Customer Satisfaction with Airbnb Online Bookings in London

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Research Project

Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Importance of the study...................................................................................................................4
Literature review..............................................................................................................................5
Research Methodology....................................................................................................................8
Results and discussion...................................................................................................................17
Limitation/reflection of research...................................................................................................21
Recommendations and areas of further research...........................................................................22
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................23
References......................................................................................................................................24
Appendices....................................................................................................................................26

Introduction
Research topic: Customer satisfaction with the online booking of the Airbnb. The Romanians
perspectives lived in the London Borough of Havering.
Airbnb is the online organization which is allowing the owners to post freely their listening on its
website, and for these only surcharging fees they are charging while making the deal. The
organization website (Airbnb.com) in which the traveller is a demand to select the suitable place
where they meet, stay the host which can be manors, castles, entire apartment, private rooms or
other property (Oskam and Boswijk, 2016).
The research is being conducted for understanding the research topic that is on the customer
satisfaction. As the customer satisfaction of the business is the important objectives, and this is
very essential for the business to gain long terms productivity and profitability. The data is
collected through different sources, so further it is properly analysed, and a real conclusion is
made. The consumer satisfaction in an organization is analysed through assessing some of the
various factors which are affecting their experiences in the flight or at the destination place. The
problems which the organization is facing while booking the rentals are a place is not accurate of
what the customer is expecting, accommodation facilities are not as good, customer bad
experiences and feedback while providing the online rental services to them regarding cost,
facilities etc.
Aims and objectives
Aim: To determine the customer satisfaction level regarding the Airbnb online booking.
Objectives:
To evaluate research project success and give the suitable recommendation in order to address
problems
To undertake the primary research (using my own research questionnaire)
To make the literature review by using the secondary research through undertaken the previous
data (Coghlan, 2019).

Research questions or hypotheses
How much you are satisfied with the online booking at Airbnb?

Importance of the study
My plan is to start my own business; for this, I have my interest in the field of customer research.
As through this research, it will help me in achieving the HND degree as well as also improve
my curriculum vitae (CV). Also, I will gain the experiences in the researching, and this also
gains the confidences to approach to the people (Polonsky and Waller, 2018).
The main problem which currently the Airbnb organization is facing is cash payment or offline
during the tour, booking cancellation by the customers frequently, security and trust issues of the
customers, currency exchange, price determination, and response rate. Airbnb needs to more
focus on the quality and services in order to manage the customer satisfaction level. This will
provide the benefits with the organization in terms of promoting customer satisfaction and
services which they are providing to the customer.

Literature review
Annual reports on Airbnb
According to Guttentag (2015), explores the organization emergence, whose website is
permitting the ordinary people in order to rent outside from their residences as the tourist
accommodation. Recently this organization was established, but it has rapidly grown and now
selling the room nights in millions annually. The disruptive model is used in considering the
organization model that is built and expands around the internet technologies and now the
distinct of this organization appeal that centres the household amenities, authentic local
experiences and cost savings. As the organization is rapidly growing, in which many of the
organization rentals are illegal actually due to the short term rental regulations. Such
corresponding tax and legality issues are discussed with a regulatory flux of current state as well
as a path for the resolutions. Therefore, the organization has disrupted significantly traditional
accommodation sector as well as negative and positive impact which the organization is having
on their destination place.
Focusing on most valuable customers
According to Joseph and Varghese (2019), it will present the text mining on the user reviews of
the organization to understand and analyse the several aspects which drive towards the maximum
customer satisfaction. It can be further extended to targeting and segmentation which take the
level of the customer satisfaction to the next and consider the possibilities of the travel,
geographic specific and purpose the specific requirements of host and guest. This is important
for the organization to get focus more on the spending energy along with the intention of
retaining best customers.
According to Priporas et al (2017), investigates customer loyalty, satisfaction and service quality
in the accommodation of Airbnb. The self-made questionnaire is distributed to that tourist of the
top destination worldwide, and it was distributed to them randomly. The focus must be on the
consumers whose yield as the highest retaining value for an organization since the retention
policies and tools are costly more for organization retention by online booking activities that are
cheaper significantly and become as the best plan of retaining the consumer longer in the

organization. Thus, the consumer can be consistent in their buying behaviour and hence, it has
the potential to turn in the profitable consumer. These consumers are easy usually to serve when
they are providing the services and not complain usually.
Provide stellar consumer services during the problem scenarios
According to Ju et al. (2019), stated that a rise in the sharing economy, the Airbnb become one
of the examples of the online accommodation market in the hospitality sector. To address the
several problems, this is important for the organization to know about this and the online
booking has created the various new channels by which the consumer is able to share and
express their dissatisfaction.
According to Sthapit and Jiménez-, (2018), explore an antecedent of the co destruction value in a
context of accommodation in a new form of Airbnb. The findings show that the improper
communication among the host and guest is the main reason for contributing to the co
destruction value during the organization accommodation experiences. Also, the online booking
will provide the organization to acknowledge the issue properly, as well as even apologizing for
this so that they address the same within the time. An essential takeaway in this fact on consumer
services is that they need to focus centrally for both retention policy and business in which social
media use plays a vital role.
Customer education on the service tendered
According to Rather et al (2019), identifies the key consequence and antecedents of the customer
engagement that remains nebulous to the date. The maximum of the customer engagement in an
effect to the place authenticity and attachment is result to consumer co-creation, loyalty and trust.
In such a scenario in which the consumer feels depressed and frustrated through the various
confusion which is related to the services tendered offered by Airbnb organization. Through this,
several retention problems also arise that in turn might be evaded by offering the resources
which help the consumer to navigate by offered services.
According to Huarng and Yu (2018), stated that the online sharing economy multiplies the
traditional counterpart’s effects. It also intends to explore customer behaviour in order to share
the economy in the hospitality sector. It will also help in exploring the relationship between the
variables for offline and online hotels in terms of determining the differences in both of the

relationship. If a social media work with the consumer appropriately in terms of finding their
support level, which they need really by making an online booking, which will help the
organization to retain the consumer. The qualitative analysis, along with the structural
association will support the unique relationship and the different relationship with the Airbnb
structural associations.
Focus on providing the information and value
According to Lee and Kim (2018), indicates that the Airbnb user’s values first have a positive
influence on loyalty and satisfaction while their utilitarian value will influence only their
satisfaction. Secondly, it shows that the product involvement will play the moderating role
between customer satisfaction and hedonic value. This research will contribute more to the
hospitality sector through expanding the research realm on the Airbnb that is the unique
organization applying the concept of sharing economy in the hospitality sector. To enhance the
customer loyalty and trust the organization has to provide all the valuable information related to
products and services which they are providing to the customer at destination.
According to Chen and Chang, (2018), seeks to understand properly there factors that are
affecting the customer intention of purchasing on the users of the Airbnb in terms of the several
key factors such as media richness, quality, information, review, rating volume and rating. As
with the reliance and trust of the people, this is possible to use such channel in providing the
high-quality information and insightful commentary that helps an organization to make strong
customer relationship with the organization. For this appropriate information must be updated on
their website so it is easy for the consumer to check and read all the information and then make
the buying of the tickets online as per on their preferences.

Research Methodology
Research methodology is mainly focused on providing a comprehensive understanding
regarding methods, strategies and approaches used to achieve the aim and objectives of study to
determine the customer satisfaction level regarding the Airbnb online booking (Faulkner, 2016).
This chapter is helpful in collecting crucial information regarding sources based on methods,
design and techniques to collect data in a precise manner effectively. Methodologies are useful
for a researcher to conduct the study effectively and to provide framework. Primary research is
conducted in this research which is very crucial in delivering effective results for the research. It
has more efficiency upon research area to provide competitive advantage to research effectively.
Research philosophy: It is one of the most important part of the research which helps in
explaining the purpose of study which is to determine the customer satisfaction level regarding
the Airbnb online booking. It helps in providing advocacy based on the method used to collect
data and information (Greenfield and Greener, 2016). It is also used to underpin the study
purpose. In this regards, there are four types of research philosophy available for investigator to
conduct the research such as interpretivism, positivism, post-positivism and realism. For the
present research, researcher used positivism philosophy to manage the study variations. The
reason behind choosing this philosophy for the research is that it helps in attaining the aim and
objectives of study. In addition, positivism philosophy also represent empiricist view associated
with the research practical point of view. Hence, it is one of the best and efficient philosophy for
the researcher to conduct the investigation effectively and efficiently.
Research approach: Research approach is also an effective perspective that helps in creating
progressive subjects against research which is related to issue and matter. There are two types of
research approaches available for the researcher in order to accomplish the aim such as inductive
and deductive approach (Barnham, 2015). Both are crucial in delivering effective framework
required to achieve the aim of research. It is very important for the investigator to focus on issues
and matters that can affect the effectiveness of research based on approaches in a precise and
interactive way. In this regards, the researcher used both inductive and deductive as a mix
approach to achieve the study target. Deductive approach helps in providing multiple views
towards investigation objectives. It also provides explanation of general variables that are related

to the research. It also helps in maintain the reliability of investigation in an effective way.
Qualitative and quantitative using numbers both are used by investigator.
Research strategy: Research strategy is very useful in accomplishing the investigation
effectively and successfully to produce reliable and valid results. Researcher use this to have
proper investigation regarding the issues in study. In this regards, there are several research
strategies are available for researcher such as case studies, experiment, interview, survey etc. that
can be used by investigator on the basis of issues in research. In this regards, researcher used
survey through questionnaire. This will help in determining the customer satisfaction level
regarding the Airbnb online booking from the point of view of users. The questionnaire contains
both open ended and close ended questions. Thus, the primary data will be collected through
questionnaire and secondary data from online reviews and reports. The questionnaire process
will help in getting responses within less time in order to achieve the research aim and objectives
successfully and on time (Niaz and Rivas, 2016). The process of questionnaire also provides
quality control over investigation to complete the research effectively. Hence, this strategy is
used by investigator to achieve study aim.
Sampling: Sampling is an effective method from which investigator is able to collect authentic
and reliable data while managing the cost and time required to complete the research effectively.
In this regards, there are two types of sampling methods such as probability and non-probability
are available for investigator to complete the research. Probability sampling technique is used to
provide equal chance to participants to achieve answers correctly to accomplish research in less
time and cost (Neumann and Neumann, 2017). Further, non-probability sampling technique is
used where there is no need of providing equal chance to participants. It is because that the
sampling is based on subjective judgment rather than random. Thus, for the current research to
determine the customer satisfaction level regarding the Airbnb online booking, research used
non-probability sampling method in which convenient sampling is used that it helps to save time
and also more convenient.
Data collection: Data collection is a very crucial part of the research that it helps in presenting
results successfully to achieve the research aim and objectives. Primary and secondary are two
types of collecting information and data used on the basis of research. In this regards, secondary
data is collected from secondary sources such as books, journals, website, articles, magazines

etc. in order to get depth knowledge regarding study issue (Bell, Bryman and Harley, 2018). On
the other hand, primary data is collected from primary sources such as observations, interview,
questionnaire, survey, case study, focus groups etc. However, the use of both primary and
secondary is beneficial for research that it helps in saving time and cost and also effective in
delivering results as per the requirement of investigation effectively. In this regards, both
primary and secondary data collection method used by investigator to acquire fresh and relevant
information to determine the customer satisfaction level regarding the Airbnb online booking.
The secondary data collection method is helpful in providing more depth understanding
regarding the customer satisfaction level regarding the Airbnb online booking. For the primary
data collection method, researcher used questionnaire and for secondary data, articles, books,
findings from literature review and other findings are used.
Data analysis: Data analysis is very useful that it helps researcher to have comprehensive
understanding of the information collected from both primary and secondary methods. In this
regards, data collected from 20 people through questionnaire process is analysed using tables,
graphs and pie charts.

Gantt chart
Research ethics
It can be said that it is very important for the investigator to follow the ethical
considerations while conducting the research in order to maintain the effectiveness and
autonomy. In this regards, researcher must ensure that data provided by participants must be
protected, participants must provide option to withdraw or not to answer choice at all time and
the research procedure must be completed with honesty.