Remada Jarvis: Summit Conference Brand Analysis - Essay Example

 LIVE PROJECT REPORT REMADA JARVIS – SUMMIT CONFERENCE BRAND ANALYSIS Executive Summary The purpose of the report is to attempt to explore a strategy that can be used in a bid to reinvigorate the Summit Conference Brand for Ramada Jarvis Hotels Ltd. The report will try to evaluate the current competitive strategies that can be implemented in the hotel industry. The paper starts by highlighting the core business of the organisation, Ramada Jarvis Hotels ltd which mainly offers the Summit Conference Brand. This is followed by industry analysis which has led it to transform its operations to incorporate all the changing patterns in the markets. The mintel report presented in a graph shown in appendix 2, the 2007 hotel market mix analysis of UK, London, Wales, England and Scotland shows that corporate and conferencing facilities dominate most of the hotel business in UK. The report also attempts to suggest the best possible way of fully utilizing the services offered through the Summit and Conference brand in taking a leading role in this initiative without compromising the integrity of the organisation as a whole. The methods of data collection employed in this case include the use of interviews, market research and analysis of secondary sources. Research has shown that the hotel has limited space to hold its conferences and it also specializes in only one activity which can be a disadvantage. The report recommends that there is need to introduce new packages and monitoring them, offer incentive programmes as well as introducing new marketing techniques to counter the inevitable challenges posed by other rival competitors.   Contents Page Introduction Aims and Objectives Terms of reference - Project Brief and action points Research Methods SWOT and PESTLE Analysis The Summit Brand The Ramada Jarvis Mount Royal Hotel, Edinburgh Project Management Market Analysis Market Research – Current Trends and Packages Research and Statistics of Conferences – Current Economic Trends Target Markets Competitors Improving the Brand New Market Ideas International Market Use of New Media Performance Management Public Relations Human Resource Development Analysis of Interviews Conclusion Recommendations References Bibliography Appendices Introduction During the contemporary period, corporate businesses in particular are reorganising their ways of operation and in most cases, they often require the use of convenient facilities such as conference centres to offer training to their workers. It can also be noted that the current economic trends have also led organisations to embrace the need to adapt to these changes.  Thus, in view of the above, the report seeks to suggest as well as recommend the best strategies that can be used to support the initiative to reinvigorate the mentioned brand.  Edinburgh Ramada Jarvis hotel‘s summit conference brand is rated as a three star hotel by the Scottish board and other Ramada Jarvis hotels in United Kingdom. Whilst the company has not been adversely affected by the global economic recession, it looks forward to increase its revenue from 80,000 to 3 million and to penetrate the global market in the long run. The organisation has underscored to transform its operations in order to gain a high market share percentage. This report will particularly focus on strategies that can be adopted especially with regards to identifying what can be done to make the brand unique and relevant to the target market as well as outlining the types of PR activities that would be needed to attract the consumers to the hotel. In this case, the most appropriate tools to analyse the proposed strategies include the systematic approach of how marketing communication particularly PR can be effectively used as well as how the employees can be upgraded to remain useful to the company. Thus, in view of the above mentioned issues in respect of the need to reinvigorate the firm, the major aim of this report is to suggest strategies that can be adopted and give a critical analysis of the best structure and systems that are necessary to make it work. A reflection about the action plan for implementation would be given at the end of the analysis. Change in an organisation is often necessitated by inevitable factors such as competition as well as globalisation factors among others. Aims and Objectives Ramada Jarvis hotel in Edinburgh specialises in offering conference facilities to different customers but due to changes in the market, the hotel has underscored to make some changes to its operations in order to reinvigorate the firm. Thus, the major aim of this report is to suggest strategies that can be adopted and give a critical analysis of the best structure and systems that are necessary to make it work. A reflection about the action plan for implementation would be given at the end of the analysis. Thus, in view of the above mentioned issues in respect of the need to turn around the fortunes of the firm the aim is to device ways that can be used in implementing such change. Terms of reference Project Brief To make recommendations to reinvigorate our Summit Conference Brand for Ramada Jarvis Hotels Ltd. To take in to account the global economy and the changing needs of businesses. To make the brand relevant to the here and now and to ensure we deliver companies with what they want rather than what we provide. Objectives of brief:- Review the target markets and the current provision and services offered by Summit Conference Brand. What do customers see and experience? Identifying what could be done better. Research the range and scope of the conference facilities offered by competitors in the local area. (Developing a comprehensive data analysis system for use while gathering information-to ensure consistency) Identifying what could be done to make brand unique and relevant for the here and now. Identifying possible target markets and outlines the types of PR activity that would be needed to attract them to the hotel. What the target markets expect from conference providers and provisions they would require. Indentifying what our brand is known for and what we would aim to be known for. Action points Further to the meeting with the General Manager, James Fraser, of the Ramada Edinburgh Mount Royal Hotel. The following actions points were discussed. Revitalise the Summit Brand and make it relevant to clients needs and help them achieve their aims and make it unique. Raise revenue from £80,000 to £100,000 (approximately £3,000,000 nationally). Make recommendations. Look at what the Summit brand offers currently. Identify what they are doing right and what they can improve on/ do more of to satisfy customer needs. To achieve a higher percentage of the market share from 66% (currently 4th from the bottom). Encouraging clients to use other facilities in the hotel. To look at the threats and competition at a local level and identify environmental issues that may affect the business. What is the present target market and why do they use the Ramada. What other markets could be attracted to the Ramada. Giving suggestions and recommendations on PR activities. Methods of Research In order for the authors to gain an understanding of the whole picture and to enable the team to provide a well executed report, research is important. Use and analyse current data results from BDRC and research similar company data. Obtain revenue analyse from 2008/9 Carry out interviews with professional conferencing bodies and organisations Carry out interviews with existing and potential clients to obtain an understanding of client needs. Research what others businesses are offering using Research relevant up to date journals and literature. Use web materials to gain an insight into companies and clients needs Carry out a PEST and SWOT analysis. Research the market share and what where is the target market. Using academic conferencing models to encourage new innovative thinking Research on different types of marketing/ PR. Research Methodology  Methodology refers to the methods of data collection used in the study and qualitative research will be employed in this particular study.  Qualitative research generates data that is based on the participants’ own categories of meaning, it is useful for studying a limited number of cases in detail, and tends to collect data in realistic settings and interviews were used as a method of collecting data. The tutor and other concern person were interviewed as a way of gaining first hand information about what needs to be done in order for Ramada Jarvis Hotel to invigorate its operations. The purpose of interviews is meant to discover the opinions and views of people who have knowledge of the subject matter and this was seen as a viable tool for soliciting information from the targeted respondents in the study. Secondary sources of data such as websites, textbooks as well as journals were also used in this study. Below is a list of secondary sources used. Secondary research Academic books are more important than other secondary sources of data. The author used many academic books from the library and the bulk of them explained the theoretical framework upon which this study was constructed to show the effects of motivation with regards to retention of skilled workers. Websites The author looks at industry websites to obtain more information about their operations with regards to gathering significant data from various players in the IT industry about how they manage to retain their employees. Limitations The researcher could not cover the Ramada hotels in the whole of but concentrated on Ramada Jarvis Hotel in Edinburgh due to limited time in carrying out this research. Transport problem was another limitation that hampered the researcher’s efforts Differentiation In order to remain viable, it is essential Ramada Jarvis Hotels Ltd ought to differentiate its Summit Conference brand given that it specifically targets the local market and there is need to be unique from other competitors mentioned above. In a differentiation strategy, an organisation seeks to be unique from other competitors in the industry where it offers products or services that are valued by the customers. An organisation strives to select one or more products with attributes that are perceived as important by the customers and it attempts to uniquely position itself in the market in order to meet such unique needs. For instance, the firm can choose to further tailor its services in such a way that would be very unique and attractive to the customers. Ultimately, the firm will be rewarded with a handsome price for being unique in the services it provides since there would be no match from other rival competitors.  Porter’s Generic model Source: http://www.ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk/dstools/paradigm/genstrat.html University of Cambridge- Institute of Manufacturing, Accessed on 15 February 2010.  1. A firm chooses to become the low cost producer in the industry in cost leadership. 2. In differentiation strategy a firm chooses to be unique from others. 3. In cost focus, a firm seeks a competitive advantage in its target segment. 4. In differentiation target, a firm seek to be different in its target segment. In order to survive in the long term, Porter (1985) has argued that a firm needs to have sustainable competitive advantages. There are two sources of competitive advantage; cost advantage and differentiation as illustrated in Fig 1 above. Through his generic strategies, a ‘Cost Leadership’ is where a firm seeks to be low-cost producer in its industry whereas ‘Differentiation’ is when a firm seeks to be unique in its industry through features of its products that are highly valued, and ‘Focus’ where a firm focuses on a segment in its industry using a low cost approach or a focus segment of differentiation. Porter argues, that for a company to ensure long-term profitability, it needs to be clear in its strategic positions and try to exclusively pursue one of them otherwise it will become ‘stuck in the middle’.   SWOT and PESTLE Analysis It is important to know what is happening in the business internally and externally to be able to get a definitive representation to evaluate and analyse the situation, in order to construct strategies that will be useful to the company. The best way to highlight and identify the information needed is to construct a chart which shows Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT). This highlights the internal factors and is extremely useful for understanding what is going on within the business at the present time. To assess the framework of a macro environment a different chart is to be constructed which will show Political, Environmental, Social, Technological, Legal and Economic (PESTLE). It was necessary to construct both charts for this report in order to gather as much information and knowledge on the current situation so that subsequent steps in the process of planning and organising strategies of the brief maybe met. SWOT - Ramada Jarvis Mount Royal Hotel Edinburgh Strengths Wi-Fi access Well laid out conference rooms A good solid brand name Will attend to all clients needs Great location and easily accessible by public transport Strong and loyal Customers Fantastic views to princes street and Edinburgh Castle Good literature, clear, well laid out Private balcony in the Skyline Suite Audio – visual equipment It offers a unique service and it specialises on that which gives it an advantage over competitors. Edinburgh could attract overseas clients, safe city, Scottish people are friendly Bronze award Weaknesses No car parking facilities. No leisure facilities Limited numbers Biggest conferencing room only holds 60 delegates Noise Pollution Standard conferencing package (not standing out from the crowd) Could be seen to be a bit impersonal with a centralised booking system It has limited staff members working for conference Beggars on Princes Street Don’t have a good rating with Edinburgh Conference Bureau (ECB) PESTLE - Ramada Jarvis Mount Royal Hotel Edinburgh Political /Legal Economic downturn Companies cutting back spending in this area, not being so lavish with company packages. All the operations of the organisation are greatly influenced by the political framework of the country which shapes all the policies for business operations. Environmental Businesses are more aware of their carbon footprint and may not travel as far. International companies may prefer to use video links. The Summit Brand Summit Conferencing is part of the Ramada Jarvis hotel group which is nationwide. The organisation boasts 350 purpose built conference rooms within 42 outlets from all over the country from Inverness to London, offering conference facilities from 2 to 800 delegates in various outlets. Summit Conferencing has a range of packages to suit all types of clientele and facilities can be found in city and countryside settings, giving the customer a choice. Most of the hotels have various sized rooms from small to large. However the core of the Summit Brand is set for the smaller conferences and meetings, with most hotels offering a number of smaller rooms. The brand is already operating efficiently with a well developed customer base, has strong links in the south with companies such as; Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS), Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), British Petroleum (BP) and Shell. It offers suitable packages and incentives that balance client needs. However, with the changing economy and customer needs and trends, the hotels need to embrace the shift to take full advantage of this to develop and become more diverse. With businesses re-organising there could be, for example, a need for training establishments and hotels which can provide these services. The Summit Conferencing holds a central booking office in Livingston, where staff can guide the clients to the most appropriate outlets for their firm and most suitable conferencing packages for their needs. They will aim to attend to all clients needs. Over and above the basic conferencing packages there are a range of menus that can be offered to the clients from breakfast, small snacks or three course meals, incentives to existing customers in the form of preference points, Wi-Fi access in all of the summit conferencing hotels and equipment hire. The Ramada Jarvis Mount Royal Hotel, Edinburgh The Ramada Mount Royal Hotel is typical of the Summit Conferencing brand and we shall be using this as a model to suggest strategies that could be incorporated throughout the company nationally. Edinburgh Ramada Jarvis hotel‘s summit conference brand is rated as a three star hotel by the Scottish board and other Ramada Jarvis hotels in United Kingdom. It offers facilities for conferences as well as other summits to different customers including the corporate world. The hotel offers four day lit conference rooms with wireless internet access which can be booked any time of the day (http://www.ramadajarvis.co.uk/hotels/edinburgh.aspx). The hotel is conveniently located closer to the airport and is easily accessible. Whilst the company has not been adversely affected by the global economic recession, it looks forward to increase its revenue from £80,000 to £100,000 and to penetrate the global market in the long run. The organisation has underscored to transform its operations in order to gain a high market share percentage. Over-view of Ramada Jarvis hotel's:- Airport shuttle bus-stop nearby the hotel. Edinburgh Waverly railway station nearby the hotel. Edinburgh Bus station is 500m. Edinburgh Airport is 6miles. Princess Dining Rooms and Bar. Princess Street Shops and gardens. Edinburgh Castle 1 mile (1.5km) Holyrood House 1mile (1.5km) Meeting and Conference:- 4 Day lit conference rooms. Wireless Internet access. Packages:-Edinburgh Ramada Jarvis Hotel's summit conference offers three packages 1. Organiser Incentive Principal meeting room hire + FREE internet access in the meeting room + Flipchart with paper and pens + Stationery holder containing notepads, pens and name cards + Fresh seasonal fruit basket + Complimentary sweets on every table + Chilled water and Elderflower cordial + Unlimited freshly brewed self help tea, coffee, hot chocolate and speciality beverages available in the room or a designated breakout area and at specified times + Morning breakout basket containing an assortment of snacks + 2 course lunch in the restaurant or choice of one of four working buffet lunches or sandwich in your meeting room + Afternoon tea/coffee with a selection of cake slices + 25% discount on business services (fax & photocopying only) + Invoice within 3 days of meeting + VAT at current rate hour advantage+ Privileges 24 hour advantage+ Privileges + Free 8 hour delegate place for organiser or lead delegate (standard 8 hr inclusions are listed opposite) + Free BT Open zone voucher OR free Wife in the lounge + Reserved car parking space & help unloading & loading + £15 of additional food & beverage + Business services (photocopying & faxing only)* + Partner services to make your meeting special (enquire at the hotel) + Free stay for the organiser on a Sunday night + 50% off LCD projectors and flipcharts All of the 8 hour Privileges above plus: + Free 24 hour delegate place for organiser or lead delegate (standard 24 hr inclusions are listed opposite) + £30 of additional food & beverage + Bedroom upgrade + FREE spouse in the organisers bedroom + Chocolate bar and fresh fruit in the bedroom + FREE 24 hour TV and internet services including movies in room Meeting for delegates up to 100; 4free delegates. Meeting for delegates up to 50; 2free delegates. Meeting for delegates up to 10; 1free delegate. Also includes 3course dinner. Overnight accommodation Full traditional breakfast. Use of health club facilities where available. 2. Day Delegate Offers delegates with fresh fruit and unlimited supplies of water and hot drinks, biscuits and flapjacks in morning break and two course lunches in restaurant. If preferred can provide with working lunch in the meeting room. In afternoon delegates served with tasty slice of cake. 3. 24 hours delegates Savours a well-deserved three course dinner at the end of a productive day room to relax and a full traditional breakfast after a refreshing night sleep. At Ramada Mount Royal Edinburgh hotel there is:- Single point of service. Constant Communication. Introduction to the operation team. {Where possible}. Post meeting feedback process Project Management In a bid to improve its conference services, Edinburgh Ramada Jarvis hotel has underscored to embark on a project that is meant to spruce up its services. In order to fully understand the concept of project management with regards to Edinburgh Ramada Jarvis hotel‘s summit, it is imperative to begin by defining what a project is. The term project is used to describe a set of linked activities or it can be precisely defined as a onetime activity with a well defined set of desired results (Hellriegel 2001). Some of the major features of a project include a definite start and finish, a time frame for completion, uniqueness as well as involvement of people on a temporary basis. Against this backdrop, project management can be summed up as, “managing the project in a logical, organised way following defined steps,” (Hellriegel 2001). In carrying out this project, there is need for a well defined structure that will be used as a guide outlining the important steps of this project.  Mind mapping Mind mapping refers to the general outline of the steps involved in undertaking a certain project. The detailed action plan will be used as a tool for mind mapping. In project management, the manager has a key role to play. The role of the project manager is to identify key project activities, determine their sequence as well as determining who will be responsible for each activity. Since projects are earmarked to be accomplished in specific time frames, it would be very important for the project manager to have a clearly defined map of operation that ought to be adhered to in order to achieve the goals without compromising on limited resources. The manager would also be responsible for estimating and calculating the time needed to accomplish each activity. More importantly, the project manager should oversee that different teams responsible for various activities are coordinating their efforts in order to achieve the goals of that particular project. The concept of brainstorming posits that a project ought to have an organised and controlled start, an organised and controlled middle and an organised and controlled end (Hellriegel 2001). Whilst the project manager has a great role to play in the project, there are also other different stakeholders involved such as customers or users as well as the project board which is responsible for the provision of necessary decisions to ensure that the project smoothly goes according to plan. Likewise, each project is prone to change and the main advantage of brainstorming is that it clearly outlines the steps that can be taken in the event of unprecedented changes may threaten the existence of the project and it sets out the pace and tone of the project. Basically, the method sets out a common ground for understanding for all the interested stakeholders involved in the project. As noted above, there are different stakeholders involved in carrying out a project. Their views and ideas ought to be taken into consideration and data has to be collected from them as going to be illustrated in the other section of the report under research methodology.   Market Analysis According to the mintel report presented in a graph shown in appendix 2, the 2007 hotel market mix analysis of UK, London, Wales, England and Scotland shows that corporate and conferencing facilities dominate most of the hotel business in UK. Information obtained from data gathered using secondary sources shows that Ramada Jarvis Hotel Ltd’s market performance is quite stable but it seeks to increase its revenue from £80,000 to £100,000 (£3 million nationally) and is mainly focused on local markets. The organisation itself has a centrally located office for booking for conference in Livingston and has around three staff members working for the conference department since there are only four conference rooms of which two rooms are small and can be ideally managed by between eight to ten people in each room. However, Skyline has a bigger room than the other conference rooms and there are seven staff members working in the sales department http://academic.mintel.com/sinatra/oxygen_academic/search_results/show&&type=RCItem&sort=relevant&access=accessible&archive=hide&source=non_ The corporate customers for the hotels are mainly HBOS, Shell as well as B.P. and the organisation is not involved in any other activity such as offering venues for weddings. Of great concern is the existence of competitors in the market and the greatest competitor is Apex. Ramada Jarvis is fourth from the bottom in the market with its market share standing at 66.5 % while Apex is approx 75% and Novotel around 71.8 % http://academic.mintel.com/sinatra/oxygen_academic/search_results/show&&type=RCItem&sort=relevant&access=accessible&archive=hide&source=non_ Market Research- Current Trends and Packages Information obtained from the company websites particularly Ramada Jarvis Hotel in Edinburgh shows that it offers conference facilities that have wireless internet access. During the contemporary period, information and communication technology (ICT) has impacted on almost all facts of business hence this is a commendable move by the hotel as a way of improving performance of the organisation. There are various opportunities brought about by the use of ICT since booking of facilities could be done online. However, other five star hotels like Marriott also offer other services such as weddings, parties as well as other related business activities. It can be said that these give them more advantage of attracting more business if properly harnessed. As noted above, the major objective of Ramada Jarvis Hotel is to offer conference and summit facilities to different customers hence the need to ensure that they have enlarged venues. It can be noted that the other competitors offer diversified services meant to attract different clients from across the country as outlined above. Research and Statistics of Conferences- Current Economic Trends Business has been steadily going well for Ramada Jarvis Hotel in Edinburgh despite the effects of the global economic crisis that characterised the economy during the past years (http://www.ramadajarvis.co.uk). The company continues to enjoy the prestige of hosting such big companies as HBOS, Shell as well as B.P. However, it has been noted that the major setback of the hotel is that it has smaller space for conference venues compared to other five star hotels such as Marriot and Apex which have larger rooms which can accommodate a bigger number of participants. However, Ramada Jarvis Hotel has responded by embarking on offering incentives in the form of points which can be used to earn rewards depending on the number of points gained. For instance, booking value of £20 is equivalent to one point and these can be redeemed for cash vouchers whenever the participant feels like redeeming them.    Target Markets A target market is simply defined as a group of potential consumers who are likely to purchase a product or service offered by a company (Cant 2000). Ramada Jarvis Hotel should specifically focus on small to medium local customers due to the fact that it has limited space for summit and conference centres. The target market should also include tourists from other areas who often find this place conveniently located closer to public transport such as buses and train. This can make travelling easier. The place is also closer to the airport which gives it a competitive advantage over other competitors.  Due to the size of the rooms the target market for the Edinburgh Royal Mount Hotel would be smaller businesses or sections from within bigger companies  You have jumped – should you have a heading here -you need to clarify what you are trying to say? Recent companies (liscencing board) SEAFL (Language course)     Focus on smaller groups, or even office space for smaller business. The rooms may be organised as the delegate wants. Could be used for office space.  Providing incentives for families Competitors There are many conferencing facilities and companies that specialise in these types of events throughout the country. For the purposes of this report, we shall concentrate on the competition that directly affects the Summit Brand, concentrating on similar size outlets. The conference industry is a very competitive market, especially in the current climate. The Ramada Jarvis has definitively got a niche market potential. With the small, boutique conference rooms, ideal for any sort of small conferences, meetings or even interviews and events. As the writers analyzed the competitors, they found an abundance of conference venues throughout the city of Edinburgh, all whom offer much of the same product – can you put these in an Appendix?. As the team researched this they realized that the only way for Ramada Jarvis, and the Summit brand, to differentiate themselves and stand out is to give an unrivalled service, from start to finish. Another aspect which was noticed was the online material. Some competitors do not state prices online, for room hire. This is so that they can offer the best price and service. However, the writers believe that, when organizing a conference companies have little time and want to know what they are getting for what price. The group would suggest that Ramada Jarvis and Summit publish pre-set prices, which are be negotiable if the hotel is contacted personally – can you give an indication of any prices or even tariffs should you have these for various businesses – should you set up key accounts with discounts for clients?. This will make the brand easily accessible, well known and known for being a brand who is to the point and makes the process of organizing effortless. That is a vital part of being the best, offering the quickest and easiest service, while still maintaining a professional service during the conference. Who says? The competitors all offer different prices, costs and various sizes of rooms. Seeing that the Ramada Jarvis has a limited space for delegates, they must have the means to provide anything and everything that the attendees need and anticipate their future needs, thus providing the superior service. The key is offering anything that the customer would need, the company must mould themselves to suit the clients. This 3* (star) hotel and conference venue must provide a 4* (star) service. The writers believe that one of the main competitors is the ‘Jury’s Inn’ Hotel, You could use a map and pinpoint all of the competitors – put in an Appendix (under bridges). This is because of the competitive prices, location and pricing strategy. They offer basic prices for the room. 150-300 Pounds, however there are higher prices if the organizers wish to provide food or other services on top of the room. However using this pricing strategy has its benefits. If the organizing company only want to use the room for hire, no other services, it is ideal. However it is more time consuming if the organizers want to have things like meals/rooms. Another competitor is the ‘Minto Hotel’. With lower prices than the Ramada Jarvis, a set list of prices and what you get for that price. A quick easy website to use and easy to book with. However the hotel is located well outside the city centre. Which is impractical for corporate business. As stated before the climate is very sensitive as it stands and businesses are not spending as much as they once did. They are looking for smaller, cheaper and quicker venues. Sometimes meaning that the companies will stay in the city in which they are situated. As the team analysed further into the topic, they discovered that not only were hotels trying to maximise on conferences, but also smaller ‘unorthodox’ venues were turning to the conference sector. ‘Costa Coffee’ (Hannover St) has opened its rooms to accommodate conferences. With space for up to 26 delegates and very competitive rates. Reference? One Hour Half Day Full Day Price 25 Pounds 75 Pounds 150 Pounds Price Includes - 25 Pounds store spend 75 Pounds store spend This shows how threatening ‘Costa Coffee’ really is, not only because of the rate, also because of the location. It is very close to the ‘Ramada Jarvis’. Granted it does not have hotel facilities but as stated above companies are looking for the minimum at the moment. ‘Costa Coffee’ provides the space, time and also the refreshments. This is a very effective way of catering for the conferences as the climate stands. Improving the Brand Throughout the research of this project it has become apparent that the fundamental needs of the customer, from any sector, are quality, value for money, good service and a suitable venue to hold their meeting. To improve the Summit Brand, these must be taken into consideration and developed so that the best service can be delivered to the client. Clients and customers are getting more and more demanding as competition widens ever further, they expect more from all areas, for example, wireless internet connectivity is now not seen as an added extra but now as a necessity. Who says? Within our research it has become evident that clients are looking for a more personalised service with ‘meeting planners’ where the event can be organised from the outset and communication throughout the process, not just on the day of the meeting. What research – where is the evidence? Clients would also like to have a concierge service where they can be looked after not just for the conference but for other things out with, for example, a point of contact to ask about events happening around the city, to book tickets for them, to organise travel to and from venues and so on. As the Ramada does not have any leisure facilities in house the aim to differentiate the product and service must be to make sure that they provide a better service from all other angles. Aiming to provide a four star service at three star prices. Offering excursions to outer-city destinations, even for a meal, to relax and then back to the conference. Why? Organise events before/after the conference to help the delegates enjoy their stay more and also to see the city of Edinburgh. New Market Ideas The segment of the market that appears to be recession proof, according to Benchmark Hospitality International 2009 Top Ten Meeting Trends Report (cited Stuart Derrick 2010), are Social, Military, Educational, Religious and Fraternal sectors, where demand is actually growing. Corporate conferences have taken a tumble with the current climate, due to the fact that they cannot be seen to be wasting money on lavish hospitality events and so are treading carefully. Leanne Bell (2010), states that ‘the perception of being a waste of money may have extinguished certain kinds of event’. There seems to be a shift for the demand of smaller conferences or meetings within this sector and are you aiming to develop this further? Taking stock of the information from this report, opening up to different sectors could be the way forward to make sure that the rooms are kept filled. Using the rooms for different purposes, other than conferences will lead to the rooms being kept full particularly at quiet times for conferences, for example weekends. Let rooms out on short term leases Using the local events calendar to be aware of any possible needs for example Edinburgh festival Fireworks nights Office lets Concerts - pre or after concert events Linking with the Royal Highland Show Special occasion lets Christmas/ New Year events Student market Examination halls/rooms Even Birthday parties or personal events, hire the room, take all of the furniture out and have a special occasion in it.   International Market Use of New Media Morden communication technology has made dramatic changes in the contemporary marketing communication landscape. Consumers now have the ability to make evaluations on their choice of goods owing to the improvements in communication technology and this has led to significant changes in the way they carry out their business (Cant 2000). Hence, an integrated marketing communication plan is more ideal during the current period and this strategy can positively work for the Summit Conference Brand for Ramada Jarvis Hotels Ltd. According to Cant (2000 p.285), an integrated marketing communication can be defined as, “a concept of marketing communication planning that recognises the added value of a comprehensive plan that evaluates the strategic roles of a variety of communication disciplines such as advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, direct marketing, public relations, sponsorship.” These often are combined to provide consistency, clarity and effective communication. The objectives of marketing communication are mainly dependent on what the company wants to achieve and integration of various communication disciplines is very effective in the organisation’s bid to reinvigorate its operations. It must be borne in mind that during the contemporary era, new information and communication technology has revolutionised the ways of communication and doing business. The advent of the internet has brought about new features that make communication relatively easy and can reach a wide range of people located in diverse geographical areas. Electronic communication via the use of the internet is very fast and effective. Various companies have set up their online channels where marketing information about their products can be readily available from time to time. Compared to other forms of communication media, the internet offers a variety of benefits to both the organisation and the customer. In this case, it is relatively easier for potential customers to obtain the information they want about the services offered by the hotel from the internet. Reference:- Cant M.C. (2000), Marketing Management, 4th Edition Juta and Co Ltd, SA Performance Management Having adopted the recommendations made, and then there would be need to implement them. These can be done through monitoring performance on a daily basis. In order to monitor performance of an organisation which would be undergoing a facelift in its strategic operations such as the Summit Conference Brand for Ramada Jarvis Hotels Ltd., there would be need for that organisation’s management to closely monitor the ongoing process since it would be an ongoing process.  Performance management therefore, is the process of total quality management (TQM) programs using all of the tools including performance appraisal to ensure achievement of performance goals (Carrell, R. et al 1995). In this particular case, tools such as reward systems, job design, leadership and training should all be regarded as part of a comprehensive approach to performance. Thus, according to Carrel et al (1995), research has shown that the number one desire of HR executives is to design performance management systems to achieve business goals. In this case, the goals of Ramada Jarvis Hotels Ltd include the following: To remain the leading provider of services for summits and conferences.  To be unique while upholding high quality and consistence.  To increase revenue through consolidating the market share.  To attract more customers. This strategy is also very good for Summit Conference Brand for Ramada Jarvis Hotels Ltd. since it will stand better chances of achieving its goals.   Public Relations This is another effective communication plan that can be used by the Ramada group of company whose ultimate objective is to attempt to make loyal customers through the provision of relevant information and knowledge to the customers. In actual fact, all communication efforts are meant to create brand awareness through providing relevant information to the clients which is the main purpose of PR. A successful PR plan is also determined by the ability to identify the targeted audience and their interests. This is commonly known as market segmentation. Smith (1991) summarises market segmentation as the process of identifying and grouping customers who share common characteristics and interests that make them different from others into a similar category. The target audience for the Summit Conference Brand for Ramada Jarvis Hotels Ltd is mainly comprised of corporate organisations from the local market hence all communication efforts should be aimed at giving the relevant information that is likely to impact positively on them. Careful selection of product positioning will also enable the company to implement an effective PR strategy as the customers will have all the necessary product information at hand. In view of the argument outlined above, the most effective PR strategy for the company in question involves the identification of the target markets. This is then followed by the selection of communication channel that can be used to convey the message to the customers. The message is then tailored in such a way that will make a distinction between the company and other rival competitors in the market in line with the company’s vision of becoming a unique brand name. Public relations play a vital role in the distribution of correct information to the targeted audience for the above mentioned brand.  Human Resources Development (HRD) refers to all the methods an organisation uses to help its employees to improve the way they work Kleynhans R. et al (2007). On the other hand, a strategy involves the interpretation of the environment and the development of consistent patterns in streams of organisational decisions (Mintzberg (1979) cited in Robinson W (1997). From this assertion, it is important that Ramada Jarvis Hotels Ltd should underscore to take HRD which is primarily concerned with identifying the skills needed by the employees, designing and putting into place training and development programmes that are meant to equip them with the knowledge to cope with often challenging scenarios as a result of changes that would take place in the operations of the organisation. Change that is meant to reinvigorate the operations of an organisation is not usually an overnight event hence the need to carefully consider all the requirements of the workers that can make them confidently take up the challenging tasks that would have been brought about by change. The Journal on organisational change and development (1999), change posits to the effect that HRD is vital for any organisation embarking on programmes meant to bring about strategic change as a way of improving its competitiveness against other rival competitors. Analysis of Interviews Information obtained from the interviews show that there is a general feeling that Ramada Jarvis Hotel needs to embark on a particular course of project that is meant to give a face lift of its operations in order to continue surviving in the competitive market. The tutor indicated that the market is constantly changing hence the need for the hotel to follow suit in order to keep pace with all the developments taking place in the market. Information also obtained from the interviews shows that there is need for the hotel to be unique in order to attract unique customers from all walks of life. A product that is unique is likely to attract special attention by renowned corporate organisations. As a result of the fact that the market is dynamic, it has been noted that the hotel has to conduct market research periodically in order to keep abreast with all the current events. Conclusion Over and above it can be concluded that the Summit Conference Brand for Ramada Jarvis Hotels Ltd has been performing fairly well over the years but the there have also been some major changes in the market that have prompted it to reinvigorate its operations. Besides the changes in the market, Summit Conference Brand for Ramada Jarvis Hotels Ltd is also faced with competition and it can be noted that Porter’s generic model is very useful in modelling the premises upon which a business can operate as it would give all the information about the market especially with regards to other competitors in the industry. It is imperative for any firm to have information about how other similar businesses in the industry operate as a way of gaining knowledge that can give it competitive advantage over other rival competitors already in the market. The major strategies that can be adopted include Porter’s generic model of differentiation. It is also imperative to monitor progress using especially performance management as well as giving the workers the human resources development in order to equip them with the required knowledge to be able to take up the feat of reinvigorating the organisation. Recommendations Introducing New Packages and Monitoring The conference business is local not international due to the fact that the hotels have less spacious conference rooms the reason for concentrating more on local customers’ needs and wants for instance. It is recommended that they should also incorporate activities such as weddings, /stag/hen nights, and school/college/university meetings in their services so as to attract a large number of potential clients. At the moment, they are just focusing on offering services to current customers such as HBOS, Shell, TOEFL, Bp, arc housing, among others. The hotel should also focus more delivering value which is a good recommendation for continuous growth and expansion. This needs to be closely monitored to ensure the achievement of positive results from the initiative that is meant to reinvigorate the company.  Offering incentive programmes The organisation should continuously strive to offer incentives to both the workers as well as the customers. These may include offering membership cards to loyal customers so that they may continue visiting the hotel for more services.   Introducing new marketing techniques It is also recommended that the hotel should introduce new marketing techniques that are compatible with the new marketing dispensation obtaining on the ground that is aided by the use of ICT. At the moment they are using random e-shots but there is need to improve on customer relationships, maintain marketing pressure as well as managing customer concerns. Ramada has package deals with Dynamic Earth; Carlton hotel for using their gym facilities as they don’t have these facilities hence they also have pre-arranged packages with Jenner’s as well Clairns for beauty treatments for instance. They also do not have private car-parking since they use N.C.P car parking facilities which are charged especially to the customers. There is need for them to have their own secure parking.   As a marketing technique, there is need for the hotel to have a responsible person to manage the conference facility like a conference manager or coordinator since all the bookings are being currently done through the main centralised conference office located in Livingston. This would inconvenience other potential customers. However, when booking is done, they already have in place some incentive schemes for regulars where they get a 10% off discount if they book online. The number of staff is still limited since there are three members of staff working in the conference department and seven in the sales department. They should use specially designed websites where they can get feedback from the customers and this also allows them to have direct communication with their customers Conclusion Over and above, it can be noted that though Ramada Jarvis Hotel was not greatly affected by the effects of the global economic crisis, it still has to invigorate its operations in order to gain a large market share. The study noted that the hotel has small conference venues compared to the other competitors in the market hence the need to reinvigorate its operations. For instance, the graph shown in appendix 2 shows that corporate and conferencing dominate the hotel mix analysis in the UK. In order for Ramada Jarvis Hotel to reinvigorate itself in this sector, it has been recommended that it should introduce new package programmes, expand its conference venues in order to introduce other services such as hosting weddings and it should introduce new marketing techniques. References Bell. L (2010),The State of the Industry 2010 Perception adds the Burden for Event, http://www.citmagazine.com/News, retrieved 2nd March 2010. Cant M.C. (2000), Marketing Management, 4th Edition Juta and Co Ltd, SA (Use of New Media) Carrell, R. et al (1995), Human Resources Management: Global Strategies for managing a diverse workforce, 5th Edition, Prentice Hall, USA. {Implementation “Performance Management"} Hellriegel et al (2001), Management, CT, Oxford (Project Management)  Kleynhans R. et al (2007), Human Resource Management: fresh perspectives, Prentice Hall SA (Public Relation/Human Resource) Research in Organizational Change and Development, vol. 10, edited by William A. Pasmore and Richard W. Woodman (1999), http://proquest.umi.com.dbgw.lis.curtin.edu.au/pqdweb?index=6&did=40405485&SrchMode=1&sid=8&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1253700138&clientId=22212  Accessed on 15February 2010 (Public Relation/Human Resource) Robinson W (1997), Strategic Management and Information Systems, 2nd Edition, Prentice Hall, UK (Public Relation/Human Resource) Stuart Derrick. 26:02:10. 2010 Heralds Recovery, but New Challenges. C&ITmagazine.com/News. Retrieved Tues 9th March 2010. University of Cambridge- Institute of Manufacturing (N.D.) http://www.ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk/dstools/paradigm/genstrat.html, Accessed on 15 February 2010. Welcome to the Ramada Edinburgh Mount Royal hotel (2010), Accessed on 09 March 2010, from: http://www.ramadajarvis.co.uk/hotels/edinburgh.aspx {Hotel facilities and service}   Appendices  Appendix 1 Appendix 2 Business buoys up the market Figure 20: Hotel market mix analysis for UK, London, England, Scotland and Wales by stays, 2007 United Kingdom London England Scotland Wales % % % % % Corporate & conference 47.4 41.4 51.4 44.7 56.2 Leisure breaks 20.7 18.1 21.9 23.0 22.2 Tour groups 10.8 14.9 7.7 13.4 7.5 Rack 14.1 13.7 14.5 14.4 10.2 Other 7.0 11.9 4.5 4.5 3.9 http://academic.mintel.com/sinatra/oxygen_academic/search_results/show&&type=RCItem&sort=relevant&access=accessible&archive=hide&source=non_ Read More