Hospitality Contract and Event Management - Assignment Example

Task: Hospitality Contract and Event Management Introduction The hospitality industry is one among the highly valuable industries across the world. The United Kingdom and many other countries of the world consider this industry as among the key economic pillars. Within the United Kingdom, hospitality industry includes a wide range of activities among them organizing and hosting business meetings, events, incentive travels, and trade exhibitions among others. Primarily, the industry does embrace a spectrum of operations across hotels, travel and tourism, pubs and restaurants, and sports and leisure. The hospitality industry is among the largest contributors to the economy of the Great Britain, and raises an approximate amount of £36.1billion for the British government on yearly basis. In addition, the industry does employ thousands people in different sectors of specialization among them tour guides; event organizers; cooks; security personnel; transport specialists, and many more. However, the success in this industry is reliant on the confidence of consumers towards the facilities; a factor that leads to increased pressure to deliver more innovative and quality services. With that, the hospitality industry has advanced in its operations over the past few decades to build on hospitality contracts and event management systems as the backbone components of its operations with intentions to enhance efficiency, expand productivity, and widen the customer base at both, the local and international markets. This paper will comprehensively analyze the component of hospitality contract and event management as a pivotal section of the entire hospitality industry. The analysis will evaluate the diverse factors affecting this sector such as the internal and external factors affecting the process of planning and management in relation to contract sectors, the operational issues that affect the efficiency of event management, and the relationship between the client and contractor. Furthermore, the paper will assess the various financial processes that form part of the tendering procedures that take place before, during, and after the implementation of events on the verge to ensure eligibility in the whole operation. LO1 Understand external factors that affect planning and management in the event and contract sectors P1. The characteristics of the contract and event catering sector A contract is an agreement between two parties, and often binds the parties together on legal grounds. It includes a set of roles or rather activities that both parties involved are expected to play. This helps to commit the participants of the contract to their responsibilities, and failure to the adherence to the agreed terms comes along with severe consequences. The event-catering sector, just like any sector of business operation, involves the development of operational contracts in order to enhance efficiency in their operations. These contracts helps to commit, both the clients and contractors, to their responsibilities as stipulated in the terms of the agreement, and any breach of the same leads to adverse consequences. Certainly, this works for the good of the client, the contractor, and the customers or consumers, who enjoy high quality services due to competence service-delivery within the hospitality industry. Contracts have a number of characteristics that define them. One of the phenomenal characteristics of a contract and event-catering sector is the intention, purpose, or reason for bringing the two parties of the contract together. It is indisputable that for two people or parties to sign a memorandum of understanding between them, there has to be a reason. Therefore, the presence of a well-defined reason or intention of a contract is a fundamental characteristic that is must be present. Negotiation is equally a characteristic of a contract. The parties of a contract must negotiate on the terms of the contract, define their responsibilities, and design the penalties that those who breach the contract are bound to face. These negotiations provide a guideline for the contract. The initial acceptance of the terms of the contract, the agreement of terms of contract between the two parties, and the signing of the contract are equally important characteristics of the contract. The parties must accept the set terms, come into a mutual agreement on their responsibilities in the contract, and eventually sign to ascertain their commitment to the terms agreed. The final characteristic of a contract is the penalty that the party, which violates the terms agreed upon, is bound to face. All contracts have must have a provision for the consequences of their violation of the agreement. This further commits the parties to the requirements of the contract. P2. The external factors affecting planning and management in the event of contract sector All contracts are subjects to various external factors, which affect their implementation. The social-cultural practices are among the external factors that affect the planning and management in the event of contract sector. This factor includes the aspect of cultural practices in terms of health consciousness, age, career attitudes, the population growth rate, and emphasis on safety. It is a given that the trends in social factors does affect the demands for the products of a particular hospitality facility, and its entire operations. Economic components are equally external factors affecting the planning and management in the event of contract sector. The economic factors include the interest rates, inflation rates, exchange rates, and overall economic growth. For instance, it is indisputable that interest rates do affect the organization’s costs of capital, and the exchange rates affect the costs of exporting, importing and supplying goods within the hospitality industry. Thus, the economic situation of the state or rather environment in which the firm operates should be put into consideration when designing a hospitality contract. The technological applications and legal practices of the environment from where the hospitality firm is situated are as well external factors affecting the planning and management of hospitality contracts. Such technological factors as automation, technological incentives, and the rate of technological change determine the barriers to entry into the highly competitive hospitality industry, and influence the outsourcing decisions of the firms. Moreover, the advancements in technological applications leads to improved quality of services, and innovation, which often form part of the terms of the contract. On the other hand, the legal factors, which include the discrimination law, the antitrust law, the employment law, the health and safety law, and the consumer law, are as well the external factors affecting the designing and implementation of hospitality contracts. All contracts must be law compliant; hence, they have to correspond with the legal provisions of the land before they can be eligible. LO2 Understand the operational issues which affect the success of event management P3. The elements of project management necessary to ensure effective management of events There are a number of factors of project management systems, which affect the efficiency of event management. One of such factors is effective communication systems among the stakeholders or rather participants in the planning of the events. Communication is the basis of planning and order in any operations, and event management operations are not exception. It is hence important that the management of a hospitality firm embrace good communication systems with which to pass orders, and share opinions, concerns, and suggestions among the employees, supervisors, and customers of the firm. This helps to ensure efficiency in service delivery. Strategy is as well an element of project management that is vital the process of effective management of events. An appropriate strategy on how to perform or rather coordinate an event provides a reliable and well defined outline that guides the operations of the firm. With good strategies, all events are likely to fall in place according to the plan, and this consequently brings about the high levels of success in the management of events required. Employee-motivation is also an element of project management that can lead to effective management of events. It is obvious that employees are the core implementers of organization’s policies, and their commitment to deliver the best services to the firm and its clients is vital in organization’s efficiency. Hence, it is important that the management of any firm works towards developing an appropriate employee-motivation system such as offering promotions and salary increments to the outstanding performers, and giving all employees equal opportunities to upgrade their skills through further education or relevant organizational training programs. P4. The type and level of service associated with a variety of events Different events require diverse services of the hospitality firms in order to be successful. For instance, food and beverage services are important services for almost every event. It is clear that people must eat for them to live. All events have people who certainly need to eat something in order to get going. With that, the hospitality teams are required to provide a variety of foodstuffs and drinks to the attendants of the events to keep the event lively and sustain the people who take part in the event. Accommodation services are also provided in a number of events. Some events, especially business meetings and seminars run for a couple of days. This calls for the need to offer places for sleeping, recreation, and freshening up throughout the period of the event. Security services are as well provided in events. All persons want to live in secure environment. This demands that the hospitality industry put in place the appropriate security personnel in order to guarantee their customers of security during their events or functions. Reception services are equally important in events. With that fact that many people who attend events come for a reason and short period, it is necessary that the responsible hospitality firm organizes a competent reception team, which will warmly receive the visitors, and take the through the facilities of the firm. It is also the role of the reception desk to lead the attendants to the specific rooms or places from where the events will take place. P5. Assess the health, safety, and hygiene problems that can affect the operational success of an event Human health, which focuses on the prevention of human infections, is an important aspect of life, and needs to be handled with much care. It is a necessary requirement that all event organizers work to ensure the products they offer to their customers are health, and certified by the recommended health practitioners. This will help to prevent the contraction of such infections as anthrax, brucellosis, swine flu, and many more that may result from the consumption of uncertified foodstuffs. Safety is necessary for humanity. Everybody has the right for protection by the relevant authority, in this case, the event organizers. They must guarantee their customers of safety from all forms of attacks such as terror attacks, robbery attacks, and any others. With an assured security system, many people will be willing to attend the event and hire the services of the concerned hospitality firm, and this subsequently brings about success in the operations of the firm. Hygiene is also a vital aspect of event management. All people prefer visiting places that are clean and organized. Hygiene in event management entails the cleanliness of the hospitality facility ranging from the draining systems, the sewerage systems, the availability of good lavatories, constant supply of clean water, and many more. All these factors of cleanliness play a role in either attracting or scaring off customers from a given facility of hospitality. P6. How does marketing, human resource, and quality control apply in an organization and the delivery of successful events Marketing is the tool through which an organization sales out or rather creates awareness on its operations to the target groups. Effective marketing schemes such as the development of a comprehensive organization’s website, and advertisement on the satellite, blogs, television and radio corporations, magazines, and social media platforms, are among the key methods of marketing that bring about the required success in event management. With extensive marketing techniques, more people are aware of the operations of the firm, and opt to hire them. This brings more clients to the firm, and eventually more sales and profits. The competency of the human resource teams of a firm is equally a strategy with which to ensure the delivery of successful events. With highly-qualified, motivated, and dedicate team of human resource, the organization is likely to deliver the best services to its clients, and this brings about organizational success, as contented customers will always come back, bring more customers, and help in building good reputation of the firm in the markets. Quality control is as well an important aspect of event management. All firms in the hospitality industry should employ strategies that ensure the delivery of high quality products and services. It is undeniable that the provision of high quality products and services will retain the current clients and attract more clients to the firm. This is because, high quality services bring contempt among customers, and it is human nature that one will want to revisit places where they are assured of maximum satisfaction. LO3 Understand the client and contractor relationship P7. Importance of good client and contractor relationship to ensure successful contract in catering Good client-contract relationship helps to bring about mutual understanding between the two parties of the contract. With mutual understanding, both the client and the contractor will know their responsibilities and work towards fulfilling their promises as per the terms of the agreement. Good client-contractor relationship also helps to increase the commitment of both parties to the fulfillment of their promises as per the requirements of the firm. With high levels of commitment, it follows that lesser conflicts will arise due to increased zeal to breach the contract. It also brings about efficiency in the implementation of the contract. A good client-contractor relationship provides room for regular consultation between the two parties of the contract. This sense of togetherness and collaboration in the process of fulfilling the contract is bound to bring about high levels of efficiency in the attainment of the purpose or objective of the contract. P8. Factors that affect the success of the contract and client relationship Commitment to the fulfillment of the promises made in the contract- a committed group of clients and contractors towards fulfilling their requirements as per the provisions of the contract is one among the most important factors that enhance good contractor-client relationship. With commitment, every party will strive not to disappoint the other in the process of implementing the contract, and this fear to disappoint brings about honesty and dedication in the delivery of the required. Consultation- a contract whose parties engage in regular consultation on the progress of its fulfillment from both sides is likely to bring about good client and contractor relationship. This is because, the members of both parties are able to share their concerns, discuss their challenges, and work with transparency in achieving the objectives of the contract. Works Cited Chon, Kaye and Maier Thomas. Welcome to Hospitality: An Introduction. Boston, Massachusetts: Cengage Learning Publishers, 2009. Print. Pizam, Abraham. International Encyclopedia of Hospitality Management 2nd edition. London, U.K. : Routledge Publishers, 2012. Print. Read More