Getting quality out on the street? A case of show and tell

A survey of 143 employees of a medium-size, upscale hotel found that the general manager and supervisors are the chief sources of information on the hotel's standards for service quality. Merely enunciating standards, however, is not enough. Many employees learn what those standards actually mean by watching supervisors and co-workers in action, demonstrating excellent service. Moreover, that process can be lengthy, lasting six months or more for many employees. While most knowledge is transmitted orally or by demonstration, certain groups, including women and persons for whom English is a second language, apparently rely more heavily than others on written materials for information on quality standards. Written materials may also form the basis for employee definition of quality standards. Many of the terms that the subject hotel's employees used to define quality were also found in the hotel's employee documents.