AS Travel and Tourism
TT02: A People Industry
PORTFOLIO GUIDANCE
AO1: A review of Induction procedures and training provided by the organisation to ensure that their staff are aware of the principles of customer service. Structure •
A short (no more than one or two paragraphs) background on The Hastings Group and The Culloden.
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As a short introduction, discuss the reputation and the main types of customers at The Culloden and link to how important customer service is. Make sure you expand on why customer service is important here and give detail in your answer. Make sure you link this specifically to the Culloden.
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Evaluate (strengths and weaknesses) each part of the Induction (for new employees) and Training (for all employees) for new employees and ensure to include to look at this from the view of employee AND customer. (You should make use of the PowerPoints). Induction is the welcoming introduction employees have to the company whereas training is the on job training they receive. Make sure you clearly distinguish between “Induction” and “Training”. Take time to carefully evaluate the procedures they go through for induction and training and use the branded names used by the company for training.
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Any of the answers to the questions we asked are not included above these should be addressed along with anything else you consider important. Go through your notes carefully and include everything that is relevant.
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Remember the Culloden Hotel has been operating with a high level of customer service for a number of years and therefore will not have too many faults (you can mention this) but we should be able to identify one or two little changes. When doing this research other similar hotels and see what they do and then use these as examples.
Remember you are aiming for…. Mark band 4 A well developed review of the appropriateness of the induction and training procedures, indicating how they benefit customers and the organisation. Developed understanding is shown concerning the principles of customer service.
Travel and Tourism Role-plays Prepare for these role-plays as you will be asked to perform ONE of these this week. Ensure you are familiar with all the information you may require however, you may bring price lists with you and be able to use these during the exercise. Remember I am looking for the following skills:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Using appropriate language Positive body language Listening to customers Successful selling techniques Self-confidence Tact and diplomacy Remaining calm
1. A company are interested in holding a two day conference at the hotel. They will also need accommodation. There is a mixture of males and females and one of the colleagues is disabled. The manager has never heard of the Culloden and needs to be persuaded to book with them. In addition to this the manager wants to entertain his colleagues during the evening. He wants theatre tickets and local transport. It is all to be arranged by the hotel.
2. A family are checking in for the weekend. They are attending a wedding and require information about local transport as well as activities suitable for children on Sunday. The reception is very busy and the children are chasing each other around reception. One trips over some luggage and starts crying. The mother blames the receptionist as there is not enough staff on duty.
3. An elderly gentleman has rang the Leisure Complex to find out information about the Spa facilities. He is interested in treating his elderly wife for her 80 th birthday. He has absolutely no knowledge of the treatments provided by the spa and wants some help and advice. He also has concerns about the parking and access to the complex as his wife has a Zimmer frame. The gentleman also has difficulty hearing you on the phone.
AS Travel and Tourism Role-play notes
Date: __________________
Name: Role-play: Welcome and introduction
Product knowledge
Confidence
Sales
Strengths
Weaknesses
Conclusion of roleplay
Signed …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
AO3: An investigation into and analysis of the product knowledge required by the employees of the organisation Research •
You need to start with two or three paragraphs explaining how you researched for this section. Explain how you will use both primary and secondary data collection techniques (you might want to define these terms) in order to gain an in-depth knowledge of employees product knowledge. You will need to use techniques such as listening to the presentation, making phone calls, sending e mails, internet and any flyers you lifted and talk about the advantages and disadvantages of using both of these. It is important you keep a record of exactly what you have done and then put this in a bibliography at the end of this section. Your primary (at least two) could be a phone call to reception asking questions about a room price or local information (anything really!) or an email to conferencing and banqueting asking about a wedding price list or other details etc. Credit will be given to those who have made up their own. Remember you need to test them so ask a number of questions. We can spread this around the Hastings Group rather than annoying the Culloden. Your secondary research could be from their website and you could analyse how good you think it was at showing products available.
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A short (half page or so) introduction on the importance of product knowledge. Remember to link this to the Culloden by giving examples.
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Discuss the induction process and how this helps give employees product knowledge. This is more general to employees but link it to particular job roles within the hotel.
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Then take each working area of the hotel in turn (examples from presentation) and analyse what product knowledge they need and why. For example, a receptionist needs extensive product knowledge as they would be the main contact for internal and external customers and would be constantly in contact with them. You will have tested some of these groups during your phone call or email and you need to give your evaluation on how they replied to your queries paying close attention to their product knowledge.
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Finish with a conclusion (half page or so) giving your own personal opinions on the importance of product knowledge and how it gives good customer service.
(Total = 5 pages) Remember you are aiming for…. Mark band 4 Candidates use a range of appropriate research techniques independently to analyse, and reach valid conclusions on, how induction and training procedures provide employees with the product knowledge to enable them to provide the customer service. Candidates use written expression with appropriate specialist vocabulary to analyse information.
AO4: An evaluation of the range of interpersonal and technical skills required to deliver customer service •
No more than one page to define interpersonal skills and technical skills (using brief examples) and clearly showing you know how these are very different skills. Discuss how these skills are obtained and link to induction, training and on-the-job experience.
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Then examine the interpersonal and technical skills that contribute to the operation of Culloden. You can do this in a table format with the skill in one column and “how this creates good customer service” (use your own working here) in the other. E.g.
Interpersonal Skill Listening
How this creates good customer service (a good detailed number or paragraphs on this) • • • • • • •
This side should deal with why this skill is important for the customer and the employee. How this would benefit the customer. How this will benefit the employee. How this will benefit the employee. If done badly how this could damage the hotel. Who is this skill required by – giving some examples. Link this to your primary research by evaluating how you think the employee compared to what good looks like
From this list choose at least 10 Interpersonal skills (you can combine some of these if you wish) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18.
Use of appropriate language Body language Listening Phone manner Oral communication Written communication Sales Self-confidence Tact Diplomacy Remaining calm Respect Empathy Assertive Teamwork Cooperation Understanding Questioning
Technical Skill Listening
How this creates good customer service (a good detailed number or paragraphs on this) • • • • • • •
This side should deal with why this skill is important for the customer and the employee. How this would benefit the customer. How this will benefit the employee. How this will benefit the employee. If done badly how this could damage the hotel. Who is this skill required by – giving some examples. Link this to your primary research by evaluating how you think the employee compared to what good looks like
From this list choose at least 8 technical skills (you can combine some of these if you wish): 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
Adhering to dress code Product knowledge Word processing Other IT skills Following procedures: company policy/instructions, taking bookings, handling complaints Calculating discounts; using mathematics/calculator Using a telephone/paging system Use of company machines Use of Point of Sale equipment Letter writing and email skills use of equipment in the kitchen, bar, housekeeping, maintenance, restaurant, silver service
Finish with a conclusion summarising this part of the coursework and then do a summary of the Culloden based on the whole coursework (at least a page for these two.
Remember you are aiming for…. Mark band 4 Candidates evaluate a wide range of interpersonal and technical skills required to deliver customer service within the organisation. All evidence is evaluated for appropriateness. The evaluation is well-structured and provides valid and relevant conclusions. Candidates use written expression which conveys appropriate meaning within developed subject matter.