Products and Services Offered in the Hospitality Industry

2.1 The Products and Services on
Offer

To begin with, we need to look at
the range of products and services that are typically on offer in the
hospitality industry.

Now, from this list there is no
guarantee that your hotel will offer everything, as that is one are a that
allows hotels to set themselves apart from one another, but there are certainly
some basic products and services that are regarded as being absolutely
essential. It is also important to point out that you are quite right to expect
a longer list of services on offer at hotels that have a superior rating.

2.2 Basic Products and Service 

 There are a number of basic
products and services that every hotel has to be able to provide in order to
qualify as this type of business.

The standard to which they
provide these products and carry out these services will have a direct impact
on what they are able to charge and the type of guest that they receive. As a
hotel manager, it is your responsibility to make sure that every single thing
is done to the best of your ability.

Accommodation

Clearly, the most important part
and product is the ability to provide guests with accommodation. The standard
of accommodation is linked to the overall standard of the hotel with 5-star
clearly being anticipated as being superior to what will be on offer from a
3-star establishment. The bed must be clean, with fresh sheets, and capable of
providing the guests with a good night's sleep. Anything other than that is
just not suitable.

Guests expect to get what they
are paying for when it comes to the accommodation, so it is up to you to
provide it.

Adequate Plumbing

Now, this may initially seem like
a strange thing to include in this list of products and services, but it mis
surprising how often it is included when guests are asked about something that
is actually very important to them.

By adequate plumbing, what we
actually mean is the ability to have a nice bath or shower whenever you want
and to avoid just being on the receiving end of a trickle of water. The water
should be clear, it should be continuous, and the hot water should work
whenever it is required. Anything else is just not satisfactory.

Good Lighting

We have included this in the list
of products and services as it is an area that guests will complain about on a
regular basis. A number of guests have an issue with the limited lighting
options that appear in hotel rooms and bathrooms, with complaints about them
being rather dark and dingy. Providing good lighting will not only enhance the
overall experience that the guest has, but it will also improve their feelings
of being secure in and around the hotel.

Food

The same goes for the food that
is on offer at a hotel, as that too is linked to the quality of
the over all product. It is no surprise that restaurants attached to 5-star luxury
hotels will generally speaking have a superior reputation to those of a 3-star
hotel due to the quality of the staff and overall product that is on offer.
Guests are looking for a clean hotel with attentive waiting staff and food that
they can enjoy.

Obviously, the food must include
various options for breakfast that are suitable for all preferences, whether it
be a cooked breakfast or the continental option. Failure to provide an adequate
breakfast will only ever reflect poorly on a hotel due to it being one of the
absolute key services that people expect. Most guests will also look for the
hotel kitchen to be able to provide them with room service as and when required,
although this does depend on the type of hotel and its ability to have
the appropriate staff on call 24/7.

Cleanliness

While this is not a product, it
is still a service in that guests rightfully expect their hotel room, and the
hotel in general, to be spotless at all times. The public spaces must be clean,
the toilets and bathrooms must by hygienic, and generally speaking, they should
feel that the people running the hotel take real pride in what they are showing
to the public. They expect the public areas to be spotless, as well as even just
the entrance to the hotel, as it sets the tone for what they then expect the rest
of their stay to be like.

If there is an issue with
cleanliness in a room, then guests are correct to expect that the issue will
be handled in a prompt manner and without any question. This shows
professionalismandthat anyissue is dealt with immediately, which reflects well
on the hotel, even though the initial problem should never have occurred in the
first place.

Good general housekeeping is one
of the areas that you need to focus on as the hotel manager, or you may find
that your feedback will not be too favourable to you.

Security

Security is another major product
and service that a hotel must offer, because guests are leaving their
belongings in a room that is unfamiliar to them and surrounded by people who
are also strangers. People expect their belongings to be safe, and the same
goes for their own personal security as well, so clearly defined security
measures are essential. Personal safes inside the rooms for various valuables
is now seen as being an essential part of any room, no matter the standard of
the hotel.

Being Attentive with the Phone

Most hotels will claim that they
operate a policy whereby the telephone is answered within the reerings, but
that is not always the case. However, it should be made clear to guests that
your hotel provides a service whereby their telephone calls are answered
promptly by attentive members of staff. The individual that answers must also
then be able to help the guest with whatever the issue may be and do so in a
prompt and professional manner.

Not being capable of dealing with
this issue professionally undoubtedly reflects poorly on the entire hotel.

Friendly Staff

Your staff can still be classed
as being a product available via the hotel, and it is important that theyare
friendly and professional at all times, no matter what their role is within the
establishment. Staffshould be able to handle any issue and do so with a smile
on their face. Anything else is simplynot acceptable, and you as the manager
are then given the task of trying to resolve any issues that havebeen caused by
the staff member. Clearly it is in your best interest to hire the correct staff
andprovide them with adequate training to prevent this from becoming a problem.

Concierge Service

It is also accepted that hotels
will also provide a concierge service, although the extent to whichthisapplies
does vary depending on the individual hotel. Larger hotels in cities will be
expectedtoprovide a more substantial concierge service, and indeed there will
often be a teamof staff dedicated to this service.

However, it will often tend to
include services such as:

 *Providing tourist advice to guests for the
local area.

*Booking tickets for
entertainment in the area.

*Providing guests with advice on
restaurants in the area.

*Offering valet parking.

*Storing luggage.

*Dealing with general questions
from guests regarding the hotel.

In other words, the concierge
service should be able to deal with a variety of questions by guest sand provide
solutions that will further enhance their time in the hotel. This should be a
service that adopts the opinion that nothing is difficult and that no request
is too bizarre. Ideally, the people that work in this department should love
working with people and solving puzzles due to the sometimes strange nature of
requests that come from guests.

Functions

One product and service that can
generate a substantial income for a hotel is functions. It will often be the
case that hotels will have more than one function room that can be hired out
for a variety of causes and this service in itself provides the hotel manager
with another area to be concerned about.

It is normal for the hotel to be
able to cater for a varying number of guests, up to a maximum due tot he size
of the space, as well as to provide an individual from the hotel that is
capable of coordinating the arranging of the function. The hotel can also
provide catering and, of course accommodation if it is required with special
package deals being offered to the hosts of the function.

It is common for hotels to
provide function suites for a range of reasons, including weddings,
conferences, birthdays, training courses, and even fashions shows. The only
limitations are linkedtothe marketing of the space and making people aware that
it exists and how much it will cost.

A Warm Welcome

We have listed various basic
products and services that are sought by guests, but perhaps themostimportant
one of all is a warm welcome. Without this, there is really no point in having
any of theother products or services on offer, as this is the one thing that
will keep people coming backforother stays in the future. Your staff must be
polite, professional, and able to deal with any situationthat may arise and
potentially have an impact on the quality of the stay of the guest. Providing a
warm welcome is a necessity, and nothing else is as important.

2.3 Additional Products and
Services Often Sought by Guest

Thanks in part to the competition
that is now out there, it is common for guests to actively seek some additional
products and services to help them to ultimately decide that your hotel is
perfect for their needs.

Wi-Fi

One of the main products and
services is for the existence of Wi-Fi in all rooms. While a number of hotels
do indeed provide this service, it can often be the case that some will charge
whilst others will provide it for free, but with a limited amount of time.
However, it is more often the speed of the connection and its reliability that
is of concern to the guests.

24-Hour Desk

Guests also now expect reception
to be open 24 hours, although admittedly that can be difficult for boutique and
smaller hotels that simply do not have the staff to provide such a service.
However, even in this instance, it is still advisable for there to be some kind
of contact number should any issue arise during the evening.

Laundry Service

More guests are now actively
looking for a hotel that also provides a laundry service as part of their
products and services. This applies to all hotels, not just those where the
majority of their guestsaresimply passing through and staying for just the one
evening.

How to Handle Issues Regarding
Services

One of the problems that you may
have to face as a hotel manager is when guests expect certain services to be
standard and yet they are not available at your hotel. This is something that
can prove to be difficult to handle, but there are several things that can be
done to prevent this from becoming as big a problem as it could be.

First, you must make sure your
guests understand the service and products that they can expect when they make
their initial booking. This kind of information will appear on product listings
as well as the website of the hotel, so there is less chance of their being
confusion as to what to expect. However, even with you taking these steps,
there will still be times where guests discover that all of their needs are not
actually being met.

Dealing with the Issues

When this situation does arise,
it relies on your ability to deal with people as to the effectiveness of being
able to diffuse the situation. It is important that you explain why certain
services are perhaps not provided by informing them that it was something that
the senior management and owners decided, although you will pass on their
concerns.

The key, therefore, is in the
marketing of the hotel and the initial explanation as to what their room fee
translates into regarding products and services at the hotel. You may wish to
implement a service whereby there is a discussion based on their individual
needs and requirements during booking in order to further reduce the chances of
there being an issue further down the line.

What is clear is that
communication is key when it comes to describing your various products andservices,
as it is all too easy for individuals to become confused as to what is on
offer. It is this confusion and misinterpretation of information that
ultimately leads to an issue developing inthefirst place.

When dealing with an issue
connected to a product or service, you must do the following:

*Find out exactly what the issue
is.

*Determine if it is indeed a
product or service that you offer.

*If not, explain the reasons why.

*Stay calm and professional, even
in the face of provocation.

*Suggest an alternative solution
if at all possible.

FACT

The most expensive international
city for room service cost in 2015 was Oslo, Norway with a total average cost of
56.18 GBP

Source:statista.com

2.4 The Future of Services within
the Hospitality Industry

There is no doubt that the hotel
industry has developed quite significantly in recent decades, and it will only
continue to do so in the future. For example, it is anticipated that there will
be a need for easier check-in and checkout procedure s that allow guests to
come and go as they please. However, it is important to point out that there
will still be a desire for that human touch, and the idea of everything
becoming linked to computers is certainly something that should not be incorporated
by any hotel.

Another thing that is clear is
that as technology advances, the need for the hospitality industry to take this
into account becomes all too apparent. For example, express check-ins and
concierge services via Wi-Fi are just two ways in which technology has managed
to change the industry. A hotel manager must be able to keep up-to-date with
these changes or they run the risk of their hotel being left behind their
competition.

Summary of Module

The aim of this module has been
to run through the different products and services that are typically on offer
from a hotel and that are expected by guests. The actual individual services
will vary from hotel to hotel, but there are certain basics that are seen as
standard in the industry. However, by increasing and improving the products and
services that are on offer, it will ultimately mean that you can provide your
guests with a better overall experience.