Evaluating the different communication methods and demonstrate how they are used at the Hilton Hotel and Restaurant in the UK
The application of appropriate communication in the hospitality industry is vital for the attainment of competitive market advantage (Foster, Geisler, Kesselman & Tuecke 2000). The purpose of communicating effectively among all stakeholders at the Hilton Hotel in the UK cannot be underpinned. The primary objective of any business establishment is gain profitability and control of the market base (Foster, Geisler, Kesselman & Tuecke 2000). As a result initiating effective and efficient communication methods within its domain will ensure that the hotel remain competitive in the business. Being an industry that is sensitive to customer demand and influence, communication processes remains a vital component of the hospitality industry (Foster, Geisler, Kesselman & Tuecke 2000). A visiting customer to the Hilton Hotel is likely to remain loyal to the company depending on how effective the communication process is at the establishment.
For instance, a satisfied first time customer at the Hilton hotel will have a different perception of the Hotel and will likely become a regular client at the company (Foster, Geisler, Kesselman & Tuecke 2000). Coupled with quality service provisions that meets the expectations of the clients, effective communication methods at the Hilton hotel will ultimately improve the public image of the establishment and increase productivity. In essence, this document seeks to analyze how quality customer service provisions and satisfaction relates to customer perceptions and ultimately increased productivity. Maintaining a loyal customer base and attracting new clients to the organization depends on the effectiveness of the various methods of communication employed by the management of the hotel. Similarly, this document analyzes such different methods of communication and how they affect quality service delivery at the Hilton hotel.
2.1 Evaluate different communication methods and how these are used to best effect
The essence of active communication techniques in the hospitality industry like the Hilton hotel is to inform the public (customer base) of the various services and products offered at the business establishment (Foster, Geisler, Kesselman & Tuecke 2000). Similarly, successful implementation of relevant and efficient communication techniques at the Hilton hotel or any other establishment will help prevent any potential misunderstandings that that may arise among the employees (Foster, Geisler, Kesselman & Tuecke 2000). Hilton hotel attracts a variety of consumers from various socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. Therefore, creating a comprehensible communication framework at the hotel will help understand the various needs and expectations of the multicultural customer base. Various management of business establishments and employees of such organizations occasionally send crucial information among themselves and their customers (Foster, Geisler, Kesselman & Tuecke 2000).
The various communication methods used at the Hilton hotel includes; oral communication, written communication and the use of non-verbal (body language) modes of communication. In the hospitality industry (Hilton hotel), oral communication is arguably the most practical technique of communication. Given the nature of this industry where the interaction between the employees and customers is very frequent, effective and efficient oral communication is crucial (Foster, Geisler, Kesselman & Tuecke 2000). For instance, when visiting the hotel, a client will be approached manually by an employee of the hotel for any assistance to that effect. When making a room reservation, either through a phone call or through actual presence at the hotel, both the customer and the employee will make use of oral communication technique (Foster, Geisler, Kesselman & Tuecke 2000). Therefore, for any viable organization like the Hilton, phone or face-to-face communication must be taken under serious consideration. The employees at the hotel’s front office desk and at the call center must be articulate in addressing the visiting customers as this will determine whether the client remain loyal to the hotel or whether they will attract new clients to the institution (Foster, Geisler, Kesselman & Tuecke 2000). The employees also needs to cultivate effective listening and speaking skills to be able to connect to the clients and to market such commodities related to the Hilton hotel. Most of the international hotels like the Hilton have a number of technologies at their disposals and are adequately facilitate oral communication between the company employees and the customers (Foster, Geisler, Kesselman & Tuecke 2000).
For instance, videoconferencing facilities at the hotel enables oral communication between the hotel management, employees and the customers who might be making certain inquiries or even booking rooms at the hotel (Foster, Geisler, Kesselman & Tuecke 2000). This will enable the customer to discuss the issue at hand in details and reach a compromise. For example, when complementing or reprimanding the Hilton hotel staff, oral communication in such instances becomes the best method of communication (Foster, Geisler, Kesselman & Tuecke 2000).
On the other hand, written communication is effective in the hotel industry as it provides detailed facts of an issue affecting the clients visiting the Hilton hotel (Lewis, Shadowens, Deffner & Birdwell 2001). For instance, a customer leaving a small ‘thank you’ note at the Hotel room after an overnight stay will to a large extent motivate the management to enhance their service provision (Lewis, Shadowens, Deffner & Birdwell 2001). Correspondingly, a dissatisfied customer with the services and products provided at the Hilton hotel may drop a written note inside the complaint box at the entrance of the hotel to communicate the insinuated grievances. Therefore, written communication is appropriate in initiating appropriate feedback procedure in the hotel (Lewis, Shadowens, Deffner & Birdwell 2001).
Similarly, crucial documentations such as contracts with other stakeholders in the hotel industry are in most cases written for storage purposes or future referrals (Lewis, Shadowens, Deffner & Birdwell 2001). Also, memos calling for meetings between the employees and the management of the hotel are in most cases in written form and so are the minutes taken from such meetings. Customers making room reservations may communicate to the hotel through emails and text messages for efficient and prompt service delivery (Lewis, Shadowens, Deffner & Birdwell 2001).
The role of body language (non-verbal cues) as a method of communication in the hospitality industry can never be underestimated whatsoever. Various body movements such as gestures and smiles aims at sending specific intended messages to the preferred audience (Lewis, Shadowens, Deffner & Birdwell 2001). Employees at a hospitality industry such as the Hilton hotel must always be mindful when dealing with the clients and fellow workmates. For instance, an employee at the hotel’s front office desk who always welcomes a visiting client to the hotel with a smile sends a positive message to the customer. Such a customer will feel comfortable and feel welcomed at the hotel and is likely to remain loyal to the hotel (Lewis, Shadowens, Deffner & Birdwell 2001). Correspondingly, the client is more likely to inform potential clients of such a welcoming experiences who are likely to stay at the hotel when visiting the UK (Lewis, Shadowens, Deffner & Birdwell 2001). A staff at the Hilton hotel who maintains eye contact while speaking to the customers communicates seriousness and confidence on the products and services provided at the institution. On the other hand, a front office desk staff at the Hilton hotel who keeps fidgeting when serving the clients may sent wrong message to the client who may judge such actions otherwise (Lewis, Shadowens, Deffner & Birdwell 2001).
2.2 Analyze how customer perception is influenced by customer service provision
Most consumers will first analyze and evaluate the seeming benefits before making a decision to buy a commodity or engage the services of an organization (Manuel 2008). A rational consumer will articulately analyze the perceived costs of engaging the services of an institution. In addition, such a consumer will also analyze the opportunity cost involved when deciding to forgo an alternative and related organization for the Hilton (Manuel 2008). In essence, consumer perception in the hospitality industry involves figuring out exactly how a client feels about the services and products of particular entity. By doing a thorough background analysis on the consumer, the Hilton hotel will be in a position to fully understand the needs and aspirations of the customer before marketing their services (Manuel 2008).
The choice of the particular hotel to stay in is to a large extent influenced by a range of factors that ranges from the specified eminence of the product to the consumer service quality. Other crucial factors includes; peer-influences, the range of services and products offered by the hotel and various promotions aimed at awarding loyal clients. The hotel industry in the UK is very competitive with new entries recorded every fiscal year and low exits reported. Therefore, in order to maintain the existing clients and to attract new ones to the hotel, the management of Hilton must ensure an improvement in service provision.
Any feasible organization in the hospitality industry must at all times aim at producing quality services to the customers if they wish to remain competitive and to maintain positive publicity (Manuel 2008). The set standards of service provision at the Hilton hotel, for example, should always exceed the expectations of the clients visiting the hotel (Manuel 2008). A customer that is served to satisfaction at the Hilton hotel with most likely develop a perception (negative or positive) on the products and services offered at the premises. How a client at the hotel perceives and experiences the products and services offered by the establishment defines the idea of customer perception. Therefore, in designing the company’s products, the management should base their arguments explicitly on what the clients actually feels, experiences and says, but not based on what they think (Manuel 2008). Essentially, client perception of the hotel’s services and products is based on the actual experiences at the hotel among other factors such as costs.
|
The costs incurred by a client while visiting the Hilton for the first time has a relatively complex impact on the perception of the consumer. A rational consumer will always go for a bargain and will most probably go for economically-priced products and services (Manuel 2008). However, certain crop of consumers do associate and perceive less expensive commodities with low quality and ultimately migrate to a relatively expensive hotel (Manuel 2008). For this reason, in designing a comprehensive marketing plan for the Hilton hotel, the management should always consider and relate their pricing system to the crop of clients they aim at attracting.
|
Additionally, the provision of high quality products and services forms a crucial part of the perception a consumer may have on an establishment (Kandampully & Suhartanto 2000). In this context, quality defines such service and product attributes that satisfies or disappoints a client visiting the hotel. Effective marketing and actual experiences of the hotel’s products affects the client’s perception of quality (Kandampully & Suhartanto 2000). In situations whereby the client feels appreciated and well attended to by the employees of the Hotel, the trust and perception of the product increases unequivocally (Kandampully & Suhartanto 2000). The reputation of an organization in the hospitality industry, though build over time and is arguably a combination actual experience at the hotel and a recommendation from a marketing team or a past visiting client is crucial in development of customers’ perception. A client’s perception of the Hilton’s hotel products and services reputations is determined by the range of commodities available in the market (Kandampully & Suhartanto 2000).
The significance of customers’ perception of the goods and services offered at the Hilton hotel cannot be underpinned (Bojanic 2006). For instance, the perception of a consumer will in most cases determine the types of commodities offered at the Hilton hotel. Consumer perception may also determine the success or failure of the Hilton hotel in the competitive hospitality industry (Bojanic 2006). For instance, if the Hilton hotel is reputed for having the best rooms in the London, the general perception of clients in the city might be that you should go to the Hotel if you want a quality room. Such sentiments may in the long run attract more clients to the Hotel who will be seeking to experience the quality rooms the hotel is reputed to be having (Bojanic 2006). The Hilton hotel, therefore, should carry a comprehensive market research to enable them gain more insights into client perceptions and inclinations. The ability of the management at the Hilton hotel to articulately comprehend why various consumers make their choices is fundamental in the provision of such products and services that may be demanded by such consumers.
The different communication methods discussed in this document all aims at the achievement of a competitive market advantage over other rival firms. Effective communication technique will act as a link between the organization’s employees, management and the clients. Ranging from verbal, non-verbal to written communication methods, appropriate implementation of the various techniques discussed in this document is crucial in ensuring organizational success. Correspondingly, the expectations and perceptions of an employee towards the provision of quality service should be taken into consideration by the relevant bodies in an institution. Various factors as discussed in this document determines the perception a client may have towards the products and services of an institution. These ranges from the ability of the organization to avail reliable and consistent brand of commodities to attract more crop of consumers to the organization.
Words (2243)
References
Bojanic, D. C., 2006. Consumer perceptions of price, value and satisfaction in the hotel industry: An exploratory study. Journal of Hospitality & Leisure Marketing, 4(1), 5-22.
Foster, I., Geisler, J., Kesselman, C., & Tuecke, S., 2000. Managing multiple communication methods in high-performance networked computing systems. Journal of Parallel and Distributed Computing, 40(1), 35-48.
Kandampully, J., & Suhartanto, D., 2000. Customer loyalty in the hotel industry: the role of customer satisfaction and image. International journal of contemporary hospitality management, 12(6), 346-351.
Lewis, R. F., Shadowens, M. B., Deffner, G. P. H., & Birdwell, G. G., 2001. U.S. Patent No. 6,192,255. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Manuel, N., 2008. Customer perception of service quality at the Business Studies Unit of the Durban University of Technology (Doctoral diss