Topic: Customer Service Management

Order Description Customer Service Management Importance of exhibiting professional service standards within the hospitality industry According to (Granowski 2012), exhibiting professional service standards is very essential at workplace and in all industries. This is because it is valued in the hospitality industry. It is importatnt at all levels and is beneficial to reputation management. It is essential for job advancement and recognition of the employees too. It should be displayed to all people and at all times. It shows honesty and improves the relationships both in the internal and external environment. It also shows commitment to the service users which maintains their loyalty to their service providers. It improves the image of the companies within the industry which makes them more competitive. Roles and responsibilities of management, supervisors and operational personnel for quality service provision within the restaurant. According to SQS 4 (2001), the management is responsible for planning which involves the creation of a strategic plan and regularly updating it to ensure the provision of high quality services that the service users can enjoy. The management is also responsible for coordination activities and control. It has the responsibility of preparing the budget and financial reports in good time. Management is tasked with the responsibility of recruiting new staff members and making key appointments too. The management briefs the board on important matters. The management and in particular the executive director is expected to set an example on quality provision. The staff is expected to carry out their duties in their areas of work with due diligence. They are also tasked with the responsibility of carrying out the instructions laid out by the management and the implementation of the plans created by the management. The staff has a duty to the service users to provide high quality services and in a pleasant and acceptable way that is respectful. Strategies to initiate information sharing According to (Rauch 2015), trends show that people prefer the use of social media platforms such as Facebook, twitter, Tripadvisor, Yelp, Yahoo and Expedia for communication. This is where reviews and comments are posted. They also post their complaints here. Engaging with the guests and making responses to their needs through public forums is very key in maintaining or managing the reputation of the hotel. The company can therefore maximize on the social network platforms for communication. They can also encourage direct suggestions through letters and emails to their customers and from their customers. The company can carry out surveys using questionnaires on the satisfaction the service users derive from the services and ways on improving their experience that the providers can implement. Communicating preference to staff According to Thompson 2008, there is need to communicate effectively to members of staff. The manager can do it in writing to the staff. They is by stating down the changes that will have to take place in a clear and understandable form, highlighting, and bulleting and putting in bold the major points for clarity and emphasis. By using direct communication where meetings are held and the preferences of the service users are communicated to the staff. During these meetings the staff can ask questions for clarity. Changes that would occur in the external and internal environment Rauch (2015), there have been major changes in the environment of hospitality and more are expected. People are willing to pay much more for better experiences and are also willing to explore and interact more. The desire to have gourmet experiences has prompted the redesign of lobbies in the hotel industry. The restaurants and lobby bars are incorporating wide open spaces for play, work, eating and drinking. The change in the customer wants has led to significant changes and the changes in their tastes and preferences are expected to continue and therefore need for overall change. The customers are expected to increase their need for the use of technology in place of doing things manually. This is in checking into the hotel, paying for the bills, looking up eating places and also for places to play. They customers are increasingly using social media platforms to give feedback and in particular to voice complaints. The management should sufficiently design customer service systems that allows customers to be self-sufficient. This will be provided through information systems that allow customers to access information about the hotel using their smart phones. The information will reach to a broader market and the digital traveler services will allow the hotel to balance the personalization of their services with the independence needed. Health and wellness drive the decisions that customers make and therefore trends in this area are expected to create change in the hotel industry. With increasing levels of obesity and cardiovascular problems people are shifting their focus to healthier foods and healthier lifestyles. The only option to this is the provision of food options that are healthy. Instead of giving unhealthy treats to guests, healthy foods such as detox salads can be offered. Helping clients to maintain their exercise routines through online applications and reminders will maintain a healthy customer base. This is a trend that is very much on the rise and the need to provide health options is on the rise. This can be improved through provision of organic food stuff to appeal to the customers. Types of training Training can take two forms that is on the job and off the job training. Off the job training facilitates the gaining of information as a group and satisfies the shared needs of the group and not an individual’s needs. One of the methods to adopt is lecture method. It gives the general understanding of a particular topic. Large chunks of information are disseminated faster. The information presented orally might be forgotten and therefore there is need to incorporate other methods of learning. Another technique that can be adopted is computer based training. It reduces the learning time and the costs of training too. It has instructional consistency, allows the trainee to focus on areas they need to know, it increases accessibility to training, is private and keeps one motivated to learn. There is need to be careful with e-Learning to avoid replacement of in person training. It falls short in the fact that the hotel industry is a service industry and deals with human problems and their behaviors too, an element that computer based training does not fully convey and therefore there is need to incorporate more training. Another technique is the games and simulation technique. The games simulate the processes that occur on the job through a controlled setting. Through this they can discover ways to improve on how they handle work situations and improve performance. The games and simulation can be developed to introduce a new concept and reinforce an old concept too. These concepts allow them to handle the customers better while providing quality service. The games can be used to develop team work among the trainees for improved efficiency. The trainees can improve on their interpersonal communication skills, decision making as a group and conflict resolution too. On the job training methods can be incorporated to improve the knowledge of the employees on their specific tasks while improving their skills and expertise. This can be done through job rotations, coaching, apprenticeship and job instruction technique. Coaching is good as it entails a one on one kind of training and guidance. The learner gives feedback to the coach while the coach gives feedback too and support. It helps solve the problems that emanate from lack of communication and poor social skills. This way the staff or trainee is able to give feedback and suggestions. Different methods that could be used to monitor and evaluate According to (Shapiro 2012), goal based evaluation can be used to determine whether or not the goals have been achieved and is an approach that can be employed to determine efficiency and whether the standards set were proper. It involves comparing a baseline with the progress data and also finding ways of measuring indicators. The decision making approach can also be used. It aims at providing information where needed. It also aims at determining whether the standards set are effective and whether they should continue to be applies or whether they should undergo some modifications. It involves assessment of the available options that relate to the standards in order to make a decision. The goal free approach can be applied too. Where it aims at the assessment of the effects of the standards put in place and whether or not they achieve their intended purposes. Another approach that can be adopted is the expert approach which involves the use of expertise to professionally rate the adopted standards put in place. Current industry service trends and changes that affect service delivery. Outline how you will achieve this and the regulatory bodies that you would consult. According to (Rauch, 2014), there is need to strike a rapport with those others within the industry in order to keep abreast with the changes that take place. Paying close attention to what the service users want. Another way is by being active in the social media platforms where a lot is posted and where people within the industry interact. Social media provides information on what the people want and what they don’t want. Going through journals and articles on the industry is key and also watching television shows that are in relation with the industry. This can help in picking up new ideas from other players in the industry. References Granowski, K., 2012. 4 reasons why you need to be professional. [Online] Available at: http://www.rasmussen.edu/student-life/blogs/main/four-reasons-why-you-need-to-be-professional/ [Accessed 29 October 2015]. Rauch, R., 2014. Top 10 Hospitality Industry Trends in 2015. [Online] Available at: http://www.4hoteliers.com/features/article/8736 [Accessed 27 October 2015]. Shapiro, J., 2012. Monitoring and Evaluation. Civicus, pp. 1- 51. Thompson, A. B., 2008. Communication Strategies for Your Staff. [Online] Available at: http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/communication-strategies-for-your-staff [Accessed 29 10 2015].