While on our study abroad trip in Turks and Caicos, I was able to dive deeper into the functions and operations that occur behind the scenes of an all-inclusive, luxury, family resort in a country known to have the most beautiful beaches in the world. While observing these different departments at Beaches, I was lucky enough to have a chance to speak with the department heads and teams involved in making the resort operate. I really got to understand how important it is for each team to work cohesively with each other in order for the large scale operation to function in an effective and efficient way that provides guest with the best possible service. It was also lovely and deeply moving to meet the people who create these experiences and getting insight into their lives on the islands and how different it was from ours in the states. I felt I was able to connect and understand why they do what they do and why they love the property they work on.
The Front-of-House operations were fascinating to me because I never thought about how all inclusive resorts differ and resemble other hospitality focused properties like luxury hotels and cruises. Beaches in particular had FOH departments that included specialized services like Club Sandals and Butler Services among the usual Loyalty/Travel and Front Office.
Front Office is usually the first experience a guest will have when arriving on the property they are staying at so it is important that they provide a positive experience. This is where a guests checks in, gets any questions they may have answered, and are informed of what they have access to as part of their stay. At a resort like Beaches, with so many different unique experiences to choose from, they need a strong front office department for guests to understand the value of what they are paying for. This sets the overall tone for the experience the guest is about to have on their stay. I had to personally go to the front desk quite a few times for information or help. Every time it was such a quick and easy experience and the service was phenomenal.
The Butler Service was something that stood out to me. I did not get to experience that department but I was very intrigued in hearing about it from the other departments and how they work together. My understanding was that certain rooms have access to a private butler who essentials takes care of the needs of the guests. I have heard of these types of services but never got to see it in action. This is what I feel showcases the luxury side of hospitality and the personalization that accompanies the heftier prices. It also features the variety Beaches has for all types of guests. Whether they want a standard experience that comes with an all-inclusive, or that tailored experience that the Butler service provides, there is something for everybody. It also fortified to me the deep interconnection the FOH departments have to have in order to accommodate and satisfy the needs those guests who pay for that premium service expect.
Club Sandals and the Loyalty/Travel programs play a key role in maintaining that guest retention. This department builds relationships with guests and coordinate with the other departments to see what the incoming guests want to see or what past guests have enjoyed to see how they can personalize the experience and keep that guest wanting to come back. This type of relationship benefits all parties, the guest get memberships, packages, and exclusive benefits and the resort increases guest satisfaction and their chances of returning to the property in the future.
The communication needed for this type of cross-department cohesion was very impressive to me. It is a very organized chain of command and the way the employees operate to ensure everything goes accordingly taught me a lot. We saw this a lot first hand from the guest perspective as well because we had a few special occasions in our party and the way the team went above and beyond to ensure there was a level of personalization to make our birthday girls feel special and celebrated was beautiful.
Looking at the operation through a managerial lens, staff needs to be trained and taught the ins and outs of the departments they will likely be working with if not all other departments. It was clear that they were all intertwined and needed to work with each other to stay organized while also providing the optimal experiences for guests. Secondly, the data collection and sharing from guests needs to be on point to provide that personalized experience and to see what is working and what is not for the resort. It also allows smooth communication if that data was centralized and all departments had access to it to avoid miscommunication and confusion. It is clear that each employee is systematically trained. Each of them know what each other does and how they contribute to the machine, which allows them to know who they need to connect with to get a function completed.
I believe this behind the scenes operation tour really helped me understand the importance of systematic engagement and how to use technology to assist in the constant fluid communication that allows these types of operations to function.