Implementation of Standard Operating Procedures for Bellboys Handling Guest Luggage During Check-In at Pangeran Beach Hotel

Syabina Jevada Nurul Hidayah; Vischa Mansyera Pratama

doi:10.63076/jomm.v2i1.24

Authors

Syabina Jevada Nurul Hidayah
Vischa Mansyera Pratama

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63076/jomm.v2i1.24

Keywords:

Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), Bellboy, Guest Luggage Handling, Check-in Process, Front Office

Abstract

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are essential in ensuring structured, consistent, and high-quality hotel operations. This study aims to analyze the implementation of SOPs by bellboys in handling guest luggage during the check-in process at Pangeran Beach Hotel in Padang, Indonesia. Using a descriptive qualitative approach, data were collected through observations, interviews with hotel staff and guests, and documentation. The findings reveal that bellboys performed seven out of ten SOP components consistently, including greeting guests, unloading luggage, securing items, using luggage trolleys, waiting at appropriate locations, verifying room keys, and escorting guests to their rooms. However, certain procedures, such as inviting guests to recheck their belongings and confirming nothing was left in the vehicle, were often omitted. The study concludes that while SOP implementation is generally effective, some steps require reinforcement through staff training and periodic evaluations. Enhancing SOP compliance can strengthen service consistency, improve guest satisfaction, and reinforce the hotel’s professional image.

References

A. Zopiatis, A. L. Theocharous, and P. Constanti, “Service quality in hospitality: A review and research agenda,” J. Hosp. Tour. Manag., vol. 49, pp. 134–142, 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.jhtm.2021.09.004.

F. Ali, H. C. Wu, and C. Cobanoglu, “Critical touchpoints in guest experience: A service design approach in hotels,” Int. J. Hosp. Manag., vol. 105, p. 103223, 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2022.103223.

Q. Weng, L. Lin, and J. Zhang, “The effect of SOP implementation on employee performance in hotels,” Tour. Manag. Perspect., vol. 34, p. 100655, 2020, doi: 10.1016/j.tmp.2020.100655.

C. Giousmpasoglou, L. Brown, and J. Cooper, “Hospitality labor under pressure: The case of frontline hotel employees during peak seasons,” Int. J. Contemp. Hosp. Manag., vol. 35, no. 3, pp. 780–798, 2023, doi: 10.1108/IJCHM-10-2022-1216.

Y. F. Kuo and L. S. Chen, “How service consistency and employee compliance affect guest satisfaction in the hotel sector,” Serv. Ind. J., vol. 42, no. 7–8, pp. 541–562, 2022, doi: 10.1080/02642069.2022.2067820.

U. Flick, An Introduction to Qualitative Research, 7th ed. London: SAGE, 2022.

J. W. Creswell and C. N. Poth, Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches, 4th ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE, 2018.

A. M. Huberman, M. B. Miles, and J. Saldaña, Qualitative Data Analysis: A Methods Sourcebook, 4th ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE, 2020.

Y. F. Kuo and L. S. Chen, “How service consistency and employee compliance affect guest satisfaction in the hotel sector,” The Service Industries Journal, vol. 42, no. 7–8, pp. 541–562, 2022, doi: 10.1080/02642069.2022.2067820.

M. A. Nasution and F. Mavondo, “The impact of service quality on customer satisfaction and loyalty in hospitality,” Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, vol. 30, no. 3, pp. 276–295, 2021. doi: 10.1080/19368623.2020.1789527

S. Giousmpasoglou, L. Brown, and J. Cooper, “Hospitality labor under pressure: The case of frontline hotel employees during peak seasons,” International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 35, no. 3, pp. 780–798, 2023, doi: 10.1108/IJCHM-10-2022-1216.

L. M. Tracey and R. Tews, “Training effectiveness and SOP enforcement in hotel front offices,” J. Hum. Resour. Hosp. Tour., vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 1–16, 2022, doi: 10.1080/15332845.2021.1918461.

C. Paraskevas, “Quality assurance systems and SOP integration in hotel operations,” Tour. Manag. Perspect., vol. 43, p. 100981, 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.tmp.2022.100981.

A. A. Rather, “Customer experience and engagement in tourism destinations: The experiential marketing perspective,” J. Travel Tour. Mark., vol. 38, no. 1, pp. 27–40, 2021, doi: 10.1080/10548408.2020.1865510.

M. A. Rather and S. Hollebeek, “Customer engagement and loyalty in hospitality: The roles of personalization and brand experience,” J. Retail. Consum. Serv., vol. 64, p. 102778, 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2021.102778.

Y. Liu, H. Liu, and J. Li, “How frontline employees’ emotional labor impacts customer loyalty: The mediating role of customer trust,” Serv. Ind. J., vol. 41, no. 5–6, pp. 382–404, 2021, doi: 10.1080/02642069.2020.1790519.

D. Costen and C. Salazar, “Experiential learning in hospitality: Closing the theory–practice gap,” J. Hosp. Tour. Educ., vol. 33, no. 3, pp. 123–135, 2021, doi: 10.1080/10963758.2021.1893737.