Customer Service for Hospitality and Tourism

Center of Economic Excellence (CoEE) Endowed Chair in Tourism and Economic Development, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management,

• THIRD EDITION CONTENTSChapter 1: Introduction to customer serviceCustomer service definedA history of customer service The role of customer service Unique characteristics of servicesServices marketing triangleThe marketing mix for services Customer service in the tourism and hospitality sectorCases:‘At Your Service’ Spotlight: Walt Disney: A legacy of customer serviceService Snapshot: Customer service at the Augusta MastersCase Study: The Lopesan Group, Gran Canaria, SpainChapter 2: The financial and behavioural consequences of customer serviceThe relative importance of the service economyImpact of service quality on market share growth, prices and profitsThe behavioural consequences of customer serviceThe service profit chain Offensive and defensive marketing effects of serviceThe financial implications of poor customer serviceCases: ‘At Your Service’ Spotlight: Andrew Dunn, Scott Dunn TravelService Snapshot: Jonathan Tisch, Loews Hotels & ResortsCase Study: Profiting from culinary tourism in Stellenbosch, South AfricaChapter 3: Understanding the consumer Customer expectations The customer experience The importance of emotions in the service experience Understanding cross-cultural differencesGlobal trends in consumer behaviorCases:‘At Your Service’ Spotlight: The Maldives – pivoting in response to a pandemicService Snapshot: Cruise industry responding to changing consumer tastesCase Study: Bruce Poon Tip, G Adventures – understanding today’s travelerChapter 4: Developing and maintaining a service cultureInternal marketingEstablishment of a service cultureThe Importance of EmpowermentDevelopment of a marketing approach to human resource managementDissemination of marketing information to employeesImplementation of a reward and recognition systemCases:‘At Your Service’ Spotlight: Isadore Sharpe, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts Service Snapshot: WestJet – fostering a caring cultureCase Study: Micato Safaris – simply the best in the world!Chapter 5: Managing service encountersThe employee role in delivering serviceCustomer service trainingThe customer role in delivering serviceCustomer-to-customer (C-to-C) interactionsEnhancing customer participationCases:‘At Your Service’ Spotlight: Marcos Van Aken, Ten Travel, TenerifeService Snapshot: Steamboat Springs training for service excellenceCase study: Hotels getting social to compete with the sharing economyChapter 6: The importance of market researchAn introduction to research in tourism & hospitalityThe ‘gaps model’ of service qualityMeasuring service qualityImportance-Performance Analysis; SERVQUAL; Comment Cards; Mystery shopping; Critical incidents studies; Lost customer research; Online researchCommon research errorsEffective use of market research in decision makingCases:‘At Your Service’ Spotlight: Developing hospitality leaders of the future at the Hotel ICON, Hong KongService Snapshot: Qualtrics going above and beyond to wow conference delegatesCase Study: Martinhal in Portugal – staying sensitive to the consumerChapter 7: Building and maintaining customer relationshipsRelationship marketingRetention strategies Loyalty programs in tourism & hospitalityBenefits of relationship marketing Targeting profitable customersCases:At Your Service Spotlight: Developing loyal customers post-pandemic at Bucuti & Tara in ArubaService Snapshot: Spotting a pandemic opportunity Case Study: African-American Travelers an increasingly profitable market Chapter 8: Providing customer service through the servicescapeElements of the servicescapeThe strategic role of the servicescape in delivering serviceDeveloping servicescapesThemed servicescapesThe effect of servicescapes on consumer behaviourWaiting line strategiesCOVID-19 and the servicescapeCases:‘At Your Service’ Spotlight: Hospitality Starbucks-style Service Snapshot: Incheon Airport: First and last impressionsCase Study: Attention to detail at Cavas Wine Lodge, ArgentinaChapter 9: The impact of technology on customer service The impact of technological developments on tourism and hospitalityUsing technology to improve service during the consumer decision journey Delivering service through electronic and robotic channelsCases:‘At Your Service’ Spotlight: Leveraging social media at Bonnaroo Music FestivalService Snapshot: Employing virtual reality to enhance the customer experienceCase Study: Vail Resorts using apps to capture memories on the mountainChapter 10: The importance of service recoveryService recoveryThe service recovery paradoxThe service recovery processThe consequences of an effective recovery processGuidelines for soliciting, tracking and handling complaintsService guaranteesCases:‘At Your Service’ Spotlight: Paul Hudson - solving problems for travelersService Snapshot: Social media listening aids service recoveryCase Study: Adaptability key to pandemic recovery for Australia’s tourism industry Chapter 11: Promoting customer service internally and externallyDeveloping an integrated communications strategy for customer serviceManaging service promises Ethical issues in communicationCases:At Your Service’ Spotlight: Serving up a dream in CasablancaService Snapshot: Customer service Kobe-styleCase Study: Promoting the spirit of India ndex