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Understanding Guestology Principles

Guestology is the scientific study of guest behaviors, needs, expectations, and how to optimize service based on that knowledge. It involves understanding guests and their total experience. A guestologist studies guests and their needs/wants/expectations to help hospitality organizations best meet guest needs. Ultimately, customers define value and quality based on their expectations versus experiences.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
105 views14 pages

Understanding Guestology Principles

Guestology is the scientific study of guest behaviors, needs, expectations, and how to optimize service based on that knowledge. It involves understanding guests and their total experience. A guestologist studies guests and their needs/wants/expectations to help hospitality organizations best meet guest needs. Ultimately, customers define value and quality based on their expectations versus experiences.

Uploaded by

Maxpein
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Module 2

GUESTOLOGY
Introduction

• Many establishments and


organizations are doing everything to
improve the level of quality service
through the performance of the
employees. Others develop their
systems. Some also embed the
concept of corporate culture and
environment in their setups. All of
these are deemed effective, but
sometime, what we often forget is that
the center of the service concept is our
guests. This would be the focus of our
study-the concept of Guestology
Learning Objectives

• At the end of this lesson, the students


should be be able to:
• Define what guestology is and what a
guestologist is;
• Determine the predictors of customer
expectation;
• Identify the different types of
customers; and
• Determine who defines value and
quality.
Guestology

• Dickson (2010) defined guestology as


the scientific study of the behaviors,
needs, and expectations of people in a
service environment, and how to use
that knowledge to optimally manage a
service organization.
• The concept that Bruce Laval, the father
of guestology, introduced has now
become a science that deals with
understanding the [Link]
entails studying the totality of the guest
experience, from their expectations
down to the results and feedback.
Guestology

• Kelin (2014) mentioned in her study


that guestology involves knowing the
guests or clients and their needs and
wants, perceptios, and expectations.
Her approach toward guestology
entails involving every person with
whom the service provider has in the
workplace.
The Guestology Concept

• Integration • Guestolog
y

Needs, wants,
Putting it all emotions,
together and
perceptions

Igniting
Innovation,
Cast, Setting,
through
and Process
technology
and service
• Delivery Systems • Quality
Standards
Customer Expectations

• For customer satisfaction and


customer service to be achieved, a
complete and proper understanding of
customer expectation is very
important. Unless the establishment
already knows what the customers
want, what they expect, and who they
are, it will be very difficult to match up
to the expectations.
Guestologist
• A specialist in identifying how hospitality
organizations can best respond to the
needs, wants, and expectations of their
targeted guest markets.
• Basic Problems in a luxury hotels
1. Rooms- with concerns extending from
small sized rooms to rooms with no
modern technology
2. Arrogant and/or clueless staff-with
comments ranging from staff being rude
and no answers to questions posed.
3. Failure to respond-mainly covering
staff’s failure to respond to guest
complaints
4. Poor Delivery –covering complaints
such as late service or wrong room
service and long process for
check-ins/outs.
5. Cleanliness –with criticisms on soiled
linen, carpet stains, and hair trapped in
bathtubs.
6. Amenities and utilities – with
problems associated to the lack or
inadequacy of toiletries and items in
minibar.
7. Billing –with guests grumbling about
having them charged extra for parking,
Internet, gym, and the like.
Customers/Guests/Clients

• Five basic types of customers (Corporate


Finance Institute, 2015)
1. Loyal Customers are actually the most
important segment to please and should be
one of the priorities in mind of a specific
company.
2. Impulse customers are the best type to do
suggestive selling. They are also second loyal
customers when it comes to attractiveness
in the market.
3. Discount Customer are the contributory to a
company’s cash flow because the products
which are seldom purchased at full price are
actually availed by these customers as best
markdowns.
Customers/Guests/Clients

4. Need-based customers is drive by a


specific need. They buy for a specific
reason and occasion, and because of
this, it may be difficult to convince them
to upsell.
5. Wandering customers generate the
largest amount of traffic as they have no
specific need or desire in mind but yield
the smallest percentage in sales revenue.
This type of customers enjoys social
interaction while shopping.
Quality and Value
• The measure of quality for the guests is
actually based on the difference between
their expectation and their experience (or
as netizens quote it in present meme,
“reality”). By reality, it means what the
guests have experienced in actual sense.
When evaluating quality, one needs to
realize that quality can be high or low
regardless of how its costs the company.
• Value, in relation to quality, would entail
the study of costs. To measure the value
derived from a guest experience, we
need to match if the costs incurred total
or equal to the quality of the experience.
The Customer and the
Definition of value
• Since the tourism and hospitality
industry is a guest-centered or
customer-centered industry, ultimately
it is the customer who defines value.
Discussion Questions

• What is guestology? Why is it important?


• What is a guestologist? What does it take
to be one?
• Why are customer expectations
important?
• Who defines quality and value?
• What is value? What is quality?
Experiential Exercises
As a customer, how would you appraise the
quality and value of a service? And if you
are a service provider, how do you ensure
that your guests are taken care of.

Common questions

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In the hospitality industry, quality is measured by the alignment between guest expectations and the actual experience they receive, whereas value is evaluated based on whether the cost of the experience matches the perceived quality. Ultimately, it is the customer who defines both value and quality since they base their satisfaction on their personal perceptions and experiences, making their judgment essential for service providers to consider .

Understanding different customer types allows hospitality businesses to tailor marketing strategies to target specific needs and behaviors effectively. For example, loyalty programs can be strengthened for loyal customers, while impulse buyers can be targeted with timely promotions. Discount customers can be attracted through value deals, whereas social events and experiences can appeal to wandering customers. This targeted approach ensures that marketing efforts are efficient and resonate with each customer type, thereby increasing engagement and conversion rates .

Integrating technology and innovation is crucial for enhancing the guest experience, aligning with guestology principles focused on understanding and exceeding guest expectations. Technological advancements can streamline operations, improve communication, and provide personalized service, thus contributing to higher customer satisfaction. For example, using mobile apps for seamless check-ins/outs or AI for personalized recommendations can foster greater efficiency and responsiveness, directly impacting the guest experience positively .

Guestology provides a framework for understanding the diverse needs, wants, and expectations of different customer types. By segmenting customers into categories such as loyal, impulse, discount, need-based, and wandering customers, guestology helps tailor services and interactions to each type. For example, focusing on rewarding loyalty for loyal customers, or enhancing social and interactive experiences for wandering customers, ensures that service meets the specific expectations and enhances overall satisfaction .

Failure to effectively address guest complaints can lead to decreased satisfaction, potential loss of loyal customers, and negative reviews that damage the hotel's reputation. Guestology emphasizes understanding and meeting guest expectations, which includes promptly addressing issues and turning negative experiences into positive ones. Effective complaint management is pivotal in maintaining quality standards, enhancing guest loyalty, and fostering a positive reputation .

Guestology can be applied by utilizing its principles to better understand guest needs and expectations, which in turn can help address common issues such as room quality, staff responsiveness, service delivery, and cleanliness. For instance, regular feedback mechanisms could be employed to gather guest insights, while staff training programs can focus on improving interaction skills to address complaints about staff attitudes. Continuous evaluation and refinement of service delivery systems can ensure higher standards of service that align with guest expectations .

Customer expectations are crucial as they form the benchmark against which the actual service is measured. Quality is determined by the difference between customer expectations and their actual experiences. A deeper understanding of customer expectations allows hospitality organizations to tailor their services to meet or exceed those expectations, thus enhancing perceived quality and customer satisfaction .

Guestology is defined as the scientific study of the behaviors, needs, and expectations of people in a service environment, and using that knowledge to manage a service organization optimally. It contributes to service quality by focusing on understanding the total guest experience—from expectations to feedback—thereby enabling organizations to align their services with customer needs and enhance satisfaction .

Emotions and perceptions significantly shape customer experiences by influencing how services are received and remembered. Guestology emphasizes considering these psychological factors when designing and delivering service experiences. Positive emotions and perceptions can enhance customer satisfaction, promote loyalty, and lead to favorable word-of-mouth; conversely, negative emotions can result in dissatisfaction and complaints. Recognizing and managing these factors through personalized service and empathetic staff interactions is essential to fostering positive customer experiences .

The integration of delivery systems, quality standards, and guest needs creates a cohesive approach that enhances service performance by ensuring that all aspects of the service process are aligned with customer expectations. By standardizing quality, refining delivery processes, and continuously gathering guest feedback, hospitality organizations can provide consistent and exceptional service that meets the nuanced needs of their customers, ultimately leading to greater satisfaction and loyalty .

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