Developing A Service Operations Plan For Lobby Ambassador Hotel In Singapore

Develop Service Operations Plan that is lined with the Consumer-focused Strategy

Developing the hotel service operation management plan is related to the better management of operations and resources for different departments, entertaining the guests or visitors by providing them better quality of hospitality services, and meeting the stakeholders’ expectations by continuous improvement of the service operations. This assessment discusses the service operation plan aligned with the customer-centered strategy, communicating this service plan to the team, analyze the performance of plan against the industry benchmarks or key performance indicators, and finally, the corrective action will be planned and implemented for improving the performance of the service operation. Lobby Ambassador is taken as new service operation for my department in Singapore (Ford, Sturman, and Heaton, 2011).

Develop Service Operations Plan that is lined with the Consumer-focused Strategy

The performance operation plan for Lobby Ambassador Hotel services will include the customer-focused strategy and service operational plan. The customer-focused strategy will revolve around meeting the customers’ needs, interests, and expectation for keeping them satisfied with the effective hospitality service quality. It sets out the future directions by keeping the guests’ needs, preferences, and expectations at the center for delivering them values. The customer-focused strategy will include best practices, like the quality and nutritious foods, standard accommodation, safety arrangements, healthy environment and entertainment facilities and operation management for returning them back to Lobby Ambassador Hotel service operations.

 The customer-focused strategy will be effective to inform and train the team members about the service strategy commitment and service recovery plan (Plunkett and Reid, 2013). The strategy statement will focus on the customer service operations and feedbacks on the service quality by providing the effective training for delivering the excellent customer service and focusing on the positive feedback to return the customers back to the hotel.

The service recovery plan will include greeting welcome on the arrival of guests, listening to the guests attentively, hearing their concerns, communicating with them politely and positively, apologies and ask questions, taking action, and follow-up by saying thank you on the departure and get service feedback from the customers) because the poor customer service can result into the loss of the potential customers and the negative reviews from these customers that may affect the brand positioning, hotel reputation, and performance of the operational plan.

The service operational plan comprises a chart that will emphasize the strategy components (Mission, Vision, Values, Goals, and Strategy), plans to develop a customer-focused culture, organizational functions, and resources needed and to meet the vision and mission for the accomplishment of the business goals and objectives for the hotel operations (Hoque, 2013).

The vision will be ‘To become the most renowned hospitality service industry in Singapore’. The mission statement is ‘to deliver the value and quality of the hospitality services that make them proud, happy, and satisfactory’. The goals for the hotel operation will be entertaining the guests with the quality foods service delivery, standardized accommodation and affordable services and attaining the financial growth through the profitable service operations. The core values for the hotel operations will include accountability, sustainability, reliability, differentiation, and customer-focused, and hygiene environment. The strategy will include the cost leadership and product/service differentiation to create value to the guests or customers.

Communicate Service Operation Plan to Team

The service operation plan will also include the risk assessment and management plan, emergency plan and contingency plan, and service recovery plan. The risk management plan will identify the potential risks (safety risks, stakeholder risks, security risks) and preventive action to avoid such risks. The contingency plan will be related to taking decisions in the contingent situations and emergency plan to find the emergency solution in the case of fire, accidents, conflicts or disputes, or external attacks.

The service recovery plan is a remediation plan that will judge the service efficiency when the hotel service operations fail to meet the guests’ expectations. Additionally, there will be a workforce plan for the standardization of the workflow processes and operating procedures. It will include the consistent flow of the human resources or working staffs, procedure of assigning their roles and responsibility, the process of carry-out tasks within the department, check-in procedure, payment procedure, and front office department with the receptionists to the customers’ query, reservation process, and information updates to the customers.

The performance service standards will include the quality and timeliness of services, accuracy and speed of services, and safety arrangements and security plans for the occupational safety of the guests and employees (Endter, 2011). The service operational plan will also include the budgeting in the form of investment on the product operations, infrastructure, and resource management for running the successful business ventures.

Communicate Service Operation Plan to Team

It is necessary to communicate the service operational plan to the team or stakeholders for the effective execution and implementation of the plan. The service operational plan should be shared with the team for keeping clarity and accountability of the elements or operational procedures and decision-making in the operational service plan. The elements of the service operational plan, like the goals and objectives, service standards for the achievement, service recovery plan (recovery of the plan in the case of service failure), customer-focused strategy, and operational guidelines for the better outcomes of .

the service operational plan, like better decision-making, line of authority, chain of command, decentralized decision-making and right communication model and channel, will be shared. The service operational plan is communicated with the team staff so that the team members could prepare themselves to perform their tasks, duties, and performance activities effectively for achieving the positive service outcomes (Berger, and Ferguson, 2010). The team members should be allowed to participate or involve in the meeting and decision-making process. The team members including the frontline employees could be empowered to put inputs in the form of relevant suggestions, creative ideas, or new plans for the improvement of the performance plan.

The team members’ ideas, opinions, and suggestions could be considered for the final decision-making process. The priority will be held on the customer service quality and satisfaction. The training and learning environment to the team members will assist to achieve the performance objectives by reducing the chances of the failure to provide the quality service delivery to the guests. The learning environment, effective communication and interaction, cross-questioning, sharing ideas and plans, and positive environment can encourage the staffs to work with the best efforts to give the quality service to the guests/ customers (Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2015).

Analyze Performance Data against the Key Performance Indicators and Industry Benchmarks to Ascertain gaps

Analyze Performance Data against the Key Performance Indicators and Industry Benchmarks to Ascertain gaps

This part will analyze and evaluate the performance data by using the evaluation method, evaluating the qualitative and quantitative data, and analyze performance gaps or inconsistencies by using the performance indicators. This will include the collection of the data relating to the performance result of the operational plan, analyze results, and finally, evaluate the performance outcomes of the service operation plan.  

There are several methods used for collecting the performance data that include the direct monitoring, the guests’ feedback, customer surveys, staff feedbacks, and managers’ feedback report. The customer surveys could be used to collect data from the customers by questioning relating to their actual needs, expectations, and preferences. The guests’ feedback could also be used to get the performance data by collecting the feedback or performance reviews regarding the hospitality service quality.

The management’s feedback report could be used to collect the responses or feedback on the production outcomes of the staffs. After collecting data for the hotel service operations, it could be analyzed by comparing the actual performance outcomes against the customers or guests feedbacks, Manager’s feedback report will be used for analyzing the performance gap, inconsistencies or variance in the service outcomes (Pechnlaner and Innerhofer, 2016). The qualitative data is analyzed by organizing data, interpreting the information, concluding on the results, and explain the findings and summary.

After analyzing the performance gaps, the performance plan will be evaluated by comparing the actual performance outcomes with the performance metrics or industry standards. The feedback from the manager, stakeholder, guests, and team will be used to evaluate the performance plan by comparing the actual performance outcomes against the feedback or performance metrics. The customers’ complaints or reviews will be used to analyze the performance gap between the service quality and customers’ expectations of performance, like the gaps in the accuracy, timeliness, standardization, and quality of the service delivery (Ransley and Ingram, 2012).

Balance scorecard method is a measurement tool based on the performance indicators and critical success factors. This tool will play an important role in ensuring the effectiveness of the hotel service operations for the attainment of the performance objectives. The BSC will measure and evaluate the performance of Lobby Ambassador Hotel service operations by combining both financial and non-financial control measures. It provides a platform for the integration of both non-financial and financial and measures, aligning the strategic planning and financial budgets, and finally, communicating the feedback of the performance plan for increasing the business performance in the future.

The BSC is used to measure the performance of the service operational plan based on four types of performance criteria or perspectives including the financial, customers, learning and growth, and internal business processes. The financial perspective is related to the measurement of the financial performance of the service operations by meeting the financial objectives, like increasing the sales revenues, significant profits margins, smooth cash flow, and maximum returns to the shareholders/ investors for the firm.

The customer perspective is related to meeting guests’ needs, interests, and expectations by enhancing the customer satisfaction and loyalty through the effective foods service delivery, standard accommodation, good security arrangement, pleasant environment, and low-cost hotel services to the customers (Sadi, Vitor, and Antonio, 2010). The learning and growth perspective is related to managing the sustainable operations and growth of the businesses through the learning workplace culture and training and development programs to support the staffs in enhancing their skills and the competencies. The internal business processes is final growth criteria or outcome that is related to ensuring the effectiveness and standardization of the internal business processes for attaining the positive and optimum outcomes.

 Implement Corrective Actions to Improve Service Operations Performance

In order to improve the service operation performance for new service operation of hotel Lobby Ambassador, it is important to develop lists and implement the corrective actions to improve the operational performance, seek areas of improvement in the service operation plan, and stakeholders’ endorsement in the improvement of the service operation performance. Firstly, the root causes for the performance gap in the service quality outcomes, service delivery gaps, and productivity gaps that could be identified with the help of fishbone diagram. This diagram will identify the root causes of the performance gaps, productivity gaps, and service gaps and the corrective action will be identified and implemented to find the appropriate solution to improve the performance of Lobby Ambassador Service operation (Wood, 2013).

This visualization technique provides the diagram of the performance gaps or problems relating to the machines/equipment, materials/products, methods/procedures, and manpower/people, environment, and measurement.

From the fishbone diagram, it is identified that the root cause of the performance gaps for this hotel service operation include the unclear tasks and responsibilities, insufficient resources, the lack of the staff training, uncooperative staffs, the lack of commitment of the staffs, the lack of collaboration among the operational processes, unhealthy and unsafe workplace environment, and the lack of accountability and transparency of the decisions are major causes for the poor service outcomes for this hotel service operation.

After identifying the root causes for the performance gaps, the actions will be planned and implemented to improve the overall operational performance. The corrective actions will include the planned activities for resolving the performance gaps. For this, it is also important that the operational service staff understand their roles and responsibility in the improvement of the performance operations.

The actions, like face-to-face interaction, great communication, introducing new products in the hotel operations, terminate the unproductive or irresponsible employees, ensuring the resource sufficiency, use the point-of-sale service, continuous response to the customers’ feedbacks, using information system management for getting the latest updates, the flexible, learning, and secure workplace environment supportive staff and consumers could be taken for the improvement of the service operation (Rutherford and O’Fallon, 2009). Other actions may include online payment transactions, digital app system, performing effective procedure for the guests’ welcome on the arrival and departure procedure, and ensuring the staffs’ training to provide the effective service quality. All these actions may prove to be beneficial to gain positive outcomes toward the improvement of the service operations of Lobby Ambassador.

Gannt Chart is prepared to show the action plan for emphasizing the list of actions to be implemented in the scheduled time period of 7 weeks (almost 50 days):-

Gantt Chart

Planned Actions for Implementation	Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4	Week 5	Week 6	Week 7
1. Arrange a meeting with all operational staffs
2. Collect data on business performance and productivity outcomes
3. Analyze data based on the guest service delivery status, financial outcomes achieved, the purpose of operation and quality level meet or not
4. monitoring and evaluating the performance data with the actual service outcomes
5. analyze gaps or inconsistencies of performance
6. identify the root cause of the performance gaps
7. implement the corrective action and follow-up

 Conclusion

Finally, it is analyzed that the performance for new service operation, Lobby Ambassador was evaluated with the help of key performance indicators, like managers’ feedback, customers’ surveys, guests’ feedbacks on service quality, timeliness and accuracy of the service delivery, and safety and security of the guests.

The balance scorecard also used to analyze and evaluate the performance of the service operation on the basis of four performance perspectives or criteria including the learning and growth, customer service, financial, and internal business process to analyze growth and sustainable performance operations for Lobby Ambassador Operation. The action plan was developed and implemented to find ways in order to improve the service performance outcomes through better management of the operations. It is identified that the performance monitoring plan will foster the continuous improvement of the operation, brand compliance, customer service management, and profitable operations.

References

Balance Scorecard Institute (2018) Balance Scorecard Basics.[Online]. Available at: https://www.balancedscorecard.org/BSC-Basics/About-the-Balanced-Scorecard.(Accessed: 13 October 2018).

Berger, F. and Ferguson, H.D. (2010) Innovation: creativity techniques for hospitality managers. USA: John Wiley& Sons.

Emerald Group Publishing Limited (2015) New Perspectives in Hospitality Management. Australia: Emerald Group Publishing.

Endter, C. (2011) Managing People in International Hospitality and Tourism Industries. London: Grin Verlag.

Ford, R., Sturman, M., and Heaton, C. (2011) Managing Quality Service in Hospitality: How Organizations Achieve Excellence in the Guest Experience. New York:Cengage Learning.

Hoque, K. (2013) Human Resource Management in the Hotel Industry: Strategy, Innovation and Performance. UK: Routledge.

McCarthy, Laura, Stock, D., and Verma, R. (2010) ‘How travelers use online and social media channels to make hotel-choice decisions’, Journal of Social Media Marketing, Vol. 10 (18).

Pechnlaner, H. and Innerhofer, E. (2016) Competence-Based Innovation in Hospitality and Tourism. UK: Routledge.

Plunkett, D. and Reid, O. (2013) Detail in Contemporary Hotel Design. UK: Laurence King Publishing.

Ransley, J. and Ingram, H. (2012) Developing Hospitality Properties and Facilities. Burlington: Rout Ledge Publication.

Rutherford, G.D. and O’Fallon, J. M. (2009) Hotel Management and Operations [Online]. Available at: https://hos.msu.ac.th/eng/other/HotelManagement.pdf (Accessed: 13 October 2018).

Sadi, S., Vitor, R., and Antonio, R. (2010) The Contribution of the Balance Scorecard as a Strategic Management Tool in Management Report. [Online]. Available at: https://www.scielo.org.ar/pdf/vf/v13n1/v13n1a02.pdf. (Accessed: 13 October 2018).

Wood, C. R. (2013) Key Concepts in Hospitality Management. London: Sage Publication.