Service Management in Hospitality

Authors:

Kimberly
Rhodus, M.S.

Michael J. Bradley, Ph.D.

Red Dirt LLC

Service
Management in Hospitality

            Service management is
a customer-focused approach to delivering information focusing on providing
value to the customer and the relationship. 
There are two types of service quality: technical and functional.  The technical quality involves what the
customer gets from the service and functional quality is the manner in which
the service is delivered. Service management is essential for any business, and
it is crucial in the hospitality industry, specifically with customers and
their perception of the service quality.

            Service quality is the
result of the interaction between the customer and the service they
receive.  There are many aspects of
service quality and plays a vital role in the growth of the service
industry.  These qualities are;
reliability, responsiveness, competence, access, courtesy, communication,
credibility, security, understanding the customer, and tangibles.  Reliability is vital for the customer to feel
and believe it to be accurate and this happens when the results are consistent
over time.  A customer’s problem-free
stay at a hotel with overall satisfaction of good is a reliable source they intend
to be a repeat customer.

            Responsiveness is
essential for the hospitality industry, especially the lodging areas.  One of the ways to improve responsiveness is
to ensure the ability of websites and receive feedback immediately when
applicable.  A vast amount of people use
the internet to look for lodging and book through online resources.  Have an updated website with feedback on
reviews left by customers and then reply with competence, it is imperative for
good business.  Responsiveness is vital
at the lodging site itself, greet the customer right away, attend to any customer
needs promptly, and always have an answer to their questions competently.  Competence is another quality listed and pairs
perfectly with responsiveness as mentioned.

            Courtesy and
communication are critical in the hospitality industry and are fundamental to service
management.  Communication is more than
talking to the customer; it is about talking to the customer in a language they
understand.  Managers spend the largest
portion of their time in verbal or written communications with their employees
or outside parties (Communication in The Hospitality and Tourism Industry,
2015).  Courtesy is just as important as
communication and a characteristic of a great manager.  Service management cannot exist without this
crucial skill.  It shows professionalism,
is contagious, and when customers receive courtesy from employees, they are
happy and help resolve situations in a better mood.

            Understanding the customer
and delivering exceptional customer service is more than delivering what you
promised.  Exceptional customer service
is going a step further and getting to know the customer so that you can go
beyond their needs and expectations. One of the best ways to understanding the
customer is to “step into their shoes.” 
For example, one of the most common complaints from customers is being
kept waiting.  Step into their shoes and
think, how would I feel having to wait, or feel like they are not worried about
taking care of my needs.  It is simple at
that point, treat the customer like you would like treated and go even further
and surpass their expectations. This can be as simple and acknowledgement of
the customer, simple gestures of understanding, to making accommodations to
occupy down time.  Exceptional service
management is exceeding the customer and employee expectations.

            Tangibles are also
extremely important to service management and the hospitality industry.   A good example of tangibles is the
appearance of physical facilities' equipment, personnel, and communication
materials.  Service managers will want to
make sure their employee's appearance is neat, clean, and professional
looking.  Also, they ensure all equipment
is clean, in good working order, and kept maintained. The work areas will be
kept clean and professional looking in appearance (i.e., service offices,
closets, front desk, etc.). A clean organization, in all aspects, reflects the
attention to detail that customers expect and respect.

            Service management is
much more than customer service; it is the managerial and administrative
science of overseeing an organization to maximize a customer experience to
ensure repeat visitation and likeliness of first-time visitation.  Service management can be used beyond the
typical hospitality business as well, as service management is an idea
philosophy for event planning, tourism management, and recreation.

References

Communication
in The Hospitality and Tourism Industry Communications Essay. (n.d.). Retrieved
from https://www.ukessays.com/essays/communications/communication-in-the-hospitality-and-tourism-industry-communications-essay.php

The
5 Service Dimensions All Customers Care About. (n.d.). Retrieved May 10, 2018,
from http://www.serviceperformance.com/the-5-service-dimensions-all-customers-care-about/

Hospitality
sector websites should improve responsiveness: Study | Travel Industry News
& Conferences - EyeforTravel testing. (n.d.). Retrieved May 10, 2018, from http://www.eyefortravel.com/mobile-and-technology/hospitality-sector-websites-should-improve-responsiveness-study

Validity.
(n.d.). Retrieved May 10, 2018, from https://www.uoguelph.ca/hftm/validity

Keywords:

#hospitality
#tourism #tourist #visitation #servicemanagement #leisure #recreation
#communication #serviceperformance #RPA #EKU #EasternKentuckyUniversity