The Mission Of Hilton Management Essay

Introduction :

With more than 3400 hotels across the world in almost all continents, Hilton Worldwide continues to be an innovative leader in the full-service hospitality segment and the most recognized global name in the industry. (Hilton Group Plc sold its hotel division, Hilton International, to Hilton Hotels Corporation i.e. Hilton Worldwide. Group also on the same day changed its name to Ladbrokes Plc in 2006.)

The Hilton Family of Hotels adheres to founder Conrad Hilton’s philosophy that, “It has been, and continues to be, our responsibility to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality.” i.e. Hilton Group’s ideology to provide exceptional Customer services to Guest since beginning. Under Hilton brand they provide similar and highest quality service to their customer. The company put a name to its unique brand of service that has made it the best known and most highly regarded Hotel Company: be hospitable.

Hilton Worldwide “Hilton Group – a Strong frames – believes in Values and behaviours “.

The mission of Hilton is to expand their business in systematic way, working for their profit and shareholder without compromising CUSTOMER SERVICE. They would like to lead Hospitality Industry globally in all segments.

Q1: ‘HRM is not seen as important in itself, but is important because it supports – even defines – customer satisfaction’ (Case study). With reference to academic thinking in relation to the HRM roleand function, critically evaluate the role of the HRM function in delivering service quality to the Hilton Group plc.

Answer 1 :

Looking into today’s global environment hotel businesses has very high competition which is visible. Hotel businesses offer similar products to their customer. Their businesses run from the customer servicing and income from the trade those products. That is why hotel industry to keep improving their products and most important providing best services and continuously IMPROVING THEIR SERVICE STANDARDS.

Any business of Customer services runs by their front employee. Face of the organization is visible to end user/ customer via that employee. Therefore managing right people (employee) at the right place is very important in Hotel industry. Managing people, communicate company’s vision, mission to employee and maintain & improving the standard of work to achieve goals is one the primary role of HR. It also takes care

MAYANK KOTAK, MBA HR ASSEMENT PART 1

for employee’s personal growth and rights. That’s why I think HRM is not seen as important in itself, but is important because it supports – even defines – customer satisfaction.

During 1999 company has integrated with Stakic Plc having. It was integration of two organizational culture having different beliefs in working. Early 80’s HR was not playing significant role in any strategic decision of management but in those days importance of HR in organization has started and task was given to HR to make 2 different organization culture into 1. Organization made strategy accordingly along with HR team. They started filling senior job via organic way, preferring Stakic Plc. They also done started to create belief in staff that “ a number one employee, the first choice in hotel business.“ That give Stakic Plc staff belief over there organization and organic growth drives employee.

Company has done market research which suggest them maintain there brand needs some changes physically and intangible i.e. quality service. They made physically change by disposing 3 out 14 Stakic hotels as they were unrepresentative for Hilton Brand. The intangible changes were Service Quality Standards. With Such brand customer expectation was high. That was “ Staff delivers best service on time along with smile on the face.” Also Hilton group is having their Hotels worldwide so their local Service also has to be maintained. Hilton HR and management come up with Service Quality called “Equilibrium”. Equilibrium mean customer gets what they means stressed people relaxed, gets respect for under valued customer and importantly maintain their THE BRAND HILTON. HR has successfully implemented this strategy by Hilton HR by providing Training, making required changes on timely basis, used different systems to measure & audit service standard. It was the successful strategy in hotel industry worldwide. They keep using this kind of strategy to improve their service quality standard like currently on of the Hilton hotels using “Yes” campaign. In it if customer might have problem then how we can solve it by saying it “YES”. It is used for better service quality.

To fulfill management objective of provide best Customer Service with employee delight, top in hotel industry & highest profit without compromising quality, HR has came up with strategy called “Esprit”. It made in keeping 4 parameters in mind

1. Customer
2. Quality
3. People
4. Profit.

HR believed that without Employees delight there will be no guest delight. They implemented it from the scratch i.e. from recruitment. Giving understanding about Hilton Group Service quality, developing them that level.

They designed proper training and development module for new joining employee & for existing employee to update their knowledge. New employee will undergo training called “Spirit”. After 12 weeks of it employee will undergo “Esprit Workshop”. On completion of it he will be member of “Esprit Club”. In which he will be entitled for many employee benefits.

They also worked on “Recognition, Respect & Reward”. They recognition for staff is done weekly, monthly and yearly by providing certification along with vouchers or bonuses. It is done at local level by staff committing comprising of HR and other members.

They have Hilton University were employee can also do his further study along with work. They also provides staff discount for staying at different Hilton hotels along with some free trips.

Depending upon the geographical condition HR Head/ VP of that part will make necessary change from implementation or adding or removing.

MAYANK KOTAK, MBA HR ASSEMENT PART 1

HR also keep on eye on the level of Customer service maintained and also necessary changes happens required in the fast changing hotel industry. They use different technique for the same like Mystery Customers, Richey, GSTS, Grip, Balanced Score Card etc. This linked with employee and Hotels performance measured by HR. They always try to improve their “perfection”. If any hotel does not get required level they immediately check and improve their level. This is a continue process not only for survival but also for maintaining the leading position.

They also have various Performance linked Bonuses, Appraisal, Promotion and Retirement solutions, Medical benefits for employee. It may be discarded or change depending upon the market situation. In current market scenario they also had also remove some employee, reducing or cancel bonuses, reduction in perquisite to managers etc as whole world economy in recession.

Now a days HR also make all the Line Managers trained for quick and employee benefited decision keeping company’s mission & vision in mind.

Conclusion :

Hilton Worldwide provide excellent customer service and keeping improving their standard for remain them leader in Hotel Industry. They always come up customer centric strategy. They always looks for improvement in their service via research, complaint and keeping customer involvement in new product i.e. Defining Customer Service. All this is done by Management & HR team. HR also carries work of drilling in to lowest level of the organization. Implementing customer service and improving it is the key objective of the HR. They start it from recruiting. Then they used different equipment like Training, Rewards, “YES” campaign (etc for maintaining standards). They also shared best practices in their group. That is how they Support Customer Satisfaction. With above points we can say that “ HRM is not seen as important in itself, but is important because it supports – even defines – customer satisfaction”.

MAYANK KOTAK, MBA HR ASSEMENT PART 1

Q2 : The Hilton Group plc defined and developed its contemporary corporate brand. With reference to Hilton examples where appropriate, provide a reasoned and academically underpinneddiscussion of the importance of employees in successfully delivering employer branding and the role of employee training and development in supporting such initiatives. (25%)

Answer 2 :

Hilton Group of Hotels is one of the oldest names in the Hotel industry. They kept them top among all the players worldwide because of level of service quality they delivered. Hotel used to be one of the low competitive in early 60’s. But because of globalization and competitiveness it mainly depends on the marketing strategy they used and level of Customer service they provide.

There are lot of competitions in all kind of segment for Hotels i.e. Business, Leisure etc. They are lot of peers hotel who offers same products with competitive rates only distinguishing factors would be level of customer service which is provided by organization. Also now day’s customers’ expectations are high towards service quality.

Service quality can not be delivered your best employee at frontline in any of the service industry including Hotel Industry. Customers needs vary for customer to customer and it is depends how fast it is deliver to them. That create there perception or experience with customer. For example company has designed some of the infrastructure to meet need of Disable people. The staff also trained that they understand and meets demand of disable customer. This thing would not be possible without employee.

•  They also provides dog biscuits, food bowl for guests with dogs or with their pets
• Night manager stays with Sisters of guests in the hotel who has just relieved from hospital but still needs care.

A rude behavior of a employee not only damaged image of company to that customer but the customer who watch this will carry that image and spread in their circle. It is also vice versa as a good employee can bring more customer for the organization because A EMPLOYEE ON THE FRONT REPRESENTS THE HILTON HOTEL WITH HIS BEHAVIOR AND REPRESENTS VALUE OF HILTON OFFERS TO IT’S CUSTOMER.

All this cannot be indulged in a single day and cannot be kept similar for a long period. In highly competitive customer centric atmosphere a good customer service will be replicated by other easily and Hilton Group also needs to learn from competitors and through Research. This can be done by continuous knowledge updation through training and personality development of staff for better customer service.

Hilton HR stands right top for providing excellent training and knowledge to their employee to achieve deliver exceptional customer service to support brand image of Hilton Group Hotels. They have done from starting of HR training “Esprit” to achieve management’s much successful initiative “Equilibrium”.

• “Esprit” works as follow “
• New Recruiters asked stay in hotel as Mystery customers for 2 days to feel the level of customer service Hilton Group offers to customer. It is call “Be our Guest” program. This

MAYANK KOTAK, MBA HR ASSEMENT PART 1

• give their feedback after this to Hotel Manager for Check In, Check Out, Spa and Dining spaces. This has given them very valuable comments to improve their service quality.
• Their training starts with induction (My First Day) called program Spirit of Hilton.
• They have been trained for personal development, sales technique and also personal care.
• 12 weeks After finishing this training they take part in Esprit Workshop which make them aware about Hilton values, commitment as employee and helping understanding customer needs, most importantly fulfill them as early as possible.

After finishing this employee is member of “Esprit Club”.

• They also provide them product knowledge so that a new employee feels confident from the day one. Not look confused while facing customer.
• They also provide them training on answering phones, making reservation, guest interaction for receptions staff like different program for different department staff.
• Training for safety & security, customer handling training and also grooming standard.
• They also conduct extensive program for understanding local languages for staff that comes from different part of the world. Also conduct extensive program for English to communicate better with customer as some part of the world were staff does not hold good command over international language.

With all this employees feels confidence and equipped to handle most of the situation for the customer in best way and with smile on the face. They also have been mentor on the job by superior the better quality service and development of employee i.e. called coaching management system. So at no point customer will suffer lapse in quality service which they demand and deliver by Hilton Group of hotels.

Various steps taken by Hilton group to improve the service quality for their Customer which also include investing in their employees training and development which will in results raising standard of services provided by Hilton Group of Hotels.

They also treat other employee as customer and take feedback and opinion. They take these from the employee on their weekly/ fortnightly or monthly meetings. They also make changes as they are the one who faces person from external environment more than anybody. Employees are also kept checked on the performance on their work so that no one will be barred just on the basis some influence but they will stay on the basis of their work. They also grows best employee in the organization.

Conclusion :

Hilton is a hotel that provides good customer service and makes excellent customer service a strategy for a competitive edge. It can be done in various ways, major by complaints resolving, training and development to educate of employee for dealing customer properly. In mentioned way employee plays a major role. Hilton Group believes that their valuable asset is its employees. They should be equipped to elevate service to the customers.

In nutshell to create, maintain and improve the BRAND IMAGE OF HILTON employee plays vital role. To maintain and improve those standard training and new development is needed for all employees. So in all activity employee is needed and so as HR to make successful BRAND image of Hilton along with other things.