Discuss about the Service Strategies for Food and Hospitality Service.
The One Tree Grill can be identified as one of the eminent and highly ranked restaurants of Auckland. It is a service providing organization that is specializing in the food and hospitality service. It is operating since 1996, in the hospitality sector as an up market, suburban bistro (Best Auckland Restaurants | Restaurants Auckland, 2016). As per the organization website, the restaurant offers modern European and New Zealand cuisine along with the best quality wines.
The point of differentiation of the organization can be identified “the customized service pattern”, the “purpose built dining facility”, convenience of “tailor based environment” and the amalgamation of “down to earth dining” with high-end facilities like car parking, supreme quality food and wine and many others (Best Auckland Restaurants | Restaurants Auckland, 2016). The company is continuously trying to uphold its brand name and make it unique by introducing facilities like providing flowers for birthdays and anniversaries, personalized decoration facility in the event of birthday celebration and out catering (“from finger food to full service dining”). Moreover, as mentioned in the website of the restaurant, it provides the facility of vouchers (Best Auckland Restaurants | Restaurants Auckland, 2016). It may not be much a unique idea, but what makes it special is the facility of personalization of the voucher.
The prime competitors of the organization can be identified as “The French Café,” “Aria Restaurant & Bar”, “Kazuya Restaurant” and many others (Petrie, 2013). These restaurants are closely situated to the selected organization. Moreover, these restaurants have competitive rating with the One Tree Grill, which is competitive threat to the organization. However, in the context of competition, One Tree Grill has a competitive advantage because of its location. Where the remaining organizations are located in the Wellesley street in close distances, One Tree Grill is operating in relatively hustle free area which is making it preferable to the potential customers.
To provide the best quality service to the customers the organization has the facility of delightful ambience, tasty foods, useful technology, and last but not the least, professional and proficient employees. The organization has experienced and innovative chefs and knowledgeable and credible supporting staffs. From the confirmation of the booking, selecting the customized menu to receiving and providing service to the customers is done with honesty and great precision. The ratings of the company in various credible rating cite can be regarded as a proof of this claim.
This report is dedicated to explore the service pattern and the strategies that the organization is maintaining to provide the best possible service quality to the customers. With this report, the author has identified how the organization is putting its effort to make the brand unique and earn loyal customers.
For uplifting the service standard of an industry, the companies need to identify the expectations of the potential customers. Moreover, to increase the profit count and uphold the brand name it is necessary for the organizations to detect the gap within the service. It helps them in identifying the areas those are needed to be improved and those are needed to be reserved. Hence, with the help of this report, the selected organization will be able to identify the strengths and weaknesses involved in its operation and other aspiring companies will be able to identify the “must-have” strategies to be successful in the hospitality industry.
Here, in the brief span of the following report, the author has tried to explore the service pattern and the strategies used by One Tree Grill to achieve the supreme level of customer satisfaction. The author discussed the whole report in some sub parts for obtaining better precision. Here, in the introduction, the author has provided an overview about the company and its service offerings. He has also discussed the points of differentiation, which are directing the customers to choose this restaurant over its close competitors. The author has also mentioned the competitors, how they are challenging the selected organization. Then the author has provided a discussion over the service pattern with a GAP model and the potential faults and how those can be removed. He/she has also provided a discussion over the usage of customization and standardization within the organization. Then he/she has mentioned the hard and soft standards and the role of customers and the staffs in the service encounter and concluded the report with an over of the company.
It is important for the organizations to identify the customer expectation to best serve them. As opined by Mok et al., (2013) the lack of knowledge and failing to provide the expected quality service creates gap in the service pattern and quality.
A Parasuraman, Valarie Zeithaml and LL Berry first proposed the idea of GAP model of service quality in the year of 1985 in the journal of marketing (Mudie & Pirrie, 2012). As mentioned by Terzakis et al., (2012) the gap analysis assists a service providing organization to make their customers more satisfied with their service and collect more loyal customer than before. As discussed by Mudie & Pirrie, (2012) the GAP model talks about five different gaps within the service structure: customer gap, provider gap (1), provider gap (2), provider gap (3), and provider gap (4).
Here, in the selected case, it can be noted that the organization is doing a great job in bridging the gaps of service quality. By learning the customers’ expectation, establishing right service quality and ensuring commitment to the promise, the organization is trying to bridging the gap.
However, as mentioned by Wilson et al., (2012) the provider gap (1) occurs when the organization is not aware of the customers’ needs. To eradicate this issue the organization tries communicating to the customers through every possible communication channels. One Tree Grill encourages the potential customers to make the employees known about their preferences via online sources (Best Auckland Restaurants | Restaurants Auckland, 2016). It helps them in bridging the gap of lack of knowledge of the customers’ choice.
Figure 1: GAP model for One Tree Grill
(Source: Best Auckland Restaurants | Restaurants Auckland, 2016)
In the context of provider gap (2), to avoid this issue, One Tree Grill offers the customers to set or customize their menus according to their choices. By incorporating the customer defined service standard, One Tree Grill is successfully managing the issue that involves the provider gap (2), within its service offerings.
If an examination on the customer reviews or ratings in various credible sources about One Tree Grill can be done, it can be noticed that the organization is also successfully bridging the provider gap (3) with the help of its service structure. As mentioned by Van der et al., (2015) it is important for the service providing organizations to ensure the best quality service expected by the customers. Here, One Tree Grill is trying to provide the same with the help of its proficient employees, technologically upgraded website and supply chain management (Best Auckland Restaurants | Restaurants Auckland, 2016).
As discussed by Sisson & Adams, (2013) the gap in the external communication i.e. the claim of service quality in the advertisements and the actual service offerings can be occurred due to lack of horizontal communication, overpromising, ineffective management of the customer expectation and lack of integration of marketing communication. Here, the organization tries fulfilling the promises by incorporating the strategy of providing “iPad menu” to provide “extra visual layer to your dining by feeding your eyes first” (Best Auckland Restaurants | Restaurants Auckland, 2016). It makes the customers considerably sure about the level of conformation to the advertisement by One Tree Grill in reality.
Last but most importantly, the customers expect an excellent dining experience, control over the offerings, good ambience, less time-consumption and good service from the employees. The organization is trying to provide all these. By using a technologically updated by user-friendly website, employing proficient human resource and maintaining genuine external communication, the organization is successfully bridging gap between customer expectation and organizational service.
However, it is almost impossible to eradicate the gap completely. The potential faults that the organization may suffer are the lack of variety in the food offerings, the price issue. Here, by utilizing the standardization process, the organization can eliminate the issue with price concern. Moreover, by including more varied options in the food offerings the customization can be increased and customer satisfaction can be achieved.
However, One Tree Grill has utilized the strategy of standardization and customization simultaneously to strategically manage the organizational offering and customer service. However, the current service pattern has a sheer inclination towards the strategy of customization. As mentioned by Kesavan et al., (2015) the service providing organizations need to focus on the differences of choices among the customers. By concentrating on this idea, One Tree Grill has introduced the strategy of creating own menu by the customers.
By following the strategy of customization of the service according to the customers’ choice One Tree Grill has successfully bridged the customer gap. Customization has helped them to establish better communication with the customers and know about their preferences. Moreover, with varied choice of areas, purposed built booking pattern and kids menu the service structure has provided the brand a label of customer-oriented organization (Best Auckland Restaurants | Restaurants Auckland, 2016). However, in the closed choice option in the European and New Zealand cuisine the organization is following the strategy of standardization.
The idea of standardization is of service largely customer driven.
The aim of One Tree Grill is to provide hundred percent complete customer satisfactions. In order to achieve it the organization is relying on the quality, service and value. The organization believes that by providing maximum satisfaction it will be able to create the best brand vale.
To best serve the customers and reduce the “in line time”, the organization has opted for providing the pre-booking facility to the customers. It calls for information from the customers and confirm the table number and time according to the list of guests (Best Auckland Restaurants | Restaurants Auckland, 2016). It helps them in reducing the waiting time for the customers and providing the best quality service to them.
The organization has opted for the facility of customization in the menu to eliminate the possibility of errors in the service of food and reducing wastage. With the introduction of arrangement of food and wine according to the customers’ choice, the organization obtains less production cost too. Moreover, by offering separate menu for children, the organization avoids the quality issues in the menu (Best Auckland Restaurants | Restaurants Auckland, 2016).
By using, the protocol of first booking and followed service the organization tries to minimize the count of transaction time with the customers. Moreover, it also helps the organization to reduce the possibility of errors in the operation, as the number of customers is pre-set.
On the other hand, by using the facility of dining voucher, the organization tries to increase the number of back orders, repeated customers and recommended customers from an old one.
As mentioned by Donovan & Samler, (2012) the soft standards are typically immeasurable. It depends on the customers’ perception and experience of the service provided by the organization.
As opined by Mok et al., (2013) providing hospitality is prerequisites for restaurants hoping to top the lists of most favorable brands. To provide best hospitality One Tree Grill has employed helpful, friendly, knowledgeable personnel to approach the customers (Best Auckland Restaurants | Restaurants Auckland, 2016). From parking of the car to the bill payment, the employees maintain professional but heartily communication and assistance.
To provide the best possible convenience to the customers, the restaurant offers Purpose built dining facility, tailored environment and personalized decoration. It provides the most convenient environment to enjoy their time and any memorable celebration. Moreover, with online service regarding booking, menu selection and customization the customers get the highest convenience in the dining experience (Best Auckland Restaurants | Restaurants Auckland, 2016).
To maintain the credibility claimed via advertisement, the organization uses best quality ingredient to provide best quality food, ipad menu for visual knowledge of the service and review option available in the website (Best Auckland Restaurants | Restaurants Auckland, 2016). All these make One Tree Grill a credible restaurant in the town.
As mentioned by Markey & Knudsen, (2014) the high end or the upscale hospitality service offerings need a trained and experienced stuff. As mentioned in the website of the selected restaurant, the organization has skilled and experienced employees, who are motivated and dedicated to provide the best possible customer service ranging from the food to dining experience. As opined by Chon, (2013) in the hospitality sector service encounter is vivid than any industry. Hence, the organization looks for fresh talents who love the functionary of this industry, and motivated enough to serve the guests with smile. Moreover, as the organization has an online process of service, the employees are well aware of the handling of computers and online activities (Best Auckland Restaurants | Restaurants Auckland, 2016). As discussed by Petrie, (2013) in the hospitality sector, the employees need to be fair and the communication skill of the working force of an organization is needed to be of the best quality. Here, in this selected restaurant the employees are committed to provide the best interpersonal experience coupled with the best communication pattern to the customers. As mentioned by Mudie & Pirrie, (2012) it provides any hospitality organization the best level of service encounter to the customer.
From receiving the customers, addressing them, serving the foods and providing necessary assistance, the employees play major role in the service encounter.
As mentioned by Donovan & Samler, (2012) customers are the key of service encounter. Here, with the customization of the service the customers hold a great range of control over the service encounter. As per the company website, the employees are always there to alter the service pattern according to the customers’ choice. Moreover, as per the company website, the organization offers a wide range of choices in the food offerings. As mentioned by Padilla-Meléndez & Garrido-Moreno, (2014) control or the sense of having choice provides the customer best service encounter experience. Being a service (hospitality) providing organization, One Tree Grill greatly values the customers and they have designed the service pattern to bridge the gap between the customer expectation and the service offering of the organization. As mentioned in the organization website, in order to provide the control to the customers in the service encounter, the restaurant has the facility of customizing the menus and the added conveniences in the service pattern (Best Auckland Restaurants | Restaurants Auckland, 2016).
Conclusion:
Hence, from the above discussion it can be concluded that One Tree Grill is successfully serving the customers and earning satisfaction and loyalty by tactfully bridging the gap between customer expectation and opting for customization in the service pattern. It has provided the organization the opportunity to best serve the customers. Moreover the balance of standardization and customization is being helpful for the management of the organization to operate the restaurant with great precision. The organization has employed strategically maintained service policies like (purpose built area, tailored environment and ipad menu) to match the expectation level of the customers. Last but not the least the hard and soft standers arte helping the organization to meet the claimed service patter and mainlining a high brand value in the market.
References:
Best Auckland Restaurants | Restaurants Auckland. (2016). Onetreegrill.co.nz. Retrieved 25 September 2016, from https://www.onetreegrill.co.nz/
Chon, K. S. (2013). Tourism in Southeast Asia: A new direction. Routledge.
Donovan, P., & Samler, T. (2012). Delighting Customers: How to build a customer-driven organization. Springer Science & Business Media.
Kesavan, R., Panitz, E., & Rao, C. P. (2015). Standardization Versus Customizing Services Across Global Markets. In Proceedings of the 1995 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference (pp. 125-125). Springer International Publishing.
Markey, R., & Knudsen, H. (2014). Employee participation and quality of work environment: Denmark and New Zealand. International Journal of Comparative Labour Law and Industrial Relations, 30(1), 105-126.
Mok, C., Sparks, B., & Kadampully, J. (2013). Service quality management in hospitality, tourism, and leisure. Routledge.
Mudie, P., & Pirrie, A. (2012). Services marketing management. Routledge.
Padilla-Meléndez, A., & Garrido-Moreno, A. (2014). Customer relationship management in hotels: Examining critical success factors. Current Issues in Tourism, 17(5), 387-396. Padilla-Meléndez, A., & Garrido-Moreno, A. (2014). Customer relationship management in hotels: Examining critical success factors. Current Issues in Tourism, 17(5), 387-396.
Petrie, H. (2013). Chiefs of industry: Maori tribal enterprise in early colonial New Zealand. Auckland University Press.
Qizhang, L., & Goh, M. (2015). Standardization and Customization. In TA-Q-BIN (pp. 149-165). Springer Singapore.
Sisson, L. G., & Adams, A. R. (2013). Essential hospitality management competencies: The importance of soft skills. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education, 25(3), 131-145.
Terzakis, D., Zisis, P. V., Garefalakis, A. E., & Arvanitis, S. E. (2012). Translating the service quality gaps into strategy formulation. An experimental case study of a greek academic department. European Research Studies,15(1), 99.
Van der Wagen, L., & Goonetilleke, A. (2015). Hospitality Management, Strategy and Operations. Pearson Higher Education AU.
Wilson, A., Zeithaml, V. A., Bitner, M. J., & Gremler, D. D. (2012). Services marketing: Integrating customer focus across the firm. McGraw Hill.
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