powerpoint to accompany sessions 3, 4 & 5 manage quality customer service with sue cameron

PowerPoint to accompany

Sessions 3, 4 & 5

Manage Quality Customer Service

with Sue Cameron

O’Shannessy, Minett & Hyde, The Road to Tourism 2e : © 2008 Pearson Education Australia

Agenda

Revision on Session 2 Class objective or learning outcomes More on what quality customer service

looks like A customer service activity Market Research


What is Quality Customer Service?

It is difficult to quantify quality customer service

Each of us believes we know what it is Each of believes we give it Each of us may be right


What is quality customer service?

But in the context of this session, quality customer service is more than playing the good host to our guests

It is more than friendly, courteous service from helpful staff who smile a lot!


What is quality customer service? …

Quality customer service is about: Understanding, implicitly, what our

customers want and providing it Developing and using knowledge about

our markets to meet identified preferences, needs and expectations

Developing and using knowledge about our products and identifying opportunities to promote them


What is quality customer service?

Proactively responding to the ever-changing needs of our markets

Managing conflict to achieve win-win at all times

Managing and using information about our customers to ensure every experience with the organisation is a positive one.


Product and service knowledge

Product and service knowledge helps us do our job. It helps ensure a quality service experience

The more know about our products and services the greater our level of confidence



Product and service knowledge is not just about knowing what’s on the menu; it’s about: understanding what the customer

wants and the experience they are looking for

the ingredients of each dish what wine best complements each

menu item



how long each dish takes to prepare

how to describe each dish to create a mental picture of it

how to correctly place the dish in front of the customer

how to respond to questions about the menu


Market knowledge

Understanding our markets also helps us do our job

Understanding our markets also helps target our marketing effort


What is marketing?

Marketing is a range of activities aimed at identifying the businesses target markets and promoting the business to attract those markets


Why bother marketing?

Without customers we don’t have a business. If potential customers don’t know we exist or don’t know what we are offering then how can we attract them?

If we don’t understand the types of customers we want to (and do) attract, how do we know what products and services to develop/offer?


Role Play Activity

• In groups of 3 or 4 select a waiter/waitress, an observer and customer(s)

• You are in a restaurant and you are acting the roles to give good service

• The observer takes notes on the good and the room for improvement areas of the transaction

• The observer then reports to the class their findings


Scenario

As the customer you are in a Thai restaurant in Sydney and you are hungry, you like good food and expect excellent customer service (it is expensive)

Role play your parts to provide or receive excellent customer service

Then give feedback to the waiter/waitress


What is research

Research is a set of formal and informal techniques used to locate information and to process that information so that we can use relevant data to build our knowledge


Formal & Informal research methods

Definitions: Formal research is a structured research

style that allows students or researchers to present their findings in a detailed, almost scientific manner

Informal research or the informal method describes the data based on the intuition of the researcher


Types of research

Formal Interviews Questionnaires Discussions.

Informal Newspaper articles Brochures Observation Training sessions.


Types of research

Qualitative research explores ideas, seeks feedback on performance and helps identify preferences

Quantitative research measures and monitors events and performance in terms of quantity, numbers and percentages


Sources of information

Sources of information refers to where we get information: Media Reference Books Libraries Visiting attractions Leaflets and brochures Tourist offices and commissions.


Sources of information

Internet Personal experience Colleagues and associated Industry associations Industry contacts, mentors and

advisors Familiarisation trips.


Questioning techniques

Open-ended – questions that require more than a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer.

Closed – questions that make it easy to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ (or make other non-buying decisions).


What is ‘tourism’?

Those activities that take people away from their usual place of residence for pleasure or a holiday, other than for work


What is a ‘tourist’?

A tourist is a person who travels for pleasure and for reasons other than employment or business, usually more than 40 kilometres from home and usually for a period of more than 24 hours


What is a ‘trip’?

A ‘trip’ is a journey that involves a stay away from home being at least 40 kilometres in distance and of at least 24 hours’ duration, but not for more than three months


Tourism sectors

Industries are frequently divided into sectors so as to enable specialisation in the provision of services and products

It is important to understand the various tourism sectors as this can inform with regard career choice


What is a ‘visit’?

A visit, as a component of a trip, is defined as being made to each place where one or more nights is spent on the trip


Tourism sectors

Hospitality Accommodation Restaurants Cafes/bars Entertainment.

Travel operations Retail travel agents Airlines and Cruise Ships Railways and Coaches


Tourism sectors

Visitor services Attractions Regional tourist associations Visitor information centres.


Tourism services and products

Tourism products are the tangible aspects of the industry – those things consumers can touch or consume (holiday, accommodation, food, flight)

Services are intangible (booking a flight or holiday, providing information)


Tourism markets

In a general context, a tourism market is a group of people with similar characteristics and buying habits that a tourism-business attracts

Broadly speaking, our markets fall into three categories: Inbound Outbound Domestic.


Inbound tourists

Visitors to Australia whose main place of residence is not in Australia


Outbound tourists

Tourists whose main place of residence is in Australia travelling outside Australia


Domestic tourism

Tourism undertaken by Australian residents within Australia, either interstate or intrastate


Roles in travel operations

Travel Operations – businesses concerned with the manufacture, promotion, sales and distribution of travel products Owner/operator (principal) of a tourism/travel

product or service Tour wholesaler Travel agent Reservations/sales Product manager.


Roles in visitor services

Visitor Services – businesses concerned with attractions management, tourist information, destination marketing, events marketing. Visitor information booking agent/travel

advisor Events coordinator/manager Tour leader/guide Activities coordinator Marketing manager.


Industry expectations

Excellent service ethos Strong work ethic Excellent communication skills Excellent interpersonal skills High standard of grooming Good product knowledge Excellent work-related skills


Industry expectations

Honesty Punctuality Reliability Initiative Positive attitude Dedication


3 Videos on Customer Service

Bad customer service (2 examples Plus one on Empathy

(go to session 1 lecture notes slide no 19)

Customer service tips:http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=hz0IAjn3Ijk&feature=related


What is a ‘service ethos’?

It is the outstanding qualities and characteristics a tourism professional inherently possesses in the delivery of service to customers

Ethos – culture or philosophy


What is a ‘work ethic’?

Our attitude to work…how we feel about our work and therefore the level of effort we exert

A work ethic is influenced by our culture, family colleagues and leadership in the workplace (organisational culture)


How do we measure work ethic?

There are a number of ‘tests’ that we generally use to measure our (and our colleagues) work ethic: (KPI’s) Time keeping (do we arrive on

time?) Absenteeism (do we take

‘sickies’?)


How do we measure work ethic?

Manner of dress (do we take care in how we present for work?)

Flexibility Teamwork Attitude Effort (exerted) or productivity


Work performance expectations

Irrespective of the sector or enterprise in which we work, it is expected that we provide service: efficiently knowledgably skilfully ethically courteously.


What is ‘quality assurance’ (QA)?

The control of the variations in the provision of goods and services to ensure consistency

It is only through consist quality in the delivery of services and products that businesses are able to attract and retain customers


What is a ‘standard’?

In order to facilitate achieving quality, businesses establish standards in the way they deliver services and products

Thus, a standard is a minimum level at which output is to be provided or produced to assure a consistent quality


Standard examples

How a tour is conducted/guided How a guest room must look and

be cleaned how staff must present themselves

for work (correct uniform, name badge, etc)

how a telephone must be answered


Standard examples

how a customer is greeted how a reservation is recorded. how information is

prepared/presented how an event is set up


Why set standards?

By setting standards we are able to measure or judge the quality of the output often called KPI’s

By standardising what we do and how we do, all staff understand explicitly what is expected of them


Customer service standards

Communicate customer services standards, issues and expectations to colleagues

These standards may relate to: Response times Service guarantees Pricing guarantees


Customer service standards

Product quality Document presentation standards Personal presentation standards Complaint management Provide colleagues with access to

information on service standards and delivery


Standards and KPI’s

Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) are usually based on these standards

KPI’s is the method we use to measure staff performance


Standards and KPI’s Activity

In small groups select a team leader Discuss ideas on what you think should

be some of the KPI’s for a service organisation – have at least 5

List these potential KPI’s Share these with the class


Cost of not providing quality

Waste of time Loss of money Loss of customers Lack of consistency Customer complaints


Accreditation systems

Many sectors of the tourism industry subscribe to industry-recognised accreditation systems

An accreditation system is a quality assurance program that sets standards for the delivery of services and products to meet specific quality requirements


What are ‘ethics’?

A system of principles and values that govern the way we behave and act

Unethical practices may have legal implications


Some of the ethical issues affecting the tourism industry

Confidentiality Money security Overbooking Product recommendations Pricing


Some of the ethical issues affecting the tourism industry

Gifts, services free of charge and familiarisations

Codes of practice Commission procedures Tipping


The (poor) quality customer service experience

I walked into a café recently and ordered a take-away coffee. I paid. I waited. The barista, a young lady of about 25, acknowledged the waiter who took my order at the counter, but not me

I stood and waited while three (regular) customers came in after me, paid for, ordered, and received their coffee directly from the barista, before me



The barista knew each of the three customers; she greeted them in a friendly manner, and by name

She didn’t need to ask what they wanted, she knew

She made their coffee, handed it over and wished them a lovely day



The barista was more than a little disconcerted when I finally received my coffee and failed to say ‘thankyou’. She snarled ‘you’re welcome’ as I headed for the door.

I suspect she is still wondering why I’ll never return!

Often, businesses fail to understand why they lose customers.


How did this experience feel?

I did not feel important or welcome (yes, it was only a coffee, but it demonstrates that even very small events can negatively impact the business)

My order was taken promptly but delivery of the product was slow!

I liked the coffee but the service left me feeling unsatisfied


How did this experience feel?

The only special need I had was to be served promptly and in order! (and a decent cup of coffee)

No, I will not return to this café No, I will not recommend it to others (in

fact, I had business to attend to in the same street so I told the people I was meeting with about my experience and recommended they go elsewhere for their coffee, to which they replied they had stopped going there because they had never been made to feel very welcome!)


How could this experience be better?

Barista acknowledge me (‘you’re coffee won’t be long’)

Served customers in order ‘Regulars’ are important – I’m sure the one

directly behind me would have understood had he needed to wait 30 seconds longer to be served (especially had the barista said ‘morning, Bill. I’ll be with you in a moment’ or similar!)

It is said to cost seven times more to attract a new customer than to retain an existing customer (repeat business)


How could this experience be better?

What happens to this café when the ‘regulars’ change jobs, move away or for some other reason stop patronising the venue? Because they are potentially failing to attract and retain new customers, this business may find it self out-of-business!

The bottom line is, what a customer wants is quality customer service!

This business failed to understand my specific needs and wants


Moments of truth

Each and every encounter with a customer is a moment of truth – an opportunity to create an impression: Positive Negative Neutral


Positive moments of truth

Occur when a good impression is made


Negative moments of truth

Occur when a bad impression is made


Neutral moments of truth

Occur when we fail to make any impression at all!


What the customer wants

Positive moments of truth Accurate information about products

and services The provision of products and

services in a timely manner Service staff who are interested in

their job


What the customer wants

Service staff who are knowledgeable and skilful

Service staff who can ‘sell’ Service staff who can work as part of

a team

If these needs are not met it can lead to conflict


Conflict

Conflict is any situation where two or more people can’t agree on a particular idea or outcome.

Conflict is caused by any number of factors: Differences in expectations Cultural differences Personality Negative moments of truth


Conflict

Understanding and accepting that conflict is a common part of every-day life, but is not always a bad thing, is a positive step in the right direction for managing conflict well.

In fact, conflict can be good for business!


Conflict

Assume I complained about having to wait for my coffee ‘excuse me, I don’t mean to be rude, but I was, in fact, before each of the other people you just served…’

How would you respond? We can turn a negative moment of truth into a positive moment of truth depending on how well we now manage the conflict.


How would you respond?

Tough. Nothing I can do about it now.

Yeah, well. They’re regulars. I have to look after them first.

What’s your problem? You got your coffee didn’t you?

I’m very sorry. You’re right. I should have served you first…

Please accept my apologies. I hope this doesn’t mean you won’t come back.

I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. You were first. It won’t happen again.


Conflict and quality customer service

An effective conflict resolution turns a negative moment of truth into a positive moment of truth. It can make working life far more pleasant!

When viewed as an opportunity to improve how the business functions, the business retains customers and remains sustainable.


Managing customer information

An important feature of quality customer service is managing and using the information we have about our customers to provide consistency and personalised service.


Keeping track

Maintaining a data base on our customers identifies specific details to help us ensure quality customer service.

It helps us target our marketing efforts. It helps us recognise changes in

preferences over time It helps us better manage conflict


Back to research

As part of your research you need to research and review the internal and external envirnoments


Internal and External Environments

Review changes in the internal and external environments, and integrate these findings into planning for quality customer service

These changes may include: Management changes Organisational restructures Introduction of new equipment


Internal and External Environments

Recruitment practices Technology changes affecting service

delivery Changes in the competitive

environment Economic climate Trends in customer preferences Introduction of e-business

powerpoint to accompany sessions 3, 4 & 5 manage quality customer service with sue cameron

Documents

minett hyde

quality service

quality customer service

knowledge slide

excellent customer service

good service

service knowledge product

courteous service