Progression Tourism Industry: Swiss Grand Resort Case - Book Report/Review Example

 Executive Summary The progression tourism industry mostly depends on customer satisfaction ratio with the quality of services provided in a specific tourism cite. This is particularly true to hotel resort and spa business. This is a report about the customer service at Swiss Grand Resort and Spa Hotel in Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia. The author personally visited the Hotel and made observations and recommendations as follows: Observations; Staff particularly waiters and servers do not know the standards of company On, phone service there was rude attitude Lack of coordination among waiters Recommendations; Improve quality of customer service by training staff to deal with customer patiently and in a civilized manner Coordination among waiters and servers Complimentary additions to drink Introduction Throughout decades and centuries, hospitality has been constantly developing and adapting to rapid changes in customer demand, tastes and preferences aiming at accommodating an optimal number of domestic, inbound and outbound visitors and securing top quality customer service and experience. As opposed to many other industries, the hotel resort and spa business and its related industries are very much dependent upon customer experience. Therefore, the top priority for all resorts and spas of today consists in enhancing the quality of customer service through constant and consistent training of their staff. Thus, within the framework of the given report, that focuses on the importance of excellence in terms of customer service in a hotel resort and spa business on the basis of a personal site visit and individual impressions of servicing in the Swiss Grand Resort and Spa Hotel in Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia. Swiss Grand Hotel – Personal Review The Swiss Grand Hotel is a resort and spa hotel located on Bondi Beach Sydney Australia that prides itself on its top class services around the clock. In a bid to evaluate their claim to fame I personally visited their base in Bondi via their bar services to determine first-hand how good their services really are. Recommendation 1 First and foremost, most accommodative areas in Sydney adopt a refusal to service to patrons that are on the phone as it was viewed as interruptive. When I was on the phone in the bar area, I was asked if I wanted anything and found that quite rude and intervening hence believe that the Swiss Grand would not lose from adopting this approach to customer service. While they may think immediacy of service is priority, customer satisfaction and privacy should be bought to the forefront to ensure satisfaction of service. Patience in service can also be applied in that the customer will still be asked and customer service standards still upheld, just at a time that is more convenient and suitable for the individual. Again in comparison to other hotels in Sydney, I decided to pay a visit to the bar at the Westin hotel to see how they operate behind the scenes. In talking to one of the bar staff one of the points they rose which I choose to adopt as my own on his behalf is the point of ‘in-your-face’ customer service that involves too many waiters asking if you require anything. At the Swiss Grand I had already been asked by a waiter if I required or would like a drink and was then asked by another waiter if I would like a drink after previously declining the waiter before. The point that the waiter at the Westin informed me of was a subtle system they have in place that incorporates coasters as a means of communication amongst staff. Once a patron has been looked after or asked for service the waiter responds by placing the coaster a certain way in a certain position that communicates the response of the patron to other staff members. The use of coasters is an innovative use of coasters for one, but also prevents customers from being “double-asked”. Recommendation 2 Another recommendation involves complementary additions to drinks that have been ordered. It was an expectation that I would be offered free nuts with my drink and I am quite confident that it is a standard of Swiss Grand to be offered nuts. On the off chance this waiter was unaware of standards. In the above situation, the server was unaware of the fundamental company philosophy and ideology as well as of the basic standards provided in the Swiss Grand branded hotels, which, according to Buhalis and Costa (2006) is a significant drawback in quality management in terms of securing the desired experience values. Therefore, consistency in training in general and consistency in the on-the-job coaching in particular, would be highly recommended. Moreover, consistency and professionalism are key determinants in building a base of loyal customers in hospitality. Servicing in an efficient and courteous manner on a continual basis secures repeat customers who trust the consistently pleasant experience which was delivered at the place they currently prefer. As a result, mindfulness of consistency coupled with a culture of responsibility and empowerment is critical in order to maintain a high return in customers (Guiseppe de Carlo, 2007). Besides, learning is a life-long process. And in view of the high fluctuation of personnel and seasonality patterns of the service industry, constant training with a primary focus on guest-driven technical and service strategies is an indispensible factor for securing superior standards and exceptional personal service in all segments of hospitality (Hassanien, Dale & Clarke, 2010). The benefits of training are sometimes difficult to quantify. Yet, indubitably, excellence in servicing begins with top training and in the long run requires continual reviewing and updating. One of the most efficient tactics for enhancing operational efficiency and customer service is the so-called “service through the guests' eyes", which helps to plunge into the atmosphere, understand the guest’s position and change respectively. Such trainings improve personal service and guest satisfaction significantly (Kandampully et al., 2001). Staff Hospitality Ranking Terrible Poor Average Good Excellent Friendly √ Helpful √ Courteous √ Supportive √ Table 1: Staff Hospitality Ranking Customer Service Skills Ranking Terrible Poor Average Good Excellent Knowledge of the Company’s Products and Services √ Good Listening and Communication Skills √ Professionalism √ Problem-Solving √ Time Management √ Task Orientation √ Table 2: Ranking of Customer Service Skills Figure 12: General Impression of Swiss Grand Hotel Conclusion After visiting and observing the Swiss Grand Resort and Spa Hotel in Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia, the author is of the opinion that overall customer service is good, but there are some areas that require consideration. The author noticed that customer is repeatedly asked by waiters and there is lack of coordination. Secondly, customer is dealt in a rude way particularly on phone and last observation is that complementary addition with drinks was not served. The author recommends that staff should be trained in dealing customer; they should be patient in dealing and ensure customer satisfaction as their priority. Secondly, there needs a system that one customer is not repeatedly asked by many waiters, i.e., coordination among waiters. Finally, make sure that complementary additions with drinks are served. Appendixes Figure 12: General Impression of Swiss Grand Hotel Table 1: Staff Hospitality Ranking Table 2: Ranking of Customer Service Skills References Buhalis, D. & Costa, C. (2006). Tourism Business Frontiers: Consumers, Products and Industry. Elsevier Ltd. Guiseppe de Carlo (2007). Training-4-Hospitality. Guiseppe de Carlo. Hassanien, A. Dale, C. & Clarke, A. (2010). Hospitality Business Development. 1st Edition. Elsevier Ltd. Kandampully, J., Mok, C. & Sparks B. (2001). Service Quality Management in Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure. New York: The Haworth Hospitality Press. Swiss Grand Resort & Spa (2011). 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