Virgin Australia Organizational Culture Analysis - Case Study Example

Service Encounter Journal Analysis Name: Institution: Date: Executive Summary The analysis offers a summary review on consumer service delivery perception and satisfaction levels. In this regard, the analysis focuses on establishing the existing market player approaches well as the best market alternatives. As such, the analysis critically reviews for personal service encounters assessing the applied service theories as well as lessons learnt and the developed recommendations. The first analyzed case is the case of Virgin Australia flight and booking experience. Using the organizational culture implications on consumer services, the analysis establishes that increased organizational culture development, enhances increased customer service delivery quality, consistency and satisfaction. The second case study evaluates the Australian motoring service that applies an online consumer service platform. Through the three stage service delivery approach, the study establishes that despite the communication failure and the two days system breakdown, the eventual after service consumer follow up, the consumer satisfaction levels as well as the overall organizational service quality perception. In addition, a review of the Macquarie Group students entrepreneurship training program. The organization employs group discussions and focus group approach to its entrepreneurship training services. Based on the consumers involvement theory, the analysis evidences that increased consumer involvement and active participation increases their satisfaction levels. As such, the analysis argues on the need for service providers to actively integrate and improve their core services with the servicescape and active consumers’ involvement. Finally, the analysis evaluates the Allianz healthcare insurance service provider experiences through the disconformance service model theory. The theory evidences that there is need for service providers to reduce on their bureaucracy to improve on their service delivery and accessibility to the market. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 2.0 Encounter 1: Virgin Australia Services 4 2.1 Brief Analysis of the Virgin Australia Airlines Encounter 4 2.2 Virgin Australia Organizational Culture Analysis 4 2.3 Virgin Australia Airline Recommendations 5 3.0 Encounter 2: Australian Motoring Services 5 3.1 Brief Description of the Australian Motoring Services Encounter 5 3.2 Australian Motoring Services Three stage Service Model Analysis 6 3.3 Australian Motoring Service Recommendations 6 4.0 Encounter 3: Macquarie Group Financial Services 7 4.1 Brief Description of the Macquarie Group Training Services Encounter 7 4.2 Macquarie Group Consumer Involvement Analysis 7 4.3 Macquarie Group Recommendations 8 5.0 Encounter 4: Allianz Insurance Services 8 5.1 Brief Description of Allianz Insurance Encounter 8 5.2 Allianz Insurance Company Disconfirmation Theory Analysis 9 5.3 Allianz Insurance Recommendations 9 6.0 Summary of Recommendations 10 References 11 Appendices 12 Appendix 1: Three Stage Service Model 12 Appendix 2: Brainstorming Chart 13 1.0 Introduction The analysis is a review of the service encounter personal journal. Among the reviewed service encounters include a flight service travel to Egypt with the Virgin Australia airlines, a tour guide service encounter with the Australian motoring services, a financial training session with the Macquarie Group, as well as an insurance cover search service encounter with the Allianz healthcare insurance providers. In a bid to analyses the service experiences, the analysis applies the organizational culture service theory, the three stages model, consumer’s involvement theory as well as the service disconfirmation theories for the four service encounters respectively. Subsequently, the study offers a recommendation summary to service providers on the global market. 2.0 Encounter 1: Virgin Australia Services 2.1 Brief Analysis of the Virgin Australia Airlines Encounter My youth group organized a reward program through which every top three perfumers would get a free Asian or African trip over the summer holiday. With my emerging second best volunteer of the year, I was part of those travelling to Egypt to evidence the historical giant pyramids. We selected the Virgin Australia airline and checked in online for available flights, booked the African bound May 19th 2014 flight. We arrived at the departures two hours earlier as already advice and received a warm welcome to the waiting lounge. The airline offered additional services such as drinks, snacks, and free wifi internet access. 2.2 Virgin Australia Organizational Culture Analysis The Virgin Australia, a subsidiary of the Virgin Atlantic airlines services demonstrates that the subsidiary retains its overall parent company services delivery culture. Hankinson (1999) argued on the role and merits of organizational cultures development and retention. In the review, the study established that through organizational cultures retention services were standardized and held constant. Through the development of cultures, employees’ activities and behaviours are developed to enhance consistency across the market despite their differences. Organisations applying a strong organizational culture attain the merits of a sustainable competitive edge. This is especially because the organizational culture is a relatively difficult market strategy to copy and emulate. Therefore, through this approach, the organisations applying strong organizational culture attain increased competitive edges. This has been the case at Virgin Atlantic airline and venture group that regards customer services and care with absolute regard and value. Therefore, the venture has extended its customer care and focus across the subsidiaries to build increased potentials for high standards customer services. This culture extension can be illustrated through its online portal that allowed us to search for a befitting African bound flight as well as choose our desired flight day and also pay online. Moreover, the organizational customer culture can be evidenced through its provision of support services such as free internet and drinks. The offering of these services, though non-core played a significant role in increasing our overall satisfaction. Through meeting our other needs besides the travel needs, the virgin Australia airline significantly increased our satisfaction levels. 2.3 Virgin Australia Airline Recommendations Based on the above service experience on the Virgin Australia airline, this analysis forms a series of recommendations on lessons leant form the airline services quality as well as improvement recommendations that could increase the overall organizational service delivery quality and standards. Among the recommendations include: Organisations should strive to introduce organizational culture as it enhances service delivery consistency and uniformity Organisations should partner with other industry players to allow for the provision of subsidiary services as it increases overall consumer satisfaction levels. Virgin Australia should initiate approaches to incorporate other non-core services such as restaurant booking services and off airport transport cab services. 3.0 Encounter 2: Australian Motoring Services 3.1 Brief Description of the Australian Motoring Services Encounter I encountered the services of the Australian motoring services when I and other 4 friends planned a visit to Victoria State. Earlier on, we had no geographical knowledge of the area. Therefore, through an internet search, we sought the services of the Australian motoring services, which offer online tour and travel guidance and help for Australian destinations. The site through login and subsequent services subscription, offered us a login password that would be valid within the stipulated tour days. On the tour days, of the 5 days, 2 of the days the site was down and we could not access the desired services. However, the site reversed the 2 days payment and offered an apology through our subscription email. 3.2 Australian Motoring Services Three stage Service Model Analysis A review of the Australian motoring services can be analyzed through the application of the three stage service model theory. The service model theory is categorized into three stages namely the pre service purchase stage, service experience and the post service experience stages (Gradel, 2007). On one hand, the pre purchase stage comprises of a range of processes such as information search, and the eventual alternatives evaluation. In our case, we resulted to the internet as the easiest and most convenient information search tool due to its wide data richness. The search proved the organization as dominant player in tour and travel advice for Australian bound tourist destinations. On the other hand, a service experience stage evaluates the nature and consumer satisfaction levels. Based on our experience, we missed out two days services despite prior assurances by the organizational help desk. Therefore, this discouraged us and eventually lowered our service experience satisfaction levels. Most disappointingly was the fact that the organization failed to inform us of the expected system breakdown despite that fact that it was a scheduled system improvement procedure of which the organization was aware of. Finally, a review of the post service purchase stage evaluates the overall post service actions delivered by an organization to motivate their consumers into repeat business. The eventual reversal of the two days and a free day, therefore only charging for two days services restored our confidence in the organization. Moreover, the organization provides us with fortnight magazines on emerging Australian destinations and their guide services and packages. 3.3 Australian Motoring Service Recommendations The Australian motoring service’s organization service encounter and the subsequent encounter analysis, the analysis develops a series of recommendations through which the organization as well as other service provider in the market can increase and elevate their service delivery quality and standards. Organisations should enhance external communications systems to allow for consumer information flow on scheduled services and activities, a measure that could reduce on the overall consumer dissatisfaction levels The organization should seek for alternatives to its online guidance platform through which breakdowns on the online platform can be overcome. Such would include employing physical guides to guide tourists across the Australian regions. Organisations should develop consumer follow up programs in order to keep their consumers updated on industry changes as well as motivate them for repeat businesses. 4.0 Encounter 3: Macquarie Group Financial Services 4.1 Brief Description of the Macquarie Group Training Services Encounter Together with other Young embers in my neighbourhood we formed a youth enterprise group to channel through as well as realize our entrepreneurship skills in the future. For its current sustenance, we developed a program of seeking training and guidance services from experienced industry and market players on appropriate and available viable ventures, approaches as well as successful entrepreneurial skills we should strive to develop. As such, we sought the financial services of the Macquarie’s Group on financial advice. We applied through their online application information desk and within two weeks received a confirmation email requesting a meeting between the group management and the organizational outreach program team. Through the training program, the trainers actively involved us in discussion groups rather than lecture sessions that lasted for three consecutive weekends. 4.2 Macquarie Group Consumer Involvement Analysis In order to successfully evaluate and describe the Macquarie group financial services offered, this analysis applies the service encounter role theory. The theory holds on the role and merits of including and incorporating the consumers in the process of service delivery. Miles, Miles and Cannon (2012) argued on the developing service industry landscape. The authors argued that traditionally, services providers perceived their employees as key stakeholders in their service delivery enhancement and quality. However, increased market competition as well as changing consumer needs, behaviours as well as drifting social structures have necessitated the inclusion of consumers into the process. Therefore, the study argued that increased consumer involvement in organizational service delivery increased the services quality as well as their satisfaction levels. A review on the training process establishes that the Macquarie Group financial training team applied increased consumers involvement to increase our satisfaction as well as elevate the training influence levels in the market. As already argued, the team applied group discussions as part of the training session. Through the approach, we were actively involved in the process of brainstorming (Dubrin, 2012). Through brainstorming we achieved an increased ideas development leading t the development and initiation of an entrepreneurial culture and system within us. With our involvement in the training session, the trainers served as facilitators only guiding the groups’ discussion to ensure conformance with the study and training session objectives. Consequently, this increased the active involvement aspect and the subsequent satisfaction levels of the group with the overall training session as offered by the financial advisers form the Macquarie Group. 4.3 Macquarie Group Recommendations The analysis critical evaluation of the training approach applied by the Macquarie Group financial trainers to the entrepreneurship group reflects a series of success aspects to group and forums training Therefore, this analysis develops a series of learnt lessons and recommendations for improvement on the training services offered by the financial organization. Among the key recommendations developed include: Organisations should strive to increase their consumers participation in services delivery as its evidently increases consumer satisfaction levels Servicescape and service delivery environment should be improved as an additional measure to enhance services delivery quality and competence in an organization. The Macquarie Group can increase its consumer services through the development of consumer follow up programs to assess on the impacts and implications of their training sessions. Such follow up approaches would serve as key among its service delivery benchmark tools 5.0 Encounter 4: Allianz Insurance Services 5.1 Brief Description of Allianz Insurance Encounter With the increasing health care services, my father decided to take on a medical insurance cover for the entire family that covered him, mother, me and my two siblings. Due to my education status in the family, my father entrusted me with the appropriate cover search to which I consulted my friends as well as the internet. I discovered the Allianz Worldwide healthcare insurance covers and visited their premises. However, the process of acquiring the necessary fill in documents was lengthy and even after queuing for almost an hour; I could not get the documents as they insisted that the payer should acquire the documents directly. 5.2 Allianz Insurance Company Disconfirmation Theory Analysis In order to sufficiently analyze the Allianz Healthcare insurance services as experienced, this analysis applies the disconfirmation model theory. Montero and Aviles (2010) described the theory and its application. On one hand, the authors argued that the disconfirmation theory has two aspects namely the positive disconfirmation and the negative disconfirmation aspects respectively. On its part, the positive disconfirmation occurs when an organizational services delivery quality and standards exceed the level and consumer base expectations. On the other hand, negative disconfirmation occurs when an organizational services delivery standards and quality fall short of the consumer base expectations and needs. An evaluation of the Allianz health care insurance providers demonstrates a mixture of both the positive and negative disconfirmation aspects on their services delivery. On one hand, an information search on the internet revealed a high company reputation with increased influence and presence in over 70 nations across the globe. This was beyond the expectations as it raised the notion of an internationally reputable insurance company, thus raising the hopes of quality services as well as a reliable cover. However, the actual services experience proved a negative disconfirmation aspect on the organizational services levels. In this regard, the long queues as well as the eventual denial for the filling in forms led to a disappointment. This was especially due to the fact that the organizational online platform did not stipulate on the strict nature through which only the payee and the actual insurance cover financiers would collect and fill in the application forms. Consequently, the services were below the expectations. 5.3 Allianz Insurance Recommendations Based on the established service delivery changes by the Allianz healthcare insurance provider, this analysis develops a range of appropriate strategic recommendations through which the organization as well as other service providers can improve and enhance their service delivery quality and reliability. Organizations should establish appropriate external consumer communication systems to allow for information flow consistency. Through such an approach, organisations can avoid misunderstandings such as clients sending representatives to collect the insurance cover forms that are only availed to the subscribing clients. Organisations should strive to avail a majority of their services online to reduce on consumer business hall overcrowding a virtue that in most case increase consumer dissatisfaction The Allianz limited should reduce on its system bureaucracy and instead apply liberal management policies such as reducing and eliminating the stringent management needs on actual paying clients collecting pay forms as this implicates on clients flexibility and physical availability to access the organizational services. 6.0 Summary of Recommendations In summary, this journal and analysis develops a range of recommendations through which the service industry providers can improve their service delivery to the consumers market. One of the recommendations that stand out through the analysis is the need for organisations to increase their online presence. For instance, the analysis notes that Virgin Australia increases its services through its online presence while Allianz insurance providers’ services fail due to its reduced online services presence and variety. Therefore, the analysis advocates for increased online presence as a virtue to increase overall organizational services delivery quality and consumer satisfaction. However, the analysis notes that despite expanding onto the online services platform, organisations should consider the challenges of systems breakdown. This can be evidenced by the eventual dissatisfaction caused by the Australian motoring services online platform breakdown. Therefore, this analysis develops the argument that besides developing a strong online customer care services platform, organisations should consider retaining as well as restructuring their physical services provision platform. In addition, the analysis develops a conclusion that organisations should consider increasing their overall consumers’ participation in the service provision and delivery process. As such, organisations such as Virgin Australia have increased its consumer influence through involving them through the online booking platform as well as the Macquarie Group increased discussion training programs. Therefore, the analysis develops a conclusion that increased consumer participation increases the overall consumer satisfaction rates. References Dubrin, A. J. (2012). Essentials of management. Mason, Ohio: South-Western/Thomson Learning. Gradel, E. (2007). Finite model theory and its applications. Berlin: Springer. Hankinson, P. (1999). An empirical study which compares the organizational structures of companies managing the world's top 100 brands with those managing outsider brands. The Journal of Product and Brand Management, 8(5), 402-414. Miles, P., Miles, G., & Cannon, A. (2012). Linking servicescape to customer satisfaction: Exploring the role of competitive strategy. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 32(7), 772-795. Montero, J., & Aviles, G., (2010). An alternative to test independence between expectations and disconfirmation versus the positive version of the assimilation theory. an application to the case of Cultural/Heritage tourism. International Journal of Management and Information Systems, 14(4), 7-16. Appendices Appendix 1: Three Stage Service Model Appendix 2: Brainstorming Chart Read More