TITLE PAGE

Organisational Study

A Organisational study report submitted in partial fulfillment of requirement for the award of degree of

Master of Business Administration of Kerala University

Submitted by

Name: SreelakshmiRoll No: MTM1005030

Under the guidance of

Faculty guide Project Guide Dileepa S. Hari Chithra N. R Senior HR Manager

Institute of Management in KeralaSenate Campus, University of Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram– 695034Kerala State

DECLARATION

I declare that the project report entitled “Organisational Study”

submitted by me for the award of the degree of Master of Business

Administration of the University of Kerala is my own work. The report has

not been submitted for the award of any other degree of this University or any

other University.

Place: Name and signature of the candidate:

Date Roll No: MTM1005030

AKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to thank all those who encouraged me in the construction of my project report.

First of all I thank Almighty God for all his blessings and for giving me strength, wisdom and presence of mind in successfully completing this project.

I would also like to thank Prof. Chandrasekhar, Director of Institute of Management in Kerala, Palayam, for giving an opportunity to experience a working environment in a hotel. I’m grateful to my faculty guide Mrs. Dileepa S. Hari for her support in my project.

I would like to express my deep gratitude to Mr. Prasad Manjali, Vice President, Uday Samudra Leisure Beach Hotel, who granted me permission to do the organizational study there.

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Ms. Chithra .N.R, Senior Human Resource Manager for the guidance that she rendered to me in my study and for also supplying all the information I sought. I’m also grateful to Mr. Satheesh Kumar .S.S, Assistant Human Resource Manager, and Mr.Sony, HR Executive, who were both a great help in supplying information regarding the hotel departments and its staff.

I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Operational Manager, Mr.Naveen Mohan, for supplying the most useful of information.

I express my sincere gratitude, also, to Mrs. Sherly, Guest Relations Manager for familiarizing me with the front office operations. Mr. Deljit, Front Office Assistant Manager helped me throughout the time I was at the front office and gave me a very fair knowledge about the property. I’m indebted to the Guest Relations Executives, Ms.Deeshma and Ms.Shijina for being helpful to the greatest extent possible. My deep thanks goes also to Mr. Harris for supplying very useful information from time to time.

I am also thankful to Food & Beverages Manager, Mr. Vivek for giving me timely advice and the best support. I express my gratitude to Restaurant Manager, Mr. Renju, for supplying me useful information on F&B department .

SREELAKSHMI

LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS

SL NO. TABLE/ CHART HEADING PAGE NO.

1 Rates valid from 01st April 2011 to 30th September 2011

29

2 Rates valid from 01st October 2011 to 19th December 2011 and from 16th January 2012 to 31st March 2012

29

3 Rates valid from 20th December 2011 to 15th January 2012

30

4 Uday Samudra Organizational Chart 37

5 Front Office Organizational Chart 38

6 Front Office Process Flow Chart 39

7 Housekeeping Organization Chart 47

8 Housekeeping Process Flow Chart 48

9 Kitchen Organization chart 53

10 Stores and Purchases Organization chart 60

11 Stores and Purchases Process Flow Chart 60

CONTENTS

CHAPTER NO. CHAPTER NAME PAGE NO.

1 INTRODUCTION 1

2 INDUSTRY PROFILE 5

3 COMPANY PROFILE 21

4 ORGANISATION STRUCTURE 36

5 ANALYSIS – OBJECTIVE WISE 66

6 SWOT ANALYSIS 69

7 FINDINGS, SUGGESTIONS AND CONCLUSION

74

BIBLIOGRAPHY 79

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

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The organizational study is intended to familiarize one with the hotel

industry and to obtain knowledge about the functioning of a hotel. The major

objective of the study is to understand the operations in the different

departments within a hotel. The organizational study is also being undertaken

to attain knowledge about the various services offered by UDAY SAMUDRA

LEISURE BEACH HOTEL, Kovalam.

Uday Samudra, a four-star hotel is located at Kovalam (off

Trivandrum, Kerala, India) just 700 meters away from Vellar Junction. The

resort is located by the side of Samudra beach, which is a part of renowned

Kovalam beach. The beach is just 50 yards away from the hotel. The Uday

Samudra Beach Hotel has well-appointed luxuriously designed rooms. The

rooms are all equipped with modern comforts. All the 207 rooms have a

balcony outside that faces the swimming pool and the beach beyond. 

The Uday Samudra Beach Hotel has an Ayurvedic Health Center. Built in the

traditional style of a Kerala courtyard, the Ayurvedic Center at the Uday

Samudra Beach Hotel is a favorite of foreign tourists. The hotel also has 3

swimming pools, a beauty parlour, spa, restaurants, caffee shop, ice cream

station, bar, 3 conference halls and a lot more. The hotel offers its guests

elephant safaris on its beach, candle lit dinners beside the roaring waves and

Kerala style mock weddings. For those interested in Kerala backwaters tours,

the hotel is there to make arrangements. 

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Objective of the study

i. Familiarization the environment of hospitality industry

ii. Study organizational structure of Uday Samudra Leisure Beach

Hotel

iii. To understand the organizational hierarchy of Uday Samudra Leisure

Beach Hotel

iv. To learn the promotional activities of hotel industry

v. To identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats faced

by the organization.

Methodology

The methodology of the study includes detailed observation and

making notes, interviews with concerned personnel, workers and managers.

Data collected from Uday Samudra official website, various books, published

and unpublished documents and research reports.

Scope of the study

Study provides the knowledge about the industry, its relevance towards

the economy, various policies, procedures, products and services.

Study helps to get ideas about various functional areas of the

organization

Study helps to get knowledge about the hospitality sector and the boom

in the hotel industry.

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Limitation

The study is being conducted in all the departments of a hotel for a

period of one month only.

No permission to interact with the guests directly. Therefore, their

personal feedback cannot be attained first hand.

Since this is not training, any actual work is not being done personally

therefore the experience in working cannot be attained.

Chapterization

The whole report is divided into seven chapters covering an

introduction part include objectives of the study, methodology, scope of the

study, limitations and company profile, organization structure, analysis of the

study, SWOT analysis, Findings, Conclusions, Suggestions following

bibliography.

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CHAPTER 2

INDUSTRY PROFILE

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A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term

basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of

a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been

replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms and air

conditioning or climate control. Additional common features found in hotel

rooms are a telephone, an alarm clock, a television, a safe, a mini-bar with

snack foods and drinks, and facilities for making tea and coffee. Luxury

features include bathrobes and slippers, a pillow menu, twin-sink vanities, and

Jacuzzi bathtubs. Larger hotels may provide additional guest facilities such as a

restaurant, swimming pool, fitness center, business center, childcare,

conference facilities and social function services. Hotel rooms are

usually numbered (or named in some smaller hotels and B&Bs- Bed and

Breakfasts) to allow guests to identify their room. Some hotels offer meals as

part of a room and board arrangement. In the United Kingdom, a hotel is

required by law to serve food and drinks to all guests within certain stated

hours. In Japan, capsule hotels provide a minimized amount of room space and

shared facilities.

History of hotel industry

A summary of key events in the history of the industry would include

the following:

While the practice of renting space to travelers stretches back to

antiquity, what could be considered the modern concept of a hotel derives from

1794, when the City Hotel opened in New York City.  While the practice of

renting space was not new, the City Hotel was purported to be the first building

devoted exclusively to hotel operations.  For its time, the building was quite

large and possessed 73 rooms.  Similar operations soon appeared in such

nearby cities as Baltimore, Boston and Philadelphia. Interestingly, New York

City’s first skyscraper was a hotel - the six story- ADelphi Hotel.            

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Hotels took a distinct step up in style and class when the Tremont House

opened in Boston in 1829.  This hotel was considered by many to be the

beginning of what was regarded as first class service.  With 170 rooms, the

Tremont House was a large facility.  In addition, the hotel offered features

which, for the time, were amazing.  Private single and double rooms were

available, which offered not only privacy, but also security.  In addition to

water pitchers and a washing bowl, free soap was provided in each room.  The

Tremont House offered French cuisine and, reportedly, was the first hotel to

have a Bellboy.                

In the 1920’s, hotel building entered a boom phase and many famous

hotels were opened, including the Waldorf Astoria, New York’s Hotel

Pennsylvania, and the Chicago Hilton and Towers, which was originally named

the Stevens.               

Motels began to replace roadside cabins as use of the automobile spread

throughout society. Offering clean rooms with adjacent parking, motels

enjoyed great popularity with the traveling public.         

In the 1950’s and 1960’s, the practice of franchising appeared within the

industry.  Franchising enabled entrepreneurs to expand their operations without

the use of substantial capital.               

For much of their history, hotels were owned and operated by

individuals.  However, as franchises and chains began to appear, individually

owned hotels found themselves increasingly at a competitive disadvantage.  By

the 1960’s, independent prospects began to improve as the result referral

organizations such as Quality Courts, Best Western, Master Host and Best

Eastern.               

From the 1980’s forward, mergers and acquisitions became common

within the industry, and brands become hotly traded commodities.

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Hospitality and Tourism

In recent years, the term hospitality has become increasingly popular

and may be interpreted in a number of ways whether it is commercial or

industrial and public services.

There are several components in the tourism industry, for example, food

and beverages, lodging, place of attractions, and transportation. All there

components are related to the hospitality. Each of the components has the

connection to each other. So, in order to make sure that the customer will feel

satisfied using the tourism services we have to ensure that the customer felt

satisfied using each of the components. We need hospitality applied in the food

and beverages, so as customer will fell well treated during their lunch, dinner

or others. We also need hospitality applied in the transportation provider so as

customer or passenger will feel comfortable during their journey. Other tourism

components also need the hospitality. Thus, it show us how hospitality very

important to the tourism industry.

What we provide in the tourism industry is the intangible product.

Customers will never feel or experiencing the product offered unless they have

bought it. So, when they buy the services offered we must provide them with

the best services so as they will feel comfortable using our services. All the

services provided such as, guest greeting, and provide the clean and tidy room,

showing the facilities provided an others are types of hospitality. For example

when the guest checking in the hotel, we cannot simply just give them the room

key and let the guest looking for their room without any assistance. This is not

called as hospitality. Hospitality is more than that; we have to be friendly,

courteous, helpful, and so forth.

Finally, the importance of hospitality is to encourage the repetition guest or

customer. In the tourism industry, people are not just looking at the facilities or

price offered but also looking at the services provided. If they felt satisfied with

their previous experience using the service they might come again besides

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promote the services to others. This situation will generate the revenue for the

company. Company did not need to work hard to promote their services. They

just have to concern with the services provided to customer and must fulfill the

customers’ expectation. This is more valuable rather than we just provide the

best facilities but with the worst services. Tourism related company must

emphasize on hospitality in order to success.

Trends

In the 1980's there was extensive merger and acquisition activity

between hotel and non-hotel companies. Many companies are now selling

specific brands in an effort to get back to their core business.

Another trend in the hotel and beverage industry is paperless inventory

systems. Improvements in scanning equipment have made this possible. In

many instances, ordering, delivery, payment and stocking are all initiated and

accomplished by software prompted by information captured by scanning

equipment with very little human involvement.

Some chains have sold ownership in their hotels to foreign investors

while still maintaining control.  This provided the capital that was needed for

further expansion.

REIT’s (Real Estate Investment Trusts) have been created to allow

smaller investors to participate in mortgages and equities.

Product segmentation has become more popular.  Luxury and first class

hotels have created more amenities and products for their customers while

economy and budget motels have cut back services in order to maintain lower

prices.  Also specialized extended stay and suite hotels have become more

popular.   Hotels with indoor water parks are one of the newest trends. 

Timeshares is another segment that many hotel companies are involved with

recently. The development, sale, and management of timeshares have become

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particularly popular with the large chains. Franchising continues to flourish in

the hotel industry.

Audit issues cover a variety of areas, as would be expected.  In addition

to matters such as cost segregation, which impact numerous industries, hotel

companies have undertaken such activities as donating used bedding as they

upgrade their equipment, using trusts to defer income, delaying recognition of

last day of the year receipts, franchising, condo conversion, and so forth.

Several years ago, customers generally called a toll-free number to make

room reservations.  In 2006, about 50% of hotel rooms were booked through

the internet. 

The number of domestic hotel rooms reserved for smokers is declining

as major hotel chains are beginning to decrease their total number of smoking

rooms or becoming non-smoking facilities altogether.  

Other recent trends in the industry include luxury mattresses,

complimentary breakfast, high definition TV, high speed internet access, Wi-Fi

(wireless internet access), and room suites.

A recent 2006 trend is hotels re-imaging their lobbies to destination

places.  For example part of the lobby may be used for a breakfast area in the

morning and a bar at night.  This may include sliding walls, decorative lighting,

and music.   One reason for this is to generate more income per square foot. 

A July 2005 article from Knight Ridder Newspapers highlights what the

major chains are upgrading in the sleep department.  The article provided the

following information:

Marriott International has been replacing mattresses at its Marriott and

Renaissance hotels for several years and is adding new bedding at its

2,400 hotels, including higher thread count sheets, down comforters and

duvet covers at a cost of $190 million.

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Hilton Hotels is introducing new bedding across its brand, including

Hilton, Doubletree and Embassy Suites.  There will be higher thread

count sheets, plush top mattresses, extra pillows and user friendly

clocks.

Crown Plaza replaced some 50,000 beds and bedding in 2004, hired a

sleep doctor for advice on relaxation, and tossed in a sleep kit for

guests. 

Radisson in 2004 began moving in custom-designed Sleep Number beds

at 230 of its hotels and resorts, with most of its 90,000 beds to be

replaced by 2006.  New bedding is also included in the makeover.

Hyatt recently rolled out its Grand Bed, a 13 ½ inch pillow-top mattress,

and added more luxurious linens and decorative pillows.

Starwood Hotels announced the debut of a new bed at its moderately

priced brand, Four Points by Sheraton.   The Four Comfort Bed, a $13

million investment, joins the Heavenly Bed and Sheraton Hotel’s Sweet

Sleeper Bed in Starwood’s lineup.

Red Roof Inns will offer pillow top mattress pads, 230 thread count

sheets and hypoallergenic pillows at select hotels.

Some Best Western hotels will add new mattresses, comforters, feather

pillows and triple sheeting.

Hotel Industry in India

Over the last decade and half the mad rush to India for business opportunities

has intensified and elevated room rates and occupancy levels in India. The

successful growth story of 'Hotel Industry in India' seconds only to China in

Asia Pacific. The Hotel Industry is inextricably linked to the tourism industry

and the growth in the Indian tourism industry has fueled the growth of Indian

hotel industry. The thriving economy and increased business opportunities in

India have acted as a boon for Indian hotel industry. The arrival of low cost

airlines and the associated price wars have given domestic tourists a host of

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options. The 'Incredible India' destination campaign and the recently launched

'Atithi Devo Bhavah' (ADB) campaign have also helped in the growth of

domestic and international tourism and consequently the hotel industry.

The hotel industry in India is going through an interesting phase. The

industry has a capacity of 110,000 rooms. According to the tourism ministry,

4.4 million tourists visited India last year and at the current rate, the demand

will soar to 10 million by 2010 – to accommodate 350 million domestic

travelers. The hotels of India have a shortage of 150,000 rooms fueling hotel

room rates across India. With tremendous pull of opportunity, India has

become a destination for hotel chains looking for growth. Due to such a huge

potential available in this segment, several global hotel chains like the Hilton,

Accor, Marriott International, Berggruen Hotels, Cabana Hotels, Premier

Travel Inn (PTI), InterContinental Hotels group and Hampshire among others

have all announced major investment plans for the country. The Government's

move to declare hotel and tourism industry as a high priority sector with a

provision for 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) has also provided a

further impetus in attracting investments in to this industry. It is estimated that

the hospitality sector is likely to see US$ 11.41 billion rise in the next two

years, with around 40 international hotel brands making their presence known

in the country by 2011. Simultaneously, international hotel asset management

companies are also likely to enter India. Already, US-based HVS International

has firmed up plans to enter India, and industry players believe others like

Ashford Hospitality Trust and IFA Hotels & Resorts among others are likely to

follow suit.

One of the major reasons for the increase in demand for hotel rooms in

the country is the boom in the overall economy and high growth in sectors like

information technology, telecom, retail and real estate. Rising stock market and

new business opportunities are also attracting hordes of foreign investors and

international corporate travelers to look for business opportunities in the

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country. Also India has been ranked as the fourth most preferred travel

destination and with Lonely Planet selecting the country among the top five

destinations from 167 countries; India has finally made its mark on the world

travel map. Thus, the increase in the need for accommodation has hugely

increased the demands for hotels which in turn has boosted the growth of the

hospitality sector in India especially that of the hotel industry.

Classification of Hotels

Classification is based on many criteria. The hotel industry is so vast that many

hotels do not fit into single well defined category. Industry can be classified in

various ways, based on location, size of property etc. The main hotel chains of

India are: The Taj Group of Hotels, the Oberoi Group and ITC Welcome

group.

Some of the international chains are Hyatt, Marriott, and Le Meridien etc.

These properties have also come up in India now.

1. Based on location

City center: Generally located in the heart of city within a short distance

from business center, shopping arcade. Rates are normally high due to

their location advantages. They have high traffic on weekdays and the

occupancy is generally high.

Example: Taj Mahal, Mumbai

Motels: They are located primarily on highways, they provide lodging

to highway travelers and also provide ample parking space. The length

of stay is usually overnight.

Suburban hotels: They are located in suburban areas, it generally have

high traffic on weekend. It is ideal for budget travelers. In this type of

hotel rates are moderately low.

Airport hotels: These hotels are set up near by the airport. They have

transit guest who stay over between flights.

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Resort hotels: They are also termed as health resort or beach hill resort and

so depending on their position and location. They cater a person who wants

to relax, enjoy themselves at hill station. Most resort work to full capacity

during peak season. Sales and revenue fluctuate from season to season.

Floating hotels: As name implies these hotels are established on luxury

liners or ship. It is located on river, sea or big lakes. In cruise ships,

rooms are generally small and all furniture is fixed down. It has long

stay guest.

Boatels: A house boat hotels is referred as boatels. The shikaras of

Kashmir and kettuvallam of kerala are houseboats in India which

offers luxurious accommodation to travelers.

Rotels: These novel variants are hotel on wheel. Our very own "palace

on wheels" and "Deccan Odessey" are trains providing a luxurious hotel

atmosphere. Their interior is done like hotel room. They are normally

used by small group of travelers.

2. Based on Size of Property

The main yardstick for the categorization of hotel is by size the number of

rooms available in the hotel.

Small hotel: hotel with 100 rooms and less may be termed as small

hotels.

Medium sized hotel: hotel which has 100-300 rooms is known as

medium sized hotel.

Large hotels: hotel which have more than 300 rooms are termed as

large hotels.

Mega hotels: are those hotels with more than 1000 rooms.

Chain hotels: these are the groups that have hotels in many numbers of

locations in India and international venues.

3. Based on the Level of Service

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Hotels may be classified into economy, and luxury hotels on the basis of the

level of service they offer.

Economy/ Budget hotels: These hotels meet the basic need of the guest

by providing comfortable and clean room for a comfortable stay.

Mid-market hotels: It is suite hotel that offers small living room with

appropriate furniture and small bed room with king sized bed.

Luxury hotels: These offer world class service providing restaurant and

lounges, concierge service, meeting rooms, dining facilities. Bath linen

is provided to the guest and is replaced accordingly. These guest rooms

contains furnishing, artwork etc. prime market for these hotels are

celebrities, business executives and high ranking political figures.

Example: Hyatt Regency, New Delhi.

4.  Based on the Length of Stay

Hotel can be classified into transient, residential and semi residential hotels

depending on the stay of a guest.

Transient Hotel: These are the hotel where guest stays for a day or

even less, they are usually five star hotels. The occupancy rate is usually

very high. These hotels are situated near airport.

Residential hotels: These are the hotel where guest can stay for a

minimum period of one month and up to a year. The rent can be paid on

monthly or quarterly basis. They provide sitting room, bed room and

kitchenette.

Semi residential hotels: These hotels incorporate features of both

transient and residential hotels.

5. Based on Theme

Depending on theme hotel may be classified into Heritage hotels, Ecotels,

Boutique hotels and Spas.

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Heritage hotel: In this hotel a guest is graciously welcomed, offered

room that have their own history, serve traditional cuisine and are

entertained by folk artist. These hotels put their best efforts to give the

glimpse of their region. Example: Jai Mahal palace in Jaipur.

Ecotels: these are environment friendly hotels these hotel use

ecofriendly items in the room. Example: Orchid Mumbai is Asia first

and most popular five star ecotel.

Boutique hotels: This hotel provides exceptional accommodation,

furniture in a themed and stylish manner and caters to corporate

travelers. Example: In India the park Bangalore is a boutique hotel.

Spas: is a resort which provide therapeutic bath and massage along with

other features of luxury hotels in India Ananda spa in Himalaya are the

most popular Spa.

6. Based on Target Market

Commercial hotel: They are situated in the heart of the city in busy

commercial areas so as to get good and high business. They cater mostly

businessmen.

Convention hotels: These hotels have large convention complex and

cater to people attending a convention, conference.

Example: Le Meridien, Cochin, is a hotel with largest convention

center in south India.

Resort hotels: These leisure hotels are mainly for vacationers who want

to relax and enjoy with their family. The occupancy varies as per season.

The atmosphere is more relaxed. These are spread out in vast areas so

many resorts have solar powered carts for the transport of guest.

Suite hotels: These hotel offer rooms that may include compact

kitchenette. They cater to people who are relocating act as like lawyers,

executives who are away from home for a long business stay.

Casino hotels: Hotel with predominantly gambling facilities comes

under this category, they have guest room and food and operation too.

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These hotels tend to cater leisure and vacation travelers. Gambling

activities at some casino hotels operate 24 hours a day and 365 days a

year.

Earnings for Hospitality Hotel Industry

Hotel Industry gets Revenue through

Providing rooms

Providing Banquet Halls

Restaraunts

It gets additional revenue for

Telephone call services

Laundry services

Travel services

Internet services

Spa, Ayurvedic and beauty treatments

Department of Hotels that are available for guest 24 X 7:-

Hotel industry kitchen/ food production department

Hotel industry Engineering department

Hotel industry Front desk department

Hotel industry Housekeeping department

Hotel industry Food & Beverage Service department

Hotel industry Gym/ Health Club/ Sports department

Hotel industry Parking/ Shops department

Hotel industry Parking/ Shops department

Hotel Industry Kitchen/ Food Production: Kitchen & food production is a

department of hotel that is responsible for food. Even hotels having Coffee

Shop provides 24 hour services to the guest.

Hotel Industry Engineering: - If any problems come up in rooms like bulb

fuse, A/C not functioning, then the Hotel Engineers are contacted. They are

also available 24 hours.

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Hotel Industry Front desk: - Front desk gives the first impression on guests,

if a guest likes this section, only then he will go for other options like

restaurant, laundry, etc. Front desk consists of young and energetic staff who

are always (24 x 7) there to help guests. They are also responsible for Business

Centre, Internet Access. This department is also responsible for making C-

Form for Foreigner Clients, providing safety lockers to the guest, taking

reservation by telephone, E-Mails, and Fax from the guests. Also providing

guests Foreign Exchange Services.

Hotel Industry Housekeeping: - Housekeeping are available 24 X 7 for guest,

making their bedroom, bathroom, etc. Providing guest Laundry services, also

do day to day room cleaning for guests.

Hotel Industry Food & Beverage Service: - They include providing guest the

services whether in rooms, Restaurants or Banquets, or in Conference rooms.

Hotel Industry Travel Desk: - They are responsible for arranging day to day

travels for the guest. They also book tickets for the guests, and also provide

them information for sightseeing.

Gym/ Health Club/ Sports:- Medium and large hotels provide Gyms,

Swimming Pool, Health Club, Beauty Parlour, Saloon, games like Billiards,

Pool, etc. and other such facilities to their guests. Most of the Hotels provide

these facilities complimentary with the rooms.

Parking/ Shops: - Few Star hotels provide big parking space, shops in the

restaurant itself for the guests’ convenience.

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CHAPTER 3

COMPANY PROFILE

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Uday Samudra Leisure Beach Hotel (UDS) is an upscale and luxurious 4 Star hotel brand which appeals to distinguished and discerning travelers. The UDS's philosophy of combining the best elements of the incomparable lifestyle with the convenience of today's modern world, through exceptional standards of luxury, elegance and service, together with ISO 9001 - 2000 standards and impressive management tools, is set to create a powerful presence in the hospitality sector.

The setting, facilities, people, spa, cuisine and its whole philosophy is dedicated to the guests’ wellness in a luxurious environment. Just by being at UDS, one’s stresses start to flutter away; the landscaping has its own serenity, a harmony of a defined architecture spacious lawns, blue water pools and soaring coconut grooves all set in four tranquil acres by the sea.

HISTORY

In 1997, in the month of March land was purchased and on 14th April 1998, the foundation stone laid by Smt. Ruguminiamma for the construction of Uday Samudra. On 23rd December 1999, 33 rooms were inaugurated by Managing Director Mr. Rajasekharan Nair’s Godfather, Neerbhai Singh and the auspicious ceremony of lighting the traditional lamp was carried out with madam. Salary and food were distributed by Late. Shreedharan Nair (M.D’s father). Mr. Ravi (the contractor) and Mr. Purushothaman also attended the function. Ever since the number of rooms and facilities has been growing.

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QUALITY POLICY

“Through quality service and value, our goal, as a company, is to have customer service which is not just the best but legendary.”

“We value our rolls as a part of the organization to deliver the service that the guest wants, when he wants it and how he wants it.”

“Our asset is our guest.”

BUSINESS MISSION

UDS will continue to woe the domestic market with better pricing policy and will sure put efforts in the international market through better value for money hotel concept.

It will bring the profit to 15% more comparatively previous year, by way of cutting down on unnecessary cost.

VISION

UDS will become the largest hotel in its category and will concentrate on MICE during the off season initially targeting Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai market and later it will move to Mumbai and Delhi markets too. It will woe international market during the season and market extra sales and increase profit margin to 25% more this year.

UDS to become the most wanted hotel by the international visitors and by the domestic visitors for the service to the guests and for the value for money.

UDS will come out with two more hotels shortly to establish itself in the package marketing and will bring down the cost of marketing and sales and will increase the revenue in quantum jump. It will also adopt unique packaging methods, image of UDS will establish further.

UDS will become the second largest hotel in Kerala and thus will also slowly diversify in the education sector based on the hospitality. A new brand image will be created.

FUTURE PLANS

Uday Samudra Wagamon Uday Samudra Alleppey Hotel and Convention Hall, Kowdiar RRK Hospitality (UK) Ltd. Uday Sky Kitchens Uday Suites

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OBJECTIVES

To complete Wagamon, the new unit of RR Holiday Homes Pvt. Ltd. To establish a back water resort, a convention hall, FCU in Trivandrum. Annual sales targets to be 15 crore. To become the largest hotels in rooms by the year. The only hotels with facilities, value for money. To concentrate on quality as an important factor. To give a facelift to the Food and Beverages Department by bringing the

sales to 40% growth as in season average 2 lakhs to be boosted per day. To work more on the sales opportunities and increase profit share. To give more importance to customer service through Team. Business image to be boosted by showing the best 4 star hotel. Cost to be reduced in the areas of operations, to concentrate more on the

planned working rather than rustic and sudden decisions, which increase costs.

Training to be the most important factor for all the managers and the supervisor’s category. HRD will be given more importance to make the staff feel secured and feel loyalty towards the organization.

Incentives on the sales achievements to be introduced to the managers and supervisors.

To upgrade the facilities of suite rooms and deluxe rooms to get better customer feedback and better average revenue.

To concentrate more on the MICE as the destination during off season. To increase the off-season revenue 20% more than previous year. Additional business- a new avenue of Rs.1.5 crore expected. Continue working on ISO standards on quality and documentations.

UDAY SAMUDRA WORK CULTURE

Maintain discipline Manage calls efficiently Use the telephone system efficiently Respond immediately to the guests’ calls Need to know the importance of time management Try to maintain time schedule Adopt single rule system Value and respect with dignity, each and every employee, regardless of

his/her position in the organization Train in cleanliness, neatness and tidiness Develop a culture of upward reporting

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Clean the work area completely every day before leaving the duty Smile gently to the guests and never say no to them

LOCATION

Kovalam, located close to  Trivandrum, the capital city of Kerala, India is an internationally renowned beach with three adjacent crescent beaches. It has been a favourite haunt of tourists, especially Europeans, since the 1930s. The palm-fringed bays of Kovalam in secluded coconut groves, promise a relaxed stay. The unforgettable image of Kovalam is that of the coconut-palms-lined high rock promontory that cuddles the calm and wide expanse of the blue waters. This marvelous beach is a tourist's dream come true. Set in four acres on the serene beaches of Kovalam, UDS is located 15 kilometers away from the Trivandrum International Airport with excellent air connectivity to Singapore, Europe, and Middle East and to all the metros in India. Trivandrum is also well connected by rail and road network with the rest of India

Accommodation:

UDS believes that true world-class status is only achieved when a hotel or resort combines the traditions of its host community with exceptional service, a luxury product and incredible attention to detail. This distinction has elevated UDS into the upper rank of hotels for sophisticated travelers around the globe. 

UDS features 207 units classified as Presidential Suite (3), Deluxe Suite (12), Suite (12), Exotic Atrium (90), Exotica (90). Each beautifully appointed, spacious and individually decorated with an excellent view of the sea.

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Bathrooms include a well sized bathtub, separate shower and a double basin marble vanity.

The spacious rooms provide an array of luxurious amenities which include air conditioning, remote-control cable TV with all-news channel, internet access and telephone. Additional amenities include a private bath and shower, bathrobes, mini bar, a work desk with lamp and a complimentary morning newspaper delivered to the room.

Exotica: 

Featuring an unhindered view of the sea and the pool, these air conditioned rooms are located ideally offering a unique and premium stay. All rooms are built in ambience with modern facilities. UDS has 90 rooms of this category.

Exotica Atrium:

Newly constructed rooms will have a panoramic view of swimming pool & backwater. Basically these rooms have been designed for those who like to be away from the crowd. These are the best rooms available on the medium category, situated in an eco-friendly zone with greenery pool and pool side dining facilities.

Suite:

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Ten suite rooms with elegant Scandinavian designs are one among the major specializations of UDS. With a direct sea view the rooms are furnished with classic decor and modern facilities of a class property. It comprises of King size bed, spacious living and dining area, with spacious balcony facing the sea. These rooms are well equipped with all modern communication and information facilities.

Deluxe Suite:

The superb Deluxe Suite, enjoys a breathtaking view and offers a list of unmatched facilities. All rooms are air conditioned, luxuriously finished and are supplied with designer branded amenities. It comprises of King size bed, spacious living and dining area, separate guest restroom, separate reception area, with spacious balcony facing the sea. These rooms are well equipped with all modern communication and information facilities.

Presidential Suite:

This exquisite Presidential Suite exclusive named as Marigold, Hibiscus and Bougainvillea enjoys a breathtaking view and offers a list of unmatched facilities. The rooms are exquisitely finished. The Presidential Suites has King size bed, large living and dining area with separate guest restroom, reception area and balcony facing the sea. All rooms are equipped with modern communication amenities. 2 bathrooms, Jacuzzi and spacious balcony add convenience to the luxurious stay at the presidential suites of UDS.

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Room Tariff is as follows:

TARIFF 2011-2012

Rates valid from 01st April 2011 to 30th September 2011

Room Type INR EURO Tax Meal Plan

Exotica DBL 4000 75 12.5% CP

Exotica Atrium 4400 83 12.5% CP

AC  Suite 5400 102 12.5% CP

Deluxe Suite 6600 124 12.5% CP

Presidential Suite 8400 158 12.5% CP

Extra Bed 900 17 12.5% CP

Rates valid from 01st October 2011 to 19th December 2011 and from 16th January 2012 to 31st March 2012

Room Type INR EURO Tax Meal Plan

Exotica DBL 5500 104 12.5% CP

Exotica Atrium 6400 121 12.5% CP

AC  Suite 7100 134 12.5% CP

Deluxe Suite 8200 155 12.5% CP

Presidential Suite 9500 179 12.5% CP

Extra Bed 1500 28 12.5% CP

Rates valid from 20th December 2011 to 15th January 2012

Room Type INR EURO Tax Meal Plan

Exotica DBL 7000 132 12.5% CP

Exotica Atrium 7900 149 12.5% CP

AC  Suite 9500 179 12.5% CP

Deluxe Suite 11000 207 12.5% CP

Presidential Suite 15000 283 12.5% CP

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Extra Bed 1900 36 12.5% CP

Supplementary Charges:

Meal Plan-Rs.600/- (Euro 11) per meal per person.X-Mas (24th Dec.) Rs.2400/- (Euro 45) per personNew Year (31st Dec) Rs.4000/- (Euro 75) per personWhich is compulsory for all the bookings during that period.

Check Out Time : 12 Noon

Swimming Pools:

UDS is the only hotel in Kerala with three magnificent swimming pools facing the sea, viz. Kadavu, Splash and Aquamarine. A splash in pool will certainly drain away ones stress along with cool drink at the pool side Sunken Bar. One can also lie back on one of our hammocks and close eyes to enjoy the sea breeze. These pools are complimentary to the guests and are open from 8 a.m. to evening 7 p.m.

Health Club: UDS has a state-of-the-art health club with most modern equipment and trained staff. It offers a convenient setting to tone up the body and plunge into an exhilarating work out session. There is also sauna for the guests in the club. This, too, is complimentary to the guests.

Ayur Ashram:

Ayurveda is ancient India’s holistic method of treatment, which has withstood the ravages of time, thanks to the great legacy of this science, dating back to the Vedic period. Ayurvedic treatments emphasis on prevention of disease, rather than its cure. It also dictates certain social and dietary norms that help an individual maintain spiritual health.Uday Samudra has a well-maintained,full fledged Ayurvedic Health Centre built in Kerala’s traditional architectural style with ‘nadumuttam’ (central courtyard).From here, thousands of patients have found relief from chronic diseases such as Asthma, Diabetes, Hypertension etc., for which modern medicines have no complete cure.

Beauty Parlor: 

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The beauty parlor at UDS is well equipped with all modern amenities of the skin care world. And its Bold and Beautiful would say it all once the guests have had their beauty treatment. Both herbal and costly gold facials and skin care treatments are done at UDS for its clients with an extra care. 

Shopping:

Lexmi Gems and Crafts at UDS has a collections of Indian Handicrafts, Gem, Jewellery, Garments etc. It also has Silver Jewellery, Sandal Wood, White Wood, Bronze Items, Silk, Painting, Paper Painting, Silver Articles, Pasmina Shawls, Jari Stroll, Ready Made Garments, Handloom Bed Covers, Silk Scarves, etc. offered at an affordable price to take a slice of Kerala as a momento.

Sporting: UDS, as it is outstanding for innovations and creativities, avails opportunities for fishing and beach activities and sports.

Cultural Programmes : A variety of cultural feasts like Kathakali, Bharathanatyam, Ghazzals, Live Bands etc are organized during dinner time providing a soothing setting and an insight into Kerala's rich heritage.

Indian Astrology: Hindu astrology has a unique system of prediction that is based on the position of the moon in a given Nakshatra (constellation). There are twenty-seven Nakshtras in all. Each one of them covers thirteen degrees and twenty minutes of the zodiac. Each Nakshatra is the head of a particular group of stars and controls the life of people who are born in this phase. At UDS one can explore their future with an Astrologer and get wonderful insights into their life.

Elephant Ride: This is an experience of beach safari on top of a majestic elephant. One can enjoy the ride and take pictures and feel close to the animal that is revered and worshipped as Lord Ganesha.

Cookery Shows: Cooking is an art that can be preserved for posterity, but is certainly has way to win the heart, mind and stomach of the people. Each place has its own distinctive style of cuisine, reflective of its people and geography. The cookery shows at UDS will help one to get acquainted with the ethnic culinary delights and indulge in an interactive learning experience.

Candle Light Dinner: UDS plays host to an exclusive evening for two by the sea. A candle light dinner with a bottle of wine and 4 course menu served by a personal buttler would be a life time experience one always savors

Transportation: Luxury coaches and buses are available at UDS for the sight-seeing and airport transfers. Also rent -a - car facilities are available at UDS with chauffer and tourist guides on clients demand

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Dental Clinic: UDS provides dental treatment of international standard at an affordable price. The rates of dental treatment are as low as one fifth to one tenth of other countries.

Other facilities at UDS include Business Center, Library, Wi-fi, Cyber Cafe, Foreign Exchange, Doctor On Call, Acceptance of Major Credit Cards, In House Laundry and 24 Hour Room Service

Restaurants

Café Drops:The exclusive western model coffee shopThe Café Drops coffee shop offers variety of European culinary delights in a casual and intimate setting. Guests will enjoy outdoor dining with magnificent panoramic views and fresh sea breezes. Open daily for 24 hours Café Drops offers exclusive dishes which are the specialties of the UDS culinary treat.

Grass Hopper:The multi - cuisine RestaurantDiscover the exotic blend of Chinese, Continental, Italian, Mughal and Kerala cuisines in a traditional ambience. This is an exclusive multi-cuisine specialty restaurant which offers all kinds of culinary delights. Set in rather a lively atmosphere, the restaurant also gives a view of the gleaming swimming pool, surrounding green lawn and bewitching beach beyond.

The Grill:A unique restaurant serving sea food grills and continental delicacies, facing the pool.

Lounge:Snack Bar with the sea view serving Pizza burgers, and sandwich.

HorseshoeThe small bar beside the Grasshopper which is the only place to enjoy some luxurious alcohol, air conditioning and music altogether.

Move n PickStation for imported ice-cream of varieties of flavours

Conference Halls

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Uday Samudra is committed to the fine art of ensuring that one’s catered affair is executed with the optimum quality, value and service. Whether a corporate or social event, their needs will always be treated with the utmost respect and sensitivity.The settings at UDS are customized to the theatre style, class room, “U” shape, “I” shape, “V” shape etc. Three private air conditioned meeting rooms with open terrace accommodate 50 to 350 people, and UDS culinary team, amenities and attentive staff are virtually unparalleled in the area. UDS ensures a custom tailored success for events.

Hall 1 – VIZHINJAM:

Theatre Style: 450 Cluster:175 'U' Shape: 125 Class Room: 150 Cocktail Dinner: 175 Dinners to 250 pax

Hall 2 – THE TERRACE:

Theatre Style: 120 Cluster: 75 'U' Shape: 40 Class Room: 75 Cocktail and Snacks: 125 PERSONS & OPEN TERRRACE

Hall 3 – BOARD ROOM:

Theatre Style: 20 'U' Shape: 15 Class Room: 15 Cocktail : 12-15 persons

Marriage/ Honeymoon

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UDS caters for brides and grooms who choose to wed traditional Kerala style or spend their honeymoon in total comfort and luxury. UDS adds a fresh twist to the old traditions of marriage. Formal and informal weddings are arranged at the resort. Special offers are reserved to honeymooners. Beachside candle dinners, exotic sea food, ethnic cuisine and variety of choices await the honeymooners at UDS.

AWARDS

World Luxury Hotel Award 2010 Winner World Luxury Hotel Award 2009 Finalist International Achievements Award for Hospitality and Tourism The Best Four Star Hotel Award, Kerala Govt. 2007-2008 The Best Tourism Product Award, Kerala Govt. 2007-2008 The Best General Manager Award, Kerala Govt. 2007-2008 The Best Four Star Hotel Award, Kerala Govt. 2006-2007 The Best Tourism Product Award, Kerala Govt. 2006-2007 The Best Manager in the Hotel Industry, Kerala Govt. 2006-2007

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CHAPTER 4

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

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Uday Samudra Organisational Chart

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FRONT OFFICE

Front Office Organisational Chart:

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Front Office Manager

Duty Manager

Asst. Manager

Front Office

Lobby Manager

Reservation Manager

Front office Executive

Front Office Supervisor

Front Office Assistant

Bell Captain

Bell Boy

Reservation Executive

Asst. Reservation

Manager

Guest Relations Assistant

Guest Relations Executive

Guest Relations Manager

Front Office Process Flow Chart

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Guest Arrival

Expected arrival (voucher collected)

Briefing the facilities and rules

Check-in allotted rooms

Walk-ins (check with housekeeping for rooms’ readiness)

Inform housekeeping and room service

Check with guest, mode of payment, means of transport

Courtesy call to the guest

Check out Inform Housekeeping and

room service

Get approval from FOM

Bill settlement Bills to accounts

Procedures

Front Office is where guests check in and out, payments on accounts are made and messages are exchanged. Front Office is people oriented, good at solving problems and attentive to details.

Responsibilities – Reservations & Registration, 24-hour reception desk, Room Allocation, guest accounting, Information, Bell desk functions, Travel desk, Cashier functions, Business center, Telephones, Money encashment.

Skills- Industry knowledge, Personal Hygiene, FO Software, Effective Communication, Market and guest profile, Sales skills, Product knowledge, Health & safety.

Shifts – Day & Night shifts. Break shifts / Afternoon shifts are worked out as per the occupancy and the guests’ movements. The check-out counter and the check in counter to be manned effectively.

Daily sessions of briefing & debriefing during the day. FO / lobby to be maintained as a non-smoking area. Training sessions to be charted and followed as per the schedule.

Attendance compulsory. Standards to be maintained

1. VIP – good room, welcome card, fruit basket2. Repeat – request room. Preferred room, beer basket, Welcome back

card, fruit basket, t-shirt3. Ayurveda Package – room, doctor to meet, chef to be informed4. Birthdays/ anniversaries – card, flowers5. HMC – flower arrangements, mock tails, good room

Daily Reports1. Guest database2. Complimentary3. Package guests4. Guest database5. Direct guest database6. Repeats7. Long stays

Weekly updating 1. Room position status2. Cultural programs

3. Stock taking4. Telephone incoming lines to be checked

Left Luggage - guests who leave to come back in a few days might request to keep some of their bags with the hotel. Front office has to keep the same, all details to be logged and has to be kept safe.

Purchase Requisitions – all requisitions for purchase needs to be authorized by the GM before being presented to the purchase manager. All such requisitions should fully confirm to the core values of the organization.

Rapport with accounts – all financial dealings need to be informed to the accounts department for smooth follow-ups.

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Checking in a Guest

Introduce yourself. Use a positive tone of voice and language. Avoid hotel jargons and speak

clearly. Spend a minute or two trying to know more about the guest. If the guest has come for staying with us, do the registration. Offer help

with baggage. Tag them and keep them in the isle. Registration Formalities

The guests could be Indian nationals, foreign nationals, Indians residing abroad or foreigners residing in India as permit holders.

If a guest is a foreign national or a non-resident India, collect their passport, take a copy of the passport details and the visa details and return the passports. If the guest is a foreigner residing in India, collect their permit and take a copy of the same.

The guest registration card (GRC) should be filled by the guest name, address, email id, number of visits, pax and signature is a must.

All doubts regarding the name or contact details need to be Clarified. The date of departure needs to be reconfirmed. A guest can either do the reservation directly, through a travel agent,

through a company etc. A guest booked in directly can either do a prepayment of charges or settle direct at the end. A guest booked in through an agent could either hold a travel voucher for the room or have made the payment in advance. A guest booked in through a corporate company would either be prepaid or direct or further still, the bills would be required to be sent to the company. The instruction needs to be clear before the guest arrives. Accordingly, the document needs to be collected- reservation voucher etc. the guest signature needs to be taken behind the voucher.

The GRC, passport details, voucher and a copy of it, all needs to be in the guest folio.

The guest has to be briefed about the property, the facilities, the activities etc.

The status of the pre allotted room needs to be checked and informed to the guest.

Ensure that the guest has verified the baggage. Escort them to the room. On the way, attract the guest to the highlights

of the week. Accompanying guests to the room is a crucial factor in building a bond with this guest, so the person undertaking this job should be aware of its importance. The facilities of the hotel should be well briefed – shop, Ayurveda, yoga & meditation, beach, restaurant, beach shack, beach grill, book house, lawn bar, clubhouse, in house activities, bicycle tours, tour programs etc.

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In the room, show them the facilities; brief them about the energy saving tips, check on the baggage. Feedbacks on the room standards to be updated to the housekeeper regularly.

Every guest is to be informed about the common tipping policy practiced. Every staff who works in the front area or behind the scene is entitled to an equal share. Every staff is expected to follow the same.

In case the guest shows unhappiness with the room, understand the cause and do offer alternatives as possible. Never commit on rooms without checking the status of the same.

Exit the room, wishing them a happy stay. Also check if there are anything you could do for them.

Mark the room as occupied in the room position chart. Communicate with other departments, all special information regarding

the guest, e.g. – instructions regarding diet, Ayurveda, allergies, special instructions, VIP, repeats, long stays, etc.

In the mean while check in the guest in the system. All guest details to be accurate. Tariff to be posted as per the instruction received from the CRS. The apartment charges: plan rate ratio being – 90 – 10 for CP, 75-25 for MAP and 60-40 for AP. The luxury tax and the sales tax (15% and 12.63% respectively) need to be deducted before posting as the system automatically adds the taxes to the rate.

Special care to taken for VIPs, long stays, Ayurveda package guest & Repeats

i. VIPs – allot good rooms/ upgrade as per instruction & profile, GM to be informed, HOD/ Sr. member to brief and escort the guest.

ii. Repeats – request room if possible, Max members at the time of arrival, recognize them, introduce key people, welcome back card with signatures, beer basket, I’m back t shirt.

iii. Long stays – good rooms, smooth check in, last night’s dinner on the house, welcome card etc.

iv. Ayurveda package – good room, follow up on Ayurveda diet, doctor to meet the guest on arrival, frequent follow up with the doctor

Group check-ins needs to be well planned. Pre allocated rooms according to the rooming list; keys etc. have to be kept ready in advance.

Either individual passport need to be collected or the passport list to be collected from the group leader. Make sure that the list has all the required information.

Try to know the arrival time, place of arrival from and also if the group would reach the hotel for meals. The information needs to be communicated to the concerned people.

Try to mobilize maximum staff members for welcoming groups. All Information regarding special guests / repeats, their preferred room,

special requirements etc. needs to be logged and followed upon. No shows to be communicated on time.

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Over bookings to be coordinated with CRS & dealt with as per the situations.

Checking Out a Guest

Every guest at checkout should be viewed as a potential repeat client and therefore valuable source of business to the hotel. Thus handling checkouts efficiently and courteously is an important task of front office.

Preparing and presenting bills to the guest is a task that requires knowledge of the hotel billing systems and equipment as well as knack with figures.

At the end of each day a departure list is prepared (list of all the guest due to depart the following day). Check for billing instructions, all clarifications with regards to receipt, transfer rates etc. to be clarified.

Keep your work area tidy. Check for the tariff applicable (as per the room types, pax, no of nights

etc.) and for any special instructions. Ensure all the charges are posted and the supporting is in place. The method of payment should be checked. Ensure the required stationeries (bills, cash receipt books, encashment

slips, credit card rolls, stapler, envelopes etc.) are available and handy. Once the guest informs that they are ready to check out, the baggage’s

need to be collected and their bills to be kept ready for settlement. Greet the guest. Reconfirm the name of the guest along with the room

number. Ask for a moment and prepare a guest entries report. Check for minibar

consumption and add the amounts (cross with the information given by the HK staff) with all supporting documents present the bill to the guest for verification.

Ensure there are no missing bills. The bill needs to present to the guest and necessary explanations to be

made. Ensure all bills have guest signatures. Help the guest by explaining heads like room rate / plan rate, club house

etc. If the guest is fully convinced proceed with the procedure. If not, cross check with the corresponding department and try to be just to the guest. In case of discrepancy, inform the manager for advice on the next step.

All clarifications of the guests to be answered in a professional manner. Reconfirm the method of payment with the guest. (cash INR & foreign

currency, cheques, travelers cheques, credit cards, credit to authorized agents)

If voucher payment, make sure the voucher is duly signed by the guest and check whether the bill is in accordance with the voucher.

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Payments in the form of cash need to be given a receipt and all credit card payments, the signature of the credit card slip needs to be authorized.

Make sure that credit cards are returned to the guest without fail. Take bill outs. Apart from the original, print 2 nos each of the room tariff

and the statement bills. Give the original bill to the guest after signing the same (depending on the booking mode).

The duplicate copies need to have the signature of the person handling checkouts and also the signature of the guest in one of the copies.

The original of the bill to be given along with all supporting in an envelope.

Keys to be collected without fail. Loss of keys to be charged and reported. In case the guest is using the room till late, please reconfirm the time till when the guest can use the room and at the time of check out follow up on bags, vehicle and key.

Inform HK about the check out. Get feedbacks from the guest. Get the guest to fill the ‘guest book’ Check regarding the vehicle. Announce on the PA system for the vehicle. Ensure that the bags have been picked on time. Vehicle to be ready at porch when the guest finishes the check out. Load

the bags after the guest checks the same. In case of left baggage, tag the information of the guest and keep safe. Necessary information to be logged.

Thank the guest and bid them a warm farewell. Do give the guest a warm invitation to return.

The duplicate bills, GRCs, credit card slips, all correspondence, passport details need to be sorted, arranged and kept in the rack for forwarding to accounts.

In case of groups checking out, Advance planning and organizing in case of group checkouts. Reconfirm the time of baggage down and actual checkouts. Billing format for extras, key, and minibar to be kept ready and

updated. Set aside an area for baggage to be left before it is loaded into the

coach. Bellboys as per the requirement to be ready well briefed. Keys to be monitored. Check on the receipt of all amounts. Ensure a warm see off.

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Travel Desk Functions

A guest’s query or booking for a taxi or activity is intimated to the travel desk and corresponding arrangements are done.

Should be aware of information regarding distances, destination, tour programs, guides, taxis etc.

All such information to be informed to guest as and when required One should be aware of the charges applicable, the costs borne, the

issues involved. Ensure a value added service to the guest Every trip should be followed with a trip sheet with details of the trip,

the guest’s signature, room number, driver’s name, area for feedbacks. All bills should have appropriate trip sheets attached.

Bell Desk functions

The bell boy is assigned daily by the housekeeping. The bellboy assigned for FO needs to be around the FO always. Any change of location should be informed to the FO.

Setting the welcome set. Setting the welcome drink counter. Lobby toilets to be kept clean and tidy. The counter and the lobby to be maintained neat and welcoming always. The status of check ins & check outs need to be updated Baggage tags to be kept ready by the bellboy. Guests need to be helped with bags at check-ins & check outs. The safety and cleanliness of the bags need to be maintained. Use the trolley for transferring bags. Cover bags during rains. The lobby control sheet needs to be updated daily by the bellboy.

Checking mini bar and informing FO. Collecting keys and handing over to FO. Room shifting. Handing over of left items. Checking status of umbrellas. Collecting indented items from stores. Handing over of message slips and tags in the room.

Telephone HandlingThis function of Front Office includes the following

Using Directories Receiving Calls Transferring Calls Holding Calls Making Calls Wake up calls

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Files & Registers maintained

Attendance Log book Message book Cash handover register Message slip Stock ledger Encashment Cash receipt Minibar bill book Indent book Requisition book Complaint book C-form Monthly & daily correspondence Guest folio Lobby control sheet Room position chart Internet register Arrival list Occupancy chart Housekeeping status report Room status report Tabular ledger Interoffice Communication Induction file Other correspondence Lost & found Exchange rate Outgoing fax Xerox book Tariff Guest comments book

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HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT

The Housekeeping Department is responsible for cleanliness, maintenance and aesthetic upkeep of the hotel. Just as the nomenclature signifies the role of housekeeping is to keep the house clean, comfortable and safe. As we enjoy the sparkling home ourselves and guests, the housekeeping department takes pride in keeping the hotel clean and comfortable to create ‘A Home Away From Home’.

The Housekeeping department is the nerve center of the hotel. It takes a well-organized approach and technical understanding to enable housekeeping to cope up with the volume of work. Housekeeping standards have a direct bearing on forming a lasting impression and positive feeling in the guest’s mind.

Housekeeping Organization Chart

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Executive Housekeeper

Asst. Housekeeper

Sr. Supervisor

Supervisor

Trainees

Desk Attendant

Sr. House Man

Trainee Supervisor

Sr. Store Supervisor

Linen Keeper

Room Maid/ Housekeeping

Cleaner

Linen Attendant

Pool Boy

Housekeeping Process Flow Chart

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Expected arrivals made from the reservation diary by Front Office

Housekeeping blocks the room. Room may be vacant or departure

Vacant room to be cleaned. Supplies to be checked. Housekeeper to check the cleaning.

Welcome

For VIP guests fruit basket/cookies kept

by F&B on intimation by FO

Blocked room checked for maintenance

complaints and rectified

Cleaning of departure room. Housekeeper to

inspect.

Laundry collected from guest during stay and returned after washing on the same

day

HK welcome call to guest room. Guest requests extra towel or pillows etc. which are then

serviced.

Guest supplies like soap, shampoo, toilet rolls,

match boxes are indented for and drawn from main

store.

Guest arrival. FO informs HK. Baggage sent to room.

Room cleaning by housekeeping staff. All occupied rooms, linen changed.

Housekeeping gets expected arrivals of the day

from the Front Office

Laundry bills given to FO after guest signature.

Courtesy call given by HK for eliciting response from

guest regarding stay

Departure intimation from FO. Baggage down. Room keys collected.

Desk Control

The Housekeeping Control Desk is the nerve center of the Housekeeping Department and it co-ordinates with the Engineering department, the Front office, the F&B department and the guest.

When a call is received at the Control desk, the desk attendant fills up the desk control register with the room number, details of request and the name of the receiver of the call.

The message or request is conveyed to the respective floor staff in case of HK request and to the Engineering department in case of maintenance complaint.

The rectification of complaint or the completion of requested service is double checked by the desk attendant by getting the confirmation either from the guest or the concerned staff.

At the end of the day, as a control measure, the day’s requests or complaints are double checked by the supervisor and signed.

Functions

Generally Housekeeping is concerned about the following:

Courtesy call Room cleaning Bathroom cleaning Waste reduction Making bed arrangement in rooms Cleaning pool surroundings Cleaning the public area Inspection of room and public area by Housekeeper Lost and Found articles Requisitioning guest and cleaning supplies Laundry services

Handling guest laundry F&B linen Staff linen

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Registers and files

Desk Control Register Courtesy Call Register Lost and Found Register Executive Laundry Register Contract Laundry Register F&B Linen Exchange Register Guest Laundry Register Gardening Log Book Housekeeping Stock Register Flower Supply Register Pest Control Register Housekeeping Room Inspection Register Housekeeping Staff In/Out Register Floor Linen Sheet Floor Consumption Sheet Approved Service Provider List Minibar and Coffee Consumption Maker Register Minibar and Coffee Maker Stock Register Minibar Bill Register Air India Laundry Register Jet Airways Laundry Register Location Register

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FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE

Organization chart

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F & B Manager

Steward

Tr. Captain

Sr. Steward

Captain

F&B Supervisor

F&B Controller

Asst. Manager F&B

Restaurant Manager

Asst. Manager Restaurant

F&B Executive

Sr. Captain

Bar Attender

Bar Manager

Food & Beverage Outlets at Uday Samudra

Cafe Charlie Grass Hopper restaurant Lounge Snack Bar Grill restaurant Horseshoe Bar Move n Pick ice cream station Room service

Procedure at Restaurants

The service cycle at a restaurant follows the sequence given below:

i. Preparing restaurant for serviceii. Taking reservations

iii. Receiving guestsiv. Taking ordersv. Service of meat

vi. Service of beveragesvii. Clearance of table

viii. Presenting of billix. Escorting and bidding farewell to customerx. Preparing for the next service

The restaurants offer both A la carte and Buffet services. The timing of the meals of a day are: - breakfast: 7.30-10.30, lunch: 12.30-15.00 and dinner: 19.30-22.30.

Room Service

At the office, there will be an order taker whose sole responsibility is picking up the phone within three rings and taking the order and records it in the Control Sheet. Room number, Order-in time, type of service requested, are recorded in it at first. Runners, the people who take the order to the respective rooms, also record the same in a card which looks exactly the same. They set the trolley with the requests made and take them to the room. The time when the trolley is taken out is recorded as order out time in both the control sheet and the card with the runners. When the guest finishes the meal, the runner clears up the trolley. This time is recorded as clearance time. And later, remarks, if any are recorded.

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MISE-EN-SCENE

Mise-en-scene, the French term means to prepare the environment of the outlet before service in order to make it pleasant, comfortable, safe and hygienic. Before each service session, the restaurant should be made presentable enough to receive t h e guests. The supervisor or team of waiters should ensure the following mise-en-scene:

Carpets are well brushed or hovered. All tables and chairs are serviceable. Table lights or wall lights have functioning bulbs. Menu cards are presentable and attractive. Tent carts or other sales material are presentable. Doors and windows are thrown open for sometime to air the restaurant.

This should be followed by closing the windows and doors and setting the air-conditioning or heating to a comfortable temperature.

Exchange dirty linen for fresh linen. Table cloths and mats are laid on the tables. Replace wilted flowers with fresh flowers

MISE-EN-PLACE

Mise-en-place, the French term means to “putting in place” is attributed to the preparation of a work place for ultimate smooth service. It is widely used in the food and beverage service department in everyday hotel operations. Before service commences, the staff should ensure that the station is in total readiness to receive guests. A station comprises of a given number of tables which are attended by a given team of waiters. Mise-en-place involves:

Side stations should be stacked with sufficient covers for resetting the restaurant after the first sitting is over. Extra linen, crockery, cutlery, glassware and ashtrays should be kept handy so that they are readily available for use.

Cruet sets should be cleaned and filled on a daily basis. Sauce bottles should be filled and the necks and tops of the bottles

wiped clean. Butter, condiments and accompaniments for service should be kept

ready for use when needed.

KITCHEN

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Kitchen Organization chart

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Executive Chef

Commis III

Kitchen Supervisor

Sous Chef

Chef de partie

Demi Chef de partie

Commis I

Commis II

Bar Attender

Kitchen Stewarding Supervisor

Divisions of Kitchen at UDS

Continental Indian North Indian

South Indian Chinese Tandoor Pantry Butchery Bakery Pastry Indian sweet

KITCHEN UTILITIES

Other than the above mentioned job positions in kitchen, there also kitchen utilities, who are responsible for cleaning the kitchen equipment. There are 16 utilities at UDS headed by a Utility Head.

INTERDEPARTMENTAL CO-ORDINATION

Kitchen has to co-ordinate with the other departments for the following purposes:

F&B Service: there should be a very close co-ordination with this department as they are various F& B service outlets for which food has to be sent to all the outlets by taking care of their type of food, quantity of food and different food pickup times.

Service outlets have to informed well in advanced regarding the bookings. As per that the kitchen personnel prepares the mise-en-place well in advance for the smooth operations.

House Keeping: This department plays a major role in keeping the various kitchen uniforms neat, hygienic and clean at all times. Staffs on both sides have to co-ordinate to maintain high standards of professional upkeep.

Front Office: The kitchen department receives information regarding group arrivals & departure dates of the guests which is important and also VIP guest his favorite food items and special instructions for the food preparation. Every day this department sends the house count to the kitchen.

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Sales & Marketing: The personnel in this department strike deals with various people and organizations for corporate meetings, conventions, celebrative parties, etc. normally these parties are routed to the Banquets department. The same is being instructed the kitchen for the preparations of food and the pick-up time with co- ordination with Banquets department.

HRD: This is an important department as F&B relies here in recruiting and dismissal of skilled manpower for running their operations smoothly with the co-ordination of executive chef. The salaries and other benefits, training etc. of the F&B staff are given by the HRD department.

Security: This department takes care of the timings of the kitchen staff. Sometimes they have to take care of the kitchen equipment which are placed in various F&B outlets for food pickup.

Purchase and Stores: The co-ordination with this department is very essential for purchase of food items with their specifications. With the help of the purchase department the access to the food suppliers should be maintained very smoothly for the supplies of food commodities i.e. perishable and non-perishables and also special ingredients for the special events.The stores has to co-ordinate with kitchen for the storing and issuing of food commodities round the clock.

KITCHEN CONTROLS

A. GARBAGE DISPOSALIt is important to store garbage correctly before it is disposed off. It should not be left overnight near the kitchen area. The kitchen area is warmer than the other areas and decay is faster near the kitchen. The ideal storage area is in a yard behind the premises. Garbage should be filled in bins and these bins should be kept in the coolest place. Care should be taken to ensure easy cleaning and absence of pests.The garbage storage area should be large enough for the amount of garbage that will accumulate.

B. STANDARDISATION

Standardized recipesTo place into effect a solid control system in many restaurant,

standardized recipes are a necessity. The control the quantity and quality of ingredients used to prepare a particular dish, as well as controls the portions that are to be served.

They are also a necessity tool in figuring the cost. Simply having standardized recipes in an operation is not enough. It is imperative that everyone follow them. Any deviation from the standardized recipe results not

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only in poor quality, but inaccurate cost being figured for that item and, consequently, an incorrect selling price

C. PORTION CONTROLPortion control means controlling the size or quantity of food to be

served to each customer. Portion control equipment

There are certain items of equipment which can assist in maintaining control of the size of the portions:

Scoops, for ice-cream or mashed potatoes Ladles, for soups and sauces Butter pat machines, regulating pats from 7 g upwards Fruit juice glasses, 75-150 g Soup plates or bowls, 14, 16, 17, 18 cm Milk dispensers and tea-measuring machines Individual pie dishes, pudding basins, mould and coupes

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STORES AND PURCHASES

Stores and Purchases Organization chart

Stores and Purchases Process Flow Chart

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Purchase Manager

Store Manager

Store Helper

Security check on receiving goods

Given to supplier to supply products

Purchaseofficer checks the goods received

Purchase officer checks the purchase order and prepares purchase order

Store keeper checks with the bin card and makes purchase

indent

Dept will make store indents

The purchasing process starts with the initiation of demand lists by the

concerned departments and is completed with the goods are received in the

hotel. The demand lists are made on monthly basis and these are not valid for

the next month. The demand list should duly be signed and approved by the

General Manager and Financial Controller and should be within the allocated

budget:-

 

Hotel purchases can be segregated into following categories:-

General purchases

Engineering purchases

Food, beverage & grocery purchases

Operation department’s purchases

Capital purchases

Misc. purchases (purchases other than store items)

Fuel & maintenance of vehicles

Promotional and Advertising

Procedure for initiating demands

Demand for general store items will be initiated by the store supervisor. A

minimum and maximum par stock of each item should be set, since items of

printing and manufacturing takes time therefore, for setting the par of these

items coordination with purchasing department is encouraged. In this regard

assistance from purchasing department may be requested. Demand list for store items based on the closing stock should reach the

purchasing department by the 3rd of every month duly signed by financial

controller (who will verify it with the allocated budget). Purchasing department is responsible to compile the demand lists as soon as

possible and get these approved by the general manager. For items other than stores, the concerning department is responsible for

initiating the demand. These demand lists should also reach the purchasing

department by the 3rd of every month duly signed by FC (who will verify it

with allocated budgets). To regulate this procedure cost office is responsible

to compile the lists in a file and present it to the purchase department. The

format for presenting the demand lists is as follows: 

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Department should seek assistance from purchase department regarding

the unit price to be mentioned in the demand lists. This should be done before

the start of the month and lists should be presented to the purchase department

duly signed by FC by the 3rd of every month. The information regarding the

exact quality and specification of the items should also be passed on the

purchase department.

Action by purchasing department

On receipt of demand lists from departments, the purchasing department

would segregate these into the following categories:-

General store demand list

Grocery store demand list

Engineering store demand list

Beverage store demand list

Housekeeping demand list

Laundry demand list

Stewarding demand list

Sales & Marketing demand list

Fuel & Maintenance demand list

Miscellaneous demand list

Receiving of Goods.

All the items purchased are required to be delivered at hotel’s receiving area.

The receiving supervisor acting as an agent of the hotel will receive the Goods

and do the documentation.

Payment to vendors

Vendors are to be paid on the basis of their monthly supply by the 15th of

every month. Vendors should be informed at the time of payments of any

deductions made for any reason. Administrative responsibilities of purchase manager

Purchase manage is responsible for overall activities of purchasing

department.

ENGINEERING

The engineering department’s responsibilities include preventive maintenance; repair; replacement; improvement and modification to furniture,

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fixtures, and equipment (FFE); and ensuring uninterrupted provision of utilities (gas, electricity, water).

Preventive maintenance involves routine checks and inspection of the key components of all equipment. Maintenance of recreational facilities may be part of the engineering department’s responsibilities. In particular, swimming pools require extensive maintenance to ensure proper filtration and to prevent the accumulation of algae and other conditions unsuitable for swimming. Prompt repair minimizes loss of productivity in other hotel operating departments and inconvenience to hotel guests. When a particular FFE has reached the end of its useful life and repair is no longer cost-effective, replacement is indicated. Improvement projects enhance the existing operation or reduce operating costs of the facility.

Modification projects alter the existing operation to accommodate one or more new functions. UDS has maintenance personnel who have general knowledge and understanding of the hotel’s operations but rely on outside contractors for specialized jobs.

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ACCOUNTS

The accounting department’s traditional role is recording financial transactions, preparing and interpreting financial statements, and providing the managers of other departments with timely reports of operating results (line functions). Other responsibilities, carried out by the assistant controller for finance, include payroll preparation, accounts receivable, and accounts payable (staff functions).

Another dimension of the accounting department’s responsibilities deals with various aspects of hotel operations, cost accounting, and cost control throughout the hotel. The two areas of central concern to the accounting department are rooms and food and beverage. The accounting department’s front office cashier is responsible for tracking all charges to guest accounts. At the close of each business day, which varies by hotel but typically occurs at midnight or after the bulk of guests’ transactions have been completed (i.e., check-in, restaurant charges, retail charges, etc.), the night auditor is responsible for reconciling all guest bills with the charges from the various hotel departments. Although the front office cashier and the night auditor physically work at the front desk and, in the case of the cashier, have direct contact with guests, they are members of the accounting department and report to the assistant controller of operations.

The food and beverage department may be responsible for food preparation and service, but the accounting department is responsible for collecting revenues. The food and beverage controller and the food and beverage cashiers keep track of both the revenues and expenses of the food and beverage department. The food and beverage controller’s job is to verify the accuracy and reasonableness of all food and beverage revenues.

In addition to tracking and preparing daily reports on the costs of the food and beverages used in the hotel, in many cases the accounting department is also responsible for purchasing and storeroom operations. Finally, the director of systems is responsible for designing the accounting and control systems used throughout the hotel.. The accounting department is also responsible for collecting and reporting most of a hotel’s operational and financial statistics, which provide important data for decision making and budget preparation purposes. The head of the accounting department may report not only to the hotel’s general manager but also to the hotel chain’s financial vice president or to the hotel’s owner.

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SECURITY DEPARTMENT

Problems can be created by guests, employees, or intruders. Security breaches can result in embezzlement, theft, arson, robbery, and even terrorism. At Uday Samudra, the security function is contracted to an outside security company.

The general responsibilities of security include:

i. Handling of electronic locks and keys.ii. Security to the guests’ rooms.

iii. Control of unauthorized entry on premises.iv. Protection of assets.v. Conducting emergency procedures.

vi. Proper transmission of communication or information in case of emergencies.

vii. Maintain security records and staff security procedures.

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CHAPTER 5

ANALYSIS – OBJECTIVE WISE

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Objectives of the study and Analysis

i. Study organizational profile of Uday Samudra Leisure Beach Hotel

The profile of the company has been collected and recorded. The

types of rooms and their tariff has been recorded. All the different kinds

of services provided by the hotel has been studied and recorded. In

addition their future plans, objectives, awards won have also been

recorded.

It is observed that the hotel has prize winning facilities and staff.

But these need to be improved by details. And the staff need to be

motivated in order to get maximum from them. The rooms need better

maintenance, maybe even renovation if the hotel wishes to achieve the

goal of becoming second largest in Kerala. The quality of service and

those who provide them should be improved as well.

ii. Familiarization with the industry

The history, the trends of hotel industry, the different types of

hotels, the departments in each hotel, the services and facilities provided

by hotels and information about hotel industry in India has been studied

and recorded.

According to the classification of hotels, Uday Samudra is

medium-sized, resort, luxury, semi- residential, ecotel.

iii. To understand the hierarchy of staff members, how authority is

delegated, and communication between various grades of employees

The hierarchy of each department in Uday Samudra has been

studied and recorded. Even though there is a set hierarchy for all the

departments and the organization as a whole, this chain of command is

not followed through but needs to be so that jobs are taken seriously and

performed well.

iv. To understand the development of the hotel

The history of UDS and its present condition has been studied

and future plans also recorded.

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UDS started with just 33 rooms and now it has reached 207

rooms. But the quality of the rooms is poor. But it, continually, keeps

making plans for the upgradation of the hotel which can lead to its

becoming a 5-star hotel.

v. To identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats faced by

the organization.

An analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and

threats has been done in the next chapter.

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CHAPTER 6

SWOT ANALYSIS

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STRENGTHS

1. LocationMost of the tourists like Uday Samudra because of its proximity to the

city and to the beach areas. The proximity to one of the best beaches in India is definetly its strength.

2. Physical AppearanceUDS has really become large in size within a span of 12 years. From

just 33 rooms, it now has 207 rooms. Three swimming pools, and more nowhere to be seen facilities, make it unique.

3. Good welcome and friendly attitude of staffThe tradition of welcoming guests here is a very impressive one. The

staff here are so friendly that most of the guests mention it on the comments book and in reviews in the internet. The staff here are willing to take more than their share of work and work extra time (without even being paid for it).

4. The Conference HallsUDS has 3 conference halls- Vizhinjam with 450, The Terrace with 120

and Board Room with 20 capacities. MICE is the marketing strategy of UDS for the off-season.

5. PricesThe hotel is doing well even during off-season because of the low prices

of its rooms. It’s one of the best that a middle income family can afford.6. Best food

The food here is better than any in the neighbourhood and it attracts the guests to the hotel.

7. Good planningThe planning function of the management here is for continuously

upgrading the place. Plans for the improving the standards at all departments are made with respect to the standards of its international counterparts.

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WEAKNESSES

1. Space constraintsUDS though a big hotel, is not a resort, owing to space limitation.

2. Quantity and quality of staffThe number of staff even though more as per budget, lacks the sufficient

quality. The hotel should be employing people with hardcore experience and withstanding capacity.

3. Slow workWith lack of efficient employees things in most departments work very

slow and that really frustrates the guests.4. Narrow entrance, small lobby and lack of spacious dining areas

With 207 rooms in a hotel, people expect a better entrance and lobby. A person does not get impressed with the first impression of UDS. After all the first impression is the best impression.

5. Chain of command not followedThe instructions and flow of command does not follow the chain of

authority set in the management hierarchy. As a result, the tasks are not done as they should be and job positions are not taken seriously.

6. Set standards not followedThe standards of procedures are not followed in most departments. The

staff don’t even stick to just their job description’s because of lack of employees, they have to let their responsibilities overlap with other job positions, ending up doing more than their share of work.

7. No job satisfaction among employees and high labour turnoverMost of the employees there are working overtime, taking up more than

their job responsibilities and receiving low pay. Low job satisfaction means low interest in work and eventually high labour turnover. And UDS is experiencing that.

8. Marketing actionMarketing actions are not still to a clear style. Planned marketing

schedules have not been conducted and hence it will slowly eat up the marketing share. It is important to note that planned marketing schedules are supposed to be done on time and no excuses will help bring the business in, without efforts.

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OPPORTUNITES

1. Unexplored potentialAs India is still at its infant stage, the potential in the coming years will

be tremendous. Many ignored tourist spots have been revived and better transportation facilities have been added. Development of places like Munnar and Thekkady can influence the tourist flow to Kodaikanal and Ooty.

2. Low cost airlinesMore airlines coming in and better opportunity and offers for the

travellers, the destination will really do well in the coming months.3. International airport

Trivandrum will sure do good in the years to come with more airlines coming to the operations and also expansion of the airport will bring better airlines to come to Trivandrum and will really boost the image of Trivandrum and Kovalam.

4. MICE as the destinationWith more airline coming in and more hotels coming in the corporate

has started preferring Kovalam as their destination to do company conferences. Kovalam is preferred next to Goa. Maybe within a span of 2years Kovalam will be the most preferred destination by any corporate for their annual conferences.

5. Innovative packagesInnovative packages like honeymoon by the beach with Helicopter

drops and pick-ups, get married on the beach, launch your product by the beach and Kerala ethnic packages, festival packages, rustic packages can be promoted in a large scale.

6. Changing attitude of the Indian touristVisiting tourist spots and spending holidays outside their homes were

not the interest of the middle class and the average Indian families a few years back. Thanks to the airline companies coming out with special packages which builts up in the fair itself for holidays and with the food and accommodation etc. this has really made the Indian tourists to go to different places and explore.

7. Present budget impactThe present budget passed by the government is in support for the

tourism industry and provides better opportunities for the entrepreneurs and also for the tourists to fly or use railways for their holidays.

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THREATS

1. Not only marketing but finance planning is also importantTop management has to insist on reports, which should be taken on day-

to-day basis and the sales and the expense to be clearly put up. Monthly reports to be clearly drafted and reported with clear cut explanations.

2. Government attitudeEven though the present tourism minister Shri. Kodiyeri is very

enterprising, there is a clear lack of planning and course of implementation strategy. Kerala maybe winning applause but basics like infrastructure are still in the initial stage. There are plenty of hotels coming up and what we lack is tourism planning. Development of telecommunication services, cleaning drinking water, uninterrupted power supply are some of the inadequacies in infrastructure of Kerala or in India itself.

3. Wrong planningWrong planning of constructing during the season and improper

financial handlings will sure create a serious threat to UDS growth and it is really important that only the satisfied customers will come back and customer aspects should really be borne in mind.

4. Selling effortsSelling has to be more aggressive and UDS will have to adopt quantum

jump process. The untapped markets like Indore, Bhopal, Nagpur, Lucknow, Chandigarh, Kolkata etc. has to be seriously visited and action taken. Same way it is high time that a European trip and a Russian mart trip were taken to bring better business opportunities.

5. International marketing getting cheaperSingapore, Malaysia, Hongkong and Bangkok are sold on throwaway

prices. Comparatively it is cheaper to go to these places than to Delhi or Mumbai or Kerala. Corporate feel motivated in having their conferences done abroad.

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CHAPTER 7

FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

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FINDINGS

Positives

i. Uday Samudra is a haven for middle income families with facilities and services which are value for money.

ii. The ever-friendly and hard-working staff, who are willing to take responsibilities, which are not in their job-descriptions or come under their department, too, is its strength.

iii. The hotel has some facilities that cannot be competed with like three swimming pools, a state-of-the-art Ayurveda center, beauty parlour, spa etc.

iv. It conducts Awards Night for travel agents and other shows during off-season which is a good marketing technique.

v. It has taken up the Green initiative, sticks to using non-plastic items to the maximum extent. Environment-friendly in a hotel is a quality to show-off and not easy at the same time.

vi. The Human Resources Department is functioning in a better way than any other department. It takes its responsibilities pretty seriously. It conducts a grievance council for the workers from time to time and also makes policies for provision of leaves in addition to the offs given a month.

vii. The hotel staff, without fail, collects feedback and comments from the guests at any point of their stay at the hotel.

Negatives

i. Uday Samudra is running dangerously low on efficient staff due to either employee turnover or not being given good training or due to employing candidates with not enough experience or will to work. The quantity of staff is higher than the hotel’s budget can handle but the quality is much lower.

ii. The training given to the trainees or new employees lacks standard.iii. It had planned on becoming the second largest hotel a few years back but

it’s miles away from reaching this goal. Poor management could be one of the reasons.

iv. The managers of departments are not keen on improving or solving the bad comments, as they are on collecting them.

v. The personnel at all the departments get a very low pay package compared to the workload they have. This results in very low job satisfaction.

vi. The rooms at UDS especially the suite rooms are of low standard and tiny details all around the hotel are ignored.

vii. The staff lacks devotion towards their respective jobs. They are not keen on doing a job in the best possible way.

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SUGGESTIONS

1. Uday Samudra Leisure Beach Hotel is a hotel well known for its ever- friendly staff but the executives and managers here have a hectic workload due to lack of sufficient number of staff. The number of employees is currently very low at the front office. It needs to act, sooner than later, to recruit more employees at the operational level so that division of work is possible. The Human Resource Department can undertake campus recruitments and give advertisements in newspapers for hiring the required staff. More staff would mean division of work in a bearable way which is needed since most of the employees are working 13hrs a day.

2. The hotel should be offering a better pay package for its operational level employees. This would serve necessarily three purposes: it would stop employee turnover (which is a concern for this hotel), motivate them to cope with the workload (which is stressful) and also attract new and more efficient employees to work here (which is a necessity).

3. Not just quantity, but the quality of personnel, matters. The little number of employees, that the hotel does retain somehow, has to have not just the qualification for the job but the qualification to make UDS the “Ultimate Destination of Service”. The training imparted to new employees and trainees should be exceptional. The employees’ attitude and their devotion can create a brand image, in itself, for the hotel. A hotel must be known for its service which is hospitality, and hospitality comes from the humans at the hotel and not its facilities, for the facilities only ‘facilitate’ when the staff make the guests feel like using them.

4. A hotel can take care of other families only when its employees have feeling of family among themselves. UDS’s policies must be in favour of not just the guests but the employees as well. Policies for sick leaves in addition to 4 days off a month would be accepted with gratitude among the employees and it would prove to be a motivation as they would feel some relief amidst the ever-consuming workload. More such policies should be implemented for the sake of the staff, for the staff is what keeps UDS running.

5. When the operational level personnel are less at the Front Office, the total number of staff, at the whole hotel, is more than it can handle (as per its budget). The Human Resource Department can take steps to find out the adequate number of staff that it can handle (with respect to its budget), determine the number of staff required at each department (with respect to their operations), conduct a performance appraisal and then retain only the efficient employees. With all the over-the-budget staff numbers, UDS will only be incurring unnecessary costs.

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6. Uday Samudra, at first glance, seems like a splendid place to stay in, but, at close inspection, only partially. It would be a perfect destination for middle class families or individuals and lower but not for the high income groups because there are better rooms, facilities and services at some hotels in the neighbourhood. Tiny details matter a lot and UDS has a lot of these to be concerned about in every department, some would be: - maintenance department may have to pay little more attention to nails sticking out of extra beds, discoloration and rust on lamps, ugly tiles, the housekeeping department needs to be cleaning the rooms better, making the beds in a better way, the washed sheets still have stains on them and the like. Time is definitely a limiting factor for them but if small things attended to well, will be an added quality.

7. It’s high time UDS started taking the comments and feedback of the check-out guests seriously because check-out guests might also bring in new guests depending upon their experience at the hotel. If a hotel is successful in drawing customers, it must also be obliged to deliver the promised service to them. What UDS can do is take a leaf out of the book of the big hotels in the industry and start fixing responsibility. Whenever there’s a complaint, find out the exact person or reason for it and solve it, so that it doesn’t happen again. Mostly the complaints at UDS are for room service, late service at restaurants, unclean rooms. For these complaints, the concerned department must be looked into and the person responsible found out and actions taken so that such things don’t happen again.

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CONCLUSION

King in his book describe the hospitality may having four attributes

which is must have a relationship between individuals who take the roles of

host or guest, this relationship may be commercial or private (social), the keys

to successful hospitality in both the commercial and private include knowledge

of what would evoke pleasure in the guest and hospitality as a process that

includes arrival, providing comfort and fulfillment of guest’s wishes, and

departure. Tourism industries are not same as the other industry. It is because

we provide the services to the customer besides some of the other industries

provide the tangible product. Thus, hospitality and tourism cannot be separated

since hospitality is the key success to the tourism industry.

In short, tourism industry are not just providing facilities to customer,

services or hospitality is the main key that will determine the successful of the

entity of tourism company. Service providers should provide the best services

ever and must exceed the customers’ expectation. Only the excellent services

provided will make customer satisfied using any tourism services.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

BooksAravind Gautam, (2010), A Concise Course on Hotel & Hospitality Management, New Delhi: Axis Publications.

Other publicationsUDS-Today, Business Plan, Business Mission, 2007-2008

Welcome Smilers, The Management Standard of Performance

Uday Samudra Brochures and Quarterly Magazines

Websiteshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel

www.uds.co.in

http://www.hotelskovalam.com/udayasamudra_kovalam/udayasamudra_kovalam.html

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