CHAPTER III SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE HOTEL INDUSTRIES

Transcription

1 CHAPTER III SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE HOTEL INDUSTRIES INTRODUCTION In this chapter the researcher analyses the meaning and features of services marketing and the service provided by the hotel industry to their customers. Here the personal details of the hotel owners, their income, and various expenses made by the hotel owners to run the business are analysed. Further this chapter analysed the various food items procured by hotel owners for their business. SERVICES MARKETING Services marketing are a form of marketing which focuses on selling services. Services can be tricky to sell and the marketing approach for them is more different from the approach for products. Some companies offer both products and services and must use a mixture of styles. Some companies sell services only. When people market services, the goal is not to get customers to buy a product, but to get people to do business with a particular company, often at a specific location. Services need to consider the perceived value, price, location and advertising, process, people, and proof. Service marketing is marketing based on relationship and value. 104

2 DEFINITION The American Marketing Association defines services as "activities, benefits, or satisfactions which are offered for sale or /are provided in connection with the sale of goods." Services marketing relates to the marketing of services, as opposed to tangible products. A service (as opposed to a good) is typically defined as follows: The use of it is inseparable from its purchase (i.e., a service is used and consumed simultaneously) It does not possess material form, and thus cannot be touched, seen, heard, tasted, or smelled. The use of a service is inherently subjective, meaning that several persons experiencing a service would experience it uniquely. FEATURES OF SERVICES MARKETING 1. LACK OF OWNERSHIP The buyers cannot get the ownership of the services as like products. Services are used or hired for a period of time. 2. INTANGIBILITY Services cannot be held or touched like products. 3. INSEPARABILITY Services cannot be separated from the service providers. A product when produced can be taken away from the producer. However a service is produced at or near the point of purchase. 105

3 4. PERISHABILITY Services last a specific time and cannot be stored like a product for later use. If travelling by train or air the service will only last the duration of the journey, the service is developed and used almost simultaneously. Again because of this time constraint consumers demand more. 5. HETEROGENEITY It is very difficult to make each service experience identical. In travelling by plane the service quality may differ from the first time travel by that airline to the second, because of the airhostess who is more or less experienced. Generally systems and procedures are put into place to make sure the service provided is consistent all the time. Training in service organizations is essential for this, however in saying this there will always be differences. TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY SERVICES IN THANJAVUR DISTRICT TOURISM IN THANJAVUR DISTRICT Day by day there is an increase of tourists from India and foreign countries to Thanjavur District. Thanjavur is known for agriculture (The rice bowl of Tamilnadu) and the temples which were built by chola-kings. Grand Anaicut, which was built by the king karikal cholan and the big temple by the king Raja Raja chola, palace, Saraswathi mahal library, Sivaganga Park are the tourists places noteworthy to see. Kumbakonam which is known as Temple city because of the presence of 108 temples in this town is the second bigger town in Thanjavur district, also. The city is famous for the Mahamaham festival that is celebrated once in 12 years in 106

4 the Mahamaham tank located in the heart of it. Kumbakonam is flooded with temples of large size. There are as many as sixty temples, in and around Kumbakonam within 40 Kms radius. The famous Airavateswara temple, Swamimalai, Ragu temple are situated in Kumbakonam, which is visited by various people all over the world. Pattukottai is famous for the 8 storeyed tower which was built by king Serfoji in 1814 (Manora) and Udhayamarthandapuram birds sanctuary. HOSPITALITY SERVICES IN THANJAVUR DISTRICT Hospitality is meant for serving others. A life lived only for one-self is not a meaningful life. Nothing but care, concern, cooperation and consideration for others well being, comfort, pleasure and prosperity make the whole world inter-related and lively. There is a kind of satisfaction in catering to the wishes and needs of others, which the people of the hospitality sector can only feel and experience. Our hospitality organization has a large number of solicitous professionals and personnel of various fields of the hospitality sector, ready to help and serve the candidates by fulfilling their recruitment requirements, in India and abroad. In this Thanjavur District lots and lots of tourists are arriving every year. The hotels in Thanjavur also provide various types of services to their customers. Hotels in Thanjavur provide good hospitality to their customers. 107

5 AGE-WISE CLASSIFICATION OF HOTEL OWNERS The age wise classifications of hotel owners are done according to their interest in this field. Most of the people in this business are above 41 years of age because only they are interested to do this type of business. S.No. TABLE 3.1 AGEWISE CLASSIFICATION OF HOTEL OWNERS Age No. of hotel owners Percentage 1. Below Above Total Table 3.1 reveals details about the age of the hotel owners. 76% of the hotel owners lie above 41 years, 20% of the hotel owners lie between years and only 4% of the hotel owners age are below 20 years. Thus, 76% of the hotel owners belonged to the age group above 41 years. In this district only experienced people start hotel business and below 20 years of age are not willing to take risk. 108

6 GENDERWISE CLASSIFICATION OF HOTEL OWNERS Gender is the division of people into two categories, men and women. In Thanjavur District most of the hotel owners are male and only few hotel owners are female. TABLE 3.2 GENDERWISE CLASSIFICATION OF HOTEL OWNERS S.No. Gender No. of hotel owners Percentage 1. Male Female 1 4 Total Table 3.2 shows the gender wise classification of the hotel owners. 96% of the hotel owners are male as it was possible for them to start hotel easily, but female owners are only 4% because women entrepreneurs face so many problems in our country. Thus, 96% of the hotel owners were male. Only one female person is running the hotel business. In our country women entrepreneurs face so many problems to start business like finance problem, lack of family support, mobility of women etc. 109

7 NUMBER OF BRANCHES Branches are administrative divisions of some larger or more complex organization. In Thanjavur district some of the hotels have branches and most of the hotels have no branches. TABLE 3.3 NUMBER OF BRANCHES Sl.No. Branches No. of hotels Percentage 1. Having Branches Not having branches Total Table 3.3 reveals the details about the number of branches the hotels have. 32% of the hotels have branches and 68% of the hotels have no branches. Due to financial difficulties and other factors like lack of staff and low managerial ability majority of the hotels have no branches. Thus, 68% of the hotels have no branches in Thanjavur district. In this study only 8 hotels have branches. 110

8 LEVEL OF INCOME OF THE HOTEL OWNERS Income has significant impact on choice of hotel owners. Based on the level of income the owners are surviving in this business. Most of the hotel owners earn ` 1 lakh to ` 5 lakhs every month. TABLE 3.4 LEVEL OF INCOME OF THE HOTEL OWNERS (PER MONTH) Sl.No. Monthly Income No. of hotels Percentage 1. Below ` one Lakh ` 1- ` 2 Lakhs ` 2- ` 3 Lakhs ` 4- ` 5 Lakhs ` 5 Lakhs and above 2 8 Total Table 3.4 provides information about the monthly income of the hotel owners. 28% of the owners monthly income ranges between ` 4, 00,000 to ` 5, 00,000, 24% of the owners income ranges between `1, 00,000 to `2, , 24% of the owners monthly income ranges below ` 1, 00,000 and 8% of the hotel owners monthly income ranges above ` 5,00,000. The researcher has taken all type of hotels like small to large and star category to ordinary hotel without boarding facilities also. 111

9 Thus, 28% of the hotel owners earn ` 4, 00,000 and above. These majority hotels are mainly star hotels. So, they earn high income. ADVANCE AMOUNT FOR LETTING THE ROOMS Tourists preference to different types of accommodation may change according to their purpose, income and duration. The hotels charge advance amount for letting rooms. It may be one day or two days room rent. TABLE 3.5 ADVANCE AMOUNT FOR LETTING THE ROOMS Sl.No. Advance amount (Days) No. of hotels Percentage 1. 1 day days 5 20 Total Table 3.5 gives details about the advance amount for letting the rooms. 80% of the hotels collect 1 day room rent as advance amount and 20% of the hotels collect 2days room rent as advance amount. Thus, due to the tariff rate, range of facilities provided by the hotels the advance amount was charged. 112

10 ELECTRICITY EXPENSES PAID Electricity expenses are one of the important factors for running hotels. Without electricity power the hotels do not earn profit, at the same time without power it will not attract the customers. Based upon the size of hotels the hotel owners pay the electricity charges. TABLE 3.6 ELECTRICITY EXPENSES PAID (PER MONTH) Sl.No Amount (`) Below ` 1, ` 1,00,001 to ` 2,00,000 No. of hotels Percentage ` 2, 00,001 to ` 3,00, ` 3,00,001 to ` 4,00, Total Table 3.6 highlights details about the electricity expenses paid by the hotel owners per month. 80% of the hotel owners pay below `1, 00,000 as electricity expenses, 12% of the owners pay ` 1lakh to ` 2lakhs, 4% of the owners pay ` 2lakhs to ` 3lakhs and 4% of the owners pay ` 3 lakhs to ` 4lakhs as electricity expenses. 113

11 Thus, 80% of the hotel owners pay below ` 1, 00,000 as electricity expenses per month, because the researcher have studied all type of hotels and majority of the hotels are small and medium size hotels. MAINTENANCE EXPENSES Maintenance expenses are also one of the important factors to run the hotels. Depending upon the size and number of rooms the maintenance expenses vary. TABLE 3.7 MAINTENANCE EXPENSES PAID (PER MONTH) Sl.No. Amount (`) No. of hotels Percentage 1. Below ` 1, `1,00,000 to ` 2,00, ` 2,00,000 to ` 3,00, Total Table 3.7 shows the maintenance expenses paid by the hotel owners per month. 92% of the hotel owners pay below `1, 00,000 as maintenance expenses, 4% of the owners pay ` 1lakh to ` 2lakhs and 4% of the owners pay ` 2lakhs to ` 3lakhs as maintenance expenses. 114

12 Thus, 92% of the hotel owners paid below `1,00,000 as maintenance expenses per month, because the researcher has studied all type of hotels and majority of the hotels are small and medium size hotels and they have only limited number of rooms. So they pay minimum amount of maintenance expenses. PROCUREMENT OF MILK For running both boarding and lodging hotels the procurement of milk is essential. It is helpful for the hotel owners to run their business profitably. The hotel owners collect their milk from Co-operative society and private sources. TABLE 3.8 PROCUREMENT OF MILK Sl.No. Source No. of hotels Percentage 1. Co-Operative society Private Total Table 3.8 details the procurement of milk. The researcher has taken 25 hotels in Thanjavur district and out of that only 18 hotels provide both boarding and lodging facilities and 7 hotels provide only lodging services. In that 94% of the hotels procure milk from private source and 6% of the hotels procure milk from Co- Operative society. 115

13 Thus, 94% of the hotels procure milk from private source through various companies pocket milk for their business because packet milk is suitable for hotel business. Only one hotel procures milk from Co-Operative society. PROCUREMENT OF GROCERY ITEMS In boarding and lodging hotels procurement of grocery items is an important duty. It is helpful for the owners to serve tasty food to their customers. The hotel owners purchase the grocery items from wholesalers and retailers. TABLE 3.9 PROCUREMENT OF GROCERY ITEMS Sl.No. Source No. of hotels Percentage 1. Wholesaler Retailer 2 11 Total Table 3.9 infers the details regarding the procurement of grocery items. 89% of the hotel owners procure from wholesalers. It is because of the commercial purposes they purchase in bulk. 11% of the hotel owners procure from retailers. 116

14 Thus, 89% of the hotel owners procure grocery items from wholesalers, because hotels purchase large amount of grocery items. If they purchase from wholesalers they get discount benefit and also purchase at cheapest price. FREQUENCY OF PURCHASE OF GROCERY ITEMS Most of the hotels purchase the grocery items daily, because they purchase the grocery items in large quantity. The star hotels and large size hotels purchase large quantities daily and medium and small size hotels purchase the grocery items monthly and fortnightly. TABLE 3.10 FREQUENCY OF PURCHASE OF GROCERY ITEMS Sl.No. Particulars No. of hotels Percentage 1. Monthly Fortnightly Weekly Daily Total Table 3.10 portrays the details about frequency of purchase of grocery items.55% of the hotel owners procure grocery items daily. Based upon the number 117

15 of customers staying in the hotel and number of orders from outsiders they purchase the grocery items daily. 22% of the hotel owners purchase weekly, 6% of the hotel owners purchase fortnightly and 17% of the hotel owners purchase monthly. Thus 55% of the hotel owners purchase grocery items daily. As monthly or fortnightly purchase cost them a large amount, they prefer to purchase on a daily basis, which reduces the money spent to a considerable extent. INSURANCE OF HOTELS For each and every business risk is uncertain. To safeguard the business from risk insurance is one of the suitable measures. In Thanjavur District most of the hotels have insured their business and only few hotels have not insured their business. TABLE 3.11 INSURANCE OF HOTELS S.No. Particulars No. of hotels Percentage 1. Insured Not Insured 5 20 Total

16 Table 3.11 provides information about insurance of the hotels. 80% of the hotels are insured and 20% of the hotels are not insured. Thus, 80% of the hotels have insured their business, because they know the purpose of insurance. Out of this 90% of the hotels owners have insured their business in Government insurance companies. INSURANCE AGENCY Once the hotel owners have decided to insure their business, the next step is to find out whether to insure in government agency or private agency. Almost, majority of the hotel owners want to insure the hotel in government agency, because they feel it to be the safest. TABLE 3.12 INSURANCE AGENCY S.No. Particulars No. of hotels Percentage 1. Government Private 2 10 Total

17 Table 3.12 shows the details regarding insurance agency. 90% of the hotel owners have insured their business in government agencies and 10% of the owners have insured their business in private agencies. Thus, 90% of the owners have insured their business in government agencies, because they have known the security of government agencies. CONCLUSION: In this chapter the researcher provides information about the personal profile of the hotel owners and the services provided by the hotel owners. It also details the hospitality services provided by the hotel owners to their guests. 76% of the hotel owners belonged to the age group above 41 years and 96% of the hotel owners are male. 32% of the hotels have branches. Star hotels earn more income and other hotels incomes are slightly reduced compared to star hotels. 94% of the hotels procure milk from private source through various companies packet milk for their business. 89% of the hotel owners procure grocery items from wholesalers and they procure daily. 90% of the hotel owners have insured their business in Government agencies. 120