Introduction
The theoretical knowledge learned in class is crucial in understanding organizations. The concepts help us understand the actual organizational structures and modes of operation in the business world. The theoretical knowledge helps us describe the business models and the competitive strategies organizations use to adapt to the changing business environment. Although the theory is of utmost importance in learning, it cannot be useful without practical application opportunities. Internships allow students to apply theoretical knowledge in practice. Through an internship experience, a student can utilize what he or she has learned in class in real-life scenarios. Besides, an internship helps a student to develop a deep understanding of the concepts and theories learned in class.
In this paper, I describe my internship experience at The Lobby Sports Bar/Restaurant/Lounge located in St. Elizabeth, New Jersey. Since September 2014, I have been working as an assistant manager intern at the organization. As an intern, I work under the supervision of the restaurant manager (chief chef) and the heads of the housekeeping/event planning and marketing departments. My core responsibilities are:
- To assist with event planning in the restaurant, bar, and lounge.
- To help in the promotion of the organization’s products externally through discount schemes and online ads.
- To help with public relations management through online tools.
Through the internship experience, I have had an opportunity to apply the concepts and the learning outcomes of the marketing and management courses to enrich my understanding of the facility’s organizational structure and model of operation.
Description of the Organization
The Lobby offers restaurant/bar services in a serene atmosphere perfect for people who want to party or enjoy a “fabulous dinner or favorite sport” (“The Lobby: Sports Bar and Restaurant” Para. 1). It offers a broad array of menus ranging from steaks to paella. The physical address of the Lobby is 821 Spring, St. Elizabeth, New Jersey. Customers can book reservations by calling the front desk on the number 908-469-8088. Reservations can also be made online at the website www.thelobbynj.com.
The facility is placed in a strategic location St. Elizabeth. This popular brand is a full-service hotel that contains a large dining restaurant, banquet area, a spacious lounge that can accommodate up to 500 guests, and a sports area fitted with large screens for viewing live sporting events. The facility offers an ambient atmosphere suitable for family dinners and sports viewing.
Organizational Structure
The Lobby sports bar/restaurant/lounge has a simple organizational structure. Its chief chef is a chief executive officer who is charged with implementing organizational strategy, initiating new projects, and managing employees. An event planner organizes reservations and oversees the company budget. The Lobby’s public relations officer is involved with media press and stakeholder engagement.
On the other hand, a marketing manager organizes promotional events and conducts market research. The company offers internship opportunities for students studying various disciplines, including public relations and marketing. The interns participate in various tasks and activities, including those not directly related to one’s line of study. This approach, in my view, helps interns acquire experience in multiple areas.
My Internship Experience
Since I started my internship, I have had close interactions with clients and staff. During my first day at the Lobby, we went through an orientation program to help us adapt to our respective positions. Armstrong states that orientation is an important HR role that prepares new employees for the responsibilities and demands that come with the position (17). It boosts employee confidence and facilitates communication between new staff and the management, which translates into a reduced turnover and higher productivity rates. Before the orientation, we filled employment forms indicating that we accept the Lobby’s employment policies and conditions, including the pay rate. Each intern also had to submit his or her tax information and contact details.
The position of an assistant manager intern has taught me important job skills that I had not learned in class. First, I have acquired people skills since I began to work in the Lobby. I have had an opportunity to interact daily with the staff and the clients visiting the Lobby to dine, hold meetings, or watch sport. People skills entail the “ability to listen, communicate, and relate well to others on a professional or personal level” (Hersey, Blanchard, and Johnson 32).
People skills are vital in advertising and public relations roles. Since I joined the Lobby as an intern, I have learned how to report to my supervisor and uphold professional standards in the office. The Lobby’s manager often delegates roles to supervisors, as he cannot supervise all the departments and employees alone. I have learned the importance of role delegation, whereby the restaurant manager instructs department heads to supervise teams and make minor decisions relating to customer service.
The Lobby has a unique approach for communicating internally and externally. It uses team meetings wherein supervisors communicate updates to staff members. I find the meetings insightful concerning the challenges facing the hospitality industry. The Lobby’s management is eager to use promotional events to improve its brand image and market share. Besides meetings, the company uses emails, social media, telephone, and fax to communicate with staff and customers. Internal communication normally originates from the event planner, the PR manager, and the marketing manager.
The Lobby’s management model relates to various views and theories on how firms should be managed. One such theory is the general management theory, which holds that, ideally, the management should cover six specific areas, namely, “business/staff control, bookkeeping, finance, self-protection, commerce, and technical aspects” (Dam and Marcus 76). The Lobby utilizes this management approach in its day-to-day activities. When planning for an event, the planner consults the supervisors and managers in the marketing and finance department as well as the restaurant manager.
The other concept applicable to the Lobby is the organizational structuring theory. It holds that a firm must develop a clear vision statement and a simplified strategic plan that can be easily implemented (Dam and Marcus 81). The Lobby’s organizational structure is clear and simple. Its long-term vision is to provide a “decadent fusion of restaurant and lounge services” to customers in an ambient atmosphere (“The Lobby: Sports Bar and Restaurant” Para. 4).
It offers a range of menus and services that suit diverse client needs. It also adheres to business management principles of value orientation, customer relationship development, and employee engagement and growth (“The Lobby: Sports Bar and Restaurant” Para. 3). New employees and interns undergo an orientation program to prepare them for the job. The facility also encourages customers who visit the restaurant, bar, or lounge to review their services and products. This generates crucial data for service improvement and strategic planning.
In my view, Lobby is an organization with a clear structure and reporting lines. It is a small firm with the founder as the executive chef. Moreover, due to its small size, direct supervision of staff is possible. Besides, coordination of activities is easily achieved through internal communication channels. Thus, the general management theory applies to this organization because the firm’s management involves key areas such as event planning, marketing, finance, and public relations.
Tasks and Activities
As an intern at the Lobby, I have participated in various activities and events. The activities involve routine tasks that I perform daily in the facility. These include office tasks and event planning activities. The office tasks I perform daily include preparing event schedules, updating sponsors about upcoming events, introducing new updates on the company website, promoting and posting content about a function on social media, and budget preparation. My tasks fall into four categories, namely, event planning, public relations, marketing and communication, and finance.
The Lobby offers restaurant/lounge services to business professionals, sports fans, and families. In this view, event planning is an important aspect of its services. I have been exposed to event planning at the Lobby. It involves making reservations for clients often comprising of professionals who want to hold meetings. Such business meetings often take place in the lounge during live sporting events.
I have learned networking skills by participating in the Lobby’s event planning process. Networking skills are important in public relations and customer relationship management. As a promotional tactic, I upload new information daily into the company website and customer contacts into Google docs to maintain an up-to-date record of regular customers. I also upload event photos and videos into the website as well as links to customer reviews.
Market research is crucial in strategic planning. At the facility, research entails searching for client information and requests. I spend time researching information about the package that can meet a client’s needs and preferences cost-effectively. I also research the various suppliers who can provide quality raw materials at competitive prices. My research also covers entertainment products (music and sports) that can be used during a particular event or function. After the research, the suppliers and entertainers must be contacted before the actual event. This may involve visiting the suppliers to check the suppliers and raw materials and ensure that everything goes according to plan.
Concerning marketing and promotion, my tasks include developing a marketing plan to reach certain market segments. Target marketing entails identifying customers or market segments, which a firm should direct its services or products (Kotler 131). I regularly upload information on social media, such as Twitter and Facebook, and popular blogs to reach out to young professionals and sports lovers who form our target market.
Other social media platforms that I have used to promote the Lobby’s products and events include LinkedIn, Word Press, YouTube, and google docs. I also remind customers planning to visit the facility to view a live sporting event. The promotion also entails posting a list of upcoming events and offers on the company website. The main dishes are also listed on the website along with pictures of the menus. We also analyze traffic on the company websites and social media likes, views, and tweets and use the data for strategic planning reasons.
The Lobby also invests in public relations as a way of promoting its image and brands. We often use online tools such as blogs to promote the facility’s products and services. Word Press is the blogging tool we often use to disseminate information about the Lobby’s products and events. In the blog articles, we include the available food, drinks, and entertainment offered in the facility. The menus and dishes are accompanied by photos and videos to appeal to potential clients. Links to other pages are provided in the blog articles to allow readers to obtain more information about the events or dishes. One advantage of using blogs in public relations management is that they facilitate interaction between the blogger and the viewer. Thus, they are a powerful tool for promoting new products or upcoming events.
I have also been involved in budgeting. I help in researching costs related to travel (flight), taxi services, and off-site events to estimate the average expenditure of a client. I also assist in sending confirmation letters via email to potential clients before the arrival date. The goal is to help clients plan their expenditures appropriately to avoid inconveniences during the actual visit.
Conclusion
The Lobby, as an organization, offers a great opportunity for interns to apply the skills and knowledge learned in class. The internship experience I have gained from this organization will help me grow and develop my career. Since September, I have been involved in marketing communication, promotion, financial/event planning, and PR. The experience gained in these areas has enriched my understanding of organizational structuring and strategic planning process.
Works Cited
Armstrong, Michael. Strategic human resource management: An action guide. Philadelphia, PA: Kogan Page, 2006. Print.
Dam, Nick and Jos Marcus. Organization and Management: An international Approach. New York: Routledge, 2007. Print.
Hersey, Paul, Kenneth Blanchard, and Dewey Johnson. (2012). Management of organizational Behavior. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 2012. Print.
Kotler, Philip. Marketing Management. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 2001. Print.
The Lobby: Sports Bar and Restaurant. Web.