Hospitality Customer Service Best Practices

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This assignment delves into the critical aspects of providing exceptional customer service within the hospitality industry. It examines best practices implemented by successful companies, highlighting strategies for delivering memorable guest experiences and fostering customer loyalty. The analysis draws upon academic research and industry insights to provide a comprehensive understanding of the key factors driving excellence in hospitality customer service.

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Customer Service
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK A...........................................................................................................................................3
a) Reasons for customer service policies and how it assists staff training..................................3
b) Evaluation of different methods of communication................................................................5
c) Analysis of customer perceptions and service provisions.......................................................7
TASK B(1).......................................................................................................................................8
a) Sources of information on the customer..................................................................................8
b) Analysis of customers requirements and satisfaction for selected business............................9
TASK B(2).....................................................................................................................................10
a) An excellent customer service you have ever given or received...........................................10
b) Self reflection on your customers service skill and ways of improving................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13
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INTRODUCTION
Hospitality industry is one of the largest service sectors that render services to host and
guests in order to have pleasant experience within the organization (Wu and Liang, 2009). In
other words, customer service is also known as an art or activity to entertain the guests and
visitors who visit different places. Customer service generally ensures comfortable ambiance
with leisure and luxurious stay to all the guests who visit hotels. The growth within hospitality
industry has given rise to effective customer services to their customers so that they visit the
hotel in the future as well. It is considered to be major factor that assist in bringing customers
back to the hotel. If the hospitality organization gets positive feedback from the customers, then
the services of hotel prove to be of good quality. Presently, the report focuses on understanding
of the policies that are related with the customer services in the business contexts. Furthermore,
it will also analyse influence of service provisions on customer’s perception. In addition to this,
report will also analyse the requirement of clients that must be satisfied by the business through
enabling effective customer service.
TASK A
a) Reasons for customer service policies and how it assists staff training
In order to survive within the hospitality industry, it is essential for the guests and
customers to know about the different customer services that are offered by the hospitality
organization. Ritz-Carlton is one of the notable subsidiary companies of Marriott International
which focuses on providing luxurious and effectual services to their customer so that they get
attracted towards their services and prefer to visits their hotel in the nearby future too (Kotler,
Bowen and Makens, 2006). Thereafter, as customers are unaware regarding the services that is
being provided in Ritz-Carlton thus; they must ensure proper customer service policies to satisfy
the requirement. The cited hospitality organization will perform well only if they caters proper
customer services to their guests and visitors. Through slashing their service prices and offering
promotions, they can only attract the customers at once and make profits. But through rendering
proper and excellent services, they could keep ensuring customers about their services in the
future (Keyton and Mohamed, 2010). Another reason for enabling customer service policy is to
ensure that staff and employees must provide adequate and prime service that keep attract the
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customers towards their hotel that further, enhances the organizational performance. Therefore,
through framing adequate customer service policy it will also assists the guests in gaining
adequate information regarding the services and privileges that are accessible to the guests. The
associated policies are mainly framed by the organization that generally focuses on detailing the
roles and duties of staff and employees for rendering services within the premises (Carraher,
2008). However, the policies also results in delivering quality of the guests that results in
achieving loyalty among the customers. In addition to this, policies related to service provisions
of customer service provide a summary of facilities that are provided by the hospitality
organization. Different customer service policies that Ritz-Carlton may use within their premises
include:
Warm welcome of the customers
The foremost customer service policy that is being used by Ritz-Carlton hotel is to ensure
warm welcome to the guests and customers who visits their place (Deng and et.al., 2010).
Through this policy manager of hotel must ensure proper welcome of their guests by providing
them comfortable and pleasant environment to customers so that they can satisfy their needs and
requirement.
Maintaining brand image of hotel
Another customer service policy of Ritz-Carlton assist in maintaining and enhancing their
brand image in the overall hospitality industry. Thus, through maintaining brand image of hotel
they can easily attract new customer towards their services (Heinonen, Strandvik and Voima,
2013). Manager of Ritz-Carlton should maintain the brand image of hotel by providing quality
services to their clients and guests that visits their hotel so that they should also recommend the
hotel service to other customers and guests that enhances their brand awareness.
Fond farewell
Another customer service policy of Ritz-Carlton include that staff and employees of the
hotel renders fond farewell to the guest and visitors who left the hotel premises so that in future
they may visits the hotel again and again (Jones and et.al., 2010). In addition to this, it is
necessary for the staff of organization to use the guests name and warm phases that attract the
customers and fulfil the leisure expectation of the guests. However, the customer service is
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consider as essential aspect within the hospitality industry that must be looked so that customer
gets excellent services in the hotel.
Providing medical aid facilities to all guests
In addition to this, the customer service policy within Ritz-Carlton also focuses on
providing adequate medical assistance to the guests at the time emergency (Chang, Gong and
Shum, 2011). Therefore, ensuring proper safety of the customer and guests is the major service
that attract large number of customers towards the hotel services.
Therefore, in order to implement these customer services policies within Ritz-Carlton
manager must focuses on assisting staff training within the hotel so that they can easily amend
their services according to the customer requirement. Through enabling staff training they will
amend the skills and knowledge related with providing medical aid facilities for the guests so
that it may not harm their health (Ariffin and Maghzi, 2012). Furthermore, through staff training
they can also enhances and amend the customer service skills so that they can easily welcome
their guests and customers in the hotel.
b) Evaluation of different methods of communication
In order to provide proper and adequate services to customers and guests of Ritz-Carlton,
employees use different methods of communication. With the help of effective communication
process, staff and employees within the hospitality organization can easily communicate to the
customers. Through using proper method of communication, they can easily determine the
requirements and needs of the customers and guests who visited their hotel so that they can
provide quality and effective services to their customers (Bergman and Klefsjö, 2010). There are
assorted method of communication that must be used by the staff and employees of Ritz-Carlton
which are as follows:ï‚· Oral communication: The foremost method of communication which is being used by
the staff includes oral communication with the customers and guests of the hotel. It is an
effective method that ensures face–to-face communication between the guests and
employees. Through this method, employees can get instant response from the guests
regarding the services which they want within the premises to ensure leisure and
luxurious stay (Brownell, 2010). In addition to this, oral communication method is also
advantageous to the organization as employees easily determine the needs and wants of
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the guests without any problem. However, there are certain disadvantages of using oral
communication among the customers of Ritz-Carlton as it lack the secrecy of the
information as customers and employees are communicating verbally to each other
(Yang, 2004). Furthermore, the disadvantage of oral communication may also include
that it may cause disruption and noise within the hotel premises that interrupt the guests.ï‚· Telephonic communication: In addition to this, another method of communication
includes telephonic conversation among the guests and employees of the organization
(Miller, 2011). Hotel manager mostly uses telephonic communication among the hotel to
communicate with their customers and guests to ensure that their requirement has been
met or not. In addition to this, with the use of telephonic method of communication, hotel
manager can take care of customer’s requirement and needs. Managers often use the
telephonic communication methods to communicate with the inter department so that
they can easily meet the requirement of customers (Hudson and Hudson, 2013). For
instance; through telephonic communication, guests can easily order the required food
and beverages in their suites. Furthermore, using telephonic communication can also act
as disadvantage for Ritz-Carlton hotel as they are not sure that guests are available to take
the call or not. Another disadvantage of using telephonic communication is that with
improper telephone line result in ineffective communication process among the guests
and manager of hotel.ï‚· Social media communication: It is an effective method of communication that can be
used within hospitality organization so that manager of Ritz-Carlton can easily
communicate with their guests and visitors. Thus, it further supports the manager of hotel
to communicate with large masses of audience so that they can easily provide them detail
information regarding their services that they provide to their customers and guests who
visited their hotel (Solnet, Kandampully and Kralj, 2010). With the increasing pace of
social media sites, people are connecting to hotels to gain information regarding their
services. The advantage of using social media communication method is that manager of
Ritz-Carlton will target large audiences and communicate their services so that they
prefer their services in future.
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ï‚· Websites: Another method of communication that is being used by the manager of Ritz-
Carlton is to communicate with their customers through developing and creating their
own websites. For example, Ritz-Carlton has also created their websites so that they can
easily interact with their customers regarding their services and prices of their hotel
(Akbar, Som and Alzaidiyeen, 2010). The foremost advantage of using the website
method of communication is that it targets large number of customers and provide them
necessary information related with their services.
c) Analysis of customer perceptions and service provisions
The main reason of ensuring overall growth and development of hospitality organization
generally depend upon the services and their service quality that are being offered to their guests
and visitors (Wirtz and et.al., 2013). The customers have different perception for opting the
services of Ritz-Carlton that is as compare to the rival hotel organization Ritz-Carlton renders
quality service to the guests then the perception of customers towards the hotel will get change
and they will choose to visits that hotel. On the other hand, if the guests rate the services of hotel
poor as compare with the competitor or rival company then customers will not prefer to visits
such hotel (Torres and Kline, 2013). Therefore, it is necessary for the hotel to understand the
customer perception and then deliver services that are perceived by the visitors. The different
perception of customers towards the Ritz-Carlton hotel is that-
The foremost perceptive of customer to use the services of Ritz-Carlton include that
they want to accomplish their leisure needs by selecting the services of hotel (Yagil, 2008).
Therefore, hotel can satisfy the leisure needs of customers through providing different service
provisions related with gaming, sport activity, spa facilities, pool facilities etc. all these facilities
and services provided by the hotel results in meeting the leisure perspective of the customers.
Most the customer perception to visits Ritz-Carlton hotel is that to have pleasant stay and
unlimited fun. Therefore, providing extra services and recreational facilities support in attracting
the customers.
Another perspective of customers is that they want premium and quality services from
the Ritz-Carlton so that customers get easily satisfied (Wu, 2009). Therefore, this will also result
in boosting the sales and services of the hotel that meet different needs of the customers. In
respect with this, manager of Ritz-Carlton directly focuses on providing effective training and
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development sessions for the employees so that they can easily meet the required luxurious and
premium need of the customers.
However, the perception of customer changes towards the Ritz-Carlton with reviewing
the positive and negative comment of the guests on the micro-blogging sites TripAdvisor (Wu
and Liang, 2009). Therefore, manager of hotel must focuses on overcome the negative comment
through amending their services to change the negative comment into the positive feedback.
However, through offering new services within the hotel may also changes the perception of
hotel among the customers. As, with the wide range of recreational and luxurious services they
can easily attract new customers and met their expectation (Kotler, Bowen and Makens, 2006).
TASK B(1)
a) Sources of information on the customer
In order to determine the requirement and needs of their customers and guests, it is
essential for manager of Ritz-Carlton to focuses on assessing different sources that support in
collecting relevant and adequate information regarding their customers. There are different
sources that are being used by the manager that assists in collecting relevant and adequate
information that further support them in satisfying their guests (Keyton and Mohamed, 2010).
The different sources that must be used by manager basically include; direct interaction with
guests, taking information through TripAdvisor, examining internal reports of the hospitality
organization, using external reports to collect information on the customers, etc.
One of the qualitative sources that are being used by Ritz-Carlton manager to accumulate
the customer information is through asking questions to their guests and visitors who visits their
hotel. Asking their guests regarding customer and other services is an effectual source of gaining
reliable and accurate data as management is directly in touch with the customers and guests.
Another source of information that is being used by manager of Ritz-Carlton for accumulating
the response of customers and guests is by reviewing the micro-blogging sites that is
TripAdvisor (Carraher, 2008). Through using this, application customers and guests who have
used their services can rate them and also specify their additional services in the comment that
must be offered by the hotel to satisfy the customers. In addition to this, through studying the
internal reports and sheets of Ritz-Carlton, manager can easily collect the information regarding
the guest’s history such as number of visitors preferred their hotel premises during any holiday
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or festive season, etc. Furthermore, through examining the internal report, manager of Ritz-
Carlton can also review the visitor’s comments and complaints of the customers towards the
services of hotel (Deng and et.al., 2010). For example, if the customer have given positive
comment and review regarding services of hotel then it may ensure that customers and guests are
happy with the services of hotel.
In addition to this, Ritz-Carlton manager can also use qualitative methods for
accumulating the reliable information on the needs of customers. With the help of taking
interview of hotel guests and customers after rendering them services is an effectual source of
gathering information from the customers. Therefore, it support the manager of Ritz-Carlton to
know the experience of customers that they gain within the hotel (Heinonen, Strandvik and
Voima, 2013). Thus, it result in measuring the effectiveness of company in satisfying the needs
and expectation of their guests.
b) Analysis of customers requirements and satisfaction for selected business
In order to ensure successful business it is essential for Ritz-Carlton manager to focus on
analysing the different requirement and needs of the customers so that they can easily satisfy
their needs. An study of different customers requirement generally focuses on:
ï‚· Hygiene requirement- The foremost customer requirement while selecting the hotel
ensure assessing the hygiene factor within the hotel (Jones and et.al., 2010). The manager
of hotel must take care regarding the hygiene factor within the premise. They must use
bactericidal and disinfectants for cleaning the lobby and hotel rooms so that they may
satisfy the hygiene requirement of guests.
ï‚· Leisure requirement- Another customer requirement that need to be satisfied by the
manager of Ritz-Carlton hotel is related with meeting the leisure need of customers
(Chang, Gong and Shum, 2011). For instance; to satisfy the leisure needs of customers
and guests hotel manager must provide spa as well as swimming facilities to their guests
for successful operation of the business organization.
ï‚· Business requirement- There are different customers and clients of Ritz-Carlton to who
they provide extra services related with organizing meeting, conference and birthday
parties. Therefore, to meet the requirement of business clients manager must focuses on
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satisfying their business requirement by providing them adequate electronic equipment
and ambiance for conducting conference and meeting.
Therefore, these are the services that are provided by Ritz-Carlton to satisfy the different
requirement and needs of guests and customers (Ariffin and Maghzi, 2012). In order to improve
the service quality within the hotel there are various suggestions recommended for the hotel that
assist in providing quality service to their customers that is-ï‚· Maintain the electronic equipment- In order to amend the customer service of Ritz-
Carlton it is advisable for manager to focus on maintaining the electronic instrument
within their premises so that they can easily provide quality services to their customers
(Bergman and Klefsjö, 2010). For example, manager must review and monitor the
technological tool that is security camera that they are working or not.
ï‚· Hire skilled and qualified staff- Another suggestion for necessary improvements within
Ritz-Carlton include hiring and selecting qualified personnel for the hotel premises. As, it
would support in rendering proper services to the customers (Brownell, 2010). Further, it
also assist in understanding the different needs and requirement of the customers so that
they can amend the services of Ritz-Carlton in that manner that it provide leisure and
luxurious experience to the guests.
TASK B(2)
a) An excellent customer service you have ever given or received
In the competitive scenario, for encouraging the value or worth of the services it is
effective for me to focus on delivering excellent services to visitors and guests who visits their
hotel for the first time (What Are Examples of Good Service in the Restaurant Industry, 2016).
While rendering the services as front office manager I must focuses on correct service provisions
as per the requirement and needs of the customer and clients so that I can receive positive
feedback or response from the clients and customers.
An excellent customer service is the one when the staff and employees are prompt in
delivering the quality services as well as staff are friendly in providing comfortable environment
to customers. However, rendering service as front-office manager of Ritz-Carlton I had given
different services to the customers that generally include-
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ï‚· Striking up with the conversation: The foremost excellent service that is being provided
by me is that I initiate in striking conversation with the clients that assists me in
determining their needs and requirement that they expect from the hotel. With the help of
continuous conversation I can easily determine the individual and client needs. Through
enabling proper conversation with the customer I has build relationship with the
customers that support me in becoming friendly to the customers.ï‚· Warm welcome and good bye to clients: Another service that I give to customers and
guests of Ritz-Carlton is that I provide warm welcome to the guests and customers who
visits our hotel. While welcoming the customers and visitors I had provided them
comfortable environment through enabling waiting provisions so that customers can wait
till they have been allotted the rooms and suites.
ï‚· Being prompt: However, I have also given good customer service by being so prompt
that it assist me in meeting the needs of customers. Being prompt I was able to take care
regarding the requirement of customers that result in enabling good experience to the
customers. The evidence of being so prompt result in satisfying the need of customers
and fulfilling them in the required time period.
b) Self reflection on your customers service skill and ways of improving
Working as front-office manager within Ritz-Carlton there are various customer service
skills that need to feature by me so that I can easily render the quality services to the customers
and guests those whop prefer our hotel (5 best practices in hospitality customer service, 2014).
In order to satisfy the requirement and need of customer I must have adequate skills that support
me in attracting the different client and customers. While working as front-office manager in the
reputed firm it is important for the position to understand the requirement and give good
customer service to guests. I posses effective communication skills that assist me to easily
communicate with the guests who visits Ritz-Carlton hotel. With the help of effective
communication skills I can also transfer adequate information and knowledge regarding the
services that are provided by the hotel to meet the recreational and leisure needs of guests. In
addition to this, I must also posses good patience level and humbleness that support in handling
all type of customers and guests. Even so, I also possess effective listening skills that assist me to
listen the complaint, queries and requirement of the guests. With the adequate listening skills I
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can also handle the complaint and queries of customers and guests that they are facing within the
hotel premises and thus, improve their customer services.
Therefore, there are certain skills that I lack so it would be effective for me to amend and
develop the skills so that I can easily render quality customer services. Through self assessment I
come to know about that I lack the stress management skills that is is essential for front-office
manager to manage and handle the stressed and angry customers at the reception. Furthermore, I
have also determined that I also lack good presentation skills that affect my activity while
welcoming the guests and customers in the hotel. Therefore, to amend these customer service
skills I must focuses on proper training and development sessions that support me in amending
these skills so that I can render quality customer service to individual. In addition to this, to
develop the stress management skill I must focus on continuous dealing with the frustrated and
angry customers so that I can develop these skills in the proper manner.
CONCLUSION
From the entire report it can be summarizes that the main reason for developing and
growing the hospitality industry is delivering quality services to the customers so that they may
easily get satisfied. It may also concluded that customer service plays an essential role that
directly affect the operations and performance of the hospitality organization. While rendering
service in the hotel industry it is effective to render quality service to their customers and guests
so that it may easily accomplish and achieve their expectation. On the other it may also conclude
different method of communication that assist the employees and staff to communicate with the
guests and customers. In addition to this, the report has also concluded that there are different
sources that must be used by the manager of Ritz-Carlton so that they can easily gather the
required information from the customers and amend their customer service accordant with their
requirement. Lastly, the report has also self reflect their customer service skills that support them
in attracting and targeting the large customers.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Akbar, S., Som, A. P. M. and Alzaidiyeen, N. J., 2010. Revitalization of service quality to gain
customer satisfaction and loyalty.International Journal of Business and Management. 5(6).
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Ariffin, A. A. M. and Maghzi, A., 2012. A preliminary study on customer expectations of hotel
hospitality: Influences of personal and hotel factors.International Journal of Hospitality
Management. 31(1). pp.191-198.
Bergman, B. and Klefsjö, B., 2010. Quality from customer needs to customer satisfaction.
Studentlitteratur.
Brownell, J., 2010. Leadership in the service of hospitality. Cornell Hospitality Quarterly. 51(3).
pp. 363-378.
Carraher, S., 2008. Customer Service during Peak (in Season) and Non-Peak (off Season) Times:
A Multi-Country (Austria, Switzerland, UK & USA) Examination of Entrepreneurial
Tourist Focused Core Personnel. International Journal of Entrepreneurship. 12. pp. 39.
Chang, S., Gong, Y. and Shum, C., 2011. Promoting innovation in hospitality companies
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Deng, Z. and et.al., 2010. Understanding customer satisfaction and loyalty: An empirical study
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Heinonen, K., Strandvik, T. and Voima, P., 2013. Customer dominant value formation in
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Jones, T. and et.al., 2010. Service customer commitment and response. Journal of Services
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Keyton, J. and Mohamed, B., 2010. Customer loyalty and the impacts of service quality: The
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Kotler, P., Bowen, J. T. and Makens, J. C., 2006. Marketing for hospitality and tourism. Prentice
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Solnet, D., Kandampully, J. and Kralj, A., 2010. Legends of service excellence: The habits of
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Torres, E. and Kline, S., 2013. From customer satisfaction to customer delight: Creating a new
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Wirtz, J. and et.al., 2013. Managing brands and customer engagement in online brand
communities. Journal of Service Management. 24(3). pp.223-244.
Wu, C. H. J. and Liang, R. D., 2009. Effect of experiential value on customer satisfaction with
service encounters in luxury-hotel restaurants. International Journal of Hospitality
Management. 28(4). pp. 586-593.
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Wu, C. H. J., 2009. Effect of experiential value on customer satisfaction with service encounters
in luxury-hotel restaurants. International Journal of Hospitality Management. 28(4). pp.
586-593.
Yagil, D., 2008. Stressors and resources in customer service roles: Exploring the relationship
between core self-evaluations and burnout. International Journal of Service Industry
Management. 19(5). pp. 575-595.
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