HTMT 352 Distant Education (DE)
Service Operations Management
Department of Hospitality & Tourism Management
School of Business, College of Charleston
Summer II 2014
Instructor:
John C. Crotts, Ph. D.
Cell: (843) 860-4323
E-Mail: crottsjohn@gmail.com
Office Hours via Cell Phone: Thursdays, 2:00-3:00 or by appointment
Course Prerequisites:
HTMT 210 and Junior Standing
This course is designed to explore, challenge and refine the principals of guest-services management -- be it
a hotel, restaurant, attraction, airline, special event, etc. The course is built upon our understanding that
service excellence is achieved through strategy, systems and staff. By the end of this course, you should have
an understanding and appreciation for: (1) facility designs and layouts; (2) planning and analyzing service
delivery systems (3) defining and measuring service quality; (4) service recovery; (5) strategies for managing
demand (i.e., queue psychology, yield management, etc.) and supply (i.e., employee scheduling, cross
training, etc.); (6) interpersonal communication (i.e., employee motivation, empowerment, conflict
management and resolution, managing diversity); and (7) making continual improvements a competitive
strategy.
This course is consistent with the mission the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management whose
goals is to graduate future leaders who are entrepreneurial, guest focused, ethical, and whose ventures can
succeed in a competitive marketplace that is constantly evolving. Furthermore it addresses the following
learning goals of the School of Business. They are:

Communication Skills: Students will demonstrate the ability, via written word, to
effectively present, critique, and defend ideas in a cogent, persuasive manner.

Quantitative Fluency: Students will demonstrate competency in logical reasoning and data
analysis skills.

Global and Civic Responsibility: Students will be able to identify and define social,
ethical, environmental, and economic challenges at local, national, and international levels.
Students will also be able to integrate knowledge and skills in addressing these issues.

Intellectual Innovation and Creativity: Students will be able to demonstrate their
resourcefulness and originality in addressing extemporaneous problems.

Synthesis: Students will demonstrate the ability to integrate knowledge from multiple
disciplines incorporating learning from both classroom and non-classroom settings in the
completion of complex and comprehensive tasks.
Required Readings
Ford, Sturman and Heaton (2012). Managing quality service in hospitality: How organizations achieve
excellence in the guest experience. Clifton Park, NY: Delmar. ISBN-13: 978 1 4390 6032 2. You may
purchase this text from the College of Charleston’s Bookstore or your favorite online book retailer. You will
need to acquire this textbook by the first day of class in order to keep up with the required readings and
quizzes. No make up quizzes are possible.
Readings on OAKS
Required Hardware
Computer with high speed internet access
Software: Firefox (recommended browser)
Adobe Reader
Telephone (preferably landline)
Delivery Format
This course has both synchronous and online asynchronous aspects to it. The asynchronous on-line
aspects allows self-motivated, task-driven students the flexibility to complete the quizzes and access
all case studies over the internet. The synchronous aspect is a telephone conference call that occurs
every Monday morning between 9:00-9:50AM (Eastern Standard Time) where we will debrief the
previous week’s case study assignment. Simply dial (712) 775-7200 and when prompted enter access
code 1085555*.
You must have access to a computer with high-speed internet access throughout the course. Computer
failure/unavailability does not constitute an excuse for not completing assignments by the due date.
The class will be administered through OAKS, the College of Charleston’s learning management
system. (Log on to MyCharleston and then click the OAKS icon at the upper right; then click on HTMT
352) You should check in every day.
Technical Issues
If you have problems related to the course, please contact me immediately. If you have technical
problems , please contact the Student Computing Support Desk at (843) 953-5457 or email
studentcomputingsuport@cofc.edu. Check for computing downloads and tutorials at blogs.cofc/scs/ .
Resolve problems promptly. Again, computer failure/unavailability does not constitute an excuse for
not completing assignments by the due date.
Modules- All quizzes and case study assignments for the week’s module are due by 11:59pm (Eastern
Standard time) each Sunday. Case studies not submitted by their due date and time will not be graded.
A discussion of the case study will occur the following Monday between 9:00-9:50AM (EST) by
conference call. Simply dial (712) 775-7200 and when prompted enter access code 1085555* to join
us.
Course Organization
This course will be divided up in four (4) modules during the session II of summer school each being one
week in length. By Monday you will be expected to begin work on the week’s lesson plan. By the following
Sunday at midnight, it will be your responsibility to have read the week’s assigned readings from the
textbook as well as completed the online quizzes testing your understanding of these chapters. These quizzes
are on OAKS and will be composed of six true-false and multiple choice questions. You may re-take each
quiz up to three times with your recorded highest score being recorded. Between each re-take requires a
pause of no less than thirty minutes giving you the time to review the assigned reading again for better
comprehension.
The chapter readings – and moreover the additional assigned readings on OAKS-- will prepare you for a case
study allowing you to apply what you are learning involving complex situations requiring synthesis of
information from multiple disciplines and a fair amount of reasoning, creativity and innovation. You will
prepare a written analysis of the case study questions on an individual basis. Case studies will be graded on
your reasoning and creativity, as well as the integration of what you learned from the chapter and extra
reading assignments.
Week 1: July 10-13
Take OAKS quiz testing your understanding of the course syllabus and
organization of this course. You may take this quiz as many times as you
wish. You must score a 95% in order to advance to Module 1.
Objective: Understand and be able to navigate the OAKS pathway for this
course.
July 14-20
MODULE 1: Implementing Quality Service through Strategy, Staff and
Systems
Objectives:
1) Appreciate the importance of alignment of an organization’s
strategy, staff and systems to achieve service excellence.
2) Understand the concepts of customer satisfaction and delight and
how they are derived.
3) Appreciate the importance of recognizing and being able to execute
well on key drivers (i.e., the got to haves versus the nice to haves).
\
Chapter 1: The basis of wow
Take Quiz 1
OAKS reading: The customer delight principle
Case Study: elBulli: The Taste of Innovation
Monday, July 21, 9:00-9:50AM (EST) Conference Call: Debrief of Case
Study
Week 2: July 21-27
MODULE 2: Strategy and Planning
Objectives:
1) Understand the strategic planning process and its implications to a
firm’s competitiveness.
2) Recognize and articulate the three forms of innovations and their
influence on a firm’s competitiveness.
3) Articulate the importance of a well-designed servicescape and how
it can be managed effectively.
Chapter 2: Meeting guest expectations through planning
OAKS reading: Innovation and competitiveness
Chapter 3: Setting the scene for the guest experience
OAKS reading: Servicescape: The impact of physical surroundings on
customers and employees
Quizzes 2 &3
Living Case Study Assignment
Case Study: Netflix
Monday, July 28, 9:00-9:50AM (EST) Conference Call: Debrief of Both
Case Studies
Week 3:July 28-Aug 3
MODULE 3: Implementing a Service Strategy through your Staff
Objectives:
1) Appreciate the relationship between employee satisfaction -guest satisfaction—owner satisfaction.
2) Articulate the role of managers in satisfying all three
stakeholders.
3) Understand the importance of workplace culture and where it
may need to be modified in an international setting.
4) Appreciate how human resource strategies can play a role in a
firm’s competitiveness success.
OAKS Reading: Putting the service profit chain to work.
Chapter 4: Developing the hospitality culture
Chapter 5: Staffing for service
Chapter 6: Training and developing employees to serve
Chapter 7: Motivating exceptional service
Quizzes 4,5,6,& 7
Case Study: Four Seasons Goes to Paris or Cirque Du Soleil (choose 1)
Monday, August 4, 9:00-9:50AM (EST) Conference Call: Debrief of Case
Study
Week 5:Aug 4-7
MODULE 4: Implementing a Service Strategy through your Systems
Objectives:
1) Understand and appreciate three planning tools in designing and
managing a service delivery system.
2) Articulate the concepts and strategies in managing queues.
3) Articulate the Deming service quality wheel and the importance of
measuring service quality.
4) Understand the strengths and weaknesses of multiple measurement
strategies and how to overcome their limitations.
5) Understand and articulate the dimensions of a well-designed service
recovery system.
6) Appreciate that competitive success is dependent on a firms
strategy, staff and systems and that one is only as good as its
weakest link.
Chapter 10: Planning the service delivery system
Chapter 11: Waiting for service
Chapter 12: Measuring and managing service delivery
Chapter 13: Fixing service failures
Chapter 14: Service excellence: Leading the way
Quizzes 10,11,12,13,&14
Case Study: Starbucks: Delivering Customer Service
Friday, August 8, 9:00-9:50AM (EST) Conference Call: Debrief of Case
Study and Class
Living Case Study
According to Christensen (Reading: Innovation and Competitiveness), innovation can come in many
forms, from small incremental changes to the product and processes to major game-changing
breakthroughs of innovations. Ultimately, the success or failure of a firm will depend on the
competitive advantages provided by its business model and the firm’s ability to execute on that
model. Identify a new bistro, bar, hotel, or events management company where you are currently
living, and drawing from Christensen’s models of innovation articulate the strategy they have
adopted to compete in the marketplace. Interviewing a manager/owner if needed to gain a clear and
complete understanding of how they view the current competitive environment and how they are
uniquely positioned to compete in it. It is your choice whether to complete the assignment as an
individual or as a team of no more than three individuals. Your two-page report with cover-page is
to be emailed to me as an attachment by Sunday July 27 (midnight).
Grading
OAKS quizzes (12)
Case Study Write-Ups (5)
Class Participation
36
50
14
100
Grades
A
93-100
A91-92
B+
88-90
B
82-87
B80-81
C+
78-79
C
72-77
C70-71
D+
68-69
D
62-67
F
61 or below
Your Responsibilities

An online course is different from a face-to-face course. Because we do not actually meet face-toface, it's essential that you maintain an active presence in the class, posting and reading responses
frequently and staying active in the discussions forums. Remember that I can see when you log onto
OAKS and monitor your progress through the class.

Much of the class will be run like a traditional course, except that the online format should
encourage more exchanges between students than you might be accustomed to in a physical
classroom. You will be expected to do the same sorts of activities that you do in a regular class such
as reading and writing, guided by feedback from me, and heavy discussions, facilitated by the OAKS
discussion board.

It is essential that you stay on top of the course assignments. I will post due dates and reminders, but
it is on you to make sure that you don't get behind, especially in a class this short. Do not make the
mistake of thinking this is an easy class because we're meeting online, or an easy class because it's
meeting over the summer! The material is challenging, and will take effort on your part to master. A
summer school class normally entails 3 hours of classroom time per weekday, plus reading and
homework each night. The workload for this class will be similar.
Academic Integrity
The College of Charleston’s Student Honor Code is in effect in this course. Any student caught cheating will
receive a failing grade in the course and additional appropriate action will be taken. Cheating includes
copying someone else's work in the quizzes, cases, and assignments. It includes using someone else's ideas
without referencing them, including adding the name of a student on a group assignment where they were not
in class the day the assignment is due to defend their position. Cheating also includes students that allow
their work to be copied or who do work for another individual. If you are unclear about what is considered
cheating what is not considered cheating, please see the instructor.
Disability Statement
I will make reasonable accommodations for persons in this class with documented disabilities.
Students should apply at the Center for Disability Services / SNAP, located on the first floor of the
Lightsey Center, Suite 104. Students approved for accommodations are responsibility for notifying
me as soon as possible and speaking with me during my office hours.