Nicholas Johns

Customer expectations versus perceptions of service performance in the foodservice industry

This study examines qualitative and quantitative differences between service expectations and perceived performance in the foodservice industry, using the profile accumulation technique. Parallel series of data were obtained for service performance perceptions from actual customers at two pizza restaurants. The three sets of data were compared qualitatively and quantitatively. Results showed that customers structured their perceptions of the service into a common set of elements (termed aspects) and attached quality attributes to each of these elements. The three data series exhibited very similar dimensionalities in terms of both aspects and attributes of the service. Attributes were identified as satisfiers or dissatisfiers. In order to gain insight about their structure they were separately recoded using four different authors’ lists of quality dimensions. The significance of their quantitative differences for positive and negative disconfirmation was also examined. Aspects and attributes were used to calculate matrices of quality metrics referring to both the “aspects” dimensions provided by respondents and the dimension lists of the four authors. The work demonstrates that it is possible to obtain and analyse customers’ expectations and perceptions without making pre‐assumptions about them, and will therefore be of interest to managers and marketers of restaurants and other services.

Yield management in hospitality SMEs

Compares the major objectives of large hotel corporations with those of SMEs. Proposes that yield management systems are more prevalent among the former because of differences between their objectives and culture. Concludes that yield management systems are appropriate for SMEs but suggests that this depends on how they are promoted and operationalized by management.

A typology of hotels as individual players: the case of Bornholm, Denmark

Activities such as benchmarking and grading are essential to maintaining and improving service in the small hotel sector. Yet the diversity of this sector is such that grading schemes are often unable to address the qualities of all small hospitality businesses on an equitable basis. This article describes a practical attempt to classify hotels on the Danish island of Bornholm. A typology was developed in the form of three dimensions: season, size, and ownership, each of which was dichotomised, so that an eight‐cell matrix was produced. Discusses how the data fitted to this matrix and makes a number of recommendations for future work in this area.

The numbers game: the role of yield management in the tour operations industry

Courtline/Clarksons Holidays‘ collapse in 1974 was directly due to overoptimistic volume targets, which failed to take account of capacity or demand. Despite the availability of techniques such as yield management, tour operators continue to rely too heavily upon tactical pricing in their marketing. This paper outlines the critical relationship between yield management, the management of capacity, impact of price, and stability of tour operators.

Strategy, risk and decentralization in hospitality operations

Examines variations in the nature of hospitality operations from a strategic perspective. Operational strategy is regarded as a response to environmental risk. Looks at various ways in which organizations have decentralized their operations in response to environmental conditions. Hospitality units may be classified on the basis of customer perceptions, as “transactional” or “experiential” services. This has the merit of being customer‐ rather than operationally‐focused, and also provides insight into the precise nature of hospitality service.

Food Hygiene and the Management of Premises

To identify the legal obligations of the food process manager with regard to premises. To discuss the principles and practice underlying planning, design, maintenance and cleaning of premises, in order to ensure food hygiene and customer safety.

Food Hygiene and the Management of Plant and Equipment

To identify the legal obligations of the food process manager regarding plant and equipment. To discuss the theory and practice of selecting, cleaning and operating all types of equipment in order to ensure food hygiene and customer safety.

Food Hygiene and the Management of Personnel

To identify the legal obligations of the food premises manager with respect to personnel. To set down hygiene standards for personnel. To discuss how these standards can be achieved through the selection, training, motivation, monitoring and support of staff.

Food Hygiene and Process Management

To identify the legal obligations of a food production manager with regard to the food production/service process. To discuss the principles and practice underlying analysis, planning and design of the production service process to ensure food hygiene and customer safety.

Food Hygiene Strategy and Policy

To identify possible operational strategies for the management of food hygiene. To examine different approaches to food hygiene policy and to discuss how these may be integrated with other organizational goals, to ensure product quality and customer safety.