Individuals- as long as you can afford the fees you can become a member of Holmes Place plc in effect membership is opened to anybody.
Groups- examples are members of different clubs like football, tennis, basketball they get discounts.
People of different ages- this means that any one over the age of 18 could sign in.
People from different cultures- everybody from different cultures are invited as well.
Non English speakers- these people must be given all signs instructions so they can use the machines safely.
People with specific needs- this includes people with wheelchairs, special ramps etc.
Business men and women- these people can benefit from discounts
Fringe and benefits – free membership
Customer profile
Socio economic grouping like the one used by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising to produces an A-C profile of people who are most likely to be members and can afford fees. Other characteristics are:-
- Male and female
- Desire to come physically fit and weight loss
- Members will live in easily travelling distance from Holmes Place or may be near to work place.
- Somebody with a secure income e.g. in full time employment.
Holmes Place plc need to use information gathered about their customers both internal and external to help meet customers expectations and planning.
P2 Communicating with Customers.
There are different ways in which staff at Holmes Place deal with customers, for example, answering on the telephone or face to face queries, dealing with complaints, providing detailed specialists advice about leisure and fitness service or goods e.g. weights training stamina building sports.
When communicating face to face the member of staff must include the importance of tone, volume, language and body language. To established and meet customers need. To finish off a conversations appropriately even if with a trouble some customer.
When communicating in writing letters, memo and email it must include house style, tone, accuracy, grammar, spelling, and punctuation. The importance of filling up customer quires complaints that is if one of the customers has a similar complains the staff will know how to deal with it. And also answering and corresponding promptly. Customer satisfaction and excellent customer service should aim to exceed customer expectation so the customers cannot think of anything more that could have been done to make them more satisfied. Whether a business organisation is communicating internally (employees) or externally (customers and suppliers), there are number of ways in which, communication can take place. They are: verbal communication, non-verbal communication, written communication, and technological communication. Verbal communication: Verbal communication can either be done face-to-face or even over the telephone. An example of internal communication is having a one-to-one conversation with a manager. An example of an external communication is dealing a customer complaint over the telephone.
Non verbal communication: When customers make non-signal, such as hand signals, staff can able to judge how they are feeling. The following are some examples of non-signals and each signal describes how the individual is feeling.
Written communication: Written communication is when sending documents, such as email or business letter to an individual. An example of an internal communication is sending an urgent email to a manager on the internet. An example of an external communication is writing a business letter to an applicant, to congratulate him or her for being successful in the interview of a job.
Technological communication: Technological communication is the most common type of communication, and it has become more useful than verbal and written communication. Internet and mobile phones are good examples of technological communication. An example of internal communication is having an important conversation with a senior manager over the mobile phone. An example of an external communication is a customer is filling in a customer complaint form on the internet.
P3 Measuring customer satisfaction.
Holmes Place plc could measure customer’s satisfaction by analysing membership’s numbers how many they are, the rise and fall that is if they are increasing or decreasing, services and the goods the customers often buys. Customer care is about making the customer feel important. If the complaints ask for something you can’t give you will have to offer alternative. And also do not argue with the customer. After the complaints you will have to discuss it with the manger and take a short a break. They also check the customers complaints if it is constant or if it is rising or falling. To do all this market research is carried out by Holmes Place plc by:
- On the spot question from staff to members
- Questioners through the past
- Customers panel/ interviews
- Observation e.g. mystery members
Holmes Place handles customer complaints in the following ways:
a) A verbal complaint to a staff member, post or e-mail directed at Camden council most often occurs when a member of the local community complaints to the council about things such as loud noise early or late parking.
b) They tell the customers to stay calm and get the customers name and apologise to the customer and they also put them selves in the position of the customers and be polite and helpful.
c) Then any complaints received by the head office of Holmes place are dealt with within two days. Email is often used to handle the complaints more quickly. The centre should be distributed to the area manager.
Holmes Place also has a leaflet, which is called “HELP US TO HELP YOU!”
This leaflet has a few questions which you have to answer by ticking a smiley face. This shows that you could tell Holmes Place what you think of it and this also helps Holmes Place so they know how to improve the company.
P4 Identify and describe the specific legislation which protects the customers of Holmes Place Plc.
Holmes Place has a consumer protection law to protect their consumer from unscrupulous traders these are civil law and criminal law. If any of these laws are broken it would be heard in court and the trader is proved guilty he or she would be sued to court or face a fine or imprisonment so Holmes Place follow the rules of:
- Trade Description Act 1968
The purpose of this act is to avoid the false description of goods. Any trader who gives a false description of goods or supplies or offers to manufacture goods which are falsely described is guilty of an offence. Trade Description act could affect Holmes Place in any way for example if any of the employees sell a faulty product to the customer, they could loose customers and they will go down financially. For example, a swimming hat lets in water.
- Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
This law started in 1974 because the existing laws on health and safety were out of date and did not cover workers in environments rather than offices, shops, railway and factories it was also supposed to be some protection that should be given to people apart from workers, such as general public. Health and safety at work also applies to Holmes place plc because the employee is supposed to inform and show the employee about the health and safety and were they are. And also as it is a leisure centre it should have on all the equipments what the health and safety are so as to avoid injuries.
- Safety Signs Regulation 1980
There are four major types of safety signs. All signs must confirm to these rules:
- Warning signs examples are risk of electric shock on a yellow triangle with a black border
- Prohibition signs or don’t do signs this is on a red diagonal band, e.g. no smoking
- Mandatory or must do signs solid-blue circle with a white symbol such as a pair of white gloves on a blue back ground for ware hand protection.
- Safe condition or safe way signs -Green Square with a white symbol e.g. a direction arrow.
This applies to Holmes Place plc to make sure everywhere around the leisure centre is safe by putting up the signs where the customer can see it and also make sure they follow the signs. For example the swimming pool is one of the most dangerous places in Holmes Place so there should be a safety sign like ‘‘No Running Around.’’
- Data protection act 1998
All persons or companies who hold personal data on computer must be registered as data users with the data protection registrar and any information held on the computer must have been acquired legally personal data must only be used and disclosed to others for reasons which are compatible with the propose of which it is held.
Holmes place plc must keep the customers information secret so other people can’t go on the computer to read it.
- Sale and supply of goods act 1994.
The Sale of Goods Act permits the consumer options that are not open to him in the ordinary case law relating to contract. The Act (as amended in 1994) makes for the fast rectifying of problems in a commonsense manner. It is intended to make clear the rights and obligations of both parties and to avoid the need for formal legal action such as going to court. An Act to amend the law relating to the sale of goods; to make provision as to the terms to be implied in certain agreements for the transfer of property in or the hire of goods, in hire-purchase agreements and on the exchange of goods for trading stamps and as to the remedies for breach of the terms of such agreements; and for connected purposes.
Holmes place plc are supposed to check the good before selling it to the customers so as to avoid problems.
P5 Recommend key improvements to the customer service provided by Holmes Place plc.
In Holmes place plc when you register there a member of staff will work out a programme for you these includes measuring your body-fat index so that monitoring progress is quantifiable. Rehab and personal training is £30 and hour which is very expensive. Part of this could be subsidised by the company. Staff could do with more experience not those who run lessons/training sessions but those who are out on the gym floor. Lockers should be larger with more seating benches in the changing rooms. Definite boundaries should be made between adult and children changing areas. Staff retention seems to be a problem especially on the gym floor were new face appear quite regularly.
Some extra classes still have to pay for. For initial membership payment and monthly direct debits and all classes should be free. And there is a membership suggestion box. All there are improvements in Holmes place plc. Staff retention seems to be a problem, particularly for the gym floor where new faces appear regularly
Some extra classes still have to be paid for. For the initial membership payment
And monthly direct debit all classes should be free. The key improvement that should be provided by the business to the customer service should include:
- A suggestion box
- All extra classes should be free
- The use of sun beds should not be expensive
- The promotions that are advertised should be considered before advertised.
- Locker should be larger with more seating benches in the changing rooms.
M1 Explain each of your recommendations for improved customer service meets the needs of the business.
Holmes Place plc has to ensure that it satisfies internal and external customer needs. This is clearly shin by the customer service that they offer. Like any other business Holmes Place tries to do like the following:-
- Increase customer satisfaction {internal and external}
Holmes Place has to satisfy the entire customer both internal customers these are the ones that work for the company by giving them their rights and also paying them their rightful amount of money. And also the external customers these are the ones that come into the gym to use it, Holmes Place has to satisfy them making sure the equipment are intact and also finding out what they like and don’t like so as to make it better. For example the customers what separate changing rooms to change their children so Holmes Place has to provide that to satisfy the customer.
- Increase profits and market share
The things Holmes Place sell they would have to sell it for a reasonable price so the customers could buy it and also make a profit. To increase their market share they have to be competing with other businesses so as to make offers and invite more customers to them.
- Raise Holmes Place profile in highly competitive industry
For Holmes Place to be a competitive industry they would have to check their profits and losses of the company and also check their price range and make some offers to drag more customers to them.
- Recruit new members
If Holmes Place wants to recruit new members they would for example make an offer that if they register now they could get a year free by doing this more people would want to register.
M2 Explain how each of your recommendations meets the expectation of the different types of customers of the business.
For the internal customers they wouldn’t want to live the company they would contribute more to the company for example getting more customers. They would be willing to come to work and be harder working. For the external customers they would want to come to the gym more often and also bring new customers with them. And also they will feel more comfortable in the gym. A suggestion box should be in the gym because the customers might want to complain or recommend things for Holmes Place and this can be a good idea. The lockers in the changing room should be larger so the customers could have more space by doing this the customers will be more comfortable changing. And also there should be more seating space.
M3 Describe how each of your recommendations could be realistically implemented by the business
If Holmes Place puts my recommendations to action for example the customers would want space to change their children, there is a land
near the changing rooms, so Holmes Place could build the changing room that the parents want so parents can change their children anytime.
And also Holmes Place would want to enlarge their rooms which is not a good idea because the have got lots of free land so they just have to make another room. The lockers that should be enlarged and more seating space can be done because Holmes Place has lots of empty space so it is easy for them to enlarge the lockers were there are sun beds they could move that over to the empty area and use it for the changing rooms. The extra classes should be free, Holmes Place can do this because the will be getting more customers and they could make like an offer that if you register you will get extra classes.
M4 Realistically suggest about how the success or failure of your recommendation could be monitored
The success or failure of my recommendation could be monitored by doing market research there are two types of market research which are primary and secondary research.
- Primary research means asking someone for views and opinions about the gym this means Holmes Place would find out what the people around would recommend for the company. Or by making a questionnaire for a certain group of people for example to focus on the 18-24s and find out what they think about the company and what should be done or what is not supposed to be done by doing this Holmes Place will find out if they are making a profit or loss and amend it.
- Secondary research this is often known as desk research it relates to looking up facts and figures in books magazines on computer database in the company files so looking at information that already exist.
The extra classes, Holmes Place could see how many people have registered so far. The lockers and more sitting area Holmes could find out if it useful by checking how many people are using it they can do this by using a smiley face survey “HELP US TO HELP YOU”
