CUSTOMER SERVICE
HCMI0201
ASSIGNMENT 1
CUSTOMER SERVICE: AN INVESTIGATION
This assignment investigates how two different Hospitality and Catering
facilities provide service for their customers.
The two facilities need to be in different sectors. The sectors are:
commercial – hotels and guest houses, public houses, clubs,
restaurants (including cafes and fast food), contract catering
catering services – health and welfare including residential
homes and hospitals, educational services, forces, leisure,
travel, in-house staff feeding
You will need to complete the tasks by working together in a team
(maximum 4 people). Discuss with your tutor the numbers in your team
before you start work.
You will also need to discuss with your tutor your choice of facilities.
They must be facilities that will answer your questions and allow you to
visit them, so don't choose anywhere too far away.
Task 1
Agree in your team the two facilities that you intend to study.
When you have agreed on the facilities and discussed your choice with
your tutor, arrange to hold a team meeting.
© 1999 Further Education National Consortium Version 02
Your first task is to have a brainstorming session to decide what service
customers are likely to require from your two chosen facilities.
At this stage just write down all the ideas you can think of – you can sort
them out later. You will probably find that customers require similar
things from both facilities, but there may be some differences.
Task 2
You need to group your ideas into two lists – one for each of the facilities
you have chosen in Task 1. You will probably find it helpful to separate
your ideas into different categories as you can see from the box on the
next two screens.
Try and produce a list of ten points for each facility – five essential
requirements and five desirable requirements. Some of the customer
requirements may well be the same for both lists.
HOSPITALITY AND CATERING – INTERMEDIATE – UNIT 2 – ASSIGNMENT 1 – HCMI02A1
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CUSTOMER SERVICE
HCMI0201
Task 3
You need to contact both facilities and speak to the member of staff who
is responsible for customer service.
Discuss with your tutor whether you should write or phone the facility
directly – your tutor will advise you on the most appropriate method.
Remember if you write a letter that it needs to be a business letter and
should be word processed to look professional. You should keep a copy
of the letter for your portfolio of evidence.
Once you have contacted the member of staff who deals with customer
service arrange a time and date to visit the facility to speak to them in
person. You will need to find out the following:
What procedures they have for dealing with customers?
Do staff receive training?
Are there written instructions for staff, for example when
dealing with customers on the telephone?
Are staff assessed on how they deal with customers?
Task 4
In Tasks 1 to 3 you have been looking at the theory – what should
happen.
Now it is your chance to see whether the two facilities you have selected
are indeed meeting their customers' needs.
© 1999 Further Education National Consortium Version 02
You will need to visit both facilities and observe how customers are dealt
with.
Use the checklist from Task 2 and monitor how customers are dealt with.
In order to be able to report accurately, you should decide:
how many customers you will need to observe
how many times it will be necessary for you to visit the facility
if you visit during the busy periods (perhaps lunchtime) as well
as the quieter times
if you need a selection of different customers, for example
children, couples/singles, elderly, disabled, etc
HOSPITALITY AND CATERING – INTERMEDIATE – UNIT 2 – ASSIGNMENT 1 – HCMI02A1
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CUSTOMER SERVICE
HCMI0201
Task 5
Using all the material you have collected from tasks 1 to 4, present a
written report to your tutor (include any documents that the two facilities
gave you as an appendix to the report). The report should include:
a copy of your checklist
a brief description of the two facilities you have studied
procedures for customer service in the two facilities
the number and types of customer you observed and a
summary of your findings
the reasons why good customer service is important to an
organisation
© 1999 Further Education National Consortium Version 02
HOSPITALITY AND CATERING – INTERMEDIATE – UNIT 2 – ASSIGNMENT 1 – HCMI02A1
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