Customer service is of critical importance for the for the tourism and hospitality sector now more than ever before as customers are looking to increase value for money and are less forgiving of mediocre service. However, despite its importance, quality customer service is the exception rather than the norm in many parts of the world.
'Customer Service for hospitality and tourism: the lost art' is a unique text and vital to both students and practitioners as it explains not only the theory behind the importance of customer service but also acts as a guidebook for those wishing to put this theory into practice. In essence it is the 'whys' and 'hows'of customer service.
It is easy to read, very current, and full of references to all the latest research from both academic and practitioner literature. Chapters cover important topics such as the financial and behavioural consequences of customer service, consumer trends influencing service, developing and maintaining a service culture, managing service encounters, the importance of market research, building and maintaining customer relationships, providing customer service through the servicescape, the impact of technology on customer service, the importance of service recovery, and promoting customer service internally and externally.
Key features include:
• An 'At Your Service' Spotlight at the beginning of each chapter focuses on the achievements of successful individuals related to the art of customer service.
• Each chapter contains a 'Service Snapshot' - short, real-life cases to illustrate a particular concept or theoretical principle presented in the chapter.
• Detailed international 'Case Studies', which cover a variety of sectors, organizations and regions designed to foster critical thinking, the cases illustrate actual business scenarios that stress several concepts found in the chapter. They analyze customer service in the U.S., South America, South Africa, Europe, Russia, Australia, China, Canada, Korea and Dubai.
Dr. Simon Hudson is an Endowed Chair in Tourism at the University of South Carolina. He has held previous academic positions at universities in Canada and England, and has worked as a visiting professor in Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Fiji, New Zealand, the United States, and Australia.
Louise Hudson is a freelance journalist living in South Carolina (www.tourismgurus.com). She has collaborated with Dr Hudson on many of his books and research projects and co-wrote Golf Tourism with him. Originally trained in journalism in England, she now writes for many publications including the LA Times, Dallas Morning News, Canada's Globe and Mail and Dreamscapes Magazine, Calgary Sun, Calgary Herald and and BC Inn Focus magazine among others.
Chapter 1: Introduction to customer service
Customer service defined
A history of customer service
The role of customer service
Unique characteristics of services
Services marketing triangle
The services marketing mix
Customer service in the tourism and hospitality sector
Cases:
'At Your Service' Spotlight: Walt Disney: a legacy of customer service
Service Snapshot: Customer service at the Augusta Masters
Case Study: The Lopesan Group, Gran Canaria, Spain
Chapter 2: The financial and behavioural consequences of customer service
The relative importance of the service economy
Impact of service on market share growth, prices and profits
The service profit chain
The behavioural consequences of customer service
The implications of poor customer service
Cases:
'At Your Service' Spotlight: Andrew Dunn, Scott Dunn Travel
Service Snapshot: Jonathan Tisch, Loews Hotels
Case Study: Profiting from fun in the Canadian Rockies
Chapter 3: Understanding the consumer
Consumer trends influencing service
Customer expectations
The customer experience
The importance of emotions in the service experience
Understanding cross-cultural differences
Global trends in consumer behavior
Cases:
'At Your Service' Spotlight: Joe Nevin - understanding needs of the traveling baby boomer
Service Snapshot: Welcoming the world at the London Olympics
Case Study: Bruce Poon Tip, G Adventures - understanding today's traveler
Chapter 4: Developing and maintaining a service culture
The link between culture and customer service
Empowerment
A marketing approach to human resources management (HRM)
The importance of pride
Dissemination of Marketing Information to Employees
Implementation of a Reward and Recognition System
Cases:
'At Your Service' Spotlight: Isadore Sharpe, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts
Service Snapshot: Renaissance Harbour View Hotel Hong Kong
Case Study: WestJet - a focus on employees
Chapter 5: Managing service encounters
The employee role in delivering service
Customer service training
The customer role in delivering service
Customer-to-customer (C-to-C) interactions
Enhancing customer participation
'At Your Service' Spotlight: Marcos Van Aken, Ten Travel, Red Carpet Destination Management Service, Tenerife
Service Snapshot: Calgary International Airport: Connections that Make a Difference
Case study: People Power at Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
Chapter 6: The importance of market research
An introduction to research in tourism & hospitality
The 'gaps model' of service quality
Measuring service quality
Importance-Performance Analysis; SERVQUAL; Comment Cards; Mystery shopping; Critical incidents studies; Lost customer research; Online research
Common research errors
Using market research to make decisions
'At Your Service' Spotlight: Simply the 'Best'!
Service Snapshot: Checking out the competition
Case Study: Enterprise Car Rentals: Driving complete customer satisfaction
Chapter 7: Building and maintaining customer relationships
Relationship marketing
Retention strategies
Loyalty programs in tourism & hospitality
Benefits of relationship marketing
Targeting profitable customers
At Your Service Spotlight: Wine for dudes: where customer service is king!
Service Snapshot: Legends Golf & Safari Resort, South Africa
Case Study: Service excellence at the Sheraton Suites Calgary Eau Claire
Chapter 8: Providing customer service through the servicescape
Elements of the servicescape
The strategic role of physical evidence in delivering service
Developing servicescapes
Themed servicescapes
The effect of servicescapes on consumer behaviour
Waiting line strategies
'At Your Service' Spotlight: Hospitality Starbucks-style
Service Snapshot: Incheon Airport: First and last impressions
Case Study: Attention to detail at Cavas Wine Lodge, Argentina
Chapter 9: The impact of technology on customer service
The impact of technological developments on communication
Using technology to improve service during the consumer decision journey
Advantages and disadvantages of delivering service through electronic channels
'At Your Service' Spotlight: Simon Bradley, Virgin Atlantic Airways
Service Snapshot: Barbados leveraging social media to attract medical tourists
Case Study: Vail Resorts using apps to enhance the customer experience
Chapter 10: The importance of service recovery
Service recovery
The service recovery paradox
The service recovery process
The consequences of an effective recovery process
Guidelines for tracking and handling complaints
Service guarantees
'At Your Service' Spotlight: TBA
Service Snapshot: Recovery via social media
Case Study: China's 'Hawaii': Climbing the curve of customer service
Chapter 11: Promoting customer service internally and externally
Developing an integrated communications strategy for service
Managing service promises
Ethical issues pertaining to customer service
At Your Service' Spotlight: From Russia with love
Service Snapshot: Thailand promoting medical tourism with a personal touch
Case Study: Behind the scenes at the Burj Al Arab courtesy of The Discovery Channel
Chapter 12: Customer service training handbook
The handbook has a number of structured activities and each exercise is accompanied by a facilitator's guide that a trainer can follow (with an explanation of their purpose and learning outcomes).
