Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Authors
Introduction
SECTION I. THE HOSPITALITY SERVICE STRATEGY
1. The Basics of Wow! The Guest Knows Best
Introduction
Guestology: What is it?
The Guest Experience
Guest Expectations
Quality, Value, and Cost Defined
The Importance of Guestology
Lessons Learned
2. Meeting Guest Expectations through Planning
Introduction
Three Generic Strategies
The Hospitality Planning Cycle
Assessing the Environment
Assessing the Organization Itself: The Internal Assessment
Vision and Mission Statements
Developing the Service Strategy
Action Plans
Involving Employees in Planning
The Uncertain Future
Lessons Learned
3. Setting the Scene for the Guest Experience
Introduction
Creating "The Show"
Why is the Environment Important?
A Model: How the Service Environment Affects the Guest
Lessons Learned
4. Developing the Hospitality Culture: Everyone Serves!
Introduction
The Importance of Leaders
The Importance of Culture
Culture as a Competitive Advantage
Beliefs, Values, and Norms
Culture and the Environment
Communicating the Culture
Changing the Culture
Lessons Learned
SECTION II. THE HOSPITALITY SERVICE STAFF
5. Staffing for Service
Introduction
The Many Employees of the Hospitality Industry
The First Step: Study the Job
The Second Step: Recruit a Pool of Qualified Candidates
The Third Step: Select the Best Candidate
The Fourth Step: Hire the Best Applicant
The Fifth Step: Make the New Hire Feel Welcome
The Sixth Step: Turnover-Retaining the Best and Selecting People out of an Organization
Lessons Learned
6. Training and Developing Employees to Serve
Introduction
Employee Training
Developing a Training Program
Types of Training
Training Methods
Challenges and Pitfalls of Training
Employee Development
Lessons Learned
7. Serving with a Smile: Motivating Exceptional Service
Introduction
Motivating Employees
The Needs People Have
The Rewards Managers can Provide
Ways Rewards Can Motivate
How Managers and Leaders Provide the Right Direction
Lessons Learned
8. Involving the Guest: The Co-Creation of Value
Introduction
The Guest Can Help!
Strategies for Involving the Guest
Determining Where Co-Production Makes Sense
One Last Point: Firing the Guest
Lessons Learned
Section III. The Hospitality Service Delivery System
9. Communicating for Service
Introduction
The Challenge of Managing Information
Information and the Service Product
Information and the Service Setting
Information and the Delivery System
Decision Support Systems
The Hospitality Organization as an Information System
Lessons Learned
10. Planning the Service Delivery System
Introduction
Planning and Designing the Service Delivery System
Developing the Service Delivery System
Planning Techniques
Targeting Specific Problem Areas in Service Delivery Systems
Lessons Learned
11. Waiting for Service
Introduction
Capacity and Psychology: Keys to Managing Lines
Queuing Theory: Managing the Reality of the Wait
Managing the Perception of the Wait
Service Value and the Wait
Lessons Learned
12. Measuring and Managing Service Delivery
Introduction
Techniques and Methods for Assessing Service Quality
Measuring Service Quality After the Experience
SERVQUAL
Finding and Using the Technique that Fits
Lessons Learned
13. Fixing Service Failures
Introduction
Service Failures: Types, Where, and Why
The Importance of Fixing Service Failures
Dealing With Service Failures
Recovering From Service Failure
Lessons Learned
14. Service Excellence: Leading the Way to Wow!
Introduction
The Three Ss: Strategy, Staffing, and Systems
Hospitality and the Future
Leading the Way Into the Future
Leading and Managing
It all Begins-and Ends-with the Guest
Lessons Learned
Glossary
Additional Readings
Index