Service Management Improvement Plan
For this management plan, I will be reviewing and remarking on a hospitality giant the Holiday Inn and IHG brand. This select brand of hotel has made a name for themselves over time and contribute to the success of the InterContinental Hotels Group, or IHG. Holiday Inn, and most specifically the Holiday Inn Express, is one of the quickest to grow as brand and structures its design to meet the needs of either those traveling for business or staying for the leisure. Best described as a great choice for a growing group of people in need to rest, recharge, and possibly even get a little work done. Needs of the guest are met and supported by attention to extra details. With a staggering 2,497 hotels and promise to produce more, Holiday Inn express had themselves ahead in the game by end of 2016.
Area of Opportunity
Every morning Holiday Inn Express goes above and beyond to provide a hot free breakfast to its guests for each day of their stay. In comparison to the standard continental breakfast chow that is served up by most hotels, which can include but be limited to fruit, cereal, maybe even bagels. Though it’s quite different in the Holiday Inn Express world, where they are known to provide hot food like bacon, eggs, and sausage. As well, include delights such as cinnamon rolls, yogurts, and even gravy and biscuits. Though the concern for quality as a standard is what’s drawing attention, as the quality varies from each locations breakfast. Some are aware that one location may be amazing, but their visit to the next Holiday Inn Express, may not be able to provide such a meal and is starting to leave a bad taste in their guests mouths.
Potential Solutions
With all consideration that hotels are in the industry of hospitality, and part of the much larger customer service market, means that hotels are there first and foremost to serve their consumers. Currently, Holiday Inn Express is managing the issue and concern of the substandard routine many of their locations are providing to their guests each morning. As solution to this concern will be need to be found if Holiday Inn Express stands any opportunity of maintaining their reputation and re-instilling the quality of the hotels name. The best start and probable solution would be the implementation of re-training and cross training employees. Every notion of customer service provided starts with your employees and underestimating their understanding or ability can be a great cause of declining quality. Creating clear instruction outlines, as well manuals and policy will help encourage and guide service members to performing better.
Taking time to ensure that the employees you chose to hire understand their responsibilities and are able to perform said tasks is vital. Taking the time to train your employee to understand and perform another team member’s task is a responsible and efficient move. This isn’t about having one being able to do more, but having many able to assist and support their team members, so quality can be achieved more naturally and easily. Evaluation of locations struggling the most will need attention and direction first to ensure negative quality doesn’t further decline the number of guests they want to see.
Comparison and Competitive Advantage
There are many hotels that are of like standards and like quality in the hospitality industry, Holiday Inn Express is IHG’s brand in this category. Other hotels of similar quality and similar standard would be Best Westerns, Comfort Inn, and Hampton Inn. Many years ago it was agreed and understood by IHG, that they were needing to improve the standard of the breakfast they provided, as well amenities, and staff training. This was a necessary move by IHG to ensure that their brand was able to hold the high ground within their standing. Taking these steps ensured they were able to create and maintain a competitive edge and over those they were competing with. When comparing midscale hotels in the hospitality industry, both Best Western and Holiday Inn Express are fairly similar.
The both claim and work to offer quality hot breakfasts with select and special food items to meet their customer’s needs, all while competing for more guest opportunities and business. With a fun and user easy breakfast area and far broader selection of hot and delicious breakfast items, Holiday Inn Express needs to ensure they are meeting a high standard of service as well. Quality product is nothing to consumers if it isn’t being meet with quality services as well.
Conclusion
When it comes to quality, it needs to be meet and maintained for both product and service. When consumers feel like their needs aren’t being met, the service organization cannot be successful. In the hospitality industry this is most crucial as maintain guest count and return guest is immediately correlated to their success. Any amount of lost guest to a competitor is also a significant loss of revenue. This is why finding and focusing on improvement and efficiency is the key. Once you have a better understanding of what and where you could do better to care for and provide what your consumers need, you can then find a solution to anything. In this matter the solution to the concern Holiday Inn Express has, is training and staff support. Letting their quality service have a louder voice and strengthen their competitive edge.
