Introduction to customer service
Customer service plays and important role in running any company, particularly in the travel and tourism industry. If customers receive good customer service hey will be happy and as a result they will keep using the company/organisation. Therefore, the company receives more business and in return make a decent profit. Good customer service involves working to customer need, Speaking on a respectful level sufficient product knowledge, being understanding to customers and remaining impartial, well trained staff, dealing with customer complaints promptly and efficiently, patience, providing alternative products or refunds, appearance (looking presentable), having good communication skills and working as a team. Bad customer service can contribute to customer dissatisfaction. Bad customer service involves poorly trained staff, being patronising to guests, ignoring the customers need. Ignoring customers valid complaints, having limited products available, providing a dirty and unclean environment, having a negative attitude towards customers and having a poor appearance which is unacceptable and unprofessional.
Types of customers
There are two main types of customer in the travel and tourism industry. These are internal customers and external customers. Internal customers are members of staff within an organisation or outside suppliers who contribute towards the service that is provided, for example management or supervisors who are part of an organisation, even the cleaners are an internal customer. External customers are the customers who book or pay the organisation there money to stay or to use there services.
Type of customer
Needs
How the accommodation sector meets their needs.
Families
Families tend to go for package holidays, as this means that all the work of organising the holiday is done for them. Also these are normally quite cheap as they are last minute deals, and they are in 3 star plus hotels. Families need to know that that there children will be safe on holiday, such as knowing that there as a high balcony, as they sometimes have young children with them, so they would like a hotel with no building work going on also they would like to see that the hotel have a children’s pool. Young families would also like to see that the hotel has a kids club, as the parents also would like some rest on there holiday. To continue, the parents would maybe also like some adult activities to do when the kids are in the kids club, such as, golf, spa treatments. Families tend to want to stay in a highly tourist populated area, near the beach and shops. This is so they don’t have to rent a car, which would be more expense.
There are a number of accommodations that would suit a family; Young families would go for package holidays with such companies as, Thompson, Thomas cook and First choice. These all cater for young families as they have hotels with the specification that they would like from the following column. Families with teenage children would like more to hotels with good pool facilities. And also close to bars and entertainment. They would most probably still book with Thompson and First Choice but they will just be looking at a different location and facilities. Families with their grandparents coming along will most probably be looking for a hotel that can cater for the children with a kids club and near entertainment for the teenagers also some facilities for the elderly such as entertainment like a jazz band.
Elderly
Elderly people would like their holiday to be relaxing and everything done for them. Their needs are a relaxing place, easy access, entertainment and bus trips. They would prefer a cruise other than a adventure holiday skiing. They would also like to have everything that they need on their doorstep as most elderly people find it hard to walk long distances. The elderly would also like to be in destinations that have shows that are from their era as that is the music that they still listen to. The elderly like to have package holidays as they are not able to book them up themselves as most of them wouldn’t know where to start. Elderly people like to have everything organized for them as they like to be told what is on offer for them and choose. The elderly also like to holiday together as they would like to have a conversation with people who have gone through the same as they have, they would like to have the same interests. So most elderly people go on cruises and special resorts which only allow over 60’s.
The elderly would most probably book up with a company called Saga Holidays which specialize in holidays for the elderly. The are a cruise company that only accept people over 60. This attracts a lot of elderly people as they don’t want screaming kids running around on there holiday. Sage holidays amuse the elderly by have a small pool, normally a jacuzzi. They have entertainment in the sort of a jazz band and live entertainers from their era, also they have a doctor on board so that if they fall in they know there taken care of, as elderly people fall ill easier than younger people. Saga Holidays also offer different cruises like a around the world cruise as elderly people are retired and have a lot of time to relax. Also they offer cruises just around the Mediterranean to see different islands and countries.
Business
Business men and women would like to go to a hotel that can cater for the needs. Their main need is a need for speed as they have to rush to meetings and they don’t have time are time is money for them. Their other need are 24 hour check-in as they need to be able to check-in and have a few hours of sleep but they might have to be up at 3:00AM to catch a flight. Also business men and women also would like to have wireless in their rooms as they might need to check their emails or get some work done. Wake-up calls may also be wanted as they might not have a alarm on them and have to be up early. They may also like a trouser press and they may have a conference the next morning and it has been in a suitcase for a long time. Business men and women also would like a safe in their room as they normally carry a lot of money and would not like to take it out with them. They may also like a international direct-dial telephone. Business men and women would also like to see complimentary toiletries as they don’t want to have to take shower gel and shampoo with them.
Business men and women would normally go for a worldwide hotel chain as they know what they will be getting every where they go also their company would be able to pay for the stay in one payment making it more time effective to do this. They would probably book in to a Hilton hotel as they are international and they do have all of the services that business men and women require. The hilton also is luxurious and is not to expensive for the company.
Teen Groups
Teen groups tend to want to have a cheap package holiday as they don’t have a lot of money as they are students working and studying at the same time. Teens are normally looking for a 2-3 star hotel in places such as Ibiza and spain. This is because teens are looking for cheap holidays with cheap drink. Also they are looking for a hotel that is in the middle of the bars and nightclubs, as they just want to go out at night and go to the bars and club. They don’t want to have to pay for a taxi all the time. Teens are just looking in their hotels to have a decent bed, a pool and all the basics. This is because they will most probably not spend a lot of time in their hotel as they will be out at the beach and shopping or at bars. Teens will book a package holiday as they want to get a last minute deal as they don’t have a lot of money and they just want a cheap holiday in their school holidays. Also as they want their holiday to include flights, airport transfers and any trips they might want to go on, they can just see their holiday rep and the holiday rep will book it for them. Teens generally have a low budget and they know they wont get a lot for their money so they know they will only get the basics.
Teens will usually go to travel agents or go on Expedia to book their holiday. They will book it last minute as they want a good cheap deal. Teens will normally go to travel agents such as Thompson and Thomas Cook they will also probably fly with Ryanair as they are the cheapest airline. Teens will stay in hotels such as local hotels which are 2-3 star near the beach. Local hotels will have a the very basics as they are trying to earn a living but can’t afford to make it a desirable hotel. These normally are very cheap and are bed and breakfast orientated.
Student (backpackers)
Students are looking for cheap accommodation such as hostels as they are just looking for a night stay in a place. Backpackers never have a lot of money to spend on hotels so they just book in at hostels or camp. They would use local camp sites. Backpackers normally just book accommodation when they arrive as they don’t know where they will be and when they will be there. Backpackers have a small limit money wise so they will take bedding in there backpacks so they know if they are low on money they can just tent for the night. Backpackers will basically plan out there journey but they don’t have a strict timetable. They are expecting in a hostel, a bed to sleep on and a bathroom also sometimes they expect some breakfast and dinner, but just soup and bread. The other advantage of using hostels when backpacking is that the places that backpackers travel to are usually off the beaten track meaning that they cant find hotels there, so hostels are helpful as they are cheap for them and they also are in places where hotels aren’t.
Backpackers usually book their holidays through backpackers holiday companies such as STA travel as they offer extremely cheap flights for backpackers, which are probably with no frills airlines, such as Ryanair and Easyjet. With STA travel you can also plan your trip and try to organize what you will be doing from one day to another. STA travel also offer volunteering opportunities which give backpackers a chance to go home some people less fortunate then themselves. STA travel gives backpackers a cheap and easy way to travel and plan your trip.
Couples
Couples are looking for luxury holidays in amazing destinations, such as maldives & caribbean and are surrounded by beautiful surroundings. Couples are looking for a children free resort and they expect everything to be inclusive as they are paying a high premium for they holiday. Couple are looking for a romantic destination by the sea generally and a romantic atmosphere They expect to have restaurants in the resort such as a romantic al carte restaurant.
Couples expect their resort to have a spa, maybe a gym also activities such as scuba diving and expeditions out of the resort. They may also like to see see that the resort has a golf course for the man. Couples expect to see in their room a king size bed, champagne and chocolates on arrival, a on suit bathroom also stunning views from there room. Couples also sometimes book their holiday in mind to get married or to go on their honeymoon so they want their hotel to have a luxury feel and also to be able to cater for a lot of guests if they are getting married and if they are on honeymoon to have luxury and peace before they get back to their busy lives.
Couples normally book their holiday either from travel agents like Virgin or they book their flights themselves and then book the hotel separately like Sandals resorts as they only cater for people who are over 18 years old as they prize themselves on having a peaceful and romantic atmosphere without screaming children. around the resort. Sandals offer everything that a couple would want as they are at the hight of luxury. These holidays are very expensive are they are a specialty resort. Resorts such as Sandals meet the requirements for couples as they offer everything that couples expect and more are they offer that bit extra like Rolls Royce transfer from the hotel which you wouldn’t find and other resorts.
