Case Analysis of ‘Banff Aspen Lodge - Staffing for Success’

Banff Aspen Lodge is a hotel located in the Canadian Rockies. As a popular destination for
adventure seekers, the hotel needs a well-trained, diverse staff that can provide excellent
customer service. This case analysis examines the hotel’s strategies to ensure successful and
adequate staffing.
The first step Banff Aspen Lodge took to ensure staffing success was creating a job
description for each position. This included providing a detailed list of duties, qualifications,
and skills. This confirmed that potential applicants knew precisely what was expected of
them and gave them a better understanding of the job.
The next step was to create a comprehensive recruitment plan. This plan included identifying
the positions that needed to be filled, potentially sourcing candidates, and conducting
interviews. The recruitment process was designed to be highly selective so that only the best
candidates were chosen.
After selecting suitable candidates, Banff Aspen Lodge focused on training and development.
They provided ongoing training and support to their employees, creating a learning and
development culture. This ensured that staff were well-equipped to handle customer service
and other duties.
Finally, Banff Aspen Lodge established a robust performance appraisal and feedback system.
This included setting performance goals and regularly assessing staff performance. This
allowed the hotel to stay on top of its staffing and ensure everyone was meeting their targets.
Overall, Banff Aspen Lodge has successfully implemented effective staffing strategies. Their
recruitment plan, training, and feedback system have created a highly-trained, diverse staff
capable of providing excellent customer service.

Q1. What are the key success factors

for the Aspen?
Ans. Aspen's most important key
success factor is a strong and
sustained long-time relationship with
its
customers. The company will get a
competitive advantage by improving
the relationship with customers to
repeatedly visit the place and
recommend it to other friends and
family. Customers' relationships can
be
strengthened by providing quality
services to customers and at
affordable prices. By improving
this
relationship, Aspen can gain the
loyalty and trust of its customers,
which will attract them to take
their
services repeatedly. Another critical
success factor is the location of
Aspen. It is one of the 17 lodgings
located along a five-block stretch of
Banff lane, Banff's main artery, as
we learn from the case. The hotels
are usually factored on location as an
essential ingredient for success.
Another critical success factor is
ensuring employee satisfaction. This,
in turn, improves the performance of
their employees. Also, it sends
out a good reputation as an employer
to become the first option for
incoming talent.
Exceptional experience for
customers is the main success
factor of the firm with. This has
given the
company a positive rating of 8.1
emerging the best in a four-year
streak despite being the only private
entity
against mergers.
The company enjoys a strong and
positive workplace culture informed
by other success factors such as
collaborative leadership style,
Open door policy, quality
compensation packages and
standard training
experience to spur work place
autonomy, creativity and innovation.
Q2. What are the requirements for
the Front Desk staff?
Ans. The front desk staff's
primary responsibilities are
providing a satisfactory and polite
telephonic
reception, taking care of general
office chores, ensuring the visitors'
well-being and safety, providing
directions, and accommodating
proposals to fulfill visitors' needs.
Based on all the above
responsibilities,
few explicit requirements for front
desk staff are as follows:
i. Should possess excellent
communication and interpersonal
skills
ii. Should have the ability to
communicate in a different language
fluently (multilingual)
iii. Should have the ability to take on
different tasks
iv. Should have the ability to work
under pressure during check-in and
check-out times and deal with
diverse
customer needs
v. Should possess good listening
skills to cater to the visitor's
questions.
vi. Should show responsiveness by
the way he or she is dealing with the
particular customer or client
vii. Should have good presentation
skills
viii. Should well-groomed and
should look presentable
ix. Should have the ability to keep
confidential data of the company to
himself or herself
x. Should be passionate with
enthusiasm in the position since
attitude is the fundamental factor
for
productivity in such a position.
Q1. What are the key success factors
for the Aspen?
Ans. Aspen's most important key
success factor is a strong and
sustained long-time relationship with
its
customers. The company will get a
competitive advantage by improving
the relationship with customers to
repeatedly visit the place and
recommend it to other friends and
family. Customers' relationships can
be
strengthened by providing quality
services to customers and at
affordable prices. By improving
this
relationship, Aspen can gain the
loyalty and trust of its customers,
which will attract them to take
their
services repeatedly. Another critical
success factor is the location of
Aspen. It is one of the 17 lodgings
located along a five-block stretch of
Banff lane, Banff's main artery, as
we learn from the case. The hotels
are usually factored on location as an
essential ingredient for success.
Another critical success factor is
ensuring employee satisfaction. This,
in turn, improves the performance of
their employees. Also, it sends
out a good reputation as an employer
to become the first option for
incoming talent.
Exceptional experience for
customers is the main success
factor of the firm with. This has
given the
company a positive rating of 8.1
emerging the best in a four-year
streak despite being the only private
entity
against mergers.
The company enjoys a strong and
positive workplace culture informed
by other success factors such as
collaborative leadership style,
Open door policy, quality
compensation packages and
standard training
experience to spur work place
autonomy, creativity and innovation.
Q2. What are the requirements for
the Front Desk staff?
Ans. The front desk staff's
primary responsibilities are
providing a satisfactory and polite
telephonic
reception, taking care of general
office chores, ensuring the visitors'
well-being and safety, providing
directions, and accommodating
proposals to fulfill visitors' needs.
Based on all the above
responsibilities,
few explicit requirements for front
desk staff are as follows:
i. Should possess excellent
communication and interpersonal
skills
ii. Should have the ability to
communicate in a different language
fluently (multilingual)
iii. Should have the ability to take on
different tasks
iv. Should have the ability to work
under pressure during check-in and
check-out times and deal with
diverse
customer needs
v. Should possess good listening
skills to cater to the visitor's
questions.
vi. Should show responsiveness by
the way he or she is dealing with the
particular customer or client
vii. Should have good presentation
skills
viii. Should well-groomed and
should look presentable
ix. Should have the ability to keep
confidential data of the company to
himself or herself
x. Should be passionate with
enthusiasm in the position since
attitude is the fundamental factor
for
productivity in such a position.
Q1. What are the key success factors
for the Aspen?
Ans. Aspen's most important key
success factor is a strong and
sustained long-time relationship with
its
customers. The company will get a
competitive advantage by improving
the relationship with customers to
repeatedly visit the place and
recommend it to other friends and
family. Customers' relationships can
be
strengthened by providing quality
services to customers and at
affordable prices. By improving
this
relationship, Aspen can gain the
loyalty and trust of its customers,
which will attract them to take
their
services repeatedly. Another critical
success factor is the location of
Aspen. It is one of the 17 lodgings
located along a five-block stretch of
Banff lane, Banff's main artery, as
we learn from the case. The hotels
are usually factored on location as an
essential ingredient for success.
Another critical success factor is
ensuring employee satisfaction. This,
in turn, improves the performance of
their employees. Also, it sends
out a good reputation as an employer
to become the first option for
incoming talent.
Exceptional experience for
customers is the main success
factor of the firm with. This has
given the
company a positive rating of 8.1
emerging the best in a four-year
streak despite being the only private
entity
against mergers.
The company enjoys a strong and
positive workplace culture informed
by other success factors such as
collaborative leadership style,
Open door policy, quality
compensation packages and
standard training
experience to spur work place
autonomy, creativity and innovation.
Q2. What are the requirements for
the Front Desk staff?
Ans. The front desk staff's
primary responsibilities are
providing a satisfactory and polite
telephonic
reception, taking care of general
office chores, ensuring the visitors'
well-being and safety, providing
directions, and accommodating
proposals to fulfill visitors' needs.
Based on all the above
responsibilities,
few explicit requirements for front
desk staff are as follows:
i. Should possess excellent
communication and interpersonal
skills
ii. Should have the ability to
communicate in a different language
fluently (multilingual)
iii. Should have the ability to take on
different tasks
iv. Should have the ability to work
under pressure during check-in and
check-out times and deal with
diverse
customer needs
v. Should possess good listening
skills to cater to the visitor's
questions.
vi. Should show responsiveness by
the way he or she is dealing with the
particular customer or client
vii. Should have good presentation
skills
viii. Should well-groomed and
should look presentable
ix. Should have the ability to keep
confidential data of the company to
himself or herself
x. Should be passionate with
enthusiasm in the position since
attitude is the fundamental factor
for
productivity in such a position.
Q1. What are the key success factors for the Aspen?
Ans. The most significant key success factor for Aspen is a strong and long-term relationship
with its clients. The company will gain a competitive edge by developing the relationship
with clients, encouraging them to return and promote the location to their friends and family.
Customers' relationships can be strengthened by providing high-quality services at reasonable
pricing. By improving this relationship, Aspen can acquire the loyalty and trust of its clients,
attracting them to use their services again and again. Aspen's location is another crucial
success element. According to the complaint, it is one of 17 motels located along a five-block
stretch of Banff Lane, Banff's main artery. Location is frequently considered an important
aspect in the success of hotels. Employee satisfaction is another crucial success component.
This, in turn, increases their employees' performance. It also sends out a positive message as
an employer to become the first choice for prospective talent.
The firm's major success factor is providing an amazing customer experience. Despite being
the only private business opposed to mergers, the corporation received a positive rating of
8.1, the highest in a four-year streak.
The organization has a strong and pleasant workplace culture, which is influenced by other
success elements such as a collaborative leadership style, an open door policy, quality
remuneration packages, and standard training experience, all of which promote work place
autonomy, creativity, and innovation.
Q2. What are the requirements for the Front Desk staff?
Ans. The primary responsibilities of the front desk staff are to provide a pleasant and polite
telephonic reception, to handle regular office chores, to ensure the visitors' well-being and
safety, to provide instructions, and to accommodate proposals to meet visitors' demands.
Based on all of the above roles, the following are some stated requirements for front desk
staff:
i. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are required.
ii. Should be able to communicate successfully in another language (multilingual).
iii. Should be able to handle a variety of jobs.
iv. Should be able to work under pressure during check-in and check-out periods, as well as
deal with a variety of customer needs.
v. Should be able to listen well to answer the visitor's queries.
vi. Should demonstrate attentiveness in how he or she works with the specific consumer or
client.
vii. Should be capable of giving effective presentations.
viii. Should be well-groomed and presentable.
ix. Should be able to keep the company's secret data to himself or herself.
x. Should be enthusiastic about the position because attitude is the most important component
in productivity in such a position.

i. reviewing. Whom would you

interview?
ii. Ans. Aspen is looking for an
experienced Front Desk Clerk at
the main entrance to oversee
administrative
iii. and clerical duties. A variety
of tasks will be carried out
by the Front Desk Clerk,
including monitoring
iv. requests, interacting with the
switchboard, and maintaining
the office's budget schedule. The
Front Desk
v. Clerk's primary objective is to
give the clients excellent
 customer service and support.
As Aspen's mission
vi. is,' successful clients should be
polite and generous, with
excellent capacity to create
partnerships. Based
vii. on these qualities, situational
and behavioural interviews
should be emphasized in order
to get the best of
viii. the applicants' attitude and
interpersonal skills. Work
samples should also be used
to check on the
ix. applicants ability to deal with
pressure at the work place.
Top priority for the interview
sessions be the
x. referrals. With this, the
internal workforce has a better
 knowledge of the culture
hence can easily
xi. recommend the best fit in
forbearance of association to
failures.
xii. Q3. Develop hiring criteria
based on these requirements,
and apply them to the
applications Barr is
xiii. reviewing. Whom would you
interview?
xiv. Ans. Aspen is looking for an
experienced Front Desk Clerk at
the main entrance to oversee
administrative
xv. and clerical duties. A variety
of tasks will be carried out
by the Front Desk Clerk,
including monitoring
xvi. requests, interacting with the
switchboard, and maintaining
the office's budget schedule. The
Front Desk
xvii. Clerk's primary objective is
to give the clients excellent
customer service and support.
As Aspen's mission
xviii. is,' successful clients should
be polite and generous, with
excellent capacity to create
partnerships. Based
xix. on these qualities, situational
and behavioural interviews
should be emphasized in order
to get the best of
xx. the applicants' attitude and
interpersonal skills. Work
samples should also be used
to check on the
 xxi. applicants ability to deal with
pressure at the work place.
Top priority for the interview
sessions be the
xxii. referrals. With this, the
internal workforce has a better
knowledge of the culture
hence can easily
xxiii. recommend the best fit in
forbearance of association to
failures.
Q3. Develop hiring criteria based on these requirements and apply them to the
applications Barr is reviewing. Whom would you interview?
Ans. Aspen is looking for an experienced Front Desk Clerk to supervise administrative and
clerical activities at the main gate. The Front Desk Clerk will be responsible for a range of
activities, including monitoring requests, engaging with the switchboard, and keeping the
office's financial schedule. The major goal of the Front Desk Clerk is to provide exceptional
customer service and support to clients. As Aspen's aim is, 'successful clients should be
pleasant and kind, with outstanding capacity to form partnerships. Situational and
behavioural interviews should be highlighted based on these attributes to get the best out of
the applicants' attitude and interpersonal skills. Work samples should also be used to assess
an applicant's capacity to deal with stress at work. Referrals are the top priority for the
interview sessions. As a result, the internal workforce has a better understanding of the
culture and can quickly recommend the best fit in for bearance of association to
organisational failures:
 Greets and welcomes customers in a friendly and professional manner.
 Provides information about rooms and makes bookings based on customer requests.
 Makes room reservations, cancellations, confirmations, and registrations based on
guest requests.
 Performs check-in and check-out of customers.
  Handles emails, messages, and wake-up calls accurately.
We will prefer to hire two individuals based on the above criteria:
Dalal, Dorati: Outstanding communication skills and client orientation are recognised as
essential talents in her CV. Furthermore, because she has expertise in the entertainment
industry and is well-versed in recruiting potential visitors, she has problem-solving abilities
and inventive experience in dealing with and responding to issues from all consumers in a
highly efficient manner.
Patel, Arjun: He is another candidate for this position. He has five years of customer service
experience, and the skills, knowledge, and abilities listed on his CV are appropriate for the
job. Aside from that, the major abilities necessary to hire a person are the good written and
vocal communication skills specified in his CV. He is also certified in basic first aid, AED,
and CPR, which helps to promote workplace health and safety.

Q4. What questions do you want to ask during the interview?

Ans. According to the instance, Aspen sought the crucial characteristic in the attitudes of
prospective employees. The second most crucial factor was determining whether the
individual was a cultural match. Aspen used a systematic method, which included presenting
candidates with realistic job scenarios. Behavioral-based questions covered how applicants
will manage challenging conditions. Questions on an applicant's ability to respond to
challenging situations in the workplace.
The following are examples of interviewing questions:
• Can you tell me something about yourself that isn't in your CV?
• What talents and characteristics distinguish you from other candidates?
• In your previous career, what kind of environment did you work in?
• How will you use your talents and shortcomings to boost our hotel's revenue and success?
• Are you familiar with our company's culture, vision, and mission?
• How will you manage the visitors' complaints?
• How would you handle guests who complain about air quality and report it to the health
department?
• Some guests want a refund because they were unhappy with their room. How would you
handle such a situation?
• What are your objectives if you are recruited at this hotel?
• How will you handle the customer's problem if you don't speak their language?
• What do you know about customer service?
• How do you deal with working stress?
• During your prior position as a front desk officer, what was your most upsetting moment?
• What is your proudest success as a front-desk officer?
• If you are appointed CEO today, state one thing you will do in this organisation to improve
the customer experience.
• How will you handle the customer's situation while on the phone?

Q5. Analyse strengths and weaknesses in Aspen's HRM process. Provide

recommendations for improving the human resource planning, recruitment, selection,
and onboarding/training processes.
Ans. Analyzing Aspen's HRM Process's Strengths and Weaknesses:
Strengths
Aspen's management believes in employing the appropriate people while also coaching,
mentoring, and allowing employees to do their duties. It aided in a variety of ways, the most
important of which was that it provided a distinct corporate culture while also providing a
solid word-of-mouth coating for the guest's relatives and friends. There were actions taken to
accomplish this, which are stated below:
a) The employee referral approach is among the best since collecting referrals from current
employees is the most effective and productive way to recruit. This method promotes
workplace engagement and fosters organizational ties in order to ensure proper vigilance and
employee confidence. When we consider the organization's perspective, we can save money
and time.
b) Monthly staff gatherings and a lunch and learn programme assisted new employees in
adjusting to the culture.
c) A diverse talent pool of approximately 30 different countries with diverse academic and
cultural history.
d) Appropriate use of diverse channels for recruitment: Aspen employed all recruiting options
available to it, including word-of-mouth referrals from internal workers, the hotel platform,
and the Work Bank of Canada.
e) Onboarding and training: Because this Hotel provides training and onboarding for new
employees, it assists potential hiring by reducing uncertainty, promoting a helpful
environment, and demonstrating to members that they are valued.
Weaknesses
a) Demography: As we can see, the Hotel is embedded in many regional and demographic
sectors of the country, which eventually becomes harder to run, as it is now, especially for
newly founded businesses.
b) Legality and Licensing: According to the Hotel's licencing, the numerous conditions for
Hotel's licence include large start-up fees, various among them leading in an increase in the
Banff Aspen Lodge's operational costs; c) It is hectic and time-bound: According to the
observations, the Hotel requires an in-depth examination of their present and past clients,
their tastes, and the amount that would be required for the facilities to be available for a very
long period of time before the firm begins.
Improvements
(a) Use applicant tracking systems (ATS) in the employment process to achieve the required
and manageable number of applications.
(b) Use technology to enhance the front-desk staff's tasks.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths Weaknesses
- Banff Aspen Lodge has an experienced - The Lodge is in a remote area and may
and knowledgeable staff with a wealth of need help attracting qualified staff.
experience in the hospitality industry. - There is a limited pool of applicants
- The Lodge offers competitive staff salaries available for any open positions.
and benefits, making it an attractive
workplace. - There need to be more professional
- Staff members are highly trained in development and career advancement
customer service and friendly and helpful to opportunities for the staff.
guests.
- The Lodge provides a variety of career - The Lodge is unable to provide
development and advancement competitive salaries and benefits due to its
opportunities for its staff. remote location.

Opportunities Threats

- Staff can be trained and developed in - The Lodge may face competition from
various areas, such as customer service, other hotels and resorts.
hospitality, marketing, and management.
- There are limited job opportunities in the
- The Lodge can develop partnerships with area, making it difficult to retain staff.
local businesses and educational institutions
to provide training and development - The remote location means that the Lodge
opportunities to staff. may be disadvantaged in recruiting qualified
staff.
- The Lodge can offer competitive salaries
and benefits to attract qualified staff. - The Lodge may not offer competitive
salaries and benefits to staff, leading to a
- The Lodge can use its remote location as a high turnover rate.
selling point to attract staff who prefer to
live in a rural area.

PACADI Analysis
Problem
The Banff Aspen Lodge had experienced high staff turnover, affecting the quality of service
provided. The hotel's management needed to improve staffing levels and ensure the quality of
service.
Alternatives
The management team considered several alternatives to address the staffing issue:
1. Increase wages and benefits - This would attract more applicants; however, management
was concerned that it could prove expensive and would not necessarily be enough to solve
the issue.
2. Offer more recruitment incentives - The team explored providing extra incentives such as
free meals and discounted accommodations to attract more applicants.
3. Increase the recruitment process - Management looked into streamlining it, making it
easier and quicker for potential employees to apply.
4. Improve working conditions - The team looked into ways to improve the working
environment, such as increasing breaks and providing better employee training.
Criteria
The management team identified several criteria that would help them decide which
alternative to choose:
1. Cost - The chosen alternative should be cost-effective.
2. Effectiveness - The chosen alternative should address the staffing issue effectively.
3. Acceptance - The existing staff and potential applicants should accept the chosen
alternative.
4. Timeframe - The chosen alternative should provide results promptly.
Analysis
The team analysed the various alternatives based on the criteria. It was determined that the
most cost-effective option with the highest potential for success was to increase the
recruitment process and offer more incentives. This would help attract more applicants and
make it easier for them to apply.
Decision
Based on the analysis, the management team decided to increase the recruitment process and
offer more incentives. This would help to attract more applicants and make it easier for them
to apply.
Implementation
The team implemented the new recruitment process, which included making the application
process easier and more streamlined. They also offered incentives such as free meals and
discounted accommodations. Finally, they increased the levels of training for employees,
providing them with the necessary skills to provide the best service.
The new measures proved successful, resulting in a significant improvement in staffing levels
and quality of service.

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