Module ETB-2006:
Guest Services Management in Hospitality, Travel & Tourism Industry
Module Facts
Run by Bangor Business School
20.000 Credits or 10.000 ECTS Credits
Semester 1 & 2
Organiser: Dr Clair Doloriert
Overall aims and purpose
This module aims to introduce you to the theory and application of guest service management methods and operations in the hospitality and tourism sectors. Through studying this module you should develop an understanding of the critical importance of service quality in achieving customer satisfaction and loyalty. The module will highlight service challenges that exist in hospitality and tourism sectors for you to examine and provide a space for evaluating solutions through service processes, personnel policies and effective management of the guest setting. You will also explore and analyse a range of methods to measure customer satisfaction, interpret findings and implement positive or remedial action.
Course content
Indicative list: -Introduce key definitions and theories within guest services management - Explore the current context both locally and nationally for guest services management - Develop understanding of the critical importance of service quality in achieving customer satisfaction and loyalty. - Examine the particular service challenges that exist in hospitality and tourism sectors evaluating solutions through service processes, personnel policies and effective management of the guest setting. - Explore and analyse a range of methods to measure customer satisfaction, interpret findings and implement positive or remedial action. - Appreciate the implications of theory for management leadership practice
Assessment Criteria
threshold
-D / 40%>
The student is able to demonstrate a basic understanding of their knowledge through academic and individual working experiences
good
-B / 50%>
The student is able to engage with, and develop their knowledge of guest service management through, academic development related to their individual working practices
excellent
-A / 70%>
The student is able to demonstrate their understanding of knowledge of academic and professional practice within a framework of critical evaluation and synthesis
Learning outcomes
-
To identify the key definitions and theories underpinning this academic discipline
-
To consolidate knowledge and understanding in terms of implications for management leadership
-
To evaluate the importance of actively managing guest services to prevent and resolve problems associated with service processes
-
To understand and interpret how cultural difference impacts on guest service provision
-
To analyse how service excellence is achieved through the harmonious integration of range of guest service measurements, theories and methodologies
-
To critically explore the impact and importance of guest feedback on customer service quality systems
Assessment Methods
Type | Name | Description | Weight |
---|---|---|---|
Individual Guest Services Evaluation | 40.00 | ||
Seminar Paper with Presentation | 60.00 |
Teaching and Learning Strategy
Hours | ||
---|---|---|
Lecture | Formal taught element - traditional lecture teaching which can include group break-out style discussions, case-study activities and other appropriate lecture activities. |
36 |
Workshop | Assessment Workshops e.g. Assignment preparation workshop semester 1 & exam (or 2nd assignment/ presentation etc) preparation workshop semester 2) |
4 |
One-to-one supervision | This includes formal/ informal email communications, office hour engagements, feedback provided on assignments etc . Meetings can be 1-2-1 or small group discussions/ email/ web-based chat communications etc |
4 |
Private study | • Preparing for lectures (reading PowerPoint’s in advance of lectures, textbook chapters etc) • Reflection post-lectures (further reading, summarising notes etc) • Further reading around the subject (websites, newspapers, journal articles etc) • Planning & preparing for assignments and exams including revising, researching and writing-up. • Any group work/ team meetings for any summative group work activity |
156 |
Transferable skills
- Literacy - Proficiency in reading and writing through a variety of media
- Numeracy - Proficiency in using numbers at appropriate levels of accuracy
- Computer Literacy - Proficiency in using a varied range of computer software
- Self-Management - Able to work unsupervised in an efficient, punctual and structured manner. To examine the outcomes of tasks and events, and judge levels of quality and importance
- Exploring - Able to investigate, research and consider alternatives
- Information retrieval - Able to access different and multiple sources of information
- Inter-personal - Able to question, actively listen, examine given answers and interact sentistevely with others
- Critical analysis & Problem Solving - Able to deconstruct and analyse problems or complex situations. To find solutions to problems through analyses and exploration of all possibilities using appropriate methods, rescources and creativity.
- Presentation - Able to clearly present information and explanations to an audience. Through the written or oral mode of communication accurately and concisely.
- Teamwork - Able to constructively cooperate with others on a common task, and/or be part of a day-to-day working team
- Management - Able to utilise, coordinate and control resources (human, physical and/or financial)
- Argument - Able to put forward, debate and justify an opinion or a course of action, with an individual or in a wider group setting
- Self-awareness & Reflectivity - Having an awareness of your own strengths, weaknesses, aims and objectives. Able to regularly review, evaluate and reflect upon the performance of yourself and others
- Leadership - Able to lead and manage, develop action plans and objectives, offer guidance and direction to others, and cope with the related pressures such authority can result in
Subject specific skills
- People management: to include communications, team building, leadership and motivating others.
- Problem solving and critical analysis: analysing facts and circumstances to determine the cause of a problem and identifying and selecting appropriate solutions.
- Research: the ability to analyse and evaluate a range of business data, sources of information and appropriate methodologies, which includes the need for strong digital literacy, and to use that research for evidence-based decision-making.
- Commercial acumen: based on an awareness of the key drivers for business success, causes of failure and the importance of providing customer satisfaction and building customer loyalty.
- Innovation, creativity and enterprise: the ability to act entrepreneurially to generate, develop and communicate ideas, manage and exploit intellectual property, gain support, and deliver successful outcomes.
- Numeracy: the use of quantitative skills to manipulate data, evaluate, estimate and model business problems, functions and phenomena.
- Networking: an awareness of the interpersonal skills of effective listening, negotiating, persuasion and presentation and their use in generating business contacts.
- Ability to work collaboratively both internally and with external customers and an awareness of mutual interdependence.
- Ability to work with people from a range of cultures.
- Articulating and effectively explaining information.
- Building and maintaining relationships.
- Communication and listening including the ability to produce clear, structured business communications in a variety of media.
- Emotional intelligence and empathy.
- Conceptual and critical thinking, analysis, synthesis and evaluation.
- Self-management: a readiness to accept responsibility and flexibility, to be resilient, self-starting and appropriately assertive, to plan, organise and manage time.
- Self reflection: self-analysis and an awareness/sensitivity to diversity in terms of people and cultures. This includes a continuing appetite for development.
Resources
Talis Reading list
http://readinglists.bangor.ac.uk/modules/etb-2006.htmlReading list
Essential Shaw, C and Ivens, J (2002) Building Great Customer Experiences, Palgrave Macmillan
Supplementary Walden, S. (2019). Customer Experience Management Rebooted: are you an experience brand or an efficiency brand? Palgrave Macmillan
Blanchard, K (1998) Raving Fans – A Revolutionary Approach to Customer Service, William Morrow & Co, •
Gitomer, J (2005) Customer Satisfaction is Worthless Customer Loyalty is Priceless, 2nd edition, Bard Press
Mooney, K (2003) the ten demandments: rules to live by in the age of the demanding customer, McGraw-Hill
Periodicals
- Customer Management Journal
Courses including this module
Compulsory in courses:
- N83M: BSc Tourism & Hospitality: Managemt Leadership (Franchised) year 2 (BSC/PTHML)