THE MARKETING OF HOTEL SERVICE IN WARRI METROPOLIS (A CASE STUDY OF ROYAL ARK HOTEL LIMITED

ABSTRACT

The primary aim of this project work fitted “ Marketing of Hotel services in Warri Metropolis which Royal Ark Hotel Limited was used as a case study was to  determine the causes of low patronage by customers and equally to suggest possible solutions to the problem.

            Relevant work relating to this project was reviewed in order to get more information on work to be carried out.  Both primary and secondary data was collected  in order to get the relevant information on the project work.  on the course of he analysis many findings were made which was attributed to be the cause of low customers patronage in the hotel.  Among the findings were:

1.                  The service process of the organization is too long.

2.                  There is no clear organizational chart. 

3.                    There is no clear organizational chart

4.                  Staff are not properly motivated in terms of salary.

5.                   Their promotional tools were not effective

6.                  staff  are not properly trained

7.                  there is  no laid down rules for employment

In order to over come the problems listed above the following recommendation were made:

1.                  That the management of the organization should establish a pure marketing department and employ qualified marketing personnel in the department.

2.                  That the management should make their service process to be short by way of standardization and documentation of service process incentive  given to customers are adequate.

3.                  They should ensure that the promotional  incentive given to customers are adequate

4.                  Clear organizational chart should be made so that it will not create confusion on whom to report to.

5.                  The management should motivate their staff by way  of training and paying good salary

6.                  The organization should make sure that more graduates with reasonable experience are employed into the organization.

In conclusion, it was expected that this project would contribute to more practice of marketing concept in a hotel industry if it is implemented.

TABLE OF CONTENT

CHAPTER ONE                               

INTRODUCTION    

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM                                 

NEED FOR THE STUDY                            

OBJECTIVE OR PURPOSE OF HE STUDY        

SCOPE  AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY     

STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESIS                           

DEFINITION OF TERMS                                                   

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW                             

CHAPTER THREE               

DESIGN OF THE STUDY                                      

POPULATION FOR THE STUDY             

SAMPLE SIZE                                                         

RESEARCH INSTRUMENT                                               

QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN                                              

DATA COLLECTION                                             

CHAPTER FOUR

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND --

INTERPRETATION OF DATA                  

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY OF FINDING                          

CONCLUSION                                            

RECOMMENDATION                                                        

BIBLIOGRAPHY                                                    

APPENDIX  I                                                                       

APPENDIX II                                                           

CHAPTER ONEINTRODUCTIONBACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

            The subject matter of this research work s the “ marketing of hotel service in Warri metropolis” address the topic it is of importance to know what is meant by marketing service and hotel.

            According to Kotler (1991 P.10), Marketing is defined as  a social and managerial  process by which individuals and groups obtained what they need and want through creating,  offering and  exchanging products of value with others.  According to William J. Stabtib (1981 P3)  Marketing is a transaction an exchange intended to satisfy human needs or wants.

            The British institute  of marketing (1989 P1), marketing could also be viewed as the management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer requirement profitably.

            According to William J. Stanton (1981 P.441) , services are those separately identifiable, essentially  intangible activities that provide want satisfaction, and that are not necessary tied to the sale of product or another services.

            The Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary of Current revised by Honby. Hotel is “a building where meals and rooms are provided for travelers”,

            Classification of hotels: Motorist hotel with rooms and cabins, a parking area.  However some of he important service offered by hotel are Accommodation facilities including

Presidential suite

Executive chalets

Business suite

Studio rooms

Billard rooms

Luxury doubles

Restaurant, banqueting hall, bar, conference facilities etc

Recreation facilities

Personnel

The increase changes in the marketing place have made it necessary for hotel to become more market oriented in offering of their services.  They aim at satisfying their customers needs as well as fulfilling their own organization goals.

            An Arewa hotels in house magazine (1991P30) define Hotel marketing as the application of marketing concept  in the hotel industry so as to achieve a more effective rendering of services to the customer”.  They have been  many developments and changes in the hotel reflect trends in the  economic, political and business environment with other being a consequence of technology ad social changes.

            It was recently that hotels became more concern with marketing of services.  Expansion as well as competition among hotel organization or operators has occurred with rapid increase in recent years.

            Today, there are so many hotels with the result that there is competition among them to win patronage of “customers” who want their service.

            Any organization wishing to survive in this present day competition and indeed in any depressed economy should have always their service/ products, packaging and the images of their organization to help the promotional activities of the company to succeed in satisfying their customers and these could only be achieved by those hotels that are prompt, efficient and effective.  These hotels hve to restructure their principle and practices to adopt to changes that are talking place n the industry.

            From a close observation  of hotels in Warri one would realize that a lot has to be done in order to improve the efficient, effective of hotels operations.

            It is the aim of this research work to explore all the available avenues for the improvement of the effectiveness of hotels operations in Warri because when compared with other states or cities, their operations are still poor and inadequate.

                Marketing concept is expressed in a focus on growth which there is continuing planned effort to enlarge of market.

            However, the concept means that a business aim towards satisfying its customer.   While making a profit, the concept call for hotel management and employees to plan marketing strategies towards achieving customer satisfaction and organization goals.  In scheduling hotel activities whether for long range planning done  at top management level or operational duties done at the employee level the two goals of guest satisfaction and profit should be kept in mind at all times.

            All company activities research, production, finance  and sales are devoted to finding out  what customers wand and then creating the product and services to satisfying these wants.  The theory holds that hotel activities are co- ordinate to meet the needs and wants of customers, profit will result.  The philosophy of marketing concept means that marketing should begin and end with customers.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEMThe research will take cognizance of the following issues

1.                  Lack of adequate trained and skillful person at supervisory level to organize and undertake effective on the job training for the operative at the basic technical level

2.                  Lack of awareness of the needs and objectives of hotel customer/guest.

3.                  The problem of high rate of labour turnover in hotel industry

4.                  Delay in providing rooms, bars and restaurants services.

5.                  Lack of adequate knowledge of hotel finance

6.                  Non application of marketing concept by some hotel industries

7.                  Failure to appreciate  that “customers” want satisfaction is the economic and social justification of company’s existence.

NEED FOR THE STUDY

This study is to portray the rich potentials that exist in hotel services process.  It is the desire of the researcher that scholars  on this topic would see further needs to use the information, data provided to enrich their works.

            Also to find solution to these problems highlighted earlier and to re- state the importance of consumers satisfaction when applying marketing concept.

OBJECTIVE OR PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The objective of this research study is specifically to find solutions that when applied to the statement of problem of hotel services in Warri metropolis of Delta State.

            Training of hotel personnel to acquire skilled manpower  for achieving higher standard of services

            Hotel should attach priority to the recruitment of hotel school graduates to enhance  professionalism and facilitate the access of the graduates to responsible posts.      

            The hotel should establish closer relations with hotel schools to facilitate interaction  and improve the quality of their product/ services.

            Application of marketing concept will help to improve the poor quality and inadequacy of services rendered by identifying that customers want satisfaction is the economic and social justification of their hotel existence.

            Improvement of their marketing effort and addition of new service or to be service oriented on the exist ones.

            Providing computerized check in and offering express checkouts facilities to ease delayed.

STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESIS                                                   

The hypothesis to be tested in this course  of study are  as follows.

Ho None application of marketing concept is not the cause of customers dissatisfaction in hotels.

Hi None application of marketing concept is the cause of customers dissatisfaction in hotels.

            Ho Dissatisfaction of customers does not result from insufficient and poor quality personnel/staff of hotels.

Hi Dissatisfaction  of customers result from insufficient and poor quality personnel/staff of hotels 

            Ho Insufficient recreational and entertainment facilities does not resulted to customers dissatisfaction in hotels.

Hi Insufficient  recreational and entertainment facilities resulted to customers dissatisfaction in hotels.

DEFINITION OF TERMS 

The following terms in this study should be taken to be the  following:

MARKETING

Marketing is a human activity directed at satisfying needs and wants through exchange process.

HOTEL

The Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary of current English Revised by  Horuby) Hotel is a building where meals and rooms are provided for travellers.

 MARKETING CONCEPT

            The marketing concept  holds that the key to achieve organizational goals consist  in determining the needs and wants of target market and delivering the desired satisfaction more effectively   and efficiently than competitors.

PRODUCT

A product is something that is viewed as being capable of satisfying needs or wants.

SERVICES

Services is any act or performance offered by an individual or groups of an individual to another which is especially intangible and does not result in ownership of  anything earn and creates satisfaction, for the mutual benefit of the service provider and service consumers

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