Solution for improving service quality in front ofice department calidas landmark 72 hotel

HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF TOURISM FULL NAME: ĐẶNG MINH QUANG - K19QT GRADUATION THESIS Topic: SOLUTIONS FOR IMPROVING SERVICE QUALITY IN FRONT OFFICE DEPARTMENT – CALIDAS LANDMARK 72 HOTEL MAJOR : BUSINESS MANAGEMENT MAJOR CODE : 52340101 PROFESSION : TOURISM, HOTEL MANAGEMENT Instructor: Ph.D Hà Thanh Hải Hanoi, – 2015 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my gratitude to my Instructor Ph.D Ha ThanhHai– Main expert for project of European Community: Environmentally and Socially ResponsibleTourism - for his wisdom and valuable support on the thesis I am also deeply thankful to my teachers from Hanoi Open University – Faculty of Tourism that provide me with knowledge, skill and wisdom to be able to finish this project Without you, I would have never succeeded Finally, I am grateful to my boss and my colleguesfor their assistance of useful information I also thank and my friends for their encouragement To them I dedicate this study Student Đặng Minh Quang Đặng Minh Quang – A1K19 Hanoi Open University – Faculty of Tourism TABLE OF CONTENT GRADUATION THESIS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OPENING Urgency of the thesis Missions of the thesis Research Objective Research Subjects and Research methodologies Thesis Content 10 Chapter 1: RATIONALE OF SERVICE QUALITYAND SERVICE QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN HOTEL FRONT OFFICE 11 1.1 Basic Definition 11 1.1.1 Hotel Definition 11 1.1.2What is Service Quality 12 1.1.3 Service Quality in Hospitality 12 1.2 Hotel Front Office 13 1.2.1 Definition of hotel Front office 13 1.2.2 Front Office Structure 14 1.2.3 Front office Function 14 1.3 Front Office Procedure Standard 15 1.3.1 Check in 15 1.3.2 Check - out 19 1.4 Chapter Conclusion 22 Chapter 2: ACTUAL STATE OF FRONT OFFICE DEPARTMENT – CALIDAS LANDMARK 72 HOTEL 23 2.1 Overview about Calidas Landmark 72 Hotel 23 2.1.1 About Calidas Hotel 23 2.1.2 Services 23 Đặng Minh Quang – A1K19 Hanoi Open University – Faculty of Tourism 2.1.3 Calidas Landmark 72 Hotel Management Structure, main market 24 2.2 Calidas Front Office Department 26 2.2.1 Overview of Calidas Front Office Department 26 2.2.2 Calidas Front Office Department Structure 27 2.2.3 Calidas Front Office Department Function 28 2.3 The actual state of Calidas Front Office Department 29 2.3.1 Facilities of Front Office Department 29 2.3.2 Employees 32 2.3.3 Services Procedures 34 2.3.3.1 Reservation Service 34 2.3.3.2 Arrival Procedure 37 2.3.3.3 Check-in Procedure 40 2.3.3.4 Check- out procedure 44 2.3.3.5 Departure services (check out) 47 2.3.3.6 Telephone Answering Standard 50 2.4 Questionnaire 51 Chapter 3: SOLUTION FOR IMPROVING SERVICE QUALITY OF FRONT OFFICE DEPARTMENT – CALIDAS LANDMARK 72 HOTEL 57 3.1 Opportunities and Threats, and Calidas hotel goal 57 3.1.1 Opportunities 57 3.1.2 Threats 57 3.2 Solutions 58 3.2.1Facilities Solutions 58 3.2.1.1 Goal 58 3.2.1.2 Contents 58 3.2.1.3 Benefits 59 3.2.2 Procedures Solution 60 3.2.2.1 Reservation Procedure 60 Đặng Minh Quang – A1K19 Hanoi Open University – Faculty of Tourism 3.2.2.2 Arrival Procedure 62 3.2.2.3 Check-in Procedure 64 3.2.2.4 Check-out Procedure 66 3.2.2.5 Departure Procedure 68 3.2.2.6 Benefits 69 3.2.3Employee Solution 69 3.2.3.1 Recruitment Solutions 70 3.2.3.1.1 Goals 70 3.2.3.1.2 Content 70 3.3.1.3 Benefits 71 3.2.3.2 Training Solution 71 3.2.3.2.1 Goals 71 3.2.3.2.2 Content 71 3.2.3.2.3 Benefits 76 3.3 Chapter Conclusion 77 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 78 1.Conclusion 78 2.Advantages and limitation of the graduation thesis 79 3.Recommendations 79 References 80 Đặng Minh Quang – A1K19 Hanoi Open University – Faculty of Tourism TABLES AND DIAGRAMS Diagram 1: A Standard Large Hotel Hierarchy 11 Diagram 2: A Standard Front Office Structure 14 Diagram 3:Calidas Landmark 72 hotel Hierarchy 25 Diagram 4: Calidas Front Office Department Structure .27 Table 1.1: AAA Arrival Service Standard 18 Table 1.2: AAA Check – in Services Standard 19 Table 1.3: AAA Check-out Service Standard .21 Table 1.4: AAA Departure Service Standard .21 Table 2.1: Calidas Front Office Employee 32 Table 2.2: Reservation Service StandardComparision .36 Table 2.3: Arrival Service Standard Comparision 39 Table 2.4: Check – in Service Standard Comparision 42 Table 2.5: Check-out Service Standard Comparision 46 Table 2.6: Departure Serivce Standard Comparision 49 Table 3.1: Reservation Services Standard for Calidas FO 61 Table 3.2: Arrival Services Standard for Calidas FO 63 Table 3.3: Check-in Service Standard for Calidas FO .65 Table 3.4: Check-out Service Standard for Calidas FO .67 Table 3.5: Departure Service Standard for Calidas FO 69 Đặng Minh Quang – A1K19 Hanoi Open University – Faculty of Tourism HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM FACULTY OF TOURISM Independence – Freedom - Happiness *** MISSION DESIGNATION OF GRADUATION THESIS Full Name : Đặng Minh Quang Telephone: 01673493683 Class - Year : A1K19 Major : Tourism - hotel business management Topic: “SOLUTION FOR IMPROVING SERVICE QUALITY IN FRONT OFFICE DEPARTMENT – CALIDAS LANDMARK 72 HOTEL.” 2.Intial information: - Theories from books, research - Documents and Report from Calidas Front Office Department - Websites Contents: OPENING The urgency of the thesis Missions of the thesis Research Objective Research subjects and methodologies Thesiscontent CONTENT Chapter 1: Rationale of service quality and service quality improvement in hotel Front Office 1.1 Basis definition 1.2 Hotel Front Office 1.3 Front Office Procedure Standard 1.4 Chapter conclusion Đặng Minh Quang – A1K19 Hanoi Open University – Faculty of Tourism Chapter 2: Actual state of Front Office Department – Calidas Hotel 2.1 Overview about Calidas Landmark 72 hotel 2.2 Calidas Front Office Department 2.3 The actual state of Calidas Front Office Department 2.4 Questionnaire Chapter 3: Solutions for improving service quality of hotel Front Office Department – Calidas hotel 3.1 Opportunities and threats, 3.2 Solutions 3.3 Chapter conclusion Conclusion & Recommendation References Slides, projector, PC: Using projector, PC to present content of the thesis Instructor (fullorpart):Full Thesis mission delivery date : 16/03/2015 Submission of thesis to Faculty Office(deadline) : 25/05/2015 Hanoi, date / / year 2015 Head of the Faculty Instructor (Signature & Full name) Đặng Minh Quang – A1K19 Hanoi Open University – Faculty of Tourism OPENING Urgency of the thesis In the first month of 2015, Korea has invested in Vietnam 50 new projects and increase the capital for 19 projects with the total amount is 222.11 million USD And Japan, also within the first month of 2015, have invested in Vietnam 25 new projects and increase capital for 17 projects with total amount is 169.83 million USD Hanoi was rank st in attracting Korea investing capital with total 885 projects and the total investing amount is 5.3 billion USD Hanoi also rank 2nd in attracting Japanese investing capital with 636 projects and the total investing amount is 4.08 billion USD With these kind of investment and the number of projects are being carried out in Hanoi In very near future, Hanoi will be crowed with businessmen from Japan and Korea This mean the demand for business hotels, apartments for renting, service apartments will greatly increase This is a huge a opportunities for Calidas hotel to increase its sales number and attract a market of high class customers But Calidas is not the only one who is targeting this potential market There are more competitors with lots of competitive advantages again Calidas hotel and they are Grand Plaza hotel and JW Marriot hotel So in this harsh environment of the hotel business world, Calidas need a plan, an advantage in the competition The answer for that is service quality From all these reason, and from my working experience, I have chose the topic of “Solutions for improving service quality in Front Office Department – Calidas Landmark 72 Hotel” My thesis will point out the limitations and weaknesses of Calidas Front Office in facilities, employees, procedures … And by analyzing these limitations and weaknesses, I will provide some solutions in order to improve the service quality of Calidas Front Office Department Đặng Minh Quang – A1K19 Hanoi Open University – Faculty of Tourism Missions of the thesis + Mission - Provide basic concept, rationale, definition … about hotel, service quality in order to find out the reality, trend of the hotel business - Analyze the current state of service quality in Calidas Front Office Department in order to provide solutions - Provide Solutions Research Objective Overall Objective Provide Solutions to Improve Service Quality of Front Office Department in a way that the Guests who stay in the hotel can see and feel it .Specific Objective - Evaluate the actual state of Calidas Front Office‟s Service Quality - Base on the actual situation, Find solutions to solve all current problems relate the matter of improving service quality Research Subjects and Research methodologies Research Subjects - All of Calidashotet Front Office Department Employees: + Guest Service Agent + Guest Relation Agent + Reservation + Bellman - In-house Guests Research method - Scientific observation method By observing activities of Front Office Employees, find out what is lacking, weak points Also, observe attitude, reaction of customers to determine the providing service was able to satisfy the customers or not Đặng Minh Quang – A1K19 Hanoi Open University – Faculty of Tourism the information that they will provide to our customers without taking too much time again Communication and Language Skill Front Office is the “nerve center” of the hotel, all message and communication, information will be received and deliver through here This make communication skill became a core skill to FO staffs And along with it, FO staffs are the first one to receive information from the guests So the information they received must be correct without any mistakes or misunderstanding Then Language skill is also became essential for FO staffs Language Skill - English: For Calidas Front Office staffs, this is the basic skill that they have all mastered and applied to their daily work The only thing that need to improve that the way they use it Asian countries, especially Koreans aren‟t great at English so Staff need to use a different way of communicate with them to provide the best understanding Each month, FO department must provide a class to improve English skill of staffs The training must be conducted by Korean manager because he is the one know how Korean way of speaking English and those tips he giving will be incredible value to staff when they are speaking with Korean in English - Korean: If Front Office Department wants to go for long term then FO must plan out the way that all staff must know Korean Misunderstanding due to not knowing Korean has became a problem for too long and it must be solved Each week, FOM have to provide lessons about Korean so staff can slowly but surely improve their Korean The environment for speaking Korean has already here; all you need is an opportunity and a push With this as the basic, all other problems can be fixed easily Human Resource Department must be involved in this Training because FO will need their training program for Korean language FO alone cannot take too many work at once, it need to share with other department in the hotel in order to archive the best result Đặng Minh Quang – A1K19 75 Hanoi Open University – Faculty of Tourism Communication Skill The communication skill is the ability to receive information from our customers, from other department and then provide them back to our customers again or other involving departments The flow of information must be clear, steady and fluently in FO department When staffs receive information from our guest then they need to transfer the information to the department that has the ability to solve it But there is one small problem that is usually FO staffs don‟t check again to see that if the problem has been solve or not So the training now needs to provide GSA and GRO with new mind set or new way of handle request and information GSA and GRO need to record the request in a small note and share the information with the shift partner so everyone will know about the request After that, Staffs must inform the department that has the ability to solve the problem, but then staffs must check again with that department to see if the problem is solved or not And then, staffs contact with guest to check that if they are satisfied with the result we give them or not 3.2.3.2.3 Benefits  90% of the weaknesses have been point out by our customers will be solve by conduct thoroughly these training in a strict process Our employees skill will be raised on a new level  Both new recruits and old employees‟ knowledge will be increased and refreshed one more time When training program is implemented, even the old employees will have chance to study again and improving themselves  Guests will be the one who receive most profit from the training due to the level of service quality they receive will be greatly increase, greatly improved and they might not expected what our employees can give them during their staying in our hotel Đặng Minh Quang – A1K19 76 Hanoi Open University – Faculty of Tourism 3.3 Chapter Conclusion Based on opportunities, threats, goals of the hotel, chapter provide a number of solutions for the weakness in Front Office Department service and solution to improve the quality service This is also the last chapter of the graduation thesis to complete the researching objective – Solutions for Service Quality Improvement of Calidas Front Office Department These solutions are based on researcher – student own knowledge, keen observation and self opinion These solutions have been discussed with the manager of Front Office Department and some experience staffs in the hotel Even through, these solutions haven‟t considered some factors like budget, timing, manpower of the hotel This is was due to lack of time and experience of the researcher But the solution can be applied to Calidas Front Office to improve the service quality that the hotel is providing to the customers Đặng Minh Quang – A1K19 77 Hanoi Open University – Faculty of Tourism CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION Conclusion In the tourism business, more and more investors are jumping in the hotel business As there is an amazing increase in the number of tourist coming to Vietnam, especially Hanoi, Hotels are being built everywhere This means the number of competitors in the hotel business keeps on increasing and weak competitors will be discard in this harsh environment During these years, more projects are being carried out by foreign companies in Japan and Korea in Hanoi, and a lot of businessmen are looking for a hotel with a good price and good service to stay during their work star and luxury hotel are being open in the outskirt of Hanoi like JW Marriot Hanoi, Grand Plaza Hanoi … and they are trying to attract these potential businessmen into their familiar customers or their longterm guests Calidas hotel have lots of formidable competitor Base on reality and my experience from my working in Front Office Department of Calidas hotel, I have receive a lot of support from my colleagues from Front Office Department and Manager to answer my questions, providing me with valuable information, and feedback of the customers, guests With the valuable information, and valuable support, helping tireless from my guidance teacher – Mr Ha ThanhHai, I was able to work on my research and analyze the actual state of Calidas Front Office Department This is also the chance to use the knowledge I learned from school and applied to realityand provides a number of solutions for service quality improvement of Calidas Front Office But due to the lack of time, my theories and analyze weren‟t persuasive, realistic enough to express full potential of Calidas Front Office Department I hope that my thesis will become a valuable research and document for Calidas FO so Đặng Minh Quang – A1K19 78 Hanoi Open University – Faculty of Tourism that in near future, Calidas FO service quality will be the well-known in the Hotel Business Advantages and limitation of the graduation thesis Advantages  Fast collection of information and necessary documents with the help of working colleagues and guidance teacher  A good chance for student to applied knowledge, experience that was taught in school  Student was able to access to a lot of documents, research that involve in the work like research in service quality, quality management Limitations - Limited time for research - Difficult to access to other information of the hotel like revenue report … - Due to the lack of necessary information from hotel own questionnaire, student has to make one Recommendations Recommendations for Front Office Department of Calidas hotel  Better policy in salary and award to attract new employee and increase the loyalty of current employees  Training Process must be conduct with careful and under strictly observation from Manager and Human Resource Department  Change of facilities is necessary  Record of guest‟s preference should be carry out by staff daily  A Quality management system must be install to keep up with changing of guest‟s needs and demands Đặng Minh Quang – A1K19 79 Hanoi Open University – Faculty of Tourism References [1] Ali Dehgan, Master Thesis: Relationship between Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction, 2006 [2] AlinSriyam, A master project: Customers satisfaction toward service quality of Front Office staff at hotel, May 2010 [3]American Automobile Association, AAA Diamond Rating Guidelines, 2008 AAA publishing [4] BabitAkumar, Gagandeepbanga,Jagritithapar, An Assessment of Service Quality of Hotel Industry, A Refeered Quarterly Journal Vol 4, Issue 1, Udaipur (Raj.) [5]Clinton Linnaeus De Zilva, Wai Nam Wong, Front Office Employee Psychological Empowerment and Service Quality in Singapore Luxury Hotel Industry – An Exploratory Study, Journal of Applied Business and Management Studies, (1):1–11, 2012; ISSN: ISSN 2010-0949 online [6]Deborah Christine Widjaja, Managing Service Quanlity in hospitality industry through managing the ‘Moment of Truth’: A Theoretical Approach,JurnalManajemenPerhotelan, VOL 1, NO 1, MARET 2005: -13 [7]Denney G Rutherford, Ph.D and Michael J O‟Fallon, Ph.D, Hotel management and operationsfourth edition, John Wiley & Son, Inc 2005 [8]DorianaDumitrelaMorar, PhD Student, IoanPlăiaș, Prof, A Possible Model for measuring the service quality in hospitality branch, International Conference Communication, Context, Interdisciplinarity, Targu-Mures; 10/2014 [9]Emmanuel T M urasiranwa, Kevin Nield, Stephen Ball, Hotel Ser vice Qualit y and Business P erformance in five hotels belonging to a UK Hotel Chain, 2010 ICHRIE Conference [10]Haemoon Oh, Service quality, customer satisfaction, and customer value: A holistic perspective,Hospitality Management 18 (1999) 67Ð82 Đặng Minh Quang – A1K19 80 Hanoi Open University – Faculty of Tourism [11]DươngTrungHiếu,Khóaluậntốtnghiệp: Giảiphápnângcaochấtlượngdịchvụbộphậnlễtân – kháchsạn Palace SàiGịn, 2012 [12]HussainKabir and Therese Carlsson, Service Quality - Expectations, perceptions and satisfaction about Service Quality at Destination Gotland - A case study, Master thesis in Business Administration Program: Masters Program in International Management 15 ECTS Gotland UniversitySpring semester 2010 [13]Mohammed I Eraqi, Tourism services quality (TourServQual) in Egypt The viewpoints of external and internal customers, International Journal Vol 13 No 4, 2006 pp 469-492q Emerald Group Publishing Limited [14]Dr P SrinivasRao and Dr.PadmaCharanSahu, Impact of Service Quality on Customer Satisfaction in Hotel Industry, IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS)Volume 18, Issue (Nov - Dec 2013) [15]http://www.setupmyhotel.com/ Đặng Minh Quang – A1K19 81 Hanoi Open University – Faculty of Tourism APPENDIX Diagram 1: A Standard Large Hotel Hierarchy Diagram 2: A Standard Front Office Structure Đặng Minh Quang – A1K19 82 Hanoi Open University – Faculty of Tourism Table 1.1: AAA Arrival Service Standard Table 1.2: AAA Check – in Services Standard Đặng Minh Quang – A1K19 83 Hanoi Open University – Faculty of Tourism Table 1.3: AAA Check-out Service Standard Table 1.4: AAA Departure Service Standard Đặng Minh Quang – A1K19 84 Hanoi Open University – Faculty of Tourism President of KeangnamEnterperises CEO Assistant CEO Head ofSale& Marketing Head ofF&B Departm ent Housekeeping Manager Front Office Manager Accountin g Manager Human Resource Manager Strategic Investme Planning nt Departmen Planning t Manager Manager Staffs Diagram 3: Calidas Landmark 72 hotel Hierarchy Đặng Minh Quang – A1K19 85 Hanoi Open University – Faculty of Tourism Residence Operation Manager Mr Hwang Suk Yoon Front Office Manager Mr NguyễnCôngThành A.Front Office Manager Mr PhanSỹHà Guest Service Supervisor Guest RelationSupervisor Bell Captain Reservation Supervisor Mrs PhạmThịNhuận Guest Service Agent Guest Relation Operator Reservationist Bellman Diagram 4: Calidas Front Office Department Structure Evaluation 15(25%) 1(1,67%) 0 38(63.33%) 19(31.67%) 3(5%) 0 29(48.33%) 23(38,33) 8(13.34%) 0 1.The staffs dress appropriately 44(73.33%) 2.The staffs provide the services with smiling 3.The staff have attractive Đặng Minh Quang – A1K19 86 Hanoi Open University – Faculty of Tourism appearance i.e elegant, smart, 4.The staffs give you prompt service (for example staff give you very fast check in, check out so you don't waste time 15(25%) 28(46,67%) 14(23,33%) 3(5%) 10(16.67%) 43(71.67%) 5(8.33%) 1(1,67%) 1(1,66%) 2(3.33%) 21(35%) 34(56.67%) 3(5%) 5.The staffs tell you exactly when services will be provided (for example, the receptionist informs you about breakfast time during your check in) The staffs Đặng Minh Quang – A1K19 87 Hanoi Open University – Faculty of Tourism provide you accurate information e.g hotel facilities, recreational facilities and tourists' attraction places 7.The staffs can provide you the services as promised e.g upgrade room, early check in and late check out 25(41.67%) 28(46.67%) 4(6.66%) 2(3.33%) 1(1.67%) 19((31.67%) 27(45%) 13(21.67%) 1(1.66%) The staff have product knowledge of hotel information e.g describing all room types Đặng Minh Quang – A1K19 88 Hanoi Open University – Faculty of Tourism and the restaurants 9.The staffs are able to communicate with you in English 36(60%) 17(28.33%) 7(11.67%) 0 10(16.67%) 24(40%) 21(35%) 5(8.33%) 10 The staff are able to communicate effectively with you Đặng Minh Quang – A1K19 89 Hanoi Open University – Faculty of Tourism