Unit 2: Principles of Supervising Customer Service Performance in Hospitality, Leisure, Travel and Tourism

Unit code: L/600/1066

QCF Level 3: BTEC National

Credit value: 2

Guided learning hours: 20

Aim and purpose

This unit will provide in-depth knowledge of how to supervise customer service performance in the hospitality, leisure travel and tourism sector. The unit will be appropriate for supervisors and managers whose responsibilities include managing staff.

Unit introduction: Unit 2: Principles of Supervising Customer Service Performance in Hospitality, Leisure, Travel and Tourism

Customer service is of vital importance to all organisations in the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sector. A reputation for excellent customer service performance will help organisations to attract and retain customers by differentiating them from their competitors. Supervisors are an important factor in ensuring the continuity of an effective and positive customer service culture within an organisation.

This unit looks at how a supervisor can help to develop customer service in their business, the relationship between customer service and selling and the impact that customer service can have on business performance.

Learners will also explore the role of the supervisor in providing customer service and their part in building teams that can deliver effective customer service. The importance of the part played by staff development, training, coaching and different methods of giving feedback in customer service are also explored. Finally, the unit allows learners to investigate the effectiveness of customer service by measuring it against customer service standards and to suggest improvements. Understand how to develop a customer service culture within their business

Through completion of this unit, learners will be able to appreciate the vital role they play, as supervisors or potential supervisors, in the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sector, in contributing to the quality of customer service.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this unit a learner should:

1 Understand how to develop a customer service culture within their business

2 Understand how to build teams and motivate colleagues through techniques such as on- site coaching

3 Understand how to effectively monitor and communicate levels of customer service performance.

Unit content: Unit 2: Principles of Supervising Customer Service Performance in Hospitality, Leisure, Travel and Tourism

1 Understand how to develop a customer service culture within their business

Role of the supervisor in customer service: lead a team; demonstrate good customer service skills eg personal presentation, knowledge of products and services, communication and listening skills, team goals; positive attitude

Customer service and business performance: organisation objectives eg customer loyalty, repeat business, increased sales and usage, enhanced public image, new customers

Customer service and selling: product knowledge; providing information or advice; identifying, meeting and exceeding customer needs

Monitor delivery of customer service: organisational standards; monitor customer loyalty eg repeat business, new customers; enhanced public image; customer satisfaction; techniques eg mystery shoppers, comment cards, observation

2 Understand how to build teams and motivate colleagues through techniques such as on-site coaching

Develop effective teams: recruitment; induction; motivation; training; team goals; team knowledge; retention of team members; threats to team development eg high member turnover, weak or authoritarian leadership, poor definition of goals

Importance of staff development: planning; team knowledge eg awareness of team members’ strengths, weaknesses and sensitivities; conduct of appraisal interviews

Role of the supervisor: ability to motivate and lead a team; ability to take initiative; ability to defuse and resolve conflict; fairness in decision making

Implementation of training and coaching: to improve customer service; group or individual training eg on- site or off-site; individual on-site coaching

Importance of providing feedback: to motivate; maintain team focus

Methods of providing feedback: meetings; staff appraisal; staff newsletter; email

3 Understand how to effectively monitor and communicate levels of customer service performance

Importance of customer service standards: develop customer service standards eg clear, measurable, written and accessible, appropriate to product or service; implement standards by training staff

Monitor and measure team performance: customer feedback eg surveys, informal comments, complaints; financial data eg turnover, repeat business; team objectives

Corrective action: support and development of under-performing team members; possibly revise team responsibilities; review and evaluate teamworking arrangements

Recording and communicating performance: performance set at staff appraisal; self-evaluate; standards checklists; customer feedback; communicating performance eg appraisal interview; team meeting

Improving future performance: of the operation eg efficiency, staff training, staff levels, employee of the month; of the products and services offered eg quality, range, price, loyalty schemes’ assessment criteria

Role of the supervisor in customer service: lead a team; demonstrate good customer service skills eg personal presentation, knowledge of products and services, communication and listening skills, team goals; positive attitude

Unit 2: Principles of Supervising Customer Service Performance in Hospitality, Leisure, Travel and Tourism

Assessment and grading criteria

In order to pass this unit, the evidence that the learner presents for assessment needs to demonstrate that they can meet all the learning outcomes for the unit. The assessment criteria for a pass grade describe the level of achievement required to pass this unit. Understand how to develop a customer service culture within their business

PLTS: This summary references where applicable, in the square brackets, the elements of the personal, learning and thinking skills applicable in the pass criteria. It identifies opportunities for learners to demonstrate effective application of the referenced elements of the skills.

Essential guidance for tutors: Unit 2: Principles of Supervising Customer Service Performance in Hospitality, Leisure, Travel and Tourism

Delivery

Much of the delivery for the unit relies on learners sharing their experience in classroom discussions and group work.

Investigating how some organisations prioritise customer culture in their business will put the unit into context for learners who may have different experiences of customer service. Company websites are an effective way of looking at how companies portray themselves. Understand how to develop a customer service culture within their business

A visit to the training department of a large organisation could give learners relevant and up-to-date information on training and staff development issues. Copies of customer service standards developed and used by companies would be useful when discussing organisational standards and how the delivery of customer service could be monitored.

Although the unit is largely theoretical, learners could be given the opportunity to develop presentation skills, or see themselves on video when giving feedback to colleagues/team members in a role-play situation. Feedback could be given at a team meeting or on an individual basis.

Learners could look at examples of how different organisations monitor and communicate customer service performance. While the experience of learners is relevant, a guest speaker from the sector would give an inside management perspective on the subject.

This unit gives learners the opportunity to consider their own experience as a customer, or supervisor who deals with customers in this sector, such as their own role within the organisation and how their behaviour, communication and leadership can impact on customer service performance, either negatively or positively.

As a result, learners may reflect on how they could improve their behaviour, communication and leadership skills in order to improve the overall customer service experience, which is at the heart of the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sector.

Outline learning plan: Unit 2: Principles of Supervising Customer Service Performance in Hospitality, Leisure, Travel and Tourism

The outline learning plan has been included in this unit as guidance and can be used in conjunction with the programme of suggested assignments.

The outline learning plan demonstrates one way in planning the delivery and assessment of this unit. Understand how to develop a customer service culture within their business

Assessment: Unit 2: Principles of Supervising Customer Service Performance in Hospitality, Leisure, Travel and Tourism

Any evidence submitted for criteria requiring the practical demonstration of skills, eg role plays or the ability to work independently, must be supported by observation sheet(s) signed by the assessor and identify how specific criteria have been met.

The sub-headings in this section mirror the funnelling opportunities in the grading grid. They suggest how assessment can be grouped to allow learners to progress to the higher grades; however, they are not prescriptive.

P1 – P2 – P3 – P4 – M1 – D1

For P1, evidence could be in the form of a written piece of work, such as a poster or information bulletin for staff, which shows knowledge of the role of the supervisor when delivering excellent customer service.

Evidence for P2 could be in the form of a report which shows knowledge of the impact of customer service on the performance of a hospitality business.

For P3, learners must explain the relationship between delivering customer service and selling services. Evidence could be in the form of an assignment or a presentation to other learners.

P4, learners have to identify and apply at least three good practice techniques to monitor customer service against organisational standards. This could be evidenced through a written piece of work or a verbal presentation of guidelines to customer service providers.

To achieve M1, learners could make a presentation or submit a written report explaining how customer service in a hospitality business can be improved if staff are trained to understand the importance of the various support processes. Learners will recognise the significance of training in communication, presentation and teamwork techniques. This should be in general terms, supported by examples from hospitality businesses where appropriate. Understand how to develop a customer service culture within their business

To achieve D1, learners must assess how and why customer expectations are changing when using hospitality products and services. Learners must also assess how these changing expectations are impacting on customer service delivery and the types of customer service training programmes provided

in the hospitality industry. For example, they could assess the number of bars that are arranging for staff to have training in cocktail making due to an increase in demand for specialist drinks.

P5 – P6 – P7 – P8 – P9 – P10 – M2

Evidence for P5 could come from a period of work experience where teamwork has been integral to learners’ work. Alternatively, evidence could come from research or from experience of excellent customer service from the point of view of being a customer in a hospitality business.

For P6, learners need to explain the importance of staff development in ensuring that excellent customer service is delivered. Evidence could be in the form of an assignment or a presentation to other learners.

P7 evidence will show learners’ knowledge of the role of the supervisor in developing teams.

To achieve P8, learners could make a presentation or submit a written report describing how training and coaching sessions can be implemented in a hospitality business to improve the delivery of customer service. Learners will recognise the significance of training and coaching in improving the delivery of customer service. This should be in general terms, supported by examples from hospitality businesses where appropriate.

Evidence for P9 could be in the form of a report describing the importance of providing feedback to staff.

To achieve P10, learners could produce appropriate witness statements from a work experience placement. Alternatively, the evidence could be provided via role-play exercises or from work undertaken in a realistic work environment. Learners will apply a minimum of four appropriate methods to deliver feedback to staff (meetings, staff appraisal, staff newsletter and email) all of which will be in a hospitality context.

For M2, learners must analyse staff development training in at least two hospitality businesses. The analysis should be clearly linked to the hospitality industry, using examples to illustrate the analysis where appropriate.

P11 – P12 – P13 – P14 – P15 – M3

For P11, learners must analyse the importance of developing and implementing clear customer service standards in a hospitality business.

For P12, when describing appropriate ways in which supervisors can monitor and measure the performance of team members, learners could focus on methods used by the two businesses that they have previously investigated, or simply focus on general strategies adopted throughout the industry.

For P13, learners need to describe appropriate corrective actions that can be taken to resolve failures in the delivery of customer service.

Evidence for P14 could be in the form of a report which explains how performance against customer service standards can be recorded and communicated.

For P15, when identifying ways in which measurement of the effectiveness of customer service can be used to improve future performance, learners could focus on practices used by the two businesses that they have previously investigated, or simply focus on general practices adopted throughout the industry.

For M3, learners need to compare the customer service provision in two different hospitality businesses. These businesses may be in different industries within the hospitality industry, and may be different in terms of size, location and the types of customers who use them. Understand how to develop a customer service culture within their business The focus of the evidence provided for this criterion should be an explanation and analysis of why there are differences in the type and level of customer service provided. An example of an appropriate level of response could be: ‘The five-star hotel has a porter service whereas the three-star one does not. This is because customers at five-star hotels expect this service and they pay more money to stay there for these types of ‘luxuries’. Customers at the three-star hotel are predominantly business travellers during the week who don’t tend to have very much luggage. At weekends, most guests are leisure travellers on a budget who aren’t usually interested in these types of additional services, and would rather pay less for their room and have basic services.’

Programme of suggested assignments

The table below shows a programme of suggested assignments that cover the pass, merit and distinction criteria in the assessment and grading grid. This is for guidance and it is recommended that centres either write their own assignments or adapt any Pearson assignments to meet local needs and resources.

Links to other BTEC units

This unit forms part of the BTEC Hospitality suite. This unit has particular links with the following unit titles in the Hospitality suite:

Essential resources

It is essential that learners have the opportunity to become familiar with the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism industry. This may be through work placement, employment, visits or interviews with industry spokespersons.

IT resources should be provided to allow for research and the production of written work and presentations. Video cameras would also help to record any evidence.

Employer engagement and vocational contexts

Links with local employers should be developed to enable tutors to put the unit into a vocational context and enable work experience placements to be developed. Where possible visits should be made to local hospitality businesses for learners to gain specific information for this unit. Speakers from the hospitality industry who have been asked to speak on particular topics can be asked into the centre

Delivery of personal, learning and thinking skills

Unit 2: Principles of Supervising Customer Service Performance in Hospitality, Leisure, Travel and Tourism

The table below identifies the opportunities for personal, learning and thinking skills (PLTS) that have been included within the pass assessment criteria of this unit.

Although PLTS are identified within this unit as an inherent part of the assessment criteria, there are further opportunities to develop a range of PLTS through various approaches to teaching and learning.

Functional Skills – Level 2