Question & Answer: Sage Hill Inn Above Onion Creek: Focusing on Service Process and Quality Case St udy Sage Hill Inn Above Onion…..

Sage Hill Inn Above Onion Creek: Focusing on Service Process and Quality Case St udy Sage Hill Inn Above Onion Creek popular tination for those visiting the Texas Hill Country to relax new and experience nearby attractions and activities. Located There is a popular lodging des.Inn Above Onion Creek were updated guest rooms with n TVs and more contemporary furnishings are three suites, eight guest rooms, three cottages, ottages and and a three-bedroom ranch house. The c property is 25 miles south of Austin, Texas, and a few hours drive from San Antonio and s the Inn Above ranch house include amenities such as gourmet kitchens oversized porches, and a private hot tub. The grounds Kyle, Texas, the 88-acre was purchased in 2012 by Eric Goldreyer, were improved with a larger pool deck, a 14-person spa, and John Banczak, forand a large outdoor fire ring. Many other changes and Dallas. The property, formerly known a mer president of service additions were completed, such as opening the the company. The new owners focused Garden Spa in a separate building with four s, a lounge, and covered porch overlooking a flower The website for the inn has numerous photo- ons and descriptions of services on enhancing the popular Inn Above Onion Creek by add ing new services, updating the facilities, and expanding room the use of environmentally conscious practices. John garden. Banczak was quoted in The Houston Chronicle as saying. g and activities available to guests A gourmet prix fixe breakfast and three-course din- ner are included with each overnight stay and lunch is When we purchased the inn, we loved the location and and activities topography of the land and surrounding area, and the architecture and layout of the main inn and buildings ndividuals not he inn by making reservations in advance. Chef Ryan Castille cre- reservation, for an extra fee. i So we set out to redesign with a moderm yet rustic aes available, by res thetic, while trying to stay true to the Hill Country area. staying at the inn may also enjoy dining at t the innkeeper, and with fresh produce from the garden and omplimentary tea, coffee, soft drinks, and a selection of homemade ates the menus a consultant indicated three needs:(1) the need to under stand guests’ expectations, (2) the need to determine and draws o local suppliers for seasonal ingredients. The dining room is always open with c monitor guests’ perceptions, and (3) the need to identity potential service tailure points. She said, “We do our best to libra order to build repeat business cookies. Across from the dining area is a large and tables for meetings and a wide and obtain positive word of mouth. If guests’ expectations with enough seating are not met, then they are likely to be dissatisfied and occu selection of books pancy rates will decline. That means lower revenues. To GUESTS EXPECTATIONS AND continue attracting previous guests of the Inn Above Onion Creek and build loyalty among ones staying at the inn for the first time. “We must listen closely to understand what they expect when deciding to stay here and, afterward how they feel about their experience. With this feedback, we can provide an experience that meets expectations and effectively resolve service problems that are creating guest q PERCEPTIONS Knowing what guests expect is important because their sat- isfaction with the quality of a service is formed by compar- ng perceptions of a stay to previously formed expectations. Amy Dolan talked with the consultant about how guests expectations form as they find out about a hotel property from a variety of sources, including friends and family, guidebooks, websites, and previous experiences at the inn, dissatisfaction” In addition to knowing more about guest ons and perceptions, she said it would be good to or similar properties. She stressed that, “the website plays big part in shaping perceptions of what they maye identify potential service failure points. These could then be monitored more closely, thus ensuring guest satisfaction. BACKGROUND ence when staying at the inn. The consultant said that t would be good to examine the website (www.sagehill.com) for explicit promises (e.g, breakfast and dinner menus) an When operating as the Inn Above Onion Creek, the lodg- implicit promises (e.g. pictures of the inn) that influence t ing was designed to resemble a Texas homestead of the development of expectations He suggested that 1800s with a main house of rustic redwood and a second Dimensions of Service Quolity could be used as a guiding building similar to one an owner would build when expand- framework to figure out expectations and that a SERVoUA ing the family’s living area. The twelve guest rooms, named questionnaire could be used to measure the five dimen after famous Texans, conveyed the homestead image with sions fi.e, responsiveness, assurance, tangibles, empath a mix of modern amenities and antique furnishings. A gourmet breakfast and dinner were included with each overnight stay. Among the design changes for Sage Hill and reliability). However, he indicated some concern about all of the five SERVQUAL dimensions and survey questions being useful specificalily for the hotel industry. Witen by Michael W Pass, Sam Houston State University and published in Journal of the International Academy for Case Studies 21, no 5 (July 2015). pp 197-203 Revised by Roger Schroeder, September 20 not intended to illustrate either effective or ineffective management practices. Reprinted with 16. This case was written for class discussion and is