Secret Buyer: methodology and results of the assessment of the level of hospitality in Almaty

 

As in the most developed metropolis, the quality of service in Almaty is naturally one of the highest in Kazakhstan, as it has a high concentration of service companies and the corresponding image of a customer-oriented city.

In the run-up to the upcoming large-scale events in Kazakhstan, such as the Winter Universiade-2017, Expo-2017 at the Almaty Development Center raised the question: «Is the city ready to meet face to face with a foreign tourist?«. Being at the very beginning of the path of tourism potential development, Kazakhstan, in the particular case Almaty, does not have a rich experience of working with tourists, as in say, in neighboring Uzbekistan. Therefore, in order to create a plan for the development of the tourism sector in Almaty, it was necessary to establish the quality of the service «as is«; and after that, based on the results, it will be possible to outline prospects for improving the tourist infrastructure. That is why the Almaty City Development Center conducted a large-scale study of the «three whales» of the tourism industry - accommodation (hotels, hostels), gastronomy (cafes, restaurants, other food facilities), the airport.

AS THE STUDY WAS CONDUCTED

Under the guise of ordinary visitors/guests/customers, several specially trained «secret guests» contacted the company or its trading hall. After a visit to the target site, the «secret guest» filled out a special questionnaire-report, which described the visit itself and exhibited points and percentages on the specified parameters.

The main parameters were:

The staff work at the guest greeting stage. This stage is very important, because the first impressions of guests, about a place, are formed within the first 60 seconds of the stay. Most of the information people share with each other is not verbally perceived. The ability of employees to identify the needs of guests, it is a very careful way to find out and research of guests’ needs that helps to sell goods. Numerous studies have proved that the best results are obtained if 90% of the time the buyer speaks and only 10% - the seller, the rest of the time he listens and delves into the desire of the client. Possession of information about his product or service is very important to trust and be sure that in the visited institution he will get what he applied for there. Compliance with the sequence of all stages of service: greeting, identifying needs, advising, presenting, dealing with objections, farewelling. It is prohibitively for catering staff to talk rudely with customers, express their negative emotions, insult on any type of grounds, whether on appearance, age, race, gender, nationality, religious and cultural difference etc.. The etiquette of communication between employees in the presence of guests, it is not allowed to sort out relations between each other, engage in foreign activities, eat, smoke and talk on the phone in the presence of guests. The ability to get out of stressful, critical, conflict situations. To seat customers is often a conflict involving process,  the inconsistency of the company's services with the stated promises or expectations of the guest. The work of the staff at the farewell stage is often being ignored by staff of catering facilities.The full questionnaire and study methodology of the «Secret Guest» is available on the this link.

THE RESULT

Only 106 establishments were surveyed from catering facilities, including fine dining restaurants, casual dining restaurants and fast dining, bars, cafes, coffee shops and canteens. All but one of them received the following grades:

 

 

83 hotels were surveyed from the accommodation facilities. Their distribution looks like this:

 

In both cases, the assessments mean the following: «Excellent» - employees of the researched catering or placement facility demonstrated high standards of service, accurate compliance with all stages of service, high customer orientation, stress resistance, skilful conflict management, proactive, cordial and developed communication skills. «Good» - the staff of the service or accommodation surveyed demonstrated a good knowledge of the services they provided, remained calm in the event of conflict situations, were friendly, but did not show activity and full care of the guest in accordance with the standards of service at all stages of the guest's stay in the institution. «Satisfactory» - employees of the service or accommodation surveyed facility demonstrated poor adherence to service standards, well performed their duties, but without compliance with the rules of work with guests at all stages of service, were reactive, showed little desire to meet the needs of guests, did not fully know the information about the services of the institution, lost or did not manage conflict situations. «Unsatisfactory» - employees of the researched catering or accommodation facility demonstrated inability to work with guests, non-compliance with workplace standards of guest service - do not greet, do not know information about services, do not show willingness to meet the need of the guest, show conflict and low stress resistance.

 

 Распределение объектов общественного питания в рейтинге

№	Название	Балл	Категория
Оценка «Отлично»
1	Бродвей бургер	150	Fast food
2	Dickens		Fine dining
3	Vino Da Puri		Casual dining
4	Dedas Puri		Casual dining
5	Madeni асхана		Столовая
6	Центр вкусного плова RUMI		Casual dining
7	Entrecote Garden		Fine dining
8	Rittoria meals and more		Кофейня
9	Leo's Cafe & Terrace		Кафе
10	Investor		Fine dining
11	Vizir	147	Casual dining
12	Лесная сказка	146	Casual dining
13	BAO Sushi & Noodles Bar		Кафе
14	Варим Парим		Столовая
15	Sevens		Бар
16	НАМЕДНИ		Casual dining
17	Пруссия		Casual dining
18	Gelato Paradais	144	Fine dining
19	Paradise		Кафе
20	Пинта bar & grill		Бар
21	Trattoria		Кафе
22	Parmigiano	142	Fine dining
23	SOHO ALMATY CLUB		Бар
24	Лошадь Пржевальского	140	Бар
25	Arba Wine	139	Бар
26	Favor Meat Club	138	Fine dining
27	Hard Rock Cafe		Кафе
28	Hali Gali Grill & Party Bar		Бар
29	Crab`s Burger		Fast food
30	My Cafe		Кафе
31	McDonald`s		Fast food
32	Рис	137	Кафе
33	PALLADIUM	136	Бар
34	BARSTOL & KOK		Casual dining
35	Сова		Кофейня
36	Tomato		Кафе
37	Льдинка		Кафе
38	Дареджани	134	Casual dining
39	DEL PAPA		Casual dining
40	Fort Vernyi		Кафе
41	Cafe Central		Кафе
42	OZYURT	133	Fast food
43	Restaurant & club Bellagio		Fine dining
44	Бульбаш	132	Fine dining
45	Мичурин		Кафе
46	Goodbeef		Casual dining
47	Line Brew Mix	132	Casual dining
48	Хмельница	130	Casual dining
49	VIVALDI		Casual dining
50	RUST Grill & Bar		Casual dining
51	LOFT		Casual dining
52	COFFEEROOM & TRATTORIA		Кофейня
53	Карлов Мост	129	Fine dining
54	Wagon Restaurant	128	Casual dining
55	Мармарис		Кафе
56	RED DRAGON		Casual dining
57	Roma Caffe	127	Кафе
58	AmurE		Fine dining
59	Ratatouille	126	Fine dining
60	БОЧОНОК		Бар
61	Pinch	124	Кафе
62	Счастливые люди		Casual dining
63	Aurora		Кафе
64	Мандариновый Гусь		Кафе
65	Mad Murphy`s Irish Pub	122	Бар
66	Manga Sushi		Кафе
67	Caffe Pascucci		Кофейня
68	Тандыр		Кафе
69	Samal		Casual dining
Оценка «Хорошо»
70	Basilic	120	Столовая
71	KOREAN HOUSE		Fine dining
72	Соседнее село		Кафе
73	Grand Opera	118	Casual dining
74	Union	117	Бар
75	Chalet		Fine dining
76	Дом		Кафе
77	ВьетКафе	116	Кафе
78	Оранжевый верблюд		Кафе
79	Qingdao		Casual dining
80	La Suisse	114	Fine dining
81	ASSORTI		Casual dining
82	Назик	113	Casual dining
83	Safran		Casual dining
84	Mary the Butcher	111	Бар
85	Бюро Nahodok	109	Бар
86	Гости	108	Casual dining
87	ЛенКонцерт Saigon Style	106	Fine dining
88	Вечное Небо		Casual dining
89	SADU	104	Casual dining
90	El Mirador	100	Fine dining
91	Le Marche	98	Fine dining
92	Gippo	92	Fast food
Оценка «Удовлетворительно»
93	Гранат	88	Кафе
94	Чешский двор		Casual dining
95	OZYURT		Casual dining
96	Crudo		Casual dining
97	ТЮБЕТЕЙКА		Casual dining
98	Неделька	86,5	Кафе
99	YARD HOUSE PUB	86	Бар
100	Salt`n`Pepa	82	Кафе
101	Гакку		Fine dining
102	Sumo-San	80	Fine dining
103	El Plato	72	Casual dining
104	McLaren`s Bar	67	Кафе
105	Mandy's Dinner	66	Кафе
Оценка «Неудовлетворительно»
106	Ларисс Иванну Хачу	50	Casual dining

 

Объекты размещения в рейтинге по категориям

№	Название	Балл	Категория
Оценка «Отлично»
1	Hello Hostel	150	Хостел
2	Sky Hostel		Хостел
3	Rise		3*
4	Astra		3*
5	Parasat Hotel & Residence		3*
6	The Dostyk Hotel		5*
7	Ritz Carlton	149	5*
8	Iris Hotel	142	3*
9	Алматы		3*
10	Вояж		4*
11	Nomad`S GH	138	Хостел
12	Hostel 74/76	136	Хостел
13	Уют		4*
14	Best-1	135	Хостел
15	Samal Resort & Spa	134	4*
16	Сая	134	3*
17	Алан Circus		3*
18	Zyliha		3*
19	Тянь-Шань		3*
20	Almaty Hostel Dom	132	Хостел
21	Golden Palace		3*
22	Renion Hills	130	3*
23	Renion	126	3*
24	Terra		3*
25	Mildom Premium	125	4*
26	Ark Shatyr	124	Хостел
27	SoLuxe Hotel Almaty		4*
28	Best-3	122	Хостел
29	РГК Астана		Без категории
Оценка «Хорошо»
30	Royal Petrol	120	3*
31	Grand Sapphire		4*
32	Есентай Hostel	120	Хостел
33	Гостинциа Карлыгаш		Без категории
34	Гостиница Потенциал		Без категории
35	Казжол		4*
36	Ак-Алтын	114	Без категории
37	Mildom Express	112	Без категории
38	Athletik		Хостел
39	Казыбек		Без категории
40	Residence Jeppesen		Без категории
41	Best-2	111	Хостел
42	Erbil Grand Hotel	110	4*
43	World Hotel Saltanat		4*
44	Astana International	108	4*
45	Amigo	106	Хостел
46	Academic Apartments	104	Хостел
47	DimAL Almaty Hostel		Хостел
48	Apple Hostel		Хостел
49	ГРК Пират		Без категории
50	Мини-отель Д'Рами		Без категории
51	Тахар		Без категории
52	Almaty Hostel	102	Хостел
53	Гостиница Маган		4*
54	Hotel Kazakhfilm		Без категории
55	Well Sleep		Без категории
56	Grand Voyage		4*
57	Алма	100	3*
58	БЦ Премьер-Алатау	98	3*
59	Отрар		4*
60	Harmony Hostel	96	Хостел
61	Atakent Park Hotel		Хостел
62	Loco Hostel	94	Хостел
63	Super Hostel	92	Хостел
64	Той Дами Отель		Без категории
65	Five Seasons Hostel		Хостел
66	Star		Хостел
67	Pas Al Pas		Без категории
Оценка «Удовлетворительно»
68	Penthouse Hostel Almaty	86	Хостел
69	Mildom Hotel		Без категории
70	Berkana		3*
71	Medeus Park	84	4*
72	Гостиница Манас		Без категории
73	Royal Park Company	83	3*
74	Almaty Central Hostel	82	Хостел
75	London House	80	Без категории
76	Almaty Back Packers		Хостел
77	Казхостел
78	Гостиница Т		3*
79	Relax		Без категории
80	Best Western Plus		4*
81	Тан-Шолпан		Без категории
82	Hotel ALA	78	Хостел
83	Мини-отель Керемет		Без категории
84	Гранд Отель Евразия	58	4*

 

In THE FUTURE

It should be noted that such serious research work in Almaty has not been carried out before, despite its obvious necessity. In the future, it is planned to conduct such studies on a periodic basis.

 

The need for regular quality studies is due to the fact that often the specificity of the provision in each case does not allow for the creation of quality standards to monitor the delivery of services before they are provided. The quality of the service cannot meet the same standard, as they change under the influence of the transformation of consumer requests. Therefore, only regular market research can determine how customer requests and the quality of services have changed over time.