Strategy for Hants Hotels - Coursework Example

Strategy for Hants Hotels 1. Introduction This plan is intended to provide an insight to the management of Hants Hotels Hampshire about an appropriate strategy and methodology for integrating firm’s environmental and technological variables for the overall development of its business operation. This document is a confidential one prepared by Mr. X, the Management Consultant to hand in to the CEO of the Hants Hotels for further consideration. The initial part of the report analyzes the areas where the current business practices flaw; and further it tends to point out the required improvements with its major focus on the integration of information technology (IT) and Information System. 2. Content of the Plan Current status Strength and weakness of the industry Threats and opportunities Vision Key Strategies Major objectives Action plan Summary 3. Current status The group consists of five hotels with medium-to-high price segments located in Hampshire, Southampton, Portsmouth, and Winchester. Independent websites, billing processes, and a quarterly reporting system Less managerial control over the function of the groups 4. Strength of the industry The group has considerable dominance over the industry for many years The hotels have been located in highly potential regions of the state. Feasible conditions for further acquisition Potential workforce 5. Weaknesses Each unit is using different billing systems which impede the auditing and further planning Due to the absence of centralized monitoring problems like overbooking and wastage of time occurs. No standards have been determined to be followed by each group for auditing and reporting Ineffective management information due to the lack of effective communication within the organization 6. Opportunities and Threats Once the total functions of the groups get aligned, Hants Hotels can grow into most profitable service providers in the region. The problem of overbooking indicates the exceeding service demand in the hotel industry. The Hants has to utilize the market demand by updating their business strategies. The effective implementation of new system might be comparatively difficult because there are several costs associated with it. For example, software license, hardware, implementation consulting and training are expensive processes. Although the Hants expect to increase the productivity and reduce the costs by implementing new system, employees’ response to the changes is highly significant. 7. Vision The Hants Hotels shall operate its HR functions with a socially responsible approach aiming the overall wellbeing of its employees, operators, shareholders and other benefactors. The employees are bound to meet the required standard as managers, staff, and employees in order to accomplish the business objectives by ensuring best service to the customers. 8. Key Strategies for IT & IS a) Implementation of web-based technology: this is one of the important areas where the Hants has to undergo changes and further improvements. Initially, it has to develop its own centralized website to provide customers with full time access to its services. The firm has to develop a networked version of its software that would avail all information required. However, a newly networked system would almost certainly have numerous challenges to meet. For instance, the administrative staff, although small, would be the primary users of the system. Other employees would have little use for the initial system except in specific circumstances. The current practice, as it depends on manual efforts causes inconsistency in reporting and auditing. Therefore the management should be cautious about the organizational changes and new automated systems because it would bring employees’ resistance to the changes. However, the level of resistance would be different for each staff member. b). Human Resource Information System (HRIS); In order to identify the potentiality and weakness of the HR, and to resolve the problems and inadequacy, the Hants’ HR department management should have instant access to information. The complexity of data collection, reporting, and analysis can be resolved by the effective implementation of HRIS. It will not only help the management in its HR decision making process but also will ensure legal compliance by maintaining and updating every piece of information. This report will suggest the Hants to seek assistance from some outsourcing agencies for the implementation of HRIS. There are certain factors that make this a better choice. First, professionals will have the sufficient knowledge about the vendors and reliable software available in the market. However, the unique combination of strategies, market factors, and the life cycle stage of a given company and its existing capabilities will determine what type of design is appropriate (Kates A, Kates D., 2006). However, the firm has to train its HRIS project manager because system development and implementation are the significant stages of the HRIS project where specialized understanding is needed. Prior to the integration of technology the management has to determine the following aspects How would the Hants get every data into the new system? Who should be responsible for the integration of the whole program? What are the basic operational requirements that have to be met on daily, weekly, or monthly basis? Who should be responsible for data input, maintenance, and reporting? Should more people be deployed in the new system? By the integration of technology and information system the hotels can ease their managerial tension because technology will provide access to every piece of information for the management. Instead of manual billing and other processes the IT will help computerized billing and centralized auditing. The improvements in the system will also promote centralized reservation which would avoid overbooking problems. The system should be capable enough to provide accurate and timely information to the hotel staff as well as to customers regarding the booking status. Hence, the operators can make room allocation according to the availability of the service. While adopting a new information system, the Hotel staff must be given adequate training to operate the service. The positive aspects of IT can be utilized for the overall development of the Hotels. Instead of the in dependant function, all units have to be aligned under a single vendor where information can be easily transmitted. Anticipated Advantages of IT & IS Implementation Enhance customer relation Enables customers for advance booking Collect customer feedback and complaints Ensure easy evaluation and resolution Keeps information updated Helps employee selection, retention, and training Ensure employees’ moral behavior Keep accurate and timely reporting/auditing 9. Major Objectives Hants Hotels require collaborative data collection and information sharing for its future developments as a competitive organization in the hospitality industry. The IT strategy that the management acquires should be feasible enough to retain its customers as well as its potential workforce. IT strategy should focus on the customers’ repeated purchase of service by providing them access to the company’s information on products and service. It could be defined as customer loyalty programs perhaps by offering discounts, membership, and other advantages. Using the information technology company can publish adds on internet for enhancing its hospitality business. It can also promote customers through foreign representatives by introducing the special aspects of the service offers. Moreover, it can easily maintain all information regarding employee performance report, salary statement, personal file and applicant tracking. Therefore, they can also meet the total integration of the business including the greater customer satisfaction, reduced manufacturing cost, and improved services. Technology would help the organization to collaborate and coordinate its resources and customers from all around the globe. However, the organization should primarily have document processors for storing organizational data. An effective system would reduce response time to serve customers and clients, improve the quality of HR services to employees, and makes HR more responsive and competitive. 10. Action Plan Given below is the proposed action plan for the implementation of the IT strategy. Priority: to intensify the overall functions of the business operation Objectives: 1. Reduce manual labor 2. Increase competitiveness Actions Responsible faculty Deadline IT implementation 1. Deploy a director of IT operations 2. Deploy IS management officer 3. Develop HRIS Chief Executive Officer Managing Director Special supervisor & HR Director March May August Competitiveness 1. Train director of operations a). management training b). task training 2. Task training for Management Officer 3. Training for HRIS operator General Manager General Manager HR Director HR Management Officer April May March September 11. Summary Coordinated resource/knowledge sharing is the main facet of successful modern organizations in the hospitality industry. Being one of the traditional organizations it can take advantage of the broad information technology to strengthen the area of its service. The effective implementation of HRIS would provide up-to-date knowledge about the workforce and their status and requirements. The information system will be cost effective as many of the manual labor will be transformed to mechanical line. The implementation of IT strategy would enable Hants Hotels to reduce labor cost and time for the accomplishment of business tasks. Computer and computer-based communication facilities have become the inevitable requirement for Hants’ organizational management. Cyber infrastructure will help the organization to integrate the whole system and enable easy access to resources and information. Extensive use of collaboration software and outsourcing will help the organizations to avoid further expenses on infrastructure maintenance. Works Cited Kates A, Kates D. “(Re) designing the HR Organization”, Human Resource Planning, vol.29, 2006. Read More