HOSP 2000 Foundations of Customer Service and Hospitality

This course provides the student with the basic concepts and current trends in the customer service industry. This course examines critical elements of excellent customer service in the hospitality and service industries. Areas of focus include problem-solving, development of a customer service strategy, creating customer service systems, coping with challenging customers, customer retention, and measuring satisfaction. The student will develop communication skills relating to customer service, self-presentation, and interpersonal interactions for many public-facing operations. Prerequisite: recommended completion of HOSP 1500 for a student interested in completing a Hospitality and/or Culinary certificate or AAS. (3 lect.)

Credits

3 credits

Major Topics

• Concepts, terminology, and skills related to customer service and guest interactions

• Industry standards, best practices, and expectations of service in hospitality

• Challenges of providing quality customer service

• Verbal and non-verbal communication skills

• Employee motivation, empowerment, and accountability

• Strategies for problem-solving and handling challenging situations

• Leadership and management in customer service roles

• Characteristics and culture of high-quality customer service

• Cultivation and measurement of customer satisfaction and retention

• Technology’s impact and use in customer service

Outcomes

In order to successfully complete this course, the student will:

1. Define key concepts, terms, and skills inherent to customer service and guest interactions.

2. Explain industry standards and guest expectations relevant to service in hospitality operations.

3. Identify the challenges involved in providing consistent, high-quality customer service.

4. Analyze the impact of employee motivation, empowerment, and accountability on customer service goals.

5. Apply problem-solving strategies to handle challenging customer situations effectively.

6. Demonstrate effective communication skills in various customer service scenarios.

7. Evaluate the role of leadership and management in fostering a customer-centric service culture.

8. Examine the characteristics and culture of organizations that deliver exceptional customer service.

9. Develop methods for cultivating and measuring customer satisfaction and retention.

10. Discuss the impact and effective use of technology and software systems in enhancing customer service experiences.

11. Design a customer service strategy tailored to a specific hospitality setting.