Analyzing Service Quality at Sunderland International Hotel: A Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of service quality at Sunderland International Hotel, a 3-star hotel in Canary Wharf, London. It explores the importance of managing and measuring service quality, emphasizing the need for customer satisfaction and loyalty in the competitive hospitality industry. The report examines the hotel's current service delivery practices, highlighting issues like long check-in times and poor staff responsiveness, and their impact on front-line employees, engagement, and managerial implications. It then proposes a Customer Feedback System (CFS) framework to monitor and improve service quality. The report delves into various service quality management methods, including the Gap Model, Total Quality Management (TQM), Six Sigma, and the SERVQUAL model, to identify and address service gaps. The analysis covers the five gaps of the Gap Model (knowledge, policy, delivery, communication, and customer gaps), and suggests improvements to enhance customer experience and operational efficiency, ultimately aiming to boost customer loyalty and overall hotel performance. The report concludes with recommendations for the hotel to implement effective strategies and improve its service quality.

Service
Quality

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................2
1. Importance of managing and measuring service quality, recommendation for adoption of
appropriate service quality management methods. ...............................................................3
2. Current service delivery/practices of Sunderland International Hotel. Impact on front-line
employees, their engagement and on managerial implications. ..........................................11
3. Customer Feedback System (CFS) framework that Sunderland International Hotel can
utilise to monitor and improve service quality.....................................................................15
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................20
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................20

INTRODUCTION
Service quality refers to effort made by each individual member working within
organization for satisfying customer in terms of their requirements and needs. According to
Goetsch and Davis, (2014), service quality basically means excellence or superiority anticipated
by customer. High service quality means that customers expectations are met but being
economically competitive. Sunderland International Hotel is running in Canary Wharf which is
present at East London. It is a 3 star hotel and is open and running from 2000 AD. It is at
walking distance from Heron Quays Dockland railway station and comprises around 100 stylish
and modern rooms, gym, swimming pool, spa and various other facilities are being accumulated
by it. This report tries to accumulate issues faced by hotel and solution to these approaches.
Different methods are being discussed to ensure that quality services are being provided by them.
Best suitable method is implemented or established and their impacts on front line employees are
summarised. Engagement of managers is terms of particular model and their implications are
discussed. This report summarises that what can be done to improve existing drawbacks in terms
of methodology and strategies so that quality of hotel can be improvised.
1. Importance of managing and measuring service quality, recommendation for adoption of
appropriate service quality management methods.
Service Quality: Study of an area or field to define and describe the way in which
services are delivered to satisfy customers or recipients is known as service quality (What is
service quality. 2019). It is basically a comparison between service perceptions and service
expectations. It is assessment of way services are delivered to conform expectations of
customers. Businesses which provides high service quality or exceed expectations of customers,
will remain in profit economically. It can be achieved by creating reliable and valid performance

measures, distinguishing problems systematically and quickly, measuring customer satisfaction,
enhancing operational processes and measuring other outcomes of performance.
Importance of managing service quality:
According to the views of Al-Dhaafri, Al-Swidi and Yusoff, (2016), An organization can
have ever lasting vantage if they can differentiate themselves from other organizations in terms
of service quality. Managing quality is most important factor in hospitality industry. Due to
advanced level of competition within industry due to new entrants and globalization, hotels has
been in top priority. Customers are retained when employees or Sunderland International Hotel
provides excellent services to their customers. Various issues are faced by customers in Hotel
like facilities are good but services are poor, customers have to wait for an hour for check-in
process, if customers face any kind of issues then they are directed to manager instead of
providing any help. These all issues can be improved if quality of services is improved.
 Customer's loyalty: Satisfied customers are loyal, so it must be ensured that services
provided are much better or efficient. Sunderland International Hotel ensures that
services which are promised to customers are offered to them at specific moment of time
and in best possible way. But hotel lack in proving great services and efficient number of
employees are not present to meet requirements of guest.
 Increased security: When customers pay for particular service then they expect that they
can enjoy and relax themselves without distressing about security. Friendly environment
from arrival to departure is referred to as secured department. For this, Sunderland
International Hotel has appointed guards within premises and CCTV cameras are
installed so that every portion of premises can be observed. Apart from this if still any
kind of problem is faced by customer's then customer help line is made available 24*7.

Guards are present in hotel but they do not have required number of staff which can
effect security. Service quality can be used analyse requirements.
 Better value: Sunderland International Hotel makes sure that customers receive excellent
value for money. This can includes free snacks, discounts, gift cards, bottled water for
free and many more like that. These perks are rarely offered by any hotel and even guests
or customer's do not expect this so they can have organise business meetings again which
is sign of satisfaction of custom. Front staff of Sunderland International Hotel was busy
so customers were not able to ask about booking of table in restaurant due to which they
went to city centre. If more staff would be present at hotel premises or someone else to
address issues then both customers and Hotel have been gained vantage.

 Measuring service quality:
It aims at satisfying customers. It is an effective way to prescribe whether services are
effective or not and whether customers are satisfied with this or not. Service quality consists of
three elements as specified- physical facilities, processes and procedures; professional judgement
on part of serving employees to get effective quality service; personal behaviour on part of
serving employees. Sunderland International Hotel has focussed on providing effective services
to customers but they did not responded to reviews left by customers on social media like
Facebook. Assessment of service quality is done when actual delivery of services is done. People
find it difficult to measure performance in terms of services being offered in hospitality industry.
As they are not aware of fact that various models are available to measure service quality in
hospitality industry. Some models are described below to measure it:

The Gap Model of Service Quality: Parasuraman and his colleagues has developed this
model to identify gap between sensed service qualities that customers acquire and what they
require. This model identify five gaps- management perception gap, service delivery gap, service
quality expectation gap, perceived service gap and external communications to consumer's gap.
Gap 1- Knowledge gap:
According to the views of Benavides-Chicón and Ortega, (2014), it has observed that
difference between customers expectations related with services to company's provision of that
service is referred as knowledge gap. Within Sunderland International Hotel, management do
not know what customers need exactly. This happens due to different reasons: absence of
customer interaction and management, paucity of communication between management and
service employees, insufficient research in market, inadequate relationship focus and failure to
listen to customers complaints. As Sunderland International Hotel is busy due to increased
bookings because of this they do not get proper time to respond to feedback received from
customers.
Gap 2- Policy gap:
According to Davis and et. al., (2018), policy gap refers to variation between
apprehension of customers need by management and translation of that perceptive into service
delivery standards and policies. Within Canary Wharf Hotel, this gap arises because of absence
of customer service standards, weekly defined service levels and misstep regular update service
levels. They focussed on enhancing their services rather than focussing on services they are
offering are up to expectation.
Gap 3- Delivery gap:

According to Gallarza and et. al., (2015), delivery gap means difference in standards and
policies of delivery and exact delivery of services. Sunderland International Hotel faces this due
to mismatch in supply to meet demands, lack in policies related with human resources, lack of
knowledge of services and deficiency of efficient teamwork to deliver service. Hotel
experiences that customers has to wait for an hour for check-in services.
Gap 4- Communication gap:
As per Gummesson, (2014), gap between what is delivered and what is meant to be
delivered to customers as per what is shown through advertisements. Sunderland International
Hotel faces this gap also due to difference in what is perceived means just external
communications are viewed rather than what is going internally, lack of communication between
advertisement and operations team and over promising means said what is never meant to
happen. This all lead to dissatisfaction among customers due to which they may opt for services
provided by other Hotel. Customers when tried to know that will they get compensation then
staff says that they need to talk with manager due to which nuance occurred and customers
received response after month when multiple calls are made.
Gap 5- Customer gap:
According to Kasiri and et. al., (2017), gap between customers perception and customers
expectation is referred to as customer gap. Customers do not understand what service has done
and they misinterpret quality of service. This gap arises due to other gaps mentioned above as
customers comprehend quality of services wrongly. Front desk was busy and no one else was
present their address queries of customers like customer have to take a taxi into city centre.
Total quality management: According to Khan and Fasih, (2014), it is a process which
empower employees at heterogeneous levels to work within team so that they can outset guest

service prospects and find out best approach to meet or exceed those prospects. For this,
Sunderland International Hotel can employee a leader who will builds up motivation to unified
guests and employees in process of making objectives and goals. Each individual has their own
needs and wants with respect to their preferences which makes it difficult for this industry to
maintain quality services. This have direct impact on Sunderland International Hotel or any
other organization through complaints made by customers. For better results, TQM (total quality
management) is implemented within entire strategies so that direct goals towards quality at all
levels can be maintained. At present scenario employees like waiter acted as if it was not their
problem and they said they need to contact manager. Staff did not realised their part and did not
tried to resolve it. Instead of this, they must have tried to address problem and if they were not
able to do so then they must advise customers to talk with manager.
Six sigma: It is developed by Motorola in middle of 1980's depending on quality
management fundamentals. It is data-driven approach, statistical based, continuous and
disciplined methodology for removing imperfection in services or processes, product. It is
dynamic business strategy which is used by hospitality industry to enhance profitability,
reduction of cost of poor quality and enhance efficiency and effectiveness of operation to meet
expectations and needs of customer. It can help Sunderland International Hotel to find out root
cause of problem, collect and analyse data, reduce variations which will result in occurrence of
lesser defects and will lead to high quality of services and goods.
SERVQUAL model: According to Lovelock and Patterson, (2015), it is appropriate
conceptual framework for service and research quality measurement related to service sector. It
is based on quality in comparison to what is expected and what is obtained. This model is based
on evaluation done by client in process of services being offered to them (MEASURING

HOTEL GUEST SATISFACTION USING SERVQUAL METHOD: A STUDY IN TIRANA
HOTELS, 2019). If Sunderland International Hotel will use then they can evaluate gap between
clients expectations and their perceptions. This model helps to measure service quality based on
five dimensions, they are:
 Tangibility: It deals with personal appearance, equipments and physical facilities offered
by hospitality industry. It also include external appearance of staff. In Sunderland
International Hotel when guests arrive and they have to do certain formalities to enter
into a room, they have to wait for around 1 hour, which should not be done. Instead of
this customers must be made comfortable at initial step only so that can come again.
Efficient staff must be present at reception to handle guests coming and make them
comfortable.
 Reliability: It is capability to execute promised services accurately and dependably. It
basically means that company offer flawless and authentic services to customer and
provide facilities based on as it was promised. Within hotel facilities were available but
services provided were not good. An example can be considered like in menu different
dishes were present but the way they were delivered or served and quality was not up to
mark. Customers were not satisfied. For improving services foremost thing is appropriate
number of staff who are trained and skilled in their respective department.
 Responsiveness: It is eagerness to help and provide prompt services to customer's. It
means enthusiasm of employees to help customers in service companies and answer all
requests made by customers and tell customer when these services will be provided and
services provided will be efficient. An example can be considered like when guest asked
that if any kind of compensation will be given to them then employees said that they need

to contact with manager regarding this. This took around 1 month for guests to know this
and that also after number of or multiple calls. Rather than this hotel staff must be told
about what can be done in such cases and how much compensation must be given to
specific guest.
 Assurance: It is courtesy and knowledge of employees to gain confidence and trust of
customers. Behaviour of employees will help customers to trust their company and feel
safe at their premises. Apart from this customer helpline will help customers to address
their queries and be polite with them. Consider an example like Sunderland International
Hotel has promised that they will provide excellent services in respect of accommodating
wedding guests and make sure that they are satisfied and happy with services provided to
them but instead of this Hotel was not having sufficient staff to handle guests. Hotel must
have hired some staff from outside for particular event and must do so when parties,
weddings or any kind of events happens so that customers may not suffer.
 Empathy: It provide personalised attention to customers. It is ability to realize problems
of customer's, treating them individually and providing them their benefits. Apart from
this opening time of organization is also analysed in empathy. Again an example can be
considered like in Sunderland International Hotel staff were not realising their value,
their reply to any issue was that contact with manager. If it was waiters mistake then even
they reply it is not their problem. It must not be like that manager has to intervene in
every situation instead of this they must have tried to resolve this on their behalf and
apologise if it was their own problem.

Sunderland International Hotel can gain knowledge about customers related to their
expectations, perceptions and what they are getting. But hotel did not responded to feedback
received from customers due to which they cannot maintain retention of customers.
Sunderland International Hotel implements total quality management which helps to
solve problems related with services, handling feedback received, dealing with queries of
customers and all problems which customers faces from entry to Hotel till they leave premises.
They find out area in which they expect problem is present for this they observe and identify
relevant causes of problem so that present status of problem can be evaluated and factors can be
identified which are root cause of problem. Sunderland International Hotel examine, determine
and affirm cause of problem. Then management plans and implement desired actions using two
steps: corrective action is required to mess problem and second step is preventive action to
ensure that root cause of problem is identified and it can be eliminated so that same do not occurs
again. Management ensures that effective steps are taken to ensure that cause of problem has
been destructed. They ensured that preventive actions is working in future and team identifies
other problems and plans solution to them so that goals of hotel are not affected and are met
within exact time period. This will enable Sunderland International Hotel to have price vantage
and enhance market shares.
2. Current service delivery/practices of Sunderland International Hotel. Impact on front-line
employees, their engagement and on managerial implications.
Quality is prescribed through working standards, they include skills possessed by
personnel in terms of experience, knowledge, behaviour, skills, appearance and other
requirements of specific industry. Every employee within Sunderland International Hotel is
responsible for their own work so that guests may not be harmed due to their mistakes. Total

quality management must be used by Sunderland International Hotel for establishment and
enhancement of plan based on some questions like details about guest, value of hotel for specific
guest, enhancement in services and specified measures for same.
According to Manhas and Tukamushaba, (2015), six different levels are identified in
establishment of TQM which includes drifters, uncommitted, improvers, world class and award
winners. By this Sunderland International Hotel will be able to find out sections in which they
are lacking behind and in which improvement is needed and build solution to those section so
that uninterrupted improvement can be achieved.
 Uncommitted: This stage means that yet no measures or procedures are followed for
improvement of quality. At this stage, organization do not know what benefits can be
obtained by improving quality or training employees as per requirements or exiting
competition within market and they do not have specific plan for its improvement (Zhou
and et. al., 2014). In Sunderland International Hotel customers face issues due to
employees as they are referred to manager directly if any issue arises which consumes a
lot of time like if customer tell that they are facing particular problem with some
employee then they are sent to manager rather the trying to resolve this. Sunderland
International Hotel can use this strategy for findings which are mentioned above so that
they can understand what is problem.
 Drifters: They refers to unique organization who are experienced in quality service and
have followed wisdom and advice of total quality management. In this stage, drifters
review the performance of organization based on strategies which were used by them and
how improvements can be made from them. These organizations start from one
programme and move to another with ideas, initiatives and concepts. In Sunderland