Lobby Sport Bar and Restaurant: Internship Experience Essay

Introduction

A key factor in becoming a successful manager is having vast knowledge and understanding of both management and marketing principles. To enhance their practical knowledge in management and marketing, students are required to undertake internship programs before they graduate¹. For most students, internship experiences have had a great impact on their lives. Through internships, students can determine whether they will enter into the management professions or into other career fields. By being involved in the internship programs, students gain direct experience of working as managers. The paper below focuses on my internship experience at the Lobby Sports Bar & Restaurant.

Background information

Lobby Sports Bar & Restaurant is situated at Spring Street Elizabeth, NJ 821. The restaurant operates in a very competitive industry. The firm’s primary competitors are hotels and bars around Elizabeth. In the restaurant, I have been acting as an assistant manager. I have been occupying this position since September 2014. In May 2015, the restaurant expanded its premises by opening another facility on the second floor. Owing to the expansion, my responsibilities have increased.

My responsibilities have also increased because the general manager has been away for the last two months. I have benefited from my experience in the internship program. The opportunity has enabled me to enhance my confidence, develop management skills, develop marketing skills, and develop an awareness of what management is all about.

My first day in Lobby was remarkable. On this day, I was taken through the orientation process. Through this, I learned about the history of the restaurant, the structure of the restaurant administration, the location of various departments in the restaurant, and the restaurant’s goals and missions. Later, I was introduced to the general manager. The general manager introduced me to his fellow management team. With him, I discussed the roles of my internship in the restaurant. Thereafter, he assisted me in drafting a convenient time plan. I was informed that I was required to work under the general manager as an assistant manager.

As an assistant manager, I was informed that I was to undertake a number of responsibilities. The responsibilities included completing the hotel’s human resource objectives, operational objectives, financial objectives, estimates food and drink’s costs and profits, manage costs by appraising portion control and quantities of preparations². Other responsibilities I was required to accomplish were ensuring that the restaurant stick to the guidelines of the alcoholic beverage commission, capitalize on the restaurant’s profits, and advertise the restaurant by planning and placing advertisements.

How I have exhibited management concepts

As my internship progresses, I have gained fundamental skills on how to manage a restaurant. With time, I have been able to explore a range of issues related to organizing the entire operations of the hotel. It was not long before the staff members trusted and liked me. Through this, I have been able to prove my competence and skills by helping the staff members to solve various challenges related to management. As I have attended more shifts and interacted with more clients and employees, my confidence and interest in managing a hospitality firm have increased.

I have noted that management is among the most thrilling careers as it enables those involved to interact with several individuals boosting their self-esteem. Just as I had been taught in my course, I have noted that managers must ensure that their firms function professionally and profitably while upholding their status and ethos³. During my internship program, I have learned that to be a successful manager an individual must put into practice what they learned in classwork. In my shifts, I have been able to combine strategic forecasting and customary management accomplishments.

In the last two months, the general manager has been away due to sickness. In his absence, I have been assigned his responsibilities. In his absence, I have been able to supervise all of the restaurant’s functions and marketing and sales roles. Through this, I have been required to undertake effective task scheduling and task assigning. Similarly, I have been required to come up with appropriate decisions that will lead to the essential profit-making outcomes for the restaurant.

While the general manager is away, I have managed the operations of the bar effectively. I have adopted appropriate leadership skills to manage the restaurant’s employees effectively. By implementing transformational leadership styles taught in class, I have been able to recognize transactional desires among the staff members and try to inspire them to achieve their full potential⁴. Having been allocated the overall responsibility in the management of the restaurant, I am determined to influence the culture of this facility for the better before the end of my internship period. My ultimate wish is to see all the employees enhance their self-esteem, become more creative, become more flexible, and accept future changes with ease.

I always allow my subordinates to discuss their issues with me whenever possible. Through motivation, reflection, and admiration, I have been able to come up with an ideal organizational culture. Through my leadership, every employee is given a chance to be a leader and bear ultimate accountability in his or her role. By doing so, I have defied viewpoints and contemporary working practices and created a workforce that flourishes and is resourceful to the restaurant. By putting into practice transformational leadership styles, I will ultimately enhance the commitment of all employees⁵. Through my capacity, I have also been able to meet the needs of all the employees and act as their role model. By doing so, I have been able to encourage the workforce to increase their productivity.

I have also been able to meet my responsibilities as a manager in the restaurant with ease. My programs have been a success because of my ability to enhance lateral delegation between the employees. I have encouraged the employees to share some of their tasks. Through this, I have been able to stir up innovation among the employees⁶. By employing lateral delegation techniques, I have been able to promote skill development among the employees. I believe that the more the restaurant’s employees embrace lateral delegation, the more they would be accustomed to changes in the future.

How I have exhibited marketing concepts

During my internship program, I have not only been able to implement management concepts but also marketing theories and strategies. Under my directive, the marketing team has been able to advertise the facility through social media. During my first month at the restaurant, I noted that the restaurant was not actively engaged through social media promotions. I have managed to encourage the market media to focus on this platform because it has immense potentials.

Currently, the restaurant fan base on social media has tremendously increased. Through social media, we have been able to encourage more individuals to visit the restaurant. Social media have also enabled the hotel to interact with potential clients and to understand their expectations.

Over time, I have come up with a SWOT analysis of Lobby Sports Bar & Restaurant. I came up with the analysis with the aim of understanding the threats and opportunities faced by the restaurant⁷. I believe the SWOT analysis will be useful in analyzing both external and internal challenges faced by the restaurant. I have noted that the strengths exhibited by the business are brand reputation and experienced expertise. Unlike its competitors, the Lobby’s brand in Elizabeth is enhanced.

As such, the restaurant’s products and services meet the customers’ expectations. Similarly, the general manager has vast knowledge in business that can help the pub to increase its sales in the future. As compared to competitors’ subsidiaries, Lobby has few subsidiaries. Considered that there are huge competition and huge demand in the hospitality industry, the pub’s few subsidiaries can be a weakness. Therefore, consumers can opt for the competitors’ branches as alternatives.

In Elizabeth, a few pubs focus on specific communities such as religious, age, sex, or political minorities. If the pub focuses on specializing in satisfying one of the above groups in the future, it might increase its sales and enhance its market share. The market segment presents an opportunity for the business. If the pub focuses on satisfying these groups, it will gain a competitive advantage over its rivals. I have also noted that a major threat faced by the pub is speedy technological transformations in the entertainment industry. The threat puts pressure on the company’s future success.

Every year, the company must adopt new entertainment technologies to be ahead of its rivals. If they fail to do so, its rivals will fill the gap and gain an advantage over the company. I have also noted that the restaurant can differentiate its products and services by being innovative. Through continuous innovation, the pub can outperform its direct and indirect competitors. Other than retailing foods and drinks, the restaurant should also venture into outside catering and accommodation. By doing so, they will be able to increase their source of income.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it should be noted that a key factor of becoming a successful manager is having secure subject knowledge and understanding of both management and marketing principles. Through the above report, I have highlighted my experience at Lobby. As an assistant manager at the facility, I have been able to undertake a number of responsibilities. The responsibilities include completing the hotel’s human resource objectives, operational objectives, and financial objectives. I am also required to estimate food and drink costs and profits and manage costs by appraising portion control and quantities of preparations.

I have not only been able to implement management concepts, but also marketing theories and strategies. During my first month at the restaurant, I noted that the restaurant was not actively engaged through social media promotions. Under my directive, the marketing team has been able to advertise and market our services through social media.

Works Cited

Berger, Lauren. All Work, No Pay: Finding an Internship, Building Your Resume, Making Connections, and Gaining Job Experience. Berkeley, Calif.: Ten Speed, 2012. Print.

Brody, Derrick. Latest Trends in Hotel Industry. Chandni Chowk, Delhi: Global Media, 2009. Print.

Cant, Marco. Marketing Management. Cape Town, South Africa: Juta, 2006. Print.

Kainthola, Prakesh. Principles of Hotel Management. Chandni Chowk, Delhi India: Global Media, 2009. Print.

Kotler, Philip. Marketing Management. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2000. Print.

Rutherford, Denney. Hotel Management and Operations. New York: Wiley, 2012. Print.

Singh, Ubah, and Jim Dewan. Hotel Management. New Delhi: APH Pub, 2009. Print.

Footnotes

1. Lauren Berger. All Work, No Pay: Finding an Internship, Building Your Resume, Making Connections, and Gaining Job Experience. (Berkeley, Calif.: Ten Speed, 2012. Print) 4.
2. Derrick Brody. Latest Trends in the Hotel Industry. (Chandni Chowk, Delhi: Global Media, 2009. Print) 23.
3. Prakesh Kainthola. Principles of Hotel Management. (Chandni Chowk, Delhi India: Global Media, 2009. Print ) 56.
4. Denney Rutherford. Hotel Management and Operations. (New York: Wiley, 2012. Print) 16.
5. Ubah Singh and Jim Dewan. Hotel Management. (New Delhi: APH Pub, 2009. Print) 92.
6. Marco Cant. Marketing Management. (Cape Town, South Africa: Juta, 2006. Print ) 25.
7. Philip Kotler. Marketing Management. (Upper Saddle River, N.J.:Prentice Hall, 2000. Print) 45.