"Assessment Component 2\r\n_________________________________________________________________________________\r\nIndustry Project\r\nProject Report\r\n_________________________________________________________________________________\r\nCX770011/CX770001A\r\nFinal Submission Date: \r\nUpload soft copy to Moodle\r\nGuidelines: 4,000 – 5,000 words\r\nContact Lecturer: \r\nWeighting/Contribution: 40% to final mark\r\n_________________________________________________________________________________\r\nAuckland International Campus CX770011 Industry Project / CX770001A Internship Project\r\nPURPOSE\r\nThe purpose of this assessment is to:\r\n Demonstrate the ability to define, plan and carry out an industry project involving the collection, analysis and interpretation of information (or data) and theory appropriate to an approved industry topic.\r\n Synthesis solutions and draw conclusions from the analysis of data.\r\n Produce a project report of professional standard that meets the host organization needs as well as academic requirements.\r\nTASK\r\nYou are to write a report of a business project for your host organization, analyze and discuss your findings and present a conclusion and recommendations for your selected topic.\r\nDESCRIPTION\r\nThe Project Report should be 4,000 to 5,000 words that includes a title page, an executive summary, table of contents followed by separate sections for introduction and project aim(s), methods, discussion, conclusion, recommendation, list of references, and appendices. APA style citing and referencing must be utilized throughout.\r\nMEETING WITH YOUR SUPERVISOR\r\nFormal meeting (e.g. face-to-face, via Skype or phone) with your supervisor is a must and should be held at least once a week for the purpose of reviewing your industry project progress. If you encounter difficulties in arranging a meeting with your supervisor, you should consult the industry project coordinator – Dr. Indrapriya Kularatne or Ms. Dani Mao in advance of the relevant deadline. If you fail to meet with your academic supervisor you will be considered to have received a FAIL grade in your assignment.\r\nREPORT STRUCTURE\r\nProject Requirements\r\nTitle Page\r\n Include the title of the project, name of the person submitting the report, date of submission.\r\nExecutive Summary (word count guideline - 300 words)\r\n Provide a summary of the project report including aims of the project, context, key findings and major recommendations.\r\nTable of Contents\r\n Show an appropriately numbered list of the main sections of your report, with corresponding page numbers.\r\n Show a separate list for tables, figures and graphs.\r\nIntroduction and Aim/s (word count guideline - 500 words)\r\n The aims of the project are clearly set out.\r\n Provide background information on the host organization, business issue and project.\r\nInformation Collection Methods (word count guideline - 500 words)\r\n Explain how the project was conducted.\r\n Explain the reasons for the selection of methods.\r\n Describe limitations and ethical considerations of the methods used.\r\nAuckland International Campus CX770011 Industry Project / CX770001A Internship Project\r\nDiscussion (word count guideline - 2000 words)\r\n Present results in relationship to the project proposal.\r\n Presentation of information from primary and/or secondary research. Present a description and discussion of the information collected during the research. Include graphs and tables where relevant to present the results if you have quantitative data.\r\n This will explain what you identified to be the key issues and why. It will then explain your analysis of the situation, using relevant academic theory, application and information.\r\n Use the results to address the project problems.\r\nConclusion (word count guideline - 400 words)\r\n The conclusions of the investigation.\r\nRecommendations (word count guideline - 300 words)\r\n List feasible solutions or suggested actions for the organization given its limitations of available time, resources and internal and external environmental constraints, etc. and linkage between the recommendations and project aims clearly demonstrated.\r\nList of References\r\n Identify a list of references you have directly referred to as either quotes or paraphrased in completing your research project.\r\n APA style citing and referencing throughout.\r\nAppendix\r\n Include one copy of any and all data collection instruments used including questionnaires, interview schedules, or other tools used for gathering information.\r\n Any further supporting information as required.\r\nAuckland International Campus CX770011 Industry Project / CX770001A Internship Project\r\nProject Report Marking Rubric\r\nStudent’s name:\r\nID:\r\nCriteria\r\n0 mark\r\n1 mark\r\n2 marks\r\n3 marks\r\n4 marks\r\n5 marks\r\nX\r\nTotal\r\nExecutive Summary: aims, context, key findings and major recommendations\r\nNot included\r\nIrrelevant or poorly written summary\r\nStates contents of report rather than highlights\r\nGood summary of aims, key findings, and some appropriate recommendations.\r\nWell written summary of aims, key findings, with appropriate and relevant recommendations\r\nPrecise, clear and coherent summary of aims, key findings, and excellent recommendations.\r\n2\r\nIntroduction and Aim/s: project aims, background, issues.\r\nNot included\r\nIrrelevant or poorly written introduction\r\nIntroduction does not adequately prepare the reader for the content of the report\r\nIntroduction covers some of the required aspects and provides minimum information\r\nGood Introduction covering most of the required aspects\r\nExcellent introduction covers all required aspects\r\n2\r\nMethods: how project conducted, why, limitations, assumptions and ethics.\r\nNo methods\r\nDiscussed methods entirely inappropriate\r\nPoorly explained, insufficient information on limitations, assumptions and ethics\r\nAdequately explained and with minimum information on limitations, assumptions and ethics.\r\nVery good explanation of most relevant limitations, assumptions and ethics.\r\nExcellent explanation of all relevant limitations, assumptions and ethics.\r\n2\r\nProject Outcome Report\r\n Data analysis\r\n Critical inquiry\r\nNo relevant data or information used, no analysis, use of literature or results\r\nNo evidence of critical inquiry\r\nPoorly used data/information\r\nPoor discussion and lack of evidence of critical inquiry\r\nVery limited use of data or information, superficial identification and discussion of issues. Lack of credible sources from literature.\r\nSome evidence of critical inquiry.\r\nDiscussion and analysis meets minimum requirements. Data and information used with some analysis and some credible sources listed.\r\nCritical inquiry has some gaps/is inconsistent\r\nGood use of relevant data and information with in-depth analysis using credible sources.\r\nCritical inquiry clearly identifies and states project problems.\r\nExcellent use of relevant data and information with in-depth analysis using appropriate and credible sources.\r\nExcellent critical inquiry with academically sound reasoning.\r\n6\r\nConclusions: summarise key findings, discussion and their relevance to project aim/s\r\nNo conclusions\r\nIrrelevant conclusions\r\nConclusions summarise few key findings, with insufficient evidence of good understanding of project aim/s.\r\nConclusions summarise some of the key findings showing some evidence of understanding project aim/s.\r\nWell written conclusions, summarise most of the key findings with good understanding of the project aim/s.\r\nExcellent summary of the conclusions and the key findings showing clear understanding of the project aim/s.\r\n2\r\nAuckland International Campus CX770011 Industry Project / CX770001A Internship Project\r\nProject Report Marking Rubric\r\nStudent’s name:\r\nID:\r\n\r\nTotal\r\nRecommendations: solutions are credible, specific, and actionable\r\nNo recommendations\r\nVery poor recommendations\r\nRecommendations lack credible, specific, and actionable advice.\r\nSome recommendations provide credible, specific, and actionable advice.\r\nRecommendations provide credible, specific, and actionable advice that is mostly solution focused.\r\nSolutions are focused, recommendations provide credible, specific, and actionable outcomes.\r\n2\r\nCorrect style and formatting for in-text citations and reference list\r\nIn-text referencing and references list not included\r\nIn-text referencing and references list poorly formatted\r\nEvidence of minimal referencing which needs improvement.\r\nReferencing mostly meets minimum guidelines.\r\nAppropriate use of referencing guidelines\r\nExcellent – virtually flawless citation and referencing\r\n2\r\nProject Report Academic writing\r\nLacks clarity, and coherence.\r\nPoor academic writing\r\nAcademic writing needs improvements – does not meet required competence level.\r\nAcademic writing meets minimum level of competency.\r\nAcademic writing is clearly articulated with coherent arguments.\r\nDemonstrates excellent academic writing skills.\r\n2\r\nMarks out of 100\r\nMarker’s comments:\r\nExecutive SummaryCustomer satisfaction is one of the key parameters for success in the hotel industry. Checkin and check out process are two of the most important parts of operations of any hotel asthey serve as the first and last points of interactions for their customers which are crucial indetermining their overall satisfaction. The following report aims at identifying the variousissues pertaining to the check in check out experience of customers of NovotelAucklandEllerslie hotel and aims to provide recommendations addressing the same. The data iscollected for the purpose of this study secondary means. The secondary source for data isTRUSTYOU which is a database of customer feedback for Novotel hotels. It is found that thepremium, online and group customers of the hotel consist of the majority of the hotelcustomer base as well as the most unsatisfied clients as pertaining to their check in andcheck out experience. The data analysis reveals that the key issues as related to the check inand check out process is that the reception staff is highly understaffed which leads to longerdelays in check in check out process. Further, the delays in serving of breakfast and its subpar quality is another key factor in a poor check out experience. The report recommendsthat the hotel should increase its reception staff, provide exclusive and better methods forpremium, online and group customers for checking in / checking out and enhance the staffand quality for their breakfast operations.Table of ContentsExecutive Summary ................................................................................................................................. 1Introduction and Aim .............................................................................................................................. 3Information Collection Methods............................................................................................................. 7Discussion................................................................................................................................................ 9Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................. 17Recommendations ................................................................................................................................ 18References ............................................................................................................................................ 20Introduction and AimCustomer satisfaction has been a popular topic in marketing practice and academic researchsince Cardozo's (1965) initial study of customer effort, expectations and satisfaction.Customer satisfaction is defined as the art and science of keeping your customer happy andcontent with which you serve them. The changing dynamics of hospitality and serviceindustry has left an impact on the very definition of customer satisfaction resulting in adrastic change. Your relationship with the customer plays a huge role in the success of yourbusiness.Anderson et al. (1994), Yeung et al. (2002), and Luo& Homburg (2007) concludedthat customer satisfaction positively affects business profitability. In the case of hospitality industry, there are many segments which contributes in overallguest satisfaction such as reservation, check-in/check-out, guest room, food and beverage,hotel services, hotel facilities, cost and fees. Hospitality services is all about the encounterbetween the service provider and the guests. The success of this encounter is mainlydepends upon the guest’s expectations, skills, attitudes, personalities and desires.The following report presents a study conducted at Novotel Auckland Ellerslie hotel aimedat understanding various aspects related to the customer experience during check in / checkout process.Background information of the organizationNovotel Auckland Ellerslie hotel is a part of Accor group of hotels which is widely recognisedin the hospitality industry. Accor group of hotels is well known for its services andenvironment friendly hotels around the world. Novotel Hotel situated in GreenlaneAuckland. It is a 4.5-star hotel, the interesting part of this hotel is that it has another hoteladjacent to its which is Ibis, also a part of Accor group. Novotel has 268 rooms and has fivefloors. It has all necessary amenities as required for such a hotel including 5 conferencerooms. The major clientele they have is corporate travellers and leisure guests. Business IssueAs a popular adage goes that first impression is a lasting impression, in the hotel industrythe check in process is one of the first point of contact between the customers and thehotel. The experience of the customers during the check in process can effectively set the mood of the customers regarding their stay with the hotel. I have been working withNovotel for the last 6 months as a receptionist and as part of my internship I am conductingmy research within this hotel. I found out that there are many times when we struggle atthe time of check-in and check outs which affects in providing the personalised services tothe guests. I also noticed that there are times when we could not give that special touch andeffectiveness to the guest who asked for express check-ins(Shoemaker & Lewis, 1999).Similarly, having an effective check out process is also equally important as it provides anopportunity for the organization to provide a positive last impression for the customers.However, in the case of check outs as well, it was found that the quality of service deliveredis not upto the mark and needs improvements. Furthermore, upon initial scanning of thedata from TRUSTYOU, which is the customer feedback database of the hotel, it was foundthat a lot of customers were not happy with their check in and check out experiences.According to Kumar, there are 6 Determinants of Service Quality, which plays a verysignificant factor in service marketing, to retain the customers it is vital to maintain thequality of the services. Customer expectation and perceptions of the service quality areinfluenced by some of the factors such as:? Reliability: A customer always looks for the reliability and take every word theprovider says, it is very important for the service provider to keep the promises fromthe start.? Responsiveness: Promptness is the decisive factor which impacts the customersatisfaction with perception.? Competence: It is very important to have the required skills and knowledge toperform the job, therefore employees should be well aware of the services? Security: It is very important to ensure the customer at the very beginning that theyare safe within the premises. It is the duty of the service provider to make the guestfeel comfortable and secured.? Communication: Communication is the key to every door, service provider shouldlisten and response to the customer attentively so they feel valued. ? Credibility: Service provider should always keep the image of the hotel in mind andready to be trustworthy in his job.The check in check out issues affects the factors like reliability, responsiveness, competenceand credibility of the hotel as the hotel is not able to deliver the service as per these servicestandards. This can have a detrimental impact on the customer satisfaction and theirretention for the hotel. Hence, the business issue as identified for the purpose of this studywas to improve the customer experience with the check in and check out process of thehotel.Project backgroundAfter having a detailed discussion with my manager about conducting a research for myinternship, we mutually decided to look into how to improve the check in and check outexperience of the guests in Novotel. This research will help the organisation to work on itsareas of improvement and will help me and my team members to perform better in ourjobs.I will also be looking in to the company’s database which is known as TRUSTYOU whichthrows light on the guest’s feedback and drivers which creates positive impact during theirstay. TRUSTYOU will provide all the information about guest responses and their likes anddislikes about the Novotel for each department, I will study this data find the information onthe areas we need improvement. And later on, the organization will apply the outcomes to improve the check-ins and check- out procedures in the Novotel.Project AimsBased on the business issue as identified above, the aims for the current project can begiven as follows:- To investigate which service components influence the most at the time of check-inand check-out of the guests in the Novotel Hotel- To have a core understanding of the guest feedback through TRUSTYOU databaseand to find out what triggers the negative feelings and dissatisfaction in the guests asrelated to check in check out process. - To identify and understand the issues that customers face during the check in andcheck out process.- To analyse the issues pertaining to check in and check out process and find methodsto address these issues."