A Research Report on Customer Satisfaction in Hospitality and Tourism

This report delves into the critical topic of customer satisfaction within the hospitality and tourism sectors. It begins with an executive summary highlighting customer satisfaction as a key factor in the hotel industry, emphasizing its impact on customer loyalty and the importance of service quality. The report includes a detailed table of contents and covers various aspects, including an overview of the industry, the specific research problem, and a comprehensive review of literature focusing on customer loyalty, customer satisfaction, and related dimensions. It outlines the conceptual framework, research questions, aims, and objectives. The methodology section details the research philosophy, approach, design, and justification. It also addresses research paradigms, sampling, reliability, and ethical considerations. The report provides a critical analysis and evaluation of the findings, culminating in a conclusion and a comprehensive reference list. The research underscores the importance of providing quality service to ensure customer satisfaction and loyalty in the competitive global market.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES
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Executive Summary
Customer satisfaction, on the ground of hospitality and tourism sector, is a specified topic which
is the prime issue in today's hotel industry. Today in the hotel industry, a satisfied customer
comes repeatedly to the much known hotel which is identified as a major and common factor in
this research. It is also evident that customer satisfaction is a major aspect promoting customer
loyalty. The research clearly measures the satisfaction level of the customer. It was determined
that in cases of hotels which met with the requirements of the customers, an aspect of customer
loyalty was triggered. Moreover, it was also observed that an up to the mark service by any
hospitality organization facilitates establishment of a good relationship between the customer
and the hotelier.
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Table of Contents
1. Overview and Background 4
2. Introduction to Specific Research Problem 5
3. Review of the literature 5
3.1) Customer loyalty 6
3.2) Customer satisfaction 7
3.3) Dimension 7
3.4) Loyalty prerequisites 8
3.5) Photo- elicitation 8
3.6) Comparison-level theory 9
3.7) Confirmation-Disconfirmation Theory 9
4. Conceptual framework 10
4.1) Research Hypothesis: 11
4.2) Research Question 11
4.3) Aim of the Study: 11
4.4) Objective of the study: 11
5. Methodological approach 12
6. Approach 12
6.1) Research Philosophy 12
6.2) Research Approach and Design 14
6.3) Method of Research and justification according to research question 15
6.4) Research paradigm 16
6.5) Sampling 16
6.6) Research reliability 17
6.7 Ethical Consideration 18
7. Critical analysis 19
8. Evaluation 20
9. Conclusion 20
10. Reference list 22
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1. Overview and Background
The idea of giving a quality service for securing customer satisfaction is to earn customer's
support. Success in overall business development of hospitality has always been a normal belief
of many professionals (Zhong et al. 2017). The tourism and hospitality industry is highly
competitive in the global market and plays a very important role in the economic development of
any country. These industries make large employment like personal and commercial earnings,
revenues of foreign exchange, and development for society for developing nation worldwide
(Choo and Petrick 2016). To survive and maintain the existence in present global market,
hoteliers must follow some rules and regulations.
Customers from a different part of world travel many places to have relaxation and pleasure. In
the world of tourism and hospitality, it is crucial to gauge that the customers are getting enough
services or not as they are paying huge money for service (Canosa et al. 2016). The prime
discussion about the respected topic is whether the customers will revisit the hotel for good
service or they will not visit the hotel again due to inappropriate service delivery. It is often
required for the hotel companies to know what exactly the customer needs are (Gaede and Vaske
2017).
With the increase in competition worldwide, every hotel marketers face a significant challenge of
preserving prior customers and engaging new ones. However, Companies are facing problem for
uplifting the service quality and it becomes costly to please customers. Still, many of the hotel
companies have many problems but try to follow these particular norms to survive in the global
market.
As stated in the introduction, it is evident that customer satisfaction, through services in all part
of tourism and hospitality, is crucial. Being a part of tourism, hospitality is referred to customer
satisfaction and service, which will be qualitative for the customers (Chekalina et al. 2016).
However, sometimes it can be quantitative for some products.
Tourists visit many places to enjoy pleasures and relaxed holidays over the world. Henceforth, it
is required for the hotel in charge to guide them in a good manner and also to look over the
satisfaction of customers as per the service they require to get (Ferrer-Rosell et al. 2016). Quality
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of service and product, non-fluctuating pricing, as well as pleasure location is very much
essential and also a common factor for providing good service to the customers.
It was identified that customer service is most prominent part of all dimensions of overall
satisfaction. On the basis of the research topic, It is required to get reviewed why the customers
are not getting satisfaction from the hotel end (Ramkissoon and Mavondo 2017). Moreover, it is
necessary to secure business with the customer on the basis of a service area. Furthermore, it can
be said that relationship between customer and the hotelier will be strong and enriched with
profitability, if the service is best in its area. On the basis of retaining old customer to visit the
hotel, it is required for the hotel to present good quality service towards the customers (Melendez
and Thapa 2017).
2. Introduction to Specific Research Problem
Throughout the research, it has already been clarified that hoteliers must empower the
organization with good products. It is required to develop the hotel in a manner where customers
will get full service. In present days customers have to pay a lot for tourism and hospitality
purpose. Every now and then the price of commodities is gradually increasing. In this research,
there is also some specific problem present in it. Those specified problems, which can be a
barrier for the ground to satisfy customers, are mentioned here:
a) A crucial point for customer satisfaction is improving hospitality industry to value the
customer needs.
b) Based on customer satisfaction, spending lot of money in the progress of hospitality leads the
hotel to an unprofitable margin.
c) Customer needs and satisfaction are increasing on daily basis and it is a problematic area for
the hospitality and tourism controller to justify and make it a satisfactory one.
3. Review of the literature
The research topic on hospitality and tourism helps to provide beneficial information and
reviews on the loyalty and satisfaction of customers. This review, on the above topic, helps to
gain important insight on the research topic. The major focus deals with customer satisfaction
and loyalty in various hotel industries globally (Lashley, 2016). The necessity of providing
detailed information and details on the above topic results in useful customer service. Although,
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there are various structure and frameworks in the literature review that can influence the overall
development of hotel industry. Different methods and techniques used to provide a beneficial
review of the research topic. The following key elements in the literature review describes the
how customer satisfaction and service differs from one another.
3.1) Customer loyalty
The customer satisfaction and loyalty can effectively describe as the display of trust,
commitment and positive interaction that can help to enhance and integrate the daily interaction.
The concept of loyalty has developed widely throughout recent time. It is important to analyze
and control any kind of irregularities in the hotel industry. Based on the customer satisfaction,
loyalty has received numerous attentions in the field of the hotel industry (Woodside, 2017). The
concept of loyalty explains the process of favourable attitude and positive service with respect to
customers. It is essential to incorporate better measure and control in customer loyalty. The
process of loyalty includes three main types of positive dimensions. These can highlight attitude,
positive composition and behaviour. The behavioural loyalty deals with the measurement of
behaviour, consistent and behaviour characteristics are able to provide an effective form of
control behaviour.
Effective behaviour around the customers can help in better communication and customer
encouragement. Yet, there are few problems regarding the behavioural loyalty. This form of
approach cannot determine the psychological commitment (Ghosh and Siddique, 2017). In case
of attitudinal loyalty, the concept helps to deal with both psychological and emotional bonding
with the customer. A different form of engagement and liability can be determined through
attitudinal measurement. Different forms of attitude can be controlled and measured through this
process. The last approach is a combination of the first two processes. It helps to measure
different preference, brand switching, purchase frequency and prosperity. These forms of
measurement can help to provide a better form of loyalty and control. Both this approaches can
drastically increase the power of persuasion and loyalty. It can help to maximize and respectively
mitigate the key challenges while dealing with specific customers.
3.2) Customer satisfaction
In this era of a vastly competitive market, it is essential to integrate and develop better means of
communication techniques and systems in order to highlight different key processes in the hotel
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industry (Pons, 2016). It is essential to have a better form of product design, product
development, cycle stages and processes. Yet, one of the most important aspects of the hotel
industry is customer satisfaction. In case of marketing activities, it is important to consider
customer-oriented measurement in order to highlight and provide better levels of process
outcomes. Satisfying the demand and criteria of the customers can help to build better level
improvement in customer handling process.
In case of the effective marketing process, it is necessary to upheld communication and
interaction with customers in order to develop better marketing skills. A better level of customer
satisfaction can help to gain more confidence and support. It is important to modify and change
different key aspects of the communication process. In addition, it used to refer individual
satisfaction service that can help to integrate customer satisfaction. Appropriate means of quality
of service can help to meet customer needs and respectively gain better trust and mutual
understanding.
3.3) Dimension
A better level of segmentation in the overall satisfaction can help to improve customer
satisfaction process. Obtaining effective means of dimensioning and direction can help to switch
techniques and methods while working in the hotel industry (Wachowiak, 2016). It is important
to categorize and classify service that will respectively help to allow better dimension and
satisfaction control. The main components of the customer satisfaction process include service,
location, cost and quality. These factors are essential to measure and control in order to provide
better means of customer satisfaction. Better dimensioning can allow flexibility in the hotel
industry.
Service describes both tangible and intangible forms of work activities that provide beneficial
support and assistance to the customers. Both social relationships and interaction are extremely
important in order to evaluate and control different elements of hospitality and customer
satisfaction process. Better forms of representation in the dimensioning process can help to build
better bonding and relationship. The overall customer satisfaction can not only affect the work
progression but also provide a better level of support and control. It is important that these
dimensional factors can influence the overall customer satisfaction. Both factors including
individual satisfaction and concepts can help to improve productivity in the hotel industry.
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3.4) Loyalty prerequisites
The concept of loyalty prerequisites does not clearly identify a major theoretical framework and
design plan. It is essential that better forms of identification and measurement can help to
mitigate such prerequisites in loyalty. In case of the hotel industry, it is necessary to incorporate
and analyze various process regarding effective customer satisfaction and customer service. Yet,
researchers have described that both service and quality are the prerequisites of loyalty. Better
forms of customer satisfaction can influence loyalty, which adversely acts as a catalyst in the
hotel industry.
Moreover, it is necessary to develop unique skills and techniques with respect to loyalty in order
to provide sufficient customer service and control (Robinson and Picard, 2016). The theoretical
framework consisting of several elements can help to support the related topic and research
statements. It is essential to incorporate an effective form of a design plan in order to form better
resolution techniques and evaluation. Moreover, sufficient forms of information regarding the
related topic can help to support the customer satisfaction process.
3.5) Photo- elicitation
The process of photo elicitation method can help in better measurement and evaluation of key
challenges and issues regarding hospitality a tourism industry. It is essential that photo-elicitation
can use as a tool, which allows better resolution and evaluation regarding the proper approach to
different key techniques (Paiva et al. 2016). This process has helped to modify and change the
outlook of the hotel industry, which respectively gives sufficient information and details about
customer satisfaction and control. This method developed to conduct various researchers on the
marketing activities. The forms of marketing research include education, sociology and health.
It is essential that this process can help to represent a better analysis of the relationship. The
process incorporates various forms of photographs into the research that allows better analysis
and measurement. The interviewer concentrates on the specific photographs that help to build
better evaluation and measurement. It also incorporates different participants to collaborate with
each other, respectively increasing the overall productivity in the photo-elicitation process.
Incorporation of a photo can assert a deep understanding of the necessary activities with respect
to the hotel industry (Han and Hwang, 2016). Better evaluation and measurement can help to
build trust, mutual understanding and relationship.
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3.6) Comparison-level theory
The comparison level theory is important to measure and evaluate different forms of relationship
building process. The theory provides better forms of understanding about the level of
comparison with respect to customer satisfaction. The use of different stages in comparison level
theory is important to provide a better level of understanding and support with respect to
customers. Better means of reflection and measurement is important to control different
outcomes regarding performance and individual skills.
The theory in respect to hospitality and tourism industry can effectively achieve major
challenges in the activities (Kim and Kim, 2017). When a particular level of outcome decreases,
there is another level of alternate comparison level, which used to differentiate the existing
model. This form of different levels helps to create better assessment and understanding of
relationship amongst the customers. Providing effective relationship can help to mitigate the
existing challenges in the hotel industry (Ferrer-Rosell et al. 2016). Moreover, the use of positive
communication level can also help to integrate the comparison level theory.
The objective of this work is to identify the methods used to create tourism development
strategies in chosen regions. 16 strategic documents for the development of tourism in the
regions (provinces) of the chosen area have been analysed. All of them are currently valid and
pursued strategies. After identifying the methods, it was being compared with the methods most
commonly used in the implementation of foresight projects. The foresight diamond was used for
this purpose, into the framework of which the methods that were used in the process of creating
tourism development strategies in the area which is being chosen.
3.7) Confirmation-Disconfirmation Theory
The customer satisfaction process is essential to measure and analyze the different form of
service-oriented relationship that can help to increase interaction and communication between
one another (Ramkissoon and Mavondo, 2017). The theory on confirmation-Disconfirmation
provides important decision-making and judgement making skills that are potential in various
work processes. According to the theory, the customers provide an important assessment on
satisfaction by actual comparison of the experiences and perception (Sharples and Marcon-
Clarke, 2017). It is extremely important to evaluate and measure important performance making
skills allows better resolution of the specific challenges and risks. The theory also provides
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useful integration of service performance, which is important in the evaluation of potential
outcomes. The proper postulates of the theory incorporates the following points
● The Proper level of confirmation occurs during actual performance process and
respectively matches the standard of performance and feeling.
● The form of positive confirmation occurs during appropriate performance standard and
measurement control. It can describe that when performance is relatively higher than the
standard, it can effectively lead to customer satisfaction (Sin et al. 2016).
● Negative disconfirmation is possible when the standard of performance is relatively low
then the satisfaction. It can drastically lead to loss of growth in the hotel industry.
4. Conceptual framework
The conceptual framework is essential to capitalize the different elements in the research
methodologies and respectively provides a framework design of the key elements. A better form
of framework design can help to create and develop unique model regarding the key aspects of a
literature review. The key aspects serve to provide essential design layout and structure. It is,
therefore, necessary to develop better research study and evaluation of the research topic. The
conceptual framework design for this research topic highlighted below
Figure 1: Conceptual framework regarding hospitality and tourism industry
(Source: Self-developed by the author)
4.1) Research Hypothesis:
H1: Hotel manager do not take any efficient step for staffs training in the luxury hotel
H2: In the luxury hotel the cost the accessories items should be reduced to reduce the hotel rent.
H3: Luxury hotel should cover full customer facilitation otherwise the dissatisfaction wills Rome
around mouth to mouth
H4: The customer main dissatisfaction cause is not suited environment and not friendly
receptionist.
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4.2) Research Question
According to the research, many questions arise with respect to the terms and can easily be
examined based on customer satisfaction and customer service.
The research question for this purpose would be the essentiality of the service standards required
to satisfy customers and the impact on the hotel environment.
4.3) Aim of the Study:
To develop the methods for hotels to increase customer satisfaction
4.4) Objective of the study:
As per the research of the topic is related to, it is not quite easy to determine and get exact
objectives for customer satisfaction. It is not possible for the Hotel Company or Tourism
Company to fulfil all the needs of every customer. Not a single customer will return to the
previous hotel if the hotel cannot provide good service. Service towards customers is very much
important. To retain the customer for his/her next holiday or business trip it is required to
maintain good service. Discussion of research objectives is entitled in this particular area. It is a
big problem for the hotelier and the hospitality team to satisfy every need of a customer. There
are many objectives present for the above research topic. The main objective of this research is
to develop the methods for hotels to increase customer satisfaction. Some of the points are
entitled below:
a) On the basis of customer satisfaction, it is very much needed to have to price for hotel
products at a nominal cost.
b) In present days pricing of foods and beverages according to the hotel environment does not
meet the minimum level of criteria.
c) Travelling for any purpose tourists or customers face many problems like finding good hotels
at a low price with many amenities
d) Some other research objectives are like reviewing the exact needs of the customers.
e) Getting hotel locations near to the travel point for good and relaxation tourism for the tourist
f) Organising and having enough modern amenities for customer needs.
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5. Methodological approach
In case of this research topic, specific qualitative analysis method implemented in order to
highlight different criteria and function with respect to hospitality and tourism. Proper evaluation
of the research methodologies has addressed to provide effective means of method control.
Various forms of research design, techniques and measurement tools have incorporated for this
procedure.
6. Approach one
6.1) Research Philosophy
For a research or analysis, it is important to specify the right source of data followed by data
type. This aspect is initially established by research philosophy. Different types of researches
follow different philosophies like positivism, interpritivism or philosophical. Positivism
philosophy tends to follow statistical data and mathematical solutions where as interpritivism
tends to follow opposite aspect of positivism and it is quite philosophical in view along with
support of social science. Philosophical philosophy is hardly found to be followed as all of the
data required or available in such research is bias or thoughtful (Mazanec, 2017).
In this research, the researcher has followed positivism philosophy according to its nature and
availability of data. A respective hotel business has sufficient database to review business
scenario and having a discussion with employee groups as well as customers, a mathematical
solution can be formed. All these aspects have justified the selection of philosophy (Pernecky et
al. 2016). The particular philosophy has been chosen for the purpose because it would help in
providing scientific and mathematical proofs in order to portray the relationship between the
factors .
▪ Purpose
This research aims to analyze the relationship between customers and the hotel industry. A
business does not have a growth if the relationship with the customers not good. In every
business, the business head follows some rules and points to bring as more customers as they can
for the business to flourish. Therefore, such points and rules are also required for the hotel and
tourism business to furnish and follow. The Purpose of customer satisfaction and service towards
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