Final post

Module learning

At the start of this module, I had told myself I would master more workplace and communication skills which would assist me during my upcoming internship. I also hoped to overcome the anxiousness I felt and become more confident when speaking with people. Thankfully, I had learnt more than enough to achieve the said objectives. I was glad there were multiple opportunities for me to practice one to one communication with classmates whom I had not known before. For example, I had to comment on a blog post with a new partner and open up my first impressions with another new partner. These had definitely helped as the lessons went beyond the theoretical aspects. Having to pen our ideas on the whiteboard also allows more inclusive learning where everyone had an opportunity to participate in. It also increased my confidence in voicing out my opinions. Hopefully, I could have this same level of confidence during meetings at my workplace later on. From this module, I also discovered that videos can be an interesting tool for learning. Examples include the TED talks or any videos on interpersonal skills, which could easily be found on YouTube. Therefore, I could continue watching such videos to build on my communication and workplace skills in the future. 

Presentation Showcase 

Unfortunately, my team wasn’t chosen to present for the Presentation Showcase. However, it was such an honour to see the other groups presenting their case studies along with the interesting and creative videos created. Among all the groups which presented, I was blown away by the Happy Tree group. Firstly, their chosen case study was refreshing as they focused on the spa industry instead. I could also relate to the industry as a woman. Furthermore, their slides were interesting as they incorporated the spa elements into it. The pink coloured slides felt feminine and fresh. Their agenda for the presentation was also nicely arranged, giving it a smooth flow. It allows the audience to follow the presentation easily, which is a bonus as some groups had a more confusing flow for their presentations. Moving on to the speakers, they were confident about their case studies as they presented. They maintained eye contact with the audience and their volume was also enough to let the whole auditorium hear them. They were neatly groomed, and their body language and gestures were also appropriate. For example, they did not refer much to the slides throughout the presentation. Like what we learnt in class, they avoided awkwardly passing on to the next speaker. Instead, the passing on was all done smoothly. There were few filler words used and the pace of their speech was also not too rushed, which showed their confidence. In the video, the settings of each situation were appropriate as it showed a real spa environment. The problem and solution were also clearly elaborated in the video. In conclusion, I was glad they were chosen to represent my class in the Presentation Showcase. All the other groups also did equally well in the amount of effort put in for the case study project. 

Critical Reflection on ‘Skills on Wheels’

 Out of all the modules provided, I could strongly relate to two modules the most: Handle Face-to-Face Interview and Converse with Confidence. Firstly, as I am entering the workforce soon, it is vital for me to understand what is required of me as an interviewee. Furthermore, I need to understand the areas that potential employers look for when hiring someone. I often found myself to be unsure of how to craft good responses during interviews. As a result, I tend to face difficulties in answering the interviewer. In addition, as I am a reserved person, I am used to keeping quiet and getting nervous or shy when having to converse with someone new. I tend to stutter over my words and get sweaty palms as a result. Therefore, these two modules are the most important areas personally for me. 

With the comprehensive information given during each module, I could grasp the important pointers needed for me to improve my skills. Therefore, I could successfully attain almost full marks for the activities in both modules. After going through both modules, one of the biggest takeaways is that I have to be honest in giving answers, especially in providing my weakness during interviews. Building trust with the new people is also important especially when you enter the workforce. Thus, I learnt that it is important to be honest and true to yourself. Furthermore, our personal branding is also not what we think we want to portray to others, rather it is what other people think of us. 

In conclusion, the learning experience was interesting as various methods of learning were incorporated, such as videos, interactive videos, quizzes and informational posters. Review of your scores after each activity can also be seen, which I believe was helpful for the improvement of the students. Each module has also strategically pointed out and emphasized the importance of interpersonal relationships both at the workplace and in school. 

Synopsis 1st draft

1. Introduction

This report will address an interpersonal issue faced within the food and beverage (F&B) service industry. The team has chosen to focus on coffeehouses and the interaction between its employee and customers. Specifically, the team will explore different methods on how an employee could respond better to angered customers in certain situations.

1.1. Workplace context

In 2018, the F&B service industry in Singapore had registered an increase in sales on a year-on-year basis (Singapore Department of Statistics, 2018). Furthermore, the industry had contributed 0.8 per cent of Singapore’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2016 (Info-communications Media Development Authority, 2018). The F&B services industry attracts talents who are service-oriented, passionate, resilient, meticulous, and a team player (Skillsfuture, 2017). Concurrently, the F&B industry in Singapore struggles towards being manpower-lean. (Aggarwal, 2018)

Starbucks has positively influenced its market share, productivity, and profitability by providing high quality products and service (Paryani, 2011). According to Paryani, its success can be attributed to its coffee, the people serving the coffee, and the in-store experience. Starbucks invests heavily in training that will arm its employees with the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) necessary to create exceptional experiences and how to respond to difficult situations (Panopto, 2018). The same cannot be said for other coffee house brands such as Coffee House X. As compared to Starbucks, which has a structured training plan in place for new hires, Coffee House X will only send new hires for classes which are subjected to availability. There are also other factors involved such as time, lack of manpower, and only at the store managers’ discretion.

There is an increase in the consumption of coffee and consumer patronage in coffee houses due to an influx of millennials with higher disposable income (Gay, 2016). This is further supported by Goh Theng Kiat, chief marketing officer for global consumer financial services at OCBC Bank, who said that these millennials “visit F&B establishments like cafe, coffee shops and restaurants 20 times a month.” (as cited in Ong, 2017).

1.2. Thematic focus

The main theme explored in this synopsis is handling customers. This idea came about when three out of four team members experienced unsatisfactory service during their visit to coffeehouses. This issue could have happened due to the poor training provided by the coffeehouses, or the low importance placed by these coffeehouses on employee training.  

In addition, a team member who had the opportunity to work in two different coffeehouse companies shared the recurring issue she encountered during her working experience. She mentioned that customers often use the coffeehouse as a place to complete their work. Occasionally, these customers will leave their belongings unattended when they momentarily leave the coffeehouse. However, there is also an unspoken rule whereby these belongings will stowed away by the employees if it is left unattended for more than ten minutes. As a result, she had to face an angered customer who had his belongings stowed. As she was a new employee at the time of incident, she was hesitant to entire the unspoken rule. As the other teammates were able to empathise with the customer, they felt that there is a need to delve into this matter to prevent similar situations from recurring.

The synopsis focuses mainly on the communication between the baristas and its customers. The synopsis also offers a step-by-step approach on how baristas are able to deal with angry customers in these situations.

1.3 Problem statement

Students prefer studying in F&B public areas has caused displeasure to visiting customers (Sin, 2017). This has made it increasingly difficult for staff when dealing with conflict amongst different customers.

Managing customer expectations while performing duties at work has proven to be challenging. The maxim of “Customer is always right” puts employees in a dilemma when conflict arises. As opposed to, “caveat emptor” where the responsibility of checking the suitability and quality of items before purchase making is put on the buyer (Morgan, 2018). Therefore, proper training is necessary in order to guide and nurture current and new employees. This would allow them to be exposed to the workplace environment and recurring issues that are already present.

Well-trained employees will already be aware of possible workplace hazards and situations that may arise during day-to-day operations. Additionally, some service staff are unable to manage situations that involves angry customers due to various reasons. One of which is due to the high turnover rate and lack of a structure in training programmes. New employees and part time employees might not be equipped with the necessary KSAs for the job. Generally, the F&B services industry in Singapore has a higher turnover rate as compared to other industries as they rely heavily on temporary and part-time workers (Manpower Research and Statistics Department, 2018).

Evidence has shown that more effective management and training of part-time employees can yield the same gains as full-time employees, which can lead to higher levels of customer satisfaction (Etherington, 2016). Sufficient and adequate information in standard operating procedures (SOP) in a manual must be up-to-date and relevant so as for staff to be able to refer and prepare themselves for difficult situations. It is imperative that effective training programmes and guidelines should be properly developed and implemented to uphold service excellence.

Interpersonal Communication Issue

During my attachment in March last year, I had an earful from my boss as I had caused a client to be displeased. As an Events Assistant, my job scope includes assisting my boss in planning and organising the catering for events. I remember vividly that it was during the last few weeks of my attachment, when my boss had asked me to liaise with a caterer for the catering of an event. Additionally, it was an important event as it was organised by one of our regular clients. 

Following the request, I called the caterer and asked for their suggested menu list. As usual, I merely stated that the food catered should be halal certified to cater to the Muslims. After receiving the list and the quotation, I presented the information to my boss. Several days later, I received a call from an angry client who claimed that I was doing a poor job with the catering. He reprimanded me as I missed a crucial criterion, which was that the food catered have to be indicated with a healthier choice symbol. This eventually caused a slight friction between the client and my boss. 

After the call, I felt embarrassed of my mistake whenever I had to face the client during meetings. As I reflected on this incident, there could only be two possible causes: my boss had forgotten to inform me of the crucial criterion or I had misheard the instruction given by my boss. I also learnt that it is important to ensure all requirements given by the client, including the minute details, had to be taken down to ensure a smooth event planning. 

Dear readers, how would you have reacted? Would you feel wronged if you were put into my shoes? 


Commented on:
Afifah 
Shu Ling
Zakiyah

Formal email of self introduction

To: Professor Blackstone

From: Siti Nadiah Senin

Date: January 21, 2019
Subject: Self Introduction 

Dear Professor Blackstone

I am writing you this email with the intent of introducing myself. My name is Siti Nadiah Binte Senin, a year two undergraduate in the hospitality business programme at Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT). Prior to joining SIT, I graduated from Temasek Polytechnic (TP) with a diploma in aviation management and services. During my final year in TP, I had an internship experience with Changi Airports International in their Airport Operations department. 

Upon graduation, I took a gap year, during where I immersed myself in several voluntary works. These include leading a group for humanitarian trips to Jordan and Aceh. I also organised talks and camps for youths between the ages of 10 and 25. Last year, I had another internship experience with AUX Media as an events assistant as part of my industry attachment. 

Over the years, I realised that communicating with strangers makes me feel anxious and less confident. I tend to stumble over my words and avoid making eye contact throughout the conversation. On the other hand, I am a good listener for my friends as they are able to share with me about anything. Most of the time, I am able to understand the message that they are trying to convey and give appropriate responses. 

By the end of this module, I hope to master more communication or workplace skills which can assist me during my upcoming internship. With more guidance and practice each week, I also hope to overcome my shortcomings and become a more confident individual during my conversations with others. 

I look forward to attending your class for the upcoming weeks. 

Thank you. 

Best regards

Siti Nadiah Senin 




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Edited as of 19 February 2019

Commented on:
Zakiyah
Afifah 
Carolyn

Welcome

Good day everyone, welcome to my blog. 

In this space, I will be sharing different content regarding my Career and Professional Development II classes. I hope to bring everyone along my journey. I look forward to exchanging positive criticism and feedback in the comment section. 

Have a good day ahead. 

Regards, 

Nadiah