Source and use information on the hospitality industry

MANDATORY UNITS OF COMPETENCY

UNIT 4 SUMMARY QUESTIONS SOLUTIONS

SITHIND201

Source and use information on the hospitality industry

1 - In a paragraph, explain what you believe to be the nature of hospitality and its allied and related industries.

The tourism industry is extremely important to the Australian economy. In 2011, Australia was ranked 42nd in the world as a tourist destination, with 5.9 million arrivals of international tourists. Overseas tourists spent US$31.4 billion in Australia in 2011.

Tourism was worth A$34.6 billion to Australia’s Gross Domestic Product in 2010–11 – around 2.5 per cent of Gross Domestic Product. There were 513 700 people directly employed in the tourism industry in the same period. As tourism is a labour-intensive industry, tourism’s share of jobs in Australia is 4.5 per cent. Along with education, tourism is Australia’s leading services industry.

Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Perth are the main destination cities for tourists; however, 45 per cent of all tourism expenditure occurs in areas outside the capital cities. Tropical North Queensland is the leading example of a non-capital area where tourists spend their money.

2 - Write a paragraph explaining what the acronym MICE stands for, and how this relates to the hospitality industry.

·  MICE stands for meetings, incentives, conferences and events.

·  It combines a number of sectors, including travel, transport, accommodation, food and beverage, venues, information technology, finance and trade.

·  It includes meetings such as conventions, conferences, trade shows and exhibitions, incentive events, corporate and business meetings, wedding receptions, holiday parties, purely recreational activities (such as concerts and shows of any kind), political campaign rallies or gatherings of consumers or would-be customers by a company for the purpose of presenting specific goods or services for sale, to name a few.

3 - List at least five work areas you might find in an establishment in the hospitality industry.

Responses might include:

·  accounts and finance

·  food and beverage

·  food production/kitchen

·  front office

·  housekeeping

·  human resources

·  gaming

·  maintenance

·  sales and marketing

·  security.

4 - Identify some of the current issues and trends affecting the hospitality industry. Speculate about how these issues and trends could affect the industry in the future.

Issues

·  There is a current shortage of skilled labour in the hospitality industry.

·  Hospitality establishments traditionally have high staff turnover rates.

·  There is a continual burden placed on experienced staff to train new staff, which is draining for them.

·  There is an expectation that workers have to work unsociable hours and during holiday periods, such as Christmas Day and long weekends.

·  The state of the Australian and international economy is creating uncertainty for all businesses, but especially hospitality establishments.

·  Australia has experienced a series of extreme weather conditions, such as floods, bushfires and droughts, which has made money less available to spend on luxuries such as eating out and travel in general. Publicity about these events has also deterred international tourists from visiting.

·  Technological developments have resulted in many businesses needing to develop a web presence to advertise, take bookings and even allow for direct online bookings by customers.

·  Legislative changes have occurred that have affected the industry, such as mandatory training in responsible service of alcohol, responsible conduct of gaming and WHS. Temporary residence visas allowing employers to sponsor overseas workers when there is low employment have seen major legislative changes.

·  Terrorism and political unrest in many countries around the world have resulted in concern by tourists about travelling as a whole, but especially into affected areas. This has resulted in a general decline in overseas travel.

Trends

·  Ecotourism is opening new markets in the pristine areas of wilderness in Australia, where the footprint left by tourists is reduced to decrease the impact on the environment.

·  The demand for adventure holidays has increased significantly. White-water rafting, remote challenges in Kakadu in the Northern Territory, 4WD tours of pristine areas, taking the Ghan train from Darwin to Adelaide and Opal Fever in Coober Pedy are all unique tourist opportunities only available in Australia.

·  Well-being centres with pampering activities for the body, mind and spirit, such as spas, dining rooms with organic food and beverages – for example, Olivia Newton-John’s Gaia Retreat near Byron Bay – are becoming increasingly popular.

·  Changing social concerns of the population often affect the hospitality industry. These include:

·  increasing respect for Indigenous lands and culture, such as Uluru

·  making venues more responsible for problems related to gambling and alcohol

·  stricter planning requirements to reduce the impact of buildings on the landscape

·  specialised buildings that meet renewable resource or heritage requirements.

5 - Outline the importance of clear and effective communication, and discuss potential barriers that prevent clear communication from occurring.

Outline: sketch in general terms; indicate the main features of.

Your ability to communicate will directly affect your success in the workplace. Whether you are:

·  seating guests in the restaurant,

·  talking with kitchen staff, or

·  diffusing conflict with a customer

your performance will often depend on how well you communicate.

6 - Using a diagram, clearly label and explain the process of communication.

Student solutions will vary, but could incorporate some elements of Figure 4.8 on p. 120 of Cambridge Hospitality Third Edition.

7 - Identify the three types of communication methods and provide an example of each.

Identify: recognise and name.

1 - Verbal communication

Verbal communication is also known as oral communication or talking. Workplace situations where you need to communicate well with others include:

·  job interviews

·  meetings

·  greeting guests

·  giving instructions

·  using the telephone

·  conversations with colleagues.

2 - Non-verbal communication

The actions of a person will either reinforce their verbal messages or, if there appears to be a conflict, may provide an indication of their real state of mind. For example, a guest may say that he is happy with what you are doing for him, but he is frowning and his body language is negative.

3 - Written communication

In the hospitality industry, you will often have to communicate with colleagues and guests using written communication. Some examples of written communication include:

·  telephone messages

·  emails and faxes

·  orders

·  guest requests

·  restaurant and accommodation reservations.

8 - You need to relay a phone message from a supplier to the head chef. Outline four ways in which this could be done, and identify the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Information can be relayed in four ways:

1 Written message taken and handed to the chef.

Advantage: The message is transferred immediately and your task is completed.

Disadvantage: The chef could be busy and put the message down, meaning it could be lost during a busy service period and the information lost.

2 Verbal message given to the chef.

Advantage: The message is transferred immediately

Disadvantage: The message could be confused and information not transferred correctly if information is not recalled fully. The attention of the chef might be distracted and all information may not be heard correctly, depending on when message is given – for example, during a busy service period.

3 Email sent to the chef.

Advantage: All information is recorded accurately and sent to the chef to ensure all details are provided and not lost.

Disadvantage: Unless the chef is informed about the email, it may be not opened or seen in time for action of the message.

4 Give message to another member of staff to give to the chef.

Advantage: You have ensured the message is transferred, but it needs to be given to a responsible person to transfer the information reliably.

Disadvantage: The person may forget to provide the information to the chef or the message may be mixed up and not accurately transferred.

9 - What are the benefits of teamwork for:

a  an organisation

·  Every member should feel they are important. In order for the team members to work well within a workplace, every contribution they make should be appreciated and treasured. If the team members have been given the privilege of sharing their thoughts and suggestions, they will be inspired to higher quality work.

·  Be a good example or role model. A great leader should set a good example for their subordinates, and this will enhance cooperation within the team.

·  Be friendly to colleagues. Make friends, and let your co-workers feel that you are an ideal companion with whom to work.

·  Promote camaraderie among team members. If there is solidarity in the team, it will be easy to implement new policies and to request team members’ support for the new plans. Team-building and other group activities will help to increase interaction and cooperation in the work group.

b  a team member

·  Employees can complete work faster than otherwise would be possible.

·  Using teams, multiple people can work simultaneously to complete individual tasks, which reduces the time required to complete specific activities and increases the speed with which primary objectives are accomplished.

·  Time management planning, efficiency and prioritisation mean that the most important jobs are done at the right time.

·  Individual team members serve as a resource for other employees in a team environment; therefore, questions may be answered more quickly and tasks understood more quickly.

·  The group may avoid certain mistakes, which improves the efficiency and reputation of the team.

·  There is improved job satisfaction. The employees also may come to focus less on the negatives of work and more on work outcomes.

c  a customer

·  The industry needs an efficient and motivated staff to deliver a high-quality service to customers. If customers aren’t treated in a welcoming way, they won’t come back, and if they don’t come back, the business will decline as it depends on the ongoing patronage of customers.

·  The receptionists are the people the guests meet first. If they are not welcoming, not qualified or unable to provide quality service, it will be detrimental to the business. For example, if a receptionist is checking her personal phone messages while a guest is standing waiting to be served, the customer will be disappointed and might not visit the establishment again.

·  The first moment of contact between customers and the establishment is when customers can either be disappointed by the staff failing to meet their expectations or satisfied because their expectations have been met.

·  The food served in the restaurant can be delicious and of outstanding quality, but if the waiter serves it with a negative attitude, lacks friendliness and is not welcoming, the customer will define the service as poor and will not be satisfied.

10 -   ‘Cultural diversity must be recognised, as indifference to it may lead to problems within the workplace.’ Discuss this statement. In your answer, outline how management and other organisations could assist you.

Discuss: Identify issues and provide points for and/or against.

Use essay scaffold

·  Cultural diversity is the term used to describe the variety of human societies or cultures in a specific region or in the world.

·  It refers to the language, dress and traditions of specific groups of people. What may be moral and acceptable practice to one group of people may be unusual or unacceptable in another culture.

·  When travelling or around people from other cultures, it is important to be aware of their beliefs and customs, and to respect them.

·  Inclusiveness is creating a welcoming environment, interacting with all members of the community without regard to individual characteristics.

·  Staff training to promote workplace diversity can take a number of forms. For example, the enterprise could use internal or external sources of training to raise awareness of cultural customs and courtesies.

·  Providing an on-the-job mentor for a new employee, who can provide additional information and answer questions, can assist in ensuring the new employee is effective in their job.

·  A range of communication media and techniques can be used to circulate policies and related information widely in the enterprise. A number of appropriate languages could be used on all documents.

·  Promote cultural celebrations with the local community – for example, the Blessing of the Fishing Fleet at Easter by the Italian community or the Chinese New Year Celebrations.

·  Use an individual’s differences to recognise and appreciate staff by using their skills and talents – for example, using their native language skills to assist other staff or customers.

·  Actively seek to break down barriers by implementing positive work environment policies, such as flexible work practices, job sharing and leave for carers of family members who are sick, older or have disabilities.

·  Modern workplaces are often filled with people from different backgrounds, ages, races, sexual orientations, viewpoints and religions. To work well together, team members need to embrace these differences with respect and compassion.