Customer Service Analysis Report: InterContinental Hotel Case Study

This report presents a comprehensive analysis of customer service at the InterContinental Hotel. It begins with an introduction outlining the report's objectives, which include analyzing service quality using the SERVQUAL model, demonstrating understanding of service recovery through the four acid tests, and providing recommendations based on a customer survey. The main body delves into the SERVQUAL model, examining its dimensions and gaps to identify areas for improvement. The report then explores the four acid tests of service recovery (customer satisfaction, customer retention, process improvement, and financial performance) within the hospitality context. Finally, it presents a survey report, analyzing customer feedback on various aspects of the hotel's services, including front office operations, housekeeping, dining, and maintenance. Based on the survey results, the report offers specific recommendations for enhancing customer service, such as improved staff training, increased staffing levels, menu diversification, and better maintenance practices. The report concludes by summarizing the key findings and recommendations.

CUSTOMER SERVICE
ASSIGNMENT 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Analyse service quality (SERVQUAL) with specific focus to dimensions and gaps.................1
Demonstration of knowledge and understanding of the four acid tests of service recovery
within the hospitality organization...............................................................................................4
Preparation of survey report with recommendations for better customer service, after analysing
tailor made questionnaire that hotel has sent to their customers.................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Feasibility study is a kind of assessment that helps in checking overall feasibility of a
study. This report will focus upon survey feasibility for measuring and assessing overall quality
of customer service, during and after delivery of service so that requirements of customers can be
identified and area of improvement can also be identified. In this report, service quality will be
analysed with specific focus to dimensions and gaps, knowledge and understanding of the four
acid tests of service recovery within the hospitality organisation will be demonstrated and lastly,
recommendations for better customer service, after analysing tailor made questionnaire will be
done.
MAIN BODY
Analyse service quality (SERVQUAL) with specific focus to dimensions and gaps.
SEQUAL Model is based on the multi-national dimensional research equipment which is
mainly designed to record, capture the customer expectations and perception of different service
along with dimensions.
Service quality in InterContinental London become one of the most important factors for
gaining a sustainable competitive advantage. The confidence level of customer is consider as
highly competitive in marketplace, therefore it should maintain service quality can give
InterContinental London with a great chances to create more competitive differentiation within
global marketplace (Mujinga, 2019). Basically, Intercontinental hotel will be divided the service
quality in three dimensions such as staff, materials and physical facilities. This is important for
considered as similar approach in term of service quality that may include technical, functional
as well as environment aspects.
By using Service quality or SERVQUAL model used by InterContinental London to
emphasis on the development of quality system in field of product. It is a kind of multi-
dimensional research instrument which is basically designed for capturing consumer perception
and expectations of a service along with five dimension of service quality. It is one of the most
appropriate model that can be used for measurement of service quality on the basis of five
service areas or components. Over time, it is important part of hotel to improve their quality of
service. It could give hotel as competitive edge. As a result, SERVQUAL Model impact on the
overall business operation and function.
1ur experiences about hotel’s Housekeeping performance.

Five dimensions of Service quality
Shortcomings- InterContinental London can be used this framework to expose
shortcoming in the customer service. It help for identifying the gaps and compare with expected
service quality on the basis of experience. Hotel will measure the experience of client on the
basis of their perceptions or interest. It is one of the important analysis of potential consumers in
relation to the quality of services. This will help for identifying the customer needs, gap between
client expectation and their actual service, if they experience.
Expectancy Pattern- it enables the InterContinental London to learnntercontinental hotel about
the different factors that plays important role in order to find out the customer’s expectancy
pattern which has formed. This will help for improve the InterContinental Hotel itself and take
this expectancy pattern into different account beforehand.
Dimensions- It is mainly carried out exclusively for services in term of communication
with clients regarding the booking. At that time, it should be considered the suitable dimensions
that help for protecting the service quality. It involves communication, Access, reliability,
competence, tangibles and need of client. There are considered the important dimensions which
mainly applicable in different areas such as technical, maintenance and accommodation.
Gaps- The communication between existing consumers and InterContinental London, which
plays important for maintain high level of service quality. It is useful for hotel to know about the
expectancy pattern of their potential consumers. Therefore, this SERVQUAL Model can identify
the gaps that can arise the need of client in context of services. It include knowledge gap,
communication, delivery, standards and satisfaction gap (Mujinga, 2019). Additionally,
InterContinental hotel will be established the external communication that enterprise sends out,
can create wrong expectations among client. This can happen when hotel communication and
their promises thing that are up to level what they can deliver. In this way, it has been increased
the issue or problem between consumers. Delivery gap is another important aspect that has been
developed when incorrect implementation applicable in the goods and services. It will directly
impact on the entire hotel performance and efficiency.
Gap Model –
This kind of model is applicable in term of service quality, consider as framework which
help us to analyse customer satisfaction. Basically, this model show five major satisfaction gaps
that need to be address afterwards it will meet specific customer expectation level.
2ur experiences about hotel’s Housekeeping performance.

Figure 1 GAP Model
 Knowledge gap- it is representing the difference between consumers expectation of
service and organization’s provision of service. Especially, when increasing the gap in
management where potential consumer expect. For example- of Netflix were suffer from
the gap and could be because they don’t offer right amount of titles.
 Policy Gap- it has been shown the difference between management in which
understanding of client needs and translation of two service quality policies and
standards.
 Delivery gap- this kind of gap occurs for reason in term of human resource deficiencies.
Failure to supply demand and lack of employee knowledge towards items.
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Demonstration of knowledge and understanding of the four acid tests of service recovery within
the hospitality organization
Service recovery is extremely important to be focused upon in hospitality industry. This
is majorly because quality of service provided by organizations directly impacts customer
experience and satisfaction level. Customers of Hospitality industry majorly focus upon quality
and type of service which is provided to them as compared to other aspects. Any kind of service
failure that occur within this an organization like InterContinental London can impact retention
rate of customers. As compared to other industries service recovery is important for hospitality
industry focus upon service recovery and resolve any kind of service failure that occurs within
hotel so that it cannot be converted into complaints raised by customers or guest. For this service
recovery InterContinental London can focus upon Four acid test to understand ways in which
service recovery can be done. This test focuses upon four main test that can be done to resolve
any kind of issue or failure in terms of recovery in an appropriate manner.
 Customer Satisfaction: In order to resolve any kind of service failure it is important to
understand ways in which satisfaction level of customers is impacted. It is the main factor
which is directly impacted due to service failure (Vázquez-Casielles, Iglesias and Varela-
Neira, 2017). This test can help organizations like InterContinental London to bring
improvement within the identified service problem area so that satisfaction level of
customers can be enhanced. It has been observed that mostly customer satisfaction is not
impacted due to failed service failure recovery but it is impacted due to non-existent changes
within service i.e. system or service remain unchanged despite of identification of service
failure. This is because mostly guest or customers think that due to unchanged service or
system, there is a probability that this service failure can occur again within the organization
due to this their overall satisfaction level can be impacted. In order to enhance customer
satisfaction, hotel can conduct a research analysis for identification problem areas faced by
customers in order to enhance their satisfaction level.
 Customer Retention (Customer Loyalty): After checking problems areas faced by customers,
it is important to analyse number of customers facing the issue. This analysis helps the
organization in identifying ways in which satisfaction level of customers can be enhanced so
that retention level of customers and their loyalty can be increased.
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 Process improvement (Any process improvement): Analysis of service problems further
helps the organization in identifying service areas in which improvement is required and
priority level in which recovery is required to be focused upon (Awa, Ukoha and Ogwo,
2016). This can help in development of a process improvement plan for recovery of failed
service
 Financial Performance: Before implementing improvement plan, process should be analysed
so that ways in which financial performance can be enhanced can be checked. It has been
analysed that financial performance of service recovery can be enhanced by focusing upon
development of employee friendly service as it helps in development of customer- oriented
service and enhance satisfaction level of customers.
Preparation of survey report with recommendations for better customer service, after analysing
tailor made questionnaire that hotel has sent to their customers
Survey questions
Q1: Your overall experiences about hotel Front Office operations, including Check-in and
Check- out and complaint handling procedures by the Guest Relations officer.
Q2: Your experiences about hotel’s Housekeeping performance.
Q3: Your overall dining experiences in the hotel’s Restaurants. (Breakfast, Lunch, afternoon tea
and Dinner).
Q4: What is your experiences about Hotel’s Maintenance department?
Survey methodology
All these questions are being asked online so, the type of survey methodology is online
survey.
Presentation/Answers
1. Overall experience about all services of hotel was good excepting process of handling
complaints. Guest retailer officers take too much time in solving problems and sometimes it
becomes irritated.
2. In regard to cleanliness and hygiene it must say that it was awesome as all members were
well-trained. But again it took too much time in cleaning rooms.
3. Dinning is the main service that can satisfy customers but in this regard it can be said that taste
was good but there were lack of varieties of menu or lack of speciality in food menu.
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4. Hotel maintenance department did not perform their job effectively as some tools and
equipments were not maintained in good condition as there were lack of communication among
staff members.
Recommendations
On the basis of answers given by customers on hotel services some areas have been
known that should be improved. In regard to front office operations including check in check out
and complaints handling, it is known that customers were dissatisfied with guest service relation.
So, it can be recommended that hotel should provide training to them and tell them effective
ways of handling queries and interacting with customers. Training can increase skills of staff
members, and they can improve relation with guests (Olimovich, Bakhtiyorovich and Salimovna,
2020).
In other question it is found that guests had to wait for getting their room cleaned but
staff were well-trained. So, it can be suggested that hotel requires employing more staff by
external recruitment members in housekeeping department. Due to lack of members, guests
were facing this problem so, by having numbers of members in this department, services can be
provided in a timely manner (Ahmad and Shariff, 2019). It reduces work load and can help hotel
in satisfying guests.
In the context of dinning services it is found that there were lack of varieties of food
menu so, it can be suggested to hotel that they should focus on product development. By
developing products and adding more items in breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert it can attract
wide range of customers. Product development can also help hotel in taking competitive
advantages and increasing customers experience rate. Added food items should be related to the
local culture and taste of customers otherwise it can decrease sales and can become reason of
failure of this strategy of product development.
Hotel maintenance department was one of the main area that should be focused the most
by the hotel. Services of hotel maintenance were poor as tools and resources were not organized
in an effective manner. It can be because of lack of training, motivation and work load. So,
according to this it can be recommended to hotel that it should implement motivational theory.
On the basis of theory manager can identify requirements and needs of employees and
accordingly they can motivate. It can increase loyalty and trust among employees, and they are
more likely to put efforts in meeting goals (Velten and Lashley, 2018). By getting training also
6ur experiences about hotel’s Housekeeping performance.

they can reduce errors and perform functions in an effective manner. All areas can be improved
if hotel consider all these recommendations and develop strategies accordingly.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it has been summarized that service quality is one of the most
important factors which is required to be focused upon by hotels. There are various kinds of
models that can be used by organizations for analysing their overall service quality. It has also
been analysed that analysis of current service quality, expectations of customers and their
requirement analysis can help a hotel in identifying their overall areas in which improvement is
required to be brought by them for enhancement of overall quality of service provided by them to
their customers.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Ahmad, R. and Shariff, N.M., 2019. Introduction to Human Resource Management in Tourism
and Hospitality Industry (UUM Press). UUM Press.
Awa, H.O., Ukoha, O. and Ogwo, O.E., 2016. Correlates of justice encounter in service recovery
and word-of-mouth publicity. Cogent Business & Management. 3(1). p.1179613.
Mujinga, M., 2019, March. Retail banking service quality measurement: SERVQUAL gap
analysis. In 2019 Conference on Information Communications Technology and Society
(ICTAS) (pp. 1-6). IEEE.
Olimovich, D.I., Bakhtiyorovich, T.M. and Salimovna, N.G., 2020. Improving of personnel
training in hotel bussines.Academy, (2 (53)).
Vázquez-Casielles, R., Iglesias, V. and Varela-Neira, C., 2017. Co-creation and service recovery
process communication: effects on satisfaction, repurchase intentions, and word of
mouth. Service Business. 11(2). pp.321-343.
Velten, L. and Lashley, C., 2018. The meaning of cultural diversity among staff as it pertains to
employee motivation.Research in Hospitality Management, 7(2), pp.105-113.
8ur experiences about hotel’s Housekeeping performance.