International Hotels - Report Example

INTERNATIONAL HOTELS By Student’s Name Code + Name of Course Professor Institution City/State Date International Hotels Introduction For the last ten years, Bellevue Hotel has heavily invested on efficient and satisfactory customer service to build customer satisfaction and loyalty and this has largely contributed to its competitive position in the hospitality industry. The customer rate on cleanliness, location, sleep quality, and rooms is excellent; however, the rating on service and value has been declining. There are increased complaints, most of which relate to the long wait at check-ins and checkouts. The customers have also complained of customer neglect, a situation that has led to customer dissatisfaction and shift of demand and loyalty to other hotels offering similar services in a manner that meets their expectation. This is evident in the reducing number of hotel guests, especially during the peak seasons. Occupancy has been so high year after year, and the hotel has regretted a large number of reservations. A large number of guests have refused to check in because of the poor efficiency of the front office personnel to reserve rooms for them. Some customers who have booked rooms, a month prior to the date of arrival have been refused accommodation due to non-availability of rooms. Various groups have been provided only partial accommodation and this has led a whole group to refuse to check in as the reservations had been made for the whole group and not only some of them. Some of these guests have been frequent customers and this has made the condition worse. Numerous problems have come up due to overbooking of rooms, due to which all rooms are occupied leading to guest dissatisfaction. The arrivals are more than the departures and there are usually rooms overbooked especially during the high season. This means that some guests are left stranded without any rooms. In addition, there have also been problems with checkouts. Checkout during peak hours takes too much long as there is no express checkout. This has led to numerous customer complaints, which are not sufficiently addressed by the front office manager. Although the number of guests is still high in the hotel, it has reduced compared to the previous years. There is need for effective front office operations and management to help solve these problems. The front office staffs are the persons who greet guests in the officer, answer, manage phone calls, and undertake all the scheduling. They are as the face of the hotel practice; they form the entrance of the hotel as well as all its services (O’Fallon & Rutherford 2011). The impression made by these staff is very important to the rest of the hotel guests stay. Guests arriving in different states of mind require assistant in having a pleasant stay in the hotel and in checking out after their stay. The check in and checkout processes should afford the front office a chance of making a positive impression on the hotel guests. The problem of overbooking needs to be addressed. The hotel needs to invest a lot of effort in the first impression and regard front office as the most important department in the hotel. Solutions for Addressing the Problems in the Hotel There is a need to ensure effectiveness of the front office department and a proficient front office manager can enable this. The contemporary front office manager needs extensive training and experience in this vital area to manage a workforce that delivers hospitality every day (Bardi 2011). The front office manager should be hands on in working with the front office staff, ensuring that they are doing their jobs efficiently, holding meetings with the front office staff to discuss the day operations, and reviewing hospitality standards, holding meeting with the head of other departments such as sales to ensure that the hotel is not overcommitted. There should be a good relationship between the manager and the other staff in the front office department. This serves to motivate the staff and ensuring loyal clients for the hotel. There is need for an effective process of managing check-ins and checkouts, which will ensure that there are no complaints from customers about non-availability of rooms having booked beforehand. The hotel has high occupancy percentage and hence may install various technologies to ensure that there are no delays during check-in and checkouts. According to Keller (2012, par. 1), “hotel chains around the world are turning to modern technology to create the ultimate stay for guests..From wireless check-ins to in-room technology, travel is being enhanced through a high-tech hotel experience.” High-tech computer software has been allowing the front desk personnel to confirm reservations and check room availabilities with just a single click. The expedited booking and check in process can help improve Bellevue Hotel inefficient check in and checkout processes. Guests are able to have more control over their travel plans, for instance, when they get to the hotel, through using self-guided check-ins. This can help to reduce the long check-in and checkout queues’ in the hotel. The guests would check in briefly at the front office desk for their room keys. Jones and Lockwood (2004) highlighted the important role which technology plays in delivery of customer service by helping to deliver higher quality service levels through the increased speed of actions, for instance, billing, and reservation. An integrated billing can also help to streamline checkouts also reducing long queues. Keller (2012) further noted that the new technology do away with the need for long stops at the front office for checkouts and check-ins. It also frees staff and enables the hotel to assign additional resources to improve the whole stay of the guests. Such technologies can help the hotel in creating a more efficient operation system, which can help improve the quality of customer service. This can in turn improve customer satisfaction, creating more customers that are loyal. Vallen and Vallen (2009) highlighted the need for delivering quality service through meeting both tangible and intangible guest expectations. Within the hospitality industry, and particularly front office, customer service is an important element of the guests’ experience. Retaining customers through effective customer service is important as the customers are fully satisfied and they help to create more business for the hotel. There is also need for an effective mechanism for handling customer feedback and complaints. Continuous feedback from customers regarding their experience can help hotel operations in improving and building upon customer service. Customer complaints should be taken positively and be regarded as an important feedback resource for overcoming customer dissatisfaction, expanding customer loyalty, and finding solutions to problems. Jones and Lockwood (2004) observed that hotels have fuelled customers’ higher quality expectations through using quality as a marketing tool. The hotel thus has to improve its customer service to ensure quality in delivery of services through ensuring effective check-in and checkouts. Customers’ complaints naturally reflect service deficiencies and customer dissatisfaction and hence they can be used to improve the quality of services offered, as the hotel can identify areas that need improvement. Customer feedback, including complaints should be of strategic importance to the hotel and should be handled with care and attention. Unaddressed complaints lead to loss of customers in the hotel. Most customers want good service and some will go elsewhere if they do not get it. According to Technical Assistance Programs (TARP), a customer service research and consulting firm, 90% of customers who are dissatisfied with the service of a firm will not return, 96% of unhappy customers do not voice their discontent to the firm, and the average customer with a complaint will inform 9-10 persons (Young 2008). In addition, 50-70% of the customers who have grievances, they will do business with the firm if the issue is resolved. The hotel should create and open avenues for guest complaints. Most of the best avenues include placing a suggestion box as well as telephone help lines. In case a customer is right about a complaint, the hotel should set the issue right to ensure that the customer is satisfied. For instance, in case of a financial problem, the personnel can refund the money or explain the claim The front office operations need to be improved, as this is where the guests gain the first important impression and it is the communication center for the hotel’s operations. According to Vallen and Vallen (2009, p. 97), the front office is a bundle of duties as well as guest services. The front office team in the offices needs to be well informed of the standards operating procedures in the hospitality industry. Such procedures offer guidelines required to supply the workers with the capacity to replicate important actions such as checkouts and check-ins. In relation to standards, it is the role of the front office personnel to make sure that the first contact of the customers with the hotel is a positive experience. The all-important first impression will depend on the reception as well as the good organization of the check-in process, both of which have to do with the standards that are in place. Integrated into the delivery of such standards is customer service and it is the role of the office team to efficiently manage the service encounter in the hotel. According to Jones and Lockwood (2004), service encounter is very critical to the operational success of a department. The front office manager should ensure that all the personnel in the front line department are doing their duty accordingly. The manager can also assist the personnel undertake their duties in case of work overload to increase rapport with them. The front office personnel should interact with guests on a routine basis, the interaction should take the form of providing advice and information in a friendly way. The hotel should replace or make corrections by creating a good image. It is easy to get customers; however, it is difficult to get them back. Complaints are bound to feature occasionally and the front office department should address them in more realistic and rational way. Conclusion The Bellevue Hotel ratings on service and value have been declining rapidly. This is evident in the number of complaints from the guests especially on check-ins and checkouts. The arrivals are more than the departures and there are usually rooms overbooked which has led some customers to miss rooms, which they had booked beforehand. Checkout during peak hours also takes too much long. There is need for the front office to make check in and checkout processes have a positive impression on the hotel guests. The problem of overbooking needs to be addressed through an efficient front office department that efficiently manages check-ins and checkouts and addressing customer complaints to improve service. Modern technology can help to ensure a reliable check-in and checkout process. This will help hotel operations in improving and building upon customer service. Reference List Bardi, J 2011, Hotel front office management, 5ed, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, New Jersey. Jones, P & Lockwood, A 2004, The management of hotel operations, Thomson, Cornwall. Keller, T 2012, Modern Technology Improves the Hospitality Industry, viewed February 17, 2014 O’Fallon, M & Rutherford, D 2011, Hotel management and operations, 5ed, John Wiley & Sons, Inc, Hoboken, New Jersey. Vallen, G & Vallen, J 2009, Check-in check-out managing hotel operations, 8ed, Pearson, New Jersey. Young, L 2008, From products to services: insights and experience from companies which have embraced the Service Economy, John Wiley & Sons, Inc, Hoboken, New Jersey. Read More