This document summarizes key points from a lecture on total quality management for the hospitality and tourism industry. It discusses the importance of measuring guest experience quality as it occurs to enable recovery from failures. Several methods for monitoring the guest experience are outlined, including process strategies, service standards, managerial observation, and employee observation. The SERVQUAL model for measuring service quality is also summarized. The document concludes by discussing service guarantees and the need to balance obtaining guest feedback with the cost of doing so.

1. LTM 124 – Total Quality Management
Live Online Class at WizIQ
Reference: Total Quality Management for Hospitality and
Tourism by Ford, Sturman and Heaton , 2012, Cengage Learning
Faculty: Sheila Lo Dingcong, Miriam College, February 4, 2015

2.  To identify and implement the methods that
best measure the quality of the experience
from the guest’s point of view as the
experience is occurring
 Measurements taken after the experience
may be too late to enable recovery from
failure, though may be useful in improving
the service experience for the future

3.  One key to creating a flawless guest
experience is that the organization must
know what errors are being made and
what failures are occurring.
 If you don’t know it’s broken, you can not fix
it.
 Finding out about failure on the spot gives
the organization the opportunity to recover
before the guest leaves.

4.  Process strategies – monitoring the
experience while it is taking place;
design monitoring mechanisms into
the delivery system to find and fix
failures before they can affect the
quality of the guest experience; hence
it is preventive
 Service Standards – objective
measures to monitor staff performance
while they are doing it

5.  Managerial observation – “management
by walking around” and actually see
what’s happening as they occur
 Employee observation and inquiry –
floor staff consciously anticipates
 Post guest experience methods include
comment cards, email, surveys – web,
telephone, critical incident
 Mystery shoppers (?)

6. A service quality measurement
instrument developed by A.
Parasuraman and associates which
has been extensively researched to
validate its psychometric
properties.

7.  Tangibles (physical facilities, equipment,
personnel)
 Reliability (ability to perform the desired
service dependably, accurately, and
consistently)
 Responsiveness (willingness to provide
prompt service and help customers)
 Assurance (employee knowledge,
courtesy, and ability to convey trust)
 Empathy (providing caring,
individualized attention to customers)

8.  A service guarantee is a publicly expressed,
usually written promise either to satisfy
guests or to compensate them for any failure
in part of all of the service (i.e. 30 minute
delivery; Starbuck’s)
“Satisfaction guaranteed or your money
back; no questions asked”

9.  The quality of employee work and the
quality of guest service can be different;
manage so as to achieve high quality in
both.
 If you don’t measure it, you can’t manage it;
if you don’t manage it, you can’t improve it.
 Balance the value of service information
obtained from guests with the cost of
obtaining it.

10.  Recognize the strengths and weaknesses of
available assessment techniques. (because
not all works for you)
 The more sophisticated the information
needed from guests, the more expensive it is
to acquire.
 If you want to become or stay the best, be
proactive. Be driven to continuously learn
and improve.

11.  Assignment on the Service Delivery plan
matrix
 Discussion forum on your worst wait
experience ever!
 Continue working on your case study paper
 We’ll see each other on Tuesday, February 10
in the classroom
 Thursday, February 12 is Teacher’s Day
celebration – Free Cut but see you in the
auditorium!!!