NN INVESTIGATION INTO THE REAL SITUATION AND SOME SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVING THE SERVICE QUALITY OF THE RECEPTION DEPARTMENT AT GRAND OCEAN HOTEL DA NANG

Ghi chú: Bìa MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING DUY TAN UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF ENGLISH GRADUATION PAPER BUI THI THUY TRANG INVESTIGATION INTO THE REAL SITUATION AND SOME SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVING THE SERVICE QUALITY OF THE RECEPTION DEPARTMENT AT GRAND OCEAN HOTEL DA NANG Major : English for Tourism Code : 702 SUPERVISOR: DUONG HUU PHUOC, M.A Da Nang, May 2021 GRADUATION PAPER SUPERVISOR: DUONG HUU PHUOC, M.A ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This graduation paper could not be finished without the invaluable help, advice, and encouragement of my dear teachers, friends, and family First of all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, M.r Duong Huu Phuoc He is the person who guided, supported and helped me enthusiastically to complete the graduation paper Secondly, I would also like to extend my thanks to all teachers at Foreign Language Department of Duy Tan University for their devoted teaching Finally, I also thanks my family and all my friends for all their help, support, interest and valuable hints Thanks for all Da Nang, November 2020 Student implementation Bui Thi Thuy Trang Student: Bui Thi Thuy Trang Code: 2320320816 GRADUATION PAPER SUPERVISOR: DUONG HUU PHUOC, M.A STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP I assure you that this is my own thesis and under the guidance of Ms Duong Huu Phuoc The research contents and results in this topic are honest and have not been published in any previous forms The figures in the tables for analysis, comments and assessments are collected by myself from various sources No other person’s work has been used without due acknowledgement in the thesis If there is any fraud, I am fully responsible for the content of my thesis Da Nang, April 8th, 2020 Bui Thi Thuy Trang Student: Bui Thi Thuy Trang Code: 2320320816 GRADUATION PAPER SUPERVISOR: DUONG HUU PHUOC, M.A ABSTRACT In my graduation paper, we would like to investigate the service quality of the front officer department at Grand Ocean Hotel and provide solutions to improving it This case study is carried out based on the theoretical background and the practical data To obtain the results, we have collected all of the main related information about the hotel from the primary and secondary sources, such as textbook, the internet as well as the data of the reception department at Grand Ocean Hotel and the customers evaluation of the hotel through survey, table, diagram Based on this information, we would offer some characteristics of staff, service, organizational structure and tourist resource of the hotel, then propose some suggestions to improve the service quality of the hotel Student: Bui Thi Thuy Trang Code: 2320320816 GRADUATION PAPER SUPERVISOR: DUONG HUU PHUOC, M.A LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS FO Department: Reception Department VND: Viet Nam Dong Student: Bui Thi Thuy Trang Code: 2320320816 GRADUATION PAPER SUPERVISOR: DUONG HUU PHUOC, M.A TABLES & FIGURES TABLE Table Characteristic of hotel business Table 2: Room price list 15 Table 3: The Situation of Labor in Grand Ocean Hotel 20 Table 4: Labor Structure According to Education Levels .21 Table Labor structure in Grand Ocean Hotel 24 Table Table of room structure and rates of room type 25 Table Hotel arrivals in the two years 2018-2019 .26 Table Structure of tourist arrivals to the hotel in 2018-2019 .27 Table Business results of the hotel over the past years, 2018-2019 .29 Table 10 Facilities of Grand Ocean Hotel 31 Table 11 Staffs Qualification 32 Table 12 Evaluation of the receptionist's attire 36 Table 13 Evaluate the service attitude of the receptionist 37 Table 14 Evaluate the receptionist on guiding guests to use the equipment in the room 38 Table 15 The rating on the front resolving guest complaints .39 Table 16 Evaluate receptionist on the bill payment 40 Table 17 Evaluate the receptionist's language proficiency 41 FIGURE Figure 1: Organization Diagram at Grand Ocean Hotel 16 Figure Service at the reception department of the Grand Ocean Hotel .34 Student: Bui Thi Thuy Trang Code: 2320320816 GRADUATION PAPER Student: Bui Thi Thuy Trang SUPERVISOR: DUONG HUU PHUOC, M.A Code: 2320320816 GRADUATION PAPER SUPERVISOR: DUONG HUU PHUOC, M.A TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP ABSTRACT LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS TABLES & FIGURES CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale 1.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1.2.1 Aims .1 1.2.2 Objectives 1.3 SCOPE OF THE STUDY 1.4 METHOD OF THE STUDY CHAPTER 2: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 2.1 Hospitality Industry 2.1.1 Foundation of Hospitality Industry 2.1.2 Types of Accommodation .3 2.1.2.1 Hotel .4 2.1.2.2 Resort 2.1.2.3 Motel .4 2.1.2.4 Camping .4 2.2 Hotel Business 2.2.1 Definitions of hotel business 2.2.2 Characteristic of hotel business 2.3 Hotel services 2.3.1 Food and Beverage Service Student: Bui Thi Thuy Trang Code: 2320320816 GRADUATION PAPER SUPERVISOR: DUONG HUU PHUOC, M.A 2.3.1.1 Quick Service Restaurants 2.3.1.2 Fast Casual Restaurants .8 2.3.1.3 Full-Service Restaurants 2.3.2 Recreation and Entertainment 2.3.2.1 Recreation .9 2.3.2.2 Entertainment .10 2.3.2.3 Gaming .10 2.3.2.4 Theme Park 11 2.3.3 Convention and Events Management .11 2.3.3.1 Convention 11 2.3.3.2 Event Categories 11 CHAPTER 3: CASE DESCRIPTION 13 3.1 Grand Ocean Hotel Overview 13 3.1.1 General introduction 14 3.1.1.1 Grand Ocean Hotel’s establishment and development 14 3.1.1.2 Grand Ocean Hotel’s location and architecture 14 3.2 Grand Ocean Hotel’s operation system Department 16 3.2.1 Grand Ocean Hotel’s organization diagram 16 3.2.2 Functions and tasks of each department at Grand Ocean Hotel 16 3.2.3 Staff of Grand Ocean Hotel 20 3.3 Introduction of the Reception Department at Grand Ocean Hotel 21 3.3.1 The Roles of Reception Department at Grand Ocean Hotel 21 3.3.2 Functions of Reception Department at Grand Ocean Hotel 22 CHAPTER ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION 23 4.1 Analysis 23 4.1.1 Functions and tasks of Grand Ocean Hotel 23 Student: Bui Thi Thuy Trang Code: 2320320816 GRADUATION PAPER SUPERVISOR: DUONG HUU PHUOC, M.A 4.1.2 The capacity of the Grand Ocean hotel 23 4.1.2.1 Labor situation 23 4.1.2.2 Technical facilities .24 4.2 Business performance of the Grand Ocean Hotel .25 4.2.1 The business fields .25 4.2.2 Business results of the Grand Ocean Hotel .26 4.2.2.1 General situation of the hotel 26 4.2.2.2 Hotel business results 28 4.3 Operation situation of FO department at the Grand Ocean hotel 30 4.3.1 Technical facilities at FO department at Grand Ocean hote 30 4.3.2 Staff qualification of the reception department 31 4.3.3 The process of serving guests of receptionist 33 4.3.3.1 Room Reservation .34 4.3.3.2 Check-in 34 4.3.3.3 Services during the stay .35 4.3.3.4 Check-out 35 4.4.1 Evaluation of the quality of the hotel reception team .36 4.4.1.1 Evaluation of the receptionist's attire .36 4.4.1.2 Evaluation of the spirit and service attitude of the receptionist .37 4.4.1.3 Evaluation of the professional qualifications of the receptionist .38 4.4.1.4 Evaluation of customer care and advertising propaganda 42 4.4.2 Overall assessment of the service quality of the reception department at the Grand Ocean hotel .42 CHAPTER DIFFICULTIES AND SOLUTIONS 45 5.1 Solution to improving the service quality of reception department: 45 5.1.1 Upgrading facilities .45 Student: Bui Thi Thuy Trang Code: 2320320816 Dept of Foreign Languages 42 Graduation Paper The airy space is because the hotel because the hotel is located near the banks of the Han River, so there is always a wind blowing in to create a sense of comfort for visitors, especially for guests who have just arrived at the hotel after a long tiring journey Most of the staff at the reception are young, dynamic and enthusiastic Always happy and smiling with guests When guests come to make a reservation, the receptionist is very flexible in offering different prices in accordance with the requirements of guests There is a very close coordination with the other departments When selling rooms by phone to customers, the receptionist always shows a very sincere, close attitude, polite style, expertise and good communication, clear, gentle voice, fast behavior, short answer The hotel is 4-star standard, modern equipment with high-quality facilities, machines used in the reception department are full The hotel has supported a lot in the working process of the staff There is a policy of training and refresher courses in profession, English Being knowledgeable about the market should have flexible business policies to win the hearts of guests, successfully organize hotel promotions and advertisements *Disadvantages: On the front desk, there are only business cards about the hotel without any urgent training to introduce the hotel or hotel services The number of newspapers on the shelves is limited, the types are not plentiful, and there is a lack of publications about Da Nang, people and landscapes of Danang Student: Bui Thi Thuy Trang Code: 0816 Dept of Foreign Languages 43 Graduation Paper Most of the staff are quite young, though enthusiastic, but the experience and the way to it are still not really professional and serious There is still a situation where guests leave the reception and then the new staff finds out that they forgot to return their passports, or ID cards for guests, this will cause a bad impression on the guests Most of the staff have intermediate qualifications, so the receptionist profession is still limited, not really professional in service style The reason that the service quality of the hotel reception department meets the expectations of customers is due to a number of basic reasons as follows: - The hotel has been gradually paying more attention to the field of quality management At the same time, strengthening management measures, supervising employees during their work to minimize possible errors - The quality of the staff at the reception is constantly improving - Develop policies such as investment in education and training, open policies of international economic integration The hospitality industry has created not only a well-trained staff, but also offers the hotel a diverse range of international visitors and new business opportunities However, in addition to those positive reasons, the hotel also needs to re-look at the staff remuneration problem, in order to propose measures to improve the material and spiritual life of employees., especially the receptionist At the same time, take measures to diversify products and services, as well as improve service quality to meet the needs of tourists CHAPTER DIFFICULTIES AND SOLUTIONS 5.1 Solution to improving the service quality of reception department: 5.1.1 Upgrading facilities 5.1.1.1 The basis of the solution Student: Bui Thi Thuy Trang Code: 0816 Dept of Foreign Languages 44 Graduation Paper Overall, the technical facilities in the reception department are quite good because they are fixed regulary However, there are some equipments which doen not use effectively and bad quality such as computers, wifi, etc 5.1.1.2 Solution About facilities, Grand Ocean hotel should: - The poor and old equipment needs to be replaced, which contributes to improving the quality of service The printer at the reception desk frequently has trouble while printing passports for guests, it makes the checkin time become longer The hotel needs to invest in new printers with colour printing technology - The hotel should buy a new computer system instead of continuing to use the old computer system with the slow configuration, so the speed is very slow It consumes a lot of time - The WIFI in the hotel often has problems, guests can’t connect to their phone and they are not satisfied So, the hotel should upgrate the quality of WIFI - For 3-star and above hotels, the lobby always needs to decorate flower The hotel needs to change flower everyday and add flower in the restaurant and lobby area - The hotel should add wall clocks with international time zones at the reception department Student: Bui Thi Thuy Trang Code: 0816 Dept of Foreign Languages 45 Graduation Paper 5.1.2 Training receptionists 5.1.2.1 The basis of solution There are only receptionists working at reception department at Grand Ocean Hotel at different times Receptionists have to many different jobs at the same time such as serving water for guests who are waiting; welcoming guests; making a phone call, check-in, print passports, informing services, solving problem, making a payment for guests when check-out So, the hotel should open training classes to improve working skills, foreign language skills, communication skills and especially computer skill of receptionists at Grand Ocean Hotel 5.1.2.2 Solution - Recruiting more receptionists to share their jobs - Organizing receptionist training classes with experienced teachers in the field of hotel to create opportunity for staffs to improve their knowledge - Receptionist should learn how to understand the psychology and needs of guests to serve them better - The hotel encourages receptionists to give their opinions to help hotel find out strategies to attract guests - The reception department needs a supervior or manager The manager arranges receptionists’ working schedules, encourages staffs to work hard Manager helps improve service quality of reception department - The hotel should regularly check the working result of receptionists, solve disadvantages and reward good staffs - The reception department needs to coordinate with the housekeeping department to prepare carefully before guests arrive at the hotel The housekeeping department must immediately notify the receptionists of problems, broken equipment, and report the products that guests have used in the room to give them the bill as quickly as possible Student: Bui Thi Thuy Trang Code: 0816 Dept of Foreign Languages 46 Graduation Paper - The reception department needs to coordinate with the bar and restaurant department The Staff of this department should transfer the bill to the receptionist after guests use any services or products This helps the receptionist to synthesize and update the services that guests have used so as not to waste too much time when checking-out - The hotel should encourage receptionists to learn more foreign languages such as English, Chinese, Korean, Italian, etc Because the number of tourists from these countries is increasing The hotel should also invite native teachers to the hotel to teach the receptionists, to facilitate good communication The foreign language skills of receptionists are very important, reflecting the qualifcations and qualify of the staff and the hotel - The hotel should encourage receptionists to learn and improve office computer skills This helps receptionists solve their jobs more quickly and neatly - The receptionist’s uniform is quite simple, just the “aodai” with no patterns, no logo or no hotel name This uniform does not make an impression on customers, and does not make a difference compared to other hotels - The hotel should find a new uniform design template for receptionists with striking colour and a more special style 5.2 Difficulties - The geographical location of the hotel is one of the criteria for evaluation and arrangement star rating A geographical location of Grand Ocean hotel is attractiveness guest in the centre of Da Nang city Therefor it directly affects efficiency business hotel - With a convenient location, every year Grand Ocean Hotel has welcomed very large of domestic and foreign tourists, who are mainly delegations and business guests, foreigners coming to Vietnam to live and work during their long-term work Student: Bui Thi Thuy Trang Code: 0816 Dept of Foreign Languages 47 Graduation Paper - That is the reason why reception department play an important role in the activities of Grand Ocean hotel The quality of reception must be the best to bring comfortable experience for guests The main market of Grand Ocean Hotel is the market of Chinese tourists, Koreans, Vietnamese, etc the hotel targets are as follows: not on the main road, competing with many bigger hotels English communication ability of the reception is still limited Improve the organizational structure to train and improve the professional service of the staff To exceed the plan of a number of targets set by the hotel compared to 2020: turnover, profit, number of days room, and reduce expenses Student: Bui Thi Thuy Trang Code: 0816 Dept of Foreign Languages 48 Graduation Paper CHAPTER CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS 6.1 Conclusion These days, tourism is becoming one of the leading branches of the country It not only extends tourists’ knowledge, creates jobs for local people living in areas where tourist activities are taken places; but also contributes to introducing values of human beings or nature to many travelers and preserving those values Capturing the importance of tourism, Grand Ocean hotel is trying to improve the quality of the services offered to customers visiting the hotel Additionally, to draw the attention of tourists, the management boards of Grand Ocean hotel must improve the quality of staff, change their working style, and provide solutions and business strategies to attract tourists 6.2 Suggestions 6.2.1 Some recommendations to the state and the government The impact of the state and government greatly affects the tourism industry and the business of hotels The state and government encourage the hotel business by long-term measures such as: - Viet Nam should enhance exchanges, cooperation to develop tourism industry together with countries around the world Currently, Viet Nam has been cooperating with other countries with developed tourism and developed hotel business to create opportunities for hotels to learn and improve service quality - Viet Nam should simplify immigration procedures to make it easier for international tourists to come to Viet Nam Nowadays, Viet Nam government is expanding the entry and exit conditions for guests from countries in Southeast Asian and some other countries such as China, Korea, Japan, etc,…So, hotels need to seize this opportunity to attract tourists Student: Bui Thi Thuy Trang Code: 0816 Dept of Foreign Languages 49 Graduation Paper - The government should create more opportunities for domestic citizens to have time and travel needs such as reducing working hours, extending holidays, increasing social welfare, etc, - The government should facilitate foreign businesses to business in the hotel sector in Viet Nam Domestic businesses can learn, gain experience in operating hotels At the same time, this help increase income for our country - Viet Nam should combine tourism and festivals to increase the attractiveness for domestic and international tourists - Police agencies need to solve some throbbing issues such as harassing guests, raising prices for foreigners or guests who from other area, insecurity and especially environmental pollution in the festival venue - Tourism is a service industry that Viet Nam needs to develop and expand Viet Nam lacks of young, experienced and trained foreign quality human resources Therefore, the government should create conditions for students to study abroad in the hotel and restaurant industry This helps improve the quality of staffs and helps Viet Nam’s tourism to develop 6.2.2 Some recommendations to Viet Nam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism This is the state agency that directly manages the operations and business situation of hotels in Viet Nam The organization’s plans and strategies greatly affect the business situation of the hotel Here are some of my recommendations: Organizing seminars and discussions on improving hotel quality Hotels will be informed of the hotel business situation and remaining issues during serving of reception department and the hotel Thereby, the hotel can find solutions to solve the problem, find the appropriate path to the conditions of each hotel Student: Bui Thi Thuy Trang Code: 0816 Dept of Foreign Languages 50 Graduation Paper Organizing contests for receptionists between different hotels to give receptionists the opportunity to rub and learn from each other Student: Bui Thi Thuy Trang Code: 0816 Dept of Foreign Languages 51 Graduation Paper REFERENCES BOOK [1] Stephen J Skripak (2016) Hospitality and Tourism THE INTERNET [2] Camping: https://www.campgear.com/article-what-is-real-camping.html [3] Definition of hotel: https://www.academia.edu/6083905/Hotels_Definition_Types_Categories_ [4] Hotel: https://www.safarinow.com/cms/accommodation-types/irie.aspx [5] Hospitality industry: https://www.revfine.com/hospitality-industry/ [6] Motel: https://traveltrade.newzealand.com/en/planning-trips/accommodation-types/ [7] Resort: https://www.travelanddestinations.com/what-are-the-differentaccommodation-types-available-for-your-travels/ * Website http://www.vietnamtourism.gov.vn/ http://giaoan.violet.vn/ https://www.hoteljob.vn/ Student: Bui Thi Thuy Trang Code: 0816 Dept of Foreign Languages 52 Graduation Paper QUESTIONAIRE Dear Madam, Sir! I wish you all the best wishes on your holiday in Grand Ocean Hotel We should be deeply grateful when you stick in this page Your opinion will help us with useful information to our research and to draw measure in upgrading the resort and providing you with better service Thank you very much for your help! How many time have you been in Da Nang? Less than times  More than times  One time  How many times have you stayed Grand Ocean Hotel ? time  times  times  You know Grand Ocean Hotel thanks to Newspaper, magazine  Relatives, friend  Guide book  Travelling agencies  Internet  Other………… The purpose of travel Business  To research  Travelling  Other……  Your first impression when you come to the Grand Ocean Hotel Fresh atmosphere Student: Bui Thi Thuy Trang  Code: 0816 Dept of Foreign Languages 53 Enthusiastic servicing  Modern and harmonious  Graduation Paper Other ideas……………………………… Please tick in the box that you satisfied according to satisfaction level Very satisfied Satisfied Normal Quite dissatisfied Dissatisfied Satisfaction level of hotel Service Lobby Facilities      Harmonious and nice Warm greeting at reception                Grand Ocean Hotel Staffs: Serving attitude Foreign languages skill      What is best thing in the hotel, which satisfies you in during the time you stayed at hotel? ………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………… To enhance the quality of services, your opinion, what should we do? ………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………… Student: Bui Thi Thuy Trang Code: 0816 Dept of Foreign Languages 54 Graduation Paper If you have a chance to come back to Da Nang, will you stay again at Grand Ocean Hotel ? Sure  May be  No  How you feel about the receptionist costumes? Very satisfied Satisfied Normal Not satisfied How you feel about the service ? Very satisfied Satisfied Normal Not satisfied 10.How you feel about the registration procedures at the room ? Very satisfied Satisfied Normal Not satisfied 11.How you feel about the use of the device ? Very satisfied Satisfied Normal Not satisfied 12.How you feel about the resolving recommendations ? Very satisfied Satisfied Student: Bui Thi Thuy Trang Code: 0816 Dept of Foreign Languages 55 Graduation Paper Normal Not satisfied 13.How you feel about the pay the bill ? Very satisfied Satisfied Normal Not satisfied 14.How you feel about the language skills ? Very satisfied Satisfied Normal Not satisfied Please give me your individual Information Nationality :………………………………… Sex :………………………………… Age :………………………………… Occupation :……………………………… Student: Bui Thi Thuy Trang Code: 0816 Dept of Foreign Languuage43Graduation Paper SUPERVISOR’S COMMENT Student: Bui Thi Thuy Trang Code: 0816 ... department at Grand Ocean Hotel 16 3.2.3 Staff of Grand Ocean Hotel 20 3.3 Introduction of the Reception Department at Grand Ocean Hotel 21 3.3.1 The Roles of Reception Department at Grand. .. 0816 Dept of Foreign Languages 35 Graduation Paper 4.4 Evaluation of the service quality of the reception department at the Grand Ocean Hotel 4.4.1 Evaluation of the quality of the hotel reception. .. measures to overcome the service quality at the Front Office Department 1.3 SCOPE OF THE STUDY This thesis we research on the Front Office Department of Grand Ocean Danang hotel, especially the service