What does this term mean? Without a doubt, we have seen this heading many times in many company organizational charts, but do we know the importance this figure has in hotel companies, resorts, and golf courses?
Undoubtedly, the definition of Operations Management in Hotels, Resorts, and Golf Courses refers to those techniques of coordination and organization of the company’s own resources for the production of its services, based on the standards assigned by the organization.
Breaking down this succinct definition, we must point out that, driven by a good operations management policy, a company will be able to handle:
The quality standards assigned by the organization.
Reaching the budgeted cost levels.
Complying with the annual budget approved by the General Management.
Well, after observing a technical definition of this figure, let’s look at the practical meaning of this position in any tourist or sports complex. It is as easy to see as when we review the company’s Commercial and Marketing Plan, the allocated budgets, and the company’s quality policy.
Even if the company already has a product or service designed, along with a carefully crafted commercial and marketing action plan, that plan must go from being a project to a reality.
Tourism companies cannot afford to “sell smoke” (make empty promises). That would be one of the biggest mistakes they could make. There must be a close relationship between the product or service designed by the marketing and commercial departments—approved by General Management—so that what we launch into the market is a reality, taking into account the variables of: Costs, profitability, quality, and results.
Focusing on practical cases, we cannot create a 5-star product in our hotels, resorts, or golf courses, and when our clients arrive, offer them a lower-tier service. There must be a clear balance between what we offer and what we actually deliver in terms of quality.
This is even more crucial considering the information technology revolution in which we live. Today, we cannot risk selling something that does not correspond to reality. There are a multitude of online platforms that measure and feature customer comments on the services we have been offering, which, of course, resorts take into account in their CRM strategies.
Can you imagine offering a 5-star service and delivering a 3-star service? What would be the consequence? I think we all know. In any case, and although I review these types of portals where we see satisfaction metrics, as I always say: I am more concerned about “the client who does not file a complaint and just leaves” than the one who presents their complaint. With the person who complains, we have the opportunity to measure its truthfulness and act in a timely manner. But whoever simply leaves is a lost client “for life.”
Hence the importance of good Operations Management in our hotel companies, tourist complexes, resorts, and golf courses. It is essential to seek and assign the right profile for this position in any company—someone with extensive experience in the commercial and marketing departments—so that they participate with a global and joint vision of the products and services regarding their public launch, while maintaining a clear analysis of success in structural costs, quality of service, and finally, the achievement of results.
The key is to find that profile with the necessary experience who can establish harmony and coordination across all these departments when designing and creating our products or services.
