There are following questions which enlist the requirement of the brief are given below:
- Analyse the current structure, scope and size of the hospitality industry.
- Explore the current and anticipated skills requirement in the hospitality industry.
- Understand the micro and macro factors which impact the hospitality sector and how they relate to the emerging issues facing by the sector.
- Analyse the current and potential trends and development which is impacting the hospitality sector.
INTRODUCTION
Hospitality is one of the most rapidly growing sectors across the globe which encompasses a number of activities such as boarding, lodging, recreation, sightseeing, transportation, accommodation, restaurant, pub, club, bar etc. This industry offers products and services of high quality that hold the potential and capability to cater to the needs as well as preferences of clients. In the hyper competitive era, this is an industry which seeks to apply customer centred approach towards operations so as to attain positive results. The entailment of maximum customer satisfaction is the primary focus of hospitality organisations.
The present project is based upon Four Seasons London which is a luxury hospitality organisation engaged within hotel industry. It offers an array of services to customers such as conferencing and banqueting, lodging, boarding, accommodation and many more. It is located at the heart of Park Lane London. The following assignment constitutes overview of types of businesses along with functional and operational units pertaining to hospitality sector. Further, it consists of operational roles as well as skills that are prerequisite to implement them. At last, the current and potential trends impacting over hospitality sector are covered.
P1. Investigate various types of businesses in hospitality industry
Hospitality is a wide sector which aims at meeting the needs and preferences of customers by providing them with high quality offerings. These services seek to ensure the comfort as well as convenience of clients. This sector comprises of several types of businesses to ensure that customers derive high level of satisfaction. These are briefly explained as follows:-
Travel and tourism: Hospitality industry deals with providence of commutation as well as transit facilities to clients. It includes modes of travelling such as flight, ship, road, train, on foot etc. This is a type of business which provides boost to the overall economy of United Kingdom by emphasizing upon provision of high quality services which can meet the leisure of commercial demands of people. Thus, it can be said that travel and tourism is a significant part of hospitality sector.
Lodging: The aspects pertaining to this business of hospitality industry include motels, hotels, beds, breakfast and many more. In this relation, it can be analysed that such services are short lived experience. The facilities are provided to customers as per their needs and preferences. During the stay of clients within the premises of hospitality organisations, the main concern of management is upon stipulation of safety as well as security measures. With respect to this, Four Seasons London also ensures that guests feel at home during their stay in the premises. For this, the management provides high quality offerings to people which can meet their ever growing demands.
Restaurant: This business pertaining to hospitality sector comes under Food & Beverage industry, whereby the main aim is to satisfy the needs and demands of customers as per their eating habits and preferences. The different forms of restaurants are acknowledged to be Quick Service Restaurants, eateries, fast food joints, cafes etc. In relation to this, Four Seasons London also has its own restaurant to cater to the food related demands put forward by guests.
Pubs / clubs / bars: This is yet another important part of hospitality. Hereby, the main aim is to meet the entertainment needs of people so that they can feel relaxed and comfortable. Hereby, customers visit to spend leisure time with peer, acquaintance or family members. This business of hospitality seeks to offer a quality experience to guests which can ensure that individuals get relieved of all the stress and worries of life to have a nice time partying with known people. Four Seasons London also has Amaranto Bar which provides cocktails, wines and light dining facility to customers (Dining. AMARANTO BAR, 2019).
Memberships and event: Events such as conferences, weddings, meetings and banquets have become a crucial part of hospitality sector with the passage of time. Along with this, a number of music concerts and other entertainment events are organised within some hospitality organisations to provide quality experience to customers. In this relation, Four Seasons London has a large event space of 796 m2 to conduct a variety of events and conferences (Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane. MEETINGS & EVENTS, 2019). The event and meeting team of this 5 star hotel takes into account each detail in order to ensure peace of mind as well as absolute pleasure for customers. This provides aid to the corporation in appealing to potential buyers in an effective manner and retaining them for long term.
P2. Range of operational and functional departments within Four Seasons London
Four Seasons London is comprised of 2 types of business units, namely, front house and back house. These incorporate various types of functional as well as operational departments, providing assistance to the respective hotel in effectively conducting its business operations. The 2 business units and their departments are discussed as follows:-
Front house: This comprises of operational sections like front office, reservation and housekeeping in a hotel. Within Four Seasons Hotel London, this unit deals with customers on everyday basis and for this it is crucial to possess enhanced communication skills by which they can have strong as well as effectual power for providing customers with unique experience. Apart from this, they include functional units like sales and marketing which are involved within catering sales. The Food & Beverage unit of Four Seasons Hotel London belongs top this unit and comprises of conferencing, banqueting, room services, lounges, pubs, bars and restaurants.
Back house: It comprises of sections like accounting, HRM and engineering. HR department or unit will focus on recruiting skilled, educated, competent and enlightened individual for growth as well as welfare of organisation. It will aid firm to ensure that tasks are implemented in effectual manner with respect to needs of Four Seasons Hotel London. Furthermore, HR is responsible for ensuring security as well as safety of personnel including employees and customers. They are responsible for making sure that food & beverages which are furnished to customers within hotel are healthy, free from contamination and hygienic. Apart from this, engineering unit is accountable for maintaining infrastructural artefact of organisation. Their aim will be on enhancing capital and needs associated with ground maintenance. Accounting department will work for ascertaining revenues and gains which are attained by entity.
P3. Contribution of international, national and local economies
Hospitality sector is an evolving sector which creates several employment opportunities for local individuals. This facilitates the growth of local and national economies. It is regarded as the 5th largest sector of UK which provides job opportunity to a total of 2.4 million individuals. This sector has generated huge revenues equivalent to £90billion (Economic Contribution of UK hospitality industry, 2019). Hospitality sector has significantly capitalised on the trend of globalisation to give a boost to the international economy. Further, franchising and licensing also make their contribution for appraisal and establishment of hospitality organisation within a specific country.
M1. Interrelationships of operational and functional units within Four Seasons London
Operational and functional departments are regarded as the foundation upon which the operations of a hospitality organisation are dependent. By capitalising on these, a firm can cater to the needs as well as preferences of customers and gain success at market place. In this relation, Four Seasons London leverages the interrelationship between both of them to attain growth and success in international market place.
M2. Franchising and licensing agreements has influenced development of hospitality sector
Globalisation is a trend that every hospitality organisation looks upon to gain growth as well as success in market place. To pursue this, hospitality industry leverages franchising as well as licensing agreements as these provide assistance to a corporation in expanding its business operations in a number of countries and thereby enhance its existing customer base. This has given a boost to the overall state of hospitality sector across the globe.
D1. Global growth, franchising & licensing have led to economic worth of hospitality sector
With the evolution of time, hospitality sector has shown effective growth and development. In addition to this, franchising and licensing models are being extensively used within the confines of this sector to facilitate robust development of different types of businesses pertaining to this corporate area. This has ultimately led to increment in the contribution of this industry to Global GDP.
P4. Different operational roles within hospitality sector
There are numerous sectors that operate their functions with a motive of generating profitability, employment and other growth opportunities in order to ensure. In addition to this, there are different types of functions within hospitality sector with the help of which effectively satisfaction to customer can be effectively provided. In order to effectively manage these roles organisations within this sector take advantage of number of strategies as to further manage needs and demands of customers in well defined manner. There are numerous forms of operational role that are been undertaken by Four Seasons Hotel London:
Housekeeping:
The role of this unit within Four Seasons Hotel is to effectively maintain and manage organisational site as well as surroundings as to ensure cleanliness, comfortableness and feasibility. It has been further evaluated that housekeeping department in four season London aid organisation to gain loyalty from customers in best effective manner. In addition to this, housekeeping department also benefit entity to manage facilitates related to fitness centre, conference, spa and banquet halls. Further it has been determined that this department also benefit in ensuring uniform cleanliness of workers within Hotel that further benefit them to serve customers at best.
Sales and Marketing:
Within corporate world each and every business organisation effectively conducts their operations in an effective manner. Sales and marketing department effectively aid organisation to ensure more success by managing overall sales of organisation. Within Four Seasons London, it has been identified that manager undertake different types of strategies, marketing schemes and programmes as to acquire more market share. In addition to this, with the help of sales and marketing activities this department ensure more competitive edge within marketplace. Further it has been identified that, this department within Four Seasons London engage in continuous use of attractive promotional tools as well as techniques in order to simultaneously increase overall sales of organisation.
Front desk facilities:
Front desk department within Four Seasons Hotel London, mainly engage in regular interaction with guest. In this manager is required to undertake the responsibilities related to bookings. All these personnel effectively perform their roles in order to resolve complaint of customers in best effective manner while making communication with them. Thus, it has been identified that front desk department within Four Season aid organisation to create long lasting experience on client in best effective manner.
P5. Skills necessary for roles in hospitality sector and deficiency of current skills
In hospitality sector, there are number of individuals from diverse national background. Thus, it is essential for hospitality industry to effectively undertake large number of skills in order to efficiently manage their roles in well effective manner. In context with this, skills that are duly required by Four Seasons Hotel London are being defined below:-
Flexibility skills:
Nowadays hospitality sector receive high flow of guest, thus it is essential for them to manage by undertaking adaptable culture. Four Season Hotel London is required to formulate strategies to offer their products and services as per according to demand of guest. It is essential for organisation to undertake as to ensure long term sustainability from their guest:
Language skills:
Hospitality sector deals with people from diverse locations as well as destinations on a daily basis. Thus, it is essential for Four Seasons Hotel London to equip their staff with different types of languages as to satisfy guest in best effective manner. It is one of the most important skills within hospitality as with the help of this company can become effectively able to serve their customers in well defined manner.
Communication skills:
It is one of the most effective and essential skill with the due of which organization can effectively able to fulfill their organizational goals and objectives in best effective manner. In addition to this, it has been determined that communication skills effectively benefit Four Season Staff to serve their customers at best. It further leads to ensuring long term loyalty from their customers in a well defined manner.
M3. Review skills gaps in hospitality sector associated with various operational roles
With the passage of time, the need to upgrade the skills of professionals belonging to hospitality sector has come up and entities need to take this into account. In this relation, the most important skills for the different operational roles within hospitality sector are acknowledged to be flexibility, communication and linguistic.
D2. Impact exerted by skills gap over hospitality & suggestions for addressing gap
The skill gap noticed within the confines of hospitality sector tend to hinder the organisations from fulfilling the needs and demands of customers in stipulated course of time. This results in non accomplishment of corporate goals. Thus, there is a need for hospitality companies to provide training to employees so that the skill gap of personnel can be effectively met and they can provide assistance to organisation in fulfilling the needs and demands of customers.
P6. PESTLE analysis of Four Seasons Hotel London
PESTLE analysis is considered as a framework which is generally adopted by a company in order to gather information about the macro environment that impact on their business operations and functions. This will include several factors that help management in developing effective decision according to current market situation. Explanation of all factors of PESTLE in respect of Four Seasons London is mentioned below:-
Political factor: This factor will include aspect like government policies, corruption, foreign trade, political stability and so on. The political situation of United Kingdom is stable which is consider as huge opportunity for Four Seasons London because due to this they can operate as well as expand their business effectively. But it also has limitation related to terrorist, unstable political situation and so on which directly affect business and market.
Economical factor: It will consider aspects like economic growth, exchange rate, interest rate, unemployment rate, employment ratio etc. In respect of United Kingdom, the nation has strong economic background which is beneficial for Four Seasons London because they can conduct operations effectively. Economic situation also help respective firm in sustaining at potential marketplace. But sector in which Four Seasons London is operating get highly affected when any change occur related to economy such as inflation, fluctuations, recession and so on.
Social factor: It will include factors like lifestyle, population, growth rate, career attitude, cultural barriers and so on. In respect of Four Seasons London, when change occur in society lifestyles and trends they get opportunities to grow their business by fulfilling requirement. Along with this limitation incurred in this, is related to situation when competitive company adopt new trend before Four Seasons London because it will impact on respective hotel sales as well as profitability ratio.
Technological factor: Respective factor will include aspects like technological awareness, technological change, level of innovation, research and development, technological incentives and so on. It will be opportunities for Four Seasons London to adopt new and advance technology at their hotel so that they able to attract more and more customers as well as it will also help them in conducting work more effectively. The limitation associated with this is financial resource as well as hotel need to provide training to staff whenever they adopt new technology.
Environmental factor: It will include aspect like climate change, environmental rules and regulation, weather, climate and so on. In respect of Four Seasons London they must adopt new technology in order to protect environment such as use solar energy, through this they able to attract more and more customers. But it has risk associated with this such as it is not possible for hotel to adopt each and every environmental legislation which are developed by government which lead to legal action.
Legal factor: This will include aspects like discrimination law, employment law, copyright and patent law and so on. It is opportunity for Four Seasons London to adopt legal factors so that they can avoid unethical as well as illegal practices. But it has limitation like it is not possible for hotels to adopt and implement each and every legal practice which develops chance of illegal practice and legal action.
M4. Impacts of external factors on development of organisations in hospitality industry
The external factors of a nation exert a significant influence over the companies operating within the hospitality sector. The developed political state of UK, strong economic conditions of the nation, changing consumer lifestyles, emergence of new technological trends, CSR initiatives and assurance of compliance with laws tend to foster development of entities pertaining to hospitality sector.
D3. External factors impact on current and potential trends and developments in hospitality industry
In response to technological advancements, hospitality sector has leveraged technologies such as AI, automation, cognitive computing etc. In addition to this, social changes tend to develop the concerned industry by facilitating organisations to adapt to the emerging culture of country and people. Similarly, there are many other factors which have facilitated companies to capitalise upon the trends and result in overall development of hospitality sector.
P7. SWOT analysis of Four Seasons Hotel London
SWOT is termed as a framework that can be undertaken by organisation so as to effectively identify their internal capabilities in order to operate their functions in an effectual manner. It further help organisation to effectively conduct their operations. In addition to this, with the help of SWOT analysis organisation can effectively able identify strength and weaknesses with the help of which they can further frame strategies to overcome them. Mentioned below SWOT analysis of Four Seasons Hotel London is being defined:
Strengths
Strong domestic presence: Four Seasons Hotel London currently hold best effective market presence in UK industry. In addition to this, with the help of strong domestic presence that further provides aid to them to gain more customer base.
Emphasis upon innovation: Major focus of organisation is to effectively influence customer interest by offering them services with the help of innovation.
Weaknesses
Excessive focus on expansion: Four Seasons Hotel London is mainly aimed towards expanding their business operations at large scale. This leads organisation towards facing number of complexities in maintaining higher quality standards.
Hotel controversies: It has been identified that Four Seasons Hotel London is currently facing number of problems and controversies that further affect their global goodwill. This is mainly due to lack of employee safety and customers.
Focus on family: Four Seasons Hotel London is mainly focused towards families as are not looking towards to make any alteration in this form of working pattern.
Opportunities
Changing consumer behavioural pattern: It has been identified that there is continuous change in needs and demand of customers. Thus, it is essential for Four Seasons London to have effective understanding of all these factors according to latest trend and demand of customers as to make significant increase in overall sales performance of organisation.
Enter potential marketplaces: The respective hotel can make entrance into any market segment as to increase their customer base. Four Seasons Hotel London can leverage manpower and resources in order to gain success in international marketplace.
Threats
Huge rivalry: Hospitality industry is one of the fastest and growing industries across the global periphery. This lead towards more stiff competition that create number of threat situations. Four Season Hotel London have number of competitors such as Marriott, Hilton, Holiday Inn etc.
Recession: Recession has turned out to be one of the biggest threats for all the industries that are functioning within marketplace. In relation to hospitality industry, it has been identified that recession may lead organisation towards auction of certain properties that are not further offering profitability for organisation.
P8. Comprehensibility of the current trends within the confines of hospitality sector
There a number of current as well as potential trends which pertain to hospitality sector and need to be taken into account by organisations functioning within its’ domain. In this relation, the trends which are duly considered and applied by Four Seasons Hotel London are discussed as follows:-
- Globalisation is one of the most apparent trends that have changed the phase of hospitality sector. It has enabled organisations such as Four Seasons Hotel London to share their labour, resources and technologies with other nations and businesses to ensure the growth of both.
- Yet another trend that is emerging with the passage of time owes to the growing concerns related to safety and security of guests. To deal with this, Four Seasons Hotel London has installed CCTV cameras and maintained safety guards within its premises. Further, it has also installed emergency equipments such as fire extinguishers and emergency telephones at each floor.
- Diversity is another prominent trend that has gained popularity with the passage of time. This provides aid to Four Seasons Hotel London in leveraging the thoughts and opinions of diverse set of individuals working within the premises.
M5. Evaluate the ability of Four Seasons Hotel London to develop products and services to meet current trends
Four Seasons Hotel London realises the significance of adapting the operations of hotel as per the changing business environment. It capitalises upon the latest and potential trends prevailing in market such as globalisation, CCTV cameras, surveillance, diversity to attain growth and development. This provides aid to the respective hotel in developing offerings which can fulfil customer demands by remaining aligned with key market patterns.
CONCLUSION
On the basis of above discussion, it can be said that hospitality is a constantly evolving sector comprising of several businesses such as lodging, travel and tourism, events and many more. Further, it has been analysed that this sector accelerates the growth of economy of local, national and global regions. In addition to this, it has been acknowledged that a hospitality entity comprises of functional and operational departments which work in correlation to ensure provision of ease and comfort for customers. It is determined that there are several skills which are considered prerequisite to carry out role within the concerned sector. Additionally, it is inferred that the entity faces threat of extensive level of rivalry prevailing within the confines of hospitality industry. PESTLE analysis illustrates that macro environment exerts positive as well as adverse influence that needs to be taken into account by an entity operating in hospitality sector to sustain in market for long run.
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