CASE:Ramada Demonstrates Its Personal Best

Background
Customer satisfaction survey showed mid-tier hotels experience a declining trend in perceived customer service Ramadas management wants to increase customer satisfaction Focused on 3 key areas :Hiring ,training and motivation Hired 3rd party (Predictive index) to conduct research. Implement its personal best

 Management dilemma A downward trend in service level of mid tier hotels. Ramada needs to prevent an industry declining trend Management question How can Ramada improve chain wide hiring ,training and motivation program to influence customer satisfaction

 Research question
Hiring: What is the current hiring practice at Ramada What are my hiring screening traits What characteristics indicating employees capable of delivering exceptional customer service? Which employee characteristics should be used in hiring Ramada workforce? Training: Which training approaches are best hospitality firms using? Which of these can be adapted to RFS? Motivation : What employee motivation programs can deliver excellent customer service?

 Investigative question Hiring: What skills and characteristics are present in Ramadas existing exceptional customer service personnel? Training: What training approaches are used by RFS franchisees? Which approaches should be retained modified or removed? What do current employees think about exceptional customer service ? Motivation : What modification programs have been successfully used by franchisees? How do employees consider motivation programs? What do they like and dislike about such programs?

 Measurement questions Questions for interview Management decision How to implement the new methods in hiring ,motivational and training.

2 a) Role and process of exploration in Ramadas research.

Primary data Formal and informal interview with managers and employees Secondary data Case study design of Disney ,South West Airlines,TGIF Subscribed to Shifflets study of customer perceptions Conferred with American Hotel and Motel Education Institute

b)

What role did secondary data play in the exploration phase of the research

Cost effective role Ramada management took good use of another companies (Disney ,TGIF etc)practices and applied the necessary action items

c) What steps and phases in the process model can you match to the Ramada research?
Research Process 1.Clarifying the research questions 2. Research proposal 3. Research design strategy Actions Need for revamping the hiring training and motivation process Proposal must agreed by 900 franchisees Multi stage design 3rd party predictive index Primary and secondary data Took 6 months to collect primary data N/A Findings and recommendations to modify ,hiring and motivation programs Personal best program

4. Data collection and preparation 5. Data analysis and interpretation 6. Research reporting 7. Management decision

d) What research process decisions were made?

Ramada want to increase customer satisfaction Ramada had predictive index PI researched employee management Feedback from employees PI collect and process primary data and gave the report to ramada Ramada hired Unifocus to analyze the efficiency of new program Unifocus conducted in-depth guests survey as the program rolled out Ramadas score in the 8-10 range were up 30.5%

e)What sampling methodology was used?

Non probability sampling It was used because: Employee engagement Get the best picture of each property Willing to change

f) Describe the research design and discuss its strengths and weaknesses
Data collection :Primary and secondary data Sampling design :Non probability sampling Strength Propertys profile Secondary data Low cost Evaluation No generalization Weakness Time and cost of primary data Too many data Subjective approach Bias result

g) What role did property owners/ managers play in the research design?
Authorizing for the research to be conducted Primary data supply Decision making role

h) Why did Ramada choose to conduct the research in a nontraditional, party like atmosphere? What are some advantages and disadvantages of such an approach?

Reduce employees anxiety Advantages Reduce employees anxiety Employee openness Disadvantages Informal or too relax condition Need a professional interviewer

3) How are the research findings reflected in the ultimate management decisions?
Hiring
Screen prospective employees for characteristics revealed by Predictive Index

Training Use of fun and flexible approach that encourages selfpaced learning Motivating Shorter time frame Smaller prizes but more frequency Evaluation involved internal staff,completion of training and self directed efforts