased with the experience they received.
Slide 6
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Researching customer needs
Before we can tailor our products and services to
provide an offering that the Customer wants, we first
need to find out what the Customer actually wants
Many businesses make the mistake of providing an
offering they THINK the Customer wants, but what is
offered doesn’t meet their needs
(Continued)
Slide 7
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Researching customer needs
Therefore research of what the customer wants is an
essential activity. This is the essence of marketing
Marketing must be customer-focused
To identify exactly what this focus needs to be we have
to obtain information on customer needs and wants by
undertaking some basic market research.
Slide 8
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The customer
A customer can be seen as:
A person on the receiving end of what the business
offers
Someone who is willing to pay a fair price for a quality
product and wants to be neither over-charged nor
under-served
The reason the company is in business
Someone who has certain needs and
wants them filled
If we cannot fill them, will go to a
competitor who will.
Slide 9
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The customer
There is no ‘one’ customer
Customers are all individuals and come with individual
needs and expectations
Businesses cater to a range of types of customers,
known as target market segments
Challenge lies in being able to provide an offering
to meet their individual needs
We have to recognize each type of
customer and treat them as individuals
(Continued)
Slide 10
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Customer needs, wishes and
expectations
What is the difference between a customer’s:
Needs
Wishes
Expectations.
Slide 11
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Customer needs, wishes and
expectations
Needs
The things customers are unable to do without
This may be a meal or beverage.
Wishes
Way in which our customer would prefer to satisfy a
specific need, but they may not have the resources to
meet these wishes
They are willing to settle for less.
Slide 12
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Customer needs, wishes and
expectations
Expectations
These spring from the customers’ needs and wishes but
are also influenced by:
The company’s image or reputation in the market
The customer’s previous perceptions and
their experience with the company
The company’s advertising.
Slide 13
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Identify customer needs,
wishes and expectations
Exercise
How can you identify these?
Slide 14
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Identify customer needs, wishes
and expectations
Involve the customers in developing new services
Organise and conduct a series of focus groups
Actively listen to the customers
Make decisions and act on the basis of the customer’s
motives, needs and expectations
Wear customer spectacles and see
with the customer’s eyes
(Continued)
Slide 15
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Identify customer needs,
wishes and expectations
Actively look for customer feedback
Ask customers what elements or factors of service are
of particular importance to them
Analyse the market trends
Analyse the competitors.
Slide 16
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Identify customer needs,
wishes and expectations
Use staff feedback
Staff must be actively encouraged to provide input to
the development of quality customer service, too
After all it is staff who are delivering the service and
they who are best placed to understand what the needs
and wants of customers may be.
How can you get staff feedback?
Slide 17
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Identify customer needs,
wishes and expectations
Use staff feedback
Involving staff in this research process could include:
Encouraging staff to feedback all relevant comments
from customers
Not shooting the messenger
Setting agenda items for staff meetings
which include ‘customer service’
Developing appropriate documentation.
Slide 18
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Conduct data analysis to
identify service deficiencies
Now that we have identified the needs and wants of
customers, it is vital to gain a detailed, complete and
accurate:
Understanding of our current operations
Whether they are suitable to meet the
needs of the customer.
Slide 19
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Conduct data analysis to
identify service deficiencies
Research should be designed to identify:
What the customer wants
What we are currently offering to the customer
What we can improve.
Slide 20
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Informal and formal research
Research can be defined as a search for
knowledge conducted on an:
Informal basis
Formal basis.
What is the difference?
How can you conduct each type of research?
Slide 21
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Informal research
Informal research is casual in nature and may include:
Discussing information with colleague
Seeking customer feedback by asking questions
Personal observation of customers and service delivery
and then self-reflection on what you have seen
Discussing information with a wider network of contacts
Discussing information with the public in
public places
Articles seen on TV or reading the
newspaper, magazines or books.
Slide 22
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Formal research
Formal research is more structured and deliberate in
nature and involves:
Reading printed material from your property
Enrolling in a specific course related to the area you
want to find out about
Reading product and service information brochures
Surfing the Internet
(Continued)
Slide 23
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Formal research
Visiting the library
Developing, distributing and analysing questionnaires
Attending conferences and seminars
Attending product launches
Attending Industry Associations functions.
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Conducting research
When conducting research it is usual to follow the steps
below:
Specify information to address service deficiencies
Design and trial the data collection method to be used
Collect the data
Analyse the results
Communicate findings, implications and
recommendations
Develop policies and procedures to align
with identified customer need and preferences.
Slide 25
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Conducting research
Primary and secondary data
Research can be categorised into two main types:
Primary data
Secondary data.
What is the difference primary and secondary data?
What is benefit of using each method?
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Conducting research
Primary data
Primary data is fresh, new and original information specific
to your requirements.
Primary data collection methods include:
In-house observation
Conducting interviews
Applying questionnaires
Conducting surveys.
Slide 27
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Conducting research
Secondary data
Secondary data is information which already exists:
Reading newspapers, books, magazines, trade journals
and the media
Researching library catalogues and other sources
Subscribing to on-line computer information systems
Analysing trading figures, occupancy and
booking statistics, costs or profit.
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Conducting research
Quantitative and qualitative data
Research data can further be separated into:
Quantitative data - known as ‘hard data’
Qualitative data - known as ‘soft data’.
What are some examples of hard and soft data?
Slide 29
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Conducting research
Qualitative data
Qualitative data is important in a service industry such as
hospitality because it answers the ‘Why?’ questions
such as:
Why do they eat with us and not the opposition across
the road?
Why do they prefer healthy food?
Why have they stopped coming to the
nightclub?
Slide 30
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Conducting research
Quantitative data
Quantitative data is statistical in nature.
It deals with ‘quantifying’ things such as:
The number of times a person visits the premises
The amount of money they spend
The number of minutes they are kept
waiting for service
Their satisfaction rating in % terms
with our service.
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Conducting research
Changes in the business environment
Development of successful customer service is an on-
going exercise and involves:
Monitoring of the internal and external environments
Integration of findings into future planning.
It is vital to understand:
What can cause changes in our operational
environment
Factors having impact on service delivery.
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Internal environment
Internal environment
The internal environment is the environment within the
business. It can include:
Level of staff available
Policies and procedures of the organisation
Skill and knowledge levels of staff
Operational hours of the business
Facilities available within the venue.
In theory, a property has control over these internal
factors because it is in a position to influence them.
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Internal environment
Possible causes of deficiencies from within the internal
environment could include:
Substandard products
Equipment
Marketing
Staffing
Recruitment
Training.
Slide 34
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Internal environment
Possible causes of deficiencies from within the internal
environment could include:
Management
Financial support
Changes in management style
Changes in client focus
Creation of new and different target markets
Organisational re-structures.
Slide 35
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External environment
The external environment refers to the area outside the
business over which the venue has little or no control.
It can relate to changes in:
Customer trends
Technology
Legislation
Economy
Political situations
Competition in the marketplace
Environmental issues.
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Reviewing research
You must check and question it so as to identify whether
or not you can use research collected as the basis for
future action:
Is it valid?
Is it reliable?
Is it relevant?
Is it accurate?
Does it make a useful contribution?
Is it clear and unambiguous?
Is it sufficient in volume to be useful?
Does it represent the views of our target markets?
Slide 37
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Identify service deficiencies
Once we have identified causes of service deficiencies,
staff and management must:
Address these
Seek to find options to improve service levels.
Slide 38
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Identify service deficiencies
Common service deficiencies
What are common service deficiencies in hospitality
departments?
What are some ways you can improve
service deficiencies?
Slide 39
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Involve staff in customer service
planning
It helps staff:
To understand what is required of them
Provides them with an opportunity to make input to
areas that will ultimately greatly impact on them
Increase ownership ‘own’ the changes
Strive to better implement any actions
agreed to.
Slide 40
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Involve staff in customer service
planning
Getting the staff involved
Activities providing opportunities for staff participation in
the planning process include:
The formation of quality improvement groups or ‘quality
circles’
Establishment of group training sessions
Introducing a variety of methods and systems to spread
information
Keep the message in front of everyone’s eyes.
Slide 41
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Service improvement options
Operational focus
Create a competitive advantage over competition by
either doing something different, more superior or
cheaper
New or revised products
New services
New menus
Renovations
New equipment with staff fully trained
in their operations.
Slide 42
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Service improvement options
Operational focus
New equipment with staff fully trained in their operations
New marketing strategies to new target market segments
New advertising campaigns with suitable attractive
packages
New branding
Correct staffing level and mixes
Recruitment
Structured training programs.
Slide 43
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Service improvement options
Operational focus
Management
Financial support
Changes in management style
Organisational re-structures.
Greater use of e-business
Greater use of technology
Environmental awareness.
Slide 44
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Service improvement options
Staff focus
Ensuring staff play an active role in improving service
standards, is a key objective for management
Staff are their eyes and ears and are able to
communicate important information about the
customer.
Slide 45
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Service improvement options
Staff focus
Approaches to the staff may include:
Creating and implanting the business concept in the
entire organisation, which helps to determine the
direction the company will take in the future
Involving staff in planning and implementing
quality improvement
Building a spirit of working together
towards goals.
Slide 46
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Service improvement options
Staff focus
Approaches to the staff may include:
Creating instruments and channels to disseminate the
company’s philosophy, goals and values throughout
the organisation
Promoting a climate of open communication and
feedback
Encouraging and recognising innovation and teamwork
Recognising the right of every employee to understand
the requirements of their assignment, and to be heard
when offering suggestion for improvement.
Slide 47
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Service improvement options
Customer focus
Approaches to the customers may include:
Making the customer a ‘member’ of the organisation
Rewarding faithful customers
Communicating with customers to promote
goodwill, trust and satisfaction
Identifying customer’s unstated needs
Ensuring customers’ needs and
(reasonable) requests are met
Providing friendly and courtesy assistance.
Slide 48
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Service improvement options
Regardless of the type of organisation, solutions will only
work if the customer believes them to be:
Meeting their needs, wants and expectations
Is of good value
Is better than that provided by the competition.
Slide 49
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Element 2:
Ensure delivery of quality
products and services
Slide 50
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Ensure delivery of quality
products and services
Performance Criteria for this Element are:
Ensure products and services meet customers’ needs and
reflect enterprise standards
Ensure team performance consistently meets enterprise
standards
Assist colleagues to meet and exceed customer service
standards by providing appropriate professional
development.
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Ensure products and services
meet standards and
expectations
Once the different options to improve customer service have
been identified, the next logical steps are to:
Develop standards and plans for suitable options selected
to improve customer service
Communicate these standards to all staff so they are
understand what they need to do
Provide information to colleagues regarding customer
service standards
Monitor customer service according to organisation
policies and procedures to ensure standards are met
Measure actual performance against standards.
Slide 52
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Develop standards and plans to
address service issues
Management needs to consider:
Different ‘areas’ for which standards and plans may be
created
Development process for plans and standards
Identifying several approaches towards quality
management for staff and customers.
Slide 53
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Develop standards and plans to
address service issues
The development process
Establish a ‘customer service’ team of interested,
experienced and dedicated
Look at what other venues are providing in terms of
service
Identify the ‘areas’ in the venue about which you
believe there needs to be a customer service standard
and a plan.
Slide 54
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Develop standards and plans to
address service issues
The development process
Determine the standards to apply to the identified areas
with reference to:
Your image, reputation and advertising
Value-for-money for the customer
What the opposition is doing
Identified customer expectations.
Slide 55
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Develop standards and plans to
address service issues
The development process
Incorporate the standards into a formal plan.
This plan should identify:
Dates for implementation
Dates for review.
Slide 56
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Develop standards and plans to
address service issues
The development process
Resources available to support the introduction of the
standards
Responsibilities related to the initiative
Key Performance Indicators to be used to evaluate
service delivery at the designated review dates.
Slide 57
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Develop standards and plans to
address service issues
Possible ‘areas’ for service standards and plans
Response times
Service guarantees
Pricing guarantees
Product quality
Document presentation standards
Personal presentation standards
Complaint management
General customer satisfaction.
Slide 58
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Communicating standards and
plans
Communicating customer service standards can come in
many different ways including:
Orientation programs
Formal meetings
Staff briefings at the start and end of shifts
Training sessions
Observation and mentoring
Informal communication during a shift.
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Giving colleagues access to
standards and plans
Common methods of enabling such access include:
Mention of service standards at job interview
Documentation of service standards
Induction and orientation
Office computer system
Printed copies in staff areas.
Slide 60
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Monitor service to ensure
standards are met
Simply because standards have been developed,
reduced to writing, explained to staff and ratified by
management, doesn’t mean they will always be
implemented
The most common problem is service standards are
developed and communicated but not monitored
If service delivery standards are not monitored the
result can be service standards quickly drop.
Slide 61
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Monitor service to ensure
standards are met
The common monitoring methods are:
Workplace observation
Talking to customers
Talking to staff
Reading customer complaints and feedback
Analysing business statistics.
Slide 62
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Monitor service to ensure
standards are met
Areas to monitor
Which positions should you monitor?
What do you specifically monitor?
Slide 63
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Monitor service to ensure
standards are met
Reservations
The reservation system, and how easy it is to use, how
user friendly it is from the Customers’ point of view
Our telephone manner
Cancellation policy
Credit card acceptance
Accommodation availability
Information on hotel shuttle and
public transportation.
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Monitor service to ensure
standards are met
Registration
Greetings
Assistance with luggage
Check-in procedure
Room accommodation
Room status/availability
Slide 65
Information on hotel services
Cleanliness and interior
design of lobby, elevators,
rooms
Operation of air conditioning,
heating, television, radio, and
plumbing in room
Amenities.
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Monitor service to ensure
standards are met
Customer stays
Food service department
Gift shop
Lounge
Room service
Valet service
Housekeeping services
Complimentary services and products
Security
Front office.
Slide 66
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Monitor service to ensure
standards are met
Check–out
Check-out time deadlines
Luggage
Speed of check-out
Accuracy of accounts.
Slide 67
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Measure actual performance
against standards
Quantitative methods
Objective facts and unambiguous measures of
performance
This evaluation method is statistically-based
It includes quantifying things such as:
Service availability and standard
Waiting times
Number of complaints
Number of give-aways provided.
Slide 68
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Measure actual performance
against standards
Qualitative methods
This is information that commonly answers the ‘Why?’
questions:
Why do people want this or that?
Why do they prefer to order at this time and not that?
These questions uncover answers to the reasons
behind people’s actions, and help us to understand
people’s expectations and requirements.
Slide 69
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Measure actual performance
against standards
Qualitative methods
Central to this method are:
Questioning skills
Active listening techniques
Observation skills
Analysing events and observations
Interpreting customers’ verbal
statements and non-verbal cues.
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Ensure team performance meets
standards
As managers we need to look to see:
How individuals are able to perform in relation to the
desired standards
If the team as a whole is operating in a successful
manner.
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Ensure team performance meets
standards
Teams in a hospitality setting often refer to either people:
Within a department
Working together in the same shift
Working closely with another department.
Slide 72
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Ensure team performance meets
standards
Each team will comprise individuals with their own
specific characteristics, strengths and weaknesses
As a manger it is important to ensure that staff are able
to work together to achieve the collective objectives of
the organisation
The primary objective being to ensure each customer
has an enjoyable experience
A team is only as strong as its
weakest link.
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Ensure team performance meets
standards
Characteristics of effective teams
Clear goals
Relevant skills
Mutual trust
Unified commitment
Good communication
Negotiating skills
Appropriate leadership
Internal and external support
Recognition and reward.
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Ensure team performance meets
standards
Monitoring team performance
Some suitable methods to monitoring team performance
include:
Observations
Meetings
Customer feedback
Staff feedback
Financial and operational reports
Performance appraisals.
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Professional development
Types of professional development can include:
Qualifications and certified training programs provided
by external educational or professional providers
Internal programs
Meetings
On the job learning
Buddy system
Research activities
Demonstrations
Discussions.
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Professional development
When to perform professional development
Normally professional development is performed when:
Customer service deficiencies exist which need to be
addressed
New staff require training
New techniques to existing products or
services are made
New products or services are introduced
Retraining is required.
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Supporting team members
A manager or supervisor must provide active support to
team members in helping them meet their given
outcomes.
Support that can be given to workplace teams may entail:
Giving moral and verbal support when times are tough
and the going gets tough
Providing relevant training and coaching
Obtaining more physical resources to
enable the job to be done better or quicker
Getting approval for more time
(overtime payments, extra hours) for staff.
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Supporting team members
Advocating to management on behalf of the staff
Supporting staff when an unfounded or unfair allegation
is made about them
Soliciting and listening to their feedback
Thanking them for hard work, effort and when
they go the extra yard or two
Celebrating any successes.
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Coaching team members
Coaching of staff to help enhance the delivery of quality
customer service is a much under-used tool in the effort
to provide better levels of service.
Workplace coaching is an excellent tool to use because:
It is extremely cost-efficient
It relates specifically to individual workplace
requirements
It targets individual staff need.
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Coaching team members
Basics of coaching
When considering using coaching it is best to:
Target coaching to actual, identified need for specific
individuals
Obtain agreement form the staff member that coaching
is needed and will benefit them
Prepare for the coaching session
Explain the coaching to be delivered.
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Coaching team members
Basics of coaching
Focus on the person to be coached
Use the two primary delivery strategies of ‘explanation’
and ‘demonstration’
Follow the rhyme: “I do it normal, I do it slow. You do it
with me, then off you go.”
Make sure underpinning skills and knowledge
are covered
Allow for appropriate practice
Follow up with the staff member as required to
see if extra coaching or assistance is needed.
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Coaching team members
Ways to deliver coaching
Role plays
Discussion groups
Case studies
Mentoring
Training videos
A critical friend.
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Element 3:
Evaluate customer service
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Evaluate customer service
Performance Criteria for this Element are:
Review Customer satisfaction with service delivery using
appropriate methods that produce verifiable data
Compare systems, records and reporting procedures in
order to identify and report on any changes in customer
satisfaction
Evaluate and report on customer service evaluation
outcomes to designated groups or individuals
Obtain agreement on appropriate course of
action to take to overcome problems and
adjust products and services in consultation
with designated individuals or groups.
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Review customer satisfaction
Every three months or more frequently if time permits,
it is important to review customer satisfaction with your
service delivery
This should be done, using verifiable data, rather than
relying on subjective impressions and hearsay from
other staff.
‘A rolling stone gathers no moss!’
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Reviewing customer satisfaction
Objectives of collecting and reviewing customer
feedback
Identify the extent to which customers and others are
satisfied with service delivery
Identify the areas in which there is
satisfaction with service delivery
Identify the precise areas within areas
where there is dissatisfaction
Identify the precise nature of any
dissatisfaction
(Continued)
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Reviewing customer satisfaction
Objectives of collecting and reviewing customer
feedback
Identify the staff involved in both superior and inferior
levels of service
Identify if there is a certain time of the day/week when
service levels are reduced or at their best
Discover what can be done to improve a
less than optimum situation
Identify what needs to be done to maintain
the present satisfactory level of service
delivery.
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Reviewing customer satisfaction
The review should be as wide-ranging as possible,
meaning it should involve:
Regular customers
New customers
Customers who are one-off customers
Corporate customers
Staff
Management.
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Reviewing customer satisfaction
Types of feedback
Positive – customers give compliments about aspects
of service
Neutral – customers say they ‘enjoyed’ their
experience, not provide any further comment
Negative – customers have a complaint regarding an
aspect of their ‘experience’.
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Collecting customer feedback
Regardless of the method used to collect information, it is
vital:
The form is designed to gather important information
about all aspects of service delivery
The format is easy to use for the customer
The form is presented to the customer when it is going
to cause the less inconvenience
The customer is thanked with a suitable reward.
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Collecting customer feedback
Methods of collecting customer feedback
Direct communication from customer to staff
Observations
Customer comment cards
Online feedback
Meetings.
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Documenting customer feedback
Once customer feedback is collected, it must:
Be documented accurately
Identify further opportunities for workplace
improvement
Used as the framework for customer service
improvement strategies.
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Compare information to identify
changes in customer satisfaction
Once information has been collected, it should be
compared against benchmarks to determine if the
changes are positive or negative
So what is current information compared against?
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Compare information to identify
changes in customer satisfaction
Budgets
Sales budgets
Labour budgets
Material budgets
Inventory budget
Overhead budgets.
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Compare information to identify
changes in customer satisfaction
Budgets
Capital Expenditure budgets
Budgeted Financial Performance Statement
Cash budgets
Budgeted Statement of Financial Position.
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Compare information to identify
changes in customer satisfaction
Operational reports
Sales reports
Occupancy reports
Financial reports
Complimentary reports.
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Compare information to identify
changes in customer satisfaction
Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’S)
These are detailed instruction of how tasks should be
performed and the standard which must be achieved.
Job Descriptions
These are a detailed explanation of what
each staff member should be doing in the
workplace. It identifies responsibilities
and tasks for completion.
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Identify and report changes in
customer satisfaction
Common service problems
Inadequate products or services
Difficulties in contacting service staff
Lack of information about the products and services
offered by the establishment
Unclear or incomplete price information
Unclear or incomplete deals
Handling of complaints.
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Evaluate and report on customer
service
Once customer feedback has been collected and
compared against organisational benchmarks and
standards, a report detailing reasons for changes in
customer service must be evaluated and reported.
This report should contain:
Description of actual performance
Identify problems
Provide solutions for improvement.
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Evaluate and report on customer
service
Identifying changes toward improved customer
service
You should address the following points:
Resources to achieve the change are identified and
costed
Potential barriers or problems
Timelines for action
Responsibilities for action to
nominated individuals
Description of ideal service standard.
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Evaluate and report on customer
service
Reporting findings
Once you have prepared your report it is important that it
is given to the right people for feedback, agreement
and implementation or action.
The groups and individuals to whom such a report may be
forwarded could include:
Management
The Board
Certain subcommittees.
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Evaluate and report on customer
service
Reporting findings
The establishment’s focus group
Trainers in the business
The external organisation that conducts your training
Organisation
All staff members
Specific staff members who are
identified in feedback
Head office.
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Prepare conclusions and
recommendations
Providing feedback
Tips on giving effective feedback which can be useful
when making conclusions and giving recommendations
include:
Be positive and constructive
Respect the feelings of the speaker/person you are
providing advice to
Act on the fact that immediate feedback is
more effective than delayed feedback
Restrict your feedback to only those things
that can be changed.
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Prepare conclusions and
recommendations
Communicating conclusions and
recommendations
At the conclusion of any review it is often necessary to
communicate the results to designated groups and
individuals, within appropriate timeframes.
Usually accepted means of communication are:
In person
By phone
Via email.
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Seeking agreement on action
Courses of action to overcome service problems
Improve products and services
Give benefits to key customers
Systematise customer complaints and learn from them
Train staff in customer care
Give staff the authority, discretion and
resources to make quick decisions.
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Seeking agreement on action
Courses of action to overcome service problems
Stimulate employees to be creative in developing
customer care activities
Allow staff room to make mistakes
Invest in meetings and regular contacts with customers
via newsletters or customer magazines
Make it easy for customers to complain.
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Seeking agreement on action
Reaching agreement to changes in service
As a group, you must put a plan in place, based on
some of the suggestions mentioned above, and reach
a mutual agreement
Only with the consensus of all parties involved, can a
sense of ownership take place and people will be more
acceptable of the changes and the plan to implement
them.
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Communicating changes in service
Communicating new approaches to service
delivery
Once all parties have reached agreement, any new
approaches to customer service decided upon must be
communicated to all those involved within appropriate
timeframes.
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Communicating changes in service
Your approach should follow these guidelines:
Hold a formal staff meeting to inform staff of the
changes
Explain why change is necessary
Give staff a hard copy of the new service approaches
Give staff demonstrations of the new service delivery
protocols
Tell staff about the dates for introducing
the new service
Reassure staff they are not required to
implement the changes ‘tomorrow’
(Continued)
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Communicating changes in service
Inform staff of the training
Encourage questions from staff about the changes
Make yourself available outside this meeting for staff
to talk to
Post new checklists relating to the changes in
appropriate parts of the venue
Include new policies, procedures in operational
manuals, induction programs and in-house training
Schedule staff training
Introduce the changes and monitor their
implementation
Provide feedback and additional training.
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Continuous monitoring of service
This activity is not a once off event. It must be a
process that occurs on a regular basis
There are always additional changes that can be made
to improve any aspect of customer service
All staff regardless of position, must strive to ensuring
the customer service provided is the best it can
possibly be
That is the true essence of maintaining
quality customer service.
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Notes de l'éditeur
Welcome them to your session.
Introduce topic.
Class Activity – General Discussion
Ask general questions:
What do Customers need when they engage with us?
Class Activity – Discussion
What are the different types of Customers or customers that use a hotel?
What are the needs of these customers?
What are common expectations of customers?
Where do these expectations come from?
Class Activity – Discussion
What is quality customer service?
What businesses provide quality customer service?
How do they provide it?
How do they provide it to different market segments?
Class Activity – Discussion
If you were a customer of a hotel what would YOU want when using:
A hotel room
A restaurant
A conference room
Class Activity – Discussion
What basic market research can you do to identify customer needs and wants?
Class Activity – Discussion
Why is a customer so important to a business?
Get the audience to provide examples where a business has always put the customer first. How did they do this?
Class Activity – Discussion
Which businesses have many different market segments, yet are able to cater to all of them?
Class Activity – Discussion
Get the audience to think about the difference. The answers will be provided in the next slides.
Class Activity – Discussion
Get the audience to think about needs and wishes from their own perspective.
If they were staying at a hotel what are their ‘needs’ and ‘wishes’. If they can’t get their ‘wishes’ what is a good substitute?
Class Activity – Discussion
Get the audience to think about needs and wishes from their own perspective.
If they were staying at a hotel what would be there expectations?
Class Activity – Discussion
Get the audience write down all the ways they can find out about the customer’s needs, wishes and expectations.
Class Activity – Discussion
For each of the points in the slide, discuss how these can practically be done.
Class Activity – Discussion
For each of the points in the slide, discuss how these can practically be done.
Class Activity – Discussion
Discuss question in slide?
Class Activity – Discussion
Get the audience to devise a plan outlining all the ways staff can be used to help provide information relating to customer needs, wants and expectations
Class Activity – Discussion
How can you find out about what we are actually providing to customers and if it meets these needs and expectations?
Class Activity – Discussion
What are common data research methods that exist in most hotels?
Class Activity – Discussion
Discuss questions in the slide.
Class Activity – Discussion
What information can you get using informal research?
What is the benefit of informal research?
Class Activity – Discussion
What information can you get using formal research?
What is the benefit of formal research?
Class Activity – Discussion
What information can you get using formal research?
What is the benefit of formal research?
Class Activity – Discussion
Discuss the activities associated with each step.
Class Activity – Discussion
Discuss questions in the slide.
Class Activity – Discussion & View documents
Trainer to show examples of the primary data identified in this slide.
In-house observation – watching people, watching what goes on (perhaps taking notes)
Conducting interviews – with customers, staff, suppliers to find out why they do what they do, what they prefer, what they like or dislike about the venue
Applying questionnaires – to customers as they leave the venue, after they have made a purchase, or as they visit the property. The questionnaires can seek answers to a range of topics including customer service delivery standards
Conducting surveys – such as using focus groups top provide feedback to the venue about customer service
Class Activity – Discussion & View documents
What are some examples for each type of secondary data identified in this slide.
Trainer to provide and handout examples.
Class Activity – Discussion & View documents
Discuss question in the slide.
Class Activity – Discussion
What are 10 questions relating to qualitative data you would like to know if you were a manager?
How could you find the answer to these questions?
Class Activity – Discussion & View documents
If you were a manager, what quantitative data would you like to collect for the following departments:
Front Office
Housekeeping
Bar
Restaurant
Trainer to provide examples of documents containing quantitative data.
Class Activity – Discussion
What are common global changes in the business environment that influences the delivery of customer service, whether in a positive or negative way?
Class Activity – Discussion
Is this true? Does an organisation have complete control over the internal environment?
Class Activity – Discussion
What are some common deficiencies within each point in this slide?
What causes them?
How can they be resolved?
Possible causes of deficiencies from within the internal environment could include, but not limited to:
Substandard products – products may be outdated, inferior or in need of replacement or renovation
Equipment - faulty equipment or new equipment which staff are not familiar with
Marketing – the wrong message is being delivered to customers giving them unrealistic expectations
Staffing – staffing levels may not be appropriate (under or over staffing), wrong mix of staff (experienced and new staff)
Recruitment – people with insufficient knowledge, skills and attitudes have been employed
Training – staff are unaware of what to do resulting in inconsistency
Class Activity – Discussion
What are some common deficiencies within each point in this slide?
What causes them?
How can they be resolved?
Possible causes of deficiencies from within the internal environment could include, but not limited to:
Management – lack of controls, standards, guidance and support
Financial support – limited availability to funds required to provide necessary products and services
Changes in management style - changes in management may entail a variation in orientation to service or the setting of some directions in relation to service. What was acceptable under the previous management may not be acceptable to the new management. This doesn’t mean that was done before was wrong, it just means the new approach is different.
Note too, changes in management often herald changes in client focus, and the creation of new and different target markets which, by their nature, often demand a change to service standards, techniques and styles
Organisational re-structures – the trend is to reduce middle level management and with that comes new responsibilities for all concerned. As the organisation re-structures, whether for efficiency reasons or as a result of declining profit, new roles for all staff in relation to customer service will emerge. Staff and managers will have their responsibilities enlarged, or their focus altered. To state the obvious, the industry is very much a dynamic one
Class Activity – Discussion
What are some common influences within each point in this slide?
How do they impact on a business?
How can they be resolved or worked to be a positive impact?
Class Activity – Discussion
How can you ensure information collected is correct?
Class Activity – Discussion
How do we go about this?
Class Activity – Discussion
Discuss questions in the slide.
Get the audience to break up into small groups and give one department (eg Front Office, Concierge, Housekeeping, Restaurant, Bar etc) to each group.
Get them to identify deficiencies and start to identify solutions to overcome these.
Class Activity – Discussion
How can you involve staff in customer service planning?
The formation of quality improvement groups or ‘quality circles’ – made up of people from different departments so ideas, problems and issues can be integrated across the establishment
Establishment of group training sessions so group members can learn about each others’ work, cross-fertilise ideas and strengthen the concept of a team approach to customer service delivery
Introducing a variety of methods and systems to spread the quality message throughout the organisation by means of internal marketing – the key here being to make quality service delivery constant and on-going, rather than a sporadic, hit and miss affair
We have to keep the message in front of everyone’s eyes – staff need to be constantly reminded of the quality program we have developed and this can be achieved through posters, checklists, notes in pay envelopes, use of intranet, badges.
Class Activity – Discussion
For each of the points in the slide, identify ways service can be improved.
Class Activity – Discussion
For each of the points in the slide, identify ways service can be improved.
Class Activity – Discussion
For each of the points in the slide, identify ways service can be improved.
Class Activity – Discussion
How can you ‘invest’ in staff to enable improvements in customer service?
Class Activity – Discussion
For each of the points in the slide, identify ways it can be used to improve service
Class Activity – Discussion
For each of the points in the slide, identify ways it can be used to improve service
Class Activity – Discussion
For each of the points in the slide, identify ways it can be used to improve service
Making the customer a ‘member’ of the organisation – or a Customer of the organisation – as opposed to a ‘customer’
Rewarding faithful customers – with special deals, discounts, verbal acknowledgment and thanks. Loyalty schemes can underpin this approach
Communicating with customers to promote goodwill, trust and satisfaction – for example, your menus and in-rooms description of facilities must be honest and not raise expectations which the product or facility cannot fulfil
Identifying customer’s unstated needs – be reading body language, monitoring what they are doing and predicting need monitoring
Ensuring customers’ needs and (reasonable) requests are met – this addresses the idea of ‘exceeding expectations’ as opposed to just ‘meeting’ expectations
Providing friendly and courtesy assistance – without having to be asked
Class Activity – Discussion
How can you identify if customers are / will be happy with the suggested improvements?
Introduce topic.
Class Activity – General Discussion
Ask general questions:
Now that you have identified service deficiencies and service improvement options, what is involved in ensuring they are delivered in their desired manner?
How can you check it is being delivered correctly?
Trainer identifies the Performance Criteria for this Element, as listed on the slide.
Class Activity – Discussion
What steps are involved in each point? (This section looks at these steps in detail, but it gets the audience thinking)
Class Activity – Discussion
Discuss the concept of ‘areas’. It doesn’t mean departments. It means aspects of service a business would like to improve eg – timing, quality standard etc. It is similar to KPI’s (key performance indicators) manages are responsible for. This will be explained in later slides.
Class Activity – Discussion
Discuss the points and identify the steps associated with each.
Class Activity – Discussion
Discuss the points and identify the steps associated with each.
Class Activity – Discussion
Discuss the points and identify the steps associated with each.
Class Activity – Discussion
Discuss the points and identify the steps associated with each.
Class Activity – Develop standards and plans
For each of these ‘areas’ get the audience to think of standards they would implement to improve customer service
Then, get the audience to develop plans they would need to implement to reach these standards.
Class Activity – Discussion
What is the most common and effective way to communicate standards and plans with:
Other management
Departmental staff
Class Activity – Discussion
What is the most common and effective way to give colleagues and staff access to information relating to standards and plans?
How can you ensure they have received the information?
How can you ensure they have understood the information?
Class Activity – Discussion
Who should do the monitoring?
How can it be done?
Class Activity – Discussion
Workplace observation – watching what goes on at work, reading customer body language and measuring waiting times
Talking to customers – to get their feedback of service delivery
Talking to staff – to get their impressions, to identify obstacles to planned service delivery standards
Reading customer complaints and feedback
Analysing business statistics – a reduction in patronage can indicate a need for attention to be paid to customer service, and can also indicate needs in other areas such as price and product.
Class Activity – Discussion
Get the audience to identify the different departments in a hotel and identify a range of activities they would monitor.
This will be explained in more detail on the next slides.
Class Activity – Discussion
How can you monitor these activities?
What other aspects of a reservationist’s role would you like to monitor?
The reservation system, and how easy it is to use, how user friendly it is from the Customers’ point of view
Our telephone manner – considering information provided, courtesy, telephone manner, speed
Cancellation policy – how fair is it? Does this policy fall in-line with the image we may be spending thousands of dollars to create? Or is a mean-spirited cancellation policy undoing all the good work we’re doing elsewhere? How does it compare to the cancellation policies of other similar venues?
Credit card acceptance – do we take enough different cards? Are the Customers telling us we should be accepting others?
Accommodation availability (value and cost considerations) – do we provide what Customers want? Or are we trying to ‘force’ Customers into sleeping configurations that suit us? Are our Customers finding they have to use and pay for a suite, when they really only want a double?
Information on hotel shuttle and public transportation – are we suitably notifying our Customers of services they need, or are we advertising a service and then making it difficult for Customers to take advantage of it?
Class Activity – Discussion
How can you monitor these activities?
What other aspects of registration would you like to monitor?
Greetings (doorman, porters, bell staff, front desk personnel) – how are these greetings perceived or interpreted by Customers? Are they genuine greetings? Is there a need for greetings to be made in a different language?
Assistance with luggage – is this being offered promptly? How do we do it? Can we do it better? Is it offered to all Customers? Is it delivered in a timely fashion? Is it seen as a valued service?
Check-in procedure – is check-in being accomplished within a suitable length of time? Have we developed a quick and easy procedure for the Customers? Is the Customer’s first contact with the venue a positive experience? How can the current experience be improved?
Room accommodation – are there sufficient numbers of appropriate rooms with the required facilities? Do the facilities meet Customer requirements?
Room status or availability – do we have a system enabling front office staff to quickly and easily identify room status and room availability levels for any stated date? Is room status accurate?
Information on hotel services – does reception have a comprehensive, accurate and up-to-date supply of brochures etc on venue services? Is there or should there be an appropriate concierge facility? Can the staff behind reception respond suitably to a series of Customer questions about the products and services offered by the property?
Cleanliness and interior design of lobby, elevators, rooms – are the facilities in accordance with Customer expectations, and in-line with the images we present in our adverts? Or are we creating false expectations? Is the area kept clean and looking inviting, attractive, fresh etc?
Operation of air conditioning, heating, television, radio, and plumbing in room – does it all work properly? Does the air conditioning, bar fridge and plumbing function quietly?
Amenities – are the amenities we offer appropriate for the Customers we attract? Are there enough of them available? Are they suitably sign-posted?
Class Activity – Discussion
How can you monitor these activities?
What other aspects of a Customer stay would you like to monitor?
Food service department – are the menu offerings, hours of operation, prices, service levels acceptable to the Customers and the expectations we have created? Are there sufficient staff with appropriate skills? Are the facilities open when the Customers want them to be open?
Gift shop – does the lobby gift shop have an appropriate selection of stock for in-house Customers? Are there sufficient souvenirs at different price points? Do the items in the shop represent value-for-money, or can the items rightly be seen as a rip-off and a disincentive to use the shop?
Lounge – are the prices charged, the entertainment provided, the opening hours, and the service levels acceptable to the patrons, or are we running this department to suit ourselves and not the customers?
Room service – are the menu offerings sufficient, are the prices reasonable, is the delivery time appropriate and is the pick-up of trays timely? Is room service available when Customers want it?
Valet service – are the pick-ups and delivery times suitable for Customer needs? Are the prices appropriate? Does the quality of the service provided meet Customer needs?
Housekeeping services – does the existing system allow housekeeping to avoid rooms where Customers do not want their room serviced? Is the current service level sufficient to meet Customer expectations of room service? Is the replenishment of amenities appropriate and sufficient, and do housekeeping staff ensure the cleanliness of all public areas?
Complimentary services and products – do we provide articles seen by the Customers as providing some genuine value, or are we giving away things no-one likes, no-one wants and no-one values? Is it a case we are being too mean with our complimentary items? Are the brand names used acceptable to our Customers?
Security – is there 24-hour availability of security and is appropriate to identified needs? Are there sufficient fire safety devices in place? Have staff fire drills been conducted? Are the required emergency plans in place?
Front office – are they able to handle requests for information and other assistance such as wake up calls, explanation of the telephone system, entertainment system and internet connection? Are Customer folios kept up-to-date, accurate and ready for Customer check-outs? Can reception respond quickly to a request for an extension of stay?
Class Activity – Discussion
How can you monitor these activities?
What other aspects of a Customer check out would you like to monitor?
Check-out time deadlines – are they reasonable and flexible? Can extensions be given to special requests without creating problems or giving an adverse impression to the Customers? Should we introduce an express check-out facility?
Luggage – is assistance with luggage readily and cheerfully given? Do Customers need assistance with their luggage? Are bags easily obtainable from luggage storage areas?
Speed of check-out – is the time spent waiting to be processed on departure appropriate? Are Customers served in the order they arrived to check-out?
Customer folio – is the bill immediately available? Is the print-out an accurate representation of the actual charges incurred? Can reception staff resolve minor discrepancies quickly and easily without having to refer to management? Is the account clear and easy to understand?
Class Activity – Discussion
This method uses anything which can be quantified, or given a number is quantitative.
As a manager what would you like to measure using this method?
How can you record this information?
Class Activity – Discussion
As a manager what would you like to measure using this method?
How can you collect and record this information?
Class Activity – Discussion
When would you use these two methods?
Which one is easier to collect?
Which one gives the most helpful information?
Class Activity – Discussion
Are different methods used?
Is it easier of harder?
Class Activity – Discussion
What different teams operate within a hospitality business?
Class Activity – Discussion
Get the audience to identify all the steps involved in a Customer experience.
Start from making a reservation through to checking out.
Identify all the staff involved in that process.
If one person makes a mistake, it affects the whole Customer experience.
Class Activity – Discussion
For each of these points identify how a manager can nurture and develop teams.
These points are explained in more detail in the manual.
Class Activity – Discussion
For each of these points identify what you are able to monitor.
Observations – personal observations of management or supervisors
Meetings – whether formal or informal
Customer feedback – whether from customer comment cards or direct conversations
Staff feedback – in briefing sessions
Financial and operational reports – levels of sales, profit margins, return visits, waste reports, leave reports, accident reports, productivity reports and ‘complimentary reports’ (indicating free items given away due to complaints)
Performance appraisals – formal reviews conducted with staff
Class Activity – Discussion
What aspects of staff performance can be ‘developed’ through the use of these professional development options?
Where can these be performed?
Class Activity – Discussion
Get the audience to identify examples of when this has happened in real life
What professional development had to be undertaken?
Class Activity – Discussion
How can managers provide this support?
What resources or activities are requires?
Class Activity – Discussion
How can managers provide this support?
What resources or activities are requires?
Class Activity – Discussion
What is coaching?
What is the purpose of coaching?
What coaching have you done or received before?
What was it for?
Where was it done?
What are the characteristics of a good coach?
Class Activity – Discussion & Role Play
Discuss each point.
The trainer should demonstrate coaching of an activity to an audience member, following the steps in this slide.
Time permitting, audience members must coach another audience member in a simple task
Class Activity – Discussion & Role Play
Discuss each point.
The trainer should demonstrate coaching of an activity to an audience member, following the steps in this slide.
Time permitting, audience members must coach another audience member in a simple task.
Class Activity – Discussion
When would you use each of these coaching methods?
Introduce topic.
Class Activity – General Discussion
Ask general questions:
How can you evaluate customer service?
Trainer identifies the Performance Criteria for this Element, as listed on the slide.
Class Activity – Discussion
Explain the concept of a ‘rolling stone gathers no moss’. As a business we must always seek to improve and this involves constant review.
What are good ways to review customer satisfaction?
Class Activity – Discussion
Discuss each point.
Is there any other objectives you would have?
Class Activity – Discussion
Discuss each point.
Is there any other objectives you would have?
Class Activity – Discussion
Discuss each point.
Why is it important to speak with different types of stakeholders?
What feedback would you seek from each?
How would you get this feedback from each type of stakeholder?
Class Activity – Discussion
Which type of feedback is the easiest to deal with?
Which type of feedback is the hardest to deal with?
From your point of view, which type of feedback is the most important to receive and why?
The information gathered may be:
Positive – customers give compliments about aspects of service or the performance of specific individuals. This feedback is the easiest to receive and allows you to identify what your organisation is doing correctly
Neutral – customers say they ‘enjoyed’ their experience, which met their expectations, but do not provide any further comment
Negative – customers have a complaint regarding an aspect of their ‘experience’. This is the hardest type of feedback to receive as it identifies deficiencies in the service provided and customers may be quite emotional when providing this. That said, negative feedback is the most important as it provides management and staff with the opportunity to apologise and seek remedies for improvement
Class Activity – Discussion
What types of feedback forms have you completed as a consumer?
What types of forms are used to collect customer feedback?
How can you make forms ‘easy to use’?
Class Activity – Discussion, Handouts and Feedback form
Which of these methods is used and what type of feedback can you get from each?
Prepare a customer comment card
What information would you put in the form?
Get the audience to prepare a customer feedback form which:
Will enable them to collect information they desire
Is in an easy to use format
Once this is completed, the trainer can hand out a variety of feedback forms used in hotels
Class Activity – Discussion
Once feedback has been collected using different methods, how can you document this in a format that summarises all information?
Class Activity – Discussion
Refer to question in the slide
Class Activity – Discussion & Handout
Trainer to provide examples of these types of budgets
Explain how current performance is compared against budgeted information
Get audience to identify reasons why performance has improved or declined
If performance has declined, get audience to identify solutions to improve performance
Sales budgets – to forecast sales revenue
Labour budgets – to forecast labour expenses
Material budgets – to forecast purchases of goods for sale or for use in preparing finished products
Inventory budget – planning quantities to be held in stock, and the amount of money invested in stock
Overhead budgets – concerns other estimated operating expenses (e.g. rent, rates, etc)
Class Activity – Discussion & Handout
Trainer to provide examples of these types of budgets
Explain how current performance is compared against budgeted information
Get audience to identify reasons why performance has improved or declined
If performance has declined, get audience to identify solutions to improve performance
Capital Expenditure budgets – plans for long-term assets to be purchased, replaced, upgraded
Budgeted Financial Performance Statement – concerns estimated profit or loss. This brings together several of the above budgets, for sales, material, labour, overheads, inventory
Cash budgets – concerns the estimated cash inflow, cash outflow and cash position of a business.
Budgeted Statement of Financial Position – concerns estimated values of assets, liabilities and owners equity at the end of a budget period.
Class Activity – Discussion & Handout
Trainer to provide examples of these types of operational reports
Are there other reports you can also compare against?
Explain how current performance is compared against reports
Get audience to identify reasons why performance has improved or declined
If performance has declined, get audience to identify solutions to improve performance
Sales reports – identifying items that were purchased and the quantity of each. This will help identify items that customers like or prefer over others.
Occupancy reports – identifying how many customers stayed in the hotel. This can help identify demand patterns
Financial reports – this helps to identify the revenue and expenditure items relating to a department. It highlights the efficiency of operations
Complimentary reports – identifies how many items that a business has ‘given for free’ or had to discount, often directly related to poor customer service
Class Activity – Discussion & Handout
Trainer to provide examples of these SOP’s and Job Descriptions
What is the best way to compare actual performance against these documents?
Class Activity – Discussion
What are common causes of these service problems?
How can they be resolved?
What other service problems have you experienced as a customer in the past?
Class Activity – Discussion
Who prepares reports?
What is the best format?
Who should receive these reports?
Class Activity – Discussion
Discuss points
Class Activity – Discussion
Why is it important to report findings to each of these stakeholders?
What is the best way to report findings to these people?
Class Activity – Discussion
Why is it important to report findings to each of these stakeholders?
What is the best way to report findings to these people?
Class Activity – Discussion
Why is it important to report findings to each of these stakeholders?
What is the best way to report findings to these people?
Class Activity – Discussion
Which is the most common method and why?
When would you use each method?
In person – face-to-face, verbal communication
By phone – in many instances, certain people (major stakeholders, management) will both appreciate and require notification of the results of some negotiations, immediately. This may involve you calling their mobile number, or even their home number to pass on the outcome
Via email – larger premises use their internal email as a standard communication tool. It is certainly quicker for you to type one message and send it, than to have to ring a dozen or so people and tell them
Class Activity – Discussion
What actions would you initiate for each point in the slide?
Class Activity – Discussion
What actions would you initiate for each point in the slide?
Class Activity – Discussion
What are some ways you can get stakeholders to agree on an action?
Class Activity – Discussion
What is the best way to communicate changes to staff?
Your approach should follow these guidelines:
Hold a formal staff meeting to inform staff of the changes – if staff have been actively involved in the development process then the changes made should not come as anything new to them.
Remember it is important not only to explain the changes but also explain why they were necessary
Give staff a hard copy of the new service approaches – give them everything that is applicable to their area such as:
Copies of plans
Copies of standards
Copies of policies
Copies of procedures
Explain the changes – tell staff how the ‘new’ service delivery differs from the previous service delivery. Be specific and give real example of ’what you used to do’ and what you will do in the future
Give staff demonstrations of the new service delivery protocols – so they can see what is involved and visually tell the difference between the old and the new.
This also gives them a clearer appreciation of what the revised service procedures are all about. Actions speak louder than words
Tell staff about the dates for introducing the new service procedures – traditionally there will be a lead time where new procedures will be phased in.
Reassure staff they are not required to implement the changes ‘tomorrow
Your approach should follow these guidelines:
Inform staff of the training being provided to support them in implementing the new requirements – let them know when and where the training is happening, what it will involve, who will be leading it
Encourage questions from staff about the changes – answer them fully and honestly
Make yourself available outside this meeting for staff to talk to if they have concerns regarding the changes
Post new checklists relating to the changes in appropriate parts of the venue
Include new policies, procedures etc in operational manuals, induction programs and in-house training
Schedule staff to attend sessions to obtain necessary training to assist with implementation of the changes
Introduce the changes and monitor their implementation - run through the new procedures at staff briefings and again at de-briefings
Provide feedback to staff as appropriate including additional training where necessary
Class Activity – Discussion
What is the best way to undertake monitoring of service?
How can you ensure that it takes place?
This is the conclusion of the subject.
Thank the audience and deliver assessments as required.