HFT3540_0M01 – Guest Services Management

       Fall 2019       

3 Credits

Rosen College of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida

 

Instructor Information  Instructor: Rick Florsheim            Office Location: Classroom Building 1 / Room 302G Office Hours: Tuesday 10:00 am to 12:00 pm  Wednesday 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm Thursday 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm Phone: Office - 407.823.4447 Digital Contact:  UCF email - rick.florsheim@ucf.edu or Webcourses@UCF messaging              Teaching Assistant TA: Victoria Genua Email: victoriagenua@knights.ucf.edu or Webcourses@UCF messaging Course Information Term: Fall 2019 Course Number & Section: HFT3540_0M01 Course Name: Guest Services Management Credit Hours: 3 Credit Hours Class Meeting Days: Thursday Class Meeting Time: 4:30 pm to 5:45 pm Class Location: Classroom Building 2 / Room105 Course Modality:  M

 

Enrollment Requirements

Prerequisite(s): ECO 2013 or ECO 2023, and MAC 1105C. Corequisite(s): None. 

Course Description

The study of making decisions from the guests’ point of view in the hospitality industry.

Course Overview

This course explores the dimensions of successful service management of hospitality organizations. It prepares students for enlightened service management and suggests creative approaches.  This course will study service management from an integrated view point with a focus on customer satisfaction. The materials will integrate operations, marketing, strategy, information technology and organizational issues.

Course Goals

The goal of this course is to prepare students for enlightened service management     from the guest’s point of view. 

1. This course provides students with the service management principles of successful hospitality organizations.
2. This course examines service management practices from an integrated view point with operations, marketing, strategy, technology, and organizational issues.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this course, students should be able to:

1. Develop expertise in analyzing guest expectations to improve service quality.
2. Demonstrate the ability to analyze strengths and weaknesses of guest service management practices and related issues.
3. Identify challenges related to service delivery in the hospitality industry and create solutions for overcoming them.
4. Build expertise to lead and deliver guest service as a competitive advantage for service organizations.

Course Materials and Resources

Required Materials/Resources

Managing Hospitality Organizations 2E; Ford, Robert C. and Sturman, Michael C.; ISBN 9781544356853; Yuzu

Buying Your YUZU/SAGE Managing Hospitality Organizations text at a Discounted Price:

*****To enhance your learning experience and provide affordable access to the right course material, this course is part of an inclusive access model called First Day™. You can easily access the required materials for this course at a discounted price, and benefit from single sign-on access with no codes required in UCF Webcourses.****

UCF Student Account Office will bill you at the discounted price as a course charge for this course. This charge will be posted to your account on September 3, 2019 for Fall 2019

It is recommended that you Opt-In as these materials are required to complete the course. You can choose to Opt-In on the first day of class, right within Canvas. Be sure to Opt-In before the deadline of Saturday, August 31, 2019 at 11:59 PM to have access to your course materials at the discounted price. Please note that when you Opt-In, you do not have to pay at that time. You are only selecting that you would like to purchase your materials at the discounted price and will be billed when your student tuition is due.

For more information and FAQs go to customercare.bncollege.com. (Links to an external site.)

Student Tutorial Videos

If using an eTextbook: Opting-In and Accessing your eTextbook: https://vimeo.com/306061595 (Links to an external site.)

If using Courseware Materials: Opting-In for your Courseware Materials: https://vimeo.com/304673669  (Links to an external site.)

Other Features on the Course Materials page: https://vimeo.com/304675344 (Links to an external site.)

Attendance and Participation:

The UCF Here mobile app will be used to check-in for attendance using your smartphone. The app is available for iOS and Android smartphones. 

iPhone:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ucf-here/id1450015124

Android Smartphone:  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=edu.ucf.ucfhere&hl=en_US

Please go to the following link to learn how to set up UCF Here on your device:

Student:  https://cdl.ucf.edu/support/webcourses/guides/ucf-here-student-guide/

Participation and regular attendance will enhance your learning experience and is critical for your skill and ethical development. Attendance is, therefore, required. Attendance will begin on the first day of class.  You can miss up to three class meetings without penalty and for any reason you choose. After those three absences, each subsequent absence will result in a loss of 20 points, per absence, from your semesters’ total points. You cannot participate if you do not attend. Arriving late to class or departing early may have a negative effect on a student’s attendance and participation grade. There are no excused absences, e.g. medical, personal, outside activities, work, etc.  unless involved in sanctioned University activities; you are allowed three absences to use as you see fit. In other words, if you are not in class, an absence is counted against you. Signing in for another student, either on a paper attendance sheet or through UCF Here constitutes an Academic Conduct infraction and may lead to further penalties up to and including receiving an “F” for this class.

Methodology

This is a Mixed Mode class which brings with it different student responsibilities. Completion of the online portion and activities/content is mandatory and will aid in your preparation for the Face-to-Face class meetings. All assignments must be submitted by the due date specified in the syllabus or on Webcourses and downloaded to Webcourses. In support of the development of classroom activities and discussions, students are expected to read the assigned chapters, view the associated Power Point slides prior to class and be prepared to engage in discussion. Classroom time will be spent on clarification of chapter material and the introduction of content that will support your online learning experience. Guest speakers may be invited to give additional industry perspectives and insights.

Professional Courtesy:

It is the expectation that all individuals will treat every other individual with respect and dignity, which includes but is not limited to:

• Timely attendance, unobtrusive entry or exit from a class that is in session
• No open computers, tablets, iPads, phones, etc.
• Cell phone ringers off and cell phones put away
• Earbuds/headphones removed
• Any extraneous reading material, other than the textbook or assigned readings closed and stowed
• Body language that demonstrates a state of conscious awareness, no sleeping
• Attention directed at the designated speaker, eyes open and standard hygienic practices required for acceptable assimilation into a crowded room

Academic Activity

As of Fall 2014, all faculty members are required to document students' academic activity at the beginning of each course. In order to document that you began this course, please complete the following academic activity by the end of the first week of classes, or as soon as possible after adding the course. Failure to do so will result in a delay in the disbursement of your financial aid.

“What do you know about Managing Hospitality Organizations?”- Quiz on Webcourses should be completed by Saturday, August 31, 2019.

Expected Workload

• Individual Written Assignment:
  • Of the eight guest service topics (see “Assignments” in Webcourses) that are available you are assigned to write one 3 to 4 page reflective/thought paper on the topic of your choice.
  • You will find further details of this assignment in Webcourses under the “Assignments” tab
• Service Issue Project – Individual or Group
  • The objective of this project is for you to understand current service management issues and use analytical approaches to discuss these issues. Through this project, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of service management concepts and apply your knowledge to a real world guest services management. 
  • You will find further details of this assignment in Webcourses under the “Assignments” tab
• Quizzes:
  • You are responsible for taking an online quiz, available in Webcourses, on a weekly basis. The quizzes will be available at midnight on the day following class and will close after 48 hours, so you will have 2 days to complete each one. They will not be reopened if you miss the timeframe of availability. 
• Exams:
  • The mid-term and final exams will be comprised of multiple choice and true/false questions taken from assigned readings, lectures and PowerPoints. The final exam will be a cumulative exam.

All assignments must be typed, double spaced, APA format and 12 point, Times New Roman, or similar font. Papers must include a cover page and a reference page with the number of citations stated in the individual assignments, one of which must come from the class textbook. It is not necessary to include an Abstract with your written assignments. The length of the papers, which never includes the cover or reference pages, is noted in the individual assignments.  Spelling, grammar, correct in-text citations and properly formatted reference page are to be presented at an undergraduate college level and will be graded accordingly. All assignments are to be uploaded into the correct Webcourses assignment drop box and only in one of the following file extensions: .doc, .docx, or .pdf

All assignments are subject to submission to Turnitin.com

Technology issues/problems are not an excuse for any late or missed assignments

Late Work

There are no make-ups for any assignments on Webcourses including, but not necessarily limited to written, quizzes, and all exams. Written assignments turned in late will be assessed a penalty: a half-letter grade if it is one day (24 hours or less) late, or a full-letter grade for anything after 24 hours late, but submitted prior to two days late (submitted between 25 and 48 hours late). Written assignments are not accepted if overdue by more than two days.

 

Basis for Final Grade

Guest Service Issue Project	240 Points
Written Assignment	100 Points
Quizzes (13 @ 20 points each)	260 Points
Mid-term Exam	200 Points
Final Exam	200 Points
TOTAL	1000 Points

GRADE DISTRIBUTION (by percentage of total points)

Grading Scale (%)
94-100		A
90-93		A-
87-89		B+
84-86		B
80-83		B-
77-79		C+
74-76		C
70-73		C-
67-69		D+
64-66		D
60-63		D-
0 - 59		F

Grades are not “rounded” for this class. For example, at the end of the semester if you have accumulated 899.5 points, you will receive a B+, 939.5 points an A-,                                    but 940 points, an A.

I will adhere to the highest standard of academic integrity, so please do not ask me to change or expect me to change your grade illegitimately or to bend or break rules for one person that will not apply to everyone.

HFT3540 – Fall 2019

COURSE CALENDAR AND TOPICS:

Please review your e-mail for any revisions as this schedule is subject to change

Please complete “What do you know about Guest Service Management?” Quiz on Webcourses before August 31, 2019
DAY	TOPIC	CHAPTER QUIZZES Open Friday @ 12:00am Close Saturday @ 11:59PM
8/29/2019	No Class due to Football Game
MODULE 1
9/5	No Class due to Hurricane Dorian
9/12	Introduction
DROP DEADLINE, FOR THIS CLASS ONLY, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
9/19	Chapter 1 – “The Basics of Wow! The Guest Knows Best” Chapter 2 – “Meeting Guest Expectations through Planning”	Chapter 1 due 9/21 Chapter 2 due 9/21
9/26	Chapter 3 – “Setting the Scene for the Guest Experience” Chapter 4 – “Developing the Hospitality Culture: Everyone Serves”	Chapter 3 due 9/28 Chapter 4 due 9/28
MODULE 2
10/3	Chapter 10 – “Planning the Service Delivery System”	Chapter 10 due 10/5
10/10	Chapter 8 – “Involving the Guest: The Co-Creation of Value”	Chapter 8 due 10/12
10/17	Chapter 11 – “Waiting for Service”	Chapter 11 due 10/19	Individual Writing Assignment due 10/20
Mid-Term Exam  Available on Webcourses from Sunday, 10/20 at 12:00 am until Tuesday, 10/22 at 11:59 pm Covers Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 10 & 11
MODULE 3
10/24	Chapter 5 – “Staffing for Service”	Chapter 5 due 10/26
10/31	Chapter 6 – “Training and Developing Employees to Serve” Chapter 7 – “Service with a Smile: Motivating Exceptional Service”	Chapter 6 due 11/2 Chapter 7 due 11/2
11/7	Chapter 12 – “Measuring and Managing Service Delivery”	Chapter 12 due 11/9
MODULE 4
11/14	Chapter 13 – “Fixing Service Failures” Career Fair at Rosen Campus from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm - you will not be excused from class to attend the Career Fair, as it does not occur during class time, though I highly recommend and encourage you to attend.	Chapter 13 due 11/16	Guest Service Issue Project due 11/17
11/21	Chapter 14 – “Service Excellence: Leading the Way to WOW!”	Chapter 14 due 11/23
11/28	NO CLASSES - THANKSGIVING	ENJOY!!
12/5	NO CLASSES - LAST DAY OF CLASSES 12/4
Final Exam - Cumulative (covering all chapters) Available in Webcourses from Friday, 12/6 at 12:00 am until Sunday, 12/8 at 11:59 pm

The flow of certain class discussions and addition of guest speakers may require a revision to the course outline as we proceed through the semester. As this is a mixed mode class, you are still responsible for knowing all of the material even if no lecture on a certain topic is given.

NOTICE:

All assignments must be submitted by the due date specified in the syllabus and downloaded to Webcourses or completed on MyHospitalityLab.com.  Late assignments may be accepted for a grade and will incur the penalties listed below in Section XIII.  Make-up tests will be granted only at the discretion of the instructor.  There will be no exceptions for the participation grade, which is based on random attendance audits. If you are not in class, you cannot receive attendance points. It is the responsibility for each student to be self-directed in the pursuit of course activities. There are no exceptions for any missed assignment for any reason to include, but not limited to perceptions of benefits afforded to other students.  The instructor reserves the right to refuse a student admission to any exam, if the student is more than ten minutes late from the scheduled starting time. You are responsible for yourself and your only comparison is to yourself.  You are responsible for determining any content that was presented during a missed class session. It is not the responsibility of any faculty representative to repeat or remediate information due to student absences.  Feedback for assignments is usually available soon after the assignment due date.  Students are responsible for knowing the point values for every assignment and to record and keep track of their progress through Webcourses.

Grade Dissemination

FERPA and Privacy: As a student, your educational records are considered confidential. Under FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), your records are confidential and protected. Under most circumstances your records will not be released without your written and signed consent. However, some directory information may be released to third parties without your prior consent unless a written request to restrict this is on file. You can learn more about student rights to privacy at http://www.registrar.ucf.edu/ferpa/welcome.

Technology and Media Email:

Knights E-Mail Address:  In 2008, UCF implemented a student e-mail system called Knights E-Mail to be used for official university business. Effective with the 2009-2010 catalog, UCF requires students to create and use a Knights E-Mail account for all university business.  Effective September 28, 2009, only a Knights E-Mail address will be used for all university business, including class rosters, financial aid, advising, etc. There will be no other e-mail address available for university personnel to access. Thus, when your e-mail address is requested, please provide only your KM address: _____________ @ knights.ucf.edu.  

Policy Statements

Academic Integrity

The Center for Academic Integrity (CAI) defines academic integrity as a commitment, even in the face of adversity, to five fundamental values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility. From these values flow principles of behavior that enable academic communities to translate ideals into action.

http://academicintegrity.org/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

UCF Creed: Integrity, scholarship, community, creativity, and excellence are the core values that guide our conduct, performance, and decisions.

1. Integrity: I will practice and defend academic and personal honesty.
2. Scholarship: I will cherish and honor learning as a fundamental purpose of my membership in the UCF community.
3. Community: I will promote an open and supportive campus environment by respecting the rights and contributions of every individual.
4. Creativity: I will use my talents to enrich the human experience.
5. Excellence: I will strive toward the highest standards of performance in any endeavor I undertake.

The following definitions of plagiarism and misuse of sources come from the Council of Writing Program Administrators <http://wpacouncil.org/node/9 (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.> and have been adopted by UCF’s Department of Writing & Rhetoric.

Plagiarism

In an instructional setting, plagiarism occurs when a writer deliberately uses someone else’s language, ideas, or other original (not common-knowledge) material without acknowledging its source. This definition applies to texts published in print or on-line, to manuscripts, and to the work of other student writers.

 Misuse of Sources

A student who attempts (even if clumsily) to identify and credit his or her source, but who misuses a specific citation format or incorrectly uses quotation marks or other forms of identifying material taken from other sources, has not plagiarized. Instead, such a student should be considered to have failed to cite and document sources appropri­ately.

Responses to Academic Dishonesty, Plagiarism, or Cheating

UCF faculty members have a responsibility for your education and the value of a UCF degree, and so seek to prevent unethical behavior and when necessary respond to infringements of academic integrity. Penalties can include a failing grade in an assignment or in the course, suspension or expulsion from the university, and/or a "Z Designation" on a student's official transcript indicating academic dishonesty, where the final grade for this course will be preceded by the letter Z. For more information about the Z Designation, see http://goldenrule.sdes.ucf.edu/zgrade.

For more information about UCF's Rules of Conduct, see http://www.osc.sdes.ucf.edu/.

Golden Rule

Students are encouraged to obtain and read the University’s publication, The Golden Rule. It is assumed by the instructor that the student is familiar with this document. This booklet will serve as the guide to the administrative aspects of the course.

Unauthorized Use of Class Materials

There are many fraudulent websites claiming to offer study aids to students but are actually cheat sites. They encourage students to upload course materials, such as test questions, individual assignments, and examples of graded material. Such materials are the intellectual property of instructors, the university, or publishers and may not be distributed without prior authorization. Students who engage in such activity are in violation of academic conduct standards and may face penalties.

Unauthorized Use of Class Notes

Third parties may be selling class notes from this class without my authorization. Please be aware that such class materials may contain errors, which could affect your performance or grade. Use these materials at your own risk.

In-Class Recording Policy

Outside of the notetaking and recording services offered by Student Accessibility Services, the creation of an audio or video recording of all or part of a class for personal use is allowed only with the advance and explicit written consent of the instructor. Such recordings are only acceptable in the context of personal, private studying and notetaking and are not authorized to be shared with anyone without the separate written approval of the instructor.

Course Accessibility Statement

The University of Central Florida is committed to providing access and inclusion for all persons with disabilities. This syllabus is available in alternate formats upon request. Students with disabilities who need specific access in this course, such as accommodations, should contact the professor as soon as possible to discuss various access options. Students should also connect with Student Accessibility Services (Ferrell Commons, 7F, Room 185, sas@ucf.edu, phone (407) 823-2371). Through Student Accessibility Services, a Course Accessibility Letter may be created and sent to professors, which informs faculty of potential access and accommodations that might be reasonable.

Campus Safety Statement

Emergencies on campus are rare, but if one should arise in our class, we will all need to work together. Everyone should be aware of the surroundings and familiar with some basic safety and security concepts.

• In case of an emergency, dial 911 for assistance.
• Every UCF classroom contains an emergency procedure guide posted on a wall near the door. Please make a note of the guide’s physical location and consider reviewing the online version at http://emergency.ucf.edu/emergency_guide.html. 
• Familiarize yourself with evacuation routes from each of your classrooms and have a plan for finding safety in case of an emergency. (Insert class-specific details if appropriate)
• If there is a medical emergency during class, we may need to access a first aid kit or AED (Automated External Defibrillator). To learn where those items are located in this building, see http://www.ehs.ucf.edu/AEDlocations-UCF (click on link from menu on left).  (insert class specific information if appropriate)
• To stay informed about emergency situations, sign up to receive UCF text alerts by going to my.ucf.edu and logging in.  Click on “Student Self Service” located on the left side of the screen in the tool bar, scroll down to the blue “Personal Information” heading on your Student Center screen, click on “UCF Alert”, fill out the information, including your e-mail address, cell phone number, and cell phone provider, click “Apply” to save the changes, and then click “OK.”
• If you have a special need related to emergency situations, please speak with me during office hours.
• Consider viewing this video (You CAN Survive an Active Shooter (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. ) about how to manage an active shooter situation on campus or elsewhere. 

Deployed Active Duty Military Students

If you are a deployed active duty military student and feel that you may need a special accommodation due to that unique status, please contact your instructor to discuss your circumstances.

FERPA and Privacy

As a student, your educational records are considered confidential. Under FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), your records are confidential and protected. Under most circumstances your records will not be released without your written and signed consent. However, some directory information may be released to third parties without the your prior consent unless a written request to restrict this is on file. You can learn more about student rights to privacy at http://www.registrar.ucf.edu/ferpa/welcome.

Turinitin.com:

In this course we will utilize turnitin.com, an automated system which instructors can use to quickly and easily compare each student's assignment with billions of web sites, as well as an enormous database of student papers that grows with each submission. After the assignment is processed, as instructor I receive a report from turnitin.com that states if and how another author’s work was used in the assignment. For a more detailed look at this process visit http://www.turnitin.com (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. This is an automatic process which will occur when you submit your assignment via Webcourses as directed.

University Writing Center:

The University Writing Center (UWC) is a free resource for UCF undergraduates and graduates. At the UWC, a trained writing consultant will work individually with you on anything you're writing (in or out of class), at any point in the writing process from brainstorming to editing. Appointments are recommended, but not required. For more information or to make an appointment, visit the UWC website at http://www.uwc.ucf.edu, stop by MOD 608, or call 407.823.2197.