Imperial Hotel's Problem With the Management of Operations Paper Example

Introduction

The Imperial Hotel is experiencing a critical problem with the management of operations by the front of house staff. In this case, the staff with the problem are those that are responsible for offering customer sales services at the reception and those working in the conference and banqueting sections of the bar and restaurant. Also, based on the statement released by the Imperial Hotel's recently appointed Head of Department of Front Office, Peter Farnsworth, the front of house personnel at the establishment portray poor team working skills. In addition, the same front of house personnel has also portrayed an inefficiency in the usage of the Micros Fidelio reservation and Property Management System (PMS) IT systems. The two systems are employed in managing reservations and for property management.

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Ultimately, there are three core suggestions that have been proposed by Peter Farnsworth, which addresses the issues affecting the front of house staff at the Imperial Hotel. Additionally, the suggestions include training of the problematic personnel on how to use the IT systems for reservations and property management at the Imperial Hotel. Moreover, the enactment of cross-team building exercises will be adopted at the organization as a way of promoting the attainment of a healthy working relationship at the corporation. Lastly, a comprehensive review of the team bonus schemes employed to reward and motivate productive front of house personnel will also be undertaken.

Analysis of the Individual Problem

In the hotelier and hospitality industry, the front of house staff, specifically those functioning at the reception, have a crucial customer-facing responsibility in offering services to clients and guests (Tanji, 2013). However, at the Imperial Hotel, it is evident that the personnel fails in providing adequate customer care services to the clients at the reception. Moreover, in a hotel, the reception section needs to be open 24/7 because it serves as the first point-of-contact for guests and staff members from different departments while they are making inquiries. For instance, guests can inquire about the availability of meals or accommodation services in the customer care section. Contrary, the hotel's staff from another department can enquire data pertaining to the guests' arrivals and departures from the front of office house staff.

However, from the case study, it is evident that the front-house personnel at the Imperial Hotel are not always available at their required working stations. Instead, they have in the past missed late booking clients and kept such clients waiting to have access to the boarding facilities. Furthermore, the reception staff at the Imperial Hotel work three, 8-hour shifts working in teams. Such a working program is ideal because it permits the organization's personnel to function optimally without getting fatigued by sleep and tiredness. Also, the hotel uses a Micros Fidelio reservation and Property Management System (PMS) which provides up-to-date information on real-time and prospective guests and their reservations. However, from the analysis, it is evident that most of the personnel working at the organization do not have the technical competence of operating the stated IT systems.

Literature Review

The effective training of all front of house personnel at the Imperial Hotel is among the most effective methods that should be employed to eradicate the problem facing the customer care department at the establishment. A research conducted by Nassazi (2013) stated that the employees are key assets of all organizations whose active functions within organizations cannot be underestimated. As such, it is imperative for employers to equip their employees with essential skills through effective training as a method of promoting their overall performance (Nassazi, 2013). Moreover, the effectiveness of employee training in promoting their productivity in reference to performance can also be supported by a research that was authored by Fejoh and Faniran (2016). In this case, the research was a summary of a study that was focused on determining the significance of in-service training and employees' development in promoting workers' job performance (Fejoh & Faniran, 2016).

The findings of Fejoh and Faniran's (2016) research portrayed that training of staff in an organization aids in boosting their morale and in the process enhances such workers' performance (Fejoh & Faniran, 2016). Ultimately, a research publication authored by Khanmohammadiotaqsara, Khalili, and Mohseni (2012) stated that training of employees can significantly help them in adapting to the changing work environment (Khanmohammadiotaqsara et al., 2012). In this case, the Imperial Hotel, any changes recorded by the customer service employees while executing can be well captured and communicated by training them on how to use the provided IT systems effectively.

Conclusively, in reference to the Imperial Hotel's case, it is valid to state that equipping the front of house personnel with essential skills will significantly improve their overall performance and productivity in managing essential hotel's functions. For instance, the exchange of erroneous data between the Imperial Hotel's staff on the information pertaining the clients visiting the establishment will be eradicated if all the customer care team at the premises know how to use the IT systems they have been provided. Secondly, the cross-team building exercises will also be an effective strategy that will be employed by Farnsworth in addressing the existing problem of the Imperial Hotel's front of house staff.

Cross-team building exercises are those activities that are employed by organization managers for creating a good working relationship between their organization's personnel. Additionally, the effectiveness of the cross-building strategies to promote the attainment of a harmonious working environment that is productive to an organization has also been supported by a number of research publications. For instance, a research that was performed by McEwan et al. (2017) illustrated that cross-team building, attained through teamwork training can aid in modifying teamwork behaviors and performance (McEwan et al., 2017). Also, research that was performed by Kailash and Misra (2018) supports that theory that team building activities promote the personnel's competencies, personal effectiveness as well as job satisfaction in a workplace (Kailash & Misra, 2018).

In light of the stated research, it is valid to state that cross-building activities will be effective in eradicating the problem manifested among the front of house personnel. For instance, Farnsworth can encourage the personnel from different departments at the Imperial Hotel to participate in team building activities. Subsequently, this will help in ensuring that all the staff working at the hotel create a harmonious working environment, improve their overall work performance, and attain job satisfaction. Ultimately, the review of teams' bonus scheme is the last strategy that can be employed by Farnsworth to eradicate the prevailing problem among the front of house personnel at the Imperial Hotel.

The issuance of a bonus to productive employees at the workplace is among the primary strategies that human resource managers should employ to improve the performance and productivity of staff in an organization. For instance, workers who portray good behavior and performance in an organization could be offered financial rewards as a strategy of motivating them to continue performing remarkably well in the working environment. Also, creating an effective bonus system that offers all personnel a chance to attain a reward from working in an organization can also promote the attainment of improved quality of products or services that are produced by workers. Ultimately, it is thus plausible to state that using a good market strategy is among the most effective techniques that can be utilized to address the problems related to poor work performance in an organization.

Research that was performed by Safiullah (2014) claimed that adopting a good bonus system is essential for aiding individuals working in an organization to secure a competitive advantage in the market due to improved quality performance (Safiullah, 2014). The research stated that managers should use a well-balanced rewarding or benefit system that offers the organization's personnel an equal chance of securing an incentive through ensuring that they have a heightened level of work performance (Safiullah, 2014). Subsequently, such a reward system aids in the overall attainment of productivity and market performance by an organization. In a different research that was conducted by Tessema, Ready and Embaye (2013), the employees' recognition by using incentives like added pay aids in job satisfaction attainment among an organization's personnel (Tessema, Ready & Embaye, 2013).

Additionally, the findings of Tessema, Ready and Embaye's (2013) research made a conclusion that the use of financial as well as nonfinancial rewards for personnel helps the beneficiary staff to secure job satisfaction (Tessema, Ready & Embaye, 2013). Subsequently, this creates an improvement in the nature of employees' performance and eventually helps in increasing the profitability of the concerned institution. Also, research done by Hoole and Hotz (2016) evidenced that the use of a good total reward system in motivating workers helps in improving the workers' work engagement (Hoole & Hotz, 2013). Also, research done by Snelgar, Renard, and Venter (2013) affirmed that the use of the traditional reward system in an organization has been a strategy that is used to attract, motivate as well as retain skilled and exemplary performing workforce in an organization (Snelgar et al., 2013).

Based on the findings of these research, it can be conclusive to state that the use of a good reward system is one of the effective methodologies that Farnsworth can employ at the Imperial Hotel. Moreover, that is to eradicate the problem currently facing the front of house personnel working at the Imperial Hotel. In this case, by structuring an equitable rewarding system for all the personnel working at the hotel, the strategy will force all workers to function collaboratively or as a team while executing their responsibilities. Subsequently, this will result in the improvement of operations by the front of house personnel and in the long run, ensure that the overall market performance of the Imperial Hotel has increased significantly.

Summary and Justification of Key Proposals for the Resolution of the Problem

In the Imperial Hotel's context, using effective training methods to coach the employees on how to use the available ICT systems at the establishment will aid in promoting the effective management of the hotel's functions. For instance, it will be possible for all personnel at the business to know the late reservation and early departures made by clients in real time. Subsequently, this will enhance the efficiency of offering hospitality services to clients at the organization and in promoting the market reputation of the Imperial Hotel. Also, training the hotel's personnel with essential ICT skills will ensure that such employees improve their work performance, boost their personal morale and also help them in adapting to changing work environments. Subsequently, this will also help in promoting the market performance of the establishment.

Second, cross-team building strategies among the personnel functioning in different departments at the Imperial Hotel will also help in eradicating the prevailing problem among the front of house employees...