Service Quality Management: Theories, Principles, Whitbread Plc

This project report provides an overview of the importance of service quality within the hospitality sector, focusing on Whitbread Plc. It explores the concept of service quality and its impact on customer relationships, cultural practices, and employee empowerment. The report evaluates service quality theories such as the Gap Model and SERVQUAL, highlighting their application in understanding and improving customer satisfaction. It also emphasizes the importance of customer feedback systems and proposes a framework for effective implementation. The analysis aims to identify gaps in service delivery, enhance customer experiences, and increase the overall viability and competitive advantage of Whitbread Plc.

Service Quality

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This project report summarises significance of quality service in hospitality sector. It had
demonstrated an understanding of concept of service quality through making customer
relationships stronger. It also focused on the cultural practices in regards with service quality as
well as employee empowerment. This project report also had also illustrated customer feedback
system through proper framework or template in an effective manner.

Contents
Contents...........................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
Service quality can be described as exercise whereby services provided by an organisation is
measured in the comparison of expectations of their customers. Providing quality service is
considered as important as it can prompt customers to spend more than they had expected or
planned. It also helps in retaining the existing customers as well as persuading prospective one to
procure the products or avail their services. It can also enhance reputation as well as viability of
an establishment on a global scale which help them to gain competitive advantage. Service
quality is directly integrated with customer satisfaction as organisations work for pleasing as
well as stimulating people to buy their products or avail their services. Main objective of service
quality is to provide competitive products or services in order to cater diverse needs of customers
as well as fulfil their expectation in a strategic manner. In order to have better understanding
about varied aspects in regards with service quality, Whitbread Plc have been taken into
consideration. Whitbread Plc is an UK based multinational hotel as well as restaurant
organisation which has its headquarters at Houghton Regis, United Kingdom.
This project report depicts an understanding about significant principles for managing the service
quality in chosen hospitality organisation. This also highlights an service quality procedures
which can impact current delivery system, motivation as well as staff engagement. This report
also illustrates the preparation of customer feedback system which help in improvising on quality
of services in an effective manner.
TASK 1
Critical evaluation of theories and principles of managing service quality by
justifying the importance of measuring service quality
Service quality can be understood as a concept which is closely linked with fulfilling customer
expectation and provide them satisfaction in a strategic manner. In a nutshell, it can be described
as assessment tool which evaluate how services are delivered to customers and measure their
satisfaction level.
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Understanding service quality through relationship among customer perception, expectations,
satisfaction and business performance
It is imperative for hospitality organisations to provide excellent services to their guests in terms
of quality food, polite behaviour, engaging attitude, feasible amenities and many more. Good
service quality provided by organisational managers led to satisfy customers as well as help in
making the enterprise more competitive. High quality standards can be attained by hospitality
establishments by identifying specified issues in services as well as dynamic market trends. For
example, global pandemic has changed the spending patters and dietary habits of people in a
significant manner. This led managers of Whitbread Plc to include vegan and plant-based dishes
in their menu for providing effective services to their guests. Good service quality provided by
managers of Whitbread Plc in regards with comfortable accommodated rooms and personalised
room service experiences. Their quality services led them to enhance their business performance
and increase their viability in market.
Comparative analysis of varied evolutionary theories in regards with service quality and its
importance
Service quality describes the retention power of their organisation in relevance with guests.
Quality of services is assessed for finding out the deviations which are occurring in case of
delivery of services to prospective customers in a strategic manner. It is imperative for business
houses to analyse varied theories in relevance with managing service quality in a strategic
manner. Comparative analysis of theories of service quality in context to Whitbread Plc are as
follows:
Gap model of service quality- This model is considered as helpful for understanding the
customer needs and their expectations in an effective manner. It essentially creates a roadmap for
assessing the overall service process of an establishment for discovering the gaps in them. These
gaps are then communicated to responsible authorities for making improvisations in them.
Usually, this model works to assess specified gaps in operations such as customer expectation,
perception of management, specifications of service quality and many more. It analyse the gap
among management perception and customer desires. This gap is created due to insufficient
interaction channels between customers and management. For example, a cafe manager think
that their customer want better ambience while the visitor want quality food.
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Another gap can be caused due to not setting of a proper performance standard by hotel
managers for assessing the specifications of their service quality. Managers of Whitbread Plc can
take help of this model for understanding the gaps in their operations as well as provide better
customer experience. Through this, top management of Whitbread Plc can measure how well
their managers are engaging with their guests and offering them quality services.
SERVQUAL model – It is designed for capturing as well as measuring experience of customers
in relevance with offered quality services by a hospitality organisation. At initial years of its
development, it is designed for measuring the service quality of organisations such as
telecommunication, banking as well as maintenance sector. As per this model, a questionnaire is
formulated which reflects 25 different items in relevance with service quality. This model is
designed on the basis of assumptions which is prepared by comparing perceptions of required
services and prior expectations of organisation in a specified industry. Respondents or guests are
asked to evaluate the quality of services in a strategic manner which led hotel managers to
improvise their services. It is imperative for managers of Whitbread Plc to have an understanding
about this model for assessing the differences between expected service as well as the experience
they actually provide to their guests. Through this, they can focus on customer needs and analyse
them in a strategic manner.
It has been compared that Gap and SERVQUAL model both are concerned with managing and
measuring quality standards in relevance with service in hospitality organisations. Through gap
model, managers of Whitbread Plc can analyse the differences among their services quality and
customer perception as well as expectations. It is considered as an important model for managing
service quality as it combines varied aspects of operations in relevance with management
perception, customer expectations and many more.
While with the adoption of SERVQUAL model, managers of Whitbread Plc can analyse the gap
in their services through asking from their guests in an effective manner. This model is
considered as beneficial for Whitbread Plc as it aid them to compare expectation of customers
and actual services they offer in a strategic manner.
Service quality management process through design, settings and encounter
Service quality management process can be understood as quality of services which are delivered
to customers.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
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