Impact of Service Quality on Customer Satisfaction: Hilton Hotel

This report examines the impact of service quality on customer satisfaction, focusing on Hilton Hotel in London. The study begins with an introduction that highlights the increasing importance of customer satisfaction in the competitive hospitality industry. The rationale emphasizes the need for high-quality service to retain customers, particularly in the face of growing competition. The report sets the aim to analyze this impact and defines objectives to identify the importance of service quality, assess the relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction, and recommend improvements. A literature review explores existing research on service quality and customer satisfaction, drawing on various sources to establish the theoretical framework. The methodology section details the research design, approach, philosophy, data collection methods (primary and secondary), sampling techniques, and data analysis methods. It also addresses the ethical considerations and limitations of the study. The report concludes with a discussion of the findings and implications for the hospitality sector, specifically for Hilton Hotel, emphasizing the importance of maintaining and improving service quality to enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty. The report also offers suggestions for future research.

Research Methods and
Project

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
RATIONALE OF THE STUDY.....................................................................................................1
AIM & OBJECTIVES.....................................................................................................................1
VALUE OF RESEARCH................................................................................................................2
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................2
METHODOLOGY..........................................................................................................................4
TIMESCALE...................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

TITLE – To analyse the impact of service quality on customer satisfaction - a case study on
Hilton Hotel, London
INTRODUCTION
In the present scenario, due to increasing level of competition at the global level, it is
important for organisations to keep their customers satisfied as now, they are having numerous
options to switch over on the other brands. Especially, in the service industry like hospitality
sector, it is significant to keep the customers satisfied for which offering quality services is
required. As in the service sector, firm needs to directly interact with the customers, it is highly
important to train the employee so that they can effectually render high quality services to
customers and make them contended. It can be said that for firms operating service industry,
customers are the key to gain success (Service quality and customer satisfaction in the hotel
industry, 2010). In the present report, there will be study on impact of service quality on the level
of satisfaction of customers with reference to the firm, Hilton Hotel, London.
RATIONALE OF THE STUDY
Main purpose behind the present study is to analyse the importance of service quality on
customer satisfaction for Hilton Hotel. It is because; in today’s era, competition is becoming
intense at a high pace and with entrance of many firms in the sector, customers have gained a lot
of options to switch over. Apart from that, it is crucial for the firm to offer high quality service to
keep customers satisfied as on the same prices, many firms are offering similar products and
services. Therefore, to retain the customers with firm only, it is significant for Hilton Hotel to
serve them with high quality services (Ryu and Han, 2010). Apart from that, employees in hotel
are not that much trained and this is the reason; they are not able to effectually deal with the
customers by which many of them are getting dissatisfied with the services provided. Therefore,
to make firm understand the impact of service quality on customer satisfaction, present study
will play a significant role.
AIM & OBJECTIVES
Aim – To analyse the impact of service quality on customer satisfaction - a case study on Hilton
Hotel, London
Objectives
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 To identify the importance of service quality in Hilton Hotel, London
 To analyse the need of keeping customers satisfied in Hilton Hotel
 To assess the relation between service quality and customer satisfaction in hotel
 To recommend the ways by which service quality can be improved in Hilton Hotel,
London
Research Questions
 What is the importance of service quality in Hilton Hotel, London?
 What is the need of keeping customers satisfied in Hilton Hotel?
 How service quality and customer satisfaction are related to each other in Hilton hotel?
 How service quality can be improved in Hilton Hotel, London?
VALUE OF RESEARCH
The present study would prove to be highly significant for the firms operating in
hospitality sector of UK other than Hilton Hotel as by the same, they would understand the
importance of rendering high quality services to customers. Also, companies in other service
sectors would also be benefitted through the same as they would be knowing the impact of
service quality on customer satisfaction in a clear manner. This study will make firms understand
the importance of service quality as well as of keeping customers satisfied along with assessing
the relation between both the concepts. Apart from that, they would also come to know about
various ways by which the service quality in organisation can be improved for the purpose of
increasing satisfaction level of customers. On the other hand, this study will help Ph.D. scholars
and other researchers if they will conduct the study on same topic. Also, teachers will be
benefitted in terms that they would be able to make their students understand the concept in an
easy and clear manner with giving relevant examples.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Literature review is considered as one of the most important parts of research in which
complete information with respect to the topic of study that is collected from various secondary
sources is stated. In this section, critical analysis is made on the arguments given by different
authors on the same topic and on the basis of same, final conclusion is made and proper
recommendations are given. In the present study, literature review is done for analysing the
impact of service quality on customer satisfaction in Hilton Hotel, London.
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According to Chand, (2010) service quality is what customers perceive regarding the
worth of services that organisation is offering to them in against of the money that aye spending
for purchasing the same. In the present scenario, demands and expectations of customers from a
hotel has increased to a high extent. This is the reason; now hotels have increased their
competition and thus, instead of providing the facility of restaurant and lodging, they are offering
many additional services so as to retain the customers in the long run. For any firm operating in
hospitality sector, guest satisfaction is the highest priority for owners and managers. As per Ryu,
Lee and Gon Kim, (2012) it can be critically evaluated that dissatisfaction of customers mat lead
the hotels to bear issues like reduced profits and customer base and thus, hampered goodwill and
the market share. Thus, it can be said that for Hilton Hotel, it is crucial to provide high quality
services to maintain the satisfaction level of customers.
As per the views of Al-Rousan and Mohamed, (2010) in hotel industry, it is highly
important for maintaining the satisfaction level of customers for complete staff ranging from top
management to front line employees i.e. housekeepers, receptionists, front cashiers, etc. To keep
the customers satisfied is needed by hotels as they are the key players who can lead firm to attain
success in the market. However, for the same, front office staff is considered as a supporting
factor who can effectually determine the level of customer satisfaction as they directly interact
with them. In the words of Clemes, Gan and Ren, (2011) it can be said that if employees at this
level will be effectually trained regarding the way of providing high quality services to the
customers, it can play a significant role in making the firm able to retain them in the long run and
earning higher profits. Therefore, it can be said that in Hilton Hotel, there is a huge impact of
service quality on customer satisfaction.
In accordance with Mok, Sparks and Kadampully, (2013) there is a strong relation in
between service quality and customer satisfaction as depending on the quality of services only,
target audience of a hotel decides that whether they will be repeating their purchase with the
same or not. It can be critically assessed that if customers would not get the worth in against of
what they have spent on purchasing the services of hotel, it will make them dissatisfied and their
dissatisfaction will lead the firm to bear losses in business as well as reduced customer base. This
will ultimately spoil the brand image of organisation. However, on the other hand, Ryu and Han,
(2010) says that customer satisfaction is in direct relation with the quality of services offered as
in the present competitive scenario where people are having a lot of options to get what they
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want, if they would not be getting the worth in against of payment they made for the same, they
would switch over to some other brand there they will be getting better worth for the same
money spent. Thus, it is clear that service quality put a direct and huge impact on the satisfaction
level of customers in Hilton hotel and so, firm is required to maintain the same in an effectual
manner so as to run in the long run with sustainability.
METHODOLOGY
Research methodology is that aspect in which various tools and techniques are involved
that lead the researcher to reach on set objectives of study. These methods are used depending on
the nature of study and thus, on the basis of analysing impact of service quality on customer
satisfaction with reference to Hilton Hotel, London, best suitable methods of research will be
used which are stated as below:
 Research Design – It can be termed as a blueprint in which the entire study takes place.
Basically, three types of research designs are there i.e. exploratory, descriptive and
causal. In the present study, scholar will use the descriptive research design as topic of
research demands theoretical and detailed information regarding the variables, that is,
service quality and customer satisfaction (Mackey and Gass, 2015). Therefore, with the
help of this research design, scholar will be able to effectually reach at the final
conclusion
 Research Approach - Inductive and deductive are the main two approaches of research
where in the present study, to analyse the impact of service quality on customer
satisfaction, inductive approach of research will be used by the scholar (Smith, 2015).
Under the same, initially, he will collect the specific details regarding topic and on the
basis of same, a generalised conclusion will be made that can be used by Hilton hotel as
well as other firms of different sectors (Taylor, Bogdan and DeVault, 2015).
 Research Philosophy – Mainly, three research philosophies are there named positivism,
realism and interpretivism. For the topic of present research, interpretivism philosophy
will be used according to which a deep insight of the subject with justification of research
problem will be gained by the scholar. As per the same, small sample will be chosen and
on the basis of their views about the research problem, final justification will be made
(Glesne, 2015).
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 Data Collection – Both primary and secondary sources will be used for gathering
information regarding analysing the impact of service quality on customer satisfaction in
Hilton Hotel of London. For collecting primary data, scholar will do survey in which tool
of questionnaire will be used with both open and close ended questions (Brinkmann,
2014). However, secondary data will be collected from books and journals of different
authors as well as from online articles and published material.
 Sampling – Under probability method of sampling, random sampling technique will be
used for the present study where research universe will be the customers of Hilton Hotel,
London and sample size will be 30. As per the method, all respondents in the sample size
will be having equal chances to get selected (Silverman, 2016).
 Data Analysis – For the purpose of analysing collected data based on analysing the
impact of service quality on customer satisfaction, qualitative method will be used as it
requires a lot of theoretical information and no facts and figures are needed for the same.
Under this method, tool of thematic analysis will be used in which different themes will
be prepared by the scholar depending on gathered data and on the basis of results gained
from the same, final conclusion will be made (Flick, 2015).
 Validity and Reliability – Validity of research means the authenticity of data collected in
study as well as reliability refers to the accuracy and relevancy of results gained. Validity
ensures that the information collected in study is true to scholar’s knowledge and taken
from authentic websites. On the other hand, reliability states that if the same study will be
carried out again by some other scholar, results gained will be the same.
 Ethical Considerations – While conducting this study, researcher will have to follow
ethical considerations like he will have to inform the respondents of selected sample
regarding the need and importance of survey prior asking questions to them
(Panneerselvam, 2014). Also, he will be needed to give them surety that the provided
data by them will be used for the research purpose only and would not be disclosed to
any third party.
 Limitations of Research – It might be possible that scholar will face some issues while
carrying out study in terms of information, money and time. As researcher will have to
complete the study within specified duration of time, collecting every data available in
secondary sources would not be possible (Neuman and Robson, 2012). Also, there might
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be some websites; data of which scholar would not be able to use as they will require a
particular amount to be paid for getting accessed. This will have the chances of leaving
some important information related to the topic of study.
TIMESCALE
Below shown is the Gantt chart in which sequence of activities to be undertaken by the
researcher are shown in a horizontal format. It represents the total duration of time that each
activity in research will take to get completed.
Activity/Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1
0
11 12 13
Preparing the research
proposal
Deciding aim and objectives
of study
Reviewing the literature
available in secondary
sources
Proposing the research
methodology
Gathering information from
primary sources
Analysing the collected data
Formulating conclusion
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Giving appropriate
recommendations
Submission
7

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Al-Rousan, M. R. and Mohamed, B., 2010. Customer loyalty and the impacts of service quality:
The case of five star hotels in Jordan. International journal of human and social
sciences. 5(13). pp.886-892.
Brinkmann, S., 2014. Interview. In Encyclopedia of Critical Psychology (pp. 1008-1010).
Springer New York.
Chand, M., 2010. The impact of HRM practices on service quality, customer satisfaction and
performance in the Indian hotel industry. The International Journal of Human Resource
Management. 21(4). pp.551-566.
Clemes, M. D., Gan, C. and Ren, M., 2011. Synthesizing the effects of service quality, value, and
customer satisfaction on behavioral intentions in the motel industry: An empirical
analysis. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research. 35(4). pp.530-568.
Flick, U., 2015. Introducing research methodology: A beginner's guide to doing a research
project. Sage.
Glesne, C., 2015. Becoming qualitative researchers: An introduction. Pearson.
Mackey, A. and Gass, S. M., 2015. Second language research: Methodology and design.
Routledge.
Mok, C., Sparks, B. and Kadampully, J., 2013. Service quality management in hospitality,
tourism, and leisure. Routledge.
Neuman, W. L. and Robson, K., 2012. Basics of social research: Qualitative and quantitative
approaches.
Panneerselvam, R., 2014. Research methodology. PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd..
Ryu, K. and Han, H., 2010. Influence of the quality of food, service, and physical environment
on customer satisfaction and behavioral intention in quick-casual restaurants: Moderating
role of perceived price. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research. 34(3). pp.310-329.
Ryu, K., Lee, H. R. and Gon Kim, W., 2012. The influence of the quality of the physical
environment, food, and service on restaurant image, customer perceived value, customer
satisfaction, and behavioral intentions.International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality
Management. 24(2). pp.200-223.
Silverman, D. ed., 2016. Qualitative research. Sage.
Smith, J. A. ed., 2015. Qualitative psychology: A practical guide to research methods. Sage.
Taylor, S. J., Bogdan, R. and DeVault, M., 2015. Introduction to qualitative research methods:
A guidebook and resource. John Wiley & Sons.
Online
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Service quality and customer satisfaction in the hotel industry. 2010. [PDF]. Available through:
<https://www.politesi.polimi.it/bitstream/10589/13105/1/2010_10_Le.pdf>. [Accessed
on 29th April 2017].
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