NN NAN INVESTIGATION INTO THE REAL SITUATION AND SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING THE BOOKING PROCESS OF RECEPTION DEPARTMENT AT DAN OASIS HOTEL

DUY TAN UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF ENGLISH GRADUATION PAPER AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE REAL SITUATION AND SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING THE BOOKING PROCESS OF RECEPTION DEPARTMENT AT DAN OASIS HOTEL Major : English for Tourism SUPERVISOR : NGUYEN THI DIEU TRAM, M.A STUDENT : TRẦN CÔNG MINH CLASS : K23 NAD3 STUDENT CODE: 2321321651 Da Nang, 2021 Graduation Thesis Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Dieu Tram,M.A ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I completed this graduation paper with enthusiastic, dedicated help, guidance, and encouragement from my dear teachers, family and friends First of all, I wish to acknowledgement the assistance given by all teachers of Faculty of English at Duy Tan University for their valuable lessons, given instructing and energetic help to me The lectures of the teachers over the past years have really helped me a lot in completing this paper Especially, I would like to express my deep thanks to my supervisor Ms Nguyen Thi Dieu Tram, M.A., who listened, gave advice, and enthusiastically helped me to complete the graduation paper Her devotion is also a great motivation for me to finish this paper in the best way Besides, I also sincerely thank my buddies, who have always been by my side, sharing knowledge and work experience throughout my study process Last but not least I would like to express my very great appreciation to my family for always supporting, encouraging and motivating me while I was writing this paper I wish all of you good health, happiness and success! Yours sincerely! Da Nang, May 2021 Tran Cong Minh Student: Tran Cong Minh Code : 2321321651 Graduation Thesis Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Dieu Tram,M.A ABSTRACT In this graduation paper, I would like to investigate into the booking process of the reception department at Dan Oasis Hotel and give some solutions to improve it This graduation paper state why I selected this topic, presents some concepts involved in reception department, describes Dan Oasis Hotel and the services of the front office department, analyses and evaluates of the reservation service quality of the front office department and gives some suggestions for improving it By doing this research, I hope the Dan Oasis Hotel will perfect the booking process to improve service quality and attract more guests to the hotel Student: Tran Cong Minh Code : 2321321651 Graduation Thesis Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Dieu Tram,M.A STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP I proclaim that this paper does not include any documentation that has been released elsewhere, and it is based on my own knowledge It does not use either in the entire or in part from a material recently submitted for degree or certificate in my university, with the exception where due reference is made in the text No other individual’s work has been utilized without acknowledgement in the graduation paper This graduation paper has not been submitted for the award of any degree or certificate in any other tertiary institution Da Nang, May 2021 Tran Cong Minh Student: Tran Cong Minh Code : 2321321651 Graduation Thesis Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Dieu Tram,M.A LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS FO: Front Office S & M : Sale and Market F&B: Food and Beverage Student: Tran Cong Minh Code : 2321321651 Graduation Thesis Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Dieu Tram,M.A LISTS OF TABLES AND DIAGRAMS Student: Tran Cong Minh Code : 2321321651 Graduation Thesis Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Dieu Tram,M.A LISTS OF FIGURES AND CHARTS Student: Tran Cong Minh Code : 2321321651 Graduation Thesis Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Dieu Tram,M.A TABLE OF CONTENTS Student: Tran Cong Minh Code : 2321321651 Graduation Thesis Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Dieu Tram,M.A Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale In the current general trend, tourism has become a popular phenomenon with most countries in the world including Viet Nam As a young industry in Viet Nam, after all, tourism is considered as a potential industry and holds an important position in the current Vietnamese economy With favorable conditions in terms of geographical location and natural resources, along with our State’s policies on development orientation, the tourism industry has become a key economic sector of Viet Nam After joining the WTO in 2006 and successfully organizing the APEC conference in 2017, the number of international visitors coming to Viet Nam has increased Attracting huge capital from foreign investors, facilities for tourism in Viet Nam have also improved a lot In which, it is impossible not to mention the contribution of hotels with professional service quality to satisfy the increasing demand of customers To survive and thrive in this growing industry requires tourism businesses to take effective measures to promote effective business activities On the other hand, the competition in the fields including the Front Office department requires businesses to organize the management and use in a reasonable, effective and optimal way in terms of quality, service and its human resources To achieve brand and position in the market, each business needs to optimize, complete and improve the quality of its services, which is also the key and sustainable factor to help business activities become successful The content of this paper is not out of ideas on: “ An investigation into the real situation and some suggestions for improving the booking process of the Reception Department at Dan Oasis Hotel” Student: Tran Cong Minh Code : 2321321651 Graduation Thesis 10 Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Dieu Tram,M.A 1.2 Aims and Objectives 1.2.1 Aims The study aims to focus on Dan Oasis Hotel reservation and how to optimally perfect the booking process through a number of effective solutions 1.2.2 Objectives The purpose behind this study is carrying out objectives as follows: - Investigating in details into the entire booking process of the reception department at Dan Oasis Hotel - Making an assessment of the influencing factors as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the process - Suggesting some effective solutions to improve the booking process of the front desk at Dan Oasis Hotel 1.3 Scope of the Study The study focuses on several definitions related to the booking process After that, the study finds out the pros and cons in the process From there, I would like to give some suggestions to improve and perfect the booking process of the Reception Department at Dan Oasis Hotel 1.4 Methods of the Study - Method of Collecting and Processing: I collect the data from the Internet and refer to documents related to the hotel sector, reception, and the booking process Then I synthesized the information and categorized it - Method of Analysis and Evaluation: I focused on analyzing the data I had collect, evaluated the reality and propose solutions to improve the booking process of the Reception Department of Dan Oasis Hotel 1.5 Structure of the Study This study is presented in six parts: Student: Tran Cong Minh Code : 2321321651 Graduation Thesis 45 Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Dieu Tram,M.A receptionist needs to work well and effectively with other parts of the hotel, especially the housekeeping department: • Before the guest arrives: Everyday, the receptionist will announce the situation of the room that the guest is about to come and the room that the guest is about to leave for the housekeeping departments so that they can actively divide the order of the room priority Upon receiving any inquiries or complaints related to room operation, the receptionist will contact the housekeeping department again to handle • During guest service: The housekeeping department will notify the reception department of the room status and guests to promptly handle arising problems and appropriately allocate rooms of guests • After the guest leaves: When customers check out, the housekeeper is responsible for checking the mini bar, room status and reporting to the front desk, and transferring invoices or service receipts such as laundry to receptionist to calculate the total cost to pay for guest Comment : In general, there is a coordinated work together smoothly and harmoniously among the various departments in the hotel during the working process Especially the relationship pattern between the receptionist department and housekeeping department is very good, no personal conflicts, factions or problems of gossiping, blaming each other Tip problems have also been satisfactorily resolved This is one of the strengths of the Dan Oasis Hotel when it has a very united and sociable staff That helps the coordination Student: Tran Cong Minh Code : 2321321651 Graduation Thesis 46 Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Dieu Tram,M.A of work between the departments in the hotel very well, bringing the quality of service efficiently and increasingly 4.3 Evaluation of the booking process at the Reception Department of Dan Oasis Hotel: 4.3.1 Advantages: The booking process of Dan Oasis Hotel is done in steps, closely following the regulations of VTOS Most of the staff at the reception are young, dynamic and enthusiastic They always happy and smiling with guests When guests come to make a reservation, the front desk staff is very flexible in offering different rates to suit the needs of guests There is close coordination between the 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 3-star standard, modern equipment with high quality facilities, machines used in the reception department are almost enough support a lot in the working process of the staff 4.3.2 Disadvantages: The number of newspapers, magazines placed on the shelves is limited, the types are not plentiful, there is a lack of publications about Da Nang, people and landscapes of Da Nang Some equipment is lacking and in ineffective use Most of the staff are quite young, though enthusiastic, but the experience and the way to it are still not really professional and serious Student: Tran Cong Minh Code : 2321321651 Graduation Thesis 47 Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Dieu Tram,M.A Do not conduct thorough training, regular testing for new employees Most of the staff are in university but a few not in the right major, so there are still many limitations, not really professional in service style Student: Tran Cong Minh Code : 2321321651 Graduation Thesis 48 Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Dieu Tram,M.A Chapter 5: DIFFICULTIES AND SOLUTIONS 5.1 Difficulties: This is really a rush time for all the final year students of Duy Tan University in general and the Faculty of English in particular when completing the graduation thesis and ending the 4-year university journey Besides, this is also an opportunity for all students of Faculty of English to apply the knowledge learned during the past years The common difficulty that all students are facing is that the Covid-19 epidemic is still complicated The pandemic caused heavy damage to the tourism industry in Vietnam as well as around the world It also directly affected my internship as well as the process of writing this graduation thesis When the international flight blocks were frozen due to the disease, Dan Oasis Hotel also turned to the domestic passenger market This means that the hotel has to lower the price to accommodate Vietnamese guests Among the thousands of options, devising the right strategies to attract tourists to hotel is also a big problem In the course of writing my graduation paper, receiving so many sources of information sometimes I can’t control it all I was quite confused in arranging the ideas so that they did not go beyond the scope of the topic The limited experience and knowledge sometimes make it difficult for me to convey the ideas in the thesis Even negative thoughts have appeared In the end, I tried my best to complete this graduation thesis It was completed in accordance with the target research topic that I set out I will still try to improve myself, practice my knowledge of the English language and knowledge of tourism industry so that I can work better in the future Student: Tran Cong Minh Code : 2321321651 Graduation Thesis 49 Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Dieu Tram,M.A 5.2 Solutions to improve the booking process of Dan Oasis Hotel: 5.2.1 The basis of solution: As the tourism industry in Vietnam grows, the competition between business in the tourism industry, including the hotel business, is becoming increasingly fierce In that competition, Dan Oasis Hotel needs to come up with specific and correct strategies, which will help business take steps in the right direction and safety These strategies need to ensure that they are suitable to the actual conditions in order to bring high efficiency to the hotel Some solutions proposed for Dan Oasis Hotel: - Enhancing the promotion of the image of Dan Oasis Hotel in the domestic and overseas markets, maintaining good business relationships with hotel partners over the years and seeking more relationships new, especially for reputable travel companies - Diversifying products and services, increasing additional services (expanding spa, opening gym, ) - Enhancing thematic and professional qualifications , improving the professionalism in serving guests for all departments so that product quality is constantly increasing - Promoting internal strengths, effectively exploiting the available advantages of the hotel: an abundant workforce of high quality, wellmanaged, professional working environment - Gradually increasing salaries for employees, paying more attention to employees' personal lives Creating trust for staff to make them feel secure to work and dedicate themselves to the hotel Student: Tran Cong Minh Code : 2321321651 Graduation Thesis 50 Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Dieu Tram,M.A 5.2.2 Solutions to perfect the booking process: In order to improve the service quality of the entire department in the hotel in general and the reception department in particular, the first thing to is to improve the existing shortcomings of the hotel Recognizing the limitations and offering solutions to overcome is essential for Dan Oasis Hotel to survive steadily and grow In general, Dan Oasis Hotel is a unified team working professionally and effectively, but it is necessary to improve the following aspects: 5.2.2.1 Completing serving process: - The front desk staff must ensure that the steps are always done in the correct order according to the process, preventing shortcomings in each process and finding the most suitable adjustment solutions - Managers and team leaders need to clearly divide tasks for each employee to avoid uncommon circumstances and blame each other, causing disunity in the department - The hotel should provide additional training for new employees on service processes and monitor the performance of employees - The receptionist tries to as quickly as possible when crowded so that customers not have to wait long to check-in - The majority of customers are satisfied with the service quality of the reception, but there are also some complaints about the time of check-in and how to solve customer problems We need to take measures to maximize customer satisfaction during the service such as: • Doing not let guests wait long at the reception, especially hotel registration and final payment • Serving welcome drink instead of self service After a long trip, being warmly welcomed by the staff's enthusiasm, clean, airy space and a glass of cool Student: Tran Cong Minh Code : 2321321651 Graduation Thesis 51 Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Dieu Tram,M.A water will help visitors feel extremely good, making visitors quick and easier in making service use decisions • Doing not let guests feel disrespected because of the words, gestures, service attitude of anyone in the reception • Training staff to master the procedures and not to skip any steps 5.2.2.2 Other solutions: Completing facilities: - Regularly checking the whole technical facilities of the reception department and repairing in time Equipment, especially the computer system or printer during use, cannot avoid malfunctions and failures that interrupt the work and lead to the failure to serve guests It is necessary to thoroughly check, and at least times per week to ensure there are no errors or risks during check in for guests - Adding a clock to display world time for guests to follow The decoration in front of the Front Desk makes the reception area more luxurious, but it is important to ensure that the flower pots are always in a good condition for customers to feel fresh when entering the reception hall - Checking and regularly maintaining the air-conditioning equipment in the lobby area, not allowing the water droplets drip onto the floor, causing slippery, unsafety and aesthetics The air conditioner is always turned on at a certain temperature and is just right for the guests to feel satisfied - Raising the staff’s awareness and responsibility for the preservation while using the front desk’s facilities and equipment system In addition to regular maintenance, consciousness is also an important factor in facility preservation Completing and improving the quality of labor: Student: Tran Cong Minh Code : 2321321651 Graduation Thesis 52 Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Dieu Tram,M.A - Employees must be friendly, highly responsible, hospitable When working, staff must always be thoughtful and meticulous in each job and comply with the labor regulations of the hotel - Enterprises need to open training classes to equip employees with some necessary skills such as communication skills, skills in handling situations, skills to grasp customer psychology so that the hotel staff always know how to make customers feel most satisfied - Dan Oaisis Hotel should also train and foster staff learn more Korean, Chinese to easily communicate with guests In addition, hotel can also foster specialized expertise for staffs by opening classes and inviting foreign language teachers to provide additional training to employees This will help staffs strengthen their foreign language and will be more confident when interacting with foreign guests - One of the basic requirements for the receptionist is the ability to use good office computers and hotel reception computers Receptionist must know the basic operations in Word, Excel and especially the Smile hotel management software in use - The Recruitment Department of Dan Oasis focuses on recruiting potential employees, workers with high qualifications and youthful age to revitalize the hotel, making the face of the hotel brighter Besides, it is also necessary to screen out staffs who are not dedicated to the job, not give their best and not value the assigned work to replace them with other employees who want to devote their abilities to the hotel - The hotel stipulates regime and performs monthly assessments of each staff The hotel management board needs to offer more rewarding levels for employees to have more motivation to complete their jobs such as salary increases, bonuses, leave,… Intensifying the relationship between the parts: Student: Tran Cong Minh Code : 2321321651 Graduation Thesis 53 Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Dieu Tram,M.A Reception department and other departments need to coordinate smoothly and accurately with each other to improve service quality Need to closely link together so that the customer service process takes place in a good rhythm and creates a solidarity between departments Student: Tran Cong Minh Code : 2321321651 Graduation Thesis 54 Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Dieu Tram,M.A Chapter 6: CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS 6.1 Conclusion: The hospitality industry in recent years has grown strongly all over the world Accompanying that is the demand of customers also increased and they always want to receive quality services In order to overcome weakness and develop strengths to provide the best customer experience Especially at the hotel lobby needs to get customer satisfaction The more professional the receptionist is, the better it will make a good impression on customers The internship at the Dan Oasis Hotel is not only practical knowledge of the thriving “smoke-free industry”, but also personal skills for me to make my comments about the reception department in this thesis I would like to thank the teachers in Faculty of English for imparting useful knowledge to me I would also like to extend my deepest thanks to Ms Nguyen Thi Dieu Tram M.A., who dedicatedly instructed and helped me complete this graduation thesis Although I have tried very hard, my knowledge and experience are limited, and it also the first time I met and worked at the hotel, so my thesis still lacks in presentation, evaluation and suggestions I look forward to receiving your sympathy and comments I sincerely thank! 6.2 Suggestions: Suggestions for the Faculty of English of Duy Tan University: Through the practical environment at Dan Oasis Hotel, I realized that the general situation the students face is the opportunity to communicate directly Student: Tran Cong Minh Code : 2321321651 Graduation Thesis 55 Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Dieu Tram,M.A with foreigners while studying at university Most of the students lack confidence in communication The university should create conditions for students to communicate more practically, or organize monthly clubs for students to exchange Although it is an English language major, it belongs to the tourism field, the university should organize field trips, or subjects for students to directly use the specialized language to help students observe and practice knowledge from university On the other hand, the 2nd foreign language training at university should also be more focused The second foreign language is Chinese or Japanese, so there are listening or speaking skills in particular for students to improve their abilities Finally, the university should also organize career seminars or business exchanges for students to understand the future work orientation Student: Tran Cong Minh Code : 2321321651 Graduation Thesis 56 Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Dieu Tram,M.A REFERENCES *English book [1] Mr Morcel Gotie, Tourism and Hotel (2015) * Vietnamese book [2] Đồng chủ biên Ngun Văn Mạnh, Hồng Thị Lan Hương(2004), Giáo trình Quản trị kinh doanh khách sạn, NXB Lao động Xã Hội * Website [3] http://www.hoteljob.vn , 15/4/2021 [4] http://www.ezcloud.vn , 15/4/2021 [5] http://vietnamtourism.gov.vn , 15/4/2021 Student: Tran Cong Minh Code : 2321321651 Graduation Thesis 57 Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Dieu Tram,M.A APPENDIX Hotel Information Hotle Service:     Check-in from 14:00 pm Chec-out until 12:00 am Wifi, Internet : Free wifi in all rooms ( No password) Children 2-6 year(s): Stay for free if using existing bedding Food and drink     Food : Free breakfast Drink: Restaurants and coffee shops : From am to 10 pm BBQ: Every Saturday evening, from 6:30 pm to pm The price is only $10 Parking and shuttle  Free self parking is available on site  Area shuttle (surcharge) Leisure activities  Bar: From pm to 11 pm  Yoga : 6am - 8am and 5pm-7pm  Massage : : From am to pm Student: Tran Cong Minh Code : 2321321651 Graduation Thesis 58 Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Dieu Tram,M.A SUPERVISOR’S COMMENTS  - Student: Tran Cong Minh Code : 2321321651 Graduation Thesis 59 Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Dieu Tram,M.A Student: Tran Cong Minh Code : 2321321651 ... successful The content of this paper is not out of ideas on: “ An investigation into the real situation and some suggestions for improving the booking process of the Reception Department at Dan Oasis Hotel? ??... Reception Department at the Dan Oasis Hotel: 4.2.1 Analysis of the booking process at the Reception Department: The booking process of Dan Oasis Hotel consists of steps: receiving a reservation request,... quality of service efficiently and increasingly 4.3 Evaluation of the booking process at the Reception Department of Dan Oasis Hotel: 4.3.1 Advantages: The booking process of Dan Oasis Hotel is