Being A Competent Reseptionist in Handling Complaints From The Foreign and Local Guests at Grand Serela Hotel.

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ABSTRACT

Topik yang saya pilih dalam penulisan tugas akhir ini adalah tentang bagaimana seorang resepsionis dapat menangani keluhan dari tamu dalam negeri dan luar negeri dengan baik. Topik ini saya pilih

berdasarkan pengalaman saya dalam program magang sebagai

resepsionis yang berlangsung selama satu bulan di hotel Grand Serela. Sebagai hotel yang cukup terkenal di Bandung, hotel Grand Serela diharapkan juga dapat didukung oleh resepsionis yang berkualitas. Akan tetapi yang menjadi masalah bagi hotel Grand Serela adalah kurangnya kemampuan resepsionis dalam menangani keluhan dari para tamu baik dari dalam dan luar negeri sehingga memberikan dampak negatif terhadap kepuasan tamu di hotel Grand Serela.

Dalam tugas akhir ini, saya akan menguraikan berbagai hal yang berkaitan dengan masalah dalam menangani keluhan tamu dengan baik. Pertama, hal-hal yang menyebabkan resepsionis tidak dapat menangani keluhan. Kedua, dampak masalah yang resepsionis hadapi. Ketiga, beberapa pilihan solusi yang dapat digunakan untuk meningkatkan kemampuan mereka dalam menangani keluhan.

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APPENDIX

A. FLOWCHART

Effects

1. My manager will notice that I cannot do my work properly

2. The guests will not be satisfied and the image of the hotel will be terrible 3. I feel stressed out for not being able to handle complaints

Problem:

I was not competent to handle complaints from the foreign and local guests at Grand Serela hotel

Causes:

1. I have never had any working experience in a hotel 2. The senior front officer did not support me to handle the complaints from the guests 3. I was afraid that I would give a wrong solution because I did not get any training from the hotel

Potential Negative Effects: 1. I cannot be independent to solve my problems in any situation

2. I will disturb my senior because they have job task

Potential Solution I:

Asking the senior receptionists to be my mentor so I can handle the complaints from the guests properly

Potential Positive Effects: 1. I will be more confident in handling complaints

2. For handling guests’ complaints from the senior, I am learning by doing

Potential Negative Effects: 1. It takes time to read and learn

2. I need to spend some budget for buying books and using Internet

Finding out some information about how to deal with difficult customers by getting some resources from the books and the Internet

Potential Negative Effects: 1. Training costs a lot of money for the hotel

2. I spend much time at work

Potential Solution III: Giving suggestion to my manager to hold training for apprentice

Potential Positive Effects: 1. I have a lot of practice 2. I can be well-prepared to handle complaints from the guests

Chosen Solution:

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

Nowadays, hotel business has a fast development. Tjiptono Darmadji states that based on the data from Statistic Center Department (Badan

Pusat Statistik) there are many hotels in Indonesia, it means that hotel is

really important in tourism and many entrepreneurs do this business (par.1). Hotel business is not only developing in big cities but also in small cities; this business has good opportunities as stated by Abdullah (par. 1). The rapid development of hotel business also happens in Bandung.

Bandung is one of the cities which become the tourism destination. Moreover, Patria Hidayat states there are 130 hotels in Bandung (par. 2). Along with its fast development, competition in hotel business is becoming intense; therefore the hotel must maintain excellent quality and service. In the article entitled “Strategi Meningkatkan Kualitas

Layanan Bagi Manajemen Puncak Hotel”, it is said that to compete

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service quality that they get and compare it with what they want. If the guests do not get what they expect, they will not trust the service provider. If they experience the quality as they expect, they will always use this service. Therefore, hotel must identify the expectations of the hotel guests concerning the service quality.

In order to maintain excellent service quality, the role of receptionist is

highly required. Receptionist creates the first impression for the guests from the process of check in until check out. In an article entitled “Strategi

Meningkatkan Kualitas Layanan Bagi Manajemen Puncak Hotel”,

it is believed that one of the most important things that creates good service quality and first impression in hotel business is the performance of a receptionist under front office department (par. 4). The job of a

receptionist staff is to maximize the level of residential and income of the hotel. Receptionist often meets the guests to give information about the hotel and to handle complaints. On the contrary, they could be the target if the guest gets angry.

Based on my apprenticeship program in Grand Serela hotel as a receptionist under Front Office Department, I have various experiences to handle complaints from the guests. My ability to handle a guest is

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functioning well. Complaints about service may be caused by the rude staff. They are not professional because they are only friendly with people whom they know. The guests will complain when they do not receive what they think they should receive or their expectations are not properly met. My duty as a receptionist is to handle guest complaints and follow up the complaints because once the complaint is known to public, it will give a bad image to the hotel. “Most people do not enjoy making complaints, being receiving end is no fun either but handling complaints correctly produces a smoother, more efficient operation for the entire property” (Akeme 6). Accordingly, my department must take every complaint from the guests seriously, therefore, it will not happen anymore in the future. Based on my experience in handling the foreign and local guests, I choose to discuss how to be competent in handling the local and foreign guests in Grand Serela hotel. As a new staff in this job, I often found difficulties and make mistakes when handling guests’ complaints. In this term paper entitled “Being a Competent Receptionist in Handling

Complaints from the Foreign and Local Guests at Grand Serela Hotel”, I will discuss the problem and give the best solution to solve the problem.

B. Identification of the Problem

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1. Why was I not competent in handling complaints from the foreign and local guests at Grand Serela Hotel?

2. How should I make myself become more competent in handling complaints from the foreign and local guests at Grand Serela Hotel?

C. Objectives and Benefits of the Study

The study is done to analyze the causes and effects of my

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D. Description of Institution

Grand Serela hotel was established on 5 August 2005, it is located at Jalan LL. RE. Martadinata no 56. Grand Serela hotel is a three-star hotel and the owner of Grand Serela hotel is Henry Husada. Grand Serela hotel is under the direction of Kagum Group which manages three other hotels such as Grand Seriti, Banana Inn and Golden Flower. Grand Serela hotel has five floors with 77 rooms including 36 superior rooms, 23 deluxe rooms, 4 executive’s rooms, 10 grand rooms, 3 deluxe suits, and 1 regal room. The price in Grand Serela hotel is affordable for middle class and high class, but they have corporate rates for company staff that usually stay in Grand Serela hotel.

Grand Serela hotel has developed much progress from the beginning until now. For example, the visitors of Grand Serela hotel now are not only the local guests but also the foreign guests from Malaysia, Korea,

Singapore, Saudi Arabia, China and Australia.

E. Method of the Study

The topic of my term paper is based on the analysis of the problem that I have found during my apprenticeship. The problem is that I was not competent to handle complaints from the foreign and local guests at Grand Serela Hotel. I would like to analyze the causes, the effects, and the

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receptionist staff, the needs and complaints from the guests, the

relationship of each department, and the problem that appears in the hotel. I also obtained some theories from library research and electronic sources.

F. Limitation of the Study

In my term paper, the focus of study is how to handle the complaints from the local guests and the foreign guests; specifically from Malaysia. This study is related to my experiences during my apprenticeship from June 22, 2009 to July 22, 2009 in Grand Serela hotel as a receptionist staff.

G. Organization of the Term Paper

This term paper starts with the Abstract, a concise summary of the

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CHAPTER IV

CONCLUSION

From the previous chapters, it is stated that the problem is i was not competent to handle complaints from the foreign and local guest at Grand Serela hotel. There are three causes, three effects and three possible solutions of my problem. First, the cause is I have never had any experience to work in a hotel. Second, the senior front office did not support me to handle the complaints from the guests. Third, I was afraid if I would give a wrong solution because I did not get any training from the hotel. The first effect, my manager will notice that I cannot do my work properly. Second, the guests will not be satisfied and the image of the hotel will be terrible. Third, I feel stressed out for not being able to handle complaints. In order to make myself become more competent in handling complaints, I propose three possible solutions. First, I ask the senior receptionists to be my mentor so I can handle the complaints from the guests properly. Second, I find out some information about how to deal with difficult customers by getting some resources from the books and the Internet. Third, I give suggestion to my manager to hold training for

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In this chapter, I would like to present the best solution to be competent to handle complaints from the foreign and local guests as a new

receptionist at Grand Serela hotel. Based on the analysis of the potential solutions, I decide to choose the combination of two potential solutions. The chosen solutions are finding information about how to deal with the characteristics of difficult customers by getting some resources from the book and Internet and giving suggestion to my manager to hold trainings for apprentice. These solutions can support the staff effectively because the staff can learn useful information so that they can understand about handling the guests from the Internet or books. Moreover, the staff can also learn to practise in the training. Jef Menguin states that “Providing training for employees not only helps them develop their skills and

knowledge, but it is also motivational and a building block to organizational success.” (par. 2). Referring to the quotation, it is obvious that providing training for the employees will make them more productive. Although training will cost lot of money, it can be beneficial for hotel and staff in a long term. Training not only helps the receptionists become more

confident but also improves their language skill to deal with the local and foreign guests. The apprentice can have training for at least 2 weeks before they work. This combination of two solutions is the best solution because by learning and practising, it would be easier for the receptionists to understand their task and to be successful at workplace.

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Maranatha Christian University

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Maranatha Christian University

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