Customer Service & Organisational Effectiveness: Dunnes

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1. Background

Dunnes Stores has 152 stores throughout Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, UK and Spain it has been established by Ben Dunne. It is Irelands largest and leading retailer providing a unique offering of fashion, food and homewares in one location.

The biggest competitors against Dunnes in Shannon are:

• Lidl
• Dealz

The main domestic competitors in the supermarket business are Tesco, SuperValu, Lidl and Aldi. In clothing, their rivals include Penneys, Marks and Spencer and Debenhams. Dunnes sell brands such as Paul Costello, CenteRed, Paul Galvin, Gallery, Savida, Carolyn Donnelly and many more.

2. Their Target Market

Dunnes Stores target market is aimed at all categories men, women and children with different price points to suit everyone’s pocket. By providing; food, beverage, fresh fish & seafood, clothing, home & furniture and fresh hot deli foods made on site – which is located under one roof. Promising the ‘Better Value’.

3. Advertisement

At Dunnes Stores advertising plays a big part.

In store advertisement:

• Leaflets and brochures on each till
• Banners with weekly deals and specials
• Intercom

Web:

• http://www.dunnesstores.com/ which now provides online shopping for clothes and homeware with a home delivery
• Facebook

Media:

• Radio Clare FM
• Television

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3. Premises

Dunnes Stores is situated within a Sky Court Shopping centre in Shannon which facilities include:

• Lifts
• Parking
• Disabled Parking
• Toilets
• Wheelchair friendly
• Guidance dog’s friendly

3. Product & Services

Dunnes offers a variety of foods, fresh fish & seafood, veg, fruit, dry, processed food, snacks, soft drinks, alcohol & wine etc., they have been also awarded the quality of their foods equal to the price.

Their various brands are shown below:

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3. Employees interaction with customers each other and management.

From my experience and observation, the staff has always greeted, thanked and invited their customers to visit again – which in my opinion is vital in a busy business place. The staff is the company’s image which reflects how the company is being run. In this case their behaviour towards the customer has never failed. The management staff has been always helpful and willing to answer questions or fix minor problems when the customer seemed unhappy.

3. How employer/management present themselves to the customer – dress code, personal hygiene.

All staff is provided with a uniform to wear on a daily basis which consists of black trousers, black shirt, flat black shoes and a name badge. Their look is satisfying an appropriate uniform with an overall well-groomed appearance. The management and staff overall have a very professional appearance.

4. Potential positive and the potential negative impact on consumers/users and on the business.

5. How organisation caters for disability and diversity.

Dunnes stores caters for all in general. As mentioned before they have a good facility for disabled people as they have wheelchair access & wide aisles, guidance dogs are allowed. No racial, sexual or religious diversity noted.

Shannon Springs Hotel

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4. Background

Shannon Springs Hotel Conveniently located just 5 minutes from Shannon International Airport, The Shannon Springs Hotel (formerly known as Shannon Court Hotel) is one of the most popular Shannon Hotels and boasts 54 very spacious, tastefully decorated bedrooms with all the modern amenities to make you feel at home.

Famous for their “Old Lodge” Gastro Pub, friendly atmosphere and excellent efficient service, there is an abundance of local attractions within easy reach of our Shannon Airport Hotel.

The biggest competitors against Shannon Springs Hotel in Shannon are:

• Oak Wood Arms Hotel
• Park Inn Hotel by Radisson Shannon Airport

5. Their Target Market

Shannon Springs Hotel target market is aimed at all categories men, women and children with different price points to suit everyone’s pocket. By providing; Accommodation, Costa Coffee, The Old Lodge Gastro Pub, Free Wi-Fi, Free parking, Laundry service, Room service, Kid-friendly.

6. Advertisement

They have designed a new web page. Shannon Spring Hotel mainly advertises on their home page and Facebook after, renovating, reopening and the change of the ownership – becoming the new Shannon Springs Hotel.

• www.shannonspringshotel.com

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•Facebook

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3. Premises

Shannon Springs Hotel is located 5 minutes away from the Airport it is an ideal base for a great leisure break, situated between the neighbouring historic towns of Ennis and Limerick. They cater their premises to the needs of all people, some rooms and bathrooms are accommodated to suit the needs of people with disabilities for an easy access.

The Shannon Springs Hotel

• Free Wi-Fi
• Free parking
• Laundry service
• Room service
• Kid-friendly
• Restaurant
• Free breakfast
• Pool
• Bar
• Smoke-free

3. Products & Services:

They provide a service of accommodation for people worldwide and nationwide.

They are a *** hotel which has adequate prices to its quality and service. Apart from their accommodation facility they also organise Weddings.

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3. How employees interact with the customer and each other and management.

As for this particular part of the portfolio I had to physically speak with their representative which in this case was the Receptionist, the gentleman I have spoken to show a lot of respect for what I was doing and why I asked this sort of particular questions. I felt comfortable and fully understood. He showed a lot of competency and professionalism. In my opinion the people that work there are interacting with their customers to the best of their ability

3. How employer/management present themselves Hygiene/uniform

The person I dealt with, in which case was the Receptionist looked on a professional standard, wearing a well-groomed suit. As well as the Receptionist, other staff looked very professional wearing a black shirt with the company logo.

4. Potential positive and potential negative impact on consumers and on the business.

In my opinion it was a very pleasant experience where I physically spoke with a person who answered all of my questions on behalf of the company. He reflected a very positive image of the company.

Here are some other true examples of happy fulfilled customers.

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5. How the organisation cater for disability and diversity.

As I asked specific questions about the hotel itself I also asked about their organisation of Weddings I was told by the receptionist that recently in around December there was same sex marriage taking place in this hotel. Over all I think there is no any sort of sexual, race or disability diversity. This hotel is fully customer, children and disabled people friendly

[i] https://www.google.ie/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x485b41d445ece8c5:0xb0bba4c43059698d!2m19!2m2!1i80!2i80!3m1!2i20!16m13!1b1!2m2!1m1!1e1!2m2!1m1!1e3!2m2!1m1!1e5!2m2!1m1!1e4!3m1!7e115!4s/maps/place/dunnes%2Bstores%2Bshannon/@52.7103129,-8.8777974,3a,75y,220.86h,90t/data%3D*213m4*211e1*213m2*211sAmf7Ddk4lUq5EonMTsOPdQ*212e0*214m2*213m1*211s0x0:0xb0bba4c43059698d!5sdunnes+stores+shannon+-+Google+Search&imagekey=!1e2!2sAmf7Ddk4lUq5EonMTsOPdQ&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwjKnuqZl8nSAhWLDcAKHUsfAdoQpx8IdzAK

[ii] https://www.facebook.com/DunnesStores/

[iii] http://www.dunnesstores.com/

[iv] http://www.dunnesstores.com/award1c/food-wine/fcp-category/home

[v] http://www.shannonspringshotel.com/gallery.html

[vi] http://www.shannonspringshotel.com/index.html

[vii] https://www.facebook.com/ShannonSpringsHotel/

[viii] https://ag.avvio.com/convert/site/Shannon%20Springs%20Hotel/en/results.php?checkin=2017-03-9&nights=1&currency=EUR&_ga=1.173972515.1456376543.1489054532

[ix] https://www.facebook.com/pg/ShannonSpringsHotel/reviews/?ref=page_internal

[x] https://www.google.ie/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=shannon+springs+hotel&*&lrd=0x485b6a75f392bb6d:0xdc216dcbd415f138,1