Quality of tourist service

Quality of tourist service
See also
Customer orientation Customer requirements Marketing Quality system in local government Hospitality product quality Relationships with stakeholders Call system RATER model SERVPERF

Quality of tourist service includes the execution of orders, communicating with the client before, during and after the sales, billing and troubleshooting. The fulfilment of customer expectations, should be one of the main objectives of your service. Extremely important role in achieving quality objectives in the company's plays staff: front-office, back-office and management. Front-office staff is a kind of showcase of tourist enterprises in dealing with clients and so they must have comprehensive knowledge about service provider (prices, driving directions, tourist attractions, practical information on travelling abroad).

Poor quality of services gives rise to poor quality costs. For example, in the case of information services may be:

• The costs of delay of the implementation (lack of response to repeated customer requests)
• Costs of non-compliance (a service offered does not correspond to the customer, even though he tried to formulate it precisely).
• Opportunity costs (costs associated with implementation delays, caused by the delay in responding to customer inquiries)
• Costs of exceeded expectations (appearing as a result of untested or inadequately processed information, the decision shall be taken to improve the product without actual interest in this project from customers)

Evaluation of quality of tourist services can be done using service quality models, e.g. SERVQUAL, SERVPERF.

Quality indicators

Important determinants of tourist services quality include:

1. Physical infrastructure services (convenience and aesthetics of the environment)
   • IT equipment, coaches, etc.
   • Localization
2. Reliability of services
   • Reliability of the company
   • Reliability of the information
   • Accuracy of the information
   • Timeliness of the services offered
   • Repeatability of services characteristics (whenever their provision)
3. Sensitivity of service providers, willingness to provide services
   • Speed of service
   • Time and adequate response to customer requests
   • Performance of fulfilling customers wishes
   • Discretion and ability to secrecy by the service provider
4. Reliability of the service, safety
   • Professionalism of service providers
   • Competence of service providers
   • Responsibility
   • Client security
   • Trust to the provider
5. Knowledge of customer needs
   • Ability to identify customer needs and expectations
   • The ability to easily establish contacts for service providers
   • Understanding of customer problems

Examples of factors that determine the quality level

Selected elements of quality in tourism by sector: Tourist Transport

• Speed of the transport
• Safety
• The availability of communication
• Direct transport

Hospitality

• Comfort, convenience
• Compliance with the standards of hotel categorization

Gastronomy

• Purity
• Hygiene
• Availability

Tourist services

• Accuracy
• Speed
• Reliability
• Credibility

Travel Agents

• The availability of facilities
• Credibility
• Reliability

Featured parameters describe the basic features of the quality of individual groups of tourist services, we must add that the greater part of human work aimed at efficiency to provide tourist services, the quality measures are higher.

Advantages of Quality of tourist service

The advantages of quality of tourist service include:

• Improved customer satisfaction - Quality of service will ensure that customers are happier with the services provided, which will lead to repeat business and positive word of mouth.
• Increased revenue - Higher levels of customer satisfaction will lead to an increase in revenue as customers will be more likely to purchase additional services and products.
• Improved customer loyalty - Quality of service will create a sense of loyalty among customers, as they will know they can trust in the service they receive.
• Cost savings - Quality of service can reduce the overall cost of providing services as there will be fewer mistakes and customers will require less help and guidance.
• Improved reputation - Quality of service will create a positive reputation for the company in the industry, which will help attract more customers.

Limitations of Quality of tourist service

The quality of tourist service is limited by a variety of factors, such as:

• Availability of resources - the resources available to a tourist service provider can limit the quality of service they can provide. This includes the availability of staff, budget and technology to deliver the services.
• Regulations and policies - regulations and policies of the country or region may prevent the tourist service provider from providing the best quality of service.
• Competition - the level of competition in the market can limit the quality of service provided, as the tourist service provider must try to stay competitive in order to attract customers.
• Customer expectations - customer expectations can limit the quality of service provided, as customers may have certain expectations that the tourist service provider is unable to meet.
• Technology - the technology used by the tourist service provider can limit the quality of service they can provide, as technology can be outdated or inadequate for the needs of the customer.

Other approaches related to Quality of tourist service

Achieving quality objectives in tourist service includes many approaches. These are:

• Developing a customer-centric culture: This involves focusing on customer satisfaction, understanding customer needs and expectations, and using customer feedback and data to drive continuous improvement.
• Establishing quality standards: Establishing and documenting standards and procedures for customer service and other areas of the business helps ensure consistency and quality.
• Training and monitoring employees: Providing employees with the necessary training and tools to deliver excellent customer service is essential. Companies should also monitor employee performance to ensure they are meeting standards.
• Investing in technology: Automating processes, such as booking and customer service, helps reduce errors and improve efficiency.
• Creating customer feedback loops: Gathering customer feedback is essential for understanding customer satisfaction and where there may be opportunities for improvement.

In summary, achieving quality objectives in tourist service involves developing a customer-centric culture, establishing quality standards, training and monitoring employees, investing in technology, and creating customer feedback loops.

References

• Sheng-Hshiung T., Yu-Chun Lin (2004), Promoting service quality in tourist hotels: the role of HRM practices and service behavior, Tourism Management, Volume 25, Issue 4
• Hudson S., Shephard G.W.H. (1998), Measuring Service Quality at Tourist Destinations: An Application of Importance-Performance Analysis to an Alpine Ski Resort, Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, Volume 7, Issue 3

Author: Katarzyna Cynarska