Case Analysis of ‘Banff Aspen Lodge - Staffing for Success’

Banff Aspen Lodge is a hotel located in the Canadian Rockies. As a popular destination for
adventure seekers, the hotel needs a well-trained, diverse staff that can provide excellent
customer service. This case analysis examines the hotel’s strategies to ensure successful and
adequate staffing.
The first step Banff Aspen Lodge took to ensure staffing success was creating a job description
for each position. This included providing a detailed list of duties, qualifications, and skills.
This confirmed that potential applicants knew precisely what was expected of them and gave
them a better understanding of the job.
The next step was to create a comprehensive recruitment plan. This plan included identifying
the positions that needed to be filled, potentially sourcing candidates, and conducting
interviews. The recruitment process was designed to be highly selective so that only the best
candidates were chosen.
After selecting suitable candidates, Banff Aspen Lodge focused on training and development.
They provided ongoing training and support to their employees, creating a learning and
development culture. This ensured that staff were well-equipped to handle customer service
and other duties.
Finally, Banff Aspen Lodge established a robust performance appraisal and feedback system.
This included setting performance goals and regularly assessing staff performance. This
allowed the hotel to stay on top of its staffing and ensure everyone was meeting their targets.
Overall, Banff Aspen Lodge has successfully implemented effective staffing strategies. Their
recruitment plan, training, and feedback system have created a highly-trained, diverse staff
capable of providing excellent customer service.

Q1. What are the key success factors for the Aspen?
Ans. The most significant key success factor for Aspen is a strong and long-term relationship
with its clients. The company will gain a competitive edge by developing the relationship with
clients, encouraging them to return and promote the location to their friends and family.
Customers' relationships can be strengthened by providing high-quality services at reasonable
pricing. By improving this relationship, Aspen can acquire the loyalty and trust of its clients,
attracting them to use their services again and again. Aspen's location is another crucial success
element. According to the complaint, it is one of 17 motels located along a five-block stretch
of Banff Lane, Banff's main artery. Location is frequently considered an important aspect in
the success of hotels. Employee satisfaction is another crucial success component. This, in turn,
increases their employees' performance. It also sends out a positive message as an employer to
become the first choice for prospective talent.
The firm's major success factor is providing an amazing customer experience. Despite being
the only private business opposed to mergers, the corporation received a positive rating of 8.1,
the highest in a four-year streak.
The organization has a strong and pleasant workplace culture, which is influenced by other
success elements such as a collaborative leadership style, an open door policy, quality
remuneration packages, and standard training experience, all of which promote work place
autonomy, creativity, and innovation.
Q2. What are the requirements for the Front Desk staff?
Ans. The primary responsibilities of the front desk staff are to provide a pleasant and polite
telephonic reception, to handle regular office chores, to ensure the visitors' well-being and
safety, to provide instructions, and to accommodate proposals to meet visitors' demands. Based
on all of the above roles, the following are some stated requirements for front desk staff:
i. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are required.
ii. Should be able to communicate successfully in another language (multilingual).
iii. Should be able to handle a variety of jobs.
iv. Should be able to work under pressure during check-in and check-out periods, as well as
deal with a variety of customer needs.
v. Should be able to listen well to answer the visitor's queries.
vi. Should demonstrate attentiveness in how he or she works with the specific consumer or
client.
vii. Should be capable of giving effective presentations.
viii. Should be well-groomed and presentable.
ix. Should be able to keep the company's secret data to himself or herself.
x. Should be enthusiastic about the position because attitude is the most important component
in productivity in such a position.

Q3. Develop hiring criteria based on these requirements and apply them to the
applications Barr is reviewing. Whom would you interview?
Ans. Aspen is looking for an experienced Front Desk Clerk to supervise administrative and
clerical activities at the main gate. The Front Desk Clerk will be responsible for a range of
activities, including monitoring requests, engaging with the switchboard, and keeping the
office's financial schedule. The major goal of the Front Desk Clerk is to provide exceptional
customer service and support to clients. As Aspen's aim is, 'successful clients should be
pleasant and kind, with outstanding capacity to form partnerships. Situational and behavioural
interviews should be highlighted based on these attributes to get the best out of the applicants'
attitude and interpersonal skills. Work samples should also be used to assess an applicant's
capacity to deal with stress at work. Referrals are the top priority for the interview sessions. As
a result, the internal workforce has a better understanding of the culture and can quickly
recommend the best fit in for bearance of association to organisational failures:
• Greets and welcomes customers in a friendly and professional manner.
• Provides information about rooms and makes bookings based on customer requests.
 • Makes room reservations, cancellations, confirmations, and registrations based on guest
requests.
• Performs check-in and check-out of customers.
• Handles emails, messages, and wake-up calls accurately.
We will prefer to hire two individuals based on the above criteria:
Dalal, Dorati: Outstanding communication skills and client orientation are recognised as
essential talents in her CV. Furthermore, because she has expertise in the entertainment
industry and is well-versed in recruiting potential visitors, she has problem-solving abilities
and inventive experience in dealing with and responding to issues from all consumers in a
highly efficient manner.
Patel, Arjun: He is another candidate for this position. He has five years of customer service
experience, and the skills, knowledge, and abilities listed on his CV are appropriate for the job.
Aside from that, the major abilities necessary to hire a person are the good written and vocal
communication skills specified in his CV. He is also certified in basic first aid, AED, and CPR,
which helps to promote workplace health and safety.

Q4. What questions do you want to ask during the interview?

Ans. According to the instance, Aspen sought the crucial characteristic in the attitudes of
prospective employees. The second most crucial factor was determining whether the individual
was a cultural match. Aspen used a systematic method, which included presenting candidates
with realistic job scenarios. Behavioral-based questions covered how applicants will manage
challenging conditions. Questions on an applicant's ability to respond to challenging situations
in the workplace.

The following are examples of interviewing questions:

• Can you tell me something about yourself that isn't in your CV?
• What talents and characteristics distinguish you from other candidates?
• In your previous career, what kind of environment did you work in?
• How will you use your talents and shortcomings to boost our hotel's revenue and success?
• Are you familiar with our company's culture, vision, and mission?
• How will you manage the visitors' complaints?
• How would you handle guests who complain about air quality and report it to the health
department?
• Some guests want a refund because they were unhappy with their room. How would you
handle such a situation?
• What are your objectives if you are recruited at this hotel?
• How will you handle the customer's problem if you don't speak their language?
• What do you know about customer service?
• How do you deal with working stress?
• During your prior position as a front desk officer, what was your most upsetting moment?
• What is your proudest success as a front-desk officer?
• If you are appointed CEO today, state one thing you will do in this organisation to improve
the customer experience.
• How will you handle the customer's situation while on the phone?

Q5. Analyse strengths and weaknesses in Aspen's HRM process. Provide

recommendations for improving the human resource planning, recruitment, selection,
and onboarding/training processes.
Ans. Analyzing Aspen's HRM Process's Strengths and Weaknesses:
Strengths
Aspen's management believes in employing the appropriate people while also coaching,
mentoring, and allowing employees to do their duties. It aided in a variety of ways, the most
important of which was that it provided a distinct corporate culture while also providing a solid
word-of-mouth coating for the guest's relatives and friends. There were actions taken to
accomplish this, which are stated below:
a) The employee referral approach is among the best since collecting referrals from current
employees is the most effective and productive way to recruit. This method promotes
workplace engagement and fosters organizational ties in order to ensure proper vigilance and
employee confidence. When we consider the organization's perspective, we can save money
and time.
b) Monthly staff gatherings and a lunch and learn programme assisted new employees in
adjusting to the culture.
c) A diverse talent pool of approximately 30 different countries with diverse academic and
cultural history.
d) Appropriate use of diverse channels for recruitment: Aspen employed all recruiting options
available to it, including word-of-mouth referrals from internal workers, the hotel platform,
and the Work Bank of Canada.

e) Onboarding and training: Because this Hotel provides training and onboarding for new
employees, it assists potential hiring by reducing uncertainty, promoting a helpful environment,
and demonstrating to members that they are valued.
Weaknesses
a) Demography: As we can see, the Hotel is embedded in many regional and demographic
sectors of the country, which eventually becomes harder to run, as it is now, especially for
newly founded businesses.
b) Legality and Licensing: According to the Hotel's licencing, the numerous conditions for
Hotel's licence include large start-up fees, various among them leading in an increase in the
Banff Aspen Lodge's operational costs; c) It is hectic and time-bound: According to the
observations, the Hotel requires an in-depth examination of their present and past clients, their
tastes, and the amount that would be required for the facilities to be available for a very long
period of time before the firm begins.

Improvements
(a) Use applicant tracking systems (ATS) in the employment process to achieve the required
and manageable number of applications.
(b) Use technology to enhance the front-desk staff's tasks.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths
- Banff Aspen Lodge has an experienced and
knowledgeable staff with a wealth of
experience in the hospitality industry.
- The Lodge offers competitive staff salaries
and benefits, making it an attractive
workplace.
- Staff members are highly trained in
customer service and friendly and helpful to
guests.
- The Lodge provides a variety of career
development and advancement opportunities
for its staff.
Weaknesses
- The Lodge is in a remote area and may need
help attracting qualified staff.
- There is a limited pool of applicants
available for any open positions.
- There need to be more professional
development and career advancement
opportunities for the staff.
- The Lodge is unable to provide competitive
salaries and benefits due to its remote
location.

Opportunities Threats

- Staff can be trained and developed in - The Lodge may face competition from
various areas, such as customer service, other hotels and resorts.
hospitality, marketing, and management.
- There are limited job opportunities in the
- The Lodge can develop partnerships with area, making it difficult to retain staff.
local businesses and educational institutions
to provide training and development - The remote location means that the Lodge
opportunities to staff. may be disadvantaged in recruiting qualified
staff.
- The Lodge can offer competitive salaries
and benefits to attract qualified staff. - The Lodge may not offer competitive
salaries and benefits to staff, leading to a
- The Lodge can use its remote location as a high turnover rate.
selling point to attract staff who prefer to live
in a rural area.
PACADI Analysis
Problem
The Banff Aspen Lodge had experienced high staff turnover, affecting the quality of service
provided. The hotel's management needed to improve staffing levels and ensure the quality of
service.
Alternatives
The management team considered several alternatives to address the staffing issue:
1. Increase wages and benefits - This would attract more applicants; however, management
was concerned that it could prove expensive and would not necessarily be enough to solve the
issue.
2. Offer more recruitment incentives - The team explored providing extra incentives such as
free meals and discounted accommodations to attract more applicants.
3. Increase the recruitment process - Management looked into streamlining it, making it easier
and quicker for potential employees to apply.
4. Improve working conditions - The team looked into ways to improve the working
environment, such as increasing breaks and providing better employee training.
Criteria
The management team identified several criteria that would help them decide which alternative
to choose:
1. Cost - The chosen alternative should be cost-effective.
2. Effectiveness - The chosen alternative should address the staffing issue effectively.
3. Acceptance - The existing staff and potential applicants should accept the chosen
alternative.
4. Timeframe - The chosen alternative should provide results promptly.
Analysis
The team analysed the various alternatives based on the criteria. It was determined that the
most cost-effective option with the highest potential for success was to increase the recruitment
process and offer more incentives. This would help attract more applicants and make it easier
for them to apply.
Decision
Based on the analysis, the management team decided to increase the recruitment process and
offer more incentives. This would help to attract more applicants and make it easier for them
to apply.
Implementation
The team implemented the new recruitment process, which included making the application
process easier and more streamlined. They also offered incentives such as free meals and
discounted accommodations. Finally, they increased the levels of training for employees,
providing them with the necessary skills to provide the best service.
The new measures proved successful, resulting in a significant improvement in staffing levels
and quality of service.

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