Measuring service quality in mid-scale hotels

This study aims to explore customer perceptions of service quality in star-rated hotels in Jakarta, Indonesia. Given the increasingly fierce competition in the hospitality industry and the increasing demands of customers, an in-depth understanding of customer experiences and expectations is essential. The approach used was qualitative with in-depth interviews with 12 purposively selected informants, accompanied by triangulation analysis of data through bold customer reviews. The results showed that five dimensions of service quality based on the SERVQUAL model efficiency, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, and tangibles emerged as the main themes. Customers emphasized the importance of service, staff response speed, sense of security during stay, personal attention, and the comfort of the hotel's physical environment. Customer segmentation showed that business and leisure preferences had different focuses in assessing service quality. The conclusion of this study is that effective service quality includes both functional and emotional aspects in customer interactions. It is recommended that hotel management improve staff training, personalize services, and optimize digital systems to respond to customer needs in real time. This study contributes to the development of hotel service improvement strategies in metropolitan cities.

An investigation of positive affect, prosocial behaviors and service quality

The purpose of this study is to analyse and measure the current service quality of Bahir Dar city hotels and design a house of quality to improve the service quality and competitiveness. SERVQUAL and quality function deployment (QFD) models are employed as a service quality measurement, design and customer satisfaction improvement tools. After prioritising customer needs, competitive assessments of hotel services were done from the customers' perspective using house of quality (HoQ). As a result of the differences between expectations and perceptions, service quality gaps are revealed in all hotel service quality dimensions. Generally, the results revealed that the overall hotels' services quality levels are bellow customers' expectations. According to the findings, technical requirements important to enhance service quality and meet customer satisfaction are identified and prioritised. Finally, a house of quality is designed to improve the service quality and competitiveness of hotels.

Customer perception of service quality is crucial to observe and valuable for organizations. The study aims to explore customer perception of service quality in the competitive market of the UAE, where all retail suppliers provide a similar product range and quality to their customers. This study examined the service quality of the semi-government retail sector as perceived by their experienced customers. This study assessed the service quality by recording the customers’ responses on the multiple themes and sub-themes analyzed through the literature. The study recorded the customers’ experience in 2 phases of interviews- semi-structured interviews and a focus group discussion through pre-designed questionnaires with the assistance of previous research. The themes used for investigation are: Performance divided in the sub-themes of functional, technical and technological performance attributes; Perceived Service quality; Expected Service Quality; Perceived Service Gap; and customers’ satisfaction with the interconnections of post-purchase behaviour of Brand Loyalty; Repurchase Intentions; and a positive Word of Mouth. Thematic analysis is used to analyse the service quality through the emergent data collected from the semi-government retail stores of the UAE. The investigation revealed that customers in the retail sector place higher value on the performance attributes associated with selected stores. These attributes encompass physical, social, technical, and interactive features of the stores' services, influencing their perceived service quality. This analysis helps identify gaps that can be addressed by the management of semi-government stores in the UAE to enhance customer satisfaction.

This research investigated the relationship among creativity support, diversity management, and employees’ perceptions of service quality through collecting data by using questionnaires from four and five-star hotel employees of Hurghada city in Egypt. Results indicated that experienced management of creativity and diversity will have a positive impact on employees’ perceptions of service quality in hotels. To date, this is one of the few studies that has investigated this topic and therefore makes a significant contribution towards the understanding of the mutual effect between the three variables in the area of human resources management in the hospitality industry.

Relevance. Holography is becoming one of the most promising areas of visualization of three-dimensional objects, which justifies the emergence of a certain scientific interest in this area of research. There is a general global trend of intensifying the work of specialists on the problem of using holographic technologies in various areas of human activity. Trends in the implementation of holographic services and holographic communication today already require a revision of the principles of planning, designing and building existing communication networks, as well as approaches to the implementation of sixth-generation networks 6G, which are based on the integration of various technologies and communication networks into a single network. A separate issue is the assessment of the quality of service and the quality of perception of holographic services by both objective and subjective assessment methods. There are practically no criteria for assessing the quality of a holographic image, including scales and methods for subjective assessment of the quality of holographic services. Moreover, the properties of the holographic flow are poorly understood, and even less so its influence on communication networks and requirements for network parameters, which makes the tasks of studying traffic characteristics and assessing the quality of service of holographic services very relevant.The aim of the work is to evaluate the quality of perception of holographic conference calls using a subjective evaluation method on a model network. The work uses methods of subjective assessment of the quality of perception. The materials presented in the article reflect the results of the authors' experimental research work on studying the problem of the quality of perception of holographic copies. A description of the developed scheme of a full-scale experiment is given.Results. The data obtained as a result of the work of an expert group on assessing the quality of perception are presented. The subjective assessment of the quality of perception of a holographic image begins to deteriorate with 8 connections and becomes unsatisfactory with 12 connections, which must be taken into account when planning experimental studies of work on assessing the quality of perception. Novelty. For the first time, an assessment of the quality of perception of the provision of a holographic conferencing service was carried out using a subjective assessment method. Theoretical significance. The influence of increasing the number of holographic traffic flows on the quality of perception of the received content is analyzed. Practical significance. Expanding the possibilities for assessing the degree of user satisfaction with holographic services.

Converting the theory of service quality measurement into a practical method for librarians to use has required a continuum of work over the past two years. The Hernon and Altman research created a theoretical framework upon which further research could be conducted. Hernon and Calvert refined the framework to produce a pool of statements about service quality usable by university libraries in New Zealand, and tested them in a pilot survey. Bydder and Harwood selected appropriate questions from the Hernon and Calvert pool then conducted a two-stage service quality gap analysis survey at the University of Waikato. Even now, practising librarians should not regard the situation as static, as customer perceptions of service quality will change over time.

Which hotels benefit from locating next to competitors? In this study of 14,995 hotels we provide evidence of both a price benefit and a detriment for specific hotels that co‐locate next to other hotels. Relying on the theoretical framework of agglomeration economics, the results reveal that hotels that co‐locate in the same geographic cluster with the highest quality segmented firms (luxury hotels) accrue a price premium compared to competitors in markets with larger proportions of lower‐segmented competitors. The strongest price premiums were obtained by midscale hotels without food and beverage in clusters with large proportions of luxury and upscale hotels. Similarly, high‐end hotels that pursue differentiation strategies experience price erosion when they are in the same geographic location as lower‐end hotels. Luxury hotels experienced the greatest price erosion when they operate in locations with large proportions of economy and midscale hotels. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of these findings for competitive dynamics and hotel location decisions.

A set of foundation issues that support employee work and service quality is conceptualized as a necessary but not sufficient cause of a climate for service, which in turn is proposed to be reflected in customer experiences. Climate for service rests on the foundation issues, but in addition it requires policies and practices that focus attention directly on service quality. Data were collected at multiple points in time from employees and customers of 134 branches of a bank and analyzed via structural equation modeling. Results indicated that the model in which the foundation issues yielded a climate for service, and climate for service in turn led to customer perceptions of service quality, fit the data well. However, subsequent cross-lagged analyses revealed the presence of a reciprocal effect for climate and customer perceptions. Implications of these results for theory and research are offered.

What is the best way for service organizations to evaluate and motivate service employees so that customers are retained and new customers are attracted? What motivates service employees to deliver high quality service? Are there actions a service organization can take, e.g. way of evaluating, training, and rewarding employees, which encourage them to perform to the organization’s advantage? Answers to these questions would enable a service organization to formulate a system that links human resource management policies to desired service employee performance, thus enhancing customer perceptions of service quality and organizational financial outcomes. This research investigated organizational citizenship behavior, with its framework of organizational rights and responsibilities, to explore these issues. The research shows that service employee perceptions of how they are treated by the service organization, i.e. what organizational rights they receive, are positively associated with organizational citizenship behaviors. Furthermore, it demonstrates that these behaviors result in more effective service delivery to organizational standards and enhanced customer perceptions of service quality.

There is an increasing trend in higher education for institutions to view themselves as competitors. This has led to mounting pressures for each college and university to provide high quality courses in order to obtain a continuous supply of able students seeking entry. Quality in academic terms is a controversial concept, with different stakeholders each having their own view on what constitutes quality. This study's primary objective was to design and implement a way of measuring the quality of the courses offered by a university department, in order to highlight areas in which additional funds need to be allocated to improve performance. Following a review of literature on the subject, it was apparent that measurement of customer perceptions of quality is important in any service organisation. A questionnaire was therefore designed, based on Zeithaml et al's SERVQUAL instrument, to measure the difference between student expectations and perceptions of quality of service delivery. The results indicate areas where the university is failing to meet student expectations and provide a framework for managers to use and redirect resources. In addition, measurement of customer perceptions of service quality can be used over a period of time to monitor the impact of quality improvement activities initiated through an organisation's strategic planning process.

PurposeDefining and measuring quality service is of importance to providers of hotel services. This study aims to diagnose the applicability of the perceived service quality measurement scale to European customers in a new emerging market which is North Cyprus – because tourism industry in Cyprus has been significantly influenced owing to political instability of the island since 1963 and the year 2004 has been of great importance owing to the 24 April referendum for a peace solution between South and North on the island Cyprus.Design/methodology/approachThe sample of the study consists of the European tourists visiting Northern Cyprus hotels. Non‐probability convenience sampling technique is used to collect the data of survey instruments adopted from Parasuraman et al. SPSS 10.0 for windows was employed for the scale measurement. Descriptive analysis such as means, standard deviation and frequencies are calculated. Regression analysis was employed to observe the causal effect of independent variables to customer satisfaction. Reliability issues are tested and dimensionality of the scale is confirmed through an exploratory factor analysis.FindingsInterestingly, the number of European tourists' arrivals has dramatically increased since the referendum. Apart from assessing the reliability and validity of the perceived service quality measurement scale, the results indicate that the nature of perceived service quality measurement instrument is found to two dimension tangibles and intangibles have for North Cyprus hotel services. The results reveal that tangibles and intangibles exert a significant positive effect on customer satisfaction, and European customers visiting North Cyprus are demanding improved service quality.Research limitations/implicationsThis research has certain limitations: first, the sample in this study is small and is limited to a relatively specific group of tourists (European nationalities) who stayed in North Cyprus hotels. Second, measurement of customer satisfaction was carried out using a single‐item scale and thus it was not possible to estimate its reliability.Originality/valueThe year 2004 has been great importance owing to the 24 April referendum for peace between South and North Cyprus. This study provides reflections of political sensitivity on North Cyprus hotel service quality; North Cyprus is both an island and a virgin market in the Mediterranean where quality of hotels is a significant strategic issue for increasing the competitiveness of the Mediterranean islands in the European tourism market. The study explores service quality in terms of the perceived service quality in the hospitality industry and help practitioners with the real concept of service quality. The results and implications of the future research are discussed in detail.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors influencing Service Quality (SQ) in hotels located in Albaha, Saudi Arabia, and to assess the extent of their impact. The study employs a quantitative research approach, collecting data from 500 customers using the SERVQUAL questionnaire, with 327 responses deemed suitable for analysis. Convenience sampling was utilized, and the data were analyzed using Smart PLS software, focusing on the relationships between various service quality dimensions. The findings reveal that Tangibility and Empathy significantly influence Service Quality in Albaha's hotels, while Reliability, Responsiveness, and Assurance have a negligible impact. These results suggest that physical aspects of the hotel and empathetic interactions with guests are critical determinants of service quality in this region. In contrast, factors such as reliability and responsiveness, often considered fundamental in other contexts, do not play a significant role in this specific cultural and geographical setting. In conclusion, this study underscores the importance of focusing on Tangibility and Empathy to enhance Service Quality in Albaha’s hotel industry. The findings offer practical insights for hotel management to prioritize these areas in their service improvement strategies. Furthermore, the study provides a foundation for future research, particularly in exploring culturally tailored approaches to service quality enhancement in similar regional contexts.

Aim/Purpose: This study aims to investigate the influence of e-government public services on public trust at the local government level, addressing the pressing need to understand the factors shaping citizen perceptions and trust in government institutions. Background: With the proliferation of e-government initiatives worldwide, governments are increasingly turning to digital solutions to enhance public service delivery and promote transparency. However, despite the potential benefits, there remains a gap in understanding how these initiatives impact public trust in government institutions, particularly at the local level. This study seeks to address this gap by examining the relationship between e-government service quality, individual perceptions, and public trust, providing valuable insights into the complexities of citizen-government interactions in the digital age. Methodology: Employing a quantitative approach, this study utilises surveys distributed to users of e-government services in one of the regencies in Indonesia. The sample consists of 278 individuals. Data analysis is conducted using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling, allowing for the exploration of relationships among variables and their influence on public trust. Contribution: This study provides insights into the factors influencing public trust in e-government services at the local government level, offering a nuanced understanding of the relationship between service quality, individual perceptions, and public trust. Findings: This study emphasises information quality and service quality in e-government-based public services as crucial determinants of individual perception in rural areas. Interestingly, system quality in e-government services has no influence on individual perception. In the individual perception, perceived security and privacy emerge as the strongest antecedent of public trust, highlighting the need to guarantee secure and private services for citizens in rural areas. These findings emphasise the importance of prioritising high-quality information, excellent service delivery, and robust security measures to foster and sustain public trust in e-government services. Recommendations for Practitioners: Practitioners must prioritise enhancing the quality of e-government services due to their significant impact on individual perception, leading to higher public trust. Government agencies must ensure reliability, responsiveness, and the effective fulfilment of user needs. Additionally, upholding high standards of information quality in e-government services by delivering accurate, relevant, and timely information remains crucial. Strengthening security measures through robust protocols such as data encryption and secure authentication becomes essential for protecting user data. With that in mind, the authors believe that public trust in government would escalate. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers could investigate the relation between system quality in e-government services and individual perception in different rural settings. Longitudinal studies could also elucidate how evolving service quality, information quality, and security measures impact user satisfaction and trust over time. Comparative studies across regions or countries can reveal cultural and contextual differences in individual perceptions, identifying both universal principles and region-specific strategies for e-government platforms. Analysing user behaviour and preferences across various demographic groups can inform targeted interventions. Furthermore, examining the potential of emerging technologies such as blockchain or artificial intelligence in enhancing e-government service delivery, security, and user engagement remains an interesting topic. Impact on Society: This study’s findings have significant implications for fostering public trust in government institutions, ultimately strengthening democracy and citizen-government relations. By understanding how e-government initiatives influence public trust, policymakers can make informed decisions to improve service delivery, enhance citizen engagement, and promote transparency, thus contributing to more resilient and accountable governance structures. Future Research: Future research could opt for longitudinal studies to evaluate the long-term effects of enhancements in service quality, information quality, and security. Cross-cultural investigations can uncover universal principles and contextual differences in user experiences, supporting global e-government strategies in rural areas. Future research could also improve the research model by adding more variables, such as risk aversion or fear of job loss, to gauge individual perceptions.

Background and purpose: The Government of Indonesia established the National Health Insurance or in Indonesia called Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional (JKN) in 2014 with the target of achieving universal health coverage (UHC) by 2019. However, many have not become JKN participants and still use the fee for service financing system. The purpose of this study was to determine patient’s perceptions of the quality of health services under the JKN and fee for service payment methods.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at West Denpasar II Public Health Centre (PHC) with 133 outpatient respondents who were selected sequentially. Data collection was carried out in June 2019 through interviews. Patients' perceptions of service quality were measured according to the six domains of health service quality established by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) which include effectiveness, efficiency, timeliness, patient-centered approach, safety and equity. Bivariate analysis was conducted with Mann Whitney test and multivariate analysis with Ancova.Results: Patients' perceptions of the quality of services in the JKN and fee for service payment methods were found to be quite good with an average of 3.08 and 3.17 of the maximum value of 4.0. Bivariate analysis showed a significant difference with a mean rank of 54.28 for JKN and 79.16 for fee for service (p<0.01). Patients' perceptions of service quality also differed significantly based on the dimensions of efficiency (p=0.001), effectiveness (p=0.005), timeliness (p=0.007) and patient-centered approach (p=0.032). Multivariate analysis showed that the variable that was significantly related to patient perceptions of service quality was the payment methods (p<0.001).Conclusion: Patients with a fee for service payment methods have a better perception of service quality than patients who use JKN. Advocacy to policy makers and service providers should be conducted in order to ensure the equal quality of service for all patients.