This
blog post will be different than previous ones I have written; as it will focus
how I can provide the best possible experience to guests. I have worked for
Haven Holidays for four years at Blue Dolphin Holiday Park is located near the
seaside town of Scarborough which offers picturesque clifftop walks and
panoramic sea views. My current role is working as a receptionist.
Haven
Holidays owns and operates 36 award winning family holiday parks throughout England.
Haven is one of Britain’s largest provider of domestic holidays, (Bourne Leisure, 2015) which provides
comfortable accommodation and offers a wide range of activities which include,
kids’ clubs, leisure activities and entertainment, Haven’s aim is to provide
families with a fun-filled escape.
A
guests experience starts as soon as they book a holiday with Haven. My role as
a receptionist is to ensure guests receive information by email or post with
details of their holiday. A few days before a guest is due to arrive to the park,
I will contact the guest via telephone to check their booking details, this is
to make sure guest arrivals run smoothly and guests have peace of mind knowing the
correct arrangements have been put into place.
Once
a guest arrives at the park, I greet each guest with a friendly welcome. When I
start to check guests into their accommodation, it is my responsibility to go
through a guest welcome pack which provides information which a guest may need
while staying at the park.
If a
guest has a problem, it is my responsibility to go through these step by step,
giving the guest my full attention and find appropriate solutions. Then I
explain to the guest what I will do next and ask them if they are happy with
what I’ve explained; unfortunately some problems cannot be solved straight
away, therefore it is my responsibility to go that extra mile to resolve the
issue. Once a problem(s) has been resolved it is my responsibility to inform the guest and check they do not require further
assistance, this is to ensure guests receive the best possible experience.
A company's market offering can include both tangible goods and services. At one extreme, the market consists of a pure tangible good, such as soap, toothpaste, or salt; no services accompany the product. At the other extreme are pure services, for which the market consists primarily of a service. Between these two extremes, however, many goods-and-services combinations are possible. Today, as products and services become more commoditized, many companies are moving to a new level in creating value for their customers. To differentiate their offers, beyond simply making products and delivering services, they are creating and managing customer experiences with their brands or companies (Armstrong & Kotler, 2013a).
A company's market offering can include both tangible goods and services. At one extreme, the market consists of a pure tangible good, such as soap, toothpaste, or salt; no services accompany the product. At the other extreme are pure services, for which the market consists primarily of a service. Between these two extremes, however, many goods-and-services combinations are possible. Today, as products and services become more commoditized, many companies are moving to a new level in creating value for their customers. To differentiate their offers, beyond simply making products and delivering services, they are creating and managing customer experiences with their brands or companies (Armstrong & Kotler, 2013a).
Since
2015, there has been many improvements at the reception to help make a guests
experience unforgettable. This year Haven Holidays have introduced a new mobile
app ‘What’s on?’ which guests can download for free, the app provides guest
with information about what’s going on in the park. With technology developing
constantly this new mobile app with help to make a guests experience easier and
simpler.
New
to 2016, guest are now able to have pets in Prestige and Deluxe caravans before
guests who brought their pet(s) with them were only allowed to stay in standard
caravans. Guest felt that because they brought their pet(s) they were being
downgraded and given less luxury accommodation. In order to improve a guest’s
experience, guests are able to have pets in Prestige and Deluxe caravans,
making guests feel they are being treated equally and given a better
experience.
Reception is the first place
where a guest comes to check in to their accommodation. Therefore first
impressions are extremely important, if a guest has a bad/poor first
impression, it can make a guest feel apprehensive about the rest of their
holiday. As a receptionist it is important to provide guests with a positive
first experience. A good first impression can make a guest feel excited and
relieved that they can get settled into their accommodation without having to
worry about anything.
Experiences have always been an important part of marketing for some companies. Companies that market experiences realize that customers are really buying more than just products and services. They are buying what those offers will do for them (Armstrong & Kotler, 2013a).
References:
Armstrong, G., & Kotler, P. (2013a). Marketing: An introduction, global edition. United Kingdom: Pearson Education.
Bourne Leisure Ltd. (2015). About Us. Retrieved from http://www.haven.com/support/about-us.aspx.
Experiences have always been an important part of marketing for some companies. Companies that market experiences realize that customers are really buying more than just products and services. They are buying what those offers will do for them (Armstrong & Kotler, 2013a).
References:
Armstrong, G., & Kotler, P. (2013a). Marketing: An introduction, global edition. United Kingdom: Pearson Education.
Bourne Leisure Ltd. (2015). About Us. Retrieved from http://www.haven.com/support/about-us.aspx.
Very well presented shelby. Explains your role very clearly and describes perfectly how a guest should be treated. X
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! I believe a guest experience is so important x
ReplyDeleteloved this blog, very interesting!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!
Delete