SMGT 404
Administration & Organization
Service Encounters: Discussion
Group Member Names:
Share your service encounters with group members – tell the stories.
What were/are the characteristics of “good” service?
Being sensitive to the client's wants and anticipating their demands is essential to providing excellent
customer service. Empathy: Excellent service providers exhibit empathy and comprehend the viewpoint
of the client. Response time: timely problem fixing, and timely customer assistance are essential
components of good service. Effective and straightforward client communication is a hallmark of good
service providers. Competence: Effective service providers possess the skills and knowledge required to
carry out their duties. Professionalism: Reliable service providers always act and behave in a professional
manner. Personalization is a key component of good customer service since it helps the client feel
appreciated.
The attributes of good service at Disney parks, such as being amiable, attentive, courteous, and
knowledgeable, are described in "Disney Service Basics" by Jeff Kober. At Disney, excellent service also
entails anticipating guests' needs, providing a tailored experience, and upholding a clean and secure
environment. These guidelines are intended to provide visitors a fantastic experience and increase their
brand loyalty to Disney.
Describe a “WOW” situation (an “incredible” guest experience) – what differentiated it from other
service encounters?
The front desk employee volunteered to carry his bags and show him to his room when the speaker
checked in, the speaker says. The fact that the salesperson didn't simply leave the suitcases in the room
and depart made this customer experience unique. As an alternative, he took the time to show the
speaker around the space and explain him all the facilities, which included a custom welcome message
on the TV. The employee went above and above what was anticipated, which is why this "WOW"
experience stood out from prior customer service interactions, according to the speaker. He made the
guest feel valued and appreciated by taking the time to customize the experience. This extra effort
elicited a favorable emotional response in the speaker and left a lasting memory. A "WOW" situation
involves going above and beyond what is anticipated to create a memorable and enjoyable experience.
Personalization, attention to detail, and a sincere desire to build a strong emotional bond with the visitor
are necessary.
The bracelet was eventually located after a Disney cast member went above and above in their search,
staying up late to do so. The cast member then made arrangements for the bracelet to be sent to the
visitor's hotel room along with a card thanking them for their time. This experience set itself apart from
previous customer service interactions by displaying a high level of commitment and customization in
resolving the guest's issue and leaving a favorable impression.
What were/are the characteristics of “bad” service?
Inattention: Poor customer service entails failing to pay attention to their requirements or disobeying
their instructions. Lack of Empathy: Unsatisfactory service providers fail to comprehend or express
empathy for their clients. Lack of responsiveness: Poor customer service includes failing to address
problems or requests from customers in a timely manner. Poor Communication: Unreliable service
providers fail to speak to clients in a straightforward or efficient manner. Poor service providers are
incompetent because they lack the abilities and expertise required to do their jobs well.
Unprofessionalism: Poor service providers treat consumers harshly or in an unprofessional manner.
Choose (or identify) a service failure. Using the Gaps in the Process of Delivering an Expected Service
model (see slides), identify and describe the gap that produced the service failure and how that gap
might be closed.
Gap in the Process: Gap 4 - The disconnect between service provision and public outreach. Gap 4
resulted from a breakdown in communication between the personnel who created the sandwich in the
kitchen and the consumer who placed the order. The consumer received the wrong sandwich as a result
of this misunderstanding. Solution: The restaurant might do the following to close this gap: To guarantee
that orders are correctly communicated, the restaurant should improve the lines of communication
between the diner and the kitchen staff. Clarify client orders: To prevent misunderstandings, the
restaurant should teach its workers to make clear customer orders. Implement quality control measures:
Before delivering orders to customers, the restaurant could use quality control measures to ensure that
they are accurate. Offer compensation: As restitution for the inconvenience, the restaurant could give
the customer a discount or a free item on their subsequent visit.
The restaurant may close Gap 4 and enhance the whole service delivery process by putting these ideas
into practice, which will enhance the patron experience.
A diner who had a bad dining experience because of sluggish service and subpar cuisine. The gap that
led to the service failure may be located using the Gaps in the Process of Delivering an Expected Service
model as Gap 3: The Gap Between Service Delivery and External Communications. This discrepancy
between what is promised to the visitor in terms of service and what is actually provided causes this gap
to appear. Disney can do a number of things to close this gap, including making sure that there is
effective communication between the kitchen and the service staff to reduce service delays, giving staff
ongoing training and support to uphold quality standards, and conducting frequent guest surveys to
pinpoint areas for improvement. Additionally, management can proactively get in touch with customers
who have had bad experiences to express regret and offer remedies, like refunds or free services, which
can help to win back their trust and loyalty. Disney can enhance the visitor experience and avoid future
service issues by bridging the gap between service delivery and external communications.
How does guest service in the contexts you discussed translate into guest service in the sport industry?
The hospitality, tourism, and other service sectors' discussions of the ideals of customer service also
apply to the world of sports. Because fans attend sporting events to have a memorable experience, and
because their satisfaction with that experience affects their likelihood of returning and recommending
the event to others, providing excellent guest service is essential in the sports industry. Sport
organizations should concentrate on offering exceptional guest service by: Recognizing the requirements
and preferences of its visitors; This entails knowing what visitors want from the experience and
customizing the offerings to satisfy those demands. For instance, be aware that certain visitors might
require accessibility help or favor particular food and beverage selections. Providing outstanding
customer service requires educating workers to be alert, polite, and informed about the occasion,
setting, and services provided. Creating a welcome and comfortable setting that makes visitors feel
valued and appreciated is key to establishing a good attitude. Resolving guest issues fast requires putting
a system in place to do it in a timely and efficient manner. Implementing quality control measures is
necessary to ensure that the offered services and goods meet or exceed the expectations of the guests.
Sport firms may give great guest service by concentrating on these concepts, creating happy and
devoted followers. Increased revenue and profitability for the company may follow from this.
Why is guest service often overlooked in the sport industry?
Due to a variety of reasons, such as the following, guest service is occasionally neglected in the sports
industry: Focus on the game: The sport sector places a lot of emphasis on the actual game, which
occasionally overshadows how crucial guest service is. The quality of the game may be given precedence
by organizations above the quality of the whole fan experience.
Due to fierce competition in the sport sector, many organizations must operate on a limited budget.
Resources may thus be scarce for spending on guest service initiatives.
High employee turnover: The sports business has a high personnel turnover rate, which might cause
inconsistent guest service standards.
Maintaining a good level of customer service may be difficult for businesses, especially during times of
high personnel turnover. Lack of training: In the sports sector, guest service training may not always be a
top focus. The level of service offered to visitors may suffer if staff members are not appropriately
trained in customer service. In the sports sector, visitors are frequently viewed more as supporters than
as paying consumers. This impression could make it harder to concentrate on giving visitors excellent
service. In general, the sports sector needs to understand the value of customer service and how it
affects fan happiness and loyalty. To improve the entire fan experience, businesses should give priority to
efforts that will improve customer service and provide resources to support these activities.
You should have reviewed the How you doin’? video and the “disney article”– using these as a backdrop:
Identify 3-5 principles of guest service to use in your employee training:
How would they be defined? Why were these selected?
Empathy: The capacity to comprehend and experience another person's emotions. Because it enables
staff to relate to customers personally, foresee their needs, and appropriately address their concerns,
empathy is crucial in the guest service industry. Timeliness: The speed with which services are provided.
Being on time is crucial for providing excellent customer service since it shows that you value your
customers' time and can reduce irritation and unhappiness. Personalization: Tailoring a service to a
visitor's specific requirements and preferences. The importance of personalization in customer service
stems from how it helps customers feel appreciated and acknowledged as unique people, which can
improve their overall experience. These guidelines were chosen because they are essential for delivering
excellent customer service and are relevant to a variety of businesses, including the sports sector.
Organizations can foster a culture of great guest service and increase fan happiness and loyalty by
teaching workers to put empathy, punctuality, and personalization first when interacting with customers.
Create a personalized experience - This guiding principle calls for taking the time to get to know visitors
and comprehend their particular requirements, tastes, and expectations. It entails going above and
beyond typical interactions to create an unforgettable and meaningful experience that speaks to every
visitor. Being proactive in anticipating guests' requirements means thinking about potential needs or
wants before visitors ever express them. This may be giving them instructions, volunteering to help, or
sharing more information that may improve their experience. Maintain a clean and safe environment -
This principle entails making an atmosphere that is continually clean and well-maintained and is free
from safety threats. This might involve maintaining clean and well-stocked toilets, making sure rides and
attractions are safe, and keeping pathways free of trash. These guidelines were chosen since they form
the basis of the Disney guest experience and aid in fostering a pleasant and memorable one for visitors.
Employees will learn how to make a pleasant and interesting environment that draws customers back by
include these ideas in staff training.
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