Abstract

This study focuses on identifying the effects of customer's gender, national origin, purpose of travel, length of stay, and seasonality on their perception of service at an international hotel in the Caribbean.

Assessing customer's expectations through collection and analysis of comment cards are critical to assure a high quality delivery of service. Therefore, the problem is that statistical analysis and effective use of customer comment cards, which are designed to identify potential complaining patterns in order to improve service for an international hotel, does not occur.

This study involved an analysis of a sample of 57.2% out of a total of 600 guest comment cards from 1995 at an International hotel to identify variables that affect customer's perception of service. The sample focused on a period of seven months which encompasses both low or high season. A database was built using SPSS-X computer program in order to enable a statistical comparative analysis of the population by the variables described. T-tests were performed to identify any significant differences among the variables researched in this study.

While focusing the study on five cultural aspects, a total of five conclusions were found where it was demonstrated that gender, national origin, purpose of travel, length of stay and seasonality had an impact on customer's needs and expectations.

  1. Gender: Female or Male- These results showed a significant differences at various levels such as 0.05, .01, and .001. After analyzing the results a pattern that male are harder to please was shown.
  2. Purpose of travel: Business or Leisure- After the data was evaluated it was found that leisure travelers tended to be easier to please in general terms than those visiting the property on business. Services where differences at the .01 level were found included: check-out process, operators (PBX), Casino Facilities and Restaurant Food (La Veranda).
  3. Length of stay: Less than three days, three to five days and more than five days- Travelers who stayed less than three days were more pleased with all the services received with the exception of the luggage porter. Travelers that stayed three to five days were tougher and less pleased with services such as the check-in process and the tennis court facilities. Although travelers who stayed more than five days at the property demonstrated to be the toughest to please by showing statistically significant differences in at least five services which go from the .01 to the .05 levels. The mean of these services encompasses p-values from .005 to .06.
  4. National Origin: USA. Latin America or Europe- Differences among each one of the national origins proceedings from USA, Latin America and Europe. The significant differences among travelers coming from USA compared to Latin America were in the check-in process, casino facilities, the Palm Court beverages quality and the shuttle bus service. This significance encompasses from level .05 to .01 and p-values that go from .002 to .043. In the second category (Europe vs. Latin America, and Europe vs. USA) Europe was the toughest one by having an average of eleven significant differences in each one of the comparison as indicated in chapter 3.
  5. Seasonality: High or Low season- Significant differences showed that the seasonality is an important factor in the evaluation of service received, since in general travelers which visit the property during the high season are more demanding that those who come during the low season.

In order to get better statistical analysis as well as the best out of the comment cards analysis a series of recommendations were done concerning not only the instrument but also the hotel's analysis of the data. In terms of the instrument a redesign and reevaluation of the rating scale and the format were suggested. Finally, regarding the hotel's analysis of the data gathered the suggestion were addressed to implement statistical analysis reports and to incorporate the demographic data into the feedback analysis.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Consumer satisfaction--Statistics; Hotels--Customer services--Statistics; Tourism--Seasonal variations; Consumer satisfaction--Sex differences; Travelers--Sex differences; National characteristics

Publication Date

1-1995

Document Type

Master's Project

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Hospitality-Tourism Management (MS)

Advisor

Richard Marecki

Advisor/Committee Member

Edward Stockham

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

Plan Codes

HSPT-MS

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