Garmin: Marketing Research Paper

Garmin: Marketing Research Paper Richard Kelly 1. Executive Summary Summary Airspace regulations across the globe are becoming more restrictive with requirements for improved navigation solutions, more efficient communications, and robust traffic and collision advisory systems (Federal Aviation Administration, 2016). Garmin is well positioned with several products already in production and innovations on the drawing board to meet and exceed these changes. Target segments to be concentrated on are general aviation and business aviation. Marketing will focus on brand imaging and use of our business partners for more direct contact with our intended customers. Positioning Statement To aircraft operators who need the latest in NextGen equipment to meet changing airspace requirements, Garmin is the source for all your equipment needs with innovative and reliable devices ready to lead the way. 3. Overview of Company a. Mission Statement To be an enduring company by creating superior products for automotive, aviation, marine, outdoor, and sports that are an essential part of our customers lives. b. Product Description Garmin makes a complete line of general aviation and commercial aviation avionics, from basic instrumentation to advanced Electronic Flight Information Systems (EFIS). Specializing in NextGen avionics upgrades designed to meet future airspace requirements such as automatic dependent surveillance (ADS-B) out, GPS/GNSS RNAV, ADS-C, and controller-pilot datalink communications (CPDLC). High end displays integrate navigation data with moving map and traffic data, as well as, navaid and flight plan data. Competitors The avionics market is currently highly competitive. Potential market expansion is attracting many small start-ups as well as major players like Boeing and Lockheed. There is enough money to be made in our primary segments that they may decide to expand their product lines. Biggest expected competitors in our target segment are Aspen Avionics, Avidyne Corporation, Chelton Flight Systems, CMC Electronics, Free Flight Systems, Genesys Aerosystems, Honeywell, Inc., Innovative Solutions and Support Inc., L-3 Avionics Systems, Rockwell Collins, Inc., Sagem SA and Universal Avionics Systems Corporation (Garmin Ltd., 2015, p. 14). Each of these competitors has a strong presence in the market already and can use their established systems to effectively exploit any opportunities. SWOT Analysis Strength For expansion in both the commercial aviation and general aviation markets we have several strengths on which we can capitalize. One of our biggest is name recognition. While several of our competitors are well known in some aviation circles, we are better known for our direct to consumer products as well as our aviation products. We can capitalize on our existing manufacturing, distribution, and marketing channels by expanding and improving each. Weakness While regulatory agencies try to give long lead times before making major changes to the requirements of the technology, on occasion they will come down with short notice changes to meet some new performance capability. As with most technology, there is a lengthy lead time to incorporate a new change into our existing product lines. We will need to look ahead to anticipate possible emerging technologies and build in upgradability in as many products as possible to keep ahead of the competition. Rapid integration of new requirements can be difficult. Opportunity With the updated regulatory requirements coming to most airspace around the world, we have opportunity to expand our general aviation market. Most general aviation aircraft are not equipped to meet the new requirements. To meet this opportunity, we need to create affordable solutions that still meet performance requirements and can easily be used by general aviation operators. Products for general aviation should be universal enough for use in a wide range of aircraft with minimal modification to the aircraft. New requirements will also provide opportunities to grow our commercial aviation market. Threat Currently, one of our biggest threats is litigation based on product malfunction and patent infringement. Lesser threats to the bottom line come from fluctuations in currency exchange rates and political unrest in various parts of the world (Garmin Ltd., 2015, pp. 19, 21). 3. Market Segment a. Primary We will primarily continue to target business class commercial aircraft. b. Secondary Our secondary segment will be general aviation aircraft but we will be targeting them at close to the same level as our primary segment. c. Rationale While the general aviation market has a larger number of aircraft, the number, type, and price structure for the equipment has a lower rate of return than the commercial market. It is hard to expect consumers to pay $20,000 or more on a plane that cost $40,000. We expect they will opt for smaller, more affordable upgrade. The commercial equipment market has a wider range of upgrade opportunities many of our current products already meet. In addition, the higher-grade equipment has some built in options and upgradability. Business operators will be looking to lead turn these requirements, some of which have already been implemented in foreign markets. Last, commercial aircraft often are provisioned for two pilots. With the right marketing, there is opportunity to provide a more robust flight deck upgrade. 4. 4 Ps, Branding Strategy a. Product Our product is a complete line of aircraft avionics including: GPS-enabled navigation, VHF communications transmitters/receivers, multi-function displays, electronic flight instrumentation systems (EFIS), automatic flight control systems, traffic advisory systems and traffic collision avoidance systems, terrain awareness and warning systems, instrument landing system (ILS) receivers, weather radar, surveillance products, audio panels, cockpit datalink systems and more (Garmin Ltd., 2015, p.10). b. Price We will continue with our current pricing structure with affordable upgrades, standalone equipment, and contracted rates for larger customers. While we have strong competition, we will adjust our price structure, as required, to remain competitive. The target segments we are working with are captive, they are required to upgrade or will no longer be able to operate their aircraft. With that, they are generally willing to pay a reasonable and competitive price. c. Place (Distribution) Plan We currently have an established distribution system: Garmins retrofit avionics and aviation portable products are sold through select aviation dealers around the world and, in the case of aviation portable products, also through catalogs and pilot shops. Garmins largest aviation dealers include Aircraft Spruce Specialty Co., Elliott Aviation, Gulf Coast Avionics Corp., Sarasota Avionics, and Sportsmans Market. Avionics dealers have the training, equipment and certified staff required for at-airport installation of Garmins avionics equipment. (Garmin Ltd., 2015, p. 13) It is suggested that we partner also with AP license holders by providing incentives and training to encourage them to suggest our products to aviation customers that are having periodic maintenance accomplished on their aircraft. d. Advertising and Sales Promotion Plan We have an established marketing strategy and a dedicated marketing department which will continue to use existing marketing campaigns. In addition, we suggest that online presence be increased on aviation related websites highlighting our ability to meet NextGen requirements specific to each market area. Advertising in trade magazines is highly effective, as well as, partnering with our distributors, which we believe will be the most effective. We would expect that the recommendations of our maintenance partners will also be effective. Use of social media expands our customer contact through our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram venues. We need to position our value proposition so that when they think of upgrading, they think of us first. Additional opportunities exist using sponsorships and displays at trade shows. We should leverage these by use of product demonstrations and contest giveaways to generate leads for our sales force (Garmin Ltd., 2015, p.42). Branding Strategy The Garmin name is synonymous with navigation technology. Our strategy is to paint in the consumers mind the image: Garmin Leading The Way. We believe we are uniquely positioned to provide the values of quality, safety, and innovation to lead the way. Our name says it all with our North compass indicator, Leading The Way. (Garmin Ltd., n.d.) References Federal Aviation Administration. (2016). Performance Based Navigation. Retrieved from https://www.faa.gov/nextgen/update/operator_investments_and_airports/operator_investments/pbn/ Garmin Ltd. (2015). 2015 10-K form. Retrieved from http://www.garmin.com/en-US/company/investors Garmin Ltd. (n.d.). Logo [Graphic]. Retrieved from http://www8.garmin.com/company/newsroom/mediagallery/items.jsp?product=999-99999-11agree=ongetImages=Get Thurber, M. (2015, January) Avionics for NextGen. Aviation International News. Retrieved from http://www.ainonline.com/sites/default/pdf/2015-01-avionics-for-nextgen.pdf

Front Office Operations

Front office and guest safety and security Security Issues ———————- Security encompasses areas such as security of the property itself, company assets, employees' and customers' personal belongings and valuables, life security, personal security etc. In all workplaces management stipulates that it is not responsible for valuables and employees personal belongings (their handbags, items kept in the personal lockers, etc. . Yet management must take all possible measures to prevent theft among employees and of employee belongings through its hiring practices and through the implementation of effective management, human resources and operational policies, such as:    †¢ Background checks of selected applicants †¢ Policies related to employees' entry to, and exit from, the workplace †¢ Spot checks of locker rooms and lockers Effective supervision and control during the work cycle †¢ Policies related to the discovery of criminal records and wrongdoing among, and by,   employees †¢ Control of people entering and exiting the workplace With regard to guest valuables, management informs guests that the hotel is not responsible for valuables left in the room, advising them to secure these in safety deposit boxes provided by the hotel.Besides taking care of security issues related to the people they employ (as outlined above), management must undertake some necessary measures, among which: †¢ Providing â€Å"secure† (safety) deposit boxes and areas to keep valuables †¢ Policies and practices to ensure the security of these boxes and areas †¢ Management and operational policies regarding the security of guest rooms †¢ Management and operational policies regarding the security of public areas †¢ Security policies and practices for the back-of-the-house areas †¢ Employment and training of security personnel Policies and practices to minimize the â€Å"presenceâ €  and â€Å"patronage† of   Ã¢â‚¬Å"shady characters† and criminals, verification of registration and check-in personal data and documentation submitted, and curtailing free movement of unknowns on the premises, as well as direct, free flowing communication with local, national and international security authorities) †¢ Training of staff in guest and valuable security †¢ Effective supervision and control procedures. Some of the security measures taken by hotels:   | |Key Card Locks: | |While key card locks on guest rooms are quickly becoming the standard, some hotels still don't take advantage of the added safety | |provided to guests. | |Guest room locking systems these days include punch and magnetic key cards which have locks with flash memory and other productivity | |linked functions. The system can directly be linked with PMS. |Security Guards: | |Most hotels do not have security guards while some employ them only at night. At Best Western Sterl ing Inn, we have our own staff of | |trained security guards working 24-hours every day to provide the best in safety and security for our guests | |Defibrillation Units: | |A life saving device in case of heart attacks, defibrillation units are starting to be deployed among police and emergency personnel | |across the nation. |Security Cameras: | |Few Hotels have security cameras with digital technology, intelligent access central system, software interface with CCTV for matching| |undesirable visitors and criminals, interfacing with motion detectors, pocket lie detectors and spy cameras and use of biometric | |readers like hand key reader or face recognition system etc. |Fire Alarms: | |While most hotels now have smoke detectors and fire alarms, Some hotels have a state of the art alarm system with smoke detectors in | |each guest room and throughout the entire complex that is monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days per week that pinpoints the exact point of | |the alarm allowing our s ecurity staff to respond immediately to the area of any alarm condition. |Emergency Power: | |Very few hotels have any provision for emergency power in case of an electrical outage while a few hotels provide limited emergency | |stand-by power to provide elevator service and some lighting. Some hotels has a 2-Megawatt stand-by generator that provides 100% | |emergency power that can provide uninterrupted guest service during a power outage. |Emergency Manual: | |Hotels maintain an emergency manual, detailing operations in the event of a variety of emergencies. | |Employee Photo ID: | |For added security, some hotels have employees wearing a photo ID nametag allowing quick identification. |In-Room Safes: | |In addition to the safety deposit boxes offered by most hotels at the front desks, Some hotels provide in-room guest safes capable of | |holding a lap-top computer that use the guest's own credit card as the key. | |Guest elevators: | |Elevators may also be interfaced with a ro om electronic locking system, where swiping the room card key takes the guest to the floor | |on which he is staying. | Bomb threat security:Precautions and measures that may be taken in the above case: 1. Security nets and body searches for guests not known to the staff. 2. Banqueting suites and other non-public areas should be security checked and locked after use 3. Goods received and bags should be checked and kept tidy. 4. If a bomb threat is received via telephone, the telephonist should note carefully what exactly is said, the time of the call received the accent of the caller and background noise if any. After the alert the GM should stay put in the lobby where he can be reached easily. . Duties and responsibility of staff during an emergency should be well-defined. 6. The hotel should work closely with the police to keep them updated. 7. Chamber maids and HK supervisors should be trained to conduct security checks in the guest rooms. Security measures for women travelers -M irrored walls of the guestroom floor elevators so that you can see who is walking behind you -Well-lit public areas such a s lobby bars -Valet parking services to avoid the need o a woman to enter the parking lot -Assigning rooms closer to the elevator If a woman traveler is not assigned a room on the special executive floor , hotels most often on request, upgrade her accommodation to that floor without an increase in room rate. The floor is staffed almost 24 hours a day with a concierge IMPORTANCE OF A SECURITY SYSTEM The guest, who comes to a particular hotel, comes with an understanding that he and his belongings both will be safe and secure during his stay at the hotel. At the same time it is also quite important that the hotel staff and assets are protected and secure.Hence it is very important to have a proper security system in place to protect staff, guests and physical resources and assets such as equipment, appliances buildings, gardens of the hotel and also the belongings of the guest. The management must take care that the security and safety systems cover the following areas: ? Guest: Protection from crimes such as murder, abduction and health hazards from outsiders, hotel staff, pests, food poisoning etc. ? Staff: Providing staff lockers, insurances, health schemes, provident funds etc.Protective clothing, shoes, fire fighting drills, supply of clean drinking water use of aqua guards, sanitized wash rooms etc. ? Guest luggage: Secure luggage store rooms and proper equipment such as luggage trolley and bell hop trolley should be provided. ? Hotel Equipments: Lifts, Boilers, Kitchen equipment, furniture fitting and building etc. must be protected and for these the security and safety should cover up fire safety equipment, bomb threat security system, water floods security system, earthquake security system , safe vault security system etc. Protection of raw materials, goods, provisions and groceries etc. for this the security system should cover pr oper storage and pest control systems, apart from the application of total material management system. TYPES OF SECURITY: 1) Physical aspect 2) Security of persons 3) Security of systems 1) Physical aspect is divided into two parts a) Internal b)external a) Internal security Against theft Fire safety Proper lighting Safeguarding assets Track unwanted guests b) External Security Proper lighting outside the buildingProper fencing of the building Fecing of pool area to avoid accidents in the night Manning of service gates to restrict entry Fixing of closed circuit TV cameras 2) Security aspects of persons a) Staff Effective recruitment and selection Identification of staff Key control Red tag system Training Locker inspection b) Guests: Check scanty baggage guests Guests suspected of taking away hotel property should be charged according to hotel policy Guest room security: Provide wide angle door viewer, dead bolt locks, night torch, chains on doors tc Employees should be trained to n ot give any information abount in house guests to outsiders While issuing a card key ask for key card if in doubt of the guest. House keeping staff should never leave keys expose on unattended carts in corridors 3) Security aspects of systems: Record of all losses and missing items immediately Inventory control should be proper Auditing should be done on a regular basis Proper system for cash disbursements should be made The term system implies the operations of the hotel eg: all the equipment used for operation, procedures laid down for operations and policies to be followed.Systems procedures and policies if followed properly shall safeguard the assets and increase life span of equipment as well as avoid any breakdown maintenance This would mean the following: Fix duties and responsibilities: Fix duties of staff members so that they don’t interfere with others’ work. Make surprise checks Staff who have access to liquid assets should be made to sign a bond so that in case of theft the concerned person can easily be caught Hiring of some independent security company to check the security system of the hotel Safety issues —————–When we take the same hotel as example, it is management's duty to ensure â€Å"safety† in several areas, such as: †¢ The structure itself †¢ Installations and fixtures (check electrical, plumbing, air-conditioning and other installations) †¢ Public and work areas (e. g. slippery floors,   hazardous obstacles in traffic areas), safety of furniture, equipment, appliances, and utensils. This is followed by: †¢ Health safety (nontoxic cleaning material and detergents used) †¢ Good quality air (what we breathe, dependent upon the type of equipment, installations and fixtures used, and regular repairs and maintenance) Food safety (a whole world in itself including sanitation, food quality, food spoilage, correct handling procedures, allowable and recomme nded temperatures, etc. ), and checking and control procedures. An important â€Å"preventive measure† is eliminating the possibility of communicating contagious diseases. Even if local regulations do not require it, it is recommended to send food and beverage handlers for a regular medical checkup. Another preventive measure is the formulation and implementation of policies and procedures related to employee accidents which may present a threat to food sanitation.Culinary staff who cut themselves accidentally at work, as often happens while slicing food products, have to immediately stop handling food, and report to their Executive Chef and to the person in charge of First Aid in their company (Security or Human Resources Department) for preliminary treatment and handling. Healing and precautionary measures are taken before they are allowed back at their job. There are also some basic â€Å"dress† requirements for staff involved in food and beverage preparations:    e. g.Chefs' hats (to prevent hair and whatever hair contains to fall into the food), discreet earrings (non-dangling) or no earrings for women, and long hair neatly and securely tied in a bun at the back of the head. Of no lesser importance is the safety of work tools and work procedures covering all areas, such as stable ladders, secure shelving, safety shoes, well-fitting work garments, clearly written and complete safety procedures and guidelines from management, safety training, and safety installations and equipment, e. g. ire fighting units, regular maintenance schedules for safety equipment and installations, wider traffic areas (to prevent accidents), adequate staffing, and last but not least, continuous effective training in work procedures. All of this necessitates comprehensive planning, the creation of clear policies and work procedures, organization, implementation, training of supervisors and employees, supervision and control. FIRE: Fires in the hotel may result in th e injury and loss of life of both the guests and the staff. Main causes of fire are: i) Smoking: -Smoke only where allowed. -Put out cigarettes in the right place. Sufficient ash trays should be provided in eating places and in rooms, but away from curtains and draperies. -Educate the guests about fire possibilities due to smoking. ii) Defective wiring, faulty appliances and motor and worn out insulation Such hazards should be immediately reported to the concerned person and such equipment should be immediately repaired iii) Laundry Areas: Care should be taken to see that none of the electrical equipment is left on after use iv)Gas leaks: Precautions should be taken against this especially in kitchen areas. v) Combustible waste Combustible material should never b e left near the boiler room i) Kitchen All equipment such as chimneys, exhausts, ventilators, grills, hoods etc. which collect a lot of fume vapor and catch fire easily should be cleaned regularly. vii) Elevator shafts: The se require constant check and inspection. Cigarette butts can ignite the debris and oils that gather at the bottom of elevator shafts. Types of Fire and fire extinguishers: Hotel personnel are trained about the fire protection procedure and the types of fire. They must be able to recognize the various types of fire, all fire require air. Air contains O2 which is necessary for combustion.Fire has been classified in 5 categories depending on how they can be extinguished- Class A Fire- It is the fire of wood, paper, linen and similar dry materials. They are extinguished by cooling and quenching effect of water. The water reduces the temperature of burning substances below their combustion temperature. These are the most frequent and easiest to extinguish when there is an ample water supply and when water can be directed on the combustible material . Keeping the other combustible material wet will limit the spreading of fire Class B Fire-These include fires of oil, gasoline, grease and other petroleum product.These fires are extinguished by blanketing the source of burning substances and eliminating the supply of O2. Petroleum products is lighter than water and will float on water and continue to burn and spread by means of flowing water to other section of the building, hence water is never used for this category. Class C Fire-These are the fires of pressurized gases. For e. g. L. P. G. , most of the gases are lighter than air but L. P. G. is heavier than air. Water is not to be used for this class of fire. Class D Fire-These are fire of metals having low burning temperature for e. g. Na, Mg etc.This class of fire does not exist in the hotel. Class E Fire-These are electrical fire. The fire extinguishing agent must not conduct electrical energy which could spread the fire. Electrical fires are usually blanketed and cooled down. Water is a good cooling agent but it also conducts electricity, so it is not used to control or extinguish this class of fire. Electrical fire is usually caused by a part of circuit overheating or by short circuit. Controlling the sizes of electrical fuses and circuit breaker will often minimize this class of fire. There are 2 systems of fire protection . Portable fire extinguisher. 2. Stationary fire fighting system. Portable fire extinguisher a. Soda acid fire extinguisher- It is used for class A fire. The extinguishing agent is H2O. The fire extinguisher is a cylinder type of pan in which a rubber or flexible hose is attached to the top. When it is desired to use the extinguisher, it is carried to the fire and inverted. A small bottle of acid usually H2SO4 is spilled when the cylinder is inverted or turn upside down. Powdered sodas, bicarbonate of soda (Baking Soda) is mixed with H2O when the tank is charge or fills with water.The chemical reaction of acid and soda water creates a pressure which forces the water out of the cylinder or tank. The hose is used to direct the flow of water to the fire. It has 2 disadva ntages:- -It must be kept away from freezing -Acid causes corrogen problem which reduce the life of the tank or cylinder. The corrogen problem has been minimized by replacing the acid with CO2 cartridge. Upon the cylinder inversion the cartridge opens and releases CO2 gas under high pressure. The high pressure gas than forces the water out of cylinder. b. CaCl2 fire extinguisher-It is also used on class A fire. CaCl2 is a salt which when added to water form brine which has very low freezing temperature. CO2 cartridge is used as pressure agent to force H2O and CaCl2 out of the cylinder to the fire. These extinguishers are used where freezing is a potential hazard c. Foam type extinguisher-It is used on class B type of fire. The extinguisher is charged with special chemical (Al2SiO4), the chemical spread on the burning material and the solution, blanket the fire by excluding O2. d. CO2 fire extinguisher- It is used on C, D and E class of fire. The CO2 types spray a chemical fog toward s the fire.The fog quickly excludes the O2 from the burning material and blanket the combustible material. e. D. C. P. extinguisher- It can be used on C, D and E class of fire. The most common extinguishing agent is sodium bicarbonate or plain baking soda. The extinguisher is charged with the dry chemical and a small tank of CO2 gas. The CO2 gas exerts pressure on dry chemical and forces it out of a nozzle directly to the fire. The powder strict the fire and the heat from the fire breaks down the chemical which releases CO2 gas on a large scale which helps in extinguishing the fire.Stationary fire fighting system a. Automatic sprinklers-It is generally mounted just below the ceiling height with a temperature detector or smoke detector, attached with each sprinkler. The temperature from the fire melts the fusible link on the detector, which opens a water valve. The water is then sprayed on the ceiling and falls on the floor, extinguishing the fire. If the fire area should spread, mor e sprinklers are automatically opened, thus confining the fire to a small area. The temperature detector can be purchased for different activating temperature.The high temperature detectors are often used in kitchens. b. Fire Hose System-It is a semi portable system. In this system the fire hose box is permanently located but the flexible hose can be moved to various distances throughout the building. The hose used to fight fire within a building should be of linen type. The linen allows some water seepage through it which will prevent its burning when in use. HANDLING EMERGENCY SITUATIONS Apart from fire and bomb threat etc. the front office staff at some point of time have to handle a lot of unusual situations also.Some such situations may be death and illness of guests, theft in hotels etc and many others. 1) Death of a guest in the hotel : ? Once the information comes to the front desk it should directly be reported to the front office manager. ? The front office manager will th en report it to the GM or resident manager ? The security manager should also be informed immediately ? The police is informed and the hotel doctor is summoned who will check and confirm the death ? Meanwhile the hotel will locate the residential address of the deceased and will inform the relatives. Once the police complete all formalities and activities and gives the permission, the dead body is fully covered and then removed from the room on a stretcher. For this purpose the service elevator and not the guest elevator is used ? A death certificate is obtained from the doctor ? A report should be prepared as to who informed of the death, time, room number and date of death. In case there is any luggage of the deceased in the room a list should be prepared and the luggage should be kept in the luggage room and the person performing this activity should sign this report ? The guest room is locked and sealed. After obtaining clearance from the police the room is opened and thoroughly disinfected and spring cleaned and only after permission of the police and subsequent permission of the GM or resident manager the room should be sold. Some important facts to be kept in mind are: ? Donot enter the room alone always take the lobby manager and security officer with you ? In case you are aware that the deceased was under the treatment of a specific doctor, the same should be called instead of the hotel doctor. His physician will also be helpful in knowing and notifying the incident to the relatives and people known to him ?Donot disturb the body or touch anything before the arrival of the police as this may be a murder or suicide case. 2) Handling accident cases: †¢ A knowledge of first aid would come very handy in such situations. In general the following points should be taken care of : †¢ Remove the person who has met with accident from the site of accident {as early as possible and take him to a more comfortable area, use a stretcher in case the need be } †¢ Call the doctor and if possible give him the details of accident and gravity of the accident. Take someone along with you to the site of the accident as you may need help †¢ Keep alert you must serve the victim immediately by providing first aid †¢ Try to protect your establishment from any false allegations Prepare a full report of the whole accident giving details of the date and time who reported the incident, room no. , site of the accident etc. Also make your comments as to the reason of the accident and how could it have been prevented and what action is to be taken to avoid the same in the future.The accident book: – An accident book is usually maintained in all organizations and the receptionist should record all details of accidents which have occurred to employees whilst carrying out their daily activities. – The book must be kept in a place easily accessible by any injured person or a person bona fide – Particulars of an accident m ay be entered here in either by the injured person himself or by a person acting on his behalf – The accident ook when filled up should be preserved for a period of three years after the date of the last entry – Every employer is required to take steps to investigate the circumstances of the accident recorded and if there happens to be any discrepancy between the circumstances found by him and the entry made, he is required to record the circumstances so found. 3) Situation of Theft: Theft is divided into four categories: I. Theft by employees of the hotel can be avoided by: – Work business and personal references should be checked before the employee is hired. A detailed record of all employees who enter the guest room such as chamber maids bellboys room boys maintenance etc – All hotel keys should be returned to the department concerned and no employee should be allowed to take keys out of the hotel’s premises. II. Damage of hotel property by the guest can be avoided by: – The hotel staff should identify the main cause for the damage. – If the damage is appears to be done intentionally the hotel can ask the guest to pay compensation for the same. For this it is necessary that the front desk is well versed with the cost of the damaged item.III. Theft of hotel property by the guest: Can be avoided by taking the following steps: – Installing automatic locks on the guest room doors – Appointing a security officer who would walk and take rounds at regular intervals – Inform guests to use the safe vault of the hotel and not to keep valuables in the guest room – Keep a watch on walk in as their likelihood of being a thief is more as compared to a guest who has undergone a process of making a reservation in the hotel – Avoid giving room numbers of resident guests to visitors or over the telephone callers. In case the guest loses his key and asks housekeeping to open the room door for them, HK should direct them to front desk – Master key should be kept under strict supervision and control Theft by outside visitors can be avoided by: – being aware of suspicious persons – regular and irregular schedule of vigil and rounds – Stagger lunch and rest periods of employees so as to keep one person on duty on each floor at all times – Instruct eh telephone operator not to connect calls to the guest room incase the request is made by the caller by room number.The receptionist should insist on knowing the name of the guest who the caller wishes to speak to. – Guest should be informed to keep the balcony door closed to avoid anyone entering the rooms from the balcony – Closed circuit televisions should be used 4) Situation of illness and epidemics: – The receptionist may be called for assistance during sickness of a guest. – Patient should be advised to consult the house physician but in case the guest has his own physician the same should be called. Housekeeping needs to be notified about the sickness and instructions if any – If the case of serious sickness, the guest should be moved to a nursing home – During epidemics all precautionary measures especially in food and beverage service area should be followed 5) Handling a drunk guest : – The guest should be removed from the lobby as early as possible but being careful not to irritate/offend him. – Preferably taken to the back office or to his room. – If he behaves unruly, the hotel security must be called.Safe deposit facility in the hotel for security of guests’ valuables: – It is the responsibility of management to develop and maintain proper safe deposit procedures for its property. – If this facility is available for guests, notices regarding it should be put up in various conspicuous/noticeable places in the hotel and also should be mentioned to the guest. – Safe depos it boxes should be located in an area, in vicinity of the front desk and which has limited access.Unauthorized guests or personnel should not be permitted inside the area. – Front office staff should be well-versed with the procedures regarding safe deposit boxes. – Strict control should apply to the storage and issue of safe deposit keys. – At any point of time there should be only one key issued for each safe even if more than one person is using the safe. – Two keys are required to open a safe deposit box: one being the guest’s key and the other being the control key/guard key put in by the cashier/safe deposit attendant. After the verification f the identity of the guest, the safe deposit attendant/cashier should accompany the guest to the safe deposit area where in clear sight should make use of the control key and the guest’s key to open the safe. Sometimes the hotel may not be able to meet the demand for individual safe box; in that c ase a large box containing the belongings of more than one guest is used. Each guest’s belongings are put in an envelope which is sealed. The key to this box is stored in a secure place and a log is maintained which records an entry each time the key is used to open the box

John Steinbeck and his book ‘Of Mice and Men’ Essay

John Ernst Steinbeck was born on February 27, in 1902 in Salinas, California, He came from a reasonably well off family. He worked his way through college at Stanford University, but never graduated, so in 1925 he set off to New York where he tried to start his career as a writer, but he failed to have any of his writing published and returned to California. He then published a few books and short stories. His first novel, Cup of Gold was published in 1929, but attracted little attention. The readers also poorly acknowledged his following two novels, The Pastures of Heaven and To a God Unknown. Steinbeck then married his first wife, Carol Henning in 1930. But he still wasn’t recognised in the world of literature until 1935 when Tortilla Flat was published. It received the California Commonwealth Club’s Gold Medal for best novel by a California author, and then his work became recognised far and wide. Steinbeck then went onto produce some of his greatest novels, including Grapes of Wrath, which was a Pulitzer Prize winner in 1939. The greatest prize Steinbeck was awarded for his writing was the Nobel Prize for Literature, in 1962. John Steinbeck died on December 20th, 1968, in New York. The first book I read by John Steinbeck was ‘Of Mice and Men’ and it is about two men who are immigrant American labourers. Together they have a dream to settle down and farm their own land rather than work for other people. So they join a group of farmers to earn the money, so that they can buy the farmland for themselves. These two friends are completely unlike each other. One of them, who is called George, is a small intelligent man, and the other, Lennie, is a big, clumsy, caring, but child-like man. The two men have been friends since they were children. But Lennie was not always stupid, but became like this after an accident that happened when he was young. George is always with Lennie for comfort, friendship, but mainly as he is very strong and can work on a farm better than most people. George supports him, helps him and puts thoughts into his head, to try to him motivated. Lennie trusts George with everything and really values their friendship. When the two friends finally get the money to make their dreams come true George takes advantage of Lennie and kills him, so that his dream is secured. In this book you are made to feel sorry for Lennie, as he was very caring, and even when he killed the animals, and boss’s sons wife, you know that he was only being friendly and caring, and just wasn’t aware of his own strength. At the beginning of the book George seems to be Lennie’s friend, but by the end you realize that he is only using Lennie to fulfil his own dreams. The second book by Steinbeck I read was ‘East of Eden’. This book was set in the period between the American Civil War and the end of World War I. It is about the conflicts of two generations of brothers. The opening chapters describe Samuel and his family, and what living in Salinas Valley is like for them. The first generation is the kind, gentle, caring Adam Trask and his wild brother Charles. Adam eventually marries Cathy Ames who is a wicked, manipulative, but very beautiful prostitute. Cathy betrays Adam, with his brother Charles on the very night of their wedding. Later, after giving birth to twin boys, she shoots Adam and then leaves him to return to her former job. With the help of their Chinese servant Lee, Adam raises their sons, the fair-haired, charming, yet stubborn Aron, and the mysterious, clever Caleb, without telling them about their mother. The second generation of brothers compete for their father’s approval. In resentment Caleb reveals the truth about their mother to Aron, so he then leaves to join the army. At the end of the story, Lee makes a great effort to help keep the Trask family together, when Adam is lying in his bed dying, Caleb is overwhelmed with guilt because Aron has been killed in the army. Lee believes that if Adam gives Caleb his blessing for indirectly killing his own brother, he will able to move on in life, and not always feel so guilty. In this novel, although he is not a main character, Lee, their servant is a good friend to Adam, and helped him at his worst times, and managed to hold the family together, so the story wouldn’t have turned out the same without him. The third book I read by John Steinbeck was ‘The Grapes of Wrath’. The book is set in California and it follows the terrible misfortunes of the Joad family, who like many others have given up their lives in Oklahoma in search of employment in California. The book follows both their hopes and setbacks creating a true account of the American dream of the 1930’s, as we observe their struggle to try to get by with what little money and possessions they have. When the Joad family leave the Hooverville, which is an independent migrant camp and move to a government camp, because they cannot find a job at Hooverville. This camp is clean and has a local government made up of migrant workers. For the first time since arriving in California, the Joads find themselves treated as human beings. However, when the work runs out they had to move on. Tom ends up killing a man who is responsible for the death of is good friend John Casey. They have to flee and find work picking cotton, and Tom’s presence there is soon spotted, and Tom has to go into hiding. The ending of this book, even though not dreadfully clear, does suggest a little hope for the Joads, but more so hope for humanity. I enjoyed this book because I saw a lot of things that all of these books have in common, and the most obvious thing was that each book was about underprivileged people who were fighting to keep their lives and families together through many misfortunes. In Steinbeck’s books there is always an inferior character that keeps the people together, for example in The Grapes of Wrath Ma Joad tries as hard as she can to keep her family together, but apart from that you don’t know much about her. And also in East of Eden the servant, Lee, holds the family together, and helped to bring up Adam’s children. The struggle between good and evil is the most dominant theme in these books. John Steinbeck shows that everyone has the potential to be a good person, or completely immoral. An example of this theme is in East of Eden, as Adam is a very kind and caring person, but Cathy is nasty and pitiless. Also in Of Mice and Men, Lennie is a gentle loving man, whereas his friend George turns out to be a horrible, ruthless person. Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath have a connection between the type of work the people do because they are both about people trying to make ends meet working on farms, trying to fulfill their own dreams. Love is another issue that all these books have in common, because whenever love is missing from a specific part of the story, the results become disastrous. The three of Steinbeck’s books that I read all have a very detailed and descriptive writing style, which adds to your satisfaction of his books, as you are given persuasive glimpse into the lives of others. The characters in Steinbeck’s books seem to come to life because of the vast understanding of human courage to be able to choose between what is right and wrong Steinbeck has. I enjoyed reading all of these books, because even though in some ways they were very similar, they all had a different storyline, so I didn’t find the second and third story boring after reading the first one.

Problems in the Construction Industry - 1591 Words

Current Problems and Issues Faced in The Construction Industry It is quite obvious that the Construction industry is one of the most important industries in the world. Because of construction, we all live in homes, apartments, condominiums, and other living places that were created by construction. Most jobs are in buildings, which were also created by construction. Basically, the entire structural part of society was created by hard working construction workers. To give you a general idea of why the Construction industry is so important as a market, the annual construction spending internationally is estimated to be $2.3 trillion of which $1.2 trillion was spent in the US alone in 2006 and 2007. The construction industry does not†¦show more content†¦In an interview, I asked Guy Artigues, a local landscaping/construction company owner, what he has experienced with illegal immigrant workers, to which he replied, â€Å"Well, there are a lot of unhonest men out there who would do anything just to make a few extra bucks, I do a background check on everyone of our workers which takes care of that for the most part† (Artigues, Personal Interview). He went on to tell me that he was blessed to be in the position he was in because at one point his main competition was taken down by the government by condoning illegal immigrant laborers. Global Climate Change According to a Global Warming survey conducted in 2006, 35 percent of Americans believe that global warming is the most important environmental issue we face. That is a 24 percent rise since 2003 when only 11 percent agreed. In just the United States alone, buildings, including homes, office buildings etc., make up 39 percent of total energy use in our country. Those same buildings use 68 percent of our nation’s electricity consumption. As if that is not enough, those same buildings release 38 percent of the total carbon dioxide emissions, which is the believed to be the main cause of global warming. So because of our development as a human race, we are coming close to exceeding the limits of our beloved planet and because of that, many believe, we are destroying ourselves by creating more pollution. The irony is that with the pollution comesShow MoreRelatedThe Construction Industry Has Been Plagued By Rework Problem1030 Words   |  5 PagesINTRODUCTION For decades, the construction industry has been plagued by rework problem. 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