1. Introduction
Tourism is defined as the business of providing tourists travel-related
services such as accommodation, transport, touring packages services and
entertainment (CITE). Tour guiding services are also part of tourism industry
and tour guides are the front-line employees that bridges the host country and
its tourists (CITE). They are responsible for providing tourists quality
service and whether they are able to deliver it is essential to both the
success of their tour agency and the host country they represent.
With the service industry focusing more on the experience and not just
service anymore (CITE), the tour guide’s knowledge of the host country’s
culture and attractions, and their service and communication skills have the
power to transform the tour services into a meaningful experience (CITE).
Hence, this paper will explore the ideals and service gaps of a tour, and
recommendations for tour agencies and their human resources.
1.1 Purpose
statement
The objective of this paper is to suggest methods at ensuring that tour
guides have proper training and quality service before giving tours. The
hospitality and tourism industry is known as a challenging industry to survive
in (CITE), it is important for tour guides to have a certain standard as they
can affect the tour agency’s business and present a bad image to the host
country.
1.2 Thematic focus
The main theme explored in this paper is the tourism industry and how a
service gap in the industry can affect a tourist’s satisfaction.
1.3 Workplace context
This report refers to the workplace context as the duration of a tour
journey experience. This report will focus on how each of the five elements of
the tour experience communicate: service, place, product, process and
personnel.
1.3.1 Service
Service quality is a critical factor for the success of
experienced-based businesses such as tourism and hospitality (cite). How well
the service is perceived to be delivered or the interactions between tourists
and various service staff highly influence the outcome of the tour experience
and determines the level of customer satisfaction. In the context of tour
guiding, the perceived service quality of a tour guide can be evaluated through
three major constructs: (1)core
service delivery, (2)customer
orientation, and (3)communication
effectiveness (Heung, 2008). Ap and
Wong (2001) suggest that the tour guide’s attitude with respect
to service, product knowledge, and communication skills are significant aspects
in assessing the perceived service professionalism of the tour guide.
1.3.2 Place
The destination of a tour communicates to the tourists the kind of
on-site tour experience to expect. Different physical venues convey different
activities and encounters that could be experienced, such as dark tourism,
eco-tourism, cultural and heritage tourism, sports tourism and the like. The
person in the environment goes beyond being a mere observer and interprets the
interactions with the environment as well as imparting symbolic meanings
(Ittelson, 1973.) These unique physical and social environments offer different
experiences and affects what the person takes away from his or her experience
in the environment (cite).
1.3.3 Product
In the context of a tour, the main product of a tour journey would be
the destination itself as mentioned in 1.3.2 and the stimuli, adventures and
experiences that it offers. Apart from the destination, other tangible products
of a tour journey include recreational and entertainment facilities and
amenities like food, accommodation, technology and transportation (cite?).
These components affect the consumption experience of tourists and communicates
the level of engagement and comfort.
1.3.4 Process
The processes involved directly affect the tourism experience and
researches have reported that they positively affect the satisfaction of
tourists, their level of expenditures, and their happiness. The main processes
involved in a tour context involve moving people from one location to another.
1.3.5 Personnel
The skills and roles played by a tour guide continues to evolve to this
day. Previously, tour guides are positioned as a presenter and entertainer to
the tour group as the audience (cite). However, with the increasing
expectations towards the tour experience, tour guides have been expected to
take on more active roles as a creative, interactive agent (Richards
& Wilson, 2006 Richards, G., & Wilson, J. (2006) and co-creator of
tourist spaces (Ek et al., 2008 Ek, R., Larsen, J., Hornskov, S. B., &
Mansfeldt, O. K. (2008). Hence, they are not only expected to make tourist
experiences entertaining and memorable, but also create interactive and
personalised experiences for tourists.
2. Problem identification (Ideal - Gap - Goal)
2.1 Service Gap
Using Hannah’s real life incident as case study, we have identified
three areas of service gap.
Poor Standard of Communication
Hannah had patronized a supposed famous tour agency in Vietnam that had
guaranteed an English speaking tour guide. However, on the day itself, the tour
guide appeared to be an amateur in English. Hannah found it difficult to
understand the information that was being told.
Inadequate Product Knowledge
The tour guide had poor product knowledge as he did not share with the
tourist the history or story behind artefacts or significant landmarks but
rather stating the obvious points. This involved many unnecessary commentary
given.
Unprofessional
Behaviour
The tour included a bike trek trail segment but during the activity, the
tour guide gave little information about what was to be done or where they were
heading. This exemplifies his poor customer service as he also did not bother
keep at the same pace as all the tourist and Hannah was even left behind
a few times. When he set the meeting time to gather back during the free and
easy, he would rush tourist up the bus although the time set has not been
passed yet. The tour guide would also mentioned that they are already late when
they are in fact early.
2.2 Ideal
Based on the case study above, the ideal situation would be looked into
these areas.
Standard of Communication
As tour guides are ambassadors of their countries, it is important that
they are able to convey the history and stories effectively to their guests
(Altintas, Sirakaya-Turk & Sulaiman, 2016). It is ideal that the tour guide
is proficient in the language that he or she is wanting to guide in. With
reference to the Singapore Tourism Board as an example, they require tour
guides to have a minimum grade of B4 for English in other to be qualified
(Singapore Tourism Board, 2018). This also ensures that they are valid tour
guide license holders in the country.
Inadequate Product Knowledge
In order to be able to sell the tour product, the tour guide has to have
adequate knowledge of what they are trying to convey. With reference to the
Singapore Tourism Board as an example, they require applicants to register at a
tourism academy in which they would have to go through a structured programme
where tourism knowledge and tour commentary is taught among other materials
(Tourism Management Institute of Singapore, 2018).
Unprofessional
Behaviour
3. Implementation of potential solution
3.1 Storytelling
Living in the Experience Economy – an economy where customer
expectations are so high, a great tour guide has to provide an experience that
tourists will remember. This can be done through storytelling as it will not
only brighten up boring historical facts but gets the tourist engaged too
(Steeves, 2018).
According to National Storytelling Association of the United States, “Storytelling is the art of using language, vocalization, and/or physical movement and gestures to reveal the elements and images of a story to a specific, live audience” (McWilliams, 1997s).
For decades of years, stories have been they way of communications for humans. Stories are used to connect between an effective speaker to audiences. Education around the world have been using ‘case studies’ to teach students.
According to National Storytelling Association of the United States, “Storytelling is the art of using language, vocalization, and/or physical movement and gestures to reveal the elements and images of a story to a specific, live audience” (McWilliams, 1997s).
For decades of years, stories have been they way of communications for humans. Stories are used to connect between an effective speaker to audiences. Education around the world have been using ‘case studies’ to teach students.
3.2 Human Resource Practices
An appropriate HR practices will result in tour guide’s role behaviours
and linked to the success of delivering a quality service (Schuler and Jackson,
1987). HRM should provide a range of courses and trainings to enhance the
quality of services provided to tourists. However, selecting the right people
for the job would ease the process in the beginning.
4. Benefits
The above proposed solutions are aimed to increase customer satisfaction.
By highlighting the importance of good customer service, this results in
various beneficial outcomes in the workplace.
4.1 Increase in Customer Loyalty
Customers are willing to pay more when they see the value in the brand
name (Investopedia, 2018). This is because customer service can be associated
as a branding tool (Vickery, 2017). Therefore when good customer service is
given, customers feel valued and are likely to return back for more business or
spread the word about the business which results in more profits for the
company.
4.2 Better Impression of the Country
As the tour guides are ambassadors of the country, bad customer service
will leave a bad impression of the locals. This channel of interaction allows
tourist to communicate and observe how the natives are like in terms of culture
and character. Therefore with good customer service given, it lays a better
impression in terms of hospitality. This would create a more inviting
environment for tourist to remember the country by.
5. Research methods
6. Conclusion
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