Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
New and innovative products and
services
It is aimed at changing attitudes and behaviour in
workplaces, hence making staff perform better and
increasing the profi tability of the organisation. IATA,
the International Air Transport Association, runs
training courses on introducing TQM principles into
airport operations.
Introducing a new product or service can give a
travel and tourism organisation an advantage over
its competitors, e.g. an airline may introduce more
comfortable seats on its aircraft or an improved meals
service to capture a bigger share of the market. New
products and services that have been developed in
travel and tourism in recent years include:
Weblink
Check out this website for more
information on TQM.
www.thecqi.org
•
At-seat video screens on aircraft and trains;
Providing excellent customer service
•
Short breaks in the UK and abroad;
We saw in Unit 4 that focusing on the needs of
customers should be the number one priority of all
travel and tourism organisations. Providing excellent
customer service not only benefi ts customers, but can
also improve an organisation's profi ts by giving it an
edge over its competitors.
•
Budget hotels such as Travelodge and Premier Inn;
•
Online ticketing and check-in;
•
The 'all-inclusive' concept on package holidays;
•
Low-cost airlines such as Ryanair and easyJet;
•
Boutique hotels;
Activity 2.7
•
'Super jumbo' jets such as the Airbus A380;
Investigate customer service in a UK-based travel
and tourism organisation and make a presentation
that explains how its commitment to excellence
in customer service gives it an advantage over its
competitors.
•
Spa and 'wellness' holidays and breaks.
Each has met a demand from customers and allowed
companies to increase profi ts by gaining an advantage
over competitors.
This activity is designed to provide evidence for P3.
Introducing Total Quality
Management (TQM)
Training and developing staf
TQM is a way of thinking about goals, organisation,
processes and people in organisations to ensure that
the right things are done right, fi rst time and every
time, so as to improve overall business performance.
TQM has three stages:
It goes without saying that good staff are an essential
part of the process of gaining competitive advantage in
travel and tourism. Organisations that invest time and
money training their staff reap the rewards of increased
effi ciency and, ultimately, greater profi tability for the
organisation. Training in customer service and selling
skills is particularly useful for companies seeking to
gain an advantage over their competitors (see Unit 4
for more information on developing these skills).
1.
Setting quality targets - to ensure high customer
service standards;
2.
Quality development - establishing procedures to
achieve the standards;
3.
Quality assurance - monitoring standards to ensure
that high quality is achieved.
