Determinants of customer satisfaction in a high-contact service environment: a study of selected hotels in Abakaliki metropolis, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

This article explores the factors that lead to customer satisfaction, with a particular interest in the hospitality industry of Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. In a high-contact service industry such as hospitality, service providers and customers usually have an intimate and direct interaction for a considerable time duration and, as such, sales to and retention of customers is based on the richness or otherwise of such interactions. With this in mind, this study specifically seeks to find out if customer satisfaction in the hospitality industry (especially hotels) is determined by staff service quality, room quality, value and security. Hypotheses were formulated vis-à-vis a theoretical background and conceptual models. Survey data generated from 317 consumers of hotel services in Abakaliki were used as the research database. In analysing the data used for the study, the researchers made use of factor analysis and multiple regression analysis techniques. It was discovered that all the determinants of customer satisfaction under study have an effect on customer satisfaction.

KEYWORDS:

• attributes
• hospitality industry
• markets
• staff service quality
• value