Cockington Green Gardens Customer Satisfaction - Case Study Example

Cockington Green Gardens Customer Satisfaction Research Table of contents Overview of the facility and various processes evaluated Cockington Green Gardens is a family owned and operated attraction. With over 30 years in operation, this facility is one of Canberra’s landmark attractions. The facility opened to the public in 1979 and offers visitors a unique experience that has made it win an Australian Tourism Award as well as several local tourism awards in recent times. The facility is continuously growing given that it has new additions as an international display area that compliments the original English Village that the park has always reflected. Cockington Green Gardens offers various areas of recreation to visitors including the Rose Room indoor exhibition, which features ‘Waverley’ – a 34-room Dolls House and a coffee area at Parsons Nose Garden Café. Visitors can also enjoy picnic lunches at the facility, while kids can be attained at the playground located within the park. In addition to the enjoying games in the playground, children can be taken for the Miniature Steam Train ride, which goes around the International Display area. Cockington Green Gardens therefore offers recreation facilities for the whole family and is an attraction for people of all ages (Cockington Green Gardens, 2008). Various processes in service delivery of Cockington Green Gardens were evaluated to determine the fail point in service provision by the facility. The processes include Reservations, Arrival/Check in, Seeing the attractions and Check-out/Departure. From these processes, five fail points were identified, and they act as the needs that the organisation should analyse. The fail points are: 1. There are delays in answering calls by receptionists especially during hours when the facility is closed for viewing. 2. There is a tendency by employees at the garden café of the facility to give priority to customers who had made bookings while overlooking those who did not have prior reservations. 3. Although all employees at Cockington Green Gardens were neat and well dressed, workers in different sections wore different uniforms, thus making it difficult to identify the employees amongst the visitors when one seeks for assistance or wants to inquire about something. 4. There is a shortage of car parking space at the facility. This makes it difficult for visitors with personal cars to enjoy their visit at Cockington Green Gardens 5. Transport to the facility is inadequate for people who wish to reach the attraction using public transport Pattern language developed to resolve the identified issues 1. Delays in receiving calls by receptionists especially during hours when the attraction is closed Possible solutions to this problem include: i. Cockington Green Garden should communicate about the times during which customer can make calls to the attraction. The various modes of communication include the organisation’s website, letters and other media that show the organisation’s phone number. ii. Employees should be rotated to man the reception desk when the receptionist is not available. iii. Calls can be diverted to other authorities like the reservation manager when the receptionist is not available to receive them 2. Dissatisfaction by some customers as regards service delivery Possible solutions to this problem include: i. Training employees on better customer relations practices. ii. Following up customer complaints with appropriate corrective measures. iii. Having a set of guidelines to be followed by employees when dealing with customers. 3. Different dress codes for employees at the attraction Possible solutions to this problem include: i. Ensuring that all employees in different categories e.g. receptionists, guides, waiters and so on have distinct dress codes for ease of identification ii. Giving them identification tags that display their names iii. Ensuring that at any given time there are just adequate numbers of employees to service guests, i.e. not too crowded or too few. 4. Shortage of car parking space Possible solutions to this problem include: i. Deploy some employees to help visitors during parking to ensure that all available space is utilised. ii. Encourage visitors to use public means of transport to the attraction such as buses and other larger vehicles. iii. Introduce parking fees to discourage visitors from using personal cars to the attraction 5. Inadequate transport Possible solutions to this problem include: i. Make transport reservations for visitors to the attraction ii. Purchase vehicles for transportation of visitors to the site at a fee iii. Encourage visitors to use alternative means of transportation such as motorcycles and bicycles to derive more fun. Identification of the most effective solution to the issues The solutions to the problems mentioned above can be found by applying a number of research methods. Observation, interviews and literature survey are indicated for this research since they the methods are not only efficient but also time consuming. It is possible to apply three types of observation: participant observation, direct observation and conducting a visitor survey (Prideaux, Moscardo & Laws, 2006, p. 149). For instance, the problems that were identified were largely based on observation of service delivery at the facility. The same applies to conducting interviews with visitors to determine any complaint they have regarding the services offered by the attraction. The use of telephone surveys and interviews is also important in getting feedback from previous visitors in regard to the services they were provided at the facility. According to Ford, Sturman and Heaton (2011, p. 422), such interviews can be used to obtain feedback and also to pave way for subsequent travel arrangements. Further, existing literature shows that the delivery of consistent high-quality service in hospitality facilities is should be an integral component of any hospitality organisation (Pantelidis & Protopapa, 2003 p. 504). Hence, the balance between the level of customer service that is offered by facility staff and what guests expect determines the success of any hospitality organisation (Pantelidis & Protopapa, 2003, p. 504). The most effective solution to the issues is one that focuses on meeting customers’ varied needs. This is supported by various quotations on customer satisfaction in the industry and in business in general such as ‘satisfying the customer is a priority in most businesses’ and the purpose of a business is to attract and retain customers’ as noted by (Voss 2006, p. 18). Although all the solutions that have been proposed are centred on meeting the different needs of different customers, it is obvious that some solutions will have more weight and impact than others. A review of literature can therefore help in identifying the most effective of the solutions that have been proposed. Literature review was used in analysing the different issues affecting Cokinggtn Green Gardens in order to come up with solutions based on past research studies into similar problems. This is in line with Altinay and Paraskevas’s (2008) point that literature review provides theory linked to the tourism and hospitality industry, including planning so as to enhance customer satisfaction. The issues are thus addresses in the following review of literature. According to Andrews (2009, p. 82), it is important to take into consideration the emotional experiences of guests in an attraction site. To start with, Andrews (2009, p. 82) notes that guests have become adventurous in that they want total experience that will trigger emotions. Therefore, a perfect experience is one that will appeal to all senses of the visitors; that is hearing, sight, smell, touch and taste. Their eyes would like to see unique facilities and amenities such as lighting, costumes, food presentations, décor; their would like to listed to appealing music; their hands would like to touch clean surfaces; their noses would like to smell fresh and pleasant aromas; and their tongues would like to taste delectable dishes. In addition to this, visitors want their attraction facility experience to touch their egos; they also need creative tastes for adventure, mostly for their heart. It is critical to note that the way in which the service staff delivers the service contributes greatly to the touching experience that the visitors derive from the attraction facility as pointed out by Andrews (2009, p. 82). In addition, guests expect the hospitality staff to anticipate their need and respond efficiently to them. Hence, as Andrews (2009, p. 82) notes, guests today are very demanding and are likely to frequent only those facilities that recognize their special ways. The best solution to the problems that were identified must therefore be related to satisfying the demanding nature of visitors. This leads to a need to define the meaning of customer satisfaction. According to Oliver (1997, cited by Ekinci and Sirakaya 2004, p. 190), satisfaction is the consumer’s fulfilment response. It is a verdict that a products of a service attribute, or the service or products itself, offered (or is offering) a pleasant level of consumption-related fulfilment, including levels of under- or over-fulfilment. Customer satisfaction is also defined as an individual’s perception of the performance of a service or product with reference to his or her expectations (Schiffman & Kanuk 2004, cited by Torres & Kline 2013, p. 643; Holjevac, Marković & Raspor n.d.). Further review of literature shows that customer satisfaction should be the motivation behind and any decision taken by a facility in improving any given process. According to Darlak (2007, p. 28), the concept of customer satisfaction includes the entire hospitality venue experience. Darlak (2007, p. 28) also reviewed a number of sources of literature which suggest that many behavioural attributes that are central to a consumer’s assessment of a service are encounter are constant across various service industry sectors. The literature suggests that customers expect concern, competence, civility and congeniality. In particular, it is noted that restaurants, private clubs and other hospitality facilities are arenas for multidimensional experience. Specifically, there is need to address the needs of different typed of customers, including the any complaints that they may have. As noted by Darlak (2007, p. 28), any discussion on customer satisfaction should briefly delve into customer complaints. Customer complaints can be grouped into various categories as distributive, procedural and interactional justice. Distributive justice refers to the allocation of costs as well as benefits in an attempt to attain equitable exchange relationships. Procedural justice implies the perception of the fairness of an attraction’s policies, procedures and methods used by managers to resolve issues. Finally, interactional justice refers to the fair treatment that customers receive during the process of resolving any problem in the institution (Darlak 2007, p. 28). Procedure There is need to determine methods which can be used to increase customer satisfaction and which can be perceived to bring more fairness in as far as offering different types of services to customers is concerned. Based on market research concepts, the following steps are used in making business decisions (according to My Market Research Methods 2011): Step 1: Defining the objective of the problem The problem has defined as treating customers with fairness and improving customer satisfaction Step 2: Determining the research design The research design is based on the research that was conducted in regard to service delivery at Cockington Green Gardens. Step 3: Designing and preparing the research instrument Step 4: Collecting data A wide range of problems were identified, which show that there is some level of dissatisfaction among visitors caused by inadequate service delivery in some areas Step 5: Analyzing the data From the problems that were identified, it is evident that effective solutions must those that aim at enhancing fairness in service delivery and increasing customer satisfaction at Cockington Green Gardens. Step 6: Visualizing the data and communicating results There is need to enhance fairness in service delivery to customers and also focus on better customer service since fair service delivery and customer satisfaction are two phenomena that are closely intertwined as suggested by Bowie and Buttle 2012, p. 259). Analysis It is noted in literature that service failure in the hospitality industry is inevitable (Bowie & Buttle, 2012, p. 258). However, many authors agree that when service failure occurs, it presents hospitality firms with an opportunity to recover from other service failures (Reid & Bojanic, 2009, p. 67). In addition, it is argued that the more professional firms are acutely aware of the significance of dealing with customer complaints effectively, and have mechanisms that are included in employees training programs, they more they are likely to improve their service delivery to customers (Bowie & Buttle, 2012, p. 258). In the first instance, it important for a hospitality organisation to learn from customer complaints by encouraging customers to complain as this can improve sales as well as service quality when the causes of the complaints are addressed. As was witnessed when customers who had not booked for the services at Cockington Green Gardens perceived that they were being treated unfairly, it is important for further intervention including the use of comment cards and questionnaires to encourage customer feedback on all service provided by staff at the facility. It is also possible to use toll-free numbers to encourage customers to provide feedback. In addition, service personnel should be in a position to ask customers whether everything regarding the services provided was satisfactory. All these strategies can help those customers who want to make comments (Bowie & Buttle, 2012, p. 258 – 259; Reid & Bojanic, 2009, p. 67; Pizam 2012, p. 128; Dev, 2012, p. 116; Laws, 2004, p. 148). Having made their complaints, customers expect that their grievances will be acted upon, and in a fair manner. There three types of fairness that hospitality organizations like Cockington Green Gardens can adopt: Outcome fairness: This refers to the tangible result that the customer expects to receive after a compliant (Bowie & Buttle, 2012, p. 259). Cockington Green Gardens can use a wide array of compensation options when customers complain, including apologies as was experienced when some customers complained over preferential treatment of some visitors; replacing a menu item; offering a complimentary drink; providing a room upgrade; reducing charges or offering complimentary services and products like meals or accommodation and so on depending on the type of complaint. Most customers expect fair compensation that matches the magnitude of the complaint. Procedural fairness: This refers to the hospitality firm’s policy and guidelines for handling complaints (Bowie & Buttle, 2012, p. 259). When a problem arises, most customers ideally expect the first employee that they talk to be in a position to sort out the problem or find someone who can. Procedural fairness therefore links the firm’s policy and procedures on responding quickly and efficiently to the complaint. For instance, customer-contact and front-of-house employees like waiters receptionists and so on need to determine what the customer’s problem, apologize, and take timely, polite and efficient action to provide a solution. This can significantly lower or eliminate the complaint during the moment of truth (Nykiel, 2007, p. 261; Zemke & Woods, 1998, p. 323; Uysal & Williams, 2013; Prideaux, Moscardo & Laws, 2006, p. 231; Smith, Buttel & Ankerholz-Potts, 2004, p. 12). Interactional fairness: This refers to customers expecting employees and the management of an attraction to treat them politely and honestly (Bowie & Buttle 2012, p. 259). There is no doubt that customers are interested in hospitality firms that genuinely care about their problems. Although this might be perceived as common sense, it can be note that some hospitality firms do not offer training in customer care while some do not allow frontline employees to take decisions. It is therefore possible to find some employees who lie to customers and to the management, and who do not take complaints by customers seriously. However, this point should be taken very seriously because when customers feel that they are unfairly treated due to the response from customer-contact employees, they are more likely to defect to competitors (Bowie & Buttle, 2012, p. 259). Training is particularly important since it enables employs to be informed of the critical incidents with potential strategies for recovery. In addition to this, there is need to empower employees to be able to take timely action and make substantial decisions. This implies that employees should have the capacity to handle failures at the time they occur, within certain limits. This could include allowing employees to take care of compensations customers as soon as the customers report dissatisfaction (Reid & Bojanic, 2009, p. 67). Conclusion This report has evaluated various problem areas that Cockington Green Gardens should address to enhance the quality of service delivery to customers. The major problems that the attraction needs to address answering calls in time, perceived unfairness to some customers and customer dissatisfaction, difficulties in identifying employees at the facility due to different dress codes, shortage of car parking space and limited transport services to the site. However, based on market research processes, it has been noted in order to address these problems, the most effective strategy would be one that addresses overall customer satisfaction. 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