Central Station including Wanggoolba Creek boardwalk

Case Study 1
The partners who own Green Tour Excursions where you work as Duty Manager have decided to reappraise the operations of the Fraser Island Tours which operates 5 vehicles and drivers who also take on the role as tour guides.
The partners say there are too many potential legal issues and complaints from customers and as a result the bottom line of the business is suffering. They say the average turnover has decreased by 15 % and custom likely will be lost to other operators although comparative tours have the same cost for this day tour.
The itinerary which was in place for the current 1 day island wilderness trip included:

• Central Station including Wanggoolba Creek boardwalk
• Lake McKenzie – a swim in crystal clear waters and pristine white sands.
• Seventy-Five Mile Beach
• Eli Creek – swim or float in the clear waters
• Maheno Shipwreck - take a photo stop at the rusting wreck of the Maheno washed ashore during an out-of-season cyclone in 1935
• The Pinnacles Coloured Sands – learn of the Butchulla legends surrounding them.
Inclusions:
National Park Fess
Morning Tea at a picnic ground
Picnic Lunch
Transfers from Hervey Bay Accommodation to ferry return.

The main issues which have been identified by the partners of Green Tour Excursions for the particular tour included:

• On 3 out 10 tours the 4-wheel drive tourist vehicle ran out of fuel which resulted in a 1 hour shortfall of the trip on each occasion.

• On 2 trips the air conditioning of the vehicle failed.

• There were 18 complaints about poor hygiene relating to cups and cutlery used for morning tea and picnic lunch.

• 12 customers have expressed concerns of being provided with food from eskis and service vessels provided from a plastic container.

• 3 customers have complained about being served pastries from a card board box which must have been the packaging provided by our supplier.

• There were 4 claims from customers who claimed they felt unwell or sick after consuming the BBQ picnic lunch which includes a small steak, sausages, 2 different salads and bread and butter.

• There are increasingly complaints from drivers of the vehicles that their days are too long given that they are required to prepare their vehicles post and before each trip which could potentially breach WHS requirements and entitlements.

• 12 customers have expressed concerns of being provided with food from eskis and service vessels provided from a plastic container.

• There were 3 incidences during the past 2 months where customers had close encounters with venomous snakes in the toilet block located the picnic area used for stops.

You are required to investigate these issues and explore provisions to meet all legislative requirements.
Present your responses in report format suitable for presentation at a management meeting.

  1. Describe how you would monitor the work hours of the driver/tour guide and the efficiency involved in those hours – this would also mean you need to identify relevant problems associated with adjusting staff levels to attain the requested improvement
  2. Show what consultative process was used to allow for procedures and systems (including rosters new or amended service provisions) to be adjusted. Show that in this area, quality assurances can be given so that customers will not be affected and indicate the time frame involved in your changes
  3. List the measures taken to ensure functional clean vehicles, and prevention of hygiene issues
  4. In your new plan, you must show the delegation process that will be involved. Will you need new job specifications to be written? If so, how many?
  5. Will training be necessary to accommodate the new jobs if this is the option you recommend the owners to take? Estimate a budget for retraining should it be necessary
  6. Describe how day-to-day operations will not be negatively affected with your proposed changes

Full Answer Section

      Relevant Problems Associated with Adjusting Staff Levels There are a number of potential problems associated with adjusting staff levels, including:
  • Understaffing: If there are not enough staff to meet the demand, this can lead to long hours for staff, poor customer service, and safety risks.
  • Overstaffing: If there are too many staff, this can lead to increased costs for the business.
  • Disruption to operations: Changing staff levels can disrupt operations and lead to a decrease in productivity.
Consultative Process for Adjusting Procedures and Systems To adjust procedures and systems, I would use the following consultative process:
  1. Identify areas for improvement: I would meet with driver/tour guides and other relevant stakeholders to identify areas where procedures and systems can be improved.
  2. Develop proposals for change: I would develop proposals for change, taking into account the feedback received from stakeholders.
  3. Consult with stakeholders: I would consult with stakeholders on the proposed changes and make adjustments as needed.
  4. Implement the changes: I would implement the changes and monitor their effectiveness.
Quality Assurance to Ensure Customers Are Not Affected To ensure that customers are not affected by changes to procedures and systems, I would implement the following quality assurance measures:
  • Training: I would provide training to all staff on the new procedures and systems.
  • Auditing: I would regularly audit the procedures and systems to ensure that they are being followed correctly.
  • Customer feedback: I would regularly collect feedback from customers on their satisfaction with the new procedures and systems.
Time Frame for Changes I would aim to implement the changes within 6 months. This would give me enough time to develop and implement the changes, and to provide training to staff. Measures to Ensure Functional Clean Vehicles and Prevention of Hygiene Issues To ensure functional clean vehicles and prevention of hygiene issues, I would implement the following measures:
  • Vehicle maintenance: I would implement a regular vehicle maintenance schedule, including cleaning and disinfecting the vehicles.
  • Hygiene training: I would provide training to all staff on food safety and hygiene.
  • Food handling procedures: I would develop and implement food handling procedures to ensure that food is handled safely and hygienically.
  • Auditing: I would regularly audit food handling procedures to ensure that they are being followed correctly.
Conclusion By implementing the above measures, I can improve the efficiency of the Fraser Island Tours and address the concerns raised by the partners of Green Tour Excursions. I can also ensure that customers are not affected by the changes and that they continue to receive a high-quality experience.  

Sample Answer

   

Monitoring the Work Hours of the Driver/Tour Guide and the Efficiency Involved in Those Hours

To monitor the work hours of the driver/tour guide and the efficiency involved in those hours, I would implement the following measures:

  • Time tracking: I would require all driver/tour guides to use a time tracking app to track their hours worked. This would allow me to see how much time they are spending on each task, such as driving, guiding, and preparing the vehicle.
  • Rostering: I would create rosters that ensure that driver/tour guides are not working excessive hours. I would also make sure that they have adequate breaks and time to prepare their vehicles.
  • Feedback: I would regularly collect feedback from driver/tour guides on their workload and efficiency. This would help me to identify any areas where improvements can be made.