Evaluation of employees initial orientation and on-the-job training in mid- to large-sized hotels in the Twin Cities with regard to service training

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate hotel employee initial orientation and on-the-job training in mid- to large-sized hotels in the Twin Cities with regard to service training to model current training practices. This study helped define the local process for front office, housekeeping, and food & beverage employee orientation and on-the-job training with regard to service training. Of the 60 distributed questionnaires given to front office, housekeeping, and food & beverage managers in mid- and large-sized hotels in the Twin Cities, 20 were returned by mail and 22 were returned by e-mail. A total of 42 surveys were returned yielding a 70% return rate. The findings, such as the situation and length of carrying out periodical employee orientation and on-the-job training, the relationship among employee professional skills or knowledge, orientation, and on-the-job, indicate areas that where employee orientation and on-the-job training should focus. The results encourage hotel managers in the front office, housekeeping, and food & beverage departments to re-evaluate existing situations of employee service training and determine whether or not they need to redevelop and improve the customer service training given to their employees. It was noted that if a hotel had good employee orientation and on-the-job training, customers would have a good impression of an employee attitude and service rendered. In that way, satisfied guests tend to be returning customers; guest service training of employee most likely impacts guest satisfaction. While manufacturing industries mostly deal with both product and human interaction, service industries mainly focus on human interactions. Research indicates that customers are more likely to repurchase and/or recommend the product or service to others if they have a good perception of employee service performance (Kandampully, Monk, & Sparks, 2001). It seems that there are antecedents and consequences of this simple relationship. According to studies in 2001, “service quality may be only one of a number of factors that influence ‘value’ and that it is value, rather than service quality alone, that determines people’s willingness to buy and subsequent satisfaction” (Kandampully et al., 2001, p. 105).