•
Open 365 days a year and 24 hours a day, longer
working hours and work includes weekends and holidays
•
Depends heavily on shift work
•
Strives for guest satisfaction, yet services are
intangible (for use not possession, cannot be test driven), production and
consumption takes place at the same time with the guest present
•
Perishability of the product
•
Still relatively labor intensive
The Nature of hotel work
Wages
and Salaries: - The hospitality industry is labour intensive and many of
the jobs require low levels of skill and education.
Work
Environment:-Environment can be quite good compared with other
industries. First class and luxury
hotels are often considered fine places to work, while conditions can be viewed
as less satisfactory in some older, poorly maintained hotels.
Hours
and Days of Work:-Because the industry caters to travelers, who may seek
hospitality services at any hour of the day or night, a vast number of
hospitality operations are open when other businesses are closed. Except for some lodge properties, hotels are
open and staffed twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, including
holidays.
Travel
Opportunities: - One of the attractions in this industry is the potential
it offers for travel. A number of chain
organizations in the segment customarily transfer employees from one property
to another every few years.
Opportunities
for Advancement:-In hospitality, there is a long tradition of
mobility. Employees at all levels have
always found it possible to change jobs readily, and many have done so with
great regularity.
People
Oriented Profession:-Because the hospitality industry serves the needs of
the traveling public, the majority of people working in this industry are in
constant contact with guest and customers.
Social skills and ability to communicate effectively with others are
important assets for people in this industry.
TRENDS IN HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM
- Globalization: the world is becoming a global village, there if free movement worldwide
- Safety and security : travelers are exposed to a lot of risks while traveling and are very conscious of security of wherever the go
- Diversity: diversity in terms of employees and also in terms of guests
- Service: service is at the top of guest’s expectations. Training is crucial to enhance service delivery
- Technology: technology is a driving force of change improving efficiency and integration of guest service. Integration presents serious challenges.
- Legal issues: guests are more aware of their rights. Government regulations and complexities of employee relations must be taken care of.
- Changing demographics: more and more people are joining the traveling groups with more disposable income and better propensity to take holidays.
- Price-value: price and value are important to today’s discerning guests
- Sanitation: sanitation is critical to the success of any foodservice operation. Guests expect to eat healthy foods that have been prepared in a sanitary environment.
Hospitality Industry Philosophy
Evolved
from traditional management roles to that of associates, giving resources and support
Participative
management resulting in empowerment
Corporate
philosophies are moving away from production to guest service. People are going
out of their way to satisfy guests, embracing innovation and creativity over
status-quo attitudes
Service
philosophy is a way of life.
Marriot
Hotels for example say they exist “to
serve the associates, the customers, and the community” (“Take care of Marriot
People and they will take care of Marriot guests”
They
believe in a commitment to continuous improvement and overcoming adversity, and
good old-fashioned dedication to hard work and having fun while doing it.
To succeed in service:
To succeed in service:
- Focus on the guest
- Understand the role of the guest-contact employee
- Weave service culture into education and training systems
- Emphasize high-touch instead of just high-tech
- Thrive on change.
Hospitality-
Providing All
